This was another fabulous story featuring more of the marvelous Malcolm/Ives families that is a pure joy to read. Yes, there is a bit of magic that some might think of as cataloging this book as a paranormal but don't be turned off by this as it is so much more. Dunstan and Leila are both terrific characters who grow into each other. The confusion Dunstan felt as he was attracted to two different women (Leila and Lily) until he discovered they were one and the same; his undeniable love for his son Griffith; and his total support of Leila as she experimented with her `gift'; right up to the final realization that for the sake of those he loved he must clear his name in order to be able to have some kind of a life was a wonderfully drawn portrayal. Outstanding character development! Both Leila and Dunstan are unique and marvelous characters and their respective families are a total delight... Fans of Ms. Rice will surely not be disappointed in this brilliant and refreshing series. ---- Marilyn Rondeau, Official Reviewer for www.historicromancewriters.com ---

For example, it takes forever for Dunstan to acknowledge that he needs help in trying to discover who actually murdered his faithless wife and to establish his innocence. His pigheadedness on this issue was a little trying. And I also found it very hard to believe that it took him so long to figure out that Leila and Lily were one and the same woman -- this was one plot gambit that did not really work for me. I think it would have made for far more interesting reading if both Dunstan and the reader got to see the 'two' different Leilas from the very beginning, so that we could all enjoy the contrast between the intelligent and vibrant Leila who was willing to work in the fields in order to realise her dreams, and the sultry drawing room Leila, who used her feminine charms to manipulate people and keep them at a distance.

I was also curious about certain circumstances surrounding the Malcolm family. The Malcolms are an old Scottish family, renowned for producing female children who happen to be gifted with certain magical abilities. The Malcolms are also renowned for making advantageous marriages that further the family's fortunes. And yet, while the inference is that nearly every single marriage seems to have been a happy one, none of the Malcolm women seem to have married for love -- save the heroine of "Merely Magic," Nininan. I really wished that Patricia Rice had gone into (a little) what these other Malcolm women must have felt or thought about the whole concept of love, and marriage without love. She does do this with the heroine of "Must Be Magic," Leila. But even then what we know is that Leila married in order to promote her family's interests, that her mother has some feeling of love and affection for her father, and that even she (Leila) feels leery about counseling her younger sisters to seek only love matches. I suppose what I'm trying to say is that I was curious as to why a family women with magical gifts would place advantageous marriages over love matches, and would have liked the authour to have delved into this matter a little more.

On the other hand, however, "Must Be Magic" does indeed boast of possessing two very strong, memorable and engaging characters: Leila and Dunstan. When Leila's character was first introduced, I will admit that while I did feel for her because she felt so alienated and had such a low self esteem problem, I did not really take to her -- she was a little too manipulative for my taste. And while I understood why she used her beauty and her feminine allure to get things, I did not admire this trait in her at all. But as the novel progressed, so too did my sympathies for her grow. And in no time at all, I found myself rooting for her to find her hidden talents/magical gift, and to nab the man she believed was her soul mate. Leila, is the kind of full bodied multifaceted heroines that one wishes were more the norm rather than the exception. As for Dunstan, once I got past his foolish stubbornness and his tendency to glower all the time, there was much to admire and feel empathetic for. It's not every romance hero who as to deal with an alienated son, a murder rap and a strong-minded woman who's out to help you whether you want it or not!

Story-wise, things moved along smoothly enough while Leila and Dunstan were in the country, busy with their planting schemes and trying to thwart the machinations of Leila's nephew-in-law and his cohorts. Once the story moved to London, however, the book did loose its focus. There was a sudden addition in the cast as all sorts of Ives and Malcolm relatives came out of the woodwork in order to help Dunstan clear his name, and there even was a small subplot involving a certain Malcolm-Ives potential pairing -- probably the hinting of future Magic book at a later date. I, however, just wanted the mystery of who killed Duncan's wife to be cleared up --I already had my suspicions and wanted to know if I was right!

On the whole, "Must be Magic" was a truly fun read. It's not a book without flaws, but it was an enjoyable read nonetheless. and if you're looking for something little different, this should definitely satisfy.

Enemies or not, they find themselves attracted beyond what they should be. Dunstan helps her in more ways than with her flowers, and eventually, using a ruse, Leila is able to make him see the true woman she is, and they succomb to their true feelings. Now, they have two quests, to make Leila a success, and to clear Dunstan of murdering his wife, if not for his own sake, for the sake of his son and the child Leila may carry. Pride will have to be put aside as he must use the powers of Leila's family to prevent his hanging and learn the truth.

***** If you shy from paranormals, do not be concerned that this is not a book for you. Witchery is only a minor aspect of this unusual novel. Leila is a refreshing heroine, as Ms. Rice's usually are, and Dunstan fits the gothic, brooding hero model. However, their unique role reversal is one that may appeal to the modern woman, with Leila being the one in power. It is also unusual to see a farmer as a hero of an English set story. The Staines family is delightful, and the scenes with Dunstan's son touching. Not the same old thing, this book will not in any way disappoint old or new fans of Ms. Rice. *****

Reviewed by Amanda Killgore.

With her husband dead, she controls the Staines estate as long she lives and never remarries. Leila wants to grow flowers that she can convert into perfumes as she feels she has a nose for this business. However, she needs a land usage expert and turns to agronomist Dunstan Ives, though he is considered a wife killer and her own mother warned her that Ives males are bad news for Malcolm females. Reluctantly, the landless Dunstan accepts her offer though he wants nothing to do with any woman, but especially those bewitching Malcolms. However, he berates himself for desiring Leila and another lass who looks like her (because of his stereotyping he refuses to realize that his two dreams are one in the same) even as he struggles to learn whom killed his wife.

MUST BE MAGIC is an engaging historical romance that uses a pinch of witchcraft to spice up a tale with a rarely seen uniqueness. The story line mesmerizes the audience as Leila struggles with her "handicap" and her desire to belong while Malcolm battles between desire and not wanting to be burned again. Fans will believe that Patricia Rice must be magical as she spellbinds her audience with a one sitting fun novel.

Harriet Klausner