Romance

Paranormal romance is still enthralling readers. In addition to carving out discrete romance niches—vampire romance, shape-changer romance (werewolves, werecats, etc.), witch romance, and so on—magical and paranormal elements continue to seep into other romance subgenres with delightful, or alarming, regularity. Psychic powers such as ESP, second sight, and similar talents have strong links to intuition, making the jump to mind-links, parakinesis, and other edgier abilities more easily accepted. Naturally, this blurs the lines among the subgenres, causing much category confusion and arguments over "real paranormal" vs. simply incorporating a few supernatural influences. Enjoy this sampling of psychically oriented tales and the still thriving paranormal arena; many would be just right for Halloween.

Continuing her magical mystery series, begun with Casting Spells, Bretton gives half-sorceress, knitting-shop owner Chloe Hobbs her biggest challenge yet: the arrival of her human lover's ex-wife claiming to have talked to their daughter—who just happens to be dead! Ghosts, a vindictive faerie, argumentative townsfolk, and a cast of colorful creatures add charm and humor to a well-written tale rich with knitting detail and small-town flavor. It cleverly tells the story from multiple viewpoints—one chapter at a time. VERDICT Best known for excellent contemporary romance, Bretton has created a paranormal series that is both engaging and timely; for those who like their fantasy with a down-home flair. Bretton lives near Princeton, NJ.

Cheated out of the ancient amethyst amber ruin she discovered when Amber Inc.'s powerful CEO (and her then-current boyfriend) Cruz Sweetwater claims it, independent prospector and gifted amber tuner Lyra Dore is stunned when he asks her to use her psychic abilities to save a group of men trapped inside the underground ruin's chamber. Soon, Lyra is drawn back into Cruz's life and caught up in a dangerous world of thieves, thugs, and psychic predators. VERDICT Psychic secrets, old family feuds, and an artistically inclined dust bunny add zing, sassy humor, and inventive detail to Castle's latest sexy addition to her paranormal Harmony world. Seattle-based Castle (Dark Light) (aka Jayne Ann Krentz) brilliantly links her paranormal "Arcane Society" series across centuries and pseudonyms.

For ten years, Maddie Temple has been free from the insane mind-link of her twin sister, Sarah. Now Sarah's back in Maddie's head but under another's control—and death is on her mind. Plagued by unanswered questions, a mysterious heritage, and a mind-manipulating predator, Maddie struggles to maintain a grip on her own sanity as she wavers between trusting the men (one in particular) who can help her and listening to compelling taunts from outside. VERDICT DeStefano's chilling, mesmerizing tale draws readers through a horrifying mental nightmare and brings them safely, if not unscathed, to the other side. Fans of psychological suspense—especially the clinical kind—may find this especially fascinating. DeStefano (To Save a Family) lives in Lawrenceville, GA.

Two pairs of linked novellas explore the boundaries of love and passion in this anthology by two of the genre's best-known writers. In Foster's "Have Mercy," Mercedes Jardine falls for a man with a tragic past and an unwillingness to wed until pregnancy intervenes. Mercy's brother Brax, a man with the ability to sense and control the emotions of others, finds a love he thought he could never trust enough to have in "Total Control" by Foster's darker alter ego, L.L. Foster. Erin McCarthy treats readers to the witty "Deal or No Deal" and "Undead Man's Hand," a lively pair of "Vegas Vampire" tales with a Czarist link that will appeal to series fans and new readers alike. VERDICT Sweet and touching or dark and dangerous, this sexy quartet has happy endings for all—dead or alive.

Stripped of her ancient powers and her mortality when she uses her abilities to destroy, Nuala, a witch whose job is to bring lovers together, has spent more than two centuries trying, unsuccessfully, to atone for her actions. Now the widow of an English lord, she is confronted by a man she thought she'd never see again, the dangerous Earl of Donnington, who blames her for his brother's death two years earlier. Soon a vicious force strikes at Nuala through the earl, threatening not only their blossoming love but their lives as well. VERDICT Darkly intense, intricately plotted, and chilling, this sexy tale skillfully interweaves several time periods, revealing key past elements with perfect timing but keeping the reader firmly in the novel's "present" social scene. The third in Krinard's faery-infused Fane series. Krinard (Lord of Legends) lives in New Mexico.

A prickly, independent witch causes problems for a shape-shifter mayor trying to keep her and his territory safe from predators in Laurenston's "The Wolf, the Witch, and Her Lack of Wardrobe"; a vampire-hating leopard-shifter FBI agent and her ex-lover-turned-vampire deal with blazing passion and a vicious killer in Cynthia Eden's "In the Dark"; and a witch on a mission to rescue her errant brother and save her race finds love and acceptance in the arms of a New Orleans cop in Sherrill Quinn's "City of the Dead." VERDICT Three sizzlers combine hot, explicit sex with chills and thrills, for readers who like their paranormals with some spice.

Sent to track down renegade witch Dayna Sterling and bring her home to Covenhaven for mandatory training to control her emerging powers, half-warlock, half-Patayan guardian T.J. McAllister is dismayed when the amulet with which he snared Dayna goes beyond what he'd intended. But T.J. has more to deal with than an inadvertent lifepair bonding; he's on a mission to find the legendary unknown witch who will help save them all from impending disaster. The problem is that he keeps looking in the wrong place. VERDICT In keeping with Plumley's tradition of lively romantic comedy (Home for the Holidays), her first foray into the paranormal witch world subgenre is quirky, sexy, creative, and hilarious. Plumley lives in Chandler, AZ.

Returning to his sleepy Mirabelle Island home in northern Wisconsin after 15 years to recover from devastating Middle East war wounds, photojournalist Noah Bennett encounters a chilly town, a host of unresolved family issues, and his teenage love Sophie Rousseau—now his brother's widow and the mother of twins. A tangle of lies, false assumptions, and heartbreaking secrets underpin the emotional turmoil that bubbles to the surface with Noah's return. VERDICT Highlighting the eternal tension between safety and risk and the familiar and the unknown, this poignant, sweet, gently humorous story focuses on a pair of deeply conflicted protagonists and nicely sets the stage for the Mirabelle Island books to come. Brenna lives in Plymouth, MN.

Precise, logical Penelope Prestwick is determined to marry a duke, and who better to make it happen than Lady Sophia Dalby, a former courtesan and aristocratic matchmaker par excellence? With the Duke of Edenham firmly in her sights, Penelope heeds Sophia's veiled hint and asks the Marquis of Iveston to feign interest in her in order to intrigue her quarry. The results, of course, are a foregone conclusion, but Penelope, for all her intelligence, doesn't quite get it. VERDICT Funny, superbly sensual, and filled with sassy wit and appealing characters, this rewarding story, the fourth in Dain's delicious "Courtesan Chronicles," will be in demand. Dain (The Courtesan's Wager) lives in North Carolina.

Surprised when she inherits a small but critical railroad spur, Rachel Bailey is appalled to learn that she has been cleverly manipulated by her late benefactor and must marry annoyingly attractive Sheriff Wyatt Cooper in order to keep it out of the wrong hands. Reluctant to doom the Colorado mining town that depends on the line, Rachel agrees to a strictly business partnership marriage—until pent-up passion explodes between them and changes everything. A sympathetic, resolute heroine, a hero to die for, and a group of fascinating, exceptionally well-delineated secondary characters band together in a uniquely tolerant, closely knit town to defeat a soulless villain. VERDICT From the first sentence, Goodman hooks readers and rivets them in place with magnetic protagonists and just enough perfectly timed backstory revelations to keep the engaging plot on target. Goodman (The Price of Desire) lives in West Virginia. See what the prolific author has to say for herself, p. 60.

When a cynical, restless nobleman flees an unwanted betrothal and heads to Egypt to track down the long-lost granddaughter of a family friend, the last thing he expects is to find love in the form of an elusive, cross-dressing Arab street urchin. Yet once he snares the fiercely loyal, independent Ayisha, Rafe Ramsey knows she is exactly what he wants—if only he can convince her. English Regency society and the back streets of early 19th-century Cairo spring to vibrant life in this enthralling and thought-provoking tale of survival, secrets, and social class. VERDICT Threaded with charm and humor, this action-rich, emotionally compelling story is the third in Gracie's popular "Devil Riders" series. Though it stands on its own, it is sure to entice readers to read the others. Gracie (His Captive Lady) lives in Melbourne, Australia.

Deciding to take responsibility for his six illegitimate children, the infamous Duke of Villiers is looking for an agreeable fiancée. He finds the intelligent, unconventional Eleanor Lindel and quickly becomes interested. Then he meets another eligible young lady (though she's considered quite mad), and he is intrigued. Deliciously sensual, slightly outrageous, and eminently satisfying, this funny, witty, and literarily accessible romance overflows with fascinating, exquisitely depicted characters while providing insightful commentary on parenting. VERDICT This denouement to James's "Desperate Duchesses" series is the one fans have been waiting for; they won't be disappointed. James (This Duchess of Mine) lives in the New York City area.

Three new novellas and a beloved classic bring a diverse assortment of couples home to love. A reclusive children's book writer finds love when a reporter invades her privacy and threatens her anonymity in Cathy Lamb's humorous "Whale Island"; a divorced single mom is attracted to her handsome new boss—not suspecting he's the brainy geek she rejected in high school—in Judy Duarte's poignant "Queen of Hearts"; two couples ultimately find love despite emotional meltdowns, false assumptions, and miscommunication in Mary Carter's "The Honeymoon House"; and a groom is faced with a serious dilemma just before the wedding when he encounters the high school sweetheart he still loves in Macomber's touching 1996 tale, "The Marrying Kind." VERDICT Although the stories vary in quality, this heartwarming anthology is enjoyable and full of happily ever after charm.

Supposed rape victim Kalyna Harter seeks help from victim's rights advocate Ava Bixby in prosecuting air force captain Luke Trussell. Then Ava realizes that Luke is being set up and things are a lot more dangerous, especially since the mentally unbalanced Kalyna is not about to let Luke off the hook. The romance that develops between Luke and Ava adds to the threat. VERDICT Gripping, frightening, and intense, this realistic story highlights the unbelievable difficulty of defending against a false accusation, delivers a compelling romance as well as a riveting and suspenseful mystery, and is second in Novak's trilogy that focuses on the victim's rights organization, the Last Stand. Novak (The Perfect Liar), who lives in the Sacramento, CA, area, delivers another winner.

Returning to isolated Fort Randall, Dakota Territory, after a boarding school stint, Miriam Longstreet is shocked to find her abusive mother addicted to laudanum, her officer father too busy to pay attention, and her six-year-old sister largely unattended. Although she struggles to make the best of things, Miriam chafes against the rigidity of the situation and almost makes the wrong choice. A wicked mother and an ambitious, unethical suitor will stop at nothing to keep Miriam and the man of her heart apart in this gripping story of the Old West that is a cut above the rest. VERDICT Westerns seem to be on their way back; this is a good one for most collections. Nowak (Chances) lives in Wyoming.

In this late Victorian version of the classic fairy tale, an American heiress and an English earl find love despite obstacles. Originally published in 1996 as part of Love Spell's "Faerie Tale Romance" series.

Trapped aboard ship in the Caribbean, wary protagonists discover romance in one of Delinsky's early (1987) Harlequin Temptation romances; available for the first time in hardcover.

A captive socialite and her rugged rescuer find passion and love in the jungles of Costa Rica in this first hardcover reissue of one of Howard's early (1986) Silhouette romances.