Magic and Mayhem
Spellbound, Book 1

Cathryn Fox & Sylvia Day

Publisher:
Avon

Release Date:
August 2007

Genres:
Erotica
Anthology
Paranormal Romance

ISBN:
eBook
9780061495762
9780061473975
9780061495786
Kindle
No ISBN

Bookmark Rating:

Reviewed by
Jennifer Ray

Review Posted:
May 2008

Sylvia Day and Cathryn Fox have delivered a wonderfully sexy little two story anthology in the most interesting way with their collaboration on Spellbound:  Magic and Mayhem!  Their individual stories are connected, sharing the same timeline, with both stories occurring simultaneously.  To reinforce that shared timeline, they actually alternate chapters back and forth, with Fox’s Magic leading the way in chapter one and Day’s Mayhem picking up the story in chapter two.  In careless hands, going back and forth could be confusing, but not so with this pair of talented writers.  You can tell they are in sync every step of the way, seamlessly blending the stories of their two couples in a way that flows beautifully.  I absolutely loved the effect!  In fact, I will not be at all surprised to see other books follow suit in the near future, after the success of this one.

~Magic~

Brianna doesn’t always use her powers in the right ways…  Oh, did I neglect to mention?  Yeah, she’s a witch.  A real live, honest-to-goodness witch – goodness being the operative word here.  OK, she might sometimes cast a spell or two that’s a tad naughty, but never anything that would actually cause harm.  But sometimes, her powers tempt her to do things she probably shouldn’t...  Like that Halloween when she toyed with the idea of conjuring the perfect lover.  Sure, she wrote the spell out as a bit of a lark, but she wasn’t actually going to cast it.  But a kitty-induced spill of the crucial magical ingredient sets things in motion before Brianna has a chance to stop it!

Take one bad boy warlock, dress him in a wicked pirate costume, and you have definitely got my attention!  Xander is the ultimate bad boy who learned his lesson and went good – but not TOO good!  LOL  He has been in prime position to watch Brianna for some time, during which he fell hopelessly in love with her.  His determination to win her love by using every secret she had unwittingly shared with him is wonderfully shameless, and very effective.  Brianna never stood a chance against him!

Never one to waste an opportunity – especially one that kisses like Xander – Brianna is a woman after my own heart.  Under the belief that her dream lover will disappear at midnight, she slips eagerly into Xander’s waiting arms, allowing him to woo her with no holds barred.  When the morning comes and she not only finds him still there, but discovers who he really is, she has her doubts about his commitment, but listens with open mind and heart, allowing him to win her trust easily.

~Mayhem~

The county’s “Most Eligible Bachelor” just happens to be Abby’s next door neighbor.  And she just happens to have the world’s most hopeless crush on him.  Living right next to his house, she has seen the kind of woman he dates time and again, and Abby most certainly doesn’t fit his type.  But a magical spell gone amok and a pair of sexy Halloween costumes change everything in one sexy night…

Abby is, as they say, ‘Every Woman’.  Who of us has not felt as plain and unremarkable as she does?  While not really lacking in confidence, she still doesn’t believe she could ever catch the eye of someone like the much sought after lady’s man next door.  Abby is definitely a woman most female readers will identify with on that score.

With his easygoing charm, and his appreciation for Abby’s true beauty, Shane Markham effortlessly wins the readers’ hearts alongside Abby’s.  Having pursued her attentions for months in vain, he isn’t about to let the unexpected chance he’s been given on Halloween night slip through his fingers – not that night, and not ever.

Note:  This review was originally written by Jennifer Ray for another review site.  It is being reposted at Wild on Books.

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