Kissed by Magic

Rating:
Summary: Not bad...
Review: Allegro and Largo are offered the fairy equivalent of fame, fortune, etc if they complete their assignment; to match Phaidra Moore, their charge, with Kain, the earl of Falconwood, the Black Falcon. While both mortals are attractive and healthy, the situation is rather complex. Phaidra is a commoner, and rather independent. Kain is a rouge, and does not believe in love, or that he should be happy. However, Phaidra has perfected an unusual dye that could make the earl a fortune. Marrying her would fit within his strict guidelines that do not have room for joy or love. Yet, Phaidra believes in love and magic. How can the fairies make these two fall in love? Read it and learn.

** Allegro and Largo are winsome facilitators. Phaidra has the hoyden air of a Katherine Hepburn or Julia Roberts heroine, and Kain mixes the tortured hero with the bad boy gentleman character. If you enjoy a Regency with an unusual twist, this will suit you well. **

Reviewed by Amanda Killgore

Rating:
Summary: Fantastic Fantasy
Review: Faeries Allegro and Largo have been given a task -- make the earl of Falconwood fall in love with Phaidra Moore. Not only are they from different social classes but the earl, nicknamed the "Black Falcon," doesn't believe he deserves love or happiness since he was responsible for his brother's death. Phaidra knows she's beneath his social class and doesn't want to have anything to do with him -- she wants to open up a millinery and fend for herself. Has there ever been a more impossible mission? But they must do this because the happiness of the Harmonics (or humans) is what produces the faerie dust so that the faeries can survive. The characters are complex and three-dimensional. The Black Falcon is a brooding, sexy hero -- I fell in love with him immediately. Phaidra is spirited and challenges his every value -- she's impulsive and caring toward the stockingers, loyal to her renegade cousin and independent, wanting to support herself. Allegro and Largo are opposites and a delight -- Largo is a braggart and Allegro is fastidious, only seeing black and white. But he has character growth, learning that there are shades of gray.

I have read a lot of historical romance books that use faeries or some type of magical creatures in their stories. But Ms. Harchar's book was by far the best I have ever read!! The best way to describe the way the book read, the way all of the characters played out, everything, is all in one word. Perfect!!! Completely perfect. I thought to myself less than half way through the book, that I can't wait to go get more of her books. Absolutely well done, and can't wait to see what Gloria Harchar comes up with next.

Rating:
Summary: Fantastic Fantasy
Review: Faeries Allegro and Largo have been given a task -- make the earl of Falconwood fall in love with Phaidra Moore. Not only are they from different social classes but the earl, nicknamed the "Black Falcon," doesn't believe he deserves love or happiness since he was responsible for his brother's death. Phaidra knows she's beneath his social class and doesn't want to have anything to do with him -- she wants to open up a millinery and fend for herself. Has there ever been a more impossible mission? But they must do this because the happiness of the Harmonics (or humans) is what produces the faerie dust so that the faeries can survive. The characters are complex and three-dimensional. The Black Falcon is a brooding, sexy hero -- I fell in love with him immediately. Phaidra is spirited and challenges his every value -- she's impulsive and caring toward the stockingers, loyal to her renegade cousin and independent, wanting to support herself. Allegro and Largo are opposites and a delight -- Largo is a braggart and Allegro is fastidious, only seeing black and white. But he has character growth, learning that there are shades of gray.

I have read a lot of historical romance books that use faeries or some type of magical creatures in their stories. But Ms. Harchar's book was by far the best I have ever read!! The best way to describe the way the book read, the way all of the characters played out, everything, is all in one word. Perfect!!! Completely perfect. I thought to myself less than half way through the book, that I can't wait to go get more of her books. Absolutely well done, and can't wait to see what Gloria Harchar comes up with next.

Rating:
Summary: Fun Regency with a Fantasy Twist
Review: In this debut novel the author has created some memorable pixie sprites that will gladden your heart and put a smile on your face. Allegro and Largo are the pixie faeries who have been assigned an almost impossible task - coerce the Earl of Falconwood, aka "the Black Falcon" to fall in love with Phaidra Moore, a 27 year old hoyden spinster. Convincing Phaidra that Kain was her `destiny' was a huge undertaking in itself. She realized that even if she was strongly attracted to the Falcon, their stations in life were eons apart.

As luck would have it, Kain at least was interested in the marriage if only for a purely selfish reason of gaining Phaidra's dowry - the formula for her Nottingham blue dye. Denying his attraction, and convincing himself he was not worthy to be loved would be the pixies biggest problem in trying to convince Kain that the attraction he felt for his indomitable wife was more than lust but a truely destined and everlasting love. Phaidra, in spite of the rumors was quick to recognize his goodness and up for the challenge to systematically begin to change the general public opinion of her husband's notorious evil reputation. Convincing Kain that he was not only worthy of her love, and not responsible for his brothers death would take all of the pixie's and Phaidra's combined strength before he would allow himself to be kissed by the magic!

This was a darling debut tale of a regency era fantasy. The author's creatively humorous and often combative pixies were a hoot and at times upstaged the two main protagonists, Phaidra and Kain. Allegro and Largo were so opposite in nature that I could only liken them to the original Odd Couple - Felix and Oscar. The romance was sweet and I liked that Phaidra was such a strong character and didn't let anything deter her from going the distance to prove to Kain that he was not the ogre he imagined himself to be. What was really cute was the way Kain thought he would shock Phaidra with romantic overtures and she would turn the tables on him with her more than accommodating participation sending him running. This was an endearing tale that readers will enjoy in this newly created fun world of pixies and sprites. - Submitted by Marilyn, Official Reviewer for www.historicromancewriters.com ---

Rating:
Summary: Fun Regency with a Fantasy Twist
Review: In this debut novel the author has created some memorable pixie sprites that will gladden your heart and put a smile on your face. Allegro and Largo are the pixie faeries who have been assigned an almost impossible task - coerce the Earl of Falconwood, aka "the Black Falcon" to fall in love with Phaidra Moore, a 27 year old hoyden spinster. Convincing Phaidra that Kain was her 'destiny' was a huge undertaking in itself. She realized that even if she was strongly attracted to the Falcon, their stations in life were eons apart.

As luck would have it, Kain at least was interested in the marriage if only for a purely selfish reason of gaining Phaidra's dowry - the formula for her Nottingham blue dye. Denying his attraction, and convincing himself he was not worthy to be loved would be the pixies biggest problem in trying to convince Kain that the attraction he felt for his indomitable wife was more than lust but a truely destined and everlasting love. Phaidra, in spite of the rumors was quick to recognize his goodness and up for the challenge to systematically begin to change the general public opinion of her husband's notorious evil reputation. Convincing Kain that he was not only worthy of her love, and not responsible for his brothers death would take all of the pixie's and Phaidra's combined strength before he would allow himself to be kissed by the magic!

This was a darling debut tale of a regency era fantasy. The author's creatively humorous and often combative pixies were a hoot and at times upstaged the two main protagonists, Phaidra and Kain. Allegro and Largo were so opposite in nature that I could only liken them to the original Odd Couple - Felix and Oscar. The romance was sweet and I liked that Phaidra was such a strong character and didn't let anything deter her from going the distance to prove to Kain that he was not the ogre he imagined himself to be. What was really cute was the way Kain thought he would shock Phaidra with romantic overtures and she would turn the tables on him with her more than accommodating participation sending him running. This was an endearing tale that readers will enjoy in this newly created fun world of pixies and sprites. - Submitted by Marilyn, Official Reviewer for www.historicromancewriters.com ---

Rating:
Summary: Harchar has been KISSED BY MAGIC
Review: KISSED BY MAGIC is a charming story, much like the fairy tales of old, except this one has more than magic wands and kisses for a sleeping princess. KISSED BY MAGIC is full of romance that will capture the heart and soul of every reader. The magical world of Quelgeny is so real that as you journey there through Harchar's delightful prose, you are transported into the land of faeries and pixies so completely that a mere blink of the eye will whisk you into their Universe. Musical symbols and terms utilized by Harchar, accelerate the Quelgeny Kingdom into a magnificent crescendo that enchants and enthralls the reader from the prelude to the zenith. Allegro and Largo have a mission. They must not only bring romance into Phaidra Moore's life but also blend Kain Addison into the mix until the two are united together by an everlasting commitment that transcends miracles through the magic of love.

Rating:
Summary: Harchar has been KISSED BY MAGIC
Review: KISSED BY MAGIC is a charming story, much like the fairy tales of old, except this one has more than magic wands and kisses for a sleeping princess. KISSED BY MAGIC is full of romance that will capture the heart and soul of every reader. The magical world of Quelgeny is so real that as you journey there through Harchar's delightful prose, you are transported into the land of faeries and pixies so completely that a mere blink of the eye will whisk you into their Universe. Musical symbols and terms utilized by Harchar, accelerate the Quelgeny Kingdom into a magnificent crescendo that enchants and enthralls the reader from the prelude to the zenith. Allegro and Largo have a mission. They must not only bring romance into Phaidra Moore's life but also blend Kain Addison into the mix until the two are united together by an everlasting commitment that transcends miracles through the magic of love.

Rating:
Summary: amusing fantasy romance
Review: Maestro the King of the Pixies assigns mission impossible to Allegro Soprano and her partner Largo Bass with the option of refusal. However, the two fairies know that they have no choice for if their populace is to thrive, love must also flourish in England. The unattainable assignment is to have the Black Falcon and Spinster of Nottingham fall in love.

Desperate to make progress, the fairy duo inform the lower middle class shrew Phaidra Moore that she is to marry that black hearted sibling murderer Kain Addison. Phaidra would prefer to die a spinster than wed someone that does not love her and she knows the chosen one has no heart to offer even if he is doing atonement. On the other hand Kain supports marrying beneath his aristocratic station because he needs her large dowry. However, the two fairies know that marriage is not love so they have their work cut out for them to insure this couple fall in love.

KISSED BY MAGIC is an amusing fantasy romance that will make readers believe in the magic that Gloria Harchar provides. The lead couple is a delightful pair hiding their growing need and love for one another as if those feelings are a plague. However, the tale belongs to those delightful comedic pixies, opposites in every sense of the word, as they bring humor, enchantment and matchmaking to a fun tale that is obviously KISSED BY MAGIC.

Harriet Klausner

Rating:
Summary: amusing fantasy romance
Review: Maestro the King of the Pixies assigns mission impossible to Allegro Soprano and her partner Largo Bass with the option of refusal. However, the two fairies know that they have no choice for if their populace is to thrive, love must also flourish in England. The unattainable assignment is to have the Black Falcon and Spinster of Nottingham fall in love.

Desperate to make progress, the fairy duo inform the lower middle class shrew Phaidra Moore that she is to marry that black hearted sibling murderer Kain Addison. Phaidra would prefer to die a spinster than wed someone that does not love her and she knows the chosen one has no heart to offer even if he is doing atonement. On the other hand Kain supports marrying beneath his aristocratic station because he needs her large dowry. However, the two fairies know that marriage is not love so they have their work cut out for them to insure this couple fall in love.

KISSED BY MAGIC is an amusing fantasy romance that will make readers believe in the magic that Gloria Harchar provides. The lead couple is a delightful pair hiding their growing need and love for one another as if those feelings are a plague. However, the tale belongs to those delightful comedic pixies, opposites in every sense of the word, as they bring humor, enchantment and matchmaking to a fun tale that is obviously KISSED BY MAGIC.

Harriet Klausner