A Man of Character

In the endearing first Magic of Love contemporary romance, a 35-year-old bookstore owner in Charlottesville, Va., discovers that none of the men she has dreamed up is actually the man of her dreams. After six years of being single, Catherine “Cat” Schreiber suddenly finds herself the object of desire. Curiously enough, three of the men wooing Cat have been conjured up from stories she wrote years ago. The fourth is refreshingly real Ben Cooper, the guy from the local café. Cat is an endearing and engaging protagonist, credible in her disbelief about magic, and amiable in her insecurities and indecision about herself and how to manage her suitors. Some point plots are overstated, and clichéd turns of phrases threaten to detract from the narrative, but the story flows relatively smoothly. The magical books, mysterious messages, happily-ever-after endings, dashing modern men, and tastefully sensual sex scenes make for an enticing adventure. (BookLife)