Again the Magic: Lisa Kleypas

“She gave him her innocence…

“Lady Aline Marsden was brought up for one reason: to make an advantageous marriage to a member of her own class. Instead, she willingly gave her innocence to John McKenna, a servant on her father’s estate. Their passionate transgression was unforgivable—John was sent away, and Aline was left to live in the countryside…an exile from London society.

"…and he took her love.

“Now McKenna has made his fortune, and he has returned—more boldly handsome and more mesmerizing than before. His ruthless plan is to take revenge on the woman who shattered his dreams of love. But the magic between them burns as bright as ever. And now he must decide whether to let vengeance take its toll…or risk everything for his first, and only, love.”

I must admit that—for some odd reason that I can’t put my finger on—I was almost reluctant to read Lisa Kleypas because I just had this strange feeling that her writing would be mediocre… (Don’t ask…even I’m not certain why I thought this…) Anyway, I was WRONG! I LOVED this author and she has SUCH a refreshing way of writing. I was instantly enamored of her style because it was so easy to read and there was this certain eloquence that you can only understand if you read her works. I even found my new favorite quote from this book. It’s toward the end of the book as McKenna is re-professing his love to Aline. He says, “… I want morning and noon and nightfall with you. I want your tears, your smiles, your kisses…the smell of your hair, the taste of your skin, the touch of your breath on my face. I want to see you in the final hour of my life…to lie in your arms as I take my last breath.” Wow…this was so beautifully written…I was astonished. (Of course, there was more that was ahead of the quote, but we’ll leave that out because it isn’t quite as romantic as it’s more along…sexual lines—but I was good nonetheless.)

The characters were SO well-developed that you feel almost as if you know them. Sometimes, authors spend a prologue explaining how their characters came to know one and other, but not Kleypas. She spent chapters developing Aline and McKenna! I was thoroughly impressed. I cannot wait to read another of her books!