C.S. Chatterly and M.A. Dubarry, Toil & Trouble

C.S. Chatterly and M.A. Dubarry, Toil & Trouble - "Toil" by C.S. Chatterly. In 1558 Cork, Ireland, an upset Esmeralda combines her witchery with a scorned Molly Claire, turning two mages, Trevor McGovern and Ian O'Rourke, into cats because of their mistreatment of women. To revert back to men, they must find true love, but that person must return their feelings. Witch Tabitha Cole owns a magick shop in present day New York that she inherited from her murdered mentor. She casts a spell to protect herself from the evil who killed her mentor; her stray cat turns into a hunk, Trevor finally human. As he risks his life to keep his beloved safe, he wonders if she is the antidote.

"Trouble" by M.A. Dubarry. Tabitha's sister research librarian and witch Marian has also adopted a stray feline. She dreams of a gentle person to love her and Ian enters her dreams. As he falls in love with her, Ian feels hope for the first time since the curse as he believes Marian might be the first person ever to love him.

Surprisingly, though the uncaring, womanizing males deserved their punishments, readers will feel empathy towards them. That is the key to these delightful, interrelated novellas as C.S. Chatterly and M.A. Dubarry make their hunks more than just using philanders. The Cole sisters are their perfect matches - loving and adoring their respective mate, but unwilling to accept anything less than love in return. TOIL AND TROUBLE is a terrific romantic fantasy with double the fun.

ImaJinn, 2005, $13.75

ISBN: 1933417013

Harriet Klausner