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Wildfire Encounter
How had she come to love such a devil?
Her father was dead, her mother dispossessed and Sara's whole life had been turned disastrously upside down. The only person she could see to blame was Rafael Savalje, the real-estate mogul of Queensland's Gold Coast. Sara vowed to make him pay!
Unfortunately, it was Rafael who had the whip hand, and he intended to make Sara pay. He wanted the entire balance of the loan he'd made her father - with interest.
He wanted Sara - body and soul - and in marriage!
Her father was dead, her mother dispossessed and Sara's whole life had been turned disastrously upside down. The only person she could see to blame was Rafael Savalje, the real-estate mogul of Queensland's Gold Coast. Sara vowed to make him pay!
Unfortunately, it was Rafael who had the whip hand, and he intended to make Sara pay. He wanted the entire balance of the loan he'd made her father - with interest.
He wanted Sara - body and soul - and in marriage!
192 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1982
78 people want to read
About the author
Helen Bianchin
381 books230 followersHelen Shirley was born on February 20 1939 in New Zealand, where she grew up, an only child possessed by a vivid imagination and a love for reading. She wrote stories for amusement in her early teenage years, and when she left leaving school, she took a secretarial job at a father-and-son legal firm.
At age twenty-one Helen joined a girlfriend and embarked on a working holiday in Australia, travelling via cruise ship from Auckland to Melbourne. Alas, no shipboard romance, as she spent all four days in her cabin suffering from sea-sickness! After fifteen months working in Melbourne, Helen and her friend bought a vehicle and took three months to drive the length and breadth of Australia, choosing to work in Cairns in order to fund the final leg of our journey to Sydney.
It was in Cairns that Helen met her future husband, Danilo Bianchin, an Italian immigrant from Treviso. He was a tobacco sharefarmer from the tobacco farming community of Mareeba. His English was pitiful, and her command of Italian was nil. Six months later they married, and Helen was flung into cooking for up to nine tobacco pickers, stringing tobacco, feeding 200 chickens, a few turkeys, ducks... plus killing, cleaning and cooking the same! Her knowledge of Italian improved, and there were hilarious moments in retrospect. Some of what she endured was cooking on a wood-burning stove, having no running hot water, a primitive shower and toilet facilities, washing uniforms for two soccer teams during the soccer season... floods, horrendous hailstone damage to tobacco crops, hardship, and the stillbirth of their first child. Then, to their joy, Helen's daughter, Lucia, was born. Three years later the couple returned to New Zealand, where they settled for sixteen years. During those early years, they added two sons, Angelo and Peter, to the family.
With multiple anecdotes of farm life in an Italian community to friends, the idea of writing a book occurred. A romance, set on a tobacco farm in Australia's far north, Queensland, featuring an Italian hero. Helen says, "the background was authentic, believe me!" However the hero was rich and owned the farm artistic license! It took her a year to complete a passable manuscript, typed on a portable typewriter at the dining room table. That first effort was deemed too short with insufficient detail. Helen rewrote it. This time it was considered too long with too much extraneous detail. She revised, then sent it to London. Four months later she received a telegram from Alan Boon (Mills & Boon) to say they intended to publish and a contract would be sent in the mail. It was the most wonderful news!
Helen wrote ten more books while living in New Zealand, then in 1981, her family resettled in Australia, on Queensland's Gold Coast. She has since published twenty-five more books. Today, with computer technology, the mechanics of writing are much easier. However, the writing process doesn't change. Helen says that she's having a good day if she can achieve 5 good pages, which she is likely to change, edit and rewrite the following day.
She loves creating characters, giving them life and providing a situation where their emotions are tested and love wins out. For her, the greatest praise is for a reader to say they couldn't put the book down... then Helen knows that she has achieved what she set out to do -- "create a moving enjoyable story which holds the reader entertained from beginning to end."
Helen's hobbies are tennis, table-tennis, judo, reading. She loves movies, and leads an active social life.
At age twenty-one Helen joined a girlfriend and embarked on a working holiday in Australia, travelling via cruise ship from Auckland to Melbourne. Alas, no shipboard romance, as she spent all four days in her cabin suffering from sea-sickness! After fifteen months working in Melbourne, Helen and her friend bought a vehicle and took three months to drive the length and breadth of Australia, choosing to work in Cairns in order to fund the final leg of our journey to Sydney.
It was in Cairns that Helen met her future husband, Danilo Bianchin, an Italian immigrant from Treviso. He was a tobacco sharefarmer from the tobacco farming community of Mareeba. His English was pitiful, and her command of Italian was nil. Six months later they married, and Helen was flung into cooking for up to nine tobacco pickers, stringing tobacco, feeding 200 chickens, a few turkeys, ducks... plus killing, cleaning and cooking the same! Her knowledge of Italian improved, and there were hilarious moments in retrospect. Some of what she endured was cooking on a wood-burning stove, having no running hot water, a primitive shower and toilet facilities, washing uniforms for two soccer teams during the soccer season... floods, horrendous hailstone damage to tobacco crops, hardship, and the stillbirth of their first child. Then, to their joy, Helen's daughter, Lucia, was born. Three years later the couple returned to New Zealand, where they settled for sixteen years. During those early years, they added two sons, Angelo and Peter, to the family.
With multiple anecdotes of farm life in an Italian community to friends, the idea of writing a book occurred. A romance, set on a tobacco farm in Australia's far north, Queensland, featuring an Italian hero. Helen says, "the background was authentic, believe me!" However the hero was rich and owned the farm artistic license! It took her a year to complete a passable manuscript, typed on a portable typewriter at the dining room table. That first effort was deemed too short with insufficient detail. Helen rewrote it. This time it was considered too long with too much extraneous detail. She revised, then sent it to London. Four months later she received a telegram from Alan Boon (Mills & Boon) to say they intended to publish and a contract would be sent in the mail. It was the most wonderful news!
Helen wrote ten more books while living in New Zealand, then in 1981, her family resettled in Australia, on Queensland's Gold Coast. She has since published twenty-five more books. Today, with computer technology, the mechanics of writing are much easier. However, the writing process doesn't change. Helen says that she's having a good day if she can achieve 5 good pages, which she is likely to change, edit and rewrite the following day.
She loves creating characters, giving them life and providing a situation where their emotions are tested and love wins out. For her, the greatest praise is for a reader to say they couldn't put the book down... then Helen knows that she has achieved what she set out to do -- "create a moving enjoyable story which holds the reader entertained from beginning to end."
Helen's hobbies are tennis, table-tennis, judo, reading. She loves movies, and leads an active social life.
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Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews
September 25, 2016
This book gave me a headache -5 stars for me.
At one point she would say " I hate you" like 5 times in a row and she would just fall for him.
Oh and the best is when HE RAPES HER JUST TO SHOW HER HOW IT FEELS TO BE RAPED.
After she accused him of raping her, because when she had told him NO the other times, that was not rape??? I don't understand this. He tells her now she would know the difference, but the difference i the definition forced seduction and rape.
REALLY HERE? WHAT KIND OF F*CKED UP BULLSH*T IS THIS
These are just shades of gray here.
ALL ARE DUBIOUS CONSENT AND PUNISHABLE BY LAW.
If some asshole would say I just raped so that you would know the difference, I would say "see you in court, dickhead!" AND LEAVE but not this TSTL heroine she just keeps on going.
This is so wrong.
Read at your own risk!
You were warned.
Btw most of the sex/rape scenes are fade to black. That might make this more acceptable to most.
At one point she would say " I hate you" like 5 times in a row and she would just fall for him.
Oh and the best is when HE RAPES HER JUST TO SHOW HER HOW IT FEELS TO BE RAPED.
After she accused him of raping her, because when she had told him NO the other times, that was not rape??? I don't understand this. He tells her now she would know the difference, but the difference i the definition forced seduction and rape.
REALLY HERE? WHAT KIND OF F*CKED UP BULLSH*T IS THIS
These are just shades of gray here.
ALL ARE DUBIOUS CONSENT AND PUNISHABLE BY LAW.
If some asshole would say I just raped so that you would know the difference, I would say "see you in court, dickhead!" AND LEAVE but not this TSTL heroine she just keeps on going.
This is so wrong.
Read at your own risk!
You were warned.
Btw most of the sex/rape scenes are fade to black. That might make this more acceptable to most.
June 19, 2016
Oh my - this is Helen Bianchin in all of her glory - lots of showers and the over the top OW take up a lot of the narrative. The hero is kinda sorta rapey, but the heroine can never stop her traitorous body and it's all good - every time.
The plot is simple. The story opens with the hero buying her childhood home at an auction after her father committed suicide because of his disastrous business practices. A week later it's revealed that the hero is demanding repayment of the loans he gave her father. The heroine and her mother can't pay - heroine will just have to marry hero. The reason given is that the heroine is a teacher and his daughter likes her and she needs a mother. (Oh yeah, we'll share a bed).
If you're in the mood for an old skool, smoothly written story, this one is for you.
The plot is simple. The story opens with the hero buying her childhood home at an auction after her father committed suicide because of his disastrous business practices. A week later it's revealed that the hero is demanding repayment of the loans he gave her father. The heroine and her mother can't pay - heroine will just have to marry hero. The reason given is that the heroine is a teacher and his daughter likes her and she needs a mother. (Oh yeah, we'll share a bed).
If you're in the mood for an old skool, smoothly written story, this one is for you.
January 21, 2022
She slaps him and he does some forceful ‘seduction’ and her temper tantrums are all over the place. It was vintage interaction.
He is a cruel alpha male H and she keeps bickering until he takes her to bed with him.
It was fascinating. There were moments of love and tenderness next to his cruelty. And lots of passion and desire from him for her.
Anyway, I wouldn’t recommend reading this. Most female readers will not like this book, but I have read this a number of times. For me, it’s just a HP, not real life. So 5 stars from me.
He is a cruel alpha male H and she keeps bickering until he takes her to bed with him.
It was fascinating. There were moments of love and tenderness next to his cruelty. And lots of passion and desire from him for her.
Anyway, I wouldn’t recommend reading this. Most female readers will not like this book, but I have read this a number of times. For me, it’s just a HP, not real life. So 5 stars from me.
June 23, 2019
I won’t go over the plot others have done that. But what I will say is this was not such an enjoyable read as it might have been if it wasn’t for the dreadful heroine. Her constant verbal abuse and temper tantrums were beyond annoying. What was even worse was that throughout the whole story her actions belied her thoughts and words.
February 9, 2013
I have liked this story a lot, although as usual with Helen Bianchin, the novel follows her habitual pattern.
After Sara’s father commits suicide, she and her mother must accept bankrupcy. But there is a way out of poverty if she accepts Rafael Savalje’s offer to marry him, the very man that caused her father his ruin. This rich tycoon needs somebody to take care and act as a mother to his daughter Ana, a child whose mother died shortly after giving her birth.
Rafael and Sara marry and Ana is a charming girl. Life could be acceptable, but then makes her appearance Renee Laquet, a former? mistress very jealous and possessive. And as per Renee’s innuendos it is even possible that Rafael is being unfaithful to Sara with her. And Sara is beginning to doubt whether she will be able to put up a marriage without love in the long run.
As you can see, a very repetitive plot in Helen Bianchin’s terms, but perhaps as it has been sometime since I haven’t read anything of her lately, I was captured by the charm of her writing. It is nothing special, but it is not bad either.
After Sara’s father commits suicide, she and her mother must accept bankrupcy. But there is a way out of poverty if she accepts Rafael Savalje’s offer to marry him, the very man that caused her father his ruin. This rich tycoon needs somebody to take care and act as a mother to his daughter Ana, a child whose mother died shortly after giving her birth.
Rafael and Sara marry and Ana is a charming girl. Life could be acceptable, but then makes her appearance Renee Laquet, a former? mistress very jealous and possessive. And as per Renee’s innuendos it is even possible that Rafael is being unfaithful to Sara with her. And Sara is beginning to doubt whether she will be able to put up a marriage without love in the long run.
As you can see, a very repetitive plot in Helen Bianchin’s terms, but perhaps as it has been sometime since I haven’t read anything of her lately, I was captured by the charm of her writing. It is nothing special, but it is not bad either.
May 27, 2023
"Μοναδική μου αγάπη" - Έλεν Μπιανσίν, Σειρά Συλλογή, νούμερο 420, έτος έκδοσης στην Ελλάδα: 1982
Η όμορφη Σάρα, δέχτηκε να παντρευτεί τον Ραφαέλ Σαβάλε, γιατί μόνο έτσι η μητέρα της θα κρατούσε το πατρικό τους και δεν θ' αναγκαζόταν να ξεσπιτωθεί. Ο λόγος πάλι που εκείνος τη ζήτησε σε γάμο, ήταν γιατί ήθελε μια μητέρα για τη κορούλα του. Η συμφωνία ορίστηκε από τον Σαβάλε: "Θέλω μια μητέρα για το παιδί μου κι όχι μια σύζυγο. Ο γάμος μας θα μείνει μόνο στα χαρτιά!" Κι η Σάρα συμφώνησε να είναι ένας λευκός γάμος! Αλλά ο έρωτας, χωρίς να λογαριάσει τη συμφωνία τους, έριξε τη σαϊτα του ίσια στην καρδιά της και τότε άρχισε για τη Σάρα ένα καθημερινό μαρτύριο....
Η Έλεν Μπιανσίν, είναι μια πολύ καλή συγγραφέας! Τα έργα της συνδυάζουν την ευαισθησία με τον ρεαλισμό, κάνοντας ένα πολύ όμορφο μείγμα!!! Το συγκεκριμένο, μου άρεσε παρά πολύ!!!
Η όμορφη Σάρα, δέχτηκε να παντρευτεί τον Ραφαέλ Σαβάλε, γιατί μόνο έτσι η μητέρα της θα κρατούσε το πατρικό τους και δεν θ' αναγκαζόταν να ξεσπιτωθεί. Ο λόγος πάλι που εκείνος τη ζήτησε σε γάμο, ήταν γιατί ήθελε μια μητέρα για τη κορούλα του. Η συμφωνία ορίστηκε από τον Σαβάλε: "Θέλω μια μητέρα για το παιδί μου κι όχι μια σύζυγο. Ο γάμος μας θα μείνει μόνο στα χαρτιά!" Κι η Σάρα συμφώνησε να είναι ένας λευκός γάμος! Αλλά ο έρωτας, χωρίς να λογαριάσει τη συμφωνία τους, έριξε τη σαϊτα του ίσια στην καρδιά της και τότε άρχισε για τη Σάρα ένα καθημερινό μαρτύριο....
Η Έλεν Μπιανσίν, είναι μια πολύ καλή συγγραφέας! Τα έργα της συνδυάζουν την ευαισθησία με τον ρεαλισμό, κάνοντας ένα πολύ όμορφο μείγμα!!! Το συγκεκριμένο, μου άρεσε παρά πολύ!!!
August 31, 2020
Having read "Avenging Angel" and "Devil in Command" by HB, I felt this book was similar yet enjoyable. The Heroine often turned me off by being overly emotional and shrewish and I often found myself sympathizing more with hero because of her attitude. Yes, there happens to be a rape scene amidst the initimate episodes but I felt that it was to tie the whole story to the 'taming of the shrew' theme. The heroine has a need to defy the hero at every point in the story only to acknowledge the hero's eventual upperhand. So, if as the reader, you get in mood for a tension filled read, constant arguments and angst, give this book a try.
April 30, 2024
"Wildfire Encounter" is the story of Sara and Rafael.
DNF book. 17% in and hero slaps the heroine, she is a rude shrew.
Nope
DNF book. 17% in and hero slaps the heroine, she is a rude shrew.
Nope
December 19, 2020
Slow, very very slow. The h is really annoying. The book starts at an auction selling the h family things cause her father committed suicide when he realized that he lost more money than he could make. Instead of facing the music he killed himself and left his wife and the h to deal with his bad choices. He owed the most money to the H so of course it makes sense that the h hates him, how dare he lend the father money and expect it back? Its all the Hs fault the dad killed himself because he owed the H money and couldnt pay him back. So yeah.. whatever.. her logic is .. precious.
And she keeps slapping him when she feels insulted, what if he does it back. Did not like heroine.
And she keeps slapping him when she feels insulted, what if he does it back. Did not like heroine.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
abrierto-to-read-hr-other
April 10, 2021How had she come to love such a devil?
Her father was dead, her mother dispossessed and Sara's whole life had been turned disastrously upside down. The only person she could see to blame was Rafael Savalje, the real-estate mogul of Queensland's Gold Coast. Sara vowed to make him pay!
Unfortunately, it was Rafael who had the whip hand, and he intended to make Sara pay. He wanted the entire balance of the loan he'd made her father - with interest.
He wanted Sara - body and soul - and in marriage!
Her father was dead, her mother dispossessed and Sara's whole life had been turned disastrously upside down. The only person she could see to blame was Rafael Savalje, the real-estate mogul of Queensland's Gold Coast. Sara vowed to make him pay!
Unfortunately, it was Rafael who had the whip hand, and he intended to make Sara pay. He wanted the entire balance of the loan he'd made her father - with interest.
He wanted Sara - body and soul - and in marriage!
August 25, 2010
My review of the book can be found here: http://bit.ly/cEnYlz
October 11, 2020
Yes I know. Not PC. But a great story nonetheless. A blast from my HP reading past.
Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews