ENTANGLED

Author: Kathleen Dante ISBN: 0425212750 9/2006 PARANORMAL Publisher: BERKLEY HEAT

When business and pleasure mix, the consequences are unpredictable—magical and explosive. Brilliant executive Kiera Stevens finds herself vulnerable when she suspects insider espionage. Someone she trusts is stealing company secrets and threatening her professional future. What she needs is an undercover man . . . Security adept John Atlantis never expected his client to be such a hot distraction. That’s what makes his covert plan to pose as her lover so irresistible. What unfolds between them is no ruse — and what it sparks is beyond their control. When a complicated spell produces more power than safe, he and Kiera are Entangled. Now, with their defenses down, a devious high-tech spy is moving closer, and watching Kiera’s every move. What he sees, he likes. And what he likes, he takes . .

RRAH's THOUGHTS AND PONDERINGS:

Kathleen Dante's first novel offers us a richly imagined, futuristic world full of magic. kidTek CEO Kiera Stevens has been raised from the cradle to run her family's company. She must always remain in control, and never let go of her business. John "Lantis" Atlantis is a consultant mage, who is brought in by a mutual friend to rescue kidTek when their industrial secrets start to leak. They aren't just a toy company, they do military R&D as well, so this leak is a huge issue.

Lantis and Kiera decide he will pose as her lover, so that he has access to her company. In order to get her to relax around him, he takes possession of her sexually. For a controlled CEO, her fantasy life is full of submission fantasies, and Lantis, a caveman type, is happy to take command. There is a great deal of sex (this is erotica) and a little mild spanking. I wouldn't have had a problem with it except Lantis spanks Kiera when she tells him she loves him. And she gets over her hurt so quickly that within a few minutes, she's thrilled he is showing her his apartment. The suspension of disbelief was broken for me in these pages.

The magical parts were quite interesting. Lantis and Kiera are entangled together psychically by the spells Lantis weaves and there is will be much magic to explore as Dante releases her next books set in this universe. Entangled is full of danger and excitement as Lantis and Kiera race to find out who is behind the leaks before the novel ends in traditional happy romance fashion.

Heather Hiestand