YOUR MAGIC OR MINE?

Author: Ann Macela ISBN: 9781933836324 10/2008 PARANORMAL Publisher: MEDALLION PRESS

A battle over the correct way to cast spells is brewing in the magic community. Theoretical mathematician Marcus Forscher has created a formula to bring the science of spells into the 21st century. Botanist Gloriana Morgan, however, maintains that spell casting is an individual art, and warns against throwing out old methods. Enter the soul mate phenomenon, an ancient compulsion that brings practitioners together through persuasive techniques and powers to convince the selected couple they belong together. But Marcus and Gloriana are prospective soul mates who want nothing to do with each other. To make matters worse, their factions have turned to violence. Something must give way, or there will be dire consequences—the magic will either work for them or against them.

RRAH's THOUGHTS AND PONDERINGS:

Ann Macela sets her paranormal romance, YOUR MAGIC OR MINE?, (third in the Magic Series) in present day Austin, Texas, where Gloriana Morgan and Marcus Forscher are university professors. She teaches in the botany program and he teaches higher math. They are both also practitioners. Of magic. He has put forth a theory in a weekly journal devoted to magic that spell casting can be more efficient if used with his formula. Gloriana repudiates his assertions that the old way is no longer valid, and almost immediately the magic community breaks into three groups: scientific types who swear a formula is the only way to go into the future, a traditionalist group that is paranoid that they and their ways will be swept out, and those who are undecided. To make matters worse, Gloriana and Marcus seem to have become afflicted by the "Soul Mate Imperative," or SMI. It is a magic greater than anybody and it seems to determine who should become mates for life. The SMI causes both physical and mental pain to those trying to ignore it. Gloriana is sure the SMI is wrong because they have so little in common. As far as Marcus is concerned, he never wants to mate or raise children. Ever. With anyone. Could the SMI actually be wrong for the first time?

Macela's brilliant tale is brimming with intelligent thought, thrilling action and warm-hearted romance. She crafts Marcus and Gloriana so realistically that I'm sure they are real people that I'd love to meet. She surrounds them with believably intriguing friends and family as well. The public debates that Gloriana and Marcus use to get the discussion flowing may polarize some of the magic community, but it brings them together in more ways than one. I cheered for them and their blend of new and traditional magic. I loved how they discovered that the power of two together in love was greater than the sum of their parts.

I have to admit that I looked forward to each debate, less and less given our current political clouds. It truly put me on edge. Marcus and Gloriana, however, smoothed out all of my discomfort. Macela's handling of all things romantic and sexual is tasteful, beautiful, and deeply satisfying. Since I just read book three in this series, I now want to go back and read the first two. That is a powerful way of saying that I must have more!

YOUR MAGIC OR MINE? reads like a dream. I was hooked on the first page as Marcus and Gloriana have the same erotic dream about each other without yet having met face-to-face. It is nonstop fun and games from there on and I read long into the night, not wanting to put it down. Readers who like a little romance mixed with their magic, and those who like a little magic mixed with their romance, will certainly both be satisfied!

Susan Barton