Rating: 
Summary: Loved this book!
Review: Luanne Rice has clearly and touchingly depicted two scarred people, Dev, literally and Anne, figuratively. Their coming together was fiercely romantic and satisfying. The ending (I don't want to give it away) is finely wrought and you feel for all of the protagonists. Better than 4 stars - I would give it nearly 5 if that option were available!
Rating:
Summary: Entertaining contemporary story of grief and recovery
Review: My first book by Luanne Rice and it was a pleasure to read it although it was somewhat sweet and lacked as much depth as both the characters and subject deserved. Others have summed up the story well so I won't do that here. I would like to say that I fell in love with her hero, Thomas X Devlin, and enjoyed the peripheral characters of Anne Davis's family, eg her niece Maggie and her sister Gabrielle and brother in law Steve and even the society on the unnamed island on which they all lived. However, there were, in my view, some weaknesses here. In particular, her ex-husband was very one dimensional and Maggie's circle of friends were rather over-drawn. The grisly accident scene at the end of the book was very well done but the way in which Matt, the two-timing ex-husband, appears to undergo some divine revelation leading to his reformation into a saddened and chastened husband was too much to bear. His grief was examined but not developed. Thank goodness Anne had already seen through him! This novelist was at her very best in describing grief and loss and also in showing the path to recovery.
Rating:
Summary: Entertaining contemporary story of grief and recovery
Review: My first book by Luanne Rice and it was a pleasure to read it although it was somewhat sweet and lacked as much depth as both the characters and subject deserved. Others have summed up the story well so I won't do that here. I would like to say that I fell in love with her hero, Thomas X Devlin, and enjoyed the peripheral characters of Anne Davis's family, eg her niece Maggie and her sister Gabrielle and brother in law Steve and even the society on the unnamed island on which they all lived. However, there were, in my view, some weaknesses here. In particular, her ex-husband was very one dimensional and Maggie's circle of friends were rather over-drawn. The grisly accident scene at the end of the book was very well done but the way in which Matt, the two-timing ex-husband, appears to undergo some divine revelation leading to his reformation into a saddened and chastened husband was too much to bear. His grief was examined but not developed. Thank goodness Anne had already seen through him! This novelist was at her very best in describing grief and loss and also in showing the path to recovery.
Rating: 
Summary: A stunning tale of love re-born . . .
Review: Not for nothing is fire frequently referred to as cleansing; through the centuries it has frequently been used to cauterize wounds and prevent infection. Of course, it can also destroy. Fire is the catalyst that brings together Anne Davis, a young woman who is mourning the death of her four year old daughter, and Thomas Devlin, the firefighter whose wife died in the fire that has left horrible scars on his face and body. Anne has returned to the home on an island off the coast of Connecticut in which she and her sister Gabrielle were born and raised. Anne left the island, married well, and became a famous jet-setting artist and mother. Gabrielle, resentful of Anne's success, stayed on the island, married not-so-well, began a catering business and also became a mother. Gabrielle's daughter, Maggie, now a teenager, is drawn into a group of rebellious kids, doing things she doesn't want to do with people she doesn't even like very much. Anne's husband Mark, who had begun an affair shortly before the death of their daughter, has come to realize that he wants Anne back again. She however, has learned to love the damaged Thomas. Gabrielle, who has been jealous of Anne all their lives, is brought up sharply by a hard fact; the more you have, the more you have to lose. HOME FIRES is a sweeping story of love and loss, of life and acceptance of the hand we're dealt. The characters area convincing and believable, and the plot could easily be today's headlines or tomorrow's movie-of-the week.
Rating:
Summary: A stunning tale of love re-born . . .
Review: Not for nothing is fire frequently referred to as cleansing; through the centuries it has frequently been used to cauterize wounds and prevent infection. Of course, it can also destroy. Fire is the catalyst that brings together Anne Davis, a young woman who is mourning the death of her four year old daughter, and Thomas Devlin, the firefighter whose wife died in the fire that has left horrible scars on his face and body. Anne has returned to the home on an island off the coast of Connecticut in which she and her sister Gabrielle were born and raised. Anne left the island, married well, and became a famous jet-setting artist and mother. Gabrielle, resentful of Anne's success, stayed on the island, married not-so-well, began a catering business and also became a mother. Gabrielle's daughter, Maggie, now a teenager, is drawn into a group of rebellious kids, doing things she doesn't want to do with people she doesn't even like very much. Anne's husband Mark, who had begun an affair shortly before the death of their daughter, has come to realize that he wants Anne back again. She however, has learned to love the damaged Thomas. Gabrielle, who has been jealous of Anne all their lives, is brought up sharply by a hard fact; the more you have, the more you have to lose. HOME FIRES is a sweeping story of love and loss, of life and acceptance of the hand we're dealt. The characters area convincing and believable, and the plot could easily be today's headlines or tomorrow's movie-of-the week.
Rating:
Summary: I loved this book!
Review: This book had me zapped into it from the first page. I loved that two fragile, wounded people can find each other and fall in love. I liked the conflict between the sisters and I felt Maggie was really a 16 year old. I couldn't put this book down.
Rating:
Summary: Page turner
Review: This is a page turner. My third Luanne Rice book...I can't get enough of her! She is a gem! After I've read all of Danielle Steel, and Oprah's books...she's a breath of fresh air.
So much fun to read. And as much as I enjoy Ms. Steel, her books are slowly declining in content.
Rating:
Summary: Page turner
Review: This is a page turner. My third Luanne Rice book...I can't get enough of her! She is a gem! After I've read all of Danielle Steel, and Oprah's books...she's a breath of fresh air.
So much fun to read. And as much as I enjoy Ms. Steel, her books are slowly declining in content.
Rating:
Summary: WHAT AN EMOTIONAL READ!!
Review: This must have been the beginning of the realization of the talent of Luanne Rice. Written 10 years ago, this book is a tiny bit dated already in that there are no use of cell phones, but overall the book is an emotional read that is hard to put down.
Anne Davis is still reeling from the death of her four-year-old daughter and the abandonment by her husband when she returns to the island home where she was raised. She hasn't been there very long when a fire breaks out. Anne escapes to safety but rushes back into the house to retrieve something. What is it that she would risk her life to save? Fireman Thomas Devlin risks his own life to save Anne who is uninjured. Somewhat of a recluse, Thomas has been living on the island after having been unable to safe his own wife in a fire in which he was terribly scarred.
Despite accusing looks from those who think she was responsible for her daughter's death, Anne settles into island life where she is close to her sister Gabrielle and her niece, Maggie, a teenager who is on her own downward spiral.
Soon both the woman who is scarred on the inside and the man who is scarred on the outside find themselves attracted to one another.
This is a short (312-page) book so it is hard to write more without including spoilers. But suffice to say, things do not always go smoothly for Thomas and Anne. In addition, Anne is mentoring her niece Maggie, who is constantly being tempted to continue a life that will take her right into the hands of danger.
Thomas is one of the most gentle, sweetest men ever. His love and consideration and respect for Anne is almost palpable. Anne's pain over losing her daughter is equally as palpable. One begins to wonder though if they will ever be able to find a future together, especially with Anne's contrite husband back in the picture.
Luanne Rice has written an unforgettable novel set on the New England coast which is sure to make my top 10 of the year; I can't believe I didn't read it earlier.
Rating:
Summary: What a wonderful discovery - Luanne Rice!
Review: This was my first book by her, but it won't be my last. Thank you Amazon, for recommending this author to me. She keeps you turning the pages. This story of a mom recovering from the loss of her only child and then slowly falling in love with the "wounded and scarred" firefighter who rescues her touched my heart. As the wife of a fire-fighter myself it has special meaning, but anyone would love this story. I can't wait to read another of her books. She doesn't drag things out, and go on frivolously as some women authors do, but gives you such an insight into the emotions and depths of her characters. I highly recommend this book. Since I finished this book I have read others by her and found that her early books "Angels All Over Town" and "Blue Moon" were not written as well as her newer books. She is a greatly improved writer and has 2 new books coming out in 2002 - which I can't wait to read. This one I actually went out and bought after reading it from the library. I originally read the hardcover, not the paperback as it says here.
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