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Spellbound Falls #2
Charmed by His Love
New York Times bestselling author Janet Chapman takes you back to the magical town of Spellbound Falls, where Duncan MacKeage is about to uncover great love with hidden dangers…
All Duncan MacKeage wants is to keep his crew building roads and bridges up the mountain to the fancy resort overlooking Spellbound Falls’ new inland sea. He doesn’t want anything to do with his own family magic or with the beautiful widow, Peg Thompson, and her tribe of little heathens. But when Duncan is tasked with keeping an eye on the widow Thompson, trouble starts.
Because of a family curse, Peg fears that giving in to her desires will mean killing off another lover. But Duncan—the strong, handsome man buying her gravel—is unbelievably tempting and determined to take care of her. Torn between her head and her heart, will Peg find the strength to break free of her black-widow curse? Or will pursuing their attraction put these lovers in harm’s way?
All Duncan MacKeage wants is to keep his crew building roads and bridges up the mountain to the fancy resort overlooking Spellbound Falls’ new inland sea. He doesn’t want anything to do with his own family magic or with the beautiful widow, Peg Thompson, and her tribe of little heathens. But when Duncan is tasked with keeping an eye on the widow Thompson, trouble starts.
Because of a family curse, Peg fears that giving in to her desires will mean killing off another lover. But Duncan—the strong, handsome man buying her gravel—is unbelievably tempting and determined to take care of her. Torn between her head and her heart, will Peg find the strength to break free of her black-widow curse? Or will pursuing their attraction put these lovers in harm’s way?
296 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published January 1, 2012
233 people are currently reading
1050 people want to read
About the author
Janet Chapman
28 books1,114 followersJanuary 22, 1956 – October 28, 2017
Hey guys its Jessica. Sorry I’ve been MIA for so long. I apologize for the long overdue wait for Janet’s next book. You’ve all been very patient and loyal fans that she loves. She has been working on this book over the last year and a half while dealing with her battle with cancer. It saddens me to say that she peacefully lost this battle this past weekend while her family was by her side. I apologize if this feels sudden, she was a very private person even to her family. And she truly thought of all of you as her family. Thank you for your patience and understanding.
Librarian Note: There is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name.
Janet Chapman is the author of twenty-two contemporary and magical romance novels, all of which are set in her beautiful state of Maine. She lives in a cozy log home on a beautiful lake with her husband, surrounded by an eclectic assortment of wildlife that she finds both entertaining and inspiring. Probably best known for her Highlander Series (a saga of twelfth century warriors rebuilding their clans in modern-day Maine that now spans three generations), Janet also has two spin-off magical series (Midnight Bay & Spellbound Falls) and several contemporary family series set on the coast and in the mountains. With over three million books printed in six languages, her stories regularly appear on the New York Times and USA Today bestseller’s lists.
When she’s not writing (well, when she should to be writing but isn’t), Janet and her husband are traveling the state in their camper throughout all four seasons; hunting, fishing, snowmobiling, and generally rubbing elbows with Mother Nature while always keeping an eye out for colorful new characters—human and beast—to put in her stories.
author's obituary
Hey guys its Jessica. Sorry I’ve been MIA for so long. I apologize for the long overdue wait for Janet’s next book. You’ve all been very patient and loyal fans that she loves. She has been working on this book over the last year and a half while dealing with her battle with cancer. It saddens me to say that she peacefully lost this battle this past weekend while her family was by her side. I apologize if this feels sudden, she was a very private person even to her family. And she truly thought of all of you as her family. Thank you for your patience and understanding.
Librarian Note: There is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name.
Janet Chapman is the author of twenty-two contemporary and magical romance novels, all of which are set in her beautiful state of Maine. She lives in a cozy log home on a beautiful lake with her husband, surrounded by an eclectic assortment of wildlife that she finds both entertaining and inspiring. Probably best known for her Highlander Series (a saga of twelfth century warriors rebuilding their clans in modern-day Maine that now spans three generations), Janet also has two spin-off magical series (Midnight Bay & Spellbound Falls) and several contemporary family series set on the coast and in the mountains. With over three million books printed in six languages, her stories regularly appear on the New York Times and USA Today bestseller’s lists.
When she’s not writing (well, when she should to be writing but isn’t), Janet and her husband are traveling the state in their camper throughout all four seasons; hunting, fishing, snowmobiling, and generally rubbing elbows with Mother Nature while always keeping an eye out for colorful new characters—human and beast—to put in her stories.
author's obituary
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 129 reviews
January 25, 2018
This was just as good, if not better than the first book in the series and I couldn’t have enjoyed it more! The only reason it gets 4 stars instead of 5 is that there’s a couple tiny things that did bother me a bit but to go into detail would spoil the story so I’ll refrain.
I love that these books are so fun and quick to read, the pages really just fly by! And the characters just bring so much to the story and it was really interesting to get to know minor characters from the first book more. I thought the addition of an extra magical element was quite interesting as well, it added a whole different aspect to the story.
I love that these books are so fun and quick to read, the pages really just fly by! And the characters just bring so much to the story and it was really interesting to get to know minor characters from the first book more. I thought the addition of an extra magical element was quite interesting as well, it added a whole different aspect to the story.
August 30, 2019
Charmed by His Love - Janet Chapman
This book may be read as a stand-alone, but I really do advise that for your own enjoyment read Spellbound Falls (A Spellbound Falls Romance), it will explain a few things that happen in this book.
Ms Chapman is one of the few authors I can really rely on. I find this amazing as she has more than 17 books in print and I’ve read them all! I have never thought of any of her books as less than 4 stars and almost all of her books are 5 stars in my mind.
They always contain just the right amount of conflict, mystery and passion to make for a lovely read. The fact that I’m still reading AND enjoying these books after all these years is a testament to how much I enjoy the charm these books have. With a touch of the mystical in nearly every book (if not down-right magic!) these books will appeal to a wide audience.
We had met the young widow Peg in the last Spellbound Falls book called, well “ Spellbound Falls (A Spellbound Falls Romance)” We know that she has 4 children and now we know that she seems to be cursed. A curse that appears to kill off the women’s husband’s and perhaps even lovers. But meeting Duncan MacKeage will shake her
to her very core. From the violent and very funny first meeting right up to the prologue you will love this large gruff charming Scot ads he takes Pegs heart and makes it whole again.
This book was quite exciting and combines magic with the real-life, mystery with romance and suspense with humor.
Ms. Chapman loves to weave into most of her books, a bit of realism. It may be the plight of sea creatures in one book, the next book may take joblessness into consideration, and then some will take conservation of land and weave it into the plot. Never preachy is our Ms. Chapman, but you always come away from one of her books thinking about deeper issues as well as happy from her happily- ever -after's!
This book may be read as a stand-alone, but I really do advise that for your own enjoyment read Spellbound Falls (A Spellbound Falls Romance), it will explain a few things that happen in this book.
Ms Chapman is one of the few authors I can really rely on. I find this amazing as she has more than 17 books in print and I’ve read them all! I have never thought of any of her books as less than 4 stars and almost all of her books are 5 stars in my mind.
They always contain just the right amount of conflict, mystery and passion to make for a lovely read. The fact that I’m still reading AND enjoying these books after all these years is a testament to how much I enjoy the charm these books have. With a touch of the mystical in nearly every book (if not down-right magic!) these books will appeal to a wide audience.
We had met the young widow Peg in the last Spellbound Falls book called, well “ Spellbound Falls (A Spellbound Falls Romance)” We know that she has 4 children and now we know that she seems to be cursed. A curse that appears to kill off the women’s husband’s and perhaps even lovers. But meeting Duncan MacKeage will shake her
to her very core. From the violent and very funny first meeting right up to the prologue you will love this large gruff charming Scot ads he takes Pegs heart and makes it whole again.
This book was quite exciting and combines magic with the real-life, mystery with romance and suspense with humor.
Ms. Chapman loves to weave into most of her books, a bit of realism. It may be the plight of sea creatures in one book, the next book may take joblessness into consideration, and then some will take conservation of land and weave it into the plot. Never preachy is our Ms. Chapman, but you always come away from one of her books thinking about deeper issues as well as happy from her happily- ever -after's!
November 3, 2012
(Nov) I wanted to like this book - I think I've read pretty much every book JC has written (and I think I like her non magic books better - but she left them behind a while ago I guess). But this really fell flat for me. Duncan was a great hero - gruff, hot, sexy, etc. Peg on the other hand - blah. She was a bit fanatical about "protecting" her "babies" - and it came off as obnoxious. She was also a bit too proud "I am woman hear me roar." Her 8 year old spoke like a 12 year old. She is on food stamps and cuts coupons but her mom and aunt (both widows) live near by - why can't they help her w/child care - or just live w/her and help out financially? She met her husband in high school - but he died at 30, 3 years ago. She is now 28 (the way she spoke and acted, thought she was in her mid 30s at least), so she was 25 when he died - which makes him 5 years older than her - what kind of high school is that?! Biggest complaint? Every character - but mostly Peg - "growls" every spoken word (while growling can be sexy, personally I've never heard anyone speak in a way that I think "wow, they are growling"). Seriously, I'll pay someone $1 to go through this book and tell me how many times the word growl(ed) appears? Second to growl is scowl. Sounds like a bunch of angry dogs! Can't believe an editor didn't correct this, as it drove me crazy!
July 9, 2012
I rarely have time these days to write a review that will do a novel I loved this much justice....but here goes my unedited, off the top of my head, on the fly; review of my thoughts.
A mysterious, newly introduced hero. A young, fiercely protective; widowed mother of four. The combined magic of Pine Creek, Midnight Bay, and Spellbound Falls Maine. The return of several beloved previous characters...all together in one novel--makes Charmed by his Love, one of the best this author has written.
Janet Chapman's pen (or keyboard) must be on fire. The latest three release's can only be described as superb, and based upon the excerpt I read on the upcoming September installment; Courting Carolina....this streak is likely to continue. I have been a fan of this author for many many years, and although I love the early work--Michael MacBain (hero of book 3) being my long standing favorite male of this series--it seems Chapman only gets better with time. If I could talk to my beloved "father" Dar at this very moment...I would emphatically assure him that he most certainly did not make a mistake all those years ago, when he sent Greylen MacKeage forward in time...along with a few stowaways. ;-)
There is not any ONE reason Ms. Chapman's work speaks so profoundly to me, but a mixture of many. This author walks that precarious line between fantasy, and contemporary literature with a beautiful, formulatic blend that is sure to please all types of readers. I do not typically tend to enjoy children characters mixed within my romances, yet this author is unrivaled in her ability to create vibrant, realistic, wonderful children--which tend to grow up into vibrant, realistic, wonderful hero's and heroine's; of their own journey--later in the storyarc.
What enamores me so much to this world Janet Chapman has created amongst our own, would actually be quite surprising to any who know me. This fantasy lover...immensely enjoys the REALNESS of these books. The relationships, and yes, the intimate scenes contained within these novels themselves. It is no secret how unrealistic the steamy sex scenes in romances can be, when compared to our own intimate experiences, however, this is not the case with this author. The experience is 100% relatable, and authentic. Here is a novelist who is unafraid to breathe real life into her sex scenes, as well as showcasing flawed characters, who must earn the love of their destined mate.
Perhaps I am failing in my attempt to convey what I mean...so please do not misunderstand me. Take the serious trials, and tribulations of any couple you could find in reality...sprinkle in an ancient bloodline of Alpha Highlander warriors; forced to blend in with modern society--as well as a few other "special" males...and I promise there is no lack of the urge to fan yourself occasionally. I mean only to state that it is so refreshing to read a magical tale rubbing elbows with content that consists of what normal people, with real life relationships participate in.
Not only does this latest installment hold the heartpounding action, laughing out loud humor, and fast pace plotline fans expect of a Janet Chapman novel....but Duncan MacKeage is literally the fictional equivolent of my very own living, breathing husband. His never give up, never say die work ethic. The old world chivalry, amd mannerisms, the gruff exterior hiding the heart of pure gold--is so simliar to what I experience in my own marriage everyday...it is SCARY.
I could not have enjoyed this book more, and have but one complaint. 299 pages to tell a story of this caliber, was not nearly long enough. Bravo Ms. Chapman, and I anxiously look forward to the next installment of the Spell Bound falls trilogy, and pray that it will not be the last novel located within this majestic locale.
review also available at www.thereadingcafe.com
A mysterious, newly introduced hero. A young, fiercely protective; widowed mother of four. The combined magic of Pine Creek, Midnight Bay, and Spellbound Falls Maine. The return of several beloved previous characters...all together in one novel--makes Charmed by his Love, one of the best this author has written.
Janet Chapman's pen (or keyboard) must be on fire. The latest three release's can only be described as superb, and based upon the excerpt I read on the upcoming September installment; Courting Carolina....this streak is likely to continue. I have been a fan of this author for many many years, and although I love the early work--Michael MacBain (hero of book 3) being my long standing favorite male of this series--it seems Chapman only gets better with time. If I could talk to my beloved "father" Dar at this very moment...I would emphatically assure him that he most certainly did not make a mistake all those years ago, when he sent Greylen MacKeage forward in time...along with a few stowaways. ;-)
There is not any ONE reason Ms. Chapman's work speaks so profoundly to me, but a mixture of many. This author walks that precarious line between fantasy, and contemporary literature with a beautiful, formulatic blend that is sure to please all types of readers. I do not typically tend to enjoy children characters mixed within my romances, yet this author is unrivaled in her ability to create vibrant, realistic, wonderful children--which tend to grow up into vibrant, realistic, wonderful hero's and heroine's; of their own journey--later in the storyarc.
What enamores me so much to this world Janet Chapman has created amongst our own, would actually be quite surprising to any who know me. This fantasy lover...immensely enjoys the REALNESS of these books. The relationships, and yes, the intimate scenes contained within these novels themselves. It is no secret how unrealistic the steamy sex scenes in romances can be, when compared to our own intimate experiences, however, this is not the case with this author. The experience is 100% relatable, and authentic. Here is a novelist who is unafraid to breathe real life into her sex scenes, as well as showcasing flawed characters, who must earn the love of their destined mate.
Perhaps I am failing in my attempt to convey what I mean...so please do not misunderstand me. Take the serious trials, and tribulations of any couple you could find in reality...sprinkle in an ancient bloodline of Alpha Highlander warriors; forced to blend in with modern society--as well as a few other "special" males...and I promise there is no lack of the urge to fan yourself occasionally. I mean only to state that it is so refreshing to read a magical tale rubbing elbows with content that consists of what normal people, with real life relationships participate in.
Not only does this latest installment hold the heartpounding action, laughing out loud humor, and fast pace plotline fans expect of a Janet Chapman novel....but Duncan MacKeage is literally the fictional equivolent of my very own living, breathing husband. His never give up, never say die work ethic. The old world chivalry, amd mannerisms, the gruff exterior hiding the heart of pure gold--is so simliar to what I experience in my own marriage everyday...it is SCARY.
I could not have enjoyed this book more, and have but one complaint. 299 pages to tell a story of this caliber, was not nearly long enough. Bravo Ms. Chapman, and I anxiously look forward to the next installment of the Spell Bound falls trilogy, and pray that it will not be the last novel located within this majestic locale.
review also available at www.thereadingcafe.com
June 11, 2012
Fantastic book. Peg is barely making ends meet while trying to support her 4 kids. Mac sends Duncan to Peg to buy gravel from her for the road he is building to the site of the new resort. After a less than stellar first meeting, Peg and Duncan come to an agreement. Duncan doesn't understand why he is attracted to Peg, but he is. Peg is attracted to him also, but refuses to do anything about it. She feels that getting involved with him would cause his death because of a curse the women in her family are under. Duncan is asked to keep an eye on Peg and her family while Mac and Olivia are away, and that is when things really start to happen. Things start happening on her property that put her and the children in danger. Duncan also finds out that whether he wants it or not, his family's magical legacy has come to him and he must embrace it to save Peg. I loved both Peg and Duncan. Peg is determined to stand on her own and doesn't want to risk depending on a man. But she finds it very easy to depend on Duncan, who doesn't take no for an answer. Duncan is a typical man of his family. He is very protective of women and children, and has no trouble simply taking action. I loved watching him try to deal with Peg, who he called "contrary", since she usually did the opposite of what he felt she should do. I also loved the way he interacted with Peg's children, and loved the children themselves. Thanks to his large family, he is experienced with kids and it's obvious he quickly comes to care for them. I loved the section when Duncan took Peg up the mountain with him to claim his magic. Just like with Olivia, I thought Peg took the idea pretty well. I really loved the last part, when Peg was kidnapped and Duncan came to her rescue. There were some really great moments there that showed her strength and the love and confidence she had in Duncan. Lots of laugh out loud moments.
June 12, 2012
I absolutly love Janet Chapman. I waited to start reading this novel because I hate not having a new Janet Chapman novel to be able to be pick up next.
Sweet story about a single mom who thinks she's cursed, and a strong alpha male type who wants to be the man to break that curse all in a small town in Maine.
Bonus we get up dates on some of our favorite characters from other novels
Loving the Highlander: Callum and his wife are in their 80's still kicking it. We meet the Young Ian's Brother Alec who will be the hero of the next spellbound falls.
Midnight Bay Series: The characters come to a wedding.
Also Robbie Macbaine makes an appearance.
Spellbound Falls: Olivia and Mac get married and then go on a two month road trip cross country.
Sweet story about a single mom who thinks she's cursed, and a strong alpha male type who wants to be the man to break that curse all in a small town in Maine.
Bonus we get up dates on some of our favorite characters from other novels
Loving the Highlander: Callum and his wife are in their 80's still kicking it. We meet the Young Ian's Brother Alec who will be the hero of the next spellbound falls.
Midnight Bay Series: The characters come to a wedding.
Also Robbie Macbaine makes an appearance.
Spellbound Falls: Olivia and Mac get married and then go on a two month road trip cross country.
August 12, 2012
After all the excitement I felt when I got a hold of my copy, I was so disappointed with this tale overall. I liked Duncan, hunky and strong, old-fashioned in a he-man sort of way; I liked Peg (although that whole family curse business was really lame), and I even liked her little heathens even though her four-year-old twins were too verbose to be real, but I went along with it; and I liked all the heart-throbbing, intense members of this magical clan. I even liked the dog! BUT the romance between Duncan and Peg took way too long to build and fell flat for me. And what's up with Duncan's magic? I finally got to see some of it, but for all his life he believed he'd been passed over in the magical abilities department, and then all of a sudden he can tap into it and then master it without any deep explanations? Even the plot ambled along at a snail's pace. There were a few romantic and exciting scene highlights toward the end (Peg's saboteurs) that spruced things up a bit, but they weren't enough for me to set this story even near the top of the bunch. Despite my disappointment, I'm eager to read the next in the series because I do like the family and the magic. In contrast to the other reviewers, I give this story only three stars. I just wasn't all that impressed.
June 3, 2020
So it's been awhile since I read this book, and while I still liked very much I found there were a few things that bugged me. Not sure if as I'm getting older I'm getting even pickier or what, but I found myself shaking my head a few times as I was reading. First, I understand about being proud but God, she took it to the extreme and got kinda old. There's nothing weak or wrong in accepting help when it's needed but she continuously resisted even asking for it.
Also, if she met her husband in high school and they married after graduation and he died on his thirtieth birthday, how can she be 28? He died three years earlier, which means she should at least be 32, as it is, she's five years younger than him. So how were they in high school together?
Lastly, there was quite a bit of repetition. I get inside jokes and cute nicknames being repeated, but when it's internal musing using just about identical words, well it gets kinda annoying.
But they're nitpicking things, the book was still very enjoyable. The kids were so cute and Duncan was what a hero should be. Peg, despite her somewhat annoying tendencies, was a strong h and protective mother.
Also, if she met her husband in high school and they married after graduation and he died on his thirtieth birthday, how can she be 28? He died three years earlier, which means she should at least be 32, as it is, she's five years younger than him. So how were they in high school together?
Lastly, there was quite a bit of repetition. I get inside jokes and cute nicknames being repeated, but when it's internal musing using just about identical words, well it gets kinda annoying.
But they're nitpicking things, the book was still very enjoyable. The kids were so cute and Duncan was what a hero should be. Peg, despite her somewhat annoying tendencies, was a strong h and protective mother.
January 4, 2013
I'm reading these reviews and trying to figure out if I read the same book???
The heroine would have been called abusive and hot-headed if she was a man.
The hero would have been called stupid and delusional to put up with her and imagining the good qualities that MUST be there even though he doesn't get to see them.
I wrote a whole thing about the minivan and money and the house and pride and how anyone could love someone who is so mean and standoffish without seeing something positive.
Instead, I'm just going to leave it at that. I love Janet Chapman and I hope her next book wins me back over.
Also, as for the writing: It didn't feel like her. I would NOT (as so many people said they would) read this as a standalone. There are a lot of assumptions of knowledge in the book. Also, there's a lot of jagged jumping of scenes, days and thought where I often stopped myself to see if I'd started skimming and lost a thread... but no. It typically was just a jagged edge.
Try one of her earlier books if you haven't read Chapman before. There's a lot of others to love.
The heroine would have been called abusive and hot-headed if she was a man.
The hero would have been called stupid and delusional to put up with her and imagining the good qualities that MUST be there even though he doesn't get to see them.
I wrote a whole thing about the minivan and money and the house and pride and how anyone could love someone who is so mean and standoffish without seeing something positive.
Instead, I'm just going to leave it at that. I love Janet Chapman and I hope her next book wins me back over.
Also, as for the writing: It didn't feel like her. I would NOT (as so many people said they would) read this as a standalone. There are a lot of assumptions of knowledge in the book. Also, there's a lot of jagged jumping of scenes, days and thought where I often stopped myself to see if I'd started skimming and lost a thread... but no. It typically was just a jagged edge.
Try one of her earlier books if you haven't read Chapman before. There's a lot of others to love.
May 24, 2017
Janet Chapman is one of my favorite romance authors. She hits the mark every time with her hunky, sexy heroes and gutsy sexy heroines. A five star read every time.
April 7, 2023
Y'all. I had such high hopes for this series. The first one was good enough that I immediately borrowed and downloaded the second ebook. But holy fuck is this one just filled with men who don't know the meaning of the word NO (worse than Max ever was), essentially sexual assault (when someone says NO or STOP and you kiss them, that's BAD), and at one point Duncan straight up KIDNAPS PEGGY because he can't take five minutes to explain. And then after a couple of pages of being upset about it she just kinda goes with it, even though in the morning she clearly still doesn't believe about the time-stop. And what is it with the men "marrying" the women without actually telling them that's what is happening? That's not cute, it's not romantic, and it's not funny.
On a more personal note, the author has a letter/newsletter at the back of the book regarding her personal life. She starts it by talking about how all the animals around her home are having sex (gross) and then she basically makes fun of people who wrinkle their nose at her when she says she's a romance author. And I get it, it's so commonplace to her that she probably doesn't think about how some people don't like hearing about it, etc... but then she goes on to say "Have you ever heard of a romance without sex???" (paraphrased because I have already returned the book and refuse to redownload) and as someone who is on the ASEXUAL spectrum, YEAH I FUCKING HAVE. I had already hit a point where I was skimming the book with the intention of getting the third one but when I read that and weighed it against the small amount of enjoyment the books gave me, I decided NOPE I'm not going to support an author who so casually says that the way she knows and does things is obviously the only way and people should just be ok with it. That's not how life works, lady. Maybe expand your worldview a little before making such broad statements.
On a more personal note, the author has a letter/newsletter at the back of the book regarding her personal life. She starts it by talking about how all the animals around her home are having sex (gross) and then she basically makes fun of people who wrinkle their nose at her when she says she's a romance author. And I get it, it's so commonplace to her that she probably doesn't think about how some people don't like hearing about it, etc... but then she goes on to say "Have you ever heard of a romance without sex???" (paraphrased because I have already returned the book and refuse to redownload) and as someone who is on the ASEXUAL spectrum, YEAH I FUCKING HAVE. I had already hit a point where I was skimming the book with the intention of getting the third one but when I read that and weighed it against the small amount of enjoyment the books gave me, I decided NOPE I'm not going to support an author who so casually says that the way she knows and does things is obviously the only way and people should just be ok with it. That's not how life works, lady. Maybe expand your worldview a little before making such broad statements.
July 6, 2019
Charmed by His Love (2012) by Janet Chapman
.
This is book 2 of the Spellbound Series. There are 6 books in the series at this time, although “the 7th would have been “Call It Magic” (in July 2017) if Janet hadn’t died. As of now it is not published but last I heard it was slated to come out in May of 2020. We will see. This series and the previous 2 series of books are all very closely tied together and really should all (or most) be read in order if possible.
.
As I found in the previous book of this series I seem to be focused, at the moment, a lot on seeing the little truths sprinkled and woven into the fiction of the book. And while I did enjoy this book I did not like it as much as the previous one.
.
One of the philosophies I did pick up on, briefly, was in a very short conversation between the heroines of this book and the previous book. They were talking about raising children and how men and women see the same things but each has a different perspective on the issue. The point was made that children, ideally, need to have both perspectives.
.
As you should already know magic is a part of this book, and series. So this statement was made for everyone to ponder: “…to magically clear the obstacles in her path would in essence be robbing your friend of her free will. It’s the trials and tribulations people overcome and how they deal with the ones they can’t that define a person.” Whether magic is real or not this is still something to think about.
.
This is book 2 of the Spellbound Series. There are 6 books in the series at this time, although “the 7th would have been “Call It Magic” (in July 2017) if Janet hadn’t died. As of now it is not published but last I heard it was slated to come out in May of 2020. We will see. This series and the previous 2 series of books are all very closely tied together and really should all (or most) be read in order if possible.
.
As I found in the previous book of this series I seem to be focused, at the moment, a lot on seeing the little truths sprinkled and woven into the fiction of the book. And while I did enjoy this book I did not like it as much as the previous one.
.
One of the philosophies I did pick up on, briefly, was in a very short conversation between the heroines of this book and the previous book. They were talking about raising children and how men and women see the same things but each has a different perspective on the issue. The point was made that children, ideally, need to have both perspectives.
.
As you should already know magic is a part of this book, and series. So this statement was made for everyone to ponder: “…to magically clear the obstacles in her path would in essence be robbing your friend of her free will. It’s the trials and tribulations people overcome and how they deal with the ones they can’t that define a person.” Whether magic is real or not this is still something to think about.
January 18, 2019
Hotness Rating 2 out of 5
I really love the Spellbound Falls series by Janet Chapman. There's just something about her characters, stories and writing style that makes me feel good. They all have a mystical component but not so much that I would call it a supernatural read. It's more of a natural immersion in magic as a way of life.
Peg believes she is cursed in the ways of love and nothing anyone says to her can convince her otherwise. She's a self-sufficient, strong woman that can pretty much do it all, so she doesn't let giving up on love upset her life too much. That is until meeting Duncan.
Duncan is such a fun character. I loved how much he loved Peg's children as if they were his own. He was old fashioned and chivalrous but in a way that made him endearing and sweet not sexist.
I will definitely read on in this series. I can't wait to see what's next.
I really love the Spellbound Falls series by Janet Chapman. There's just something about her characters, stories and writing style that makes me feel good. They all have a mystical component but not so much that I would call it a supernatural read. It's more of a natural immersion in magic as a way of life.
Peg believes she is cursed in the ways of love and nothing anyone says to her can convince her otherwise. She's a self-sufficient, strong woman that can pretty much do it all, so she doesn't let giving up on love upset her life too much. That is until meeting Duncan.
Duncan is such a fun character. I loved how much he loved Peg's children as if they were his own. He was old fashioned and chivalrous but in a way that made him endearing and sweet not sexist.
I will definitely read on in this series. I can't wait to see what's next.
August 10, 2023
Okay - there was all too much "growling" by humans in this book. Peg growled - all of the time and virtually at everyone. Duncan growls - mostly at Peg. Now I know why usually characters just say things - the continuous growling was weird.
Peg is a single mother of four children, including a pair of four-year-old twin boys, who are both curious and adventurous. The town where she lives, Spellbound Falls, has recently undergone a magical earthquake which changed the topography and what was once a lake is now a deep ocean inlet. Dun has been hired by the wizard who caused this to build a road, which requires gravel - which luckily, Peg owns a gravel pit. From the moment Duncan meets Peg, he realizes she is meant to be his - and there is a whole lot of growling and contrariness and magic that occurs before she realizes it too.
Peg is a single mother of four children, including a pair of four-year-old twin boys, who are both curious and adventurous. The town where she lives, Spellbound Falls, has recently undergone a magical earthquake which changed the topography and what was once a lake is now a deep ocean inlet. Dun has been hired by the wizard who caused this to build a road, which requires gravel - which luckily, Peg owns a gravel pit. From the moment Duncan meets Peg, he realizes she is meant to be his - and there is a whole lot of growling and contrariness and magic that occurs before she realizes it too.
May 31, 2020
I never thought I would enjoy a story about wizards and magic but these first two stories of Spellbound Falls have been very entertaining. When you try to match magic with a stubborn widow with four heathens you get a very complicated love story. Peg lost her husband to an accident three years ago and swore she would never marry again. She was trying very hard to keep food on the table for her family when Duncan MacKeage offered her a deal for her gravel pit for a road he was building up the mountain to the resort that Mac was going to build. While trying to help Peg, he fell hard for her two daughters and two little twin boys she was left alone with. This is a heartwarming story about magic and Duncan’s mountain.
February 26, 2024
It was a fun, cute, magical little read.
Just wasn’t my particular taste as far as how traditional the gender stereotypes and roles were defined. The book is written so well, and I loved the sprinkle of spice, but it also seemed to lack a bit of cohesiveness. Characters would be introduced with not much context, and events would occur of the same nature. As the reader, I was left wondering, “who is this and why is this happening?” (Just for it to end just as abruptly.) Overall, I really enjoyed reading it, though! Loved that the main character was a fiesty single mom of four! There’s not a lot of content out there with grown, experienced women being the source of desire. It was a pleasure to read.
Just wasn’t my particular taste as far as how traditional the gender stereotypes and roles were defined. The book is written so well, and I loved the sprinkle of spice, but it also seemed to lack a bit of cohesiveness. Characters would be introduced with not much context, and events would occur of the same nature. As the reader, I was left wondering, “who is this and why is this happening?” (Just for it to end just as abruptly.) Overall, I really enjoyed reading it, though! Loved that the main character was a fiesty single mom of four! There’s not a lot of content out there with grown, experienced women being the source of desire. It was a pleasure to read.
October 22, 2019
I love everything Janet Chapman writes; have all her series; and am reading the Spellbound Falls series for about the fifth or sixth time. These books are timeless! The storylines are just as fresh today as when they were first released. Charmed by his Love is such a beautiful story, with characters you absolutely fall in love with—who wouldn’t absolutely love 4-year-old twin boys nicknamed Pete and Repeat. I laugh, cry, yell at bad characters, and feel the love as it comes off the page. If you haven’t read Janet Chapman yet...grab a book and fall in love with not only the people but the place. ❤️❤️
June 10, 2022
Sacred Mountain
Peg is a lovely and lonely widow with 2 girls and twin boys. She is also Olivia’s BFF and refused to date because the women in her family are cursed. Her dad died when she was five, her stepfather even died early as did her two uncles. She had to stay strong for her kids. Duncan is a veteran with commitment issues and a confirmed bachelor. He comes to Olivia and Mac’s wedding and is attacked by Peg and her tribe. What will become of them as he builds roads and resorts for Oceanus and his new family? A great summer read and it will stand alone even though it is book two in the Spellbound Falls series. If you are out of school for the summer, Buy the Series!
Peg is a lovely and lonely widow with 2 girls and twin boys. She is also Olivia’s BFF and refused to date because the women in her family are cursed. Her dad died when she was five, her stepfather even died early as did her two uncles. She had to stay strong for her kids. Duncan is a veteran with commitment issues and a confirmed bachelor. He comes to Olivia and Mac’s wedding and is attacked by Peg and her tribe. What will become of them as he builds roads and resorts for Oceanus and his new family? A great summer read and it will stand alone even though it is book two in the Spellbound Falls series. If you are out of school for the summer, Buy the Series!
August 22, 2025
Charmed by His Love by Janet Chapman is a charming romance fantasy novel. I loved the characters especially the little group of kids. The girls and boys were funny, charming, and sweet. Their mama is worried about her curse as the black widow and yet the man she has her eyes on his tempting her like never before...Duncan has his own secrets too. He is willing to protect her and the kids with everything he has. I enjoyed the themes of family, parenting, new beginnings, and love. Janet Chapman sure knows how to craft characters that entice readers from the first to last page.
I bought this book from my library's used book sale. This is my voluntary review.
I bought this book from my library's used book sale. This is my voluntary review.
May 20, 2024
There was so much going into this. Firstly, I definitely would have benefitted from having read some of the other books to have a bit more context into the fantasy element. But, aside from that, it did nothing wrong and mostly everything right. There was so much humor, Peg leaned into her mama bear role and it was both heart warming and relatable, Duncan was pretty much perfect and the kids were really adorable and funny.
Would love to reread and tab some of the better lines, because what did Duncan do to deserve all of this, really?
Would love to reread and tab some of the better lines, because what did Duncan do to deserve all of this, really?
October 12, 2021
A fun read that continues Chapman's Highlander series. The cast of characters is somewhat familiar, and, as always, the ending is a foregone conclusion.
I did enjoy the interplay between the children and their mom in this installment and it is a bit of a pity that the plot was so easy to predict. It would also have been more satisfying if the villain's ultimate fate had not been so quickly dealt with.
Overall, a lovely, entertaining read - the rating is 3.5 stars rounded up.
I did enjoy the interplay between the children and their mom in this installment and it is a bit of a pity that the plot was so easy to predict. It would also have been more satisfying if the villain's ultimate fate had not been so quickly dealt with.
Overall, a lovely, entertaining read - the rating is 3.5 stars rounded up.
June 13, 2023
I like the story. Duncan was a bit overbearing. Peg was a bit abrasive. I get how the backstory for each character plays into these characteristics, but it didn’t keep them from detracting a little for me.
I like how the series is unfolding from where the first book left things.
The kids are great, mostly. I love Pete and Jacob. Charlotte is fun. Isabel has yet to grow on me. The obsession with Henry in the first book continues in the second. Other than this Isabel is a rather flat character.
I like how the series is unfolding from where the first book left things.
The kids are great, mostly. I love Pete and Jacob. Charlotte is fun. Isabel has yet to grow on me. The obsession with Henry in the first book continues in the second. Other than this Isabel is a rather flat character.
September 9, 2017
I found this book as funny and exciting as the rest, but again leaving the ending too far up in the air. Because I also live in Maine and am a bit familiar with the rugged coast and the mountain areas, these books hit home for me. I will soon have the entire collection of Janet's books and will enjoy reading each one.
August 20, 2021
Fun love sstory
A nice romantic tale with kids and a dog and wizards and some occasional magic. Just the right amount of sex that doesn't last for pages. My favorite character is 8 year old Charlotte (Charlie) who helps her mom get dressed in the right outfit and is her mom's backup. Cute.
A nice romantic tale with kids and a dog and wizards and some occasional magic. Just the right amount of sex that doesn't last for pages. My favorite character is 8 year old Charlotte (Charlie) who helps her mom get dressed in the right outfit and is her mom's backup. Cute.
May 21, 2018
Spolier _ Pretty good little book
I wish the book had been a little more dramatic. There was virtually no really sense of urgency until about 2/3 of the way through and then it was 1)hook up 2)power found 3)kidnapped 4)all clear. Made it seem hurried at the end.
I wish the book had been a little more dramatic. There was virtually no really sense of urgency until about 2/3 of the way through and then it was 1)hook up 2)power found 3)kidnapped 4)all clear. Made it seem hurried at the end.
May 5, 2017
Awesome read. Love the books she writes.
February 7, 2018
love her stories.. RIP Janet!
October 19, 2018
A very good read.
November 8, 2018
Doing a re-read of several favorites from this series. This one is fun in a slow-burn (over two weeks, lol) kind of way.
Read
July 14, 2020.
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