Holly Elizabeth McClure is a world renowned novelist. Her
ability to weave a tale has gained her a huge fan club and
wealth. She is also a witch, but her abilities are limited.
She can only perform small spells. For her safety, only her
circle knows she is a 'spellbinder'. With the gift of even
the minutest amount of her blood given to another, it can
amplify their magic dramatically.
Marshall Evan Liam Lachlan is a duty bound officer of the
law assigned to protect United States District Court Judge
Elias Bradshaw. Stable and honest, he is a depiction of his
career. His relationship with Holly is blocked by events
from his childhood, and prevents him from committing to or
surrender his control to a power greater than his own.
Holly participates when an intervention is performed. A
witch, Denise Josephe is practicing harmful magic in the
open, amongst innocents. It is against New York
magistrate's, Judge Elias Bradshaw's rulings. Any further
revealing of Denise's true nature would reveal further
members and cause a disturbance. Holly's blood is used in
the ceremony to take the witch's 'measure': a rope that
symbolizes Denise and links with her ability to perform
magic. Should it be broken, it would mean her death or her
loss of ability to perform any magic. Angry, Denise vows
vengeance against the one person she recognizes: Holly.
Holly is introduced to Marshall Lachlan by her best friend,
Susannah Wingfield. Holly respects and loves Evan for his
strength, honesty, and faithful responsibility to duty, no
matter that he sees and understands the fallibility of
others. That same code of ethics could easily breakup their
relationship.
The Judge enlightens Lachlan as to Holly's career. She is a
very wealthy novelist. Lachlan believes that even the
absence of truth is a lie, and feels she should have been
forthcoming. Evan's pride is scorched. How could he think
he'd be able to support her in the lifestyle she was
familiar with when with one book sale, she makes more than
he made over a career?
When a solution is reached, the romance between Holly and
Evan deepens. Holly magically sparks a fire in front of him.
She admits she's a witch. In opposition to her fears Evan
accepts this new aspect of her and instead learns more about
her art.
Her honorary uncles, Alex and Nicky visit for an all too
obvious excuse to check out Evan. When they had sold their
book store, they had assumed it would stay the same. Instead
its new age shop personae has been corrupted and they're
left feeling unsettled. Holly meets the proprietor, Noel,
but the store seems innocent enough.
On Beltane Denise accepts an invitation at Long Island.
During the satanic ritual, a young man is murdered, and the
only evidence points to Denise. Her only means of defense is
to admit that the true suspect is Noel. Noel is into black
magic, far deeper and sinister than anything Denise had
dabbled in before. She doesn't trust that she won't be his
next victim.
On the justice steps near riot occurs and Evan takes justice
into his own hands and punches the Reverend, the father of
the young man murdered. His job suffers the consequences of
his actions. His manhood is shattered and he breaks his
relation off with Holly.
To paraphrase Ms. Rawn, 'If you're disappointed that this
isn't like one of her other novels,' you'll be missing out
by passing up this great read. SPELLBINDER by Melanie Rawn
is a wonderfully well written novel. Ms. Rawn takes the
reader from the beginning of a relationship, the first
declaration of love, its loss, and its healing. These issues
are not settled overnight, but through time and patience. In
as few pages as possible, Ms. Rawn tells us that not just
days, but sometimes months have passed. When flash backs are
used, I had no problem with understanding how old the
character was and grasping again who the secondary
characters were in relationship to the flash back. It's good
to have you back, Ms. Rawn!
There is magic in the big city...literally. New York City
has a small, and by preference discrete, population of
witches and wizards who live and love and go dancing just
like everyone else. Holly McClure is one of them, a
successful writer who tries to ignore her heritage, except
when the local Magistrate needs her special gift in his
coven. Holly is far more interested in Evan Lachlan, the
handsome federal marshal who works with her best friend,
assistant district attorney Susannah Wingfield.But trouble
is coming to the City in the form of a black coven run by a
murderous psychopath, and deputy marshals and ADAs are
powerless to deal with that kind of crime. The danger to
Holly is extreme, for her special gift is the power of her
blood to strengthen and bind any spell, for good or for
evil. Holly's passionate love affair will be derailed by
those who want to drain her for their own purposes. In the
end it will be magic against magic, and Holly McClure will
have to risk all for life and love.
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