Maggie Shayne has certainly written better than this quick read. Don't get me wrong, it's a nice fast paced novel with lots of excitement. However I found the main character a little hard to relate to. There's being Wiccan or an interest in the occults and then there's just plain flaky and I'd have to say Selene Brand falls into the second category. She decides a man she doesn't even know is her soul mate based on signs she receives after a pagan ritual, falls madly in love with him for no o...more Maggie Shayne has certainly written better than this quick read. Don't get me wrong, it's a nice fast paced novel with lots of excitement. However I found the main character a little hard to relate to. There's being Wiccan or an interest in the occults and then there's just plain flaky and I'd have to say Selene Brand falls into the second category. She decides a man she doesn't even know is her soul mate based on signs she receives after a pagan ritual, falls madly in love with him for no other apparent reason other than those signs and takes wacky to a whole new level. In one scene this character decides to literally listen to the earth, as in lie down on the ground and put her ear to it, and of course while she's listening to dirt "talk" the bad guy catches her and takes her hostage. The character does have some redeeming qualities like a strong sense of conviction to her beliefs and an extreme sense of loyalty, but I was disapointed in the book because you usually find so much better with a Maggie Shayne novel. It's an entertaining read, but I think could have been greatly improved with a little more character development and plot depth. Definitely not one of Maggie Shayne's best. ( )

This wasn't bad. I was expecting Serena's story to be a little silly - especially with the blurbs I'd seen, about 'he falls bleeding at her feet and she knows he's her fate...'. But actually, as presented in the story, it does make sense. In fact, she says early on - in the first chapter, I think - something like 'I do believe in this stuff. But when it comes true like this, it still gives me the shivers!' Which is more or less what I would have said (minus the 'I do believe') in the same situation. They were _joking_ (more or less), whoever was listening... Then there comes the real stress of her being revealed as a Witch, and refusing to tell about the others in her coven. And all the various complications. Not to mention his amnesia, which was very nicely handled (especially the surprising facts out of him bits). I think the villains were seriously dumb - I mean, really, going a state away to attack someone in a crowd who might _possibly_ have seen or heard something that might be a threat to them? Even for the stereotypical criminal fretting over everything, that's overkill. The actual original crime was a real surprise to me, and so was the villain. And Casey was unreasonably lucky! But, yeah, an excellent story. I like the All-Girl Brands. ( )