"Magical sex, a studly professor and mage, and a fastmoving plot"

Simon Parkes is a professor and a Guardian, a mage dedicated to protecting this world, but he bit off more than he could chew when he tried to banish an evil entity all by himself. His mind should have been on solving this problem, but he finds himself distracted by Beth, a charming bookstore employee who is equally attracted to him.

Their first date isn't exactly run-of-the-mill. After a Mexican meal, he introduces her to tantra -- Hindu sexual rituals in which the woman becomes the Goddess to her partner -- and they make love for four hours in a scene which is blazingly hot and reverent at the same time (it's also accurate). Duty forces him to leave her bed to discuss the failed ritual with his mentor, Andrew, who is not pleased with the news, nor the fact that Simon has begun a relationship with a non-Guardian. Things become even more complicated when a homicide detective requests his aid in solving the horrific murders of a pair of college students - - killings that seem to have an occult element (although, as Simon points out, pentacles drawn in lime jello don't provide an magical protection). After a look at photos of the murder site, Simon realizes the pair were trying to summon a demon.

As the body count rises, and his relationship with Beth deepens, Simon suspects that the killings are linked to the elemental he failed to banish. Help arrives in the shape of Lydia, another Guardian and his ex-lover who does her best to resurrect their relationship. Between his desire to keep Beth safe and the need to prevent the elemental from gaining a solid foothold in our world, Simon is torn between duty and love.

Occult thrillers are hard to write well, usually because the author either gets the magic wrong ("It's only fantasy, so who'll care?") or uses it as a throw-away. Dunne portrays tantra and Western occultism accurately and weaves them skillfully into the plot and into the love story. The sex is white-hot and you'll want one of those battery- powered mini-fans to cool off with. While the ending uses the Big Misunderstanding, this time it's logical, rooted in Beth's status as a non-mage, and it makes sense that she makes the error she does. She's a smart, funny, believable woman who copes better than most of us would when she learns that magic is real and her lover is a supernatural protector. Simon has more than a bit in common with Indiana Jones, with Fox Mulder's dry humor and savvy. Smart dialogue and a fast-paced plot reminiscent of Kay Hooper's Shadows series with a touch of Nora Roberts' witch series. I hope there'll be more tales about the Guardians; I'd love to see Lydia, the gorgeous British Guardian, find her happy ending -- and Andrew, Simon's womanizing mentor, needs to meet his match (maybe a talented and gorgeous Wiccan witch?).

Rated R: explicit heterosexual monogamous sex.

Reviewed by Gillian Fitzgerald
Courtesy Sensual Romance
Posted December 3, 2002