The Last Leprechaun

Elizabeth Longford knew that her childhood friend, John Blayne, thought of nothing now except his own sensual pleasures. He was no longer the wonderful lad she had grown up with. But John is now the Earl of Wayneathe, and only he has the power to help her save the cherished forest in which they played as children - and where she once caught sight of a leprechaun, even though they lived in London instead of Ireland. Beth's father has let his anger overwhelm all reasoning. He insists that he lost everything due to a curse by the leprechaun. The only thing he does blame the leprechaun for is the death of his only son, Terry. Terry's death he blames on John. John used to believe in leprechauns, but now he believes in nothing and no one. When Beth arrives for help, John had no intention of assisting her or anyone else. But Beth is more than John's match and it does not take her long to persuade him to come see the woods and all that her father is doing to destroy them. John sees not only the devastation of his childhood playgrounds, but also the madness within Beth's father. John is wise enough to fear for Beth and her mother's very lives! Still believing his childhood glimpse of a leprechaun had been nothing but his youthful imagination, John returns to the woods where Beth insists the little man still roams. Beth told John clearly that Shamus, the leprechaun, would not show himself to a human, especially a male human. Since acorns do not naturally fall sideways to hit people, John must admit that the woods still hold magic. As time goes by and John actually meets and visits with Shamus, John is left with several problems to solve. What can John do to protect Beth and her mother? How can he save the woods that mean so much to Beth? How can he stop a madman from destroying the area? How can he get Shamus back to Ireland safely? And most importantly, how can he convince Beth to marry him when she has vowed never to marry again? ***** I was not sure if I would like a Regency Romance with a leprechaun in it. They just do not seem as magical to me as faeries and water sprites do. (Must be due to all those horrid Lucky Charms cereal commercials.) But this enchanting tale of romance hooked me within the first few pages and I SO wanted to believe. Shamus's story on why he is stuck in the human realm, banished from the land of the faery, is very well done. I even caught a glimpse of water sprites and of the queen herself! This story will remain with me for a long time to come. I simply must hunt up more novels by this talented author. Outstanding! ***** Reviewed by Detra Fitch of Huntress Reviews.

I was lucky enough to read this book before it was released. It's a sweet, fantasy-filled Regency romance with an endearing hero and heroine. John Blayne, Earl of Somewhere, wants nothing more than to lose himself in pleasure after the tragic deaths of his cousin, brothers and mother. However, Beth Longford, a widow, forces him out of his mindless pusuit of pleasure when she brings him the news that her father is cutting down the forest on the estate they both played on as children. He forces her to leave but she leaves behind a portfolio of drawings and letters that make him reconsider his position. He journeys to the estate and proceeds to put things to right.The leprechaun of the title doesn't appear until about half way through the book, although he is repeatedly discussed. He is well-rounded and less stereotypical than I would have expected. He has his own love story and it plays out alongside Beth's and John's in the last part of the book. Other Faeries appear briefly towards the end and help resolve the conflict.The main villian is Beth's father. He is a womanizer, gambler and a drunk. He is thoroughly selfish, but makes a nice foil to show John what he might turn into if he pursues his current path. Beth's treatment of him is realistic--she resents and hates him for everything he put his wife and daughter through. Unlike many romance heroines, she feels no need to rescue him or feel any responsibility for his behavior.If I had one quibble, it is that the fantasy plot took up too much time, leaving the romance part a little hurried. The relationship between Beth and John could have used a little more depth. This isn't a sensual book, with little more than passionate kisses being exchanged between the heroine and hero. This is my preference, but others may find it a bit tame. Readers may have two problems with this book: the fantasy elements and the fact that the hero and heroine are second-cousins. It was quite common to for second-cousins to marry in Regency England, but modern day readers may have a cousin "hot button" and may not like the closeness of the genetic relationship. Neither the cousin love or fantasy elements disturbed my enjoyment of this book, though. I enjoyed it greatly and will be buying the paperback when it is released in July.

Those readers who enjoy a romance with a touch of the supernatural will love June Calvin's delightful The Last Leprechaun. Although, as the title suggests, this is the tale of the last leprechaun, it is really the story of the two humans who struggle to rescue him from extinction. Although the leprechaun serves as the fulcrum of the story, it is the romance that is the story's focus. In order to stop her father's plan to destroy the ancient forest on his lands, young widow Elizabeth Longford seeks the aid of her distant cousin John Blayne, Earl of Wayneathe. Only Lord Wayneathe, as her father's heir, has the power to stop the desecration of the primeval woodland and the destruction of the forest creatures, among them the last remaining leprechaun. Beth is certain John will help her because he is the only other person who has seen such a creature, and Beth seeks him as an ally. Unfortunately when she arrives at John's home, she finds that the person she remembers as a kind and caring boy has grown into a dissolute care-for-nothing, bent on a life of sensual pleasure in the company of his depraved acquaintances. It is only when he begins to see his friends through Beth's eyes that John listens to her plea for help in saving the forest land. As he follows her in her crusade to save the forest, John finds his redemption in a return to the values of his youth and the love he finds with Beth. Calvin's abililty with the language and her skill at developing believable characters and an engrossing plot prevent this story from becoming merely a trite little fairy story. Although the story of the leprechaun is fantasy, throughout the novel is the very subtle theme of saving the natural environment not only for future generations of humanking but alo for the creatures to whom it really belongs.