"A venture into the paranormal for talented Leto"

Julie Leto is one of the brightest voices in the Harlequin house of writers, writing for the Blaze line. She loves pushing the envelope, and dances on the edge with the sizzle and crackle of lightning.

This time she has given a nifty little twist on "series" and combined two of them. It's a great book by itself, but to appreciate it you really need to read Looking for Trouble: Invitations to Seduction (Harlequin Blaze, 92) starts this round robin, where twin sister Rory kicks up her heels and finds her twin Mickie. The twins are a good girl wanting to be bad, and a bad girl wanting to be good. Mickie's tale is told in Up to No Good: Invitations to Seduction (Harlequin Blaze, 100), where Mickie takes a hand in saving her friend, Danielle Steele, from drug addiction and ends up falling for her sexy older brother. Next you should read Essence of Midnight (Harlequin anthology July 2004). Julie's "Surrender" a story with a paranormal theme introduces Eve Baptiste and Viktor Savich. Their romance, then in turn sets the stage for the circle to come full swing - as a character from Vicktor's tale take the lead this paranormal tale that concerns Danielle and Vicktor's friend Nick Vaux.

Danielle's self-destructive streak with drugs, was rooted in troubles from her past life. Of course, she does not understand this. But Nick Vaux does. A hundred years ago, Danielle was Nick's wife Sophia. Someone killed Sophia and Nick was accused of her murder. Later Nick and several members of his gypsy family were murdered, so the unjustice of their death was never answered. Through the magick bottle Eve Bapstiste found that held the essence of Viktor, the Gypsy King's spirit, Eve brought him back to life. In turn, Victor brought Nick and his family back. Only Nick cannot go on with his new life. He sees Sophia in the picture of Danielle Steele and sets to track the billionaire's sister down.

Danielle is taking control of her life. She has kicked her addiction, the willful bent to destroy herself, and now has the opportunity to prove to the world what a great artist she is. She feels the instant connection to the sexy Nick Vaux, but fears the power of their emotions.

Nick is determined to reach Danielle. He has waited a century for her to return to him, and is desperate to win Danielle, and with the help of Viktor's magick perfume bottle that enhances psychic powers, he will not stop until he claims Danielle. Only, the troubles of the past that saw both of their lives ended is also on the prowl and not happy the lovers are reuniting.

It's a savvy connection of all these books by Leto and so great to see her step out of the contemporary romance genre and into the paranormal faerytale slippers so effortlessly.

Reviewed by DeborahAnne MacGillivray
Posted August 16, 2004

Summary

After years of making every possible wrong choice, Danielle Stone is taking control of her life. And choosing a new lover is the perfect way to start—especially when that lover looks like gorgeous Nick Vaux. Tall, dark and oh-so-sexy, Nick has a way of seeing into her very soul. The connection between them is so strong, Danielle would swear they've been lovers before.

And they have...

Nicholai Vaux has been waiting a century to have Danielle in his arms again. In another lifetime, he and Danielle were husband and wife, sharing a love beyond measure—and it seems, beyond time. Now Nick is desperate to reunite with the woman he knows is his true soul mate. But first he has to convince Danielle—before the past catches up with both of them....