Ash’s review of Black Magic by Cherry Adair
Paranormal Romance released by Pocket 20 Jul 10

Going into this book, I really wasn’t expecting much. I’ve read a few of Cherry Adair’s previous books and while I enjoyed them, they never really stood out. Thankfully within the first few pages I found out how wrong I was.

Paranormal books featuring witches and wizards are usually hit or miss for me. I don’t want to spend half the time trying to figure out all the rules to the world. Cherry Adair makes it pretty simple, while having a unique background for her magic users.

Right away I loved Jackson, and he is one of the better heroes I have read in a while. I never got annoyed with him, even when he was being a jerk. He felt real to me, and it was refreshing. He wasn’t some out-of-this-world superhero who has to sweep in to save the day. He doesn’t want to help out, he doesn’t want to be around Sara, and he isn’t afraid to be vocal about it.  Sara is a good match for him and a strong character, but it was always about Jackson for me.

Sara is Jackson’s ex-fiance and they have some pretty heavy baggage between them. I loved seeing them bicker back and forth, and Cherry Adair handles the tension and build-up almost perfectly. I did feel like they jumped into bed again rather fast, emotionally. One minute they are still hating each other, and the next they are agreeing to go to bed together. It felt a bit out of character for them, but I was able to overlook it. This is also a couple who broke up over a huge misunderstanding, which is something I typically can’t stand. In their case, they have been manipulated magically, so it worked for me.

Black Magic sucked me in and I had a fun time reading it. It has a great cast and an evil giant snake that is not your typical paranormal romance villain. I definitely plan to go back and give some of Cherry Adair’s other books a shot.

Grade: B

Summary:

SHE HATES USING MAGIC . . .Ever since the death of her parents, Sara Temple has rejected her magical gifts. Then, in a moment of extreme danger, she unknowingly sends out a telepathic cry for help—to the one man she is convinced she never wants to see again.

HE’S A POWERFUL WIZARD . . .

Jackson Slater thought he was done forever with his ex-fiancée, but when he hears her desperate plea, he teleports halfway around the world to aid her in a situation where magic has gone suddenly, brutally wrong.

THEY’VE BEEN CHOSEN TO SAVE THE WORLD . . .

But while Sara and Jack remain convinced they are completely mismatched, the Wizard Council feels otherwise. A dark force is killing some of the world’s most influential wizards, and the ex-lovers have just proved their abilities are mysteriously amplified when they work together. But with the fate of the world at stake, will the violent emotions still simmering between them drive them farther apart . . . or bring them back into each other’s arms?

Read an excerpt.