Innocent Fire by Brenda Joyce

Rating: 2

Synopsis: Leaving behind the sheltered life of a French convent, Miranda journeyed to the New World and an arranged marriage to a prosperous Texas rancher. Arriving in America, the innocent European met her fiance's friend Derek Bragg, a rough-hewn Texas Ranger, whose harsh manner and candid comments about her beauty enraged the shy miss.

Although bragg fought to deny his feelings for his charge, he knew that he was falling in love with her. Miranda, too, was struggling with her desire for her escort as they trekked across the treacherous wilderness. Drawn to the lawman -- enflamed by his raw masculine virility -- will Miranda sacrifice her innocence to the fire blazing out of control in her heart?

Review: AHHHGGGHH. This sums up my feelings about this book in one 'word'.

Not a terrible book, but the heroine was such a NINNY I felt like I was rolling my eyes constantly. Also, (slight spoiler) when she was kidnapped for a THIRD time I was a little appalled at the author. Really? She needs to be kidnapped 3 times? I certainly did not feel in any way connected to the characters, so when Very Bad Things happened to her I didn't really care.... I didn't! It's terrible to admit, I know! Maybe, just maybe, if every other sentence out of her mouth didn't sound like a variation of "Eeek! This is not proper! Ladies do not do this! Icky!" Ok, I exaggerated SLIGHTLY, but the idea is the same. I think she is, seriously, the most NON-sexual heroine I have ever read about. Stick that poor girl in a nunnery!! The hero should have dumped her.

I normally love this author to pieces, so I hope the rest of the Bragg series is better.