Bewitching

This book should have/could have been wonderful. The premise was good, the characters started out well, but it gradually just disintegrated. Just never made the mark. The witch should have been funnier, stronger but she never lived up to my expectations. Neither did the hero, or the familiar. Pity, I usually enjoy Jill Barnett.

Joyous Fiona MacQuarrie is part Scottish and part blue-blooded English, part mortal and part witch, but mostly she's all heart. She takes the time to notice all the ordinary magic of life surrounding her. Her witch's magic, however, has a habit of going astray quite often which leads to some very humorous moments. It also leads her to literally land on Alec Castlemaine, Duke of Belmore, who is humorless, rigid and lives his life by a predictable schedule which doesn't include frivolity of any kind. When these polar opposites meet, it's up to Joy to melt the wall of ice around Alec's heart with her own special magic.This fairy tale love story is beautifully crafted and full of Ms. Barnett's trademark humor. I absolutely loved the characters of Joy and her wheezing sidekick weasel, Beelzebub.Once started, this book is difficult to put down. This is the prequel to Dreaming, one of my top 10 favorite romance novels of all time!(which I accidently read first) Dreaming is the story of Letitia & Richard who are introduced in this book. Jill Barnett is one my favorite authors & I've just about worked my way through everything she has written. All of it is wonderful, but Bewitching is one of her best.

The Author: Jill Barnett has a way of weaving a story out of nothing. She can make any situation funny and usually does. At a time in my life when I really needed some laughter, this book was recommended to me and it lifted my spirits more than I can say. You can pick up any Jill Barnett book and absolutely love it - but I think this is the best of the lot! This is a story of a bumbling witch and an English Duke. She fell into his arms and he fell into her heart. Hilarious doesn't cover it. When Alec finds out his beauty is a witch all hell breaks loose! Joyous Fiona MacQuarrie was the type of heroine that you just root for. You want her to win, you want her to have everything she ever dreamt of... but you don't ever pity her - she doesn't give you the chance, you're too busy laughing at all of the things she does! Beauty is only part of her charm, actually you forget what she looks like most of the time because of her bumbling and fumbling! When she tries to cast a spell, watch out! ROTFL! Alec Castlemaine, Duke of Belmore. He is the perfect Duke. He is gorgeous, he has class and he never ever smiles - until a certain beauty storms into his life (actually falls into it)! Control-freak is the only way to describe Alec and unfortunately for him Joy is uncontrollable! Watch him transform from the stern and noble Duke to the sweet and gentle husband! He is the perfect straight man to Joy's antics. You can't help falling in love with him. I would have to say that he is one of my very favorite dukes. Beezle (Joy's weasel) is hysterical! The rose petals when they make love is a beautiful touch. Richard and Neil are the perfect friends for Alec (and great secondary characters) and Stephen is wonderful!

you know a book is really good when you can pick it up after years of it just lying there and laugh as hard as you did the first time you read it! this was the case for me. my favourite part of "bewitching" was when Joy was "cooling" off her face by plastering her lips onto the carriage window! I love how barnett described them like "pink leeches." A part of me wanted to cringe in mortification for Joy, but another part of me just thought it was too funny! this humor is continuous throughout the story and it provides comic relief for the staid and all too duke-like Alec Castlemaine. I think it is wonderful how his character develops from cold and unbearable to downright loving, foolish and sentimental. It's not as though those feelings didn't exist in Alec, it's just that they had been suppressed so long by his family and his sense of honor for his family. Best of all I like Beezle, Joy's familiar. This is a wonderful story and barnett employs a rhetoric that is uniquely hers. I would consider "bewitching" her best piece of work to date.

I really enjoyed this book. Admittedly in the beginning, and even in the middle, I wanted to strangle Alec. The character of Joy is one of spirit, perseverance and humor. The ending I could read over and over again. This definitely is a keeper, I look forward to reading many more books from Jill Barnett

When I first read BEWITCHING I had so many laughs at Joy, a witch who just couldn't seem to get her spells right that my family had to tell me to calm down. Joy landed herself in more trouble the moment she landed in the carriage with the handsome Lord Alex. The poor man didn't know what he was in for. I loved the way she changed Alex from a person who ran his life by the clock into a caring, loving man who was often covered in rose petals.Joy's familiar was a riot and I laughed so hard at times I was crying, especially when he was working away on a certain footman's wig. I told a friend I couldn't read this in public since I would make a fool of myself laughing my head off at certain parts, and believe me my family concured.This is a story that brings home the fact that many of us don't take time to laugh or do some silly things in life to make ourselves and others happy.Jill Barnet is an excellent writer who knows how to bring love and laughter to her readers.This is one author whose works go right on my keeper shelf whether they are of a serious content or down right tickle your funnybone.