The Fire Inside

That says it all. I like many others read this book out of sync in the trilogy. I started with Fanning the Flame and then this one and still have the first one to go yet. The characters are terrific with the bantering and then the love that develops. I too was slightly disappointed with Kitt's sudden departure. After she was able to stand up to her domineering father, you'd think she had enough gumption to stick it out with Clay. But alas, that is what makes romance novels. Girl meets guy, they fall in love, huge misunderstanding, and then the huge reunion. Always have to make the readers want to fight for the characters. Give this one a try. I'm not upset that I read it out of order, heck I didn't even realize it really until after I read the other reviews. I did see cross over characters, but it doesn't hurt the continuity of the books.

I read this second book of the trilogy out of sync - unfortunately - but found myself to be totally enchanted once more by Kat Martin's plots, and characters. Of course, this book, does stand quite well on its own merits and if you do read it out of sync with the other two, no matter. But seeing as how I had read Heartless first, I was already, waiting ANXIOUSLY for Clay's story, because he was such a drop dead gloriously handsome guy, even if he was the worst sort of rake. Of course we all know that rakes do make the best husbands once they've been caught.It took a little hellcat, like Kassandra (Kitt) Wentworth to first capture his attention and `light his fire' she most certainly did although he was loathe to admit it. Kitt and Clay were the original oil and water mix. They had known each other for years and Clay did admit a grudging admiration for the little spitfire who created one scandal after another. He even found a certain enjoyment in goading her on. It was one such escapade, where they found themselves in a very high stakes game, in which she recklessly won then lost a fortune. Her father hearing of this latest scandal, laid down the law, by first locking her in her room for two weeks and demanding she select a suitor to marry within two months or she would be sent to a convent for the next four years.Clay hating to admit it, found himself thinking of her more and more often and enjoying his other female conquests less and less, so when the opportunity to trick her into a wedding - she vowed never to wed - arose, he conspired with her father and managed to wed her. Clay was so in love that he agreed to not push her into consummating the marriage until she was ready. With great care and pain on his part he was able to break through her defenses after discovering her tragic secret - and if nothing else she began to trust him and to her great horror, she realized she had begun to love him. Where this story broke down for me, was when Kitt, realizing she loved Clay, ran away because she didn't want to have her heart broken when he tired of her and would surely take a mistress. Kitt being the spitfire in the beginning, became a wimp! I was very upset that she didn't realize that the tenderness and care he gave should have shown her how much he cared. I confess I was not happy here.The fight back to regain Clays trust and love was quite good and then when Clay almost lost her to an old enemy, he finally was ready to admit his love and begin to trust again. The introduction to Adam Hawthorne, Earl of Blackwood, and inclusion of him as a secondary character is wonderful and sets the stage for the third book of this trilogy - Fanning the Flame. All in all, this is a great series, well worth the read and highly recommended

I thought this book was just lovely unlike most romances that always make us feel all the tension even before the characters developed i thought this had a little of everything although Clay and Kitt love each other and don't really acknowledge it the way the story is written it makes us understand why it is difficult for them to love and i have to say most of the time in most books it is hard to actually understand why the characters find it hard to commit but in this case we do understand i like Kat Martin but i think this is the best book by far.i feel confident in giving her all five stars.

This book was everything I could have wanted in a love story. The hero Clayton is a strong well-written romantic hero. He's handsome, attractive to women, and strong. Kassandra (Kitt)begins as headstrong, stubborn, and reckless. She later becomes a strong and mature woman.There is romantic and sexual tension between these characters from the beginning of the book!! It actually begins in Heartless and carries over into their story. I read Heartless first, and I couldn't wait to read The Fire Inside to find out what happened. I was not disappointed. Kitt leads Clay on a merry chase before a "compromising" position forces them to marry. Kitt has a secret from her past that threatens her marriage to Clay and forces her to decide whether or not to trust her husband. Clay hopes that by marrying Kitt he can control her recklessness as well as the burning passion he has for her. As each of them soon finds out, they both must find a way to come to terms with the undeniable feelings they have for each other.This book captured my interest from the first page. The sexual tension is believable. The plot is just as believable, with many twists and turns. I didn't want this book to end. I wanted the story to go on and on. My wish is that Adam Hawthorne, Lord Blackwood, will get his story next. He played an instrumental part in several scenes in the book, and he is begging to feel the snares of passion like Clayton and Kassandra.

Although I have not read the whole book, I just had to make a comment. This book is a page turner. This is the first time I read a book by Kat Martin and I love it. The characters are fun and the author always gets from one exciting scene that you're into, to the next scene, without making you wait for five chapters. I'm used to reading novels from Rosemary Rogers but became very bored because I probably just read too many of her books and they are becoming passionless. Anyway, the story between Clay and Kit is just plain fun. The love, the fear, the passion, the anger. I just cannot wait till the end. I love a happy ending, and I hope it is. Although the main character Kit can be annoying with her doubts, it doesn't distract from the rest of the story. It's fun the way the author allows you to catch both sides of what each character is thinking as well. I go home to my hubby feeling so warm and loving inside from reading this book. I can't wait to pick up another of her books. If they excite me, I'll probably have a collection full. :)