Customer Reviews

Again The Magic

5 star:		(59)
4 star:		(35)
3 star:		(22)
2 star:		(16)
1 star:		(5)

 

 

Their love was never meant to be. Born on opposite ends of the social ladder, servant boy John McKenna and earl's daughter Lady Aline Marsden are inseparable childhood companions. Inevitably, they grow into adolescence and their friendship blossoms into a forbidden passion. On the very night they finally give in to their feelings, however, the young lovers are caught and separated. Knowing her father's vindictive streak, Aline strikes a devil's bargain - a chance for a new life for McKenna far away in exchange for her public rejection. Not long after he leaves, Aline's life is forever altered in a terrible accident.

Twelve years pass, and for Aline little has changed. Still beautiful and unmarried, she lives quietly at home with her brother Marcus, now the new earl, and younger sister Livia, herself the subject of recent scandal. Outwardly serene, Aline has never stopped grieving for her lost love. But a time of reckoning arrives, when her brother's latest business partners arrive from America, and a ghost from Aline's past reappears. One look in his eyes tells her his reason for coming, and Aline prepares herself for the storm to come. For the sooner he gets his pound of flesh, the sooner he will leave.

John McKenna is back in England, and he wants revenge. A dozen years has seen his rise from bastard stable boy to one of New York's captains of industry, but he has never forgotten -- nor forgiven -- the woman who brutally rejected his love. Determined to seduce and abandon Aline once and for all, McKenna is confused by her calm resignation to his intentions. Soon his long suppressed feelings of tenderness resurface. But even as McKenna struggles to let go of the past and plan for a new future with Aline, secrets from her past may yet keep them apart.

Meanwhile, an illicit romance begins between Livia and McKenna's partner, the troubled Gideon Shaw. A scandal for ending up pregnant (but losing the baby) after her fiancé's death, Livia has shown no interest in other men. That changes when she meets the young, handsome New Yorker. In stark contrast to her sister, Livia dares to reach out for a second chance at happiness, but will Gideon be able to overcome his demons?

AGAIN THE MAGIC is a shining example of Lisa Kleypas at the top of her game. Intense, affective, and heartwarming, the plot may be tried and true, but the telling of the tale is pure magic. McKenna is an unforgettable hero, angry and brooding but capable of such expressions of romanticism that could melt the most jaded of hearts. Aline, on the other hand, is more complex. At first, it's easy to think her reasons for continuing to reject a chance at happiness are silly and prideful, however, there is a particularly poignant moment with her brother that brings Aline's thought processes into perspective and gives fresh insight to her character.

Powerful heroes and heroines, a fine cast of supporting characters, and moving dialogue all come together beautifully in Ms. Kleypas' valentine to her readers.

TheSchemer

I like Kleypas. I haven't read one of her books that didn't thrill me to the point of searching out the shelves for another by her. And this book is no different. I like a hero with a vengence. A purposeful vengence mind you. I hate the books that have a plot based on micommunication between the characters. Dramatic irony belongs in Shakespeare. McKenna has a reason to be angry with Aline. Though he thinks she sent him away the real issue is his inability to think of himself as worthy of her or of his new status. His anger and apprehension both are believable. And I really like to see a hero struggle with his only feelings and try to hide them becuase he thinks the lady is unaffected by their tryst. The statement he makes after he takes her on her knees...oh man, he is too good. I don't normally like heroines that are gimpy but I liked Aline. I have seen burn scars and they aren't pretty. But she never lets it change who she is, just her wilingness to show anyone. And the extra bit with her sister and Shaw was just the right amount to not distract from the main storyline. It's a good read. I recommend it highly.

Lisa Kleypas's newest novel is a delight to read. The story of John McKenna and Aline Marsden is a romance to be cherished. This story will make you laugh, cry, and rejoice in the power of love.

McKenna was a stable boy at Aline's estate when she was growing up. They fell in love as young adults, but both knew that it could go nowhere. Nevertheless, they both hoped that their love would be able to stand the test of time. Unfortunately, Aline's father discovers their affair and forbids Aline to ever see McKenna again. She breaks things off with him, but knows that he will always be her true love.

Twelve years later McKenna returns to Stony Cross Park a self made man in America with more money than he could ever hope to spend. He plans to get revenge on Aline for her supposed heartless rejection of him years ago, but things don't go as planned as he once again comes under Aline's spell. A charming subplot involving Aline's sister Olivia and McKenna's business partner Gideon Shaw also make this story one not to be missed.

This story also features Lord Marcus Westcliff, Aline's older brother, who will be the hero in an upcoming Lisa Kleypas story. Again the Magic is just that, magical. I love Kleypas's writing style, her strong characterizations, and her ability to convey all the emotions of love in a very honest fashion. Again the Magic is a book not to be missed, and if you are a new Kleypas fan, this book would be a great one to start out with.

I generally like Kleypas books and I know truthfulness makes for a short book and all, but I found my self screaming at the goddamn heroine to just come clean already! It seemed that she had about 150 pages worth of actual story, so she padded it with a further 150 pages of vacillation and 75 more of drawn out sex scenes.

I don't know, maybe it all rang hollow for me because I am disabled myself and would never get so wretchedly melodramatic over it as she did. Oh boo hoo, you have scars, so what? How pathetic to loathe yourself for something out of your control. It made me so angry at the heroine, I couldn't take any satisfaction in the inevitable happy ending.

Setting - Hampshire, England, 1832 --- Neglected by her aristocratic parents it wasn't surprising when the daughter of the house, Lady Aline Marsden would seek out a friend amongst the servants, and so, she and the young stable boy, John McKenna become bosom friends. As they grew older the childhood closeness they shared turned to a sensual desire of a love that they both knew could never be -even if they dreamed otherwise. When their growing attachment was revealed to the Earl, her father threatened Aline with plans to destroy McKenna if she didn't break it off permanently. Knowing the heartlessness of her father, Aline told McKenna the lies that she knew would send him away and never return - all the while breaking her own heart as she was forced to break his.

Twelve years later, McKenna, wealthy and successful beyond belief has returned to exact retribution on the woman that spurned his love and lowly status so many years before. His plans were to seduce and then abandon her, hopefully leaving a remnant of the `bastard' she had spurned. Nursing his hatred for all those years, he was not at all prepared once he saw her again for the flame of passion that still burned in his heart - not of vengeance but of a love that had never died. Try as he might, McKenna was kept in the dark as he did his best to discover the secrets Aline kept, both of the supposed `sickness' that had befallen her and of the lies she'd been forced to tell. In a spine tingling, climax that will have your heart in your throat, Aline would have to confront her greatest fear and trust that the love she still felt for McKenna would hold true and that the love he'd once felt for her hadn't been completely destroyed. A love that that still burned brightly and defied all time.

I know when I pick up a Kleypas novel that I will find another of her very powerful, and sensually filled romantic love stories and once more with, AGAIN THE MAGIC, she has captivated me again. This had not only one, but two very distinct and totally different romances, both featuring characters with overriding obstacles to overcome that were blended beautifully together. Kleypas has a gift for creating characters that simply are so real and multi-faceted that the reader cannot help but become emotionally involved with the many passions and moods her eloquence with the written word creates. She has once again whetted my appetite, and now, I suppose I am going to have to faithfully wait for what I hope will be her next book featuring, Aline and Livia's brother Marcus' story. A warning must be given though, not to start any of her books late in the day, as this one again proved to be one I simply could not put down until finished! When it comes to writing in the historical romance genre - Kleypas proves once more she is the 'Master of this Game'!... --- Marilyn Rondeau, (...)

There are several plot summaries here so I will just give my review:

I am a huge fan of Lisa Kleypas and this book is one of my favorites. I couldn't put this book down. I began it late one night before going to bed and ended up staying up most of the night until the book was finished! The story of Aline and McKenna was interesting and in-depth and the characters were well developed. I do understand people's dislike of the side story Aline's sister, Olivia, and her marriage to an American, Gideon Shaw. In most cases I don't like it when there is a romantic subplot, but, in this case it worked for me. Olivia's story was too small for a story of its own and seemed to work in coincidence with Aline's story. I thought the Aline's growing up and acceptance lead way for Olivia to do the same. Gideon Shaw's, flawed character was likable. Olivia's story did seem a little rushed towards the end of the book, however, and that comes when you have two smaller plots happening in one novel. I also love how this book leads into the Wallflower series where we get to see what happens to Aline and Olivia's brother Marcus!

I will keep this short, but I wanted to say this is my first Lisa Kleypas book and I really loved it! I was glued to the book and finished it in record time (for me). I will be buying more books by Lisa! I didn't think it was depressing at all, as others have said! I guess if you are used to really light comedy romances, it may seem that way, but a veteran romance fan will find this book very romantic and satisfying. I loved the side story with Aline's sister Livia and her own second chance at love. I don't have many books on my keeper shelf, but this one will be joining them.

Lisa Kleypas is an incredibly talented writer, she keeps getting better with every new book. I wish she'd write more books a year but the waiting always pays off. This story is sensual and emotionally powerful. I loved the hero, Mckenna, whose dark and brooding nature charged up the heat in the lovestory. I wish Kleypas hadn't spent so much time on the secondary characters, they definitely deserved their own book, but the time spent on them cut into the main characters' happily-ever-after last scene. Despite that, Kleypas is an absolute genius when it comes to her trademark dark moment, the climax and resolution of the internal conflict between the main characters. Beautifully written! I loved this book!

First, I've got to say that I'm a huge Lisa Kleypas fan. I adore her writing style and choice of words, but above all, I enjoy the very real emotion she brings to her work. Needless to say, I've read all of her books so far (in addition to MANY other romances), and thus have a large basis for comparison. That being said, I truly found Again the Magic to be special. I'd even go so far as to say it is my second favorite book of Kleypas' next to Dreaming of You. Some other reviewers have brought Dreaming of You up as a contrast with this book, saying that Again the Magic doesn't compare and that Derek Craven was a far better hero. I beg to differ. I think a large part of why I loved this book so much was that, in a lot of ways,it reminded me of Dreaming of You. Not so much in terms of plot, but in the way I felt while reading it. It's difficult to put into words, but for both books I believe I felt so enthralled because I could really sense the 'power' behind the love stories. In both cases the love is not gentle with flowers and poems, nor is it particularly kind, but it's tangible and gut-clenching.

In Again the Magic's case, it is true that Aline's stubborn inability to trust McKenna is frustrating, but it is also entirely believable, and, in my opinion, realistic. It also contributes to the razor-edged tension that when finally resolved in the end of the book makes for one hell of a scene that had me weaping and breathless. Plus, I'm always a sucker for a hero who cries. *grin*

Again the Magic may not be an easy read--it's far from light and fluffy--but the journey is well worth it. Gosh that's cliched, but it's true. The story stayed on my mind for many days after I finished it, and I know I will be returning to it many times in the future.

Lisa Kleypas is again in fine form with her latest novel "Again the Magic." I love her books and this was enjoyable, but not as good as "Dreaming of You" which was her best. I look forward to reading the sequel of "Again the Magic" which will probably focus on the secondary characters Livia and Gordon. They are in my opinion more interesting and real than the main characters in this book. I had a problem with Aline and McKenna because despite their great love for each other, they couldn't be honest with one another until the very end. Considering their past together and their bond, you would think they could be truthful because of their friendship. But all in all I'm glad I bought this book because nobody writes historical romance like Lisa Kleypas. I'll definitely read the sequel.