"Another delightful 'djinn' romance by Kathleen Nance"

Leila is a djinn, though not the most talented one. In her home of Kaf, land of the djinn and other extraordinary magical beings, ma'at (magic) is highly prized with those unable to perform it well being considered outcasts and often scorned by the others. She has spent her life trying to cultivate what little ma'at she had, hoping to master it and become equal to her peers.

Jack Montgomery is a scientist with a penchant for extreme sports, who hates anything that cannot be explained away by logic and facts. He hates magic of any kind, especially since his beloved sister went off and married a djinn from another land. He has spent months trying to find a way to master magic, putting it under his control, where he could stave off magic of any kind and he could always be in control. Finally he has created a talisman that will protect him from magic's power.

When he happens across Leila one night in a bar, he is intrigued, especially when it appears she has set her sights on his person, in the hopes of getting the one thing she wanted almost as much as ma'at, a baby. Jack is fascinated with the exotic beauty, captivated by her allure and charm, and... her magic? Too late he realizes she has placed him under her spell, activating his charm to protect himself. Once the flashing lights and heat caused by the reaction of his talisman subside, he finds himself trapped... trapped in a land of people that survive because of the one thing he hates above all... magic.

Not only have they been zapped to Kaf, but Leila's ma'at has been zapped as well, having been negated by the force of Jack's talisman. She is infuriated with him for stealing the one thing she needs above all, and he is infuriated with her for trying to seduce him with the magic he abhors. Trapped in the hostile Tower Lands of Kaf, they must venture to the home of his sister Isis and her husband, ruler of the djinn, convinced he is the only one who can undo the wrongs and send Jack home.

Danger lurks around every corner and in every crevice in this seemingly barren world, and when an evil djinn decides he wants Jack's power for his own, even more hurdles have to be overcome along the way. But through it all, through the dangerous trek across inhospitable land, Jack and Leila can't resist the allure of each other. Now Jack finds himself in an even greater danger then succumbing to the ma'at he hates.... He finds himself in the thrall of an even greater Enchantment, that of his love for the mystical beauty.

This being the reviewer's first Kathleen Nance novel, it won't be the last. It was a pleasurable welcome to the world of Kaf and ma'at. The characters are charming and a joy to meet. Jack is a strong man of virtue and intelligence, who was permanently scarred, literally and figuratively, by a single traumatic event of his childhood. Leila has always been an outcast, using her wits and what few skills she possessed when her ma'at failed her. She has always lived with the stigma of being less then perfect, unable to master even the simplest of magical feats. Of course, there is the irresistible pet "rock" of Jack, Mistrock, who attaches itself to Jack, never straying far from his side.

For the most part, action is present throughout the story, though it does wane a bit at times, focusing on Leila and Jack's journey across the Tower Lands. One thing that never quite was fully understood by this reviewer however, was Jack's almost obsessive aversion to all things magical. He did survive a very traumatic experience as a young child, but as it was totally unrelated to magic, this reviewer never quite understand why he will avoid it at all costs, but not seem to have the same aversion to other things which can cause the same feeling of being out-of-control. Other than that not quite adding up in this story, this book is an enjoyable read, keeping one's interest piqued, even through the slower segments of the story.

This tale is worthy of reading, bringing about an escape from reality for the reader, which is often highly sought after in today's hustle-and-bustle society. Go out and by this book, as well as the rest of the books in the series, for the reader will want to keep going until having read them all.

© Kelley A. Hartsell, April 2003. All rights reserved.

Reviewed by Kelley Hartsell
Courtesy Love Romances
Posted July 31, 2003

Summary

The woman in the New Orleans bar was pure sin and sex in a stunning package. And for once, hardworking, practical-minded Jack Montgomery lets himself be charmed. He had sworn he would not let magic hold sway over him again, yet passion was another matter. But no sooner had he taken the beautiful stranger in his arms than he discovered his mistake: Lovely, dark-haired Leila was far more than exotic; she was a genie. When he kissed her, heat lightning flashed around them, the air sparkled with color and a whirlwind transported him out of this world. Literally. Trapped with Leila in the land of the Djinn, Jack would have to choose between the principles of science that had defined his life and something dangerously unpredictable and unsettling...