"Angela Verdenius has a winner with this fascinating futuristic romance, Love's Bewitching Thief"

Angela Verdenius has a winner with this fascinating futuristic romance, LOVE'S BEWITCHING THIEF.

Marten, an Argon, was returning from a mission, and along the way made sure to stop and pick up a present for his mother's birthday. He never expected that it would be stolen not once, but twice, by the same vivacious little thief. He's furious that she tricked him and wants her caught at any cost. He is in for an even greater surprise however, when he finds that same person as a stowaway on his space ship.

Lysie, one of a rare feline-like race, the Felys, only cares about finding herself some simple luxuries wherever she can... a soft bed, delicious food, or a warm bath. She sees nothing wrong with stealing from those who can afford it to give herself a little pleasure now and again. On her latest excursion, when she runs into a metal man who wants to kill her, she hides herself on a spaceship nearby, never expecting the captain to be the very man she had just robbed for the second time.

Lysie has been trying to escape what she felt was a prisoner-like existence back home, kept only for the sake of breeding to further their endangered civilization. She has no idea what to expect, and doesn't realize she is close to coming into heat, which can be extremely dangerous for an unmated female of her kind. Marten is shocked to find her aboard his ship and his only wish is to get back the things she stole from him. But the more time they spend together, zipping across galaxies, the more he is drawn to her. When he understands her life is in danger of being snuffed out by a crazed cyborg seeking some twisted vengeance on her, he will do whatever it takes to protect this fetching female with whom he has fallen in love. Can they escape the danger? And what of her ever-impending heat phase; can they protect her from that as well?

This story packs a punch! It is full of adventure and every chapter will keep the pages turning breathlessly. The worlds and galaxies rendered here are so vivid, so beautiful, readers will desire to visit them and see the landscape unfolding before their eyes. From the vast planet of the lizard people, to the smallest of spaceships Marten and Lysie use for travel, to the huge space station they visit briefly, one will be swept away.

Lysie and Marten are extremely well developed characters, each with their own personality quirks and species' traits which makes them bound from the pages to take a life all their own. This reviewer especially loved how well done Lysie's feline side was. Many authors will create races of cat-people that don't come across even remotely cat-like... not so with Lysie. The author's love of cats is apparent in how perfectly done those feline tendencies are. The spark of attraction between Marten and Lysie is evident from their first meeting, and it blazes into a full and raging firestorm of desire as the story progresses.

All of the secondary characters are fully realized as well, with thoughts and feelings all their own. Readers will actually empathize with Revadac, the chillingly evil cyborg with a one-track mind -- to kill Lysie - understanding what happened to him and how tragic his life really is. The lizard guide found in the story is wonderful, and though his language is not understood by the characters, or the readers, his personality and sense of humor are surprisingly evident nonetheless. As for the other Felys characters introduced, all this reviewer can say is she hopes they will get their own story in the near future!

LOVE'S BEWITCHING THIEF is the first book this reviewer has read by the talented Ms. Verdenius, but it won't be the last! Run out and pick up a copy today, as this book will most definitely not disappoint. It is a sure-fire winner!

© Kelley A. Hartsell, October 2004. All rights reserved.

Reviewed by Kelley Hartsell
Courtesy Love Romances
Posted February 1, 2005

Summary

All Lysie did was steal the handsome Argon's jewels - twice. She hadn't bargained on being trapped on his ship.

Marten had her now, a Felys female with tortoiseshell hair, a purr to curl a man's toes -- and coming dangerously into heat.

The cyborg just wants to kill her.