Customer Reviews

Enchanting the Beast

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Ghost hunter Lady Philomena Radcliff relieves suffering. When Sir Nicodemus Wulfson approaches her to come to Grimspell Castle to hunt down the angry ghosts that torment his brother Royden, she can hardly refuse, even though her spiritual sensitivity warns her that Nico is no ordinary man. His god-like body takes her breath away but underneath she catches a glimpse of the darkness in his soul. Man and wolf, this were-creature has brooding secrets. As the two of them are drawn together, external forces pull them apart. Royden's ghosts step up the ante, forcing Lady Philomena to descend into the darkest places of the once medieval castle. Can she uncover the powerful force that lurks in the shadows? Outside of the castle, a murdering wolf is on the prowl. Has the wolf within Nico lost control? Is he responsible for the destruction and murder that follows in his wake? Can Nico prove his innocence and protect those around him or will his past endanger all those he loves, including Philomena?

In ENCHANTING THE BEAST, the third book of The Relics of Merlin series, Kathryne Kennedy takes readers into a darker corner of magical Victorian England for a light yet moving fairy tale guaranteed to bring lots of smiles at the sheer beauty of the author's magical imagination. London society is governed by an aristocracy based on magical ability, a society that frowns upon the lowly shape-shifters. Grimspell Castle with its rumors of murder and were-creature inhabitants is not the kind of place for a society lady. Lady Philomena herself never really fit into society. Older and unmarried, Lady Philomena seems destined for spinsterhood, especially when none of the men in her past understood her ability to talk to ghosts. Sir Nico is not like any man she has ever met before. Lady Philomena is a woman driven by compassion for others. She treats both shapeshifters and her servants with a kindness unseen in polite society. Will the darker forces that surround Grimspell castle prey upon her innocence and goodness or will heart transform those around her, even bringing solace to the raging beast inside Sir Nico, a beast torn asunder by grief?

ENCHANTING THE BEAST is quite simply magical! Kathryne Kennedy brings together wonderful characters in a fairy tale setting in which romance, magic, and adventure are center stage. Kathryne Kennedy weaves together all the elements of a reader's favorite fairy tales with unique and unforgettable originality. Lady Philomena and Sir Nico are perfectly matched not only romantically, but together, each unleashes the goodness and magic within the other. Lady Philomena's entourage of the ghost guide Tup and her were-servant Sarah endear the heart with smiles and deep-felt emotion from beginning to end. Adventurous subplots lead the reader down fascinating journeys full of delightful twists as Lady Philomena and Sir Nico explore both the inner castle below and the inner spirit that lurks within. ENCHANTING THE BEAST --- indeed all The Relics of Merlin romances to date --- have a special quality that no writing class can ever teach. Kathryne Kennedy is a natural storyteller, a storyteller who weaves the love of storytelling into each tale. Each word flows from the other, each image opens a new world, a new emotion. ENCHANTING THE BEAST has a perfect balance of entertaining lightness to sweep the reader away, yet enough depth to move the heart. Fans of The Relics of Merlin series will discover a new delight as ENCHANTING THE BEAST expands the breadth of the series into new yet also familiar territory. If you have not discovered Kathryne Kennedy's romances yet, you are truly missing out.

COURTESY OF BOOK ILLUMINATIONS

A ghost hunter is an odd vocational choice for a Lady, but Philomena "Phil," has magical abilitites that allow her to see and talk with ghosts.
Her work is her life, and she long ago let dreams of romance fade away. She now conducts seances for a price and helps resolve issues between the living and the newly dead.
Of course, there are always sceptics...and Sir Nicodemus is one of them. He travels to see Phil on behalf of his brother, Roy, who is being haunted by a mean pack of ghosts and his famously haunted castle,
Even though he doesn't believe in her power, Nicodemus hires her anyway and sparks begin to fly...
Well written and a great addition to the "Enchanting" series, where ancient magical relics need to be collected to prevent the havoc they cause.
I really like this series. Kennedy has a way of writing that is never boring, and when I start one of her books, I usually finish it within a matter of hours, because I can't put it down. My only quibble is that there are so many shape shifting characters, it makes the story a little overly complicated, trying to keep up with who is in what form, at any given time.
Still, a fun, well written read.

I really enjoyed this book. I bought it for the cover. It interested me so much, that I wanted to find out all about the characters inside.
This book is about Philomena and Nico, who are are on a hunt to help his brother who is having nightmares about seeing ghosts in the castle.
Philomena is a ghost finding woman. Nico is a shape shifter. Of course, there is love at first sight. Problem is Philomena is 40 and Nico is 27 years old. The whole village is made up of shape shifters of all kinds.
stick men, faeries, were wolves,rabbits etc. What an interesting concept.
I read the book in one night. I am going to have to read it again to catch all the different types of shape shifters I missed the first go around. Magical books are a fun read for me. I loved the characters and the world they live in.
Pick up a cold glass of tea, or a glass of wine and enjoy this fun book.

I just want to say first of all that I loved that Philomena was older than Nico. The writing of the romance was very well done without a lot of "fillers".

This is the first time I have read a book where the woman is older than the man. I really enjoyed it and I feel it is expertly written. The fantastic creatures in this book made me smile. I will definitely read this book again!

This was a very enjoyable book with an imaginative setting and some good characters.

When Lady Philomena, a ghost hunter, is tasked by a werewolf Baron to prove to his brother than he isn't being haunted, she decides to try and help the brother. Sir Nicodemus Wulfson, the werewolf, doesn't believe in ghosts and thinks that Philomena is probably a charlatan but he also finds her rather interesting.

When Phil arrives at Grimspell Castle she discovers something very strange going on with the ghosts - plus brother Royden is looking seriously ill. Her attempts to investigate things are complicated by the mutual interest between her and Nico and by local suspicion that Nico is a murderer. When another woman dies, and when Phil finds that all clues to the problems with the ghosts lead to the underground tunnels at Grimspell, she must persuade Nico to let her investigate further.

What was nice about this book was that the romance between Phil and Nico was smooth and well written. The author didn't feel it necessary to put awkward plot devices in to keep them apart, or Big Misunderstandings, they just got on with getting to know each other. It was also unusual to have such a large age gap (Phil is 13 years older than Nico).

The subplot of the murdering wolf was interesting and I didn't guess at the cause. All in all this was a good read with an interesting setting of a semi-magical Regency world.

Originally published for Curled Up With A Good Book © Helen Hancox 2009

Enchanting the Beastfinding your inner beast is one way of viewing the story line. this is the 3rd book in the series and each one gets better than the last. Kathryne Kennedy has a unique way to describe the male body. if .you are looking for paranormal romance with a twist here it is

This beautifully written Victorian fantasy, set in a society where nobility is determined by magical abilities, will enchant any reader. There be not only werewolves, but weresnakes, flying horses, ducks and even penguins, and Kathryne Kennedy charms you into believing in them all.

Lady Philomena is smart and likeable, well adjusted to high society. She gives séances for a fee, helping the London upper crust to deal with the loss of their loved ones, solving crises and sometimes even past crimes. Nicodemus Wulfson, a werewolf and a baronet from the countryside, does not believe in ghosts or evil spirits. In order to help his brother plagued by ghostly nightmares, however, he'll try anything, including hiring a phony ghost hunter if it appeases him.

But Grimspell Castle harbors deadly secrets, and past unsolved crimes hang like a dark cloud over the ancient stone walls. Each step Philomena takes closer to the truth might jeopardize her life, and brings her deeper into the shadow of a dangerous wolf, who might well be Nico himself. In order to save her, can Nicodemus set aside the terrors of his childhood? And how can he possibly resist his dangerous and uncanny attraction to Philomena?

I enjoyed every minute of Enchanting the Beast. The human depth of all the characters makes them so believable, you want to meet them in real life. The endearing voice and flawless style make you forget reality, so you can dive without reservation into a fictional world where magic rules, dangers abound, and love and sizzling passion can conquer all, even the darkest of beasts.

The perfect feel-good read for a wonderful, unforgettable escape into a magic world you'll want to visit again and again.

Reviewed by Vijaya Schartz
Award-winning Sci-Fi, Lethal Girls, Romance with a Kick
Author, book reviewer, editor, columnist, speaker on good writing

out of the three Merlin Relics (i think there are three) books by Kathryne Kennedy this is my favorite one.

both the hero (Nico) and the heroine (Phil) are engaging and entertaining. it wasn't like one was just prop while the other stole the whole show. both leads had enough (equal) book time and character development...in my opinion. also they were both quite likable and balanced each other really well. Nico is your dream guy with the kind of flaws that you didn't mind him having...he's real guy. Phil is independent woman but isn't too stubborn (or at all). Phill is really the reasonable and logical type. i quite like both leads, if i haven't said that already yet.

plot was good, there wasn't really a dull moment and kept you reading until the end. it wasn't extremely intense but is really engaging.

oh and i love the chemistry between Nico and Phil (sexual and non-sexual). i also love Tup and Fanny. i would have love to have read more about Fanny and her ways...naughty girl that she is.

Lady Philomena makes a living in London Society by holding séances and giving closure to the living left behind. Sir Nicodemus Wulfson is looking for someone who sees ghosts, or at least, someone who can fake it well enough. Nico's brother is being tormented by spirits that haunt his dreams, and Nico thinks Phil might be the answer to getting rid of them.

Even though Nico thinks she is a fraud, he can't help but be attracted to her strength and beauty. Since he is a werewolf, he especially appreciates her comfort around shapeshifters, which is hard to find in society.

Phil arrives at Grimspell castle ready to help. She can tell there is something wrong, but can't quite put her finger on what. There are lots of mysteries to be solved, and if she can just ignore her growing attraction to Nico, she might be able solve them.

Enchanting the Beast is the third book in the Relics of Merlin series. And based on this book, I would say this series has some of the best world building I have seen in awhile. Linking noble titles to various types of magic is simple, but effective, and gives a lot of room for a variety of stories.

This was a really fun read. All the best elements of a paranormal and a historical in one book. The romance and the mystery are equally interesting, without detracting from each other. Nico is a beast on the outside and a romantic on the inside. Phil is funny and caring, and a perfect foil for Nico. And the descriptions of the various shapeshifters are clever and hysterical (look out for the duck and the penguin). Definitely a series I would keep an eye on!

Niki Lee
Reviewed for Joyfully Reviewed