The Lost Enchantress

In the being of reading it now

Ugh. I see a "Klausner" review below, and since you cannot really rely on that information, I decided to review "The Lost Enchantress" by Patricia Coughlin for readers who want a REAL review. "The Lost Enchantress" starts by introducing us to Eve, a pretty up-and-coming journalist who, when she was younger, believed in all things magical. This youthful belief system was based on being raised at her Grand's home, a formidable woman who claims that the women of their bloodline are members of a very old, very magical family. A problem with that is Eve's parents not only don't believe in magic, they don't condone Eve (or her younger sister Chloe) practicing it either. In her early teens, the young Eve is enthralled with the idea of a spell which would reveal the face of her true love. Somehow this spell goes awry which causes some disasterous results. After that incident, Eve turns her back on magic, denying her "birthright" and refusing to even discuss anything magical. Fast forwarding to adulthood, Eve attends a charity auction where she's instantly drawn to a golden hourglass pendant...one she's convinced herself she must have. Soon, a bidding war erupts between Eve and a mysterious TDH (tall, dark, and handsome) man. Eve MUST have this pendant, so she ends up whispering a small spell she remembered from her youth - "Reality bends to desire"...resulting in her winning the auction. Now readers meet TDH...his name's Gabriel Hazard, and he's very upset that who he believes is a powerful witch (Eve) cast a spell to render him immobile in order to win the pendant, which he needs to remove a powerful curse. Without giving more away, Eve and Gabriel end up discovering that they're both "the good guys" here...and joined forces to go after "the bad guy". I find there is a somewhat common theme in paranormal romances...where the heroine, after Something Bad happens, lives a life of control and denial. She refuses to discuss the Something Bad, and it ends up being the love interest which allows her to deal with the Something Bad incident (since, apparently, she's too uptight to do so herself). Despite this bit of unoriginality, "The Lost Enchantress" is a fun read. Fans of Lynn Kurland's work will enjoy this book, even though it's not a historical, there's the touch of the paranormal balanced with a "PG" storyline (no over-the-top sex scenes here).

_The Lost Enchantress_ is the sort of book that I think of as the literary version of hot cocoa. There's nothing all that surprising in it, but it's a sweet read to curl up with on a cold day, and it left me feeling warm and fuzzy. You don't drink hot cocoa because you're expecting it to be drastically different from all the hot cocoa you've ever had. You drink it because it's a comfort drink. And to extend the metaphor, the whipped cream and sprinkles would be fun little fillips of prose like this: "As I watched the drifts grow higher, I recalled Grand's instructions and wondered how I was going to manage to concentrate and focus inward when all I could see outward was snow, a fluffy, sparkly, icy white reminder that this was Providence, as in Rhode Island, as in New England, land of Robert Frost and Jack Frost and every other kind of frost known to man, a place where roses do not bloom in the middle of January." Basically, a sweet, magical romance, with some funny moments, some heartwarming moments, and some beautiful moments. I saw most of the plot twists coming, but enjoyed the journey. I was going to compare it to Practical Magic and to Nora Roberts' Donovan series, but a reviewer at Goodreads beat me to it!

Two decades have passed since the tragedy that killed much of her family and left Eve Lockhart denying her magical skills. When a family heirloom talisman is up for auction, Eve outbids Gabriel Hazard. Afterward he tells her he needs the artifact that is on her neck to overcome a curse. When two thugs attack them, Eve and Gabriel use magic to thwart their assault. Afterward Gabriel vanishes so Eve visits her grandmother to obtain information while Gabriel studies Eve. As they fall in love, Gabriel must decide between love and a curse while remaining ignorant to the machinations of an evil spirit who wants the power of the pendant and will use Eve to succeed as she is his adversary's weakest point, his heart. This is an enjoyable romantic fantasy that is at its best when it stays in the present as the past that intertwines throughout the story line, especially that of the heroine, feels intrusive. This is an exciting tale as two magical practitioners enhanced by love team up in an attempt that both feel is futile to save one another from their childhood demons. Harriet Klausner