Fire and Ice

I love Anne Stuart. It is my goal to read every single book she's ever written, and I'm getting there! She is probably the only author whose books I will buy without even reading any kind of plot description. That's because anything this woman writes, even if it's flawed, is still more enjoyable then the best work of a ton of other authors. Fire and Ice is no exception; it is Stuart working her usual magic. I've really liked all the "Ice" books, and ever since we first meet Reno in Ice blue, I've been eagerly awaiting his story. After reading it in one sitting, I can say that I was not disappointed. Reno came across as such a unique and complicated character in Ice Blue, and fire and Ice definitely does him justice. Who else but Stuart could take a flamboyant Japanese punk/gangster/secret agent with long red hair and tattoos and make him into a feasible romance hero? Some people have commented that Reno has lost some of his spunk and become too much like the other ice men, but I don't agree. He's still as outrageous as ever, but he seems a little bit harder and wiser. I think he's just grown up a little. And we do get a better understanding of him-- beneath the outrageous exterior, he's actually not a bad guy, he's a brilliant engineer, and he's scared of falling in love. Aww. People have also commented that Jilly is cowardly and annoying, but I disagree. The poor girl is only 20, and she is on the run for her life faced with numerous near-death situations. The way she behaves is realistic. Yes, I was disappointed that we only heard about her genius IQ but never saw it in action. However, this is a small complaint, as I still found her likable and spunky. Yeah, she did some stupid things and took a lot of orders from Reno, but come on! she's young and frightened, and what other choice does she have? Most importantly, the chemistry between these two that was hinted at in Ice Blue really explodes. They argue constantly, throwing out insults and inuendos, but you can tell that sexual tension simmers close to the surface. I was worried that Jilly would not be able to hold her own alongside the larger-than-life Reno, but she does. They're a good match, and their feelings for each other are believable; you can really see the gradual transformation from lust to grudging respect to love. My only real complaint was the plot. For the first half of the book there kind of isn't one-- Jilly and Reno just basically run around Tokyo, trying to escape various thugs. It seems that the purpose of this is to force them into close proximity so that their relationship can develop. The plot was a bit hazy; I never really understood why exactly they were being chased and who was doing it. However, the plot improved in the last third, when we see the complicated problems within Reno's family's gangster organization and finally somewhat understand what's going on. Anyway, I always think the relationship between the hero/heroine is wa

I remember when I first started reading this series. I had no notion of where the story was going, did I like any of these murderous characters? most of the plot left me lost BUT I kept on reading because of the sheer writing mastery of this author. I liked a few in this series, but most I did not. The one immediately before this one, left me cold. None of the characters I cared about and the female lead needed a sharp needle to the pericardium. Except it would have been too difficult to find the heart. Now comes this home run and wow! Can you IMAGINE a tall, brilliant, Japanese hero with a head of flame-red hair down to his waist? With a leather jacket, Harley, a master Yazuka grandfather and a hunka a' burninglove for the female lead. Just quit folding laundry and making dinner, right now! Find a comfy spot and don't leave it because you won't want to put this honey of a book down until it's read. Then maybe you will turn around and read it again! It's that darn good.

If Anne Stuart decided to write the phone book out in longhand, I would beg to read it. She's an amazing author. I've been enjoying the "Ice" series for quite some time now, and it finishes with a bang! Reno, the flame-haired punk Yakuza, made his first appearance in "Ice Blue". To say that he's unforgettable is an understatement. Of course, he's met his Doc Martens-wearing heroine in a traditional English garden, but he doesn't know that. Jilly is the younger sister of "Blue Ice"'s heroine Summer, and loses her heart at first sight. Reno and Jilly meet again when Jilly impulsively visits Japan, trying to find her sister. Jilly's had a crush on Reno since the moment she met him. Reno's been warned to leave Summer's little sister alone. Guess what happens? The descriptions of the various entities after Jilly, Reno's efforts to protect her from those who would hurt her, and the unfolding of Jilly and Reno's love story will keep you enthralled. Get the series, read them all, and marvel over the writing skill of an author who can make an assassin a believable, sympathetic romance hero. Anne Stuart is the best, and you'll love "Fire and Ice".

I've been waiting for Jilly and Reno's story a long time...and it was well worth the wait! This is my favourite in Stuart's Ice series. Jilly and Reno are immediately attracted to each other, and finally the time has come to get what they want. Reno is a little more open with his feelings than previous Stuart heroes which was refreshing. But don't worry Anne Stuart still writes fast, hard and sexy. Fantastic!

I love the whole ice series. Reno and Jilly were not a disappointment. I found the chemistry intoxicating and the action riveting. I finished all 378 pages in one day and was wishing for more. I heard this was the last of the series but i'm seriously hoping this isn't the case. Anne Stuart's heroes are alway captivating and her heroines easily indentified with. I'll wait anxiously for her next novel.