Again the Magic by Lisa Kleypas

 She gave him her innocence . . .Lady Aline Marsden was brought up for one reason: to make an advantageous marriage to a member of her own class. Instead, she willingly gave her innocence to John McKenna, a servant on her father's estate. Their passionate transgression was unforgivable -- John was sent away, and Aline was left to live in the countryside . . . an exile from London society . . .and he took her love.

Now McKenna has made his fortune, and he has returned -- more boldly handsome and more mesmerizing than before. His ruthless plan is to take revenge on the woman who shattered his dreams of love. But the magic between them burns as bright as ever. And now he must decide whether to let vengeance take its toll . . . or risk everything for his first, and only, love.

*****

Lisa Kleypas has done it again, and in a big way. Again the Magic is a wonderful story with so many dimensions and so much depth that I was up until the wee hours of the morning, unable to put it down. This story is actually a “prequel” to the Wallflowers series. While I’ve never seen it listed as a numbered book in the series, the characters in Again the Magicare featured heavily in It Happened One Autumn, book 2 of the Wallflowers,  as well as in the other Wallflower novels.

There are so many good things to say about this book that I don’t know where to start. As usual with Kleypas’ writing, we have characters who are so well developed that they cease to be words on a page and become living, breathing people. We can imagine them as friends, family, lovers and even enemies.

Again the Magic actually tells 2 stories. There is the main hero/heroine theme revolving around Lady Aline and McKenna, and a secondary hero/heroine theme revolving around Lady Olivia Marsden, Aline’s younger sister, and Gideon Shaw, McKenna’s American business partner. However, I find it difficult to describe Olivia’s and Gideon’s part of the story as secondary because it was so full, so detailed, that it felt to me as though it were its own, singular novel. And that made me very happy!

I found Again the Magic to be refreshingly more honest than your usual fluffy historical romance novel. The reactions of the characters were more in keeping with what I would have expected given the depth of their feelings for one another and their lack of control over certain situations.

Anger and frustration are emotions that linger near the surface and are often the first emotions we feel when being faced with situations that are beyond our ability to change. Sometimes, for whatever reason, the people we love just can’t seem to trust us to love them enough to see past their flaws, be those flaws physical or emotional. Such is the case with Lady Aline and the scars she carries from an injury she received in a kitchen fire. I don’t want to go into detail here and give away too much of the story, but her shame over the deep, severe scars keeps her from accepting McKenna’s love. She just can’t seem to trust him to love her enough…

McKenna has no idea why Lady Aline keeps pushing him away, but finally he has had enough and is ready to return to America, alone, a heartbroken man. But through a unexpected intervention by an unlikely person, Aline is given the opportunity to finally unload her burden and tell McKenna the truth and I loved his reaction. He didn’t just pat her on the head and say “It’s going to be ok, love, I forgive you and we’ll get past this.” Nope, in fact, he let her have it with both barrels. He held nothing back when he described the hell she had put him through and this is the type of reaction I would have expected from a man so desperately in love. He made her listen as he poured out the anguish he had been feeling, and then he summed it all up in just a few simple words:

“My God.” The blood rose higher in his face. “What if the situation were reversed and I was the one who had been hurt? Would you have left me?” 

“No!”

“Then why did you expect anything less of me?”

The entire exchange was so well written, so perfect and exactly the reaction I would have expected (and hoped for) from a man who thought he had forever lost the love of his life. I was cheering him on with every word he spoke, and when he finally took her to bed I loved how he wouldn’t allow her to hide her scars from him.

And again we see, between Olivia and Gideon, the same honest reaction from Olivia regarding Gideon’s drinking problem when he asked her to marry him and she turned him down. She didn’t sugar coat anything, nor did she give him an ultimatum, but told him, "…I won’t subject myself to the process of losing you little by little, until you’ve either killed yourself or become someone that I don’t recognize.” Again, this is the kind of reaction I hope for from my heroes and heroines. She wasn’t going to sit by and watch the man she was in love with slowly deteriorate by his own actions.

As I said, there are so many good things about this story that I really don’t know where to start or how to cover them all. Suffice it to say that Again the Magic has a charm, an honesty and a depth and breadth to it that has earned it a place on my list of all time favorite reads.

 Whether you’re looking for an excellent stand alone novel or want a series to read, I highly recommend Again the Magic and the Wallflowers.

Reading order:


Again The Magic - Prequel to the Wallflowers

1.Secrets of a Summer Night

2.It Happened One  Autumn

3.Devil In Winter

4.Scandal in the Spring

5.A Wallflower Christmas

The Lass Wore Black by Karen Ranney

Catriona Cameron was once famed for her seductive beauty and charm. Now she saw no one, hiding from the world...and no one dared break through her self-imposed exile.

No one, that is, until Mark Thorburn burst into her home, and Catriona's darkened world began to have color again. Thorburn, secretly the heir to an Earldom, claimed he was a footman. But Catriona didn't care about the scandal their passion could cause...for this very touch sparked her back to a life of sensuality, one she thought she'd never have again.

Little does she know that Mark is part of masquerade. One that will end when they become the target of a madman set on revenge. Mark realizes he will have to do more than win her love...he will have to save her life as well.

**********

In a genre saturated with the usual plot props – tales of the ton, seasons, heirs, peerage – it’s always a treat to read a story that can tackle those elements and make them unique. Now, don’t get me wrong, I do enjoy the traditional historical romance novels, too, but The Lass Wore Black brings something different to the mix, and I can’t tell you how refreshing that is!

Karen Ranney is an author who’s been around for awhile, and despite my love of historical romance, I hadn’t yet read any of her books. I was pleased to find that her writing is engaging and her characters are interesting people whose stories are worth telling.

Well, truth be told, I had a problem with Catriona for the first half of the book, but if I had started reading with the understanding that it’s a Beauty and the Beast meets The Ugly Duckling type tale, I’d have been better prepared for her shallow, bitter disposition. That said, there did come a point when she began to see that the woman she had been and the woman she had the potential to be were worlds apart. When she finally cast off her veil, so-to-speak, and allowed herself an honest view of the world around her, she became a truly compelling heroine, one whom I could cheer for.

Mark isn’t your run-of-the-mill historical romance hero. He’s part of a distinguished family, that’s true, but he’s also a doctor, someone who understands the adage, “Where much is given, much is expected.” He’s a wealthy man, thanks to his grandmother, and he could have easily used that wealth to pay others to care for the needy, but he doesn’t. He’s a man who puts himself right into the thick of things and uses his medical training to help those people who can’t afford doctors and medicines. He teaches them about ways to improve their health and circumstances, and it’s clear he truly cares for those less fortunate than himself. I easily invested in Mark from the start and found him to be an honorable, passionate and very sexy man.

The story itself is intriguing, though not without some minor flaws - I do wish the dialog had felt and sounded more authentic. There was no indication of the Scottish brogue I would have expected, and I missed that.  It was Catriona's journey from a bleak existence to a life worth living that made this such a compelling read, and that wouldn't have happened without Mark at her side, sometimes gently guiding her forward while other times prodding, but always loving, and never giving up.

The bottom line: The Lass Wore Black is an emotional, romantic, sexy tale. It’s entertaining, engaging, unique, and a story I won’t soon forget!

My thanks to Avon Books and Edelweiss for providing me with a copy of this book for review. It’s been such a pleasure!

Shades of Gray by Maya Banks

 

P.J. and Cole were sharpshooting rivals on the same KGI team and enjoyed a spirited, uncomplicated camaraderie. Until the night they gave in to their desires and suddenly took their relationship one step further. In the aftermath of their one night stand, they’re called up on a mission that goes terribly wrong, and P.J. walks away from KGI, determined not to drag her teammates into the murky shadows she’s poised to delve into.

Six months later, Cole hasn’t given up his search for P.J., and he’s determined to bring her back home where she belongs. Bent on vengeance, P.J. is on a mission that will plunge her into a serpentine game of payback and make her question everything she’s ever believed in. Cole—and the rest of their team—refuse to let her go it alone. Even if it means sacrificing their loyalty to KGI and their very lives…

***** 

Shades of Gray is the sixth book in Maya Banks’ KGI series and one incredibly exciting, sexy story. Fast paced, emotional… this book took me on a rollercoaster ride of feelings and I loved every minute of it!

 

I read this ARC not quite knowing what to expect. I do know that Ms. Banks’ is a very talented writer but I hadn’t yet ventured into this series and, as I have discovered, that’s a terrible shame I plan to rectify right away. I was instantly drawn to P.J. and Cole, and their chemistry - both sexual and as good friends and teammates - was so, so believable. It was comfortable, and …. right. From the first page to the last, I wanted them to be together - no,I didn't just want them to be together, I needed them to be together, and that doesn’t happen for me often, especially with characters I’ve never met before.

Another thing that doesn't often happen for me is becoming as attached to the heroine as I am the hero. Let's face it, we don't often find the heroine playing such a compelling, leading role in romantic suspense, but it happened in a big way in this book. P.J. not only holds her own, she really shines.

And the story – wow! Talk about exciting and emotional… at times so damned heartbreaking I was sobbing tears of anger - an honest to God ache in my chest from trying to hold back the tears, and at other times so happy I couldn't stop smiling… poignant, passionate, romantic... I couldn’t get enough. I didn’t want it to end but couldn't stop myself from reading, didn't want it to end but needed it to end so I’d find out what happened!

The bottom line: I really can’t say enough good things about this story. Romantic, sexy, fast paced and gripping, Shades of Gray has turned out to be one of my very favorite romantic suspense reads this year, and I cannot wait to read more!

 

5 of 5 stars!

My thanks to Affaire de Coeur Magazine and Berkley Sensation for providing me with a copy of this ARC for review. What an incredible pleasure it was!