Magic in His Kiss

Shari Anton

Nicole de Leon is confined to the Bledloe Abbey until King Stephen decides who she will marry. She is a Welsh princess, a decendant of the Pendragons. Her position makes her a political pawn. She knows what to expect and knows she is to stay at the abbey until the king calls her out for her wedding.

Rhodri ap Dafydd is the exceptional bard for Connor ap Maelgwn,Welsh chieftan of Glenvair. Connor is Nicole's uncle and is now sorry he let her be taken to England when she had been orphaned years before. Rhodri is assigned the task of bringing Nicole from the abbey so she can marry a Welsh prince of Connor's choosing rather than of King Stephen's choosing. Rhodri is an excellent swordsman as well as bard, and will be Nicole's protector for the journey.

When Rhodri arrives at the abbey he finds Nicole at the bedside of a dying friend. Deciding to wait until after the funeral for their trip proves to be a mistake. The local English earl, de Vere, wishing to gain King Stephen's favor, decides to remove Nicole from the abbey early. Rhodri is taken prisoner when he is found there.

Together Nicole and Rhodri are able to escape de Vere and Oxford. They then begin the journey to Wales on foot, hiding away from people until they believe they are beyond de Vere's influence. When the couple first met at Bledloe Abbey they immediately realized and attraction for each other. Now, with Nicole's political importance, they must fight that attraction. He is a bard and hopes to be the Welsh bard over all others. She is a princess with a political importance. But together, they could be magic...

I enjoyed the Welsh background for Shari Anton's historical romance. It isn't one I see often. The setting feels properly rustic as the two are on the road with no money, only the clothes on their back, a dagger, and Rhodri's harp.

Magic in His Kiss is a beach book or diversionary tale. The characters remain flat despite their circumstances. Since Nicole is written with a strong sense of her duty, I couldn't accept the story line until the end. Circumstances in the royal family change, changing her obligations.

Magic in His Kiss is typical happily-ever-after fare that doesn't do more than that. Rhodri is the perfect romance hero - swashbuckling and sensitive at the same time. Nicole is a strong-minded woman who is ready for love. Her special powers of talking with dead spirits adds a supernatural twist to the novel that still don't bring it off the pages.

The woman who enjoys her historical romances will like Shari Anton's Magic in His Kiss.

Notice: Explicit sexual content, Non-graphic violence

Publicist provided for review

Bewitching by Jill Barnett