Magic in His Kiss [Mass Market Paperback]

Shari Anton (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: July 1, 2008

By order of King Stephen, Nicole de Leon has been confined to Bledloe Abbey since her father's death eight years ago. As an orphaned noblewoman, she has always known that she would be married off to strengthen King Stephen's political position. But as she reached marriageable age, she never dreamt that her extended family would come to her aid and prevent this unwanted marriage. For Nicole's uncle, Connorap Maelgwn, has always despised King Stephen and would do anything to thwart him...even commit an act of war by kidnapping the bride the King needs to solidify an alliance. But Connor can't charge through England with an army. He needs a warrior who's trustworthy...a warrior like Rhodri ap Dafydd.
Rhodri ap Dafydd, a bard and warrior, has one purpose: to bring Nicole de Leon and home to Wales. He has no interest at all in politics--he's merely helping a friend. But from the moment he lays eyes on Nicole, friendship is the last thing on his mind. With her fiery nature and her sharp tongue, Nicole is unlike any woman he has ever met. But falling in love with her was never an option. Brought together by fate but soon torn apart by war, can these two star-crossed lovers find a future together?


Raves for Shari Anton and Twilight Magic:


"A touch of the paranormal moves this medieval romance into a realm where passion and magic beautifully merge. Anton's always colorful history and romantic atmosphere entrance us all."


--Romantic Times BOOKreviews Magazine


"Anton adds a generous measure of danger and intrigue--along with a sprinkling of magic--to the second in her de Leon sister trilogy...expertly crafted, utterly beguiling medieval romance."


--Booklist


"Appealing characters and playful repartee."


--Publishers Weekly

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Shari Anton has written 7 titles for Harlequin Historicals and this is her sixth mainstream title for Warner. In the spare time she has from writing, she likes to take trips on her Harley Davidson motorcycle with her husband, whom she lives with outside of Milwaukee.

Product Details

• Mass Market Paperback: 320 pages
• Publisher: Forever (July 1, 2008)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0446617563
• ISBN-13: 978-0446617567
• Product Dimensions: 4.2 x 1.1 x 7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 4 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,428,846 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Shari Anton's publishing career began in 1997. Since then she has written several historical romances for Harlequin Historicals and Grand Central Publishing. Ms. Anton lives in Wisconsin, loves to ride on the Harley, and visit Civil War battlefields, medieval fairs and historical societies. This award winning author is a member of Romance Writers of America and Wisconsin Romance Writers of America (WisRWA), Novelists, Inc., and The Authors Guild.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Magic in His Kiss, August 7, 2008

By 

M. Nix - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Magic in His Kiss (Mass Market Paperback)

Connor ap Maelgwyn took Rhodri ap Dafydd in after Rhodri¢s father died. Nicole de Leon is Connor¢s niece. Nicole has been cloistered in an abbey by King Stephen. The king wants to marry Nicole to the Welshman of his choosing in order to ensure peace in England. Peace in England means strife for Wales though so Connor sends Rhodri to get Nicole and bring her back so he can marry her to a Welshman who will aid the people of Wales. When Aubrey de Vere, an advisor of the king arrives, at the abbey and takes them to his castle, Rhodri¢s task becomes much harder. Nicole is not for him. Rhodri knows this and yet his traitorous heart wants her anyway. Nicole wants to be free of her duties and obligations. She wants to choose her husband. She also wants the spirit of her brother to cease his demands and leave her in peace. Nicole is pulled in many directions. Will she be forced to choose between duty and love?

Magic in His Kiss is a very romantic story. Rhodri was only supposed to bring Nicole back, not fall in love with her. Nicole is spirited and stubborn. Rhodri brings out the best and the worst in her. Nicole admires Rhodri and is attracted to him, but being as stubborn as she often is, she usually prefers to lead him rather than follow him. The dialog and the situations Nicole and Rhodri are put in feel realistic and authentic. Magic in His Kiss is a good story that takes Nicole and Rhodri on an exciting and sensual adventure from start to finish.

Nannette

reviewed for Joyfully Reviewed

2 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Pendragon Princess, a bard and ghosts --- a magical, memorable medieval romance, July 23, 2008

By 

D. Merrimon Crawford (Colorado) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (TOP 1000 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Magic in His Kiss (Mass Market Paperback)

Set in mid 12th century Wales during tumultuous times, Shari Anton's final third book in a trilogy combines history and romance with a touch of the paranormal. Tender, passionate, and suspenseful, Shari Anton creates memorable characters and scenes. From political intrigue emerges a tale of love that crosses boundaries with a sense of magical healing. MAGIC IN HIS KISS is an unforgettable romance read.

Nicole de Leon may be a Pendragon princess, a woman who can trace her bloodline all the way back to King Arthur, but Empress Maud and King Stephen's struggle to secure the throne has put Wales in a precarious position, and with it, Nicole also. As the King's ward, her future marriage is a political alliance. Connor ap Maelgwn, chieftain of Glenvair, sends Rhodri ap Dafydd on a mission to kidnap Nicole from Bledloe Abbey and bring her under Connor's control, thus freeing her from the political maneuvering of the Earls of March. As a bard, Rhodri knows how to use language to persuade and his job is to abduct Nicole and make it look like it was her desire so as not to incur political retribution. Rhodri doesn't relish the task. She was an impossible, willful child! Now that he meets the woman that she has become, a woman of loyalty and passion, how can he ever turn her over to another? Although Nicole has formed close friendships in the convent, times are changing in the abbey itself and she has no calling for the religious life. How can she not seize this opportunity to escape, especially when such a handsome, clever and strong man offers her protection?

Rhodri ap Dafydd is a strong and clever, a man who can outwit anyone, but his real talent is song. He knows Welsh history and can recite songs to charm anyone, but can he win the heart of the one woman who steals his heart? Will he achieve his lifelong dream of becoming a pencerdd, the highest acclaim to which a bard can aspire? Nicole has a heart of gold. In the convent, her friendship with the Mother Abbess shows a side of her that few people from her past would ever imagine. Nicole, however, harbors a deep secret that torments her very soul. She has a special gift, the power to talk to the dead, soothing them, yet one ghost refuses all comfort that she might deliver. Will the past haunt her, forever ruining her chances to make peace with her family and be with the one man she truly loves?

Shari Anton's MAGIC IN HIS KISS warms the reader's heart from the first pages as Nicole's loyalty and kindness to the Mother Abbess shows her independent spirit, a determination to do right by others. Amongst the political intrigue of the times, Nicole stands out as a true princess, a woman who has inherited the nobility of her Arthurian bloodline if not the position. Sharon Anton's portrait of Rhodri is the perfect match for a woman as talented and complex as Nicole. A man of many talents, Rhodri's maneuvering adds an exciting level of suspenseful action as he and Nicole race through the maze of alliances and a guarded landscape to reach Connor. Shari Anton's MAGIC IN HIS KISS is a wonderful mix of passion and tenderness born in a precarious political backdrop. What an ending! Just at the most intense point of suffering, Shari Anton creates one of the most memorable and moving reconciliation scenes I have ever read in medieval romance. Nicole and Rhodri's love itself is magical as each brings to the other the true calling of their hearts, not for them but for others as well. Together, their love has a power to heal beyond the imagination. MAGIC IN HIS KISS has a striking beauty that will be loved by both medieval and romance lovers.

1 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Happy Ending, July 20, 2008

By 

Susie Giamalva "lamplady" (Rosharon, TX) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Magic in His Kiss (Mass Market Paperback)

"Magic In His Kiss" is the last in a trilogy about sisters whose lives are affected by the death in war of their father and brother. Each sister has a very special extra sensory power and when they learn to use them, they fulfill their destinies. Well written by Shari Anton, this book is a very enjoyable read with a good ending.