Synopsis:
In the tradition of The Horse Whisperer comes a novel from the heart that tells a story of universal truths--of the love between men and women and mothers and daughters; of
passion that transcends tragedy; of promises made and promises kept. Janice Graham's Firebird is an extraordinarily accomplished first novel that will be published around the world and has been named a main selection of the Literary Guild, already marking this as one of the most noteworthy debuts of 1998 and assuring Graham a brilliant future as a greatly beloved storyteller. Set in the majestic Flint Hills of Kansas, Firebird tells of a man caught between two women--one who shares his life and his dream of land and cattle; the other a stranger whose love threatens to destroy the dream he has built. Ethan Brown is a gentleman rancher--an Ivy-educated lawyer who is as comfortable amongst his books as he is at ease in the company of cowboys. Engaged to the daughter of the wealthiest landowner in the county, he is within reach of the life he has worked so hard to achieve. Annette Zeldin enters Ethan's life when she returns from Europe to settle her mother's estate. A concert violinist, she feels every inch the outsider in the closed ranching community of Cottonwood Falls and clings to her darling young daughter, her lifeline. The time Annette spends with Ethan in his office offers her moments of comfort and communion, and before long, both must acknowledge the passion growing between them. Annette and Ethan begin a clandestine, transcendent affair that promises to change the landscape of their lives, but is too soon torn apart by tragedy. Yet their connection is soul-deep and everlasting, and their love transforms the lives of those around them in ways subtle and unknown long after its embers have died down. Graham skillfully infuses the novel with ethereal touches that transport the reader from the vast prairies of the Midwest to the intimate realm of the heart. Firebird is a novel that richly articulates the enduring possibilities of love; it is a novel impossible to forget.
* A Literary Guild Main Selection
Review:
Firebird is a romance with a love triangle like you've never read before. The story takes place in ranch country in the Flint Hills of Kansas. Ethan Browne, with a Ph.D. in English and a repertoire enabling him to recite great romantic literature on demand, chooses Katie Anne as his future wife. However, he doesn't love her. He just feels that it's part of his dream to have a wife, much like the chores he accomplishes on his cattle ranch. Believing that's all he needs, he sets out to win Katie Anne, and proposes marriage. Katie Anne is in love with Ethan and her love will go to any measure to keep him from being attracted to Annette, who's returned to town for her mother's funeral. Annette is a Kansas-born concert violinist in town from Paris.
This love triangle has its obstacles: Annette's aversion to the land Ethan loves, and Katie Anne's determination to hold onto Ethan though she knows he loves Annette (whose father will cast Ethan out of the ranching life if Ethan doesn't marry his daughter). Who will Ethan choose and what will his future hold?
This novel has been compared to The Horse Whisperer because it surprises readers at every turn, especially at the end. --Candy Paape
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