Rating: 
Summary: Great Susan Wiggs!
Review: THE FIREBRAND was entertaining from beginning to end. I have now read all of the Chicago Fire trilogy, and this one was the best of the three, followed by THE MISTRESS and THE HOSTAGE.The little girl, Maggie, is adorable and a lot of fun to read. Probably one of the best-written children characters in any recent romances that I've read. You can see why Lucy and Rand love her so much. Lucy Hathaway is refreshing because she is not a typical romance novel heroine. Katharine Hepburn, in her younger days, would have been able to play her very well. Rand is also different. His calm demeanor blends well with Lucy's passionate beliefs. I definitely recommend this book highly.
Rating:
Summary: What a great concept
Review: The story of Lucy and Randolph is creative and wonderful, but in my opinion the author did alittle too much stereotyping for each charactor. Mrs. Hathoway was too much of the "OH woo is me, I lost all of my money, and 5 years later I am still feeling sorry for myself", Lucy was what today we would almost call Feminist Militant, and Randolph was blind as humanly possible to the cause that Lucy was fighting for. Also, Randolph's first wife was the stereotypical chilly socialite, the governess was the stereotypical Governess, and Randolphs mother was the stereotypical older, rich woman. And all of the other charactors, The Reverend, the Bank Officals, and Maggie were all very one sided charactors with no middle ground. I did enjoy the book never the less, and loved Susan Wiggs ability to tie all of the girls together starting with the same night, but not ruin it for you if you missed one in the series. All in all an excellent book.
Rating: 
Summary: Well developed background setting, unremarkable romance
Review: The thing I enjoyed most about this novel or the entire Chicago fire series is its background or premise. While a fire rages through Chicago, three friends who attend a finishing school together make decisions that help determine the paths of their lives.
In "The Firebrand", Lucy Hathaway, fleeing the fire, saves a baby dropped from the second story window of a hotel. When Lucy can't locate the parents, she adopts the girl. Five years later, she discovers that the baby's parents are alive, and is forced to make a heartwrenching decision.
For me, this book was a little too melancholy, and at times the sheer hugeness and potential sadness of the custody battle overshadowed or completely destroyed the romantic tension. Too much time was spent on background and clashes, and not enough time provided for the development of love between the protagonists. The romance part just wasn't convincing or hearwarming.
Although I appreciated the historical background, which I think is unique, and well done, this novel falls short on actual romance, which is bad since it's supposed to be a romance novel.
This book isn't bad, it's just unremarkable. If you want to read Wiggs, I suggest trying "The Charm School".
Rating: 
Summary: I'd give it 10+ stars if I could....
Review: This is everything I could want in a book, centered around life's most wrenching choice of all. After rescuing a baby from a fire, Lucy (an endearing suffragette bookseller in 1876 Chicago) raises her for her very own. When her business starts to fail, she goes to the stuffiest, meanest banker in town for a loan and, she sees a photograph of an infant in his office and knows it's her own Maggie. WHAT WOULD YOU DO IF YOU WERE LUCY??? I couldn't do a thing until I read to find out.
Rating:
Summary: Great New Discovery!
Review: This is the first Susan Wiggs books I have read but by no means is it the last. I enjoyed it thoroughly. Lucy is a true delight and Rand is wonderfully portrayed. However, Maggie is the true star - what a great kid! I thoroughly recommend this wonderful writer.
Rating:
Summary: Great New Discovery!
Review: This is the first Susan Wiggs books I have read but by no means is it the last. I enjoyed it thoroughly. Lucy is a true delight and Rand is wonderfully portrayed. However, Maggie is the true star - what a great kid! I thoroughly recommend this wonderful writer.
Rating:
Summary: The third in the Cihicago Fire Series...
Review: This is the third story of SW's Chicago Fire Tragedy. In this story the super rich Lucy winds up with a baby in her arms after it is tossed out a window of a hotel. She ends up raising the girl as her daughter. Then 5 years later while she is going into the bank for her loan extension on her bookshop she determines that the parents of her little Maggie are not dead after all. I really enjoyed how they talked about strong women and their marches etc. to get the right to vote and how it was not only unpopular but in some cases not even very safe for all those who are close to them. You will also see Kathleen and Debra (from books 1 & 2) at different parts of the book. It is a romance story so yes there is a happy ending with a new family etc... I liked this one 2nd, I still like Debra's story the best.
Rating:
Summary: The third in the Cihicago Fire Series...
Review: This is the third story of SW's Chicago Fire Tragedy. In this story the super rich Lucy winds up with a baby in her arms after it is tossed out a window of a hotel. She ends up raising the girl as her daughter. Then 5 years later while she is going into the bank for her loan extension on her bookshop she determines that the parents of her little Maggie are not dead after all. I really enjoyed how they talked about strong women and their marches etc. to get the right to vote and how it was not only unpopular but in some cases not even very safe for all those who are close to them. You will also see Kathleen and Debra (from books 1 & 2) at different parts of the book. It is a romance story so yes there is a happy ending with a new family etc... I liked this one 2nd, I still like Debra's story the best.
Rating:
Summary: A weeper - the best kind of romance!
Review: This story moved me so much, I cried through most of it. It is a love story but not just romantic love, it's about what love can do to bring out the best in people. The characters are very carefully detailed, so you understand and appreciate what motivates them. They are very much "of their time" but in many ways the story still resonates to us modern women. I wouldn't rate this high on the sensuality scale, but for a great read that you won't put down, and will move you deeply, definitely pick up a copy of this book.
Rating:
Summary: Good, but not great
Review: While I enjoyed this book, it seemed to be lacking something. Maybe it was the lack of development of the relationship between Lucy and Rand. I just don't see how they fell in love with each other. I did find Lucy a little annoying.
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