FIREBRANDS

Before Titanic sank, Chicago burned. Shannon's dream is to live in Chicago, far from her prairie hometown. Now she has her chance, tutoring the young brother of the wealthy and handsome Nathanial Collins. The boy is a handful, as is his disapproving family. To be both immigrant and Irish in 1871 is two strikes too many. Nathanial however, is drawn to her intelligence, her beauty, and her indomitable spirit. But a terrible fate interrupts their blossoming romance. For it would be a hot time in the old town tonight. The Great Chicago Fire will begin innocently enough, in the small O'Leary barn on DeKoven Street. Then the prairie winds will blow and all Chicago will burn. Will Shannon and Nathanial manage to escape in a city where only the Firebrands survive? Set against the backdrop of America's first disaster, FIREBRANDS interweaves the lives of two mismatched lovers with the insatiable march of the Great Chicago Fire, a monstrous conflagration that jumps rivers, panics its people, and consumes the bustling city. A compelling tale of love, tragedy, and bravery. Will our young lovers escape in time?