Well, I was one of those people that got onto the Jayne Ann Krentz
bandwagon late in life. I probably discovered her about 1992 or 1993.
She’s always been an automatic read for me and, of course, I thought I
had all her books until I was exposed to Book Store Junkies, where the
world of books is my oyster. To say that I’ve indulged in buying older
books for the past year is putting it mildly. I used to have a
"to-be-read" pile of about 10 books. I think I’m now up to about 250
which is a lot more than I can handle at the moment but yesterday, in
going through some of them, I came across half a dozen JAK’s that I’ve
never read before. Witchcraft is one of them.
Now, I love an alpha male; tall, dark and handsome, arrogant and
authoritative. Works for me and Darius (Dare) Cavenaugh certainly fits
that bill. He owes mystery writer, Kimberly Sawyer, big time. She did,
after all, save the life of his young nephew who was kidnapped on the
way home from school and a large ransom was demanded for his release.
Kim just happened to notice that the summer home next door to her own
was occupied. Unusual, considering the time of year and when she went
to introduce herself, she found the door slammed in her face. She saw
that lonely little boy staring out an upstairs window, the bleak look in
his eye confirming in her own mind that something was definitely not up
to snuff. So, taking the bull by the horns as it were, she made a
daring rescue attempt and brought the little guy back to the arms of his
handsome uncle.
Two months down the road, somebody is sending threats to her. She
doesn’t know who but she’s a little frightened, and Dare’s said anytime
she needs him, just call. That’s exactly what she does, even though she
hangs up before leaving a message, trying to convince herself that she’s
being silly. In a matter of a couple of hours, Dare Cavanaugh lands on
her doorstep, ready to tackle any problem on her behalf.
This is Jayne Ann at her best. But then, I always say that. She’s
woven a highly charged tale of betrayal, love and intrigue into a few
short pages. I was fascinated by this book. It included a little bit
of everything including witchcraft. Even though I managed to figure out
who the betrayer was almost from the beginning, an unusual thing for me,
that didn’t take away from the tale. I’m just getting better at guessing
who the bad guy is.
On top of the mystery of who’s trying to kill her, Kimberly has to try
and figure out what Dare means in her life and whether he’s worth more
to her than her fictitious hero, Josh Valerian. Love that name,
Valerian. Makes me thing of long hours of drugged sleep and being
caught between the sheets.
I’m definitely not sorry that I read this book. What I am sorry about
is that it took me so long to read it. I’ve had it at least a year in
my tbr pile. Jayne Ann’s alpha males are not to be beat so if you have
a chance to find this old Harlequin Temptation, grab it and read it.
You won’t be sorry and it will pass a pleasant Sunday afternoon when all
you want to do is read and relax.
Deborah Barber
The story line of Jayne Krentz's Witchcraft actually begins
two months before the novel's opening page when mystery writer
Kimberly Sawyer saved winemaker Darius Cavanaugh's nephew from
what the boy claimed were witches. Kimberly is dramatically
reminded of that night when she receives a blood red rose
pierced through its heart with a needle. Scared she twice
calls the private number Darius gave her only to hang up. But
what she doesn't realize is the Dare has made the connection
and that that night will bring him to her door.
Everything seems to conspire to bring Kim and Darius together.
Outside forces, the mysterious rose and a knife wielding
figure, pressure Kim to seek sanctuary at the Cavanaugh family
vineyard and their mutual attraction ignites a passionate
affair. But they are distinct individuals. Kim is independent,
caring, decided in her tastes (hot sauce seems to be a staple),
and wary of families and the pressure they can exert. Dare is
strong-willed, committed to his family, and he is determined
to eliminate any threat to Kim's life and their relationship.
This determination to overcome any barriers between them is
what threatens to drive them apart and place Kim in danger.
The main characters in this book exhibit interesting personalities.
Unlike many Krentz heroines, Kim is the loner who needs to
learn that she needs more than her work and that love doesn't
mean total empathy but true understanding. Dare is self-
sufficient but needs Kim to help him control and fulfill his
life; a self-assured man who feels threatened by a fictional
hero.
Supporting characters like Dare's friend Starke and the
menacing but ineffectual witches help carry the story's
suspense and humor. The question of exactly what Dare's
past as an importer involved and the problem of Kim's
estrangement from her grandparents also add to the magic
of Witchcraft. You will enjoy the novel all the way to the
final "modest proposal."
