Book Review and ARC Giveaway: Merely Magic by Patricia Rice

Can a man of science appreciate a woman with a spirit of magic?
Merely Magic (Magic (Sourcebooks Casablanca)) by Patricia Rice

• Paperback: 352 pages
• Publisher: Sourcebooks Casablanca; Reprint edition (March 1, 2011)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1402251939
• ISBN-13: 978-1402251931

Genre: Historical Romance
My Rating: 4.5 of 5.0

Product Description
"Patricia Rice is a master storyteller."
-Mary Jo Putney, New York Times bestselling author of Never Less than a Lady
Magic is her birthright...
The daughter of one of the strongest magical lineages, Ninian Malcom Siddons is a powerful witch. Determined to only use her magic for good, she lives a simple, solitary life as a healer in her village, where she meets Drogo.
A man of science doesn't believe in anything he can't see...
Lord Drogo Ives believes only logic and science can explain the wonders of the universe and doesn't believe the local folklore about Malcolm witches and Ives men, until he meets Ninian.
Despite the odds against them and their (many) differences, the bond between Drogo and Ninian grows stronger each moment they are together... until the chaos and danger surrounding them forces each to decide: their love... or their lives...

Review: She may not have true magical skills but her spirit is one of magic.

Ninian is a Malcolm daughter descended from a long heritage of witches who only give birth to daughters.  Ninian is a gifted herbalist and healer in a small village. She is always on the outside of the crowd as the people are a bit afraid of the rumors of the Malcolm witches. Ninian doesn’t expect to ever have a family of her own because of her solitary life.

The large manor home near the village, is owned by Lord Ives but it has been vacant for many years. The Ives men only have sons and seemed doomed to have unhappy marriages.  There is a history of an old Malcolm and Ives marriage that brought disaster to the house and village. Lord Drogo is a man of logic, math and science. Drogo is the head of the family and since he was a young teen he has been responsible for the  family finances and the corralling of the rambunctious boys, legitimate and otherwise.  He was never coddled as a boy and is not prone to express, or even allow himself to feel, much emotion. He thought he had escaped to the manor house to study stars and to get a break from the family duties.

When Ninian and Drogo meet it is like trying to put the earth and stars together but the draw between them is instant and overpowering.  Drogo is used to controlling everyone in his family. Ninian is self sufficient and doesn’t need someone to control her. She needs someone to accept and love her.  But Drogo doesn’t believe in love or witches or magic. Can they learn to accept and trust each other?

I thought this portion succinctly presents their problem (and it sounded so familiar as in my DH and myself!) “He’d given up any hope of logic from her months ago.  She had a brain. She just didn’t use it as he did.” p 267.

This book flows smoothly and beautifully. Ninian is such a giving and warm character and she draws the cool, unemotional Drogo into her joy.  I love the magical feeling that this author weaves into her stories. I have read one of the other books in the “Magic” series of Malcolms and Ives and I have several more on my TBR shelf as this is an author worth collecting.

xxx

Thank you to Sourcebooks for this book to read and review.

TO ENTER THE GIVEAWAY FOR THE ARC COPY:

1. Visit the author's website and tell me something of interest you found there.  (I had to wonder: what is with all the naked chests on her covers? *G*)
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* This contest is open to US and Canada only.
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* This contest will close 10:00 PM (Central) on April 15, 2011.
The winner will be randomly selected from all entries.