"Enchanting Light Paranormal"
The setting is the Scilly Islands, Cornwall England,
specifically a privately owned island known as Abandon.
Though a year is not given, the time period is clearly
Victorian. Ethan Hartstone, younger brother of Anthony, Lord
Pentargon, has recently met an untimely, though heroic,
end. The earl, deeply grieved at his brother's passing,
wants no parts of the island where Ethan had met his fate.
He does realize the island has appeal. Determined that
some good shall come of this unexpected inheritance, he
decides to sell it to a politically powerful marquess, for
hunting, in exchange for his pledge to support child labor
reform legislation. As a child, the earl had suffered from a debilitating
muscular disorder. A mysterious governess had given him
encouragement and the means to conquer it. She had urged
him, in turn, to protect the weak and innocent. Anthony
had kept his promise. He knows that his motives regarding
this sale are pure. The islanders do not agree! All they see is the end of the
peaceful, productive lives they had once known. To the
inhabitants, the island is a magical one, steeped in
Arthurian legend. It is believed that it was here that the
sorceress, Morgan le Fay, had brought the mortally wounded
king, restored him, and hidden him away for the time would
once more be needed. Already the earl's workers were
uprooting the island's sacred relics. Soon the marquess's
entourage would destroy the flora and disrupt fishing,
leaving the inhabitants with no way to eek out a living. Miss Morwenna Halliwell is determined to change the earl's
mind. Firmly set on his goal, the earl regards the woman as
a nuisance. He refuses to see her, in spite of the warning
of the castle servants. Mowenna is said to be under the
protection of Morgan, herself. She is known to bring
rainbows and make flowers grow, but all she is giving
Anthony is a headache. Not so easily daunted, Morwenna forces an audience with
Anthony. The earl is struck by her audacity, beauty, and a
sense of déjà vu. More disconcerting is the sudden urge to
sweep her into his arms. Mysterious and magical occurrences disrupt the work of his
crew repeatedly. Though clearly not the acts of a mortal,
the blame is laid at Morwenna's door. She claims innocence.
Budding attraction and disdain for superstition makes
Anthony inclined to believe her. Others are not as
forgiving. When Morwenna's home is viciously vandalized, it is
apparent that someone wishes her harm. Anthony insists she
accept his protection. She vehemently declines, but must
later turn to him when an old friend meets with an
unfortunate accident. As Anthony grows more comfortable in his role as knight
errant, the magic of Abandon opens to him. However,
proximity soon thwarts Anthony's intentions to be honorable
toward Morwenna. He finds her irresistible, and finds
himself dutifully wed. The decision is surprisingly
painless for him. Heady sexual tension turns to steam. Anthony would give anything to win Morwenna's love,
anything but the one thing she wants most. To his regret,
he must honor his moral and legal obligation to sell they
island. Can he make her understand that some sacrifices
must be made for a greater good? Can she find it in her
heart to love him in spite of this one thing he must refuse
her? As in all good tales of this nature, the valiant
knight will be called upon to rescue the fair maiden, to
vanquish the villain, and fulfill his destiny, with only a
bit of legendary assistance. The possibilities offered for
villain are myriad. The reader is kept in suspense right up
to the end. The revelation will no doubt come as a surprise
to many readers. Ms. Hunter's cleverly penned tale is guaranteed to make a
believer of the most skeptical reader. Abandon is a light
paranormal with just enough whimsy to satisfy paranormal
romance lovers, and also enchant those who love good
historical fiction. Copyright © 2001
Reviewed by Leslie Tramposch
Posted August 22, 2001
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