LOVE’S MAGIC – Traci Hall
A Perfect 10
Medallion Press, Inc.
ISBN: 978-193-383-6270
June 2008
Paranormal Historical Romance

England, 1192

Celestia Montehue must marry. Her family’s liege lord, Baron Philippe Peregrine, has decreed she marry his bastard son, Nicholas Le Blanc. Her first introduction to Nicholas is not promising, as he is pissy drunk, sitting on the back of a pitiful mule, and missing a shoe. Celestia is torn because her twin brothers are fostered at the baron’s castle, and she knows that denying his order would cause them harm. But the consequences of going through with the marriage will change who she is forever. Celestia, like her grandmother, is a great healer who possesses strong magical powers. This gift is hers to control; however, if she were to marry a man who did not love her, she would lose her powers.

Nicholas Le Blanc is a man engulfed by the darkness of his past. On one hand, he is a cold and unyielding mystery man. On the other, he is a gallant knight with a heart of gold who has been severely mistreated. The healer in Celestia yearns to take the pain away from Nicholas’s eyes and heal the hurts of his heart. The woman in her yearns to heal him with her body and claim him as her own. Neither is pleased with their forced union; however, their individual circumstances ensure that they go though with the marriage. As a wedding present from the baron, Celestia and Nicholas are given Falcon Keep, Nicholas’s deceased mother’s home. Before their journey to Falcon Keep begins, Celestia has a frightening vision that shows her she must be vigilant or her husband will be killed.

LOVE’S MAGIC is an exceptionally brilliant novel that is filled with multi-faceted characters. Celestia is the type of heroine I love to read about. She is not beautiful in the eyes of some, but she has an inner strength and a kind heart. Celestia never hesitates to lift her hands to heal even those who persecute her. She is baffled by the strong emotional pull she has toward Nicholas and is willing to give up everything to be with him.

Nicholas is sure to capture your heart as he did mine. His distrust of people stems from his horrid past. He normally refuses to allow anyone to get close to him. Naturally, he is surprised when he realizes that petite little Tia does what no one else has. She makes him care for her. But despite his feelings and desire for her, he knows that she deserves someone much better. He believes he will only bring her heartache and pain, but vows to protect her until his dying breath.

The journey Tia and Nicholas take us on is wrought with danger and intrigue. No one knows who is an enemy or a friend and dares not trust a smiling face or a good deed. Tia’s powers tell her that there is impending doom and she must beware of the evil that surrounds them. Meanwhile, Nicholas is so caught up in his personal misery that he just may miss out on the blessings that are laid before him.

LOVE’S MAGIC contains all of the elements I like in a story. There is a true and sincere love that grows between real and caring people. There are people who don’t want Tia and Nicholas to have a happy ending. There are even paranormal snippets that are accompanied by the strong scent of apples. As such, LOVE’S MAGIC is a Perfect 10 on my list and one I would recommend as a must read to all.

Anthonette Dotson