Customer Reviews

Forbidden Magic (Signet Historical Romance)

5 star:		(17)
4 star:		(9)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(5)

 

 

I'm intrigued by the vastly differing opinions reflected in the reviews for this book. I think it's because different people read romance for different reasons. Me, I read for light fun and amusement, having done enough hard thinking by the end of a day's work. This is not to say that I read mindlessly - I still demand that my books, even romances, be well-written (i.e. no cliches, no poor prose, no dialogue which goes "clunk" onto the floor, please), and have basic integrity (i.e. be historically accurate and have characters and stories which don't require me to suspend too much disbelief).

This book satisfies these requirements. It has these and the basic ingredients of a good romance (adversity, rescue therefrom, romancing, and so forth). Best of all, it has the wit to make me smile - the dialogue sparkles, there are many clever turns of phrase, and a strong sense of fun. I also like the fact that the plot doesn't runs along bog-standard melodramatic lines, but has enough eccentricity (off-centredness) to hold my interest, and some nice period touches too. A happy bonus is that the characters are likeable and warm (though I agree the grandmother is a dull villainess, she is too minor a character for this to bother me), and most of all charming and witty. Sax wins me over by his not taking himself too seriously and his thoroughgoing niceness (which his aristocratic insouciance saves from preciousness) and Meg is an honest woman of wit, though (justifiably, I think) a tad insecure and confused. Their humour makes them irresistable to me. I'm not one for the tortured and heartless knight who is miraculously redeemed by the love of a good woman (Sax is patently a kind man so him taking to unassuming Meg doesn't seem incredible to me), nor for the Great Trial of Love (mercifully the inevitable lovers' misunderstandings weren't over-blown). I like my romance with a light touch. If I wanted tormented souls, I'd read Thomas Hardy. If I wanted to be swept off my feet, I'd turn to Dorothy Dunnett's Lymond. If I wanted absolute period authenticity and sharp social comment, I'd pick up a Jane Austen. If I wanted to improve my mind, or if I wanted an unpredictable plot, I wouldn't turn to a romance! When I just want to be amused and entertained, without having my intelligence insulted, this book works well for me.

I don't know what the other reviewers were reading because I found this book delightful and quite, to the point, magical! I found Sax to be absolutely delightful, sexy, fun, and needy. I found Meg to be charming and also needy. They each saved one another. The entire household was a blast, including and especially the pets! The dialog just so spicy, sensual and fun! I'm wondering if these other people read the same book as I did!

Granted, I am a big FAN of Jo Beverley, but I truly enjoyed this Regency romp and was sorry to see it end! Maybe the sister Laura's story could come next? Definitely a keeper!

Lord Saxonhurst "Sax" a handsome eccentric young lord, must marry in one day or have his hated grandmother choose his bride, when his housekeeper suggests a young lady who's family is down on their luck, he quickly agrees. Meg's parents died three months ago leaving her and her four siblings without any resources, when their landlord suggests giving her 15 year old sister to him as his mistress in exchange for room and board, Meg turns to a magical but dangerous statute for help. She wishes a way out of their predicament that would fit their station and when the offer to marry Lord Sax comes up she knows it is the answer to her dreams. When they go back to pack up their belongings Meg is unable to get the statute and attempts to go back to get it but discovers it gone. When their ex-landlord contacts her, he tells her that he has what she wants and she will have to do something for him to get it back. In the meantime, Sax's evil grandmother plots to get Sax to do her will. In the middle of all this, Sax and Meg find them selves happily drawn to each other.

This was a great story, but sometimes Meg was so stupid it made me angry especially with all her lies and her attempts to chastise others for their behavior. Otherwise very good.

What a super book! I started it at breakfast, read it as often as I could during the day and finished it at midnight! Meg and Sax - what a great pair! The Romance was slow but tantalizing and sexy. The action was so fast paced I could hardly turn the pages fast enough! I really enjoyed this book - 3-dimensional characters that were sympathetically portrayed and the eccentric secondary characters were a perfect background. Bravo, Jo Beverley! I will check what else you've written. You're great!

I have to echo the opinions of several previous reviewers who pointed out how far-fetched and unbelievable this plot was. Even if you suspend belief enough to buy the Shellagh-ma-gig, why is Meg so afraid to tell Sax about it? How could she think he would actually believe that she "forced" him into marrying her by wishing on a statue? Good grief! Plus the Grandmother is way over the top while being a cardboard character - we never really understand her motivations. If it weren't for Sax (and the rating system), I wouldn't have given this book even one star. Ironically, I read this book based on the opinion of a reviewer at a romance novel website. She considered it a "Desert Isle Keeper". I wonder, did she read the same book I did?!

Forbidden Magic is a wonderful, magical novel. For people who do not enjoy novels with a magical element, then this novel will not be for you. Meg is in a bind, it's christmastime, she has no money, four mouths to feed, and an imminent eviction, unless she allows something that is unacceptable. Her only hope is to make a wish on her magical statue the sheelagh-ma-gig, the only problem is there is always a consequence, but Meg has no choice and makes a wish to help solve her predicament. Sax(Lord Saxonhurst) also has a problem, to get his evil grandmother off his back he made a promise that he would marry by his twenty-fifth birthday which is tomorrow! He has a household of people and animals that no one else would take in, who are loyal to the core. One of these people suggest that Meg would be the perfect cantidate for him because of her predicament. He agrees and writes her a letter. When Meg reads this she wonders why an eligable Earl would want to marry her sight unseen. Although she has misgivings she accepts because of her family. They marry the next day and the fun starts from there.

Sax is gorgeous, sexy and has a huge heart and a habit of breaking ugly pictures and various objects. Meg is sensible, passionate, with a penchant for scandalous embroidery. When these two come together the pages are set ablaze. Ms. Beverley can write the steamiest moments without consummation. This book was an all around fun and fabulous treat. If you want great dialogue, interesting characters and some hot scenes this is a novel that you should definately read.

I have read Ms. Beverly's books before and enjoyed them but this one was just terrible, I have tossed it away in disgust, which is unusual for me because I usually try to finish a book even if I don't love it at first. Aside from the entirely too predictable plot and the annoying, one-dimensional characters the thing that has irritated me the most is the "Sheelagh-ma-gig". Now if Ms. Beverly had done adequate research she would have found first off that it is not a "Sheelagh-ma-gig" but a Sheelagh-NA-gig! I am perfectly fine with a hint of magic in a book and even the idea of a magic wishing statue but don't use a known item, misspell it and use it as something it isn't, if she needed a name for her statue then she should have made one up. A Sheelagh-na-gig is a stone carving found set in the walls or directly carved into the walls of medieval churches and castles throughout Ireland, Britain and a few other places throughout Europe. It is an image associated with either fertility, a warning against the sin of lust or protection from evil, no theory or myth surrounding this mysterious carving has any association with wishes except for in a few instances women would rub the image in the hopes of getting pregnant. So with that brief description of what a Sheelagh-na-gig really is, I am sorry to report that the author has done some shoddy research and misspelled the name which along with the predictable plot and unlikable heroine has made this book a loser for me.

I give this book one star only because of the following few good points: (1) Sax is extremely handsome and falls head over heals for "plain" Meg; (2) Sax has a soft heart and loves his pet who has a deformed mouth and employs servants who have physical or other problems.

I can think of nothing more that is positive about this story. When the characters finally have sex (I can't construe it as making love), it is accompanied by ridiculously inane conversation. With about 40 pages to go, I cared so little for the characters that I put the book down, will never finish it, and have not the slightest curiosity regarding its ending.

For beautiful stories with well-developed plots and characters, read the author's _The Shattered Rose_, _Dark Champion_, and _Lord of Midnight_.

I really did not like this book at all, and had great difficulty finishing it. Unlike other Beverley books - the Malloren series, and the first two Company of Rogues books - the characters did not capture my imagination, and I ended the book not really caring about what happened to any of them.

Meg, in many respects, seemed a sensible woman at first, but by the time she ran to Saxonhurst's grandmother, from whom she knew very well he was estranged and didn't want anything to do with, I wondered what had got into her. She knew exactly how Saxonhurst (I did not like the nickname 'Sax') felt about the Dowager, and it made no sense whatsoever that she would ask the woman for help.

Unlike some other reviewers, I never grew to like Saxonhurst, which made it difficult to enjoy the book. I found his habit of smashing things irritating rather than amusing.

Not being a great fan of the supernatural, I found the 'sheelagh-ma-gig' element of the plot a complete turn-off. Beverley could easily have written this book without resorting to the device of a 'magic stone'. I know I would have enjoyed the book far more without it.

However, equally I was not convinced by the Dowager; such an irredeemably evil person seems simply too one-dimensional to be true. I found that part of the book where we learn the full extent of the Dowager's actions to be beyond credulity.

Ms Beverley, you're allowed one aberration; now can we have more Company of Rogues books, and more heroes like Bey Malloren, please?

I love romance, but most of the novels out now a days are trashy and are all about copulation. Forbidden Magic was well done, and actually had a story. It was a woderful mix of magic, love and passion. Meg is a charming character full of life and spunk from her naughty undergarments to her shy demur way. I found Sax to be a marvlous character, with his temper and his love for stray unwanted animals. He is quite eccentric and just what I would want in a husband. Mrs. Beverly did a fabulous job on this story and I throughly recomend it. This was the first book I've read writen by Mrs. Beverly and you can be sure that it will not be the last!