Rating:
Published: 1989
Illustrator: TBD
Imprint or Line: Harlequin Temptation #283
Published by: Harlequin
Genres: Category Romance, Contemporary Romance
Pages: 229
Format: eBook, Paperback
Buy on: Amazon, AbeBooks
Reviewed by: Introvert Reader
SPOILER FREE REVIEW 😊
The Book
Gina Wilkins‘ Could It Be Magic is a comfy yet romantic read. It’s a sensually-charged Harlequin Temptation from the early 1990s.
The Characters
Gwen DeClerck is a staid, young widow who had been married to a man twice her age.
When Jeremy Kane, a famous magician, moves next door, he turns her stable world upside down with excitement and passion.
The Setup
Gwen De Clerck owns a lovely house she shared with her deceased husband. She’s a little plump and considers herself homely, even though she’s not yet 30.
Suffice it to say that Gwen has a nice, settled existence and enjoys her work as a school teacher.
One day she notices a truck pulling into her next-door neighbor’s driveway and movers bringing in boxes.
And an assortment of strange creatures, including… a monkey?
Gwen instinctively knows her life is going to change. She glimpses long, leggy women entering the house at all hours.
It figures. A playboy has moved next door!
But when she meets her neighbor, he’s unlike any man she’s ever met. Gwen doesn’t know what to think about him.
The Plot
Jeremy Kane is a superstar magician who’s a bit of an introvert despite his showmanship ways. He has tall, lithe redheads as his assistants, a far cry from Gwen’s brunette and curvy cuteness.
But any good magician would tell you the “eye candy” is a mere distraction from the trick. Plus, Jeremy’s not interested in his co-workers. He views them as young sisters.
The handsome showman is instantly smitten with Gwen and declares his intention to make her part of his life.
His pursuit of her takes him to every aspect of her life, from home to work.
There, Jeremy contrives to be Gwen’s winning prize in the “Teacher Must Kiss a Pig Contest.”
To Gwen’s shock, Jeremy shows up in a pig mask to claim his prize. He also performs a dazzling show for Gwen’s eager students.
Jeremy breaks down Gwen’s reserve. Her resolve leaves her, and she enters what she believes will be a brief fling.
Because there couldn’t possibly be anything more for a woman like her and a man like Jeremy?
The title of Could It Be Magic is based on the Barry Manilow song. Gwen hears the tune while driving and gets emotional as she realizes how deep her feelings for Jeremy run.
She wants more than a temporal romance. Is that even possible? It would take the magic of love to make their relationship last forever.
Final Analysis of Could It Be Magic
Jeremy doggedly goes after the woman he desires–as he knows he has a magical connection with her that transcends the material.
Modern-day readers may see his pursuit blur into “stalker-ish,” but it’s written without any nefarious, overly macho intentions.
Gwen’s recalcitrant attitude did get a bit frustrating, but she soon melts for Jeremy, so it’s good.
As I said, Gina Wilkin’s Could It Be Magic is a delightful romance novel worthy of a look.
4 Stars
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| Overall: | 4 |
Synopsis
Schoolteacher Gwen DeClerk was stable and reliable – and furious that those were the qualities her new neighbor, international showman Jeremy Kane, found most attractive. She didn’t want to be admired for her practicality. She wanted to be lusted after…the way she secretly craved Jeremy.
Gwen sensed a smoldering undercurrent between them, and she had a choice: remain a timid schoolmarm for the rest of her life or show Jeremy a side of her he had yet to discover. What could she lose? Miss Prim and Proper was about to become Ms. Hot and Heavy!
COULD IT BE MAGIC by GINA WILKINS