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Title: A Kiss of Fate: A Novel
ISBN: 0345449177
Author:
Mary Jo Putney
Publicate Date: 2005-08-30
Publish: 2005-08-30
List Price: $7.99
Average Customer Rating: 4.0
Format: Mass Market Paperback
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Amazon Lowest New Price: $3.12
Amazon Lowest Used Price: $0.01
Amazon Merchant Price: $7.99
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1: A mediocre read that could have been a great read.
A pleasant historical fantasy with unrealized potential.
The Guardians have magical abilities. They use these powers for the greater good of mankind.
The Scottish Hero, Duncan, is a weather Mage. The seemingly ungifted heroine, Gwynne, is resigned to her role as a Guardian Lore scholar.
Duncan is attracted to Gywnne. Gwynne is attracted to Duncan, but fears that such a powerful Mage could only overwhelm and consume her. She has horrific visions of death and destruction when he embraces her.
SPOILER ALERT.
Regardless of her fears, she is told by the Guardian Council to marry him. Her destiny is to marry Duncan and prevent him from supporting a Jacobite rebellion. Gywnne is told that it is her duty and responsibility to obey the Council. Gwynne does as she is told. How romantic.
The marriage is consummated and Duncan discovers that Gwynne is an Enchantress. Basically, she inspires lust and the intent to fornicate in all men. Not a convenient trait in a wife.
So much for the powers of an Enchantress. Forget Circe, Medea, Morgan Le Fey and Arthur's sister, Morgeuse. Putney envisions an Enchantress as a far more passive creature, more like Marilyn Monroe or Lolita. Rather like a female dog in everlasting estrus. What a misrepresentation of a potentially fascinating power. Disappointing and boring.
The rest of the novel is equally uninspired. Destiny must be served. Duncan supports Bonnie Prince Charles and Independence for Scotland.
Gwynne, to prevent a potential disaster of war and destruction, betrays Duncan and his cause. Hmm. So what was the Battle of Culloden? A Clan picnic? The return of the Young Pretender has been the subject of numerous tragic romances. I did not find it to be a good fit when coupled with this light fantasy.
Will Duncan forgive Gwynne? Will he see the error of his ways? Will the Guardians be able to prevent the rebellion and a potential religious war ?
Sure, why not? All ends well in this light historical fantasy.
This is one to borrow, not buy.
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2: loved it, one of the best
If you like some fantasy mixed in with your romance & a real plot line instead of just love scene after love scene you going to love it. It is original & I love the whole wizard premise mixed in with a historical romance. It offers a completely new twist on the regular romance story which after a while gets pretty boring with same plot lines of the ugly duckling falls in love with the handsome rake or the rake falling in love with a beautiful girl but refusing to say I love you mixed in with numerous loves scenes without much of a story or developed characters.
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3: Disappointing, a novel of squandered potential
I was fascinated by the magic but disenchanted with the storyline. Hero, despite being--supposedly at least--a powerful man and mage, was rather weak and lost his appeal as the novel progressed. I found his reaction after the betrayal and his release from prison unconvincing, irrespective of how necessary the heroine's actions were. I mean under any circumstance who would behave the way he did after Gwynne's betrayal? I had at least expected that she'd have to work a little to regain his trust which would have certainly spiced things up a bit. No such luck.
Heroine to me was rather arrogant and self-righteous. She was wonderful in the beginning but also lost her appeal as the story went on. Though she was right about the uprising, she doesnt seem wont to compromise otherwise. It was her way or the highway, and the hero left her unchallenged too often for my taste.
I think the author henged the story on plot points that were believable but not developed to there fullest potential. This is very disappointing coming from a respected author such as MJP. I also believe other more interesting points of conflict were ignored, for example the consequences of Gwynne's enchantress power and its toll on her marriage among other things.
Another thing that irked me about the novel was its many references to modern ideals. This was supposed to be a historical, after all. As many liberties Scotswomen may have enjoyed I doubt they could have denied a man access to his child in the 18th century. More likely, automatic custody would have gone to the man.
All in all, two and a half stars ... and that's only because the paranormal aspect of it was so entertaining. Burrow it from the library as I did, don't waste your money on a purchase. Thank goodness, I didn't.
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4: Wish the heroine was more likeable
This book has an original plot and a nice setting and a good hero but the heroine was a bit cold and at times inscrutable. I was not able to empathize with her.
Lord Duncan McCrea is a Scottish Laird and a Guardian. He possesses powerful magic like all the Guardians. He is able to control weather patterns. He meets beautiful English widow Gwynne and is smitten at once.
Gwynne's father was a Guardian and she grew up as his library assistant so she knows all about the history and powers of the Guardians. She even lives with an older woman who is part of the Guardian governing council in London. She is happy with her life and wants nothing to do with Duncan. She is almost shrewish in her determination to dissuade him from pursuing her even though she feels an attraction and destiny with him. She even goes so far as to strike him with a riding crop which she blames on him for provoking her temper. Actions like this never put heroines or heroes in a good light.
Gwynne also sees a vision of death and destruction around Duncan. She reveals this to her friend on the council and it has the council very upset. There is a fragile peace between Scotland and England but Bonny Prince Charles is coming back to claim his throne and the Council believes these visions foretell much doom for both countries and Duncan. Their solution is for Gwynne to marry Duncan and somehow prevent these visions from becoming a reality. Gwynne agrees to the marriage since she feels she owes the Guardians as they have been kind to her. Duncan is unaware that she wants to marry him for this reason.
Gwynne is a confusing heroine and one that try as I might I cannot understand. She was married to a man fifty years older than her. She is a virgin which is not that surprising but what shocked me was that she wanted to make love with her elderly husband on her wedding night! Go figure. I wondered if she was oversexed or just really attracted to a very old man.
Nevertheless she does consummate her wedding with Duncan and discovers that she has her own powers. She is an enchantress that can trap men into falling in love with her. She learns to harness this ability quickly.
In Scotland, she and Duncan fall into an easy going but difficult relationship. He loves her but she does not love him. When Charles Stuart needs help for his cause, Duncan is torn between his loyalties to Scotland and his knowledge that Charles is not the best ruler in the long run. To make sure that her husband has no influence in battles (remember he can control the weather) she casts an enchantress spell on him to bring him home. This betrayal is complete and while I understood why Gwynne did this to her husband, I still had a hard time liking her. She seemed supremely arrogant in her beliefs.
The ending is very nicely wrapped up and Mary Jo Putney is an excellent writer and researcher. Her settings are described in crisp detail and her dialogue is quite good. Because of the unlikable heroine, though, this gets only 2 ?? stars.
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5: Jacobites and Magic
I was a teenage Jacobite who imprinted on Jacobite novels by Robert Louis Stevenson and Sir Walter Scott, so naturally I've been looking for the perfect Jacobite romance. Since I also love the paranormal, a paranormal romance dealing with the Jacobite rising of 1745 is my idea of heaven.
Not only that, but the Guardians have tremendous potential. Mary Jo Putney could wander through all of history telling the stories of paranormal couples who are Guardians. I'd love to see her do that. If they are all as intensely romantic as this one, the fans of Kiss of Fate should be delighted.
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