My mom has three novels published by Dorchester Love Spell, (Kissed by Magic, Enchanted by Magic, and Endangered by Magic), and one by Hard Shell Word Factory called Prim Courtesan. Read below to find out more!
Faeries Allegro and Largo have been given a task — make the earl of Falconwood fall in love with Phaidra Moore. Not only are they from different social classes but the earl, nicknamed the “Black Falcon,” doesn’t believe he deserves love or happiness since he was responsible for his brother’s death. Phaidra knows she’s beneath his social class and doesn’t want to have anything to do with him — she wants to open up a millinery and fend for herself. Has there ever been a more impossible mission? But they must do this because the happiness of the Harmonics (or humans) is what produces the faerie dust so that the faeries can survive. The characters are complex and three-dimensional. The Black Falcon is a brooding, sexy hero — I fell in love with him immediately. Phaidra is spirited and challenges his every value — she’s impulsive and caring toward the stockingers, loyal to her renegade cousin and independent, wanting to support herself. Allegro and Largo are opposites and a delight — Largo is a braggart and Allegro is fastidious, only seeing black and white. But he has character growth, learning that there are shades of gray.
I have read a lot of historical romance books that use faeries or some type of magical creatures in their stories. But Ms. Harchar’s book was by far the best I have ever read!! The best way to describe the way the book read, the way all of the characters played out, everything, is all in one word. Perfect!!! Completely perfect. I thought to myself less than half way through the book, that I can’t wait to go get more of her books. Absolutely well done, and can’t wait to see what Gloria Harchar comes up with next. By Blair Coffman
_______________________________________________
Lauren needs the ruby that she believes the Duke of Chillhart’s ancestors stole from her family to rescue her sister Beth. Posing as the daughter of an Earl lost at sea, she hopes to enter the ton, find the ruby and trade it for Beth.
Grant Hale the Duke of Chillhart, doesn’t want to get married, but if he doesn’t marry his deceased grandmothers companion Lauren, (who he is sure is a charlatan) he will not inherit the money he desperately needs to run his estates.
Allegro and Largo want to fix the broken magical harp that when fixed will lock the trolls back beneath the surface of the Earth. To do this, they need the Keeper of the Flower of the Health (aka the Duke of Chillhart), to fall in love, which will create the magic needed to fix the harp. However pairing up two humans that would rather kill or rob the other blind is going to be a challenge when the two fairies won’t consider failure as an option!
Gloria Harchar has written a wonderful Regency fairy tale. I really liked the way the humans didn’t believe in the fairy world other than as stories. Then the two worlds collide and the ensuing mayhem had me reading so fast that I had to finish the book in one sitting.
Just so you know, I haven’t read the first book in the series…yet. Allegro and Largo are two matchmaking fairies that must perform miracles if they want to save their kingdom of Jubilant, and I did have some confusion with their terminologies. You get a lot of information right up front about them that will make more sense the further along you read. I found both the fairies absolutely fascinating and am glad I will get to learn more about them in the third story, so I would imagine that as a reader you must learn about them in the first book because as I mentioned, I was a little confused.
Grant and Lauren are interesting characters and I actually really enjoyed their courtship and relationship. Because Grant blames Laurens biological father for his own families declining wealth, he has trust issues (only loving a woman can allow her to have access to the Flower – which is actually a magical ruby). Lauren flat out doesn’t trust men and yet finds herself married to the man she is trying to steal from as well as having to trust him with her sisters life. So their relationship is built on deceptions and is a very turbulent one!
Excellent book! While I am planning on reading the first story, I think ENCHANTED BY MAGIC can stand-alone. By Black Cat
________________________________________________
Pixie Allegro Soprano reluctantly agrees to help her friend Largo rescue his missing fiancée. That would seem noble except that to do so the two fairies must join forces with the evil Shade Lord. The malevolent being simply demands that the bungling twosome help him destroy Europe, a small price to pay to rescue one’s fiancée. They do have an alternative: finding the Shade Lord’s enemy Sheridan who could save the human realm and two misguided fairies.
Meanwhile Earl Nolan Monroe believes he killed his spouse during one of his mysterious blackouts. Filled with shame and self scorn, he wants to die so he asks for the most malevolent being to kill him because he cowardly cannot do the deed. However, spy Tessa Ballard saves his wretched life though she detests him because she believes like him he cravenly murdered her friend his wife. As she struggles to uncover who plots to kill the Prime Minster, Tessa feels abashed that she desires Nolan, who feels guilty to want her so soon after killing his spouse. Soon the realms of fairie and human will collide with Nolan the key ingredient to stop the Shade Lord.
In her third “by magic” tale, Gloria Harchar provides her audience with a whimsical Regency fantasy romantic suspense with the world at stake. As usual whenever Allegro and Largo team up, nothing goes right as they are the epitome of chaos theory. Readers will find them amusing, but also believe that England is in peril from a supernatural malevolence. The human romance between Nolan and Tessa enchantingly intertwines in a fine thriller that will leave readers wanting more from Ms. Harchar. By Harriet Klausner
_____________________________________________
What a surprise! I opened this book at midnight just to get an idea of what it was about and within “minutes” I was on page 82 and it was 1:10 am! Lord! No Regency I’ve ever read got off to such a fast start or was so totally involving. But then, this isn’t a “right proper” Regency. The time period is right: 1822; there are Lords and Viscounts; and the heroine’s marriage will be the salvation of an entire village. Nevertheless, the action, takes place outside of polite society. Instead of parlors and ballrooms, there are farms and pigsties, instead of mansions and townhouses, there are mangers and longhouses. The noblemen here work to make money and are cynical of the ton.
For example to quote the hero speaking to another nobleman:
“I do think you are one of the few forward-thinking men in the haute ton. A savvy businessman.”
Lord Hunt: “Shhh. Just don’t let it be known in Society. I don’t mind, but my wife and children seem to think it matters what the ton think”.
While many Regency elements are here, they seem to be backwards like something from the Twilight Zone. This creates a totally refreshing experience for period fans. One other thing: the lovemaking is red hot. This is not your mother’s Regency.
This story is driven with lighting speed by the dialogue. The repartee is so witty, intriguing, and unexpectedly funny, it captives the reader. It’s just too much fun to stop reading. The conversation is more Oscar Wilde than Jane Austen. You have to look to Wilde’s classic plays to find comparable wit. In fact, with a little more social satire, this book could easily adapt to a “Wilde” play. (The theme of an innocent woman pretending to be an impure, in a society of impures pretending to be virtuous, is pure genius.) Even the title and cover artwork, which attracted me in the first place, is more Earnest than Emma. (Cf. Wilde’s unfinished play La Sainte Courtisane). The quality here is a cut above the average Romance and finds its place among classic historical fiction.
Now, for the story: Wyneth Jones, the heroine, a solicitor’s daughter and assistant, on the edge of spinsterhood at 26, has taken over the village legal affairs after her father’s death. The landowner, Viscount Ashford, plans to turn the farms into coal mines and destroy the way of life of his Welch tenants. Weynth must stop this tragedy.
Wyneth goes to a tavern where Lord Ashford frequents, with a plan to save the farms by offering more rent from the tenants. Wyneth plans to introduce more scientific farming techniques which will justify the higher rents. She presents her plan in the bar. The hero, Lord Ash, who will not have anything to do with a proper woman, (he ruined one in the past) does not like the plan. He likes Wyneth, however. To get rid of her, he outrageously suggests that she trade her virtue to save the farms. She agrees without really thinking. She adds that she is new to her secret life as a courtesan. Ash does not believe her for a moment but, to have fun with her, he asks questions about the “life” which she has to guess the answers. This creates a very funny exchange.
As the book progresses, the pretense must be kept up. Wyneth must keep the pretense going in order to save the farms and, as the hero will not deal with a proper woman, he keeps the pretense going because he is having too much fun. He enjoys playing with Weynth whom he really admires. This is a great idea for a story which creates lots of funny situations, double entendres, and embarrassments. The author works this theme throughout with consummate skill.
The historical research is exceptional. As you read, you experience the time period and place. All detail is intricately woven into the pattern of the story, so the rich background never gets in the way or interrupts the flow of action. All unusual period words are used in a skilful way so that they are fully understandable from the context of the sentence. This is exquisite writing. This book is a labor of love. It had to take years to write.
Now for the most amazing aspect of the book: the climatic love scene. In most contemporary romance, the explicit lovemaking sequences are interchangeable with any other romance novel. The actual descriptions are not driven by the story line but rather by the product line. (To quote one romance editor, “You must have at least one consummated love scene in each novel for this product line”.)
In the Prim Courtesan, however, the actual lovemaking is character driven and plot fulfilling. In fact, the spirited climatic love scene is the most artistically justified I’ve ever read in a romance novel. The scene is a house of ill repute. The hero, at this point, actually believes Wenth is a courtesan. She is however totally innocent. Everything is on the line. There is a moment of truth. What is going to happen? In this case, it is essential to be in the bedroom with the characters. The plot depends on it; full character development demands it. The characters are in love but a consummation could destroy all hope. Both the characters’ future and the villagers’ way of life are at stake. What is going to happen? Wait to you read it! You’ll love the finale.
This book is so good; it’s in a class by itself. I call it a “Contra” Regency. You’ll probably call it a “keeper” and tell all your romance-loving friends to read it. By Vincent Mooney
Go to Mom’s site at gloriaharchar.com to see more like this.
