Jo Beverley

From Library JournalForced by a forgotten promise to his autocratic grandmother to marry by his 25th birthday, the earl of Saxonhurst consults his servants, flips a coin, and ends up married to gently bred but impoverished Meg Gillingham. He doesn't realize that in her desperation Meg has invoked the powers of an ancient Irish statue to help her out of her difficulties?with sexy, magical, and ultimately dangerous results. A charming, outspoken heroine, a magnetic, unconventional hero, and a diverse cast of well-drawn secondary characters come together in a fast-paced, intriguing plot with a holiday setting that features a touch of evil, a dash of bawdy humor, and enough of Beverley's trademark page-singeing sensuality to satisfy the most demanding reader. Beverley (Lord of Midnight, Topaz, 1998) is a member of the Romance Writers of America Hall of Fame and lives in Canada.Copyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc. From BooklistBeverley's nonpareil Regency-era romance of the season features a vulgar prehistoric stone statue, the sheelagh-ma-gig, which has been used by generations of women to invoke a dangerous magic. Meg Gillingham, responsible for four orphaned younger siblings, is down to her last handful of oatmeal when their lecherous landlord, Sir Arthur, threatens to either make her younger sister his mistress or throw the family out on the streets. Meg decides that she must use the sheelagh-ma-gig, even though it will exact a high price. Could it be the magic of the statue that induces the eccentric earl of Saxonhurst to decide to take his one-eyed maid's suggestion and marry respectable but impoverished Meg? Terrified that her new husband will discover that she used magic, Meg leaves the statue behind, intending to retrieve it later, but it is stolen by the dastardly landlord. Meg bravely sets out to retrieve the family treasure but finds herself fleeing for her life when she is fingered as Sir Arthur's murderer. Delightfully odd characters and a thrilling plot, along with a generous touch of magic, make this an enchanting read. Diana Tixier Herald