Customer Reviews

Lords of Danger: Bewitched

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

 

 

Heather Cullman creates an imaginative, romantic tale that breaks the most common plot lines in BETWITCHED. Rather than relying on an action driven plot, a miscommunication, or lust, Cullman presents a heart touching tale of friendship that evolves into love, thereby deeply touching the reader's emotions.

Michael Dane, Duke of Sherrington and once a favorite member of the ton, now lives sequestered in a gloomy and dismal former abbey surrounded by fierce gargoyles and ominous noises. Members of society believe he is mad because he suffered humiliating seizures in their highbrow presence. After several years of isolation, Michael's grandmother and her best friend determine to bring happiness into his life again. They threaten the loss of his dukedom and banishment to an institution if he refuses a marriage of convenience.

Freshly arrived from Boston, Emily Merriman's father's dying wish was to see her married. A terrible curse has already resulted in the breaking of three engagements, leaving Emily determined to remain forever single. Despite Emily's vow to remain single, however, her grandmother complies with her deceased son's wish, and arranges the marriage to Michael. After meeting Michael and assuming that he's only marrying her for an heir, Emily reluctantly agrees because she wants children. Emily fears falling in love with her husband, however, for the curse promises to make her "a plague to any man she loves." She only believes Michael will be safe from the curse because their marriage is not meant to be a love match.

Michael differs from any many Emily has ever known because he listens, really listens, to her. His refreshing, careful attention values her intellect rather than pretending to hang onto her worlds with banal pleasantries. Michael was once rather shallow, as he wanted nothing more than momentary pleasure and to keep up with the vapid ton. His rejection from society has allowed him introflection. Emily's presence inspires a desire different from that which he's known while a member of the ton. There he freely partook of the sexual favors of the flirtatious and daring. Emily touches not just his libido, but also his heart. She makes Michael want to share once again in the joy of living, in simple games and pleasures, in laughter and her vivaciousness. Indeed, just the sight of Emily stirs sensual feelings that Michael hasn't felt in several years. Sadly, his treatments have insured that he cannot perform any longer. And frustration that he can no longer perform occasionally leads to abominable behavior toward Emily. Consequently, their wedding day and subsequent time together lacks the promise and joy to which its entitled. Instead, their wedding day only seems to be the beginning of a lifetime of broken dreams and emptiness.

Lovely, impertinent Emily has a marvelous hobby that mirrors her flights of imagination. She creates kites; elaborate affairs complete with drawings of angels and details of feathers. Flying kites gives her the opportunity to think and a way to deal with difficult emotions. Just because she had not expected to find love in this match does not mean that she did not expect to be wanted. Although their marriage begins with great difficulty, soon Emily's good-natured enthusiasm for life affects Michael. When Emily discovers the truth about Michael's epileptic-like fits and witnesses the results of his "cures," she puts her practical nursing knowledge to work, bringing him tremendous relief. Michael becomes devoted to Emily and comes to treasure her friendship. Slowly their easy friendship develops into a love that has the potential to destroy them both.

BEWITCHED touches all the right romantic elements for a great love story. Although Michael initially presents himself to be a self-pitying jerk, sympathy builds for his character as the story progresses. Michael's self-centeredness soon gives way to growth under Emily's spell. The progression of the plot allows tremendous opportunity for appreciation and growth, making him a powerful and entrancing character. Emily's vivacious love for life sees beyond Michael's wasted body and angry facade to the kind, and nurtures the vulnerable man beneath. Her kindness and love are the catalyst that pulls Michael out of his destructive cycle. Their love is strong, true, and beautifully portrayed. Further, rather than allowing the tiresome plot device of miscommunication divide these characters, they always talk things through, bearing their vulnerabilities and risking embarrassment and hurt. The result is a convincing plot filled with genuine love.

Unfortunately, several pesky details hold BEWITCHED back from its potential. A fascinating secondary character named Rebecca gives Emily the encouragement and magical knowledge to solve many troubles. Yet Rebecca's own history remains dismally shadowed, only revealing that this daughter of a high-ranking family of the ton has magical powers and is the "go-between" between the fairy realm and the human realm. But no concrete reason for her presence on the moors is clearly stated, only hinted; yet her role is pivotal to the story. Although hints suggest that a sequel starring Rebecca may be forthcoming, more information now would make the novel more plausible for the critical reader. Nevertheless, BEWITCHED is an enchanting novel that comes highly recommended.

When I read the back of this novel, it sounded like a very interesting story: a man who's stricken down with seizures has to fight through the humiliation and self-hatred to find love. While that's in there, it is obscured by the book's problems.

First, the book takes much too long to get things going. They don't even come face to face until page 61, and they spend the first MONTH of their marriage without speaking to each other. On page 116, he finally decides to go get acquainted with his wife. Well, it's about time!!!

Its biggest problem, however, is that the plot does not mix fantasy in very well. The plot is very serious and realistic, then all of the sudden elves and fairies are dancing around as the heroine takes a trip to get some herbs. It's jarring and I found myself annoyed and speed-reading over the parts where the heroine visits the local "go-between" and meets her friend the magical goat. (This goat, by the way, is apparently a cursed ladies' man. Despite this explanation, it still made me uncomfortable when the heroine told her husband that the goat looks at her like he's imagining having ...with her!)

This not-so-well-done fantasy element reaches its ultimate ridiculousness when they go to break the curse by summoning a spirit, who zaps them with lightning bolts to test their love.

Frankly, if this whole bizarre "curse" aspect had been lifted from the book, it would've been much better. The author seems to have two tales in mind: one an complex, emotional story of a woman bring a man out of the hell he suffers as a result of his brain fevers, both physically and mentally. The other is a fanciful fairy story about conjuring up spells and wearing protective amulets etc. The two simply don't work together here, and it brings down the whole book.

One thing I did like was the "cure" for Michael's seizures. Too bad that doesn't happen until practically the last page. Still, I will give the author her due, that was well-done.

Though still a duke, Michael Vane went from one of the Ton's darlings to exile after an illness leaves him suffering from seizures that make him imperfect. To the aristocracy, Michael is tainted, unacceptable, and mad. Worried for her beloved grandson and knowing they need an heir, Adeline realizes that the American granddaughter of her friend Euphemia is the ideal solution to Michael's problems, especially since her deceased father sent her to England to find an aristocratic spouse.

Surprisingly, Emily Merriman agrees to marry Michael out of filial loyalty to her dying father since she has given up on love due to the family curse. Michael refuses until his grandmother points out that Emily is his proof of sanity that will stop a devious plot by an odious relative. Neither Emily nor Michael expected love to bind them FOR ALL ETERNITY.

Readers will be BEWITCHED by Heather Cullman's tender late Regency romance. The lead characters and the two Machiavellian dowagers make the plot work. The elderly duo are so good at machinations, they pull the heartstrings of the readers leading to the audience feeling waves of empathy towards their grandchildren. This entry in the "Lords of Danger" historical series provides a delightful time for sub-genre fans.

Harriet Klausner

**Possible Minor Spoilers**

I guess reading the reviews before the book prepared me for the supernatural, fairy aspect so I wasn't bothered at all by any of it. It was so minor and towards the end that I didn't feel as if it affected the overall story. I really enjoyed Bewitched and would recommend it to others.

Michael, a Duke and once society's favorite bachelor, suffers seizures after a bout with the Measles affected his brain and has hidden away for fear of having one in front of others, which already happened once before and caused him to be shunned by others. He is left weak due to the treatments he has to undergo to prevent any more seizures and has slipped into a bit of depression at his lot in life.

Emily, an American, is sent to her grandmother, who along with Michael's grandmother, devise a plot to marry the two. The hope is that the courts will see Michael as sane and hand over his ducal rights, and that Emily is the only female left to marry him since she's oblivious to his condition. After threats on both sides, Michael and Emily agree. The two are really weary of each other at first and Michael first tries to push her away. He soon apologizes and the two become good friends. Emily isn't bothered at all by Michael's condition and is more bothered by the treatments he is forced to endure. She uses her knowledge of nursing her father to alter Michael's treatments to rebuild his strength and boosts his spirits. That friendship soon turns into love.

Now for the supernatural. Emily believes herself cursed by a witch and any man she loves will suffer. Three other fiances left her over it and she doesn't want to see anything happen to Michael. Michael won't let her leave, though, so they're forced to find a counter-spell. There's some chanting and anointing, even a goddess. If you're iffy about that, it's easy to skim through.

Betwitched is unique in that we see what a lasting effect an illness can have on a hero. The only other book I can think of that is similar is Flowers from the Storm by Laura Kinsale where the hero suffers a stroke. We see the process of the healing and the heroine helping the hero. While I absolutely despised the heroine in FftS, Emily was perfect for Michael.

Really, the only thing that kept the two together was Emily's curse and that was corrected pretty easily. Michael is also forbidding from anything that excites him so their love doesn't get physical until towards the end. The book focused mainly on Michael and his improvement thanks to Emily. Any and all misunderstandings were resolved pretty quickly once the two talked to each other.

The book did get a little annoying with repetition. The "What!" and the "to the extreme" were repeated a bit too much and disrupted the flow. Minor nuisance, but still there.

Readers also didn't see any of Michael's seizures. He experienced one with Emily but it was through his perspective of simply passing out and then waking up again. However, his seizures are talked about enough that the readers know what they're like and what he goes through.

The book probably would have gotten a solid 5 if it we had seen Michael before his illness, his bout in the asylum right afterward, and why going back terrifies him so. That's just my perspective and what I would have liked to see.

Overall, I really liked this book. I had debated months on getting it because of the reviews here but I finally decided to see for myself, and I'm glad I did!! Great book with great characters! If you're bothered by magic then just ignore it. This book is so much more than just that.

I thought the premise of this book was interesting. A Duke who grew up normally, but after almost dying of brain fever, he suffers from seizures and withdraws from society to live as a outcast. His grandmother, desperate to help him, arranges with her friend, to force the Duke and the friends American daughter to marry.

The book started with this interesting premise, but quickly fizzled about 50 pages in. The couple meet, are quickly married and argue at the wedding and have no more interaction for another 50 pages. When they finally do, it's more a technical dissertation of the heroine caring for the semi sick hero, making up medicine and special meals for him. The romance is zero. Literally a chaste wedding at the beginning and one fumbling love scene at the very end. While I understand that the intimacy is supposed to be stilted because of the heroes illness, there not even attempts at intimacy. Then on top of it all, the author introduces this strange "fairy magic" side story into the book, almost as an afterthought. Unneeded and offputting.

Not recommended. 1 star.

for allowing this book to go to print with such a goofy plot! Ms. Cullman begins with a tender, touching story of two likeable interesting people, carries the tale almost to the end, and then inserts a grating, stupid episode with witchcraft and magic that completely destroys the mood and the tempo. This element of fantasy is completely out of character for the story, badly written, and totally annoying. Anne McCaffrey she is not! The final few pages get back to the tone characterizing the first portion of the book, but my goodness, it's as if two authors,one of whom is an inept clown, wrote this book....

Heather Cullman has become my all time favorite author. Her characters jump right off the page and into your heart. This book is no exception. Read it. You won't be sorry!!!