Anita Mills

A wonderful medieval. It is part of a series but can be read alone. It is very good historical fiction. The feel for the times is right on, not just wallpaper history. I absolutely love William. He is a rough but kind man who is very aware of his bastardy and who wants a woman of his own and a family. Arabella is also a strong character. Much of the book revolves around her love for her son and what she'll do to protect him. William becomes her ally in this even though he thinks the boy is the result of adultry while she was with her first husband. William is basically incapable of cruelty to those weaker than himself. He is a wonderful example of a strong man who is constantly aware that he must be gentle to those less strong. His love for Arabella is very well drawn and believable. Arabella is strong but within the framework of what women were allowed to be at the time. Highly recommended.… (meer)

This is a American Civil War book which I very seldom read which is probably the reason I've had this on my TBR shelf for 14 years. For some reason it appealed to me yesterday. I'm glad it did. The book was very well written and researched which I find is typical of Anita Mills. The hero, Spence, is a surgeon who became tired of medicine after 5 years in the Confederate Army cutting off limbs. When he goes home to his wife and child after the war, he discovers she had run off to San Francisco with another man taking Spence's son with them. He heads west to find them. Along the way he runs into the widow of a soldier he had known and stops to help her. Laura is alone and pregnant in the railroad workers camp where her husband was working when he died. Spence, trapped by the winter weather, stays with her over the winter and they fall in love.

This was a lovely story. There were large sections that took place before they got together that might drag for a reader who insists that the two main characters be together in every scene. But I didn't even really notice. It made the story seem more real. They also fell in love and got married before the end and the last third of the book showed them adjusting to their marriage and searching for Spence's son. I particularly enjoyed that as I like to see a new couple learning to adjust to marriage. I like it when stories aren't over just because the principles said "I do".

Laura was a nice character. She was strong and proud, practical and loving. Spence was pretty injured and it took Laura to help him heal.

This was not just a wall paper historical. You got a real sense of time and place. I recommend it for lovers of true historically correct romances.… (meer)

While I like Ms. Mills writing, I had quite a few nit picky problems with Fire and Steel.It took a long time to get over my initial reaction (Ick!) of the many men in this book, including the hero, who are lusting after a thirteen year old girl. I know very young brides were not uncommon in medieval times, but the author went on and on about these different (much older) men reacting to the heroine. When reading the first part of the book, the (19 yr old) hero wants to wait to bed his 13 year old bride, but you don't actually know that he will wait. Then they are separated and it is five years later, but it is unclear if the married hero has been true or not during those five years away. When he is called back to reunite with his now 18 year old bride, he cheats and sleeps with a woman. Of course, when reunited, he is completely obsessed with the heroine's virginity or lack of (not). Things really slow down after that and there are some superficial conflicts but not much to keep your attention. 3/5 stars… (meer)