The Elusive Flame: The Birmingham Family, Book 3

Kathleen certainly know how to write about true love. One of the first books I ever read was my sisters favorite The Flame and The Flower. This book was a continuation that I truly enjoyed!

First of all I can understand why this book came AFTER Brandon Birminghams brothers story...(Jeff Birmingham) ...as Brandon and Heather's only son, Beauregard Birmingham, was still growing up. It makes sense (to me) for Jeff's story to be told before Beau's.Kathleen Woodiwiss always has (had) the perfect ability of transporting and placing the reader in a different era...unfolding a scene with perfect clarity. This story offers nothing less, and begins with true K.W. charm.After losing both of her parents five years previously at the age of 12...seventeen year old Cerynise Kendall awakens one a.m. to find her elderly guardian, whom she's lived with in England for the last five years, has died. This guardian was best friends to Cerynises' grandmother. Her now deceased guardians' only living relative...a mean ol' great-nephew, Alistair Winthrop, shows up after the funeral and kicks Cerynise out the door without funds or clothes. She eventually makes her way, freezing, to the docks of London to beg for passage home to the Carolinas. Her bachelor Uncle (brother of her deceased father), lives in Charleston and would reimburse any Captain for her passage.Cerynise discovers Beauregard Birmingham, a childhood friend now turned Captain of his own ship, among those docked in London's harbor. He helps find her passage on another ship as he has no available room for passengers (he's strictly a cargo ship). Even though he's incredibly attracted to Cerynise, he realizes she's a virgin and off limits. But when the mean ol' great nephew (Alistair Winthrop) suddenly shows up to take her back (he needs her to collect the fortune as all has been left to Cerynise!), Beau is suspicious of his motives and won't release her. His protective instincts dictate that he, instead, marry Cerynise to save her from the bully great nephew. A marriage that would be annulled once they reach Charleston. A marriage in name only.Now the game is on! A lusty man who has shunned marriage finds himself married to a childhood friend he's attracted to and by all rights can consummate his vows IF he wants to stay married....and is now holed up on a ship for 3 months voyage, unable to touch her. For the first time in Beau's life, a mere kiss from Cerynise has unsettled him. It contradicts his normal way of thinking. Something unsettling is happening to him that he's never before encountered.For me, the best part of this book takes place on the voyage from England to Charleston. Even though the story is predictable, it's still a lot of fun to read. There were so many parallels to "The Flame and the Flower". Same obstacles, mystery, intrigue and drama.The only confusing downside was in the beginning of the story in Ch. 2. Beau is first described with emerald eyes (which he was born with in "The Flame and the Flower"). But within a few paragraphs from reading of his emerald eyes, we read he suddenly has blue eyes! Yet by chapter 4 he's back to "orbs of deep emerald green". Oh well, maybe he's one of those rare fella's who's eyes change color with their mood. Hmmmm....

Kathleen Woodiwiss was not only the "queen of romance" who started it all, but she was a true professional and her writing shows it. Having said that, as I said in my review of A Season Beyond a Kiss, it's not in the 5 star category that her others are or even the first in the Birmingham series (The Flame and the Flower). The entire Birmingham series is:The Flame and the Flower, 1972 (a novel)"The Kiss" in THREE WEDDINGS AND A KISS, 1995 (with Catherine Anderson, Loretta Chase, Lisa Kleypas)"Beyond the Kiss" in MARRIED AT MIDNIGHT, 1996 (with Jo Beverley, Tanya Anne Crosby, Samantha James)A Season Beyond a Kiss, 2000 (a novel)The Elusive Flame, 1998 (a novel)The Elusive Flame, written before A Season Beyond a Kiss but in the timing of the series comes later, tells of Brandon and Heather's son, Beau, who has become captain of his own merchant ship and at 25 is a successful businessman and quite like a younger version of his father...all tall dark and sexy. He has no plans to settle down for 10 years. While in London, he rescues the young and beautiful Cerynis Kendall, who was sent to London when her parents died many years ago to be raised by an older woman much loved by her. Cerynis was thrown out on the street (literally) on a freezing cold night by a treacherous nephew of her guardian who has just died. There is confusion over wills and in the meantime, Cerynis is left homeless and without a farthing. Raised in the Carolinas and wanting to return, Cerynis discovers Beau (who she idolized as a child) has a ship in port and asks him to give her passage home. But it seems the only way that will happen is if they marry (with plans to annul the marriage when they get back to Charleston, of course). The voyage home proves interesting and Woodiwiss does a great job of describing life aboard the ship and creates some wonderful characters in the London servants and ship's crew. Frankly, I thought the book entertaining and it held my interest though others of hers were more exciting. Still, her writing is among the best out there.

This is the last book in the Birmingham Trilogy. It is novel in that the hero and heroine know one another from childhood when the little heroine had a crush on the hero who was then one of her late Father's students. In the interim, she has been educated in England and become an accomplished artist, while Beau has gone into the family shipping business. Cerynise is thrown out of her Guardian's home days after her death and want to return home to the Carolinas. Beau comes to her rescue, and comes up with a plan to get her and his ship out of England without legal problems. The love story and adventure begin; and thankfully, it is quite believable. Sequels are often not as good as the first book; but these three books are surprisingly different and good enough to read in series or individually. It has some clever parts, tossed in with the lovemaking and drama; and the reader is introduced to the other members of the Birmingham clan easily. One drawback is that whoever edited this book did not seem to pick up that Beau has emerald eyes since his birth in book 1, so how can they go from green to blue so many times in this book. For a change, the heroine does not have blue eyes but a hazel shade, which are described beautifully. It's an enjoyable read and well-recommended.

I sort of enjoyed the book - but it is so annoying that the writer could not make up her mind if Beau Birmingham eyes where Green or Blue, it was very off putting. I am sure the proof reader should have picked up this error hence only the 2 star.

I have read some of the other Birmingham family books in paperback and enjoyed so thought to read more stories about the family. I was not disappointed I enjoy the relationships and the personalities involved.

I have read and re-read almost all of Kathleen Woodiwiss books takes you back to an era where passion and romance is as wild as your imagination takes you .... hard to put down

didnt get to grips with it,sorry

Brilliant books. Don't judge a book by its cover the author tells an excellent story that pulls you in.