CAPTIVATED (Donovan Legacy)

This is the first book in the series about the magical Donovan family. It was written in 1992, for Silhouette. Which has quite a bit to do with my feelings about it. I don't always succeed, but I always try to judge a book (or a movie or whatever) by how well it sets out to do what I think it was trying to do. In other words, I try not to criticize comedies because they're not tear-jerkers. Captivated is a short (250 pages in the original, though the reissue presumably has fewer words per page because it's expanded to 298 pages), light paranormal romance written at a time when paranormals weren't as popular as they are now. It's ridiculous to compare it to one of her 500+ page romantic suspense novels written 10 years later. Nash Kirkland is a screenwriter of horror movies. He wants to write about a witch in his next movie, so he figures he'll research self-proclaimed "witch" Morgana Donovan. Except that Morgana's the last thing he expected--the real thing, and someone he finds himself falling in love with. I'm a little annoyed with the back cover blurb (a good reason not to read blurbs) that, in both editions, talks about Nash wondering whether he was really in love or if she'd bewitched him. That doesn't happen until near the end of the book, which in my opinion, makes it a spoiler. What's worse, though, is that the real story is much more interesting than that. As a writer of fantastic tales, Nash knows better than anyone that there's no such thing as magic. The real story is about Nash learning to believe in the unbelievable. And it's a lovely story. Both Nash and Morgana were very appealing to me--they both accepted things as they were, and were logical, practical, non-judgmental people. Well, Nash didn't quite accept the magic, but that's because he knew there was no such thing. When he started to believe, he accepted it. How someone reacts to the existence of the magical is one of the most interesting facets of paranormal romance or contemporary fantasy for me, but it doesn't always have the focus I'd like. This story does it very well. I could believe in Nash's practical skepticism, and I could believe in his gradual acceptance. It's how I'd like to think I'd react in his place.

It is heartwarming to find the dashing Nash Kirkland find love with the mysterious and captivating Morgana Donovan. It's a perfect adult fantasy tale.

I have the entire Donovan series, of which this is the first book. It was this very series that first started me reading Nora Roberts and I must say that nothing she has has drawn my attention and hunger for reading as much as this particular series. I could go on about all four books but since this is a review for Captivated I will restrain myself. This paticular tale shows that witchcraft and modern day life and technology can go hand in hand without it seeming overly weird or dark and gothic. Morgana is an independent businesswoman who is just as happy making a profit as she is weaving her craft. The chemistry between her and horror film writer Nash is heady while maintaining its spark. There is no real threat towards either of them like in many of Nora Roberts's series, but it really isn't needed. Overall it is a wonderful beginning for a magical series.

CAPTIVATED, 1st in Roberts' Donovan Legacy, a screenplay writer, Nash Kirkland, sought out Morgana Dovovan, a witch, to help him research his latest movie screenplay. Kirkland was a skeptic, though, thinking that witchcraft and magic were only found in movies, not real life. As Morgana spends more time with Nash, he finds himself falling for her... or is he falling under her spell? How could he know if the passion he felt for Morgana was real?

While I love Nora Roberts' straight mysteries and romances, I really have fun reading her "magic" series. The Donovans and their something extra are well developed characters who enchant and charm you. This story is fun to read as Nash is just determined not to believe in magic. Since I am a skeptic myself it was very interesting to watch him finally change and grow. Another fun book from Nora Roberts.