Outside The Fire

ISBN 1-57343-064-1 (Paperback)
ISBN 1-57343-065-X (Ebook)

Romantic Times Book Club - Four 1/2 Stars

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Romantic Times 2004 Reviewers Choice Award Nominee for Best Small Press Romance.
Reviewers Choice Awards honor the best books of the year, and are selected by the Romantic Times staff of over 35 reviewers representing the reader's voice in the women's fiction industry. Awards will be given at the 22 Annual Booklovers Convention April 28 to May 1, 2005.

Outside The Fire is a finalist in the More Than Magic contest sponsored by the Tulsa chapter of the Romance Writers of America. Winners to be announced May 14, 2005.

Outside The Fire has been nominated for Best Contemporary Romance, and has made it to the final round in the LoveRomances.com Annual Golden Rose Reader's Choice Awards. Winners should be announced May 10, 2005.

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Nicholas Walford nearly killed a little girl in a fire that he set as a boy. Now a ruthless businessman, he discovers she is an employee in one of his factories. Out of guilt he offers her a dream job in his office. But he never expects her to be attractive, or a wonderful cook—nor does he expect to fall in love.

Brandy Brigham has lost her parents, her baby brother, and her hope. Trapped in a job going nowhere inspecting elastic in undergarments, she jumps at the chance to escape the small town of Bathsheba, Virginia. She accepts a mysterious job offered by her new boss, and wants to accept his love, but when she learns he is responsible for all of the misery in her life, will her love be strong enough to forgive him?

Book Reviews

RomanceJunkies.com / Grace - Blue Ribbon rating 3.5
In Bathsheba, Virginia, life moves at a different pace than the outside world. To make a living in town is to play out a certain fate working in the underwear factory or harvesting tobacco.

Brandy Brigham accepted her fate long ago as Elastic Inspector #27. Until the day she receives a letter from the office of Walford Enterprises, the company that’s just acquired the underwear factory. Despite her complete lack of office skills, she’s been selected to work in the company president’s office as the assistant to his assistant. Curious and excited at the prospect of improving her life, she accepts the job offer and relocates to Eastown.

The job includes a fantastic salary and benefits package complete with a fantastic furnished upscale apartment. And a yummy neighbor named Nick, whom she glimpses from time to time at the apartment building and at work.

Who should Nick turn out to be but her new boss! It turns out the elder Mr. Walford has retired, leaving his equally ruthless son Nick in charge of the company, which specializes in mergers and acquisitions.

Brandy’s new job is mortifying. She knows less than nothing about office procedure and computers. She’s a penalty to the staff and business operations. She can’t figure out how or why she’s in the corporate offices, but she keeps trying to make the best of it. She doesn’t want to return to Bathsheba in disgrace.

She’s gorgeous. Nothing like Nick expected her to be. He brought Brandy to Easton to repay a mysterious debt he owes her. Soon he forgets all about the past and starts to imagine a future with Brandy. But how will she receive his romantic overtures once she finds out his plans for the Bathsheba plant?

Ms. Berlin takes us smoothly through the initial phases of Brandy and Nick’s attraction to each other, then cranks up the pace nicely for the second half. Throw in Nick’s catty girlfriend, whom he dumps, an abandoned baby, to whom they become the temporary guardian, and a fire in Nick’s penthouse, and the plot and intrigue start to take off.

The familiar fish out of water theme is handled nicely, with some cute scenes. Like when Brandy is in the elevator with the man she doesn’t yet know is Nick and she drops her suitcase. Only she’s still holding the duct-taped handle.

For a sweet romance with light suspense, you’ll enjoy Outside The Fire.

Romantic Times Book Club / Suzie Housley - Four 1/2 Stars
In his youth Nicholas Walford set a fire that nearly claimed the life of an innocent girl. Guilt over his reckless action still haunts his thoughts, even though he's now a successful businessman. When he discovers the same girl working in one of his factories, he de-cides to offer her a substantial secretarial position.

Brandy Bringham's life is filled with much sadness. She lost her family as a child and her current job barely pays her mounting bills. Brandy is stunned when she is selected for a new job—the promotion offers more than she could ever imagine. But the mystery of why she was selected threatens to be revealed.

Berlin's stunning tale depicts a love that's brought together by the one thing threatening to tear it apart. Berlin asks the poignant yet painful question: Is it better to forgive rather then forget.

The Buzz / Robin Taylor
This is Ms. Berlin's first published book and she's done a terrific job of bringing past and future together for Nick and Brandy. The story contains a lot of elements, yet the characters' growth is powerful and their story is quite moving. The conclusion is shocking and will truly bring readers to the edge of their seat.

The Romance Studio / Dee Herga
Outside The Fire is a sensitive sentimental story about a man racked with guilt for a crime he innocently committed as a young boy, and an insecure woman who lost her family as a child. The agitation, despair, and disturbance that the main characters go through are beautifully dealt with. Catherine's words describe the emotions so touchingly that the reader can't help but feel them. The romance is delicate and pleasant, and the conclusion is wholesome and satisfying.

What Readers Are Saying

“Fast paced and witty with a twist at the end that will surprise you. You'll fall in love with these characters. Catherine has written a wonderful book woven with love, laughter, and best of all a story that will stick with you long after you’ve read The End.” Leigh Wyndfield, author

“Outside The Fire contains a lot of elements, yet the characters’ growth is powerful, and their story is quite moving. The conclusion is shocking and will truly bring readers to the edge of their seat.” Robin Taylor, The Buzz

“Catherine describes emotions so touchingly that the reader can’t help but feel them. A compassionate and profoundly moving story.” Dee Herga, theromancestudio.com

Catherine Berlin

Catherine grew up on a farm in rural Virginia. She has been writing stories and spinning tall tales from the time she could talk. In high school, an aptitude test revealed that Catherine should become a writer, a lawyer, or an actress. Instead she paid for college by singing in a rock band.

She was valedictorian of her high school class and graduated cum laude from Longwood College. She has been a teacher of three languages, a lead singer, a lobster flipper, and a bagel maker. She obtained her Bachelor of Arts degrees in English, and in Modern Languages, along with a minor in anthropology.

Catherine lives in Virginia with her wonderful husband and two fantastic children. In her spare time she tutors, hides from the lawn mower, reads voraciously, and critiques manuscripts. Readers can email: CatherineBerlinAuthor@yahoo.com.