Charmed [Paperback]

Jayne Castle (Author), Julie Beard (Author), Lori Foster (Author), Eileen Wilks (Author)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

Just in time for Halloween, when hearts and minds turn to magic, bestselling author Jayne Ann Krentz (writing as Jayne Castle) joins a talented cast of romance authors to create a series of four short tales of wonder and enchantment. Suspend disbelief--something at which we romance readers excel--and join in the exhilaration of Charmed. In Castle's "Bridal Jitters," business partners with special perceptual talents tune in to each other and the results are both hilarious and titillating. Julie Beard's "Man in the Mirror" takes a young woman struggling to find her way in a fast-paced world and propels her back in time to King Arthur's Court, into the arms of Tristan of Ilchester. There a chance encounter with the wizard Merlin and tending to the wounded Tristan give Katie new direction and the knowledge to make her dreams come true. In "Tangled Dreams," a pair of ghostly lovers conspire to bring together shy Allison Barrow and sexy bartender Chase Winston to recover a treasure long missing. Along the bumpy way, Allison and Chase discover fantasy-fulfilling depths of passion and a danger that threatens it all. Eileen Wilks blends the ordinary and the mythical to perform her usual magic in "Pandora's Bottle." Pandora Kitlock's fiancé John has a secret. He tries to tell Dora about it during their first intimate weekend tryst, but something--or someone--keeps interfering: Jack, John's alter ego who has all the passionate impulses of your typical genie. John tells Dora she has to choose between them and Dora is faced with the toughest decision of her life. Full of love, laughter, and happy endings, Charmed is a charming read indeed! --Alison Trinkle

From Publishers Weekly

The lead story in this Halloween-themed collection by bestselling author Krentz (Absolutely, Positively) is Castle's "Bridal Jitters," a futuristic romance about a ghost-hunter and a para-archeologist who consider entering into an "MC," or marriage of convenience. Historical-romance author Beard's time-travel novella "Man in the Mirror" follows, in which a medical student goes back to the sixth century to save a badly wounded Arthurian knight. Both stories are ordinary at best. Surprisingly, it's Krentz's lesser-known romance fiction pen namesALori Foster ("Tangled Dreams") and Eileen Wilks ("Pandora's Bottle")Athat deliver the goods. In the kinky (but not tasteless) novella "Tangled Dreams," a hunky bartender is privy to a young woman's every sexy thought, and must help the two ghosts sharing her home find the closure they seek. The handsome green-eyed djinnin "Pandora's Bottle" openly desires his master's sprightly fianc?e, and it's a rivalry to the death between both suitors in this magical tale. (Oct.)
Copyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Product Details

• Paperback: 352 pages
• Publisher: Berkley; 1ST edition (October 1, 1999)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0425171299
• ISBN-13: 978-0425171295
• Product Dimensions: 6.9 x 4.4 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 4.8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (26 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #225,072 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

12 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars I bought this book only being familiar with 2 of 4 authors, January 14, 2000

By 

sf-fan "sf-fan" (Louisville, KY USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Charmed (Paperback)

I enjoyed all of these stories; but, none held "surprises" -- I think the readers all knew after first couple of pages how plots would go. I had originally picked up book because of two enjoyed authors and a blurb on back of books suggesting very original plot lines. Possibly I'm being a little hard because these are shorter than normal novels and give authors less room to complicate plots and flesh out characters. Once I started each story, I did not put down until finished.

Jayne Castle (Jayne Ann Krentz) returns in "Bridal Jitters" to her futuristic romance world and I thoroughly enjoyed this story. I'm not sure I could recommend to readers who hadn't read Amaryllis, Orchid, and Zinnia. Much "fluffier" than the three longer novels.

Julie Beard is one of my favorite authors; but, the characters in "Man In The Mirror" had an extremely easy solutions to all problems, no one questioned anything, and the reader knew from page 1 almost exactly how the story would go. Still well-written but surprisingly the characters were not as "real" as Julie Beard's other writings show she can create. I'm not fond of the deus ex machina solution where the character finds a reincarnation or twin of their true love found in time travel as soon as they return to their own time.

I hadn't read any of Lori Foster's work before. I did enjoy her story "Tangled Dreams" and plan to read more, particularly the stories of the other brothers. The "kinky" or "bondage" sex mentioned in other reviews consisted of no force, pain, or anything weirder than a four-poster bed with soft ties and a hero who preferred being the agressor. I don't think it added to the story; but, didn't think it was as terrible as some other reviews suggested.

Eileen Wilks was also a new author for me and "Pandora's Bottle" was a very good read. I will be looking for more books from Ms. Wilks. This story did read like she had more books in same universe she created. Did a lot better with the characters and although I had guessed the ending to start with the plot was substantial enough I wasn't sure until last couple of pages how it would end. I'm not particularly fond of torn-between-two-lovers type of stories; I'm more of the romantic one-true-love sort.

14 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Charming...., July 10, 2000

By 

Brenda "MYSHELFDOTCOM" (United States) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: Charmed (Paperback)

This one has a little of everything for romance readers. Although it's considered a great Halloween romance, CHARMED is an entertaining read all year around. Just remember though, it is all make believe.

Jayne Ann Krentz's BRIDAL JITTERS has an interesting concept. Virginia and Sam run a paranormal business in the future. He is a ghost hunter; she is a psychic archeologist who uses her gift to release paranormal traps -- an equivalent to present day bombs. They agree to marry for the business, but Virginia is having second thoughts.

BRIDAL JITTERS was an interesting short story. I am constantly amazed at writers and their visions of the future. Ms. Krentz has some interesting ones and at some points I had to reread to make sure of what she was trying to get across. But once I understood her concept of the future, I had no problem with it.

Julie Beard's story MAN IN THE MIRROR takes to the reader in the opposite direction of CHARMEDS first story. When Kate accepts a mirror as a gift she has no idea what goes on inside it. On this typical Halloween night, it's storming and Kate decides to follow what she sees and finds herself transported back in time to help a dying Knight.

I found Julie Beard's writing style very pleasant to follow. For a short story I was impressed at how well developed each character was. I found it to be an interesting time-travel experience.

Lori Foster writes TANGLED DREAMS as a continuance of the four brothers who run a bar in Thomasville, Kentucky. If you recall the oldest one Cole met his true love in the steamy anthology HOT CHOCOLATE. Now it's Chases turn to find true love but it will take a couple of ghost and a mystery to bring it all together.

Lori Foster is blazing ahead as a contemporary author. Her writing is skillful; her characters relationships are bold and leave nothing to the imagination. TANGLED DREAMS is a wee bit tame compared to TANGLED SHEETS in HOT CHOCOLATE.

PANDORA'S BOTTLE by Eileen Wilks is magically. John, a stockbroker thinks he has found true love but fears Dora will not accept him for what he truly is. Once they are at John's old home, Dora is faced with the true desire hidden in her soul and must make a decision that could cost her fiancée his life.

I found PANDORA'S BOTTLE an interesting, whimsical read. It had the flare of a romantic fable with a moral. With this story, whether she meant to or not, Eileen Wilks points out the fact that having more than one side to us makes us complete as a person and we should learn to accept it. Good writing Ms. Wilks.

14 of 16 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A mixed bag overall, January 20, 2000

By 

Nicole Miale - See all my reviews

This review is from: Charmed (Paperback)

I bought this anthology because of Jayne Castle and Julie Beard, but I'm keeping it because of Lori Foster! Her contribution was witty, very sexy and different. That's hard to come by if you read a lot of romances. I was somewhat disappointed in the Julie Beard story, which felt like it might have been a good novel that was condensed abruptly into a short story. The other two were satisfying as quick reads, but weren't great. They didn't live with me afterwards the way Lori Foster's story did.

If you like spice, buy this anthology for the Lori Foster story. If you don't, then don't buy it because there's nothing really special about the rest of it.