Dangerous Magic

HISTORICAL FANTASY: Elizabeth Bennet, Janus mage, never expected to be recruited into the Royal Mages to fight against Napoleon. She must become the Twin to another Janus who lost his Twin in battle. More than that, in order to keep her reputation intact, they’ll have to marry. Soon, Elizabeth finds herself torn from a life of freedom and thrown into a world of danger and propriety, a world dominated by her new Twin, the arrogant Mr. Darcy. Still grieving the loss of his twin, Fitzwilliam Darcy wants nothing to do with the girl the Mage Council demands he marry. But when they fail to Bond, not only does he find himself propelled into a desperate race to discover the cause before the French attack, but his views of magic are altered by his new wife and her fine eyes.

An imaginative approach to Austen’s characters that stays true to the heart of Darcy and Elizabeth’s conflicts and romance inside a wonderful magic system - battles included. Elizabeth is not only spunky, but a powerful mage in her own right, only ignored because of the prejudice of the Mages. She resents her high-handed recruitment, but agrees for the sake of the war against France. In spite of it, she retains her sense of humor and wit. Darcy also mostly stays true to character in this tale. He is a stickler for rules, but Elizabeth’s creative approach gradually softens him. In the end, both end up changed through their partnership, and in the process discover they’re really on the same side after all. Their strong and moving passion for each other warms the heart just as much as the original. A delightfully entertaining and inventive tale!

Amanda Carlisle