Silver Flame (Braddock Black)

This is my favorite Romance of all time. Thirty years after my first read, I still love Trey and Empress, Susan Johnson writes the best love scenes. If you love spicy Romance novels, you will love this one,

As the second book in this series, it is HOT! The romance sizzles and gives you a thrill. I can't stop rereading it! Her previous book in this series - "Blaze" was excellent too, but the sequels are not. Silver Flame is well worth your money and your time. Read" Blaze" before you read "Silver Flame."

I'd rate the first half of the book 5 stars - we had strong characters, there was a conflict, we see the struggle yet we feel hope because there's love. The second half, which is when the lady protagonist left the guy she loved because she believed a stranger's tales about her beloved more than she believed the guy she loved - this was the start of my frustration. The second half of the book were mostly arguments and self-pity based on misunderstandings and misconstrued perceptions, both protagonists doubting each other without clarifying anything straight with each other, and operating on those wrong assumptions, and as such created the conflicts between themselves without needing an antagonist. In other words, because the hero and heroine were ironically inclined to believed the worst of each other (as initiated by the heroine who, again, believes a stranger over her beloved), they created the conflicts between themselves by themselves. Also, the antagonist did not get what she deserved - she still got the money she was after, all's well that ends well for her, so there was no satisfaction to justice being served, after all the troubles and heartaches she put the hero and heroine (and other people dear to them) through. Another source of dissatisfaction for me. So I'd rate the second half of the book maybe 2-3 stars. Just averaging it out to 4 stars but would probably be more of a 3.5.

A great read and reread. Susan Johnson does not disappoint with the passion, storytelling, and tension brougt to Silver Flame. I read it years ago and it was just as good this time around. To be honest, there were moments I had to get the dictionary and that is part of the appeal. You'll enjoy the discourse, fire and tension between Trey and Lily and undoubtedly read this keeper again and again.

I had read this novel years ago This year I remember the story and told my daughter about it , I forgot the name and author of the Novel , I ask around just using part of the story and remembering his name was black , and he was native American And how she sold her self to feed her siblings, I call different book store , I look up how to find a novel With Out the name of the novel and author, I finally join pin , I refused to give up, month's of searching And I found it this month i wanted to cry , I am so happy, thank you pin , and thank you Susan Johnson for your novels, I Will be reading more

Fifty thousand dollars was the price for three weeks with a young woman dressed in worn trousers and too large flannel shirt. Trey Braddock-Black was the man that won those three weeks. However, Trey's first night with her almost ended his life. Shot in the back by the man he had outbid, Trey nearly lost his life. If Empress hadn't known healing arts, he would have. But their time was not to be, a ruthless female wanted Trey and was willing to cause the death of two of Trey's family to die if he refused to marry her.

Susan Johnson's "Blaze" is my favorite romance novel, so I was anxious to read this next installment in the Braddock-Black series. However, I was very disappointed in the lack of affection between the hero and heroine in "Silver Flame." It basically felt like a tale of two people who hated each other, but were too aroused to give each other up. The hero and heroine fall into bed immediately upon meeting, which was simply too fast for my personal taste, but through the course of a few weeks, develop what holds the promise of being a sweet and lasting love. Then comes a long separation, and bitterness sets in. The last half of the book is them hurling hurtful words at each other while being unable to resist each others' bodies. The hero even goes as far as to call her a whore (he's one to talk with his womanizing history!!) which made him completely despicable in my eyes. What I did appreciate was Susan Johnson's passion for research, which really shines through as it did in "Blaze." Sometimes I forgot that I was reading a romance novel because I was intrigued by the world of the story and its rich history. Although, this time around, I did tend to think that she was too wordy. A brief dialogue can drag out for pages to the point of forgetting what a character's response was in reference to. If only the hero could have stayed the sweet and tender lover that he was in the first half of the book. His schizophrenic personality really ruined it for me.

There were many times it was too wordy. If you just skim through those times and get into the story...it is quite a good book.