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The Magic Knot
by Helen Scott Taylor
Irish magic, mischievous piskies, Tarot
Cards and romance
Helen
Scott Taylor's debut paranormal romance THE MAGIC KNOT brings magic
into play with a journey through Cornwall to Ireland, land of the
mischievous piskies. A delightful fairy tale for romance lovers, THE
MAGIC KNOT brings together a refreshingly original hero and heroine, an
Irish biker pub owner and an accountant. Love holds the power to free
or enslave. The entire romance is fantastic but the ending alone with
its stunning imagery of transformation makes this romance one that will
live in the imagination long after the book is read.
Despite her mother's warnings to never set foot in Cornwall, accountant
Rosenwyn Tremain has little choice in her hunt to find her father. If
she can only finish her job to investigate of the finances of the
Elephant's Nest Public House quickly, then she will be able to leave
and get on with her search. When Michael O'Connor doesn't seem to want
to co-operate with the audit, his brother Niall O'Connor seems to be
the only means to finish the job. When she finally catches up with the
sexy buy ever so stubborn Irishman, Rose knows she should keep a
professional distance, but she cannot help but take a look at the Tarot
cards to get an inkling of the man behind the beautiful body and
seductive accent. How can one man encompass such contradictory aspects?
Does she dare trust this man whose past seems cloaked in secrets and
betrayal?
Visions of his family's captivity haunt Niall O'Connor, a proud man who
refuses to return to Ireland and subjugate himself to the Irish fairy
queen Ciar. Suddenly Tristan, accompanied by his sidekick Nightshade, a
vampiristic nightstalker, changes the terms of the deal that until now
has kept his brother and sister safe. Delivering one special pisky
woman to Tristan will insure a protective spell to thwart Ciar's evil
plans. When he finds a strange woman snooping in his room, Niall's body
tingles with magic, ancient fairy magic. Can this beautiful woman be
the key to his family's freedom or will her pisky magic enslave him as
well? As both Rose and Niall journey together with different goals in
mind, who will gain the upper hand? Can their growing attraction unlock
the key to their past and free them for a future endowed not with
threats and fear but love, happiness and freedom?
Helen Scott Taylor's THE MAGIC KNOT is a refreshingly original
paranormal romance that takes the reader deep into magical Ireland, a
land filled with magical piskies and an evil powerful fairy queen. THE
MAGIC KNOT brings together a sexy motorcycle-driving Irishman and a
slightly insecure but smart accountant with a heart of gold, a woman
filled with determination in the face of the unknown. Juxtaposed to the
wicked powerful Cian, Rose has an innocence that shines through with
beauty in the strange magical world she encounters. Likewise, Tristan's
clever manipulations provide a nice contrast to Niall's devotion to his
family. The transformation in Rose from a shy numbers-focused
accountant into a woman self-assured not only in love but within
herself is one of the more moving parts of this story. As Rose looks
more deeply into her past, her story resonates with a vision of of hope
that moves the spirit. THE MAGIC KNOT has several nice plot twists that
kept me on the edge of my seat. Most of all, I found the visual imagery
here absolutely stunning. Helen Scott Taylor mesmerizes the reader with
dynamic images that evoke whole worlds and at the same time crystallize
the depth of romance and its ability to transform not only Niall and
Rose, but all around them with a very special kind of power. The
incredible ending left me gasping quietly at the sheer beauty,
imagination and imagery.
Publisher: Dorchester -
Love Spell (Feb 2009)
Extra notes:
Helen Scott Taylor's THE MAGIC KNOT was a finalist in the 2008 Golden
Heart Contest, a contest sponsored by the Romance Writers of America
(RWA). As stated on the RWA website, “The Golden Heart contest brings
manuscripts written by unpublished RWA members to the attention of the
publishing community and celebrates excellent, unpublished writing.”
Helen Scott Taylor's THE MAGIC KNOT was the winner of the 2008 American
Title IV contest sponsored by Romantic Times Magazine and Dorchester
Publishing Company. During this contest, readers vote on several
entries. Each elimination round focuses on one area of the romance
novel. I followed the contest off and on but not closely --- but I do
remember thinking that this author's different entries stood out to me
as different, as writing with punch and something that just felt fresh.
Having read this book, I can say I certainly agree with all those
readers who voted. The actual book as a whole is even better than the
short excerpts I read! I refuse to ruin the ending of this romance with
a spoiler, but I just have to say that the closing images really moved
me beyond words, capturing in images the beauty of paranormal romance
(and reading in general to me) to move not only with the romance itself
but the world-building as an integral part of the genre's power. Not
the book blurb nor even a blow-by-blow plot summary can ever capture
the stunning ending and twist of magic!
Reviewed by Merrimon,
Merrimon Book Reviews
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