Sandy M’s review of Fascinated by Marissa Day
Paranormal Historical Erotic Romance published by Berkley 5 Jun 12

For years I’ve tried reading erotic romance, and for years I’ve found very few authors who give me a balance of story, character, and the erotic. Marissa Day just went on my auto-buy list. I’m sorry I missed her first two books in this world of magic she’s created. On top of that balance she gives readers, her storyline is different than the norm. She takes you on a wild and sensual journey with two charming and intriguing characters.

She knows she’s not like other people. Alicia doesn’t feel emotion of any kind. She has to watch people to give the proper responses to their emotions. A marriage and family have never been part of her future. Until now. Even though it’s a marriage of convenience, she’s happy to go into it with her eyes wide open. At least it will get her out of Hartwell House and from under the thumb of her Aunt Hester. She’s never felt like she belongs with this family, except for her cousin Verity, so a new start somewhere else and with someone else is more than welcome.

Lord Edward Carstairs is the man who has offered for Alicia. He wants a practical lady for a practical marriage to produce heirs. Nothing more, nothing less. His world is full of magic, literally. He’s a Catalyst, one who draws power from all things natural to channel it for use by Sorcerers. However, when he finally has the opportunity to talk to Alicia about their upcoming nuptials, he realizes she’s under an enchantment of some kind and is determined to find out the how and the why, along with a resolution for it. What he discovers first is that passion is one feeling that will go far in helping break the spell, and he also finds that his Alicia has some very untapped, passionate depths.

Once Alicia has a taste of that passion, there’s no going back. Especially after the enchantment has been lifted. It’s a whole new world for her, experiencing all those emotions that were not a part of her life for so long. But it’s Edward who invades her thoughts, both good and bad. She can’t wait to have his hands on her again, to be in his bed for all that delicious and passionate lovemaking. However, she’s no longer the woman who he offered to marry. Will he change his mind? What she doesn’t know just yet is that Edward is as enthralled with her as she is of him.

Teaching Alicia the intricacies and pleasures of lovemaking takes a huge toll on Edward. His life is now going in the complete opposite direction than before, but he’s not really bothered by that fact. Alicia is a fascinating woman, and she comes to enjoy the same elements of sex that Edward does, as he introduces several to her. And I have to say, Ms. Day gives readers some very interesting scenes to acquaint Alicia to all facets of passion. And that’s what I like when it comes to erotic romance. It’s not gratuitous sex, scene after scene, in any sense. It works with the story, is needed at that particular point in time to advance the read forward. She does that quite successfully in this book a number of times.

Of course, once the enchantment is lifted from Alicia, there are consequences of which neither she nor Edward are aware. Aunt Hester knows about those consequences, however. What a piece of work this aunt is. She allows no one to get in her way of keeping the Hartwell family out of the grasp of the Fae King.  Not her siblings, and especially not Alicia. As the history of the Hartwells unfolds, the danger to all becomes more pronounced and no one is sure, not even the reader, if such evil threats can be defeated.

I’m sorry I haven’t discovered Marissa Day before now. I can’t wait to get my hands on those other two connected books. Ms. Day keeps the strictures of Regency England in place, while enhancing it with both the erotic and fantasy. A terrific combination. If you’re in a reading slump or just not sure what to start reading next, I highly recommend any book any Marissa Day.

Grade: A

Summary:

Pleasure was an elusive dream…

Alicia Hartwell has never experienced the pleasure of passion. Despite all her efforts to comprehend the notion of romantic love, it has remained an utterly foreign concept to her. Resigned to the life of a spinster, Alicia is therefore stunned when she receives a marriage proposal from the highly eligible bachelor, Lord Carstairs.

…until she met him.

But Lord Edward Carstairs is not a normal nobleman. He’s a Catalyst—able to draw magical power from the natural world to use in spells by human Sorcerers. He senses that Alicia is a victim of enchantment, one that has suppressed her erotic urges. Powerfully attracted to her, he’s certain that he’s the one to help her experience pleasure for the first time. But as Edward and Alicia’s mutual passion burns hot, their fragile love and trust could be threatened by family secrets, and a new magical intrigue neither imagined.

Read an excerpt.

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