Stolen Magic

April 4, 2005
In bestseller Putney's spellbinding second romantic fantasy (after 2004's A Kiss of Fate
), Earl of Falconer, Simon Malmain, chief enforcer of the Guardian Council, which oversees the use of magic in 18th-century Britain, has been turned into a unicorn by Lord Drayton, a renegade mage whom Simon charges with encouraging the Jacobite uprising; only a virgin can transform Simon back into human form. Luckily for Simon, animal-loving "Mad Meggie," Drayton's "servant," succeeds in doing so, while Simon breaks the spell that's kept Meg in the dark sorcerer's thrall. Allied in a "pretend" marriage, the pair pool their unusual talents in an effort to ruin Lord Drayton's plan to prevent the Industrial Age from revolutionizing England. Putney's skill as a historical romance novelist serves her well in the depiction of London and the subplot featuring a gifted developer of the steam engine. The love that grows between Simon and Meg, though pretty standard fare, includes some wonderfully steamy moments. While the final battle between good and evil offers few surprises, it's still entertaining enough to raise anticipation for the next installment.

May 15, 2005
As a member of the Guardians, Simon Malmain, Lord Falconer, enforces the rules that protect those who do not possess the ability to use magic -the vast majority of humans -from those, like himself, who do. When Simon's attempt to strip the powerful and ruthless Lord Drayton of his magical powers goes awry, transforming Simon into a unicorn, his only hope of escape and justice lies with a young woman named Meg, who serves as Drayton's magical "battery" and whose own unique talent for magic has been locked away. Writing as M.J. Putney, romance writer Mary Jo Putney (A Kiss of Fate) blends romantic suspense with fantasy to produce a graceful tale of magical intrigue and the power of love to overcome evil. Set in the 18th century, this meticulously researched and emotionally convincing story launches a promising new series and should appeal to fans of both fantasy and romance.

Copyright 2005 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

Starred review from May 1, 2005
Putney continues the tale begun in " A Kiss of Fate" (2004) about magically gifted Guardians in eighteenth-century Britain. Here the focus is on Lord Drayton, a Guardian who goes rogue, and Simon Malmain, the earl of Falconer, who must stop him. Lord Drayton transforms Simon into a unicorn, planning to murder him and increase his own power with the magic of the unicorn's horn. He uses Meg, his homely, simpleminded ward, as bait; but the virgin and the unicorn escape, and, lo and behold, when their blood mixes, Simon returns to his human form and Meg turns out to be neither homely nor simpleminded. Putney's fully imagined magical system, combined with Georgian detail, is a terrific setting for a tale of intrigue and danger. As Meg and Simon try to stop Drayton's ever-more diabolical plan, they must stay close together or Simon will turn back into a unicorn. Consequently, the sexual tension is high in this enchanting blend of fantasy and romance by M. J. Putney, an alter ego for romance star Mary Jo Putney.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2005, American Library Association.)