Sea Fire
Grade : F

As I read Sea Fire, I tried to figure out why it was reissued. It's a continuation of the story which began in Karen Robard's first novel, Island Flame. Like that book, Sea Fire shows its age. The hero is domineering, jealous, and much older than the heroine. And this book is full of what someone on the message board called the "ick factor." For example, there's the scene where the heroine makes herself sick to avoid having sex with her slimy cousin. On top of that, misunderstandings, rape, and childish behavior abound.

Cathy and Jon Hale have settled down in America. When Cathy learns that her father is dying, she returns to England, leaving Jon behind because he's a wanted man there. Then Cathy learns that she and Jon are not legally married. Before she can return home to correct this plot device, Jon comes to England. Not a bright idea. He quickly finds himself in prison awaiting a death sentence.

Cathy is forced to marry her slimy cousin Harold to save Jon. Of course, Jon thinks she has betrayed him. Somehow, Jon takes over the prison ship, escapes, tracks down the ship on which Harold and Cathy are sailing, and kidnaps Cathy. Jon spends most of his time accusing Cathy of lying, and then forcing himself on her. At one point, he forces her to stay naked in his cabin, using her when he feels like it. When Jon learns Cathy is pregnant, he thinks the baby is Harold's, refusing to believe that she never consummated her marriage to him.

The journey at sea goes on with the usual elements: Leering convicts, the vicious other woman, a hurricane, a silly cat fight scene, and the obligatory stop at a Berber port. After more hardships and misunderstandings, Cathy and Jon reconcile. Yet I couldn't imagine a "happily ever after" for this couple.

Why do the publishers insist on reissuing such dated books? Jon is an abusive jerk. His jealousy verges on the psychotic. It leads him to misinterpret every detail, so he comes across as an idiot. Jon threatens violence and thinks nothing of humiliating Cathy and calling her terrible names. He even sleeps with the other woman to anger Cathy. After all this, his belated apology is loaded with qualifiers.

Cathy yells and pouts and throws things. She also places herself in the midst of danger by not following orders. Despite all Jon puts her through, she starts to love him again because he gets her out of danger. I guess she'd forgotten that she wouldn't be in danger in the first place if he hadn't come back to England and gotten himself arrested!

This book is full of forced sex - some of it forced seduction, some of it outright rape. Even during happier times, Jon is the aggressor. Though I've rated this book as "hot," the sex scenes did nothing for me.

The style isn't much better. Like many older romances, the viewpoint suffers from head hopping and author intrusion. For example, "Cathy had no idea of the lovely picture she made..." The writing is loaded with adjectives. Also, no one simply says anything. Instead, dialog is snapped, breathed, grated, and so forth. Finally, I got an inadvertent laugh when I came across a captain named "Miles Davis." Did he entertain his crew by playing the trumpet?

I did enjoy the some of the action scenes, especially those set at sea. Then, once again, Jon would start to brood about how Cathy had betrayed him. And once again, I would lose patience with him. If you like romances about people who hate each other, you might enjoy this book. Otherwise, you'd be better off looking for something else. Something less dated.

Reviewed by Anne Marble
Grade : F

Sensuality: Hot

Review Date : November 10, 1998

Publication Date: 1998

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Anne Marble

I buy too many books, too many weird heavy metal albums, and too many pulp novel reprints.
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