"terrific romantic fantasy with double the fun"

"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 two 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 her two hunks more than just using philanders. The Cole sisters are their perfect match 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.

Harriet Klausner

Reviewed by Harriet Klausner
Posted July 9, 2005

Summary

TOIL: Tormented by a curse that leaves him in cat form for centuries, Irish lord Trevor McGovern must repent for his past sins by finding true love. If he fails to curb his roguish ways, he's doomed to forever remain a feline... After adopting a stray cat from her local animal shelter, witch Tabitha Cole is stalked by an ancient, evil entity. When she calls on the powers-that-be and asks them to send her a familiar capable of protecting her, she ends up with a naked hunk and her cat nowhere in sight... Can Trevor convince Tabitha he's her cuddly cat turned protector? Can Tabitha catch the dark entity stalking her before it's too late?

TROUBLE: Ian O'Rourke is spending eternity as a cat, but because of his lecherous ways, a curse leaves him with the ability to feel and think as a man...one with very virile urges. Marian Cole is a Wiccan who adopts a cat from a shelter. After all, cats are good company and don't care what a woman looks like. Tired of being judged for her appearance, she has given up on romance in favor of the friendly companionship of a pet. When a miscast spell brings Ian and Marian together in a dream, Marian wants to help Ian resume his normal existence. Convinced there's no such thing where he's concerned, Ian continually looks for an open door out of her apartment and her life. While Marian might be his very last chance at redemption, fleeing into the night is his best choice. It's the one noble thing he has ever done...