I love art so it’s not a surprise that I enjoyed River of Fire so much. This is probably the best portrayal of artists I’ve seen in romance and I give kudos to Ms. Putney for taking the time and effort to do a thorough research about art in this time period.The hero, the heroine AND her father are all artists with very distinctive styles. It was clear from the beginning that the author modeled them after real artists of the time so their themes and struggles were real and in synch with the evolution of painting at the beginning of the 19th century. I really enjoyed their conversations about art - which weren’t boring, technical, or maudlin - but helped them to share their emotions and deal with painful situations in their lives. Kenneth, our hero, was the most interesting character with his dichotomy of competent soldier and insecure artist. As Rebecca stated he had lived with privilege, and with harsh repression. With brutality and danger, and with a deep appreciation of beauty. Such contrasts might make him a great artist. I’m glad the author used Kenneth’s art to help him cope with the ravages of war but I wished this hadn’t been accomplished so easily. Every artist is not a tormented soul, but it would probably take more than a few paintings for a sensitive person to deal with the horror of war. The outrageous prices offered for Kenneth’s & Rebecca’s paintings bothered me somewhat because I know for a fact that paintings by famous artists like Gainsborough and Velazquez sold for £150 during the period, so it’s unlikely that two unknowns would be getting double that. But this is a minor detail who would only bother somebody who knows about these things. :)The romance and the investigation that brought Kenneth to Seaton House didn’t interest me as much but I think they were well done enough that they didn’t jar with the other parts of the book. The investigation and Kenneth’s monetary problems were solved too easily at the end but I guess they were necessary to have a real HEA. Nobody likes to think of their heroes having money problems, especially in historical romance where life could be soo difficult. Overall, a really good book that will stay top of mind because of the effect it’s had on me. Ever since I read it, I’m itching to visit the Met to see some of my favorite paintings. When a book transcends the story in its pages to touch something within me, it reinforces why reading is one of my favorite things to do in the whole world.
Although I didn't like the way the last fifty pages tied every storyline up with a shiny bow, I think this is still my 2nd favorite in the series behind Dancing on the Wind. And this is a must-read for any romance reader who has a passion in one of the creative fields (in my case, writing). The things Rebecca tells Kenneth about painting can be applied across the board, and I especially found it very insightful.Captain Kenneth Wilding aka Viscount Kimball is in debt due to his father's obsession with his young grasping wife. Now that his father has passed, Kenneth is left with very little to support himself, his sister, and his estate of Sutterton. When he is offered a proposition - a little spying for the entire mortgage against Sutterton being forgiven - he sees no other option. So he enters the house of Sir Anthony Seaton, world-renowned painter, and the charade begins. What he doesn't count on, however, is his attraction to Sir Anthony's ruined, spinster daughter Rebecca. Rebecca is still deeply in mourning for her mother, who died under mysterious circumstances the summer previously. She's been disenchanted by life and has closed herself off with her cat and her easel. But when she sees Kenneth for the first time, she once again feels a spark of interest - for life and for her art. When she discovers that Kenneth is an artist, too, she sets out to help him reach his potential, while trying to decide what kind of a future she wants and what part, if any, Kenneth is willing to play in it. This was a good book that stopped short of being great due to two factors: (1) the overwhelming description of art, that sometimes drowned out any other plot going on at the time, and (2) the lackluster ending. Call me crazy, but I really get annoyed by a "too perfect" ending, and this one, unfortunately, had one. The villain got his just rewards, and everyone else was destined to live a long and happy life. Plus, MJP lapsed back into a behavior that really ruined fan-favorite The Rake for me: psychoanalyzing dialogue by a character. There's a finesse to understanding the psychological implications and motives behind a character's action/thoughts, and making sure the reader understands them as well, without saying it straight out. There are sometimes that MJP loses all subtletly, and those are the most disappointing parts to me, because I know she can do better.Overall, this was a solid addition to a good series. B+
What do You think about River Of Fire (2005)?
After waiting for two years to collect the Fallen Angels books (so that I could read them all in a row), I've been very dissapointed in the series so far, with the exception of THUNDER AND ROSES. Now, after reading RIVER OF FIRE, my faith in Putney's writing ability is restored. My main complaints with a lot of the other books in the Fallen Angels series was that the love story would get shoved onto the back burner while the mystery/intrigue took centre stage. This really annoyed me, as I want the romance to be the central theme in the story. That's why I read romance, and not historical fiction, because I want a story that is primarily a love story. RIVER OF FIRE delivers on that front. However, if you want a mystery where the villian is less obvious, then you might be a bit dissapointed. Yet, even though I had a pretty good idea who the villian was, Putney still kept me turning pages. The final showdown with the villian was well-executed. When I reached the last few chapters of the book I just couldn't put it down. The characters were both well-drawn, and ones that I cared about. I cheered for them to get together. They were both flawed in human ways, but not overly flawed as to be unlikeable. That's a difficult balance for an author to strike, and I applaud Putney for a job well done. I also liked the peek into the art world. As someone who has studied music, much of what she said about painting (like how the desire to create art is like a fire in the blood) made sense to me. The way Putney used a shared love of art to draw the characters together reminded me a lot of the way she used nature to to do the same thing in THE WILD CHILD. It should be noted that while this book is part of a series (book six), RIVER OF FIRE also works as a stand-alone. Though characters from previous books do make appearances, the reader won't be left feeling confused at all. And there are no loose threads to be tied up in the next book. I wasn't left with any questions at the end. Not the best work Putney has ever done, but RIVER OF FIRE is a very enjoyable read, and I do recommend it. Other worthy works by this author include THE WILD CHILD, THE RAKE, and SILK AND SHADOWS.
—Gemma
A sorozatba legkevésbé illő kötet. Hiába köti össze a bukott angyalokkal Michael személye, hiába szerepelnek benne többet az imádott ismerősök, mint pl. a Különös találkozásban, valahogy mégis kilóg. Viszont abszolút laikusként rengeteget megtudhattam a festészetről (élveztem is nagyon), rokonszenvesek a főszereplők, külön öröm az álnok kígyó mostohaanya átverése, Kenneth húgának és volt katonatársának egymásra találása, Kennethről és Rebeccáról már nem is beszélve. Egyszóval a mellékszereplők ugyanolyan jól kidolgozottak, mint a főhősök, s bár a könyv a tetszésileg a hetedik helyre szorul, még így is jócskán belefér a kedvencek közé.
—Gizella Tóth
Kenneth Wilding, out of the army and the inheritor of large debts, is given an unusual opportunity to earn enough money to set his estate in order and provide for his sister; all he has to do is infiltrate the home of an artist and find out if he murdered his own wife months before. Feeling deceitful, but desperate, Kenneth becomes the artist's secretary, only to find himself falling for his daughter. A ruined spinster, Rebecca teaches Kenneth how to transfer his worst experiences onto canvas and he teaches her how to live life again. While the characters aren't quite as scarred as others in the series, they each have their problems to work through. A good book about art, ambition, trust, and, naturally, love.
—Amanda Caswell
