Phoebe Conn
New York Times bestselling author of more than thirty romance novels

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Love's Elusive Flame

For an early suffragette and the world's most macho man, love refuses to run smoothly.

Historical romance · 1983

Cover of Love's Elusive Flame by Phoebe Conn

The story

Flame Lannier arrives in San Francisco to escape an arranged marriage, determined to be her own woman. Her guardian, the wealthy Californio Joaquin Villarreal, demands not mere obedience but her very soul as the price of his love.

The publisher's copy sums up the pairing as an early suffragette against the world's most macho man, a match in which love refuses to run smoothly. The author herself called them a tempestuous pair readers never forget.

About this book

Love's Elusive Flame was Phoebe Conn's first published book, a historical romance set in Old California. On her site she described it as her first novel and the absolute favorite of many fans.

The story continues in Starlit Ecstasy, which follows a second San Francisco couple and which the author recommended as the sequel. Both titles were later reissued in digital editions.

Questions people ask

Is Love's Elusive Flame Phoebe Conn's first book?
Yes. The author's site identifies it as her first novel and notes that many of her readers consider it their favorite.
Does Love's Elusive Flame have a sequel?
Yes. Starlit Ecstasy is the sequel, also set in San Francisco, and the author suggested reading it next.