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Magic In His Kiss
by Shari Anton
A
Pendragon Princess, a bard and ghosts --- a magical, memorable medieval
romance!
Set
in mid 12th century Wales during tumultuous times, Shari Anton's final
third book in a trilogy combines history and romance with a touch of
the paranormal. Tender, passionate, and suspenseful, Shari Anton
creates memorable characters and scenes. From political intrigue
emerges a tale of love that crosses boundaries with a sense of magical
healing. MAGIC IN HIS KISS is
an unforgettable romance read.
Nicole de Leon may be a Pendragon princess, a woman who can trace her
bloodline all the way back to King Arthur, but Empress Maud and King
Stephen's struggle to secure the throne has put Wales in a precarious
position, and with it, Nicole also. As the King's ward, her future
marriage is a political alliance. Connor ap Maelgwn, chieftain of
Glenvair, sends Rhodri ap Dafydd on a mission to kidnap Nicole from
Bledloe Abbey and bring her under Connor's control, thus freeing her
from the political maneuvering of the Earls of March. As a bard, Rhodri
knows how to use language to persuade and his job is to abduct Nicole
and make it look like it was her desire so as not to incur political
retribution. Rhodri doesn't relish the task. She was an impossible,
willful child! Now that he meets the woman that she has become, a woman
of loyalty and passion, how can he ever turn her over to another?
Although Nicole has formed close friendships in the convent, times are
changing in the abbey itself and she has no calling for the religious
life. How can she not seize this opportunity to escape, especially when
such a handsome, clever and strong man offers her protection?
Rhodri ap Dafydd is a strong and clever, a man who can outwit anyone,
but his real talent is song. He knows Welsh history and can recite
songs to charm anyone, but can he win the heart of the one woman who
steals his heart? Will he achieve his lifelong dream of becoming a
pencerdd, the highest acclaim to which a bard can aspire? Nicole has a
heart of gold. In the convent, her friendship with the Mother Abbess
shows a side of her that few people from her past would ever imagine.
Nicole, however, harbors a deep secret that torments her very soul. She
has a special gift, the power to talk to the dead, soothing them, yet
one ghost refuses all comfort that she might deliver. Will the past
haunt her, forever ruining her chances to make peace with her family
and be with the one man she truly loves?
Shari Anton's MAGIC IN HIS KISS
warms the reader's heart from the first pages as Nicole's loyalty and
kindness to the Mother Abbess shows her independent spirit, a
determination to do right by others. Amongst the political intrigue of
the times, Nicole stands out as a true princess, a woman who has
inherited the nobility of her Arthurian bloodline if not the position.
Sharon Anton's portrait of Rhodri is the perfect match for a woman as
talented and complex as Nicole. A man of many talents, Rhodri's
maneuvering adds an exciting level of suspenseful action as he and
Nicole race through the maze of alliances and a guarded landscape to
reach Connor. Shari Anton's MAGIC IN
HIS KISS is a wonderful mix of passion and tenderness born in a
precarious political backdrop. What an ending! Just at the most intense
point of suffering, Shari Anton creates one of the most memorable and
moving reconciliation scenes I have ever read in medieval romance.
Nicole and Rhodri's love itself is magical as each brings to the other
the true calling of their hearts, not for them but for others as well.
Together, their love has a power to heal beyond the imagination. MAGIC IN HIS KISS has a striking
beauty that will be loved by both medieval and romance lovers.
Publisher: Forever (July 1, 2008)
Reviewed by Merrimon,
Medieval Book Reviews
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