Devon’s review of Stripped by Julie Leto
Paranormal romance published 1 Aug 07 by Harlequin
I love witch stories. Actually, I want to love witch stories. A pretty underused device in paranormal romance, but the ones I have read veer to much towards the wacky hijinks for my taste. Thankfully, Stripped is a well done witch romance. It was exactly what I want when I pick up a Blaze—a sexy, fun and fast read. Within the shorter category length, Ms. Leto was able to combine an interesting plot, good characters, a believable love story, and a fun dose of the paranormal.
Stripped features Lilith St. Lyon, a hereditary witch with telepathic powers. She is strong-willed, independent and opinionated, and these things cause the council that governs witches to strip her of her power. When the police detective with whom she had an affair calls her to help with a case, Lilith finds herself lost without her powers, and unsure how to deal with her lingering feelings for Mac Mancusi.
Straitlaced Mac was thrown for a loop when he realized that Lilith, the sexy psychic police consultant, wasn’t just an intuitive kook. She could actually read his thoughts. Things ended badly between them, but when he needs help he doesn’t know who else to turn to. The characters and their antagonistic relationship were interesting, and different from other Blazes I’ve read. Lilith was a genuinely tough chick, bordering on hard. Yet she was vulnerable enough that you could relate to her and feel for her. Mac was less well-defined, but I liked their “opposites attract” story.
There was an actual plot, a mystery, and it kept my interest. The paranormal elements were well-defined enough that they weren’t just wallpaper, but didn’t distract by being too complex. There were a number of good secondary characters: Lilith’s older and more powerful sister, Mac’s fellow detective, and Lilith’s spacy but practical Wiccan friend. There was a cute little secondary romance too. My big quibble was that I found the blurb a bit misleading. If Lilith used her powers to manipulate Mac, it was to a rather harmless extent.
This was my first read by Julie Leto, and it won’t be my last. It satisfied on every level: good romance, good sex, good action. Definitely a fun way to pass a cold evening.
Grade: B
Lilith St. John is a witch—really. And she hasn’t been too good lately. It seems using her powers to make Detective Mac Mancusi totally infatuated with her was a big no-no. Who knew? After all, what woman could resist having a sexy guy like Mac aching for her every minute they were apart? But the council isn’t pleased—in fact, they’re stripping Lilith of her powers. What’s a witch to do?
Especially now—when Mac’s suddenly back in her life, looking to rekindle the magic…”
Read an excerpt.
Read more from Devon at Is That a Stake in Your Pocket?
