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Winter Fire  By  cover art

Winter Fire

By: Elizabeth Lowell
Narrated by: Vanessa Hart
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Editorial reviews

Once a mail-order bride, Sarah Kennedy finds herself widowed by 16. Though fiercely independent now, Sarah still falls for the injured man who shows up at her door. For the first time, she learns the feel of real passion. Best-selling New York Times author Elizabeth Lowell captivates with this post-Civil War romance. Meanwhile, Vanessa Hart's performance is hypnotizing. She brings these Western characters to life through their dialogue and accents. Her low, husky voice certainly takes its time with the juicy bits. Romance fans will be warmed all over by Winter Fire.

Publisher's summary

Orphaned at 13, a mail-order bride at 14, widowed at 16, Sarah Kennedy has learned to depend upon no one but herself, reserving all her love for her younger brother, Conner, and for the wounded hawks she heals and returns to the air.

Personal tragedy has taught Case Maxwell to love nothing that can die, and that justice is blind. But when a confrontation with his sworn enemies, the Culpepper clan, leaves the hardened Civil War veteran near death, Case finds himself under the tender, unwanted care of Sarah Kennedy.

Destiny has brought the healer and the warrior together - two souls haunted by the bitter ghosts of the past - to brave chilling risks and dangerous truths as they seek the courage to face the greatest risk of all: love.

©1996 Two of a Kind, Inc. (P)2009 HarperCollins Publishers

Critic reviews

"Her passionate, beautifully rendered romance blazes through the pages, melting readers' hearts." ( Romantic Times)

What listeners say about Winter Fire

Average customer ratings
Overall
  • 4 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    61
  • 4 Stars
    60
  • 3 Stars
    21
  • 2 Stars
    4
  • 1 Stars
    5
Performance
  • 4 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    37
  • 4 Stars
    31
  • 3 Stars
    15
  • 2 Stars
    3
  • 1 Stars
    8
Story
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    52
  • 4 Stars
    26
  • 3 Stars
    9
  • 2 Stars
    4
  • 1 Stars
    1

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  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars

Good story HORRIBLE Narrator

I only gave this book three stars because of the narrator. I hate, hate, hate the narrator. Oh by the way, did I mention that I hate the narrator. Her voice is breathless, low, and SLOW. OMG! I think the book would have only been about 8 hours if the narrator had read at a normal pace. She has no talent at doing different voices, many times, you cannot even tell which character is talking, if you do not pay very close attention to the book. I do not understand how some of these horrible narrators get these jobs. Don’t they have auditions? Apparently not! The story is very good. This is the last of the books in Lowell’s Only series (Only His, Only Mine, Only Love, etc.) The hero is mentioned in Only Love, where his brother, Hunter Maxwell is introduced, and then shows up in Autumn Lover, which is his brother’s story. This is really one of the best books of the series, but I would high recommend “reading” the book and not listening to it.

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5 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars

Winter Fire...WOW!

The book was really good but the narrator was horrible.
I have tremendously enjoyed Ms Lowell's 'Only' series and would highly recommend the books to all who enjoy a bit of erotica with a good story line.
The narrator really annoyed me. I had to rewind many times to make sense of what she was saying.

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4 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars

Great story. Horrible Narrator

The story was great, however it was difficult to follow due to the narrating. It sounded like Alvin the chipmunk speedreading after smoking several packs of ciggarettes. At times the voice was so low, that you couldn't understand what was being said and some sentences were too rushed. I love Elizabeth Lowell books, but this narrator is the worst I've ever heard.

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3 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars

Winter Fire

I have listened to many recorded books and for the most part the narrators are very good and can be clearly understood. This narrator lowers her voice so much the listener has a hard time understanding what she is saying. The story is very good. I've read the book since listening to this tape to get the full story.

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3 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars

I am a fan

Most of Lowell's books have just wonderful stories to follow. She fills her pages with characters that are rich with a completeness that rarely disapoints. The flow of the story is like a lazy river raft trip. You are part mesmerized yet alert for any dangers that may crop up along the way. I want to root for the hero's and heroines, and shoot those darn villans that keep popping up. From start to finish there is an emotional investment and ride that carries you through to the finish with a sense of rightness and completion. This is an author that I continue to go back to re-listen to her books because I always feel better for reading them. Her characters are real. Down to earth. It is easy reading in the best sense of the word. This particular book is a western. I feel like I have stepped back in time. She draws the reader into her plots and you get happily lost in another world. She makes writing seem easy when we know it is not. I would call her a wonderful story teller.

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2 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars

The Narrator Drove Me Crazy

The storyline was good, but the narrator kept going into a whisper - not just in the intimate scenes. It happened when she changed characters or changed any scene. I recommend this one be read.

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1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    2 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Beautiful story, but the whispering!!!

Winter Fire is one of my favorite Elizabeth Lowell books. I love Sarah's and Case's story. The narration has an almost ASMR quality, but the whispering! The damn whispering drove me nuts! The characters whisper often in the book, so the narrator whispers the dialogue. Really whispers, which makes it hard to hear; especially when I'm driving. I spent the whole day driving with my hand on the volume; turning it up when she whispered the dialog so that I could hear over the road noise, and turning it back down when she stopped whispering so I would blow out my car's speakers.

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1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    1 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Winter Fire

I love the story & the characters. The plot has great twists & turns. But the narrator whisper spoke so many lines that I couldn’t catch half of what she said. Even with the volume turned up loud I didn’t understand her. I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys Elizabeth Lowell’s writing, but in book form, not in audio.

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1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

My thoughts

Loved it. Loved it loved it the characters were real and I almost cried when they got their happily ever after

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1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars

Entertaining

What did you love best about Winter Fire?

How Case and Sarah were so much alike and so right for each other. I also thought the narrator used the pitch of her voice to set the mood throughout the story. All too many narrators don't have that ability.

What did you like best about this story?

Sarah's determination in an era where that quality in a female was not normal and in some situations not appreciated. She survived (and consequently so did Connor) because of that strength of character.

What does Vanessa Hart bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

For me (unlike many previous reviewers) I appreciated Ms. Hart's ability to modulate her voice with the story's action.

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

She BUT I like to listen for about 45 to 60 minutes and think about the story line, characters and details. LOL savor the experience.

Any additional comments?

Ms. Hart you didn't deserve the negative comments. Also I have to say I've been in the SW and the part of the country where this story was set. While I don't care for it AT ALL I will give kudos to Elizabeth Lowell for her description of Lost River Ranch and the surrounding areas. IF I had never traveled to that region her description alone would make me put it on my 'Bucket List'

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1 person found this helpful