A female magician, a not so innocent black rabbit, a treasure map, a duke firm in his convictions, a band of
pirates, and romance equals mayhem in the making! Celeste Summers is a
self-reliant vegetarian magician, and her sidekick is a mischievous
black rabbit named Dexter. It’s the kind of mixture that can get you burned at the stake in 1820.
All Lord Devlin Rutland wants is to see Celeste taken care of as his father instructed, but wedding a girl who may not be dealing a full deck of cards is not easy. Celeste sees opportunity to foil his plans when she comes across a map to a pirate’s treasure, but Devlin is after the same booty. Foolishly, she bargains with a stranger, finds herself double-crossed, at the mercy of pirates, and in need of Devlin's aid. Devlin comes to the rescue, but he has an ethical dilemma. He can ensure that Celeste honors her betrothal to him, or set her free with the treasure and his heart. His only other choice is to persuade her that Love’s Magic is enough to bind them together.
Purchase at:
REVIEW:
RATING: 4
Stars
The year is
1820. Celeste Summers first meets
Lord Devlin Rutland, Duke of Doomsbury, when he rescues her from being burned as
a witch. But then he takes her
prisoner himself. Celeste didn’t
know that before they died, her father signed a contract with the elder
Doomsbury: to keep her safe and well-cared for, Devlin will marry her – whether
or not the young woman agrees.
And Celeste does not
agree. She is strong and
independent, supporting herself as a magician and healer. But whether she agrees to the betrothal
or not, Devlin’s estate is close to bankruptcy, and supposedly, Celeste
possesses one half of a treasure map that could lead him to enough money to save
the estate, as well as keeping his father’s promise. However, his fiancée is strongly
determined to stay single – and find the treasure herself. Celeste persuades a young nobleman to
help her escape and, taking her beloved pet rabbit, Dexter, they set sail for
Brazil, with Rutland in pursuit.
Many of the elements
of this story are very familiar: a family scandal, resentful servants, a large
somewhat run-down mansion, a vengeful ghost, a surprise villain, even some
bloodthirsty pirates. But Sheffield
built in an original plot point that allows her to use each of these elements in
unexpected ways: Celeste is a magician, with a large rabbit who is much more
than a stage prop. This piece of
characterization largely lifts ‘Love’s Magic’ above the standard Regency
romance.
The book is fun,
amusing and easy to read, and I enjoyed it. The characters develop well, making you
want to see how the mystery will be solved, and how the hero and heroine will
come together. Some chase scenes
are repetitious; I felt that the ocean-crossing voyages go remarkably fast; and
there are some things that feel jarringly out-of-place, like Dexter’s ‘litter
pan’ and Celeste being a vegetarian.
I found these things distracting.
Still, I was able to push that aside, and happily finish the book, so I
give ‘Love’s Magic’ 4 stars, for being entertaining and
fun.
I am grateful for
the free review’s copy I was given.
Reviewed by: Roberta
