The Oldest Kind of Magic

Magic #1

by Ann Macela

Daria Morgan is a magic practitioner, one of a group of people who uses magic and spells to do their everyday jobs. Her job: A management consultant. John "Bent" Benthausen is a CEO who, despite every improvement in product and production, can't get his bottom line out of the Red Sea. He needs a management consultant. With her special gifts, Daria gets right to the heart of her employer's problem ? crooked employees. Crooked, vicious, employees who are now out to get Daria. Those are just problems one and two. Problem three: There is an ancient force, an irresistible compulsion, called the soul-mate imperative. It's known throughout the practitioner ranks for bringing together magic-users and their mates in a lifelong bond. And it won't be happy until the participants surrender to the inevitable the oldest kind of magic.

Genres: Romance, Paranormal, Paranormal Romance, Magic, Fantasy, Erotica

379 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published October 1, 2005

About the author

I have been blessed with a number of careers: public school and university teacher (three degrees in history); writer of history (the kind bristling with footnotes); sales, marketing and PR person writing everything from ads to annual reports; consultant and computer manual writer; and now romance author. A native Texan, I spent most of my life on the Gulf Coast until my husband’s and my business took us first to Minneapolis and then to the Chicago area. It didn’t take me long to learn how to survive in The Frozen North--just wear my entire wardrobe at one time. All of this, some travels here and abroad, and my computer-and-accounting savvy husband have given me inspiration and details for my stories.

In Chicagoland, I finally had the time to do what I have always wanted to: write fiction. I write both contemporary and contemporary paranormal stories. I hope my readers enjoy my magic practitioners. We all need a little magic in our lives.

Source: http://www.annmacela.com/bio.htm

Reviews

[Sobia Makhdoom · Rating 5 out of 5]

Romance writers often have a tendency of becoming vulgar when describing intimacy, I was impressed how Macela was able to keep it 'Classy' still. I also loved the idea of finding exactly the right person and realizing he is the one. It was a classic supernatural romance.

[Paranormal Romance · Rating 1 out of 5]

This is yet another shit show of a book. I suppose the chances are all that good of a high review when I know the book is going to be horrible before I even start it. But, this book has been sitting in my to-read pile for a while now and for some reason I spent money on it so I figured I'd better get it over with. Not a good start when I begin the book with that attitude but it was how I felt. And, behold...I was right. A practicing witch who's powers are only applicable to herself is told by her Mother that when she finds her soulmate, her powers will increase and she'll know a love beyond any comprehension. At first the heroine laughs it off, not willing to surrender the control needed to give that much power to a man-any man. As virgin, she doesn't have much experiences with men. Than she meets the hero. A CEO flown down from Chicago to investigate corruption in a branch of his company, he hears about the heroine through his coworker and offers her a job. Of course the fact that she's just so damn pretty is a plus but she is also rumored to be a wizard when it comes to what she does. But she's skittish and brushes off his advances at first. But the hero is nothing if not persist and eventually he charms his way into dinner. The heroine is stunned by the knowledge that not only is the whole soulmate deal real, but it would seem her soulmate is a non practicer meaning he doesn't have any magic. And to top it all off, her association with him and his company has caused her to receive threats. So that was basically it. Yeah, real nail biter. There's some conflict with the heroine first having to explain to her boyfriend that she's a witch. And later that they are soulmates. But neither were a problem when the hero found out. He took it in stride and with a boring anticlimactic manner that was the backbone of this dull and lifeless book. Everything about it irked me. The contemporary setting where nothing ever happened but dinner and movies. The fact that the heroine called her parents Mother and Daddy. Or the fact that the paranormal aspect of the book has little to no actual impact on the storyline. Safe to say I will not be reading any further books by this author. It's bad enough that I now have 2 of these stinkers in my library.

[Barbara ★ · Rating 1 out of 5]

I had a very difficult time with this book. The premise sounds interesting but the choppy writing style ruined it. Everything seemed stilted: the personalities, the conversations, the world setup...just bleh.

TSTL heroine Daria Morgan is a whiny witch (no she really is a witch). "Poor me, I'm a virgin at 30 and do NOT want a soulmate. I refuse to give into fate. What about my free will." blah blah blah. What's that saying about protesting too much. ugh! I don't know WTH is wrong with Daria but if I meet a guy who gives me a feeling I've never felt before from a single touch, I'm gonna want to get closer to him and find out what he has that no one else does. How do you get to be 30 and have no idea how to act around a man? Geez, she must have been living in a cave. The whole thing is just not believable and her poor me schtick is rather annoying. I kept thinking "Pa-lease, get over yourself already!"

I gave up on page 64. I just couldn't take it any monger. What utter crap!

ETA: I had nothing else to read today so I was forced to pick this up again in desperation...I should have sat there and stared at the wall instead. Ugh what a waste of a few hours though if you can get past the first 100 pages or so, it does get a little better once the H/H has something other than their non-relationship to deal with. Sadly, I once again gave up on this book (and all sequels) around page 200. I just couldn't stomach anymore of this pap.

[Bitten_by_Books · Rating 4 out of 5]

Daria is a management consultant who uses her talents to help companies find dishonest employees. Bent goes into recently purchased companies and turns them around for his employer to be profitable. He is currently the CEO of a company in Houston and can not discover why, no matter what changes they make, the company is not showing any improvement in its financials...

For the entire review please go to the Best Paranormal & Urban Fantasy Review site on the web, Bitten By Books for the review of The Oldest Kind Of Magic in it's entirety. You won't be sorry.

[Magiccats · Rating 2 out of 5]

Started out enjoyable, but so many romance scenes that I am finding myself skipping through them trying to get back to the solving of the mystery parts. Not enough magic - too much romance. Don't know if I will finish it.

Started and finished another book and am starting a second one today. May try to end Macela's this weekend, just to clear it. Hate leaving 3/4 read books without finishing them.

Gave up.

[Cindy06232001 · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you love witches and love soulmates, this is a book you're going to love to read. This book is the type of book you just want to curl up with on a rainy day because you will feel so good after you've read The Oldest Kind of Magic. So put this book on your Must Read List and don't forget to put the rest of the series on your must read list because they are all great reads.

[James · Rating 3 out of 5]

There was a whole lot of romance and not much paranormal. It was not a bad book, but I hope the next one is better. The story is about the Glennel company, yet even after finishing the book I still don't know what the company was supposed to produce. I couldn't tell you if they make car parts or televisions. Many important story points are just left out.

[Diane · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am normally a super-skimmer and can read books very fast- just searching for the action parts. This book was written so well that I had to slow down and savor each line. It was very good and I will search out her other books to read.

[Chris · Rating 4 out of 5]

Like the use of Romance and Fantasy and magic!

[Slynne · Rating 2 out of 5]

The concept was much better than the execution. I will try the next book in the series to see if the writing gets better because I really did like the premise.

[Jessica · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a really good magic-is-among-us book and a sweet romance. The writing needs a bit of work, but I can tell you that the author gets better as she writes more.

[Karen Desmond · Rating 4 out of 5]

4

[Virginia · Rating 4 out of 5]

Please stop by bittenbybooks.com for a review of this book