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Fireside (Lakeshore Chronicles #5)

by Susan Wiggs (Goodreads Author)

3.82 · rating details · 1,169 ratings · 103 reviews

Baseball hopeful Bo Crutcher is about to get his shot at the majors. That is, until life throws him a curveball. When AJ, the son he's never met, lands on his doorstep, Bo's life becomes a whole new ball game. He needs help--fast.

Enter Kimberly van Dorn. Hired to smooth Bo's rough exterior for the media, she expects the kind of shallow pro athlete she's used to handling. B

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Mass Market Paperbound, 416 pages

Published by Mira Books (first published January 1st 2009)

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Baseball Romances

20th out of 21 books — 4 voters

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Mar 19, 2010

Rossy rated it

Recommends it for: cont. romance fans

Recommended to Rossy by: series continuation

Shelves: challenge-cont-series-2010, series-contemporary-romance, challenge-144-books-2010

Who would have thought that after the portrayal of Kim as a man-stealing-slut her character would actually be so likeable? Not me that's for sure, but from the very beginning i could understand her better and sympathize with her past. I thought the way she handled her relationship with Bo and how she treated AJ was really great in my opinion.

Bo was not outdone either because he turned out to be such a bold and romantic guy after meeting AJ. I was glad he finally understood that the ...more

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Feb 01, 2012

Marleen rated it

I can't believe that this book is part of the Lakeshore Chronicles; a series that I have enjoyed reading uptil now. Fireside was such a disappointment! It's almost like I can't recognize this author anymore. Not even the recurrent characters of previous books could enthuse me.
The main characters in this one, Kim and Bo, are so flat and without any depth.
I should give it a "2" out of nostalgia, I suppose, because my heart goes back to the previous Lakeshore Chronicles. I'm ...more

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Apr 06, 2010

Zosia rated it

Shelves: contemporary-romance, women-s-fiction

Preaching author and bratty kid.

I give up. It seems all small-town contemporary romance series are written by women who feel the need to whack us over the head in order to preach their ‘issues’. Robyn Carr has her women’s health and babies. Susan Wiggs has her mixed race children and teenaged parents. When I read a book about an ‘issue’ I like to be able to come to conclusions on my own. As a well-educated ADULT, I do not need an author telling me exactly how to think, thank you very...morePreaching author and bratty kid.

I give up. It seems all small-town contemporary romance series are written by women who feel the need to whack us over the head in order to preach their ‘issues’. Robyn Carr has her women’s health and babies. Susan Wiggs has her mixed race children and teenaged parents. When I read a book about an ‘issue’ I like to be able to come to conclusions on my own. As a well-educated ADULT, I do not need an author telling me exactly how to think, thank you very much.

You know, for the most part, I quite liked Bo and Kim – the main couple in this predictably predictable book (though it’s actually much more about Bo and his grumpy son). In fact, the relationship would have been good if it had been given some page time to develop. ANY time would have been good.
But reading this entry to the series felt like getting a good talking to from a nasty schoolteacher. I am the product of war refugees, so I know a thing or two about being kicked out of your country and about discrimination. I don’t need the author trying to make me feel guilty. That’s not why I bought this book.

So, basically, be warned: this one is mega-preachy. As in, if you want to know every detail about the author’s attitudes towards illegal immigration, you’re going to get that and then some.

The preaching about vegetarianism continues in this book too. I’m sorry, Ms Wiggs, but unless your little imaginary town is a commune of some sort, it is absolutely ridiculous to have all these Alpha males extolling the virtues of not eating meat.

But don’t worry. After a book of heaping on the misplaced guilt and horror, the author makes sure everything gets wrapped up with a nice big bow. Even so, call me crazy, but I don’t find a romance novel where the hero dumps the heroine for his bratty little son particularly romantic. Kim was put second (or third, or fourth) by everybody who claimed to care about her. Kim was the reason Bo became close to his son, and she was the reason Bo had such a great future ahead of him. And then he just dumps her?!
In a so-called romance novel it’s nice to occasionally see someone put the heroine first! There’s a reason I generally prefer my romances without children: children kill relationships better than anything else can. As soon as a child’s in the picture the relationship ALWAYS comes second. The amount of time the author devoted to Bo and AJ compared to Bo and Kim is proof of that.

As far as the main couple goes, this author gets me every time. She has this nasty trick of setting up a great first chapter introducing the budding relationship. It’s nasty because she always promptly abandons it for a good hundred pages before our hero and heroine even see or think about each other again. It’s a cruel trick, promising something great and then not delivering. For some stupid reason I thought it wouldn’t work that way this time, but of course it did.

What followed was chapter after chapter of telling, no showing. Good gracious, I didn’t need to know the entire history and every detail of Bo’s baseball career. In all honesty, not being American, I don’t know the first thing about the sport anyway. Wiggs’ writing often suffers from her inability to recognise what detail is necessary to the story and what detracts – and what has already been told and so does not need to be repeated.
For example, I didn’t need eight pages describing how excited Bo had been about his first aeroplane flight. And by page eighty-eight I knew the life stories of a dozen minor characters and half a dozen dead relatives.
I did a lot of skim reading.

By now I’ve realised it’s best to skip any section of the book that has the word ‘Daisy’ in it. You lose nothing from the story, don’t have to try and tolerate the boredom of Daisy’s Mary Sue perfection and the Gary Stu wonder that is her perfect baby, and don’t have to suffer through the author playing favourites with one of her teenage characters.

One star because I felt like Susan Wiggs was determined for me to feel guilty about many things, and I’m not even living in her country for Heaven’s sake! I couldn’t get past that to take away anything very positive.
(less)

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Jul 18, 2009

Sueij rated it

Recommended to Sueij by: Mom

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. Boy, I've just got a string of "fine but not outstanding" books going on. Another romance in the Lakeshore Chronicles, Fireside's plot is decent and the characters are interesting.

Mostly I'd say that this book needed tighter editing. Some examples: there were some sections where there was an enormous amount of telling, rather than showing. Like this, which went on much longer than I'll quote: "Now Kim understood the reason why Penelope had not urged her to visit. Her m...more

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Aug 02, 2011

Kate rated it

Recommends it for: No one

Shelves: romance, contemporary-fiction, audiobook, never-again

"Fireside" was my first experience with author Susan Wiggs, and I have to say, I'm not impressed. Despite a good premise for the plot and a decent effort at redeeming plot twists, this book as a whole doesn't merit even a mediocre rating.

The first problem I had with "Fireside" was its use of similes. Yes, illustrative language is important to set the scene, but it shouldn’t be so conspicuous and formulaic, not to mention overly abundant. Plus, they're almost all ref...more"Fireside" was my first experience with author Susan Wiggs, and I have to say, I'm not impressed. Despite a good premise for the plot and a decent effort at redeeming plot twists, this book as a whole doesn't merit even a mediocre rating.

The first problem I had with "Fireside" was its use of similes. Yes, illustrative language is important to set the scene, but it shouldn’t be so conspicuous and formulaic, not to mention overly abundant. Plus, they're almost all references to baseball! I understand why - Bo Crutcher is a minor league player hoping to join the Yankees, and his romantic interest, Kimberly van Dorn, is his PR coach - but it felt like the writer pitched in a baseball analogy every chance she got (pun intended).

My second complaint is the sudden intrusion of the secondary plot line. In the middle of chapter 9, the storyline switches focus without warning to a completely new set of characters, and jumps back into the main plot just as abruptly. Ten chapters later, the two threads are tenuously connected, but soon the secondary plot line is dropped again and never returns. Obviously, this whole interlude is a setup for a later book in the series, but instead it only ostracizes those of us who haven't read the rest of the Lakeside Chronicles.

Finally, I couldn’t stand the inconsistencies in the main characters’ personalities; it destroyed their credibility and detracted from what could have been a very likeable cast. Bo's whiny attitude during their snowboarding lessons is a grating contrast to his otherwise playful, adventurous maturity. The demeanor of his 12-year-old son A.J. changes randomly from a bratty but insecure 5 year-old, to a sulky teenage rebel, to a world-weary old man. And at one point, steady, self-sufficient Kimberly inexplicably dissolves into uncontrollable tears - twice in one chapter! Perhaps these variances were meant to give the characters more depth, but it didn't work.

I did like the alternating viewpoints, shifting between Kimberly, Bo and A.J., and I found it interesting how the author dealt with issues like foster care, racism, and immigration. These elements and a few genuinely touching moments kept the book from being a total loss, but unless you've read the previous books in the series and just have to see what happens next, I would recommend leaving this one on the shelf.(less)

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Oct 18, 2009

Marla rated it

Bo Crutcher is a baseball hopeful about to get his chance at the majors and might get picked to play for the Yankees. When his long lost son A. J. lands on his doorstep, he needs help navigating parenthood. Bo shows up at Kimberly Van Dorn's mother's boarding house looking for a place to live. Kimberly is then hired to help Bo improve his rough image with the media. She expects him to be a shallow person but realizes he ia willing to sacrifice for his son. While KIm is training Bo to deal w...more

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Oct 16, 2011

Meg rated it

Shelves: via-audible, fun-and-fluffy

... if the book was written the same way the last few chapters were (with legitimate character challenges, and situations that would allow someone to see another for who they really are)... this book would have been more enjoyable.

Things I liked:
the setting was new and different for me - I don't read too many books set in upstate New York.
the FMC was into sports - which would be cool if it were understated, but it wasn't.
The kids' voices were believable.
It was a...more

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Jul 30, 2011

Sandy added it

As Susan Wiggs is one of my all time favorite authors, it is always enjoyable to read one of her books. I have read the Lakeshore Chronicles from the beginning and enjoyed every one of them.

Susan does a great job of creating a new story line, for those who haven't read the series, yet bringing in characters from the previous books for those of us who are familiar.

Some may say that the writings of Susan Wiggs are somewhat predictable and they may be right to a point. For me, the storyline is ve...more

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Dec 27, 2010

Darcy rated it

Shelves: 2010

This was a cute story set back in Avalon. But even though it was in the community and there were past characters, it didn't have the same connection as the others as this is the first one without a Bellamy.

I did like Kim and Bo, but the story seemed a little contrived for me. Bo an almost baseball fan, Kim a sports PR person, and the third person who was just as important in their relationship, AJ, Bo's long lost son. The way that AJ and Bo's relationship started and grew was sweet,...more

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Mar 11, 2009

Romance Novel TV rated it

Reviewed by Maria Lokken

Kimberly Van Dorn is a mess. She’s flying coach, dressed in a sequin evening gown, wearing four inch strapless heels and accompanied by only one piece of ‘luggage’ a Judith Leiber handbag. Where is she going and what is she running from? We know this much, she’s just left the eternal sunshine of LA for the frigid winter of Willow Lake in upstate New York.

A media agent for superstar sports figures, Kimberly has traded in her job for what she b...more

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Dec 27, 2009

Sally rated it

I have never read a Susan Wiggs book I didn't enjoy, and the Lakeshore Chronicles series is one of my favourites. This book, no.5 in the series didn't disappoint. Not only did we get a feisty young heroine, hunky, if flawed, hero, a troubled boy, a mother who's started a guesthouse and found happiness, but we also get to spend time with continuing characters and stories from earlier books. Also, womthing I really like, a bit of a chuckle here and there.
I feel this series has something i...more

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Aug 18, 2009

Ramon rated it

· review of another edition

Most of my books reviews will have this disclaimer. Most of the books in my library are audiobooks. I prefer audiobooks especially on long trips. I feel that if the book is that bad at least my time was not a complete waste. With that said I liked this book. I bought this book in the middle of summer. I saw the cover and it gave me a sense of winter, Christmas, cold, you get the point,so I bought it. (yes, I judged this book by it's cover.) However, I liked the characters and the plot was easy ...more

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Feb 12, 2010

Jaime Atkins rated it

Shelves: read-in-2010

I enjoyed this book, really, I did, BUT.... others in the series were better. I'd say it gets 3.75 stars. Bo's coming of age (as a parent) was well portrayed and I could feel his emotions for AJ growing with each page. I think if Bo loved Kim the way I felt like he did, his willingness to marry Yolanda would have been more complicated for him. AND...when things started going better in Mexico, he should have called Kim. Anyway, it all came together in the end and their love was redeemed. ...more

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Feb 18, 2010

Samantha rated it

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. What can I say? I have too many mixed emotions about this story. I'm not sure where to begin.

Plot: Kim van Dorn a sports publicist, returns home to Avalon, NY after she is fired by her athlete boyfriend. At the airport she bumps into Bo Crutcher, a prospect for the NY Yankees. Bo is there to pick up his 12 year old son AJ who he has never met. AJ's mother is detained because she can't prove she is a citizen. The government wants to deport her to Mexico so she calls on Bo to step up a...moreWhat can I say? I have too many mixed emotions about this story. I'm not sure where to begin.

Plot: Kim van Dorn a sports publicist, returns home to Avalon, NY after she is fired by her athlete boyfriend. At the airport she bumps into Bo Crutcher, a prospect for the NY Yankees. Bo is there to pick up his 12 year old son AJ who he has never met. AJ's mother is detained because she can't prove she is a citizen. The government wants to deport her to Mexico so she calls on Bo to step up as Dad. Meanwhile, Kim arrives home to find that her mother has renovated their home into a boardinghouse. While Kim investigates the reason behind her mother's changes, Bo and his son move in. While she has sworn off athletes, when she notices Bo sacrificing his one big shot at the Pros for his son, she steps in to save his career. A VERY slow romance begins.

I'm not sure if Wiggs writes books with romance in mind because the romance in this book was so far in the background it took me some time to even notice it. WHy does the H/H have minimal interaction until 200+ pages into the book? I don't know about anyone else, but I want some sort of communication (be it verbal or physical) especially in a 400 page book. So what was going on during those 200+ pages? A whole lot of background information and insight on immigration. If I had known this was going to turn into a political book, I would have put it down. I felt duped because there was a hidden agenda with this story. It was disappointing too because the back cover made it seem so interesting. I like how in the former books, there was integration of ethnicities (African American/Italian daughter, adopted African children and now a Hispanic child) and I thought she was going somewhere with this but I was mistaken.

My real problem with this book was that there was little dialogue, little action and slow character development. Wigg made Bo look like a country bunkin who was slow. His dialogue was sometimes painful to read. He sounded so dumb. However, he was honest with his emotions and was very endearing when the romance began. Kim on the other hand was blah. There was nothing to her. She was hurt after being fired and she was leery of an affair with Bo. That was her in a nutshell. No distinct characteristics.

Overall this story was ok. There was just too much propaganda on the horrors of the immigration system in the U.S. and our social policies. The resolution at the end was so vague. Yes, AJ's mom was released back in the states and moved to Avalon but you never got to see it. It was summed up in a paragraph. I wanted to see AJ with his mom. The poor kid was lost and confused the whole book and there was so little information on his reunion. Eh? Seems like she didn't want to bother to write out a good ending. (less)

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Jan 12, 2012

Jncroix rated it

I've read many of this author's books, but found this book very shallow and her agenda inaccurate. I happen to be from Texas City. As far as Houston doing immigration sweeps and ripping children out of mothers' arms is ludicrous. Houston and surrounding areas are sanctuary cities. Leave politics to that genre, I do not by books to read political opinions. If I wanted thst, I would turn on the news. She is so busy trying to beat you over the head with her opinions, the story doesn't flow.
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Oct 29, 2009

Kelly rated it

A lot of people seemed to have liked this book but I thought it was terrible. It was extremely repetitive and nothing really exciting happened either. Bo Crutcher is a soon-to-be NY Yankee .. how appropriate to read as their are in the World Series now (I'm a Met fan so that's sarcastic haha). But in all seriousness I wasn't fond of the book at all. If anything, it got better towards the last 100 pages but everything else didn't do it for me. I totally judged the book by it's cover (you should r...more

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Feb 13, 2009

Maria rated it

Shelves: romance

The fifth in the Lakeshore Chronicles, this one is a good follow-up to the fourth, which dealt in international law and terrorism and balancing one's life between career and family, something many of us have difficulty doing. This one deals with immigration and deportation, primarily of hispanics, with a minor theme of professional sports and public relations. It wrapped up too quickly, which is the only reason it lost a star. The rest was excellent.

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Feb 15, 2011

Jodi rated it

Shelves: 2011-read

I read this book out of order but it didn't matter. This story tells of Bo Crutcher, pitcher for the Can-Am baseball team, The Hornets, and Kimberly Van Dorn, sports publicist, who finds herself on a red-eye from LA dressed in evening gown and heels after a public and painful breakup with her boyfriend and client. Bo falls for her at first sight. She takes much longer. But Bo has bigger problems, mainly his son AJ. AJ's mom wanted Bo out of the picture, so Bo obliged except for child support. No...more

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Apr 03, 2009

Jeanne rated it

Shelves: 2009-reads

This is the first book I have read after losing my reading partner...my sister, my best friend. It isn't as much fun to read without having her to discuss the book with. Fireside is a Lakeside Chronicles book, the story of baseball player Bo Crutcher, his newfound 12-year old son and publicist Kimberly van Dorn. The usual characters from Avalon are present, indluding Noah, Sophie, Daisy and Max and the Bellamy family.
It was a quick, enjoyable read, even though very predictable.

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Apr 03, 2009

L rated it

Shelves: chic-lit

One of many examples of a good contemporary romance. The characters are all from a small picture postcard like town. This particular book focuses on a dad and his son who he has never seen, but who is suddenly brought into his life. My one issue with the book was about 150 pages in when at the end of a chapter it suddenly shifts to the story of another group of people living in the same town but with little to do with the original story.

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Feb 23, 2009

Kelly Moran rated it

Shelves: romantic

I'm normally a gi-normous fan of Susan Wiggs. She writes stories about people in romance, not just the typical romance. I found this book very slow in the beginning, and half-way through it got better. I found the relationship lacking substance. This is one out of many that she has written, and it won't deter me from reading her. I still love her. This one was just not for me.
However, I REALLY appreciate the immigration aspect and father/son roles.

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Sep 27, 2010

R*beth*h Hart rated it

When life throws you a curve ball sit the inning out but don't count yourself out! This was a great story about the mistakes we make in our youth helping us shape who we become. Between the INS, the Yankees and a small little New England bed n breakfast these characters have a lot to work through to get where they want. Just remember life's lessons come from everywhere when you enjoy this book.

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Apr 06, 2011

Anothertag rated it

Wiggs Lakeshore Chronicles focus on a couples in Avalon New York by the Catskills. Fireside is about baseball star Bo Crutcher and media expert Kimberly Van Dorn romance. It also involves Bo's thirteen year old son who he recently just met. There are a couple minor romances in the town too. I am ready to go on to the next book.

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Aug 02, 2009

Rachel rated it

Another quick and very enjoyable read. I didn't see a story about Bo in the offing, but that didn't detract from it at all. Kim's, Bo's and AJ's stories meshed quite nicely. It reminded me of a few Nora Roberts books at times, but that's because so many components are recycled throughout the genre. Looking forward to the next one.

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Nov 27, 2009

Don McQuinn added it

If women's fiction means books that observe women's responses to emotional and social tensions, Susan Wiggs writes to a gold standard in the field. Her books are all rich with vibrant characters and plots that make sense even as they twist unexpectedly. As an analytical writer, I can only praise her craftsmanship.
Full Disclosure: Susan Wiggs and Susan Mallery will be featured together on our national Wired Writers webinar December 6th at 2PM PST.

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Jul 14, 2009

Darlene rated it

An insightful story of Bo - suddenly presented with his 12 yr old son - who he's never met - just as he prepares for a serious career move. Add in Kim - a beauty in the midst of her own personal crisis - give them a season in the snow - and a thing of beauty emerges. A good read!

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Feb 17, 2011

Amar rated it

Just couldn't get into this one, Bo was kind of a himbo, he seemed more appealing in the other books as a background character and I couldn't get into Kim's character...on the plus side, I do feel like reading Sophie/Noah's story now, which I was hesitant about before.

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Apr 24, 2010

Melissa rated it

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.

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Nov 13, 2011

Rhonda rated it

Possible the worst book Susan Wiggs has ever written. I am having a terrible time making myself finish this book and the only reason I reading is because it is part of the series. The story is repetitive and I'm tired of the author telling me why the character is doing something or why the character is thinking the way he/she is thinking. I can figure it out for myself. I feel like the author's heart was not in this book when she was writing and it seems like she had a minimum word requirement a...more

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Mar 04, 2009

Annaleesa rated it

Shelves: romance

Really liked the look of the father/son relationship in this book, but on a whole it was a little on the slow side. I was able to put it down easily and get things done around the house. (which is not normal if I am in a good book.)

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About Susan Wiggs

Susan Wiggs's life is all about family, friends...and fiction. She lives at the water's edge on an island in Puget Sound, and she commutes to her writers' group in a 17-foot motorboat. She serves as author liaison for Field's End, a literary community on Bainbridge Island, Washington, bringing inspiration and instruction from the world's top authors to her seaside community. (See www.fieldsend.org ...more

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