Tuesday, September 2, 2008

"The Marriage Spell" Weaves a Beautiful Spell That Will Have You Falling in Love With Both the Characters and the Story!

Synopis from B&N.com:

New York Times bestselling author Mary Jo Putney is acclaimed by critics and readers alike for unforgettable storytelling and arresting characters. Now she introduces a Regency England you’ve never seen before, where dazzling magic is practiced in all but the highest reaches of Society, and where desire is the most mysterious and seductive force of all.

One of the Duke of Wellington’s most respected officers, Jack Langdon, Lord Frayne, takes his family’s honor very seriously. He also hides a shameful secret: a talent for sorcery he has been raised to suppress and openly reject. But after an injury lands Jack at death’s door, his only chance at survival lies with Abigail Barton, a peer’s daughter and a skilled wizard. Her price: Jack’s hand in marriage. It isn’t long before Jack feels an irresistible attraction to his forthright new wife, whose allure is as intense as the reawakening magical abilities he can no longer deny.

Abigail had to make a great sacrifice to perform a spell powerful enough to save Lord Frayne, and although she cannot help but be drawn to her reluctant husband’s surprising sensitivity and kindness, she knows all too well his distaste for magic. Once she has Jack’s name and the child she has always longed for, she is determined to live apart from him so that he can preserve his reputation–and so that she herself can stay true to her gifts.

But neither Abby nor Jack reckons on the deep, long-simmering passions her spell ignites. They challenge each other’s extraordinary powers and deepest desires for the sake of a love that may cost them all they cherish most.

With breathtaking skill and vivid historical detail, Mary Jo Putney weaves a tale of enchantment, mystery, and romance that will forever hold you spellbound.



From page one, I was hooked. MJP weaves a brillant love story with great fantasy, making it seem like it's normal, everyday magic instead of a paranormal world. I especially loved how she was able to so deftly combine historical and 'paranormal' romance together, though at times I forgot that it was a paranormal romance.

The story is sweet and tender, loving and passionate, sexy and funny. The characters (That is, the hero and heroine) are anything but perfect and stunningly beautiful, but it doesn't matter because they both love each other anyway and find each other very attractive, both inside and out. What more can you ask for?

Their love runs deep, like their magic, and their connection is there almost from the start, slowing building along with their trust and love for each other. To me, that's the most believable kind of love--true love. :) And their love scenes are scorching hot while still retaining a lot of the tender love and connection, the perfect combination, intensified by the fact that the first part of their marriage was filled with nothing but semi-innocent caresses and cuddles, allowing true love to really bloom instead of starting out as really strong lust, like some stories *Though that is not always a bad thing either, in my opinion...it all just depends on the author and the storyline/characters...*

Besides their breath-taking romance that runs deep through the book, The Marriage Spell also has a good touch of mystery and adventure, luaghs and danger. Plus the obvious magic, which fits in nicely, despite the fact that so many peers of the ton are strongly against wizards, but who cares about them, right?

5/5 STARS! This is the perfect romance novel, one of the best I've ever read, and I will definitely be snatching up Mary Jo Puney's other novels as soon as I can! A must read for any romance lover, no matter their preference: Since it's a combination of historical and paranormal, you can't go wrong!

~TBQ~

Besides the

2 comments :

Tracy said...

Wow what a glowing review. I've not read any of her work. I'm thinking now that I'll have to remedy that.

Great review! :)

The_Book_Queen said...

Well, thank you. It's always nice to know that at least a few people are reading my blog and maybe, hopefully, reading my reviews and saying 'Wow, maybe I should put that book/author on my Want to Read list...' I'm glad that you enjoyed hearing my opinion. I cannot stress enough how much I loved this book, and I promise that if you read it, you too will probably be posting glowing reviews also!