Customer Reviews

Dangerous Magic

5 star:		(4)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(4)

 

 

This is one of JAK's early books, written as Stephanie James in the late '80's and it is unreal. A career business woman is accused by her boss of sleeping her way to a promotion, for which he admits she is the most qualified candidate, and then he refuses to promote her because she should have slept with him! And she takes this abuse; she not only takes it, but when he suggests she sleep with him as he can do more for her career, she agrees so she can get revenge! It is this kind of drivel that has weighed down women's chances of being accepted as rational adults who have the right to be treated as rational adults who mean what they say when they say it. bijou2311 wrote a perfect review for this book; I wish I'd read it before I spent the $$! If you like idiot women who let men manipulate them and if you like idiot men who can't see past their 'manhood', you're going to love this mess; if you like real people facing dramatic situations and dealing with them, you'll be like me and hate it. I love JAK and have read everything she's written since she graduated from this 8th grade romance genre. Do yourself a favor and stick with her real books and give this mess a pass!

the 'hero' in this book is horrible and ridiculous. he needs serious help, and to be honest, so does the heroine. even when the hero knows he is wrong he doesn't appologize, but uses his position to coerce the heroine. AND SHE LETS HIM. come on, both of you, grow up.

she should have slapt him with a lawsuit then left his company and done fine on her own - or some other ridiculously dramatic thing - because he deserved every bit of it.

This book was so awesomely bad that I started reading it, but then just couldn't finish it. I have to give it 1 star, because that's what Amazon requires, but the part I read was pure drivel. As many reviewers have pointed out, this is a 20-year-old Jayne Ann Krentz book written for Harlquin under a psuedonym. Her writing (and characters) have improved IMMENSELY over the years, but this is one of those books that is just best forgotten. I understand that's good business for Harlequin to cash in on Krentz' success by reissuing some of her old novels for them, but was this the best they had to work with?

It starts off and you've got a woman named Elissa who has been called into her boss's office to be told, point-blank, that she's being denied for a promotion -- for which the boss admits that Elissa is the most qualified -- because he thinks that she slept with another boss...that's she's sleeping her way to the top. The boss (Wade) refuses to believe Elissa's protestations. Seems he's been stalking her for a while and has observed all these instances in which she's met up with the guy he's accusing her of sleeping with. (Evidently, Elissa's helping the guy plan a surprise birthday party for his wife, June. Suuuuuuuuure, Wade thinks. Likely story!) Elissa points out that what Wade is doing is called sexual harrassment and that it's illegal, but that doesn't seem to bother him much, because he's one of those jerkwads who seems to believe that if HE can't have her, NOBODY can have her. (Seriously...I kept expecting him to whip out a bowie knife, in true Lifetime Movie of the Week fashion, and start hacking her to bits screaming, "You're mine! Mine!" Scary stuff.) After thirty pages or so pages had passed and Elissa was still sitting there taking this crap off this major loser, I had to put the book down and walk away. Maybe it gets better, but I just don't see how it could, and I don't have enough masochistic interest to find out.

Dangerous Magic is a terrific novel - I fell in love with the characters within the first two chapters and I practically smiled all the way through it when I read it. If there ever was a book illustrating the "mating/love" dance that women and men go through when they develop their relationship. Elissa believes she's tricking Wade (i.e she wants revenge on his offensive accusations) while all the time he is a step ahead of her and tricking her (he realises he's made a mistake and hopes to win her over with love, before apologising!) The quick wit and thrusts and parries of the verbal dialogue were enjoyable and the characters are adorable. With that said, the main characters do portray the normal desirable characteristics in romance novels (i.e the woman is no pushover, she's smart, intelligent, brave, beautiful etc. and the man is the typical "Alpha" male, gorgeous, powerful, arrogant, ruthless, smart etc.) However, it you don't like "cute" stories then this novel is not for you as I guess it is one that does bring that description to mind. For those who haven't read the novel...
The first chapter of the novel starts dramatically with Wade (Elissa's superior in their workplace) accusing Elissa of sleeping with a married colleague to advance her career, saying that she slept with the wrong man and she is welcome to try her wiles on him! He blackmails her into having an affair with him. Elissa, furious is very tempted to quit her job but the idea of making him eat his words is too satisfying so she sets out to prove him wrong the next night, presenting proof of her innocence. In any case, he still doesn't believe her and continues to "blackmail her" into an affair. Elissa is sorely tempted to quit her job and move on to pastures new BUT...the idea of sweet revenge is just too tempting to pass up...she plans to manipulate him into falling in love with her, and when he's on his knees begging her to marry him...to fling his ring in his face and throw the job back in his face (leaving the firm). Alas, she falls in love with him during their affair.

I'm a huge JK fan, and am trying to read everything she's written under her various pseudonyms, provided Amazon readers give the story 3 stars or better.

This is the fourth book I've read by "Stephanie James" and I an so disgusted I've decided not to read anymore by this "version" of JK. I understand the Stephanie James persona is one of her first, and perhaps her editor at the time told her implied violence sells. While the storyline isn't great (fairly unbelievable and very dated, as many others have already noted), Wade's threats to beat Elissa, which are scattered through out the book, make this one a "Loser" with a capital L.

(Note: Raven's Prey, another Stephanie James book, contains scenes where the "hero" imagines raping the heroine. That one got 1 star from me too. I haven't rated any other JK books because there are lots of helpful reviews out there, already.)

For those who want examples, here's one from Chapter 8 - suggest you don't read further if you have abuse issues:

[Wade says]: "I am going to beat you, Elissa Shedon. Another new experience for you, I'll bet. I'd stake a lot of money on the idea that no one's ever even thought of doing such a thing to sweet charming Elissa!"

A few sentences later, after Elissa begs Wade not to hurt her . . . [He]: "When I arrived at your door this evening . . . I was in a good mood. I want to be restored to that mood."

And her response: "I'sn't there . . " She moistened her lips and tried again, eyes wide and pleading. "I'snt there anything besides beating me that will resore your better mood?"

YUCK! What prompted JK to write such garbage?

I love JAK and have read about 90 percent of her books. This one is a real product of its time. Today, Elissa would have gone to human resources and filed a complaint against Taggert for his bullying. However, when it was written society viewed the behavior in a much different way.

Reviewed by: Sondrea Cash

The meetings between Elissa Sheldon and her friend Martin Randolph after work were only to plan his wife's surprise birthday party. Perfectly innocent. Only it didn't appear that way to her boss, Wade Taggert. A lovely, young woman meeting an older man -- a married older man -- who just happened to have recommended her for a promotion...it all seemed pretty clear to him.

When Elissa shows up at Wade's office expecting the promotion, she doesn't get it. Instead, she is accused of trying to sleep her way to the top, of choosing the wrong man, and invited to try again with the right man...HIM. Incensed by Wade's refusal to believe her explanation, Elissa resolved to teach Wade a lesson he'd never forget, and ended up learning a lesson of her own...in love.

Dangerous Magic was the first Jayne Ann Krentz book I read, and thus is my sentimental favorite. However, it wasn't sentiment that made me read this book over 100 times in the past 16 years. It was the characters. I fell in love with them, especially the hero. Wade has all the expected Krentz alpha hero characteristics -- intelligence, strength, honor, humor. But there is more. Intriguing flashes of vulnerability allow you to see beyond the surface so that you can feel his need for Elissa. Not just in a sexual sense, but for HER. This is important, as it provides an understanding of his actions, and keeps him from becoming overbearing. When you combine a hero like Wade with an equally compelling heroine, plenty of sexual tension, and a truly romantic ending, you have the ingredients for Dangerous Magic. Let it work its spell on you.

I have yet to read a book by Jayne Ann Krentz that I haven't liked! She knows how to tell a story like no one else. I was riveted from start to finish!

WADE TAGGERT REALLY MESSED UP WITH ELISSA WHEN HE ACCUSED HER OF ACCEPTING A BRIBE TO GET A PROMOTION AND SLEEPING HER WAY TO THE TOP, WHEN HE REALIZED THE ERROR OF THE JUDGEMENT IT WAS REALLY WONDERFUL READING TO WATCH HIM TRY AND GET OUT OF THE MESS.

I HAVE READ JUST ABOUT EVERY BOOK JAYNE ANN KRENTZ HAS WRITTEN AND THIS BOOK IS ONE OF HER BEST, I LOVE HER PLOTS AND HOW THE MAIN CHARACTERS TRY AND FIX THE PROBLEM. I THINK ANYONE WHO READS THIS BOOK WILL FIND IT VERY ENTERTAINING AND ENJOYABLE

From back cover "The Boss's Word was Law. Elissa Sheldon had fought her way up the corportate ladder using her skills and intelligence--but Wade Taggert didn't believe her. Oh, Wade admitted her work was excellent, but he believed she had seduced the wrong man. Because 'he' could give her the job...if she really wanted it.**Elissa was furious at Wade's assumptions--and determined to make him see the truth. She'd get the job and the man. And it would be on her own terms. But..."