DOUBLE ENCHANTMENT - Kathryne Kennedy
Relics Of Merlin, Book 2
Love Spell
ISBN-10: 0-505-52763-4
ISBN-13: 978-0-505-52763-9
September 2008
Paranormal Historical Romance

London, England - 1848

Lady Jasmina Karlyle just performed a spell designed to create a double to take her place in bed while she returns yet another of the jewels her mother “borrowed”. But something feels a bit different this time, almost as if her power of illusion is much stronger than normal. Oh well, there’s a jewel to return and another day of behaving as a perfect lady on the morrow.

Sir Sterling Thorn, a baronet and shape-shifter, is in London searching for his missing sister, Angel. Running into nothing but dead ends, Sterling is frustrated and lonely, then he meets Jaz, a beautiful, surprisingly bold lady, who inspires him to think of someone other than Angel, if only for a little while. Then Jaz disappears as well…

When Jasmina’s aunt gives her the shocking news that her double came to a ball and comported herself with less than proper behavior, Jasmina knows she’ll have to ask Prince Albert, His Royal Highness and the Master of the Hall of Mages, for his help. Little does she suspect that while there she’ll meet a handsome baronet who calls her Jaz and insists he knows her quite well. Mischief is afoot in London, and it seems Jasmina and Sterling (at the insistence of Prince Albert) are about to set off on an adventure to find Jaz, rescue Angel, and secure the safety of England all in one fell swoop.

DOUBLE ENCHANTMENT is a rousing good tale that illustrates what could happen when your inner wild child (suppressed for far too long) is given the chance to live free and have a bit of fun. Jaz is not a proper lady by any means; however, she is undeniably a part of Jasmina, her thinking is just very different and it leads her to make some decisions that are, at the very least, quite rash. Then again, her decision making isn’t all bad; she did pick Sterling as her first, umm, close acquaintance. But please, don’t let Jaz give you the wrong impression of Jasmina. She’s not quite as boring and proper as she appears. She’s just been raised to know her place and her purpose...to live a life without love so that she can care for her parents in their old age as they deserve. However, meeting Sterling makes her wonder if she isn’t giving up too much; it also makes her disturbingly jealous of Jaz. Odd that; jealousy of oneself is wrong, isn’t it? Then again, if she and Jaz never come back together, they’re really not the same person are they? For his part, Sterling is one confused nobleman. Though he has never been as attracted to someone as he is to Jaz, Jasmina is just so much more…well, everything. Passionate, honorable, dedicated and, well, the lady stirs his emotions and makes him wonder just whom he’s in love with. Is it Jaz, or Jasmina?

Jasmina and Sterling deserve excellent secondary characters as their support and they get them in spades. Jasmina’s spinster Aunt Ettie isn’t just her chaperone, she’s also a dear friend and encourages Jasmina to enjoy life (including getting to know Sterling better). Sir Artemus is a were-lion; he’s also a close friend of Prince Albert and, through this circumstance, gets to meet Ettie. If a lion were on a hunt, I fancy he’d get a look in his eye much like the one Artemus has as he gazes at her. Hmm, perhaps there will be more than one romance in this story. Oh, I simply must mention Nuisance, a garden gnome. He finds Jasmina irresistible (gnomes loving mischief the way they do, it does make sense he would). A pest, an annoyance, a hairy little man with a big nose and even larger ears, he adds to the mayhem surrounding Jasmina and Sterling. But, he is kind of cute in his own unique way. He’s certainly memorable, as are all of those who populate this fantastic tale.

The second book in the Relics Of Merlin series, DOUBLE ENCHANTMENT stands well on its own so those who haven’t yet read ENCHANTING THE LADY (January 2008) can still enjoy it. Magical, bewitching, enthralling, yes, they are words that should only be used to describe a truly great book and they certainly apply to DOUBLE ENCHANTMENT. Get your copy today. But do hurry, you never know when the gnomes may steal them away on a mischief-making mission. :-)

Lori Ann