Mary Jo Putney, The Marriage Spell

The Marriage Spell

Mary Jo Putney

Ballantine, June 2006, $24.95, 336 pp.

ISBN: 0345449184

In 1813 in the Midlands, Lord Jack Frayne rides his horse Dancer during a foxhunt, but when they make a leap, the steed loses its footing and slips; Jack goes flying head first into a fence. His best friends, since their Stonebridge Academy days, Lords Ashby and Ransom are beside themselves as Jack nears death. Healer Abigail Barton, who has secretly loved Jack from afar, tries to help him, but his injuries are beyond her magic. Though non-practitioners, as the aristocracy sees magic as the bane of the working class, his friends offer to join Abigail in a Circle of Magic. She says since she is crossing the line of acceptable magic he must offer her something. She proposes marriage and the dying Jack agrees.

Abigail works her magic assisted by Jack's pals and the aristocrat heals. They marry, but Jack avoids his spouse as if he is ashamed of her vocation. However, he cannot totally stay away from her and soon Jack falls in love with his wife and has a new appreciation for magic. First he must convince his beloved that he is hers as he loves her; to do so he decides he must speak out publicly in support of the healing powers of magic.

In her latest superb romantic fantasy, Mary Jo Putney uses the Regency era as a backdrop to anchor the magical elements so that the audience believes in healing spells and wizards. The storyline is action-packed from the moment that Jack suffers the near death traumatic injury, and never slows down as he becomes a true believer. Jack and Abigail are a fine couple, who through love embrace magic, though that is a taboo in Polite Society. Once again Ms. Putney provides a charming magical historical (see A KISS OF FATE).