Fire and Ice is one of Diana Palmer's older books that I hadn't gotten the chance to read until now. I loved the humor and the snappy dialogue between the characters. Margie is fiesty enough to handle a man like Cal, even if he did have the ability to find her weak spots with pinpoint accuracy. However, she did the same for him. You could tell that if there was any spellcasting, they were both mutually affected. Both Margie and Cal had bad first marriages that scarred them and made the both hesitant to seek commitment. For Cal, it was a wife who cheated on him more than once; and Margie had a controlling, rapist husband who had given her fears of sexual intimacy. Now, they were both pretending to be footloose and fancy free: Cal limiting his interactions with women to one night stands with sophisticated women, and Margie, keeping men at a distance, and cultivated a notorious persona that fit her job as a romance author.They enter each others' spheres through their mutual siblings. Cal's brother falls in love with Margie's sister. Cal's brother has to convince him that Margie's sister is suitable for marriage, which ends up with them spending time at the family's summer house in Florida. Under close proximity, the powerful feelings between Cal and Margie blossom, not only attraction, but genuine liking, leading to a love that neither feels is safe, but they can't imagine living without.Although Margie is largely sexually inexperienced, she felt like a mature, confident woman in many ways. I liked that she was able to keep Cal on his toes. I also liked that he had to acknowledge her as a woman who he couldn't push around, a woman worthy of his respect and love, nothing like his ex-wife.For die-hard Diana Palmer fans, all the things that attract one to her stories are there: the sizzling sexual tension, the funny dialogue, the very manly hero, and the sweet, good-hearted, and this case, fiesty heroine. Although not my favorite by this author, definitely a solid read, and it will go on the keeper shelf with all my other Diana Palmer books.
Fire and Ice is the second book I have read by author Diana Palmer. This is a contemporary romance about the engagement of the much loved younger sister of Margie Silver and a young brother of billionaire Cal Van Dyne. Our hero of the romance,Cal Van Dyne is very against the engagement and finds the intended bride lacking in social skills necessary for his brothers professional growth. Having had one bad marriage under his belt he is soured to love and does not trust women in general. Our heroine,Margie Silver, is a widow who's husband died in a plane accident 5 year ago. She is a successful and talented romance writer. Her relationship with her is very close due to the fact they lost their parents at an early age and had for the most part only themselves for emotional support. After getting off on the wrong foot during their first meeting, Margie expected Cal's opposition to the marriage, but not the cynical game of love he played with her on his lavish Florida estate. Suddenly Margie was gambling with her sister's future—and her own—with a passionate adversary who made his own rules…until he met his match.I really liked this book and all the characters. Sensual level I would give a 6. Recommend this as an enjoyable romance read.
What do You think about Fire And Ice (1995)?
4 Stars ~ Cannon's hugely successful and the conservative image he portrays has a lot to do with it. After his disastrous marriage, he'd kept his life and his family's under tight control, so there was no way his younger brother was going to marry any woman he hadn't vetted. Maggie is a best selling author of historical romance, and her novelist persona has a rather notorious reputation. Maggie would do anything for her younger sister, so when she's asked to keep her identity secret, she agrees. But something about Cannon unnerves her, and she can't help provoking him out of his stuffed shirt image. Cannon doesn't deny that they share an electric attraction, but he's puzzled by Maggie's open warmth that suddenly turns to ice whenever he tries to draw her near. Maggie's a widow, whose brief marriage had been a nightmare, with a husband who didn't hesitate to rape his wife; there's no way any man is ever going to get close to her again. That is until Cannon starts to show her how right it can be between a man and a woman.This is a fairly early Desire by Diana Palmer. I love her feisty heroines and arrogantly alpha heroes. Ms. Palmer doesn't shy from the darker issues, and she balances Maggie's traumatic past wonderfully with some hilarious banter and scorching chemistry. Though this one is not as edgy as some of her later books, I enjoyed this one very much.
—Kay
