Customer Reviews

Witchy Business

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Witchy Business collects three Witch paranormal romances, these stories are connected by a clinic for disfunctional witches, who have either lost or not gained their powers due to love denied, love repressed or love rejected.

The first story, "Under His Spell", by Julie Leto was my least favorite of the bunch. Witch Regina St. Lyon and witch hunter Brock Aegis have a history. He romanced her and then tried to kill her, and she got even by banishing him to hell. Now he's back and he claims he was given a chance at redemption but only if he can keep Regina alive as the head witch hunter is out to get her. Since we jump into an established relationship there is no buildup and no time to get to know Regina and Brock. Regina quickly overcomes her distrust in the name of lust and Brock consequently is just the shadow of a character and not well fleshed out, so it is hard to care too much about what happens to these two.

"Disenchanted?" by Rhonda Nelson is much better. We get a real feel for Benedict DeWin the only powerless member of a famous witch family and Bryony Flynn also a witch misfit who has been banished by her family to avoid messing up the arranged-since-birth marriage of her sister - to guess who, Ben. This pair has an attraction that sizzles and they may just find that the magic of love is a cure to all their problems - except for the fiance one.

The last story, "Spirit Dance", by Mia Zachary. Has hereditary witch Siobhan Silverhawk heir to great powers - with Celtic witches on one side and Dine medicine women on the other - but she too has yet to come into her powers. Pilot J. B. Pendleton doesn't believe in the hocus pocus stuff, but finds himself under Siobhan's spell. Only the ghost of his dead wife is determined to keep what's hers, so Sioban better watch out. Both Siobhan's and J.B's growing desire for each other is done very effectively and I liked the scenes where Siobhan is performing the Dine ceremonies. You may recognized these if you've read any of Linda Conrad's Shadow Warrior series.

This book was light compared to some of the other books I've been reading and Leto's effort was much more sensually restrained then other stories I've read by her. But if you're looking for stories you can read if you don't have a lot of time, these shorts are still a fun read.

An anthology of three short stories. Genre? Paranormal romance.

"Under His Spell" by Julie Leto: The mythology was way too complicated for such a short story. The prose was way too purple. And there was more sex and moaning and horniness than plot. Ick. I mean, when you are about to slay your arch nemesis and you get all hot and bothered and almost start moaning aloud just because your partner is standing next to you, then there's just something majorly wrong with you!

"Disenchanted?" by Rhonda Nelson: Better, but still no cigar. I loved the relationship between Ben and his sister Vivi and the story itself was rather funny but Bryony's "I've only read about you but I ~know~ you and I love you and I'm totally and absolutely sure that you would love me too" attitude smacked of a rabid fangirl!

"Spirit Dance" by Mia Zachary: The best story in this book. Some nice Native American folklore. It wasn't just about sex this time and Siobhan and John actually knew each other before hopping in a bed together - which is always a plus in my book - but John's pig-headed refusal of anything magical, even though he had seen and heard it with his own eyes and ears annoyed the heck out of me after a while. Just like John's attitude towards his son - John himself had seen the ghost of his wife too, but instead of admitting it to Ben, he was trying to convince Ben that it was all in Ben's head, that Ben was crazy. Ick.

An OK book, but overall disappointing.

"Under His Spell" by Julie Leto. The witches' guardian Regina St. Lyon's expels her lover Brock Aegis to the Middle Realm for betraying her. He returns when he fears for her life and kills ancient witch hunter Old Movert while Regina has lost her powers because love is a critical essence of a witch.

"Disenchanted" by Rhonda Nelson. His wizard kin are disappointed in Benedict DeWin as his powers have not surfaced, which means his arranged marriage cannot occur as he will not be able to perform the required ritual. He is sent to Magecraft where he meets his fiancée's sister Bryony Flynn, another person whose magic has failed to surface. That is until now.

"Spirit Dance" by Mia Zachary. Herbalist Siobhan Silverhawk had accepted that the magic her family is known to possess has passed her by until now. When she meets widower J.B. Pendleton she falls in love and feels she can now perform magic. He is skeptical that she has any skills though he could use some as he insists the spirit of his deceased wife is haunting him.

These three enchanting paranormal romances will cast a spell on the sub-genre's coven.

Harriet Klausner