Forbidden Garden

In mystical 19th-century Ireland, widow and exceptional botanical illustrator Anne Sherwood is hired to draw the rare plant species inhabiting the castle grounds of Glendale Hall. Anne, desperate for the chance to finally be recognized as a scholar, keeps secret her extrasensory ability to ""read"" the emotions of plants. But it is her fierce attraction to Michael McEvoy, a piratical naturalist who collects plants for the prized gardens, that tests her reputation even more than her unusual abilities. Soon it is evident that all is not right in the forest. Anne is stalked by a stealthy ivy that appears only at night. She and Michael set out to uncover the sinister origins of the dark forest, all the while resisting the strong desire building between them. Fobes (Heart of the Dove) enhances the tale by weaving Celtic folklore throughout. At times, the heroine's gift of communicating with plant life comes off as silly instead of fascinating. Ultimately, this romance focuses too heavily on the trappings and obvious outcome of the paranormal/mystery plot, rather than on the relationship between its passionate protagonists. (Mar.)