Betraying Season »

MARISSA DOYLE is fascinated by the past and lives in Massachusetts, where she is surrounded by history. Betraying Season is the follow up to her first novel, Bewitching Season. Visit her on the web at www.marissadoyle.com.

Penelope has fallen for a handsome young man. If only he wasn’t up to no good . . .

Children's Literature

This follow-up to Bewitching Season is a charming tale of magic mixed with romance in the tradition of Jane Austen. After her adventures with her twin sister, Penelope Leland goes to Cork, Ireland, to study magic. Staying with her former governess, who is newly married and newly pregnant, Pen is lonely in a new city. She becomes discouraged when her host's male students do not want to study with her. Pen's opinion of Cork improves when she meets Lady Keating, who makes a point of befriending Pen. Through Lady Keating, Pen meets Niall, who immediately charms her; but, he may not be whom he seems to be. Lady Keating has asked Niall to romance Pen, although Niall is not sure why and quickly finds that he enjoys Pen's company regardless of his mother's motivations. This series has an interesting perspective on magic, but does not rely solely on magic to move the plot forward. The characters are engaging, especially Pen and Niall. Pen is a likeable narrator, although somewhat naive. Readers of supernatural romances will enjoy this book and its predecessor immensely. Reviewer: Kristina Cassidy