Melanie Rawn, Spellbinder

Spellbinder

Melanie Rawn

Tor, October 2006, $24.95, 400 pp

ISBN 0765315327

Witches exist and are spread out all across the world in small numbers, with each area having a magistrate who administers justice to the witches in his coven. In New York City, hidden in plain sight is Elias's coven. He is also a federal judge guarded by U.S. Marshal Evan Lachlan. Elias also has one of the few spellbinders in existence as part of his coven, a witch whose blood guarantees someone else's spell will work. In addition to being a spellbinder, Holly McClure is also wealthy and a well known author.

Through a mutual friend, Holly and Evan are introduced, and it isn't long before the pair fall in love. They plan to get married until an action Evan takes shatters his career and he leaves Holly. It takes a tragedy to bring them together, but their lives are unsafe because a practitioner of the dark arts will do whatever it takes to bring the spellbinder to him. Holly, who has virtually no power of her own, somehow find a way to strengthen her prowess to save the man she loves and her friends in the coven.

This is very different than anything Melanie Rawn has written, but fans who love Mercedes Lackey Diana Tregarde tales, or the urban fantasies of Kelly Armstrong will love SPELLBINDER. This is one of the best romantic urban fantasies of the year and readers will hope they have not seem the last of the spunky, eccentric and larger than life heroine who can always be counted on to help her friends and family.