Friday, July 9, 2010

Bedeviled Angel-Annette Blair

Bedeviled Angel
Annette Blair
Berkley, Aug 3 2010, $7.99
ISBN: 9780425235973

Guardian angel Chance Godricson returns to earth (with a heavenly shove from his BFF Angus) out of concern for one of his clients, agoraphobic sufferer Queisha Saint-Denis whose life he saved eight years ago when he died in a mall collapse. The mortal faces difficult challenges as the Fitzgerald couple disappeared on a mountain climbing trip. Queisha is the legal guardian of their five years old twins Lace and Skye because they trust her to care for them as she had been their surrogate mother birthing them.

Works Like Magick employment agency owner Viveca assigns Chance to serve as the cook for Queisha and the children. He also serves as guardian to the frightened twins. Queisha struggles to provide the twins with what they need. Chance has problems too as he sheds his feathers whenever his thoughts stray to Queisha, adheres to the awkward angelic honesty tenet regardless, and hardest of all tries to remain detached.

The second Works Like Magick urban romantic fantasy (see Naked Dragon) is a terrific tale with plenty of humor especially as Chance struggles with unacceptable thoughts and dreams, and the heavenly dictate of complete honesty. The twins enhance the story line though perhaps they are too precocious while Angus is more an impish messenger than a guardian angel. With a strong lead couple and a taut look at an agoraphobic battling her neurosis to raise young children, Annette Blair provides a strong heavenly sent thriller.

Harriet Klausner

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