Again The Magic

This is a beautiful story and should have been the first book of the wallflower series. I experienced tears of sadness and tears of joy while reading this book.....one of my favorite from Lisa Kleypas so far.

“No miles of level desert, no jagged mountain heights, no sea of endless blue,
Neither words nor tears, nor silent fears,
will keep me from coming back to you.”

After listening to The Devil in Winter and becoming hooked on Lisa Kleypas’ writing and Rosalyn Landor’s narration, I vowed to go back and enjoy this series from the beginning starting with the audio edition of Again the Magic, the prequel to the series. Oh my! I loved it! It wrenched my heart, thoroughly wrung it out, and then, thankfully, knit it back together again. Again the Magic is a two-for as it encompasses two captivating romances.

The primary romance is the story of Lady Aline Marsden, a member of the aristocracy, and John McKenna, an orphan and servant on Aline’s father’s estate. They grew up together on the estate becoming first friends, then lovers. However, when her father discovers that the two are close, he is furious and sends McKenna away. The only way McKenna will leave Aline is for Aline to tell him to leave. It kills her, but she makes him believe that it’s her wish that he go away. The couple’s early relationship is both sweet and tragic – and for a short time, I questioned as to whether I could handle the sadness when they were cruelly torn apart. I’m so glad I stuck with it.

The couple’s journey to their HEA is awesome. Neither has been able to forget the other. McKenna is determined to wreak revenge on Aline as she had convinced him that she’d used and lied to him all those years ago. Aline cannot bring herself to share a secret that has left her physically and emotional scarred. My absolute favorite parts were when McKenna tackled and completed Aline’s three wishes. His poem brought tears to my eyes.

The second lovely romance is between Aline’s reclusive sister, Olivia Marsden, and McKenna’s partner, a handsome American financier, Gideon Shaw. Olivia has issues moving on from the passing of her fiancée and Gideon has an addiction problem. Will these obstacles keep them apart? Their story is heartwarming and intriguing.

This entire series is performed by Rosalyn Landor, truly a phenomenal historical romance narrator. Both her male and female voices are consistent and sound genuine. Her accents sound genuine. She exudes the proper expected emotions and she’s easy to understand. If you are an audiophile as I am, I’d highly recommend that you elect to pick up the audio edition of Again the Magic as listening to it is an incredible experience and guaranteed to enhance your reading pleasure.

Following please find a few of my favorite quotes from Again the Magic:

“I want morning and noon and nightfall with you. I want your tears, your smiles, your kisses...the smell of your hair, the taste of your skin, the touch of your breath on my face. I want to see you in the final hour of my life...to lie in your arms as I take my last breath.”
---
“Have you ever wanted something so much that you would do anything to have it - even knowing that it was bad for you?"
"Of course," Adam replied. "All truly enjoyable things in life are invariably bad for you - and they are even better when done to excess.”
---
“For thousands of nights I dreamed of making love to you. No man on earth has ever hated sunrise as I do.”

Again the Magic is entrancing. It’s heartbreaking and romantic to the extreme. I could not put it down. I rarely listen to audio books in bed, but, I listened to the last two hours of this tale there because I could not sleep until I’d finished it. My heart ached for Aline and McKenna through most of the book, but, no worries! All works out more than satisfactorily in the end! If I had one complaint, it would be to wish for a longer epilogue as I didn’t want either of these romances to end. The good news is that I will be reading the rest of the Wallflowers series soon and I’ve heard that these couples appear sporadically in future installments. I can’t wait to catch up with them! If you are a fan of historical romances, don’t miss Again the Magic!

There are some stories that will stay with you beyond the final page. Even with a lifetime of reading various genre of romance, this title has remained with me since that first reading… and many more since. I came across this series while looking for something to read from my own physical bookcases. This series, and a few others were drawn to the front rows to be re-read once more, for their stories are well worth another read in my lifetime.

Again The Magic is at it’s heart a simple story. Two people, young and in love from different classes in a time period where that mattered very much. A young girl loves enough to tell a lie in order to save the man she loves. A man leaves broken hearted and slowly over the years the need for revenge builds in his heart. When they meet again love and cruelty walk hand in hand — until confessions, truths and honesty can finally release the love that never died.

A simple story. Yet I have never since read such heart felt, heart wrenching dialogue between two lovers. I don’t want to give away much, for there are readers who should experience this story first hand. I will share this one bit of dialogue that gives a small showing of why I still love this story years after I first read it:

“My God.” The blood rose higher in his face. “What if the situation were reversed and I was the one who had been hurt? Would you have left me?”
“No!”
“Then why did you expect anything less of me?”

And that says it all. If you haven’t yet read Again The Magic I would encourage you to go find it. If you have read it, why not pull it out once more and revisit some amazing characters.

I own a now worn and well read paperback of this novel.

When it comes to prequels for adult romance novels, they tend to be about one hundred or so pages. So imagine my surprise when this prequel to Lisa Kleypas's Wallflowers was a full length novel at 391 pages! I'd had this series on my radar for years but it wasn't until I read Kelly's reviews of the series that I decided I'd finally check them out from the library and see how I felt about it. Needless to say, I loved Again the Night and I can't wait to read the rest of the series.

If this book is any indication of what the rest of this series is going to be like, I'm ready for it all. The plot went with two tropes I LOVE: second chance romances and hate-to-love romance. And oh, boy was this a romance I would love! From the beginning, Aline and John McKenna--called McKenna because there were too many Johns on the estate already--had a forbidden romance. I mean, a lady and a servant? That can never happen. And because of this, once their romance is found out, they are separated. Of course, the book really begins when McKenna comes back hell bent on revenge. But what follows is love... Y'all, Aline and McKenna really, truly love each other even when they're young and reading those few chapters, it's so easy to see it. Their love, their loss, and their anger was so palpable that my heart went out to them. There's nothing worse than social class separating two people from being together especially if they are each others one true love. I’m also a die hard romantic so I was basically rooting for them from the very beginning.

As much as I liked Aline, McKenna was my favorite. He’s tall and looks almost ruthless and is an unconventionally handsome which all makes for a irresistible man! While he always knew that being with Aline would be near impossible, he still loved her after all that time--12 years to be exact so I have to insert this gif:

Anyways, back to McKenna! He was hurt after everything that happened with Aline but he never got over her. So when they see each other again, he wants to exact his revenge on her...but he loves her too much to harm her. Seeing his struggle with his feelings, the world's expectations and rules, and just what the future held for me was one of the best parts of this novel.

Now, I liked Aline a lot but unfortunately, there were some aspects of her character I couldn't get past. For one, her big secret--why she wouldn't get close to McKenna--seemed trivial to me. I understand that society was different during that time but the things she worried about seemed ridiculous to me! But more so, it's not as if McKenna would have cared about this secret of hers. I wanted her love for McKenna to be enough for them to get past all of the issues.

Overall, y'all, this was another win for Lisa Kleypas! It's a new series I've fallen head over heels in love with and I can't wait to begin the rest of the books. This was so sweet, romantic, and adorable that I couldn't help be keep thinking of Aline and McKenna even after I closed the book. If you like romance novels, please, please give this book a try! And come back to tell me if you could stop your self from getting the first book in the series.

4 stars!

“Perhaps only those who had loved and lost could appreciate this magic.”

I think I say this in all of my historical romance reviews, but it's not really a genre I enjoy reading most of the time unless it is done well. Having been a history major in college it really grinds my gears when the suspension of disbelief gets to be too much. That was not the case with this book. I was easily able to take a step back and enjoy this angsty romance for what is was: a great second chance romance.

When Aline and McKenna were kids, they fell in love. By their late teenage years they both realized it was the forever kind and not a childhood fancy. Buy McKenna is a stable boy and Aline is a lady and it can never be, especially when Aline's father finds out and threatens to ruin McKenna. Aline strikes a deal with him, and McKenna is sent away with prospects, but never to return.

Twelve years later McKenna returns a changed man, a wealthy one. And he seeks revenge on Aline for breaking his heart.

This was a nice break from reality. I love angst so I ate that all up, but the steamy scenes not so much. Historical sex seems to be a bit too cheesy and romancey for me (shocker). I found this book to be very character driven which is why I liked it so much. I loved seeing the changes in them over the years and the whys and hows. Pretty much fantastic writing all around.

Loved, loved, loved this book! I was glued to the pages from the very first paragraph. My house could have burned down and I would have told the firemen, "Just one more page!" However, the ending seemed quite rushed. Which seems to be Ms. Kleypas' specialty. I've read a few of her other books that had me glued to the pages only to end up unsatisfied at the end. This was no different. I was a huge fan of Aline and McKenna, but I feel that her constant insistence that he could never love her due to her "disfigurement" rather far fetched especially since they did love each other so much. It was a flimsy premise to keep them apart, but oh well. Still a great read.

I have a confession – I am a Lisa Kleypas addict and it all started with this book right here. Since I decided to try out historical romance (and fell in love with it), nearly every HR fan I know has recommended Lisa's books as the best of the best and the absolute must reads. I totally get it now. Not that I doubted it (or them) for even a minute. But DANG. This is great stuff.

I'm not always one who enjoys novellas but I'm so glad I looked at the Goodreads reviews for this book before I cast it aside. I knew after a single chapter that I would love this book. I loved Lisa's writing and I was already hopelessly in love with the characters. Now, I'll admit I was a little nervous when I was in tears early on in the book. I wasn't sure what exactly I was going to be in for, but I couldn't wait to find out.

I loved Aline and McKenna's story. I mean, yeah, it broke my heart when they were separated the first time. I adored them together. Seeing them reunited brought out all kinds of emotions because of the changes to both of them in the time they were separated. On the surface, McKenna was a scoundrel and a rake (god I love the language of HR). I was a little concerned what that would mean to a future between him and Aline. Thankfully I didn't really have to worry. Underneath it all – and regardless of the plans he made before arriving back at Stony Cross Park – he was still totally smitten with her. And, naturally, I with him. Aline was a great character, even though I wanted to wring her neck a fair few times as she let her self-consciousness get in the way of her attraction to McKenna and the things developing between them. McKenna was just freaking gold. He's definitely on the favorites list when it comes to book boyfriends.

Livia and Gideon's story was a pleasant bonus! I didn't know I would be getting a two for one when it came to romance. The two of them were so well-suited and, honestly, who doesn't love to watch a notorious rake fall head over heels? That's half the fun of historical romance after all. Livia was a great, strong female character. I loved how she challenged Gideon to overcome his addition and become a better man.

Between Aline and McKenna and Livia and Gideon, I was on a romance high throughout this entire book. It was sweet, swoony and sexy. The writing was fantastic. When I didn't have a big, goofy smile on my face because of the banter and the romance, I had tears in my eyes because of the feels. So, so good. Whether you're new to HR (like me) or an old fan, if you've not read this book and series yet, you must. It's seriously all the things I love about romance – and reading – in one wonderful book.

This is the sexiest HR ever written. The sex scenes between Aline and McKenna, and Olivia and Gideon, are scorching.

(And with Rosalyn Landor reading the audio version, it's fabulous.)

It also has one of the best and most brooding of heroes since Heathcliff.

He was the stable boy when he was tossed out of the manor for daring to love the Duke's daughter, but McKenna's made his fortune and now he's back for revenge. I love that he isn't some heartbroken wreck, but a man in full command of himself. So HOT!

There is a great romance at the heart of this one. Also, it's full of wonderful secondary characters that figure prominently in several books to come, including the Wallflowers and Hathaways series, so this first of many shouldn't be missed.

If this is your first foray into this world, I envy you. It only gets better in subsequent books.

HIGHLY Recommended!

Again the Magic by Lisa Kleypas (Audio Edition)
Narrated by Rosalyn Landor
Series: Wallflowers 0

4 stars - I enjoyed the chemistry between Aileen and MacKenna however the reason for her sending him away the second time was a bit too drawn out for me. I wish that had happened sooner. I also enjoyed the secondary romance that happens. It was like a 2 for 1 story which was great. I am looking forward to rereading the next books in the series. I hadn't read this book before and it was a decent read I think.

Rosalyn Landor did a fantastic job narrating as usual.

~Paragraphs and Petticoats~

We know they will get together, this is a Historical Romance. But the trials and suffering they are put to makes us wonder if this will ever happen. Once again Kleypas has worked her magic in giving us a can't-put-down story that tugs at our hearts. It is full of passion and disappointment and redemption.

There is a side romance between Aline's sister Livia and Gideon Shaw a business mogul from America. We are also introduced to Marcus, Lord Westcliff, Aline and Livia's brother and the hero of IT HAPPENED ONE AUTUMN (BOOK #2 OF The Wallflower Series). This is a standalone novel but can be considered a prequel to the Wallflower Series because of this introduction to Marcus.
If you are a fan of Historical Romance than you must read this book as well as the Wallflower Series. These are truly some of the most romantic books ever written. Trust me, you will love them.

Review originally posted on Reader's Edyn (blogspot)

I generally include a much bigger excerpt and dialogue highlight in an effort to give everyone reading this review a glimpse of the writer’s style. However, with these “bigger” authors (if you will), it can be difficult to ferret out snippets to share without typing straight from the book and infringing upon copyright. Therefore, I chose to go with short paragraphs to share. I discovered Ms. Kleypas by accident on a camping trip of all things and have never looked back since. When I am lucky enough to come across a book I have not read, I snatch it up immediately. Such was the case when I located this book. While I very much enjoy Ms. Kleypas’s books, I did suffer just a bit with the over-the-top pain and agony the two main characters needlessly put one another through. But I will get to that in just a bit.

Aline is a member of elite society; born and bred for nothing more than to find the most advantageous match in marriage. When her heart is captured by none other than the magnificent stable boy, she knows that their love must be kept a secret. Their secret lasts for years from childhood into young adolescence until they are found out. Ordered by her father to end the affair or suffer McKenna’s ruin, Aline chooses to chase McKenna away in a naive effort to protect him. The only way to ensure his departure is to effectively crush his heart with an elaborate portrayal of a snotty heiress who has merely toyed with McKenna’s affections and has tired of him, now ready to cast him aside. Task completed, Aline sinks into a miserable depression, followed by a disfiguring, near-death experience.
McKenna, broken-hearted and betrayed in the worst way, sets out to make something of himself. Driven by a need for revenge against Aline, he eventually makes his way back to her life. His focus is to seduce her, force her to fall in love with him, and leave her dejected. Just as she toyed with his emotions, so too will he exact his revenge in the same way. But he notices differences as he carries out his plan. Old feelings begin to kindle. But his hardened heart and need for revenge keep him from seeking out the truth in what lies just beneath his nose.

A wonderful companion to the story, is the sub plot provided by Aline’s sister, Livia and McKenna’s business partner, Gideon. These two are nothing short of opposites, but ultimately complement one another in every way. Had we not been provided the story of these two, the endless feud and misdirected anger between McKenna and Aline would well have made the book unbearable. I enjoy the tortured, brooding hero and misunderstood heroine just as much as anyone, but these two could have put an end to a lot of unnecessary torment several chapters prior to the end of the story. While the two connect, they do maintain a stagnant distance between them. The division between the two provided the needed angst in the story, but extends to overkill several times. As a reader, I wanted to feel sorry for the mistreatment of McKenna, as well as the ridiculous requirements that society forces in Aline’s behavior. However, with the supportive family seemingly at Aline’s fingertips, I wondered why the strife had to drag on for so long.

That said, the story is still one of enduring love that obviously can overcome all obstacles, even when the hero and heroine are too stubborn to just crash into one another and trust that the other would catch him or her. And ultimately any romance reader would find the story enjoyable. Paired with the fact that you can pretty much never go wrong in choosing Kleypas, I am confident that readers will find this agonizing love story entertaining. My time was well spent and as always, I look forward to the next Kleypas book.

(Paperback purchased for private collection)

Aline and McKenna may have grown up together but no matter how much they love each other no one would ever accept a relationship between an earl's daughter and one of the stable boys. Aline doesn't care about that though and she would happily give up everything to be with McKenna. The one thing that she does care about is McKenna though and when her father threatens to destroy him after finding out about their feelings for each other she does the only thing she can do - she pretends that she never loved him and sends him away. Now, years later, McKenna has built a fortune and returned to England determined to get revenge on the woman who broke his heart. The attraction between the two is undeniable but can they look through past hurts and present fears to find love again?

I have heard so many good things about Lisa Kleypas over the years that I have absolutely no idea why it has taken me so long to get around to trying one of her books. I have to say a massive thanks to Ange, Aly and Maru for giving me the kick I needed by buddy reading this with me because if all of her books are as good as this one I've been seriously missing out. Again the Magic had everything I want from a historical romance - forbidden love, a seriously hot hero, a heroine I can respect, a steamy affair, fun side characters that I'm looking forward to seeing more of and above all a story that left me with a smile on my face. I can't even tell you how much I'm looking forward to continuing with this series.

Aline didn't just break McKenna's heart by sending him away, she broke her own heart too. She really did do it because she believed it was the best thing for him but she never got over losing him and has never even looked at another man since he left. As much as she is still crazy about him she also has a big secret that makes her scared to get close to him again. She worries that if he finds out the truth he will reject her and she just can't take the pain that would cause. I have to admit to feeling a little frustrated with her at times for not telling McKenna the truth but I could understand why she was so nervous so was able to forgive her.

The McKenna who comes back into Aline's life is a very different man to the one she grew up with, he is a lot harder around the edges but that is because he built a shell around himself to protect his broken heart. Even when he is plotting his revenge you can see he doesn't really want to go through with it - he just can't help himself from loving Aline even when it's the last thing he wants. My heart broke for the younger versions of them both, so many wasted years just because of restrictions placed on them by society it really made my blood boil. I don't think I could have cheered harder when they finally found their happy ending but the pair sure don't make it easy on themselves.

One of the things I loved most was the way Aline's siblings were both so supportive of her building a relationship with McKenna. As the new earl her brother, Marcus, could easily have tried to put a stop to things but he genuinely wanted both of his sisters to be happy and he didn't care about McKenna's past - in fact I think he respected McKenna more because of the way he had built his fortune. I definitely have a soft spot for Marcus and am looking forward to his book. I also absolutely loved Aline's sister Livia, she was so sweet and I really felt for her after everything she had been through. The side story of her budding romance with Gideon was fabulous and I'm just disappointed that they don't feature as the main couple in a later book, I'm relieved that we do see more of them though. Again the Magic really was a fabulous historical romance and a great start to the Wallflowers series. If you haven't read anything by Lisa Kleypas before then like me you have been seriously missing out and I can't recommend this book highly enough! Now I'm off to get started on Secrets of a Summer Night!

Iloved this book! Ms. Kleypas wrote it like Judith Mcnaughty (my favorite romance author)will, the book was as much gut wrenching, moving and also on the romantic side it was very steamy, hot and sexy. I loved both characters, but something annoying in my opinion was the side story of Gideon and the other girl. Too long, it should be put in another book exclusively for them. I skipped many parts of their story just to read the main romance.

Again the Magic
Reveiwed by Suz(Under the Covers Book Blog)

Lady Aline Marsden, sister of Marcus, Lord Westcliff, has been friends withe John McKenna since they were children and as they have gotten older the friendship has grown in to love and pasion. However, it is not to be, McKenna is just a stable boy, a servant where as Aline is a Lady. When her father finds out Aline is forced to make him hate her and send him away. Twelve years later McKenna comes back to Stony Cross much changed with revenge on his mind, unaware of the secrets that Aline holds.

This is definitely one of my favourite LK books, Aline and McKenna are just a fabulous couple, you could feel the pull they have for each other right through the pages of the book. The passion and love that they have, first of all when they are younger and then the helpless, reckless love that still remains 12 years later, is almost tangible. The only thing that niggled me with this book was Aline's stubborn refusal to tell McKenna the truth, of course that would have made this a very short book and I understand her reluctance initially but after a while I think it was just silly. But that was the only thing that irritated me. I must also mention the part at the end at he lake when McKenna is exposing his feelings, that scene was so wonderfully heartbreaking and it is my favourite part of the book, and one of the most heart wrenching scenes, here's a taster:

He came to her, dropped to his haunches, and took one of her cold, pespiring hands in his own. The heat of his flesh was startling. "Aline" he said with difficulty. "I love you enough for the bother of us. And there must be something about me worth loving. If you would just try...

Anyone who has already read LK's Wallflower series is bound to recognize a couple of characters, like Westcliff, we get to see him here as the caring, if a little overbearing elder brother, and well it just made me love him even more! We also get a secondary romance through Livia, Aline and Westcliff's sister and Gideon Shaw, a friend of McKenna's. Although these two don't receive lots of page time, there love story is just as powerful and interesting as Aline and McKenna, and is another reason why I rate this book so highly.

Although this is a prequel to the Wallflowes quartet it can be read anytime before or after and as a standalone. I highly recommend this book, it is a great complement to the Wallflowers but also a touching, poignant and fantastic book in its own right.

Here some of the quotes that made me love this book:

She was not the girl he had once loved, he reminded himself grimly. That girl had neer really existed. And yet it didn't seem to matter. Aline was his curse, his fate, his consuming desire. He would never stop wanting her, no matter what she did, no matter how many oceans and continents he managed to put between them.

~

"Then what are you thinking?"
"That everything I learn about you makes me love you more."
Livia stopped breathing for a second, stunned by the admission. It took her long time for her to speak. "Gideon..."
"You don't have to say it back," he murmured "For once I want to have the pleasure of loving someone withot asking anything in return."

Despite some misgivings, I have to give this book a high rating. Crazily flawed characters playing all kinds of mind games when their lives could have worked out so differently make this one stand apart from other historical romances. And the ending is amazing.

Lady Aline and her childhood sweetheart McKenna are kept apart by a yawning class gap. When their secret relationship is discovered, Aline convinces McKenna she doesn't want him - that way she can save him. Soon after she suffers a horrible accident that changes the course of her life. Twelve years later McKenna returns, now a rich man who can enter Aline's household as a guest rather than as a servant. He's arrived looking for revenge, not knowing the true story behind Aline's rejection.

The confused and passionate relationship between Aline and McKenna would have been enough to hold my interest in this book, but there is also a secondary relationship between Aline's younger sister and McKenna's business partner that I liked too. It's not always the secondary romance can hold up in a story without getting in the way, but I liked the way the two relationships were intertwined in this story. For me the secondary romance did not take over the story; the way the two relationships complemented each other made this book so special. The way the book wrapped up, with the solidification of one relationship and the promising beginning of another, was perfect.

In some ways this story reminded me The Tea Rose, which is probably why I liked it. There's nothing better in a historical story than seeing characters rise from nothing and fight the social system to reach unimaginable heights.

There's something I just have to say. `Gotten' in a historical romance? GOTTEN?! No, no, and NO. These characters are written by a modern-day American, but this book is set in nineteenth century England. It turned up every few pages, yanking me out of the world of the story every single time.

While I'm nitpicking, my copy of this book has Aline's age at the beginning as seventeen on one page, and then nineteen a few pages later. I reread it and reread it, but I still haven't been able to figure out what's going on.

The heroine is not my favourite ever. Though others have complained about the way she behaves later in the book, it's the pushy and promiscuous girl at the beginning who annoyed me. Her character as a teenager was not only on the irritating side, but also came across as a modern-day girl.
I know many reviewers had issues with Aline and the way she hid her burns, but when it comes down to it, they lived in a time when it WOULD have been a major issue. Women were judged only on beauty and dowry, and being considered `damaged' the way Aline was would have been a major hindrance.
The way I see it, it's similar to some things I have seen in my life. My family lived in India for some years, and there even today marriages there are arranged through the classifieds sections of newspapers. Prospective husbands and wives are listed under categories determining their worth. Women with minor health or appearance problems - and certainly women with any kind of fertility problem - are listed under a separate heading; they're `faulty' and cannot hope to have a normal marriage. Men who come with an American passport are like the `peers' you read about in historical books. A man with a `title' (or international citizenship!), a woman with perfect `feminine' traits - that's the way people have been valued forever. On top of this, `bride burning' is a common way to dispose of an unwanted Indian wife - being burnt is considered something shameful for the victim, and she will be thrown out onto the streets (if she survives). I know it is a completely foreign concept to modern-day Western women, but Aline's issues are - for me - extremely believable from a societal point of view.

So, political moment over.

This probably sounds crazy, but I also loved that issues such as birth control (in its primitive form!) were discussed in this book, and that babies weren't a gigantic focus of the story. That's one of the main reasons I have issues with historical romance - they tend to be baby-a-thons, which I suppose cannot be helped in such old-fashioned, misogynistic societies. Lisa Kleypas found some ways around it here, and I was better convinced to believe in the love between the characters rather than struggling to see the romance in the twenty-kiddie futures we usually expect them to have.

The last couple of chapters made up for any faults earlier on. Lisa Kleypas' writing towards the end is emotional and moving, and made the conclusion of the book so satisfying. On top of that, the epilogue did not follow standard historical romance fare, and it was so refreshing to end the story on such an upbeat note, at just the right moment in the plot. We're left with a feeling of happily ever after without having too many pretty bows tying it up. It was the perfect way to end the story - it left you wanting more.

I absolutely loved this book. Every one in my book club knows I love my historical romance with a duke, heroine, ballroom and erotic sex. Well this book made me alter that and add this type story to my favorite and or preferred. The characters were so believable and so was the story. Old fashion love is the best. I do not need murder, mystery or mayhem in my historical romance. Absolutely love you Lisa, kudos, kisses and keep em coming, no pun intended.

Loved the premise of this book but lost interest about halfway. The story is essentially Jane Austen’s Persuasion meets the film An Affair to Remember. While I love a good second chance romance, I grew weary of the heroine’s self-doubts due to her injury and her distrust of the hero’s obvious devotion to her. I haven’t read the other Wallflower books yet, but this contribution to the series leaves me wary.

Despite some misgivings, I have to give this book a high rating. Crazily flawed characters playing all kinds of mind games when their lives could have worked out so differently make this one stand apart from other historical romances. And the ending is amazing.

Lady Aline and her childhood sweetheart McKenna are kept apart by a yawning class gap. When their secret relationship is discovered, Aline convinces McKenna she doesn't want him - that way she can save him. Soon after she suffers a horrible accident that changes the course of her life. Twelve years later McKenna returns, now a rich man who can enter Aline's household as a guest rather than as a servant. He's arrived looking for revenge, not knowing the true story behind Aline's rejection.

The confused and passionate relationship between Aline and McKenna would have been enough to hold my interest in this book, but there is also a secondary relationship between Aline's younger sister and McKenna's business partner that I liked too. It's not always the secondary romance can hold up in a story without getting in the way, but I liked the way the two relationships were intertwined in this story. For me the secondary romance did not take over the story; the way the two relationships complemented each other made this book so special. The way the book wrapped up, with the solidification of one relationship and the promising beginning of another, was perfect.

In some ways this story reminded me The Tea Rose, which is probably why I liked it. There's nothing better in a historical story than seeing characters rise from nothing and fight the social system to reach unimaginable heights.

There's something I just have to say. `Gotten' in a historical romance? GOTTEN?! No, no, and NO. These characters are written by a modern-day American, but this book is set in nineteenth century England. It turned up every few pages, yanking me out of the world of the story every single time.

While I'm nitpicking, my copy of this book has Aline's age at the beginning as seventeen on one page, and then nineteen a few pages later. I reread it and reread it, but I still haven't been able to figure out what's going on.

The heroine is not my favourite ever. Though others have complained about the way she behaves later in the book, it's the pushy and promiscuous girl at the beginning who annoyed me. Her character as a teenager was not only on the irritating side, but also came across as a modern-day girl.
I know many reviewers had issues with Aline and the way she hid her burns, but when it comes down to it, they lived in a time when it WOULD have been a major issue. Women were judged only on beauty and dowry, and being considered `damaged' the way Aline was would have been a major hindrance.
The way I see it, it's similar to some things I have seen in my life. My family lived in India for some years, and there even today marriages there are arranged through the classifieds sections of newspapers. Prospective husbands and wives are listed under categories determining their worth. Women with minor health or appearance problems - and certainly women with any kind of fertility problem - are listed under a separate heading; they're `faulty' and cannot hope to have a normal marriage. Men who come with an American passport are like the `peers' you read about in historical books. A man with a `title' (or international citizenship!), a woman with perfect `feminine' traits - that's the way people have been valued forever. On top of this, `bride burning' is a common way to dispose of an unwanted Indian wife - being burnt is considered something shameful for the victim, and she will be thrown out onto the streets (if she survives). I know it is a completely foreign concept to modern-day Western women, but Aline's issues are - for me - extremely believable from a societal point of view.

So, political moment over.

This probably sounds crazy, but I also loved that issues such as birth control (in its primitive form!) were discussed in this book, and that babies weren't a gigantic focus of the story. That's one of the main reasons I have issues with historical romance - they tend to be baby-a-thons, which I suppose cannot be helped in such old-fashioned, misogynistic societies. Lisa Kleypas found some ways around it here, and I was better convinced to believe in the love between the characters rather than struggling to see the romance in the twenty-kiddie futures we usually expect them to have.

The last couple of chapters made up for any faults earlier on. Lisa Kleypas' writing towards the end is emotional and moving, and made the conclusion of the book so satisfying. On top of that, the epilogue did not follow standard historical romance fare, and it was so refreshing to end the story on such an upbeat note, at just the right moment in the plot. We're left with a feeling of happily ever after without having too many pretty bows tying it up. It was the perfect way to end the story - it left you wanting more.

I absolutely loved this book. Every one in my book club knows I love my historical romance with a duke, heroine, ballroom and erotic sex. Well this book made me alter that and add this type story to my favorite and or preferred. The characters were so believable and so was the story. Old fashion love is the best. I do not need murder, mystery or mayhem in my historical romance. Absolutely love you Lisa, kudos, kisses and keep em coming, no pun intended.

Loved the premise of this book but lost interest about halfway. The story is essentially Jane Austen’s Persuasion meets the film An Affair to Remember. While I love a good second chance romance, I grew weary of the heroine’s self-doubts due to her injury and her distrust of the hero’s obvious devotion to her. I haven’t read the other Wallflower books yet, but this contribution to the series leaves me wary.

When Aline and McKenna's feelings are discovered by her father, he threatens McKenna's very existence if Aline ever sees him again. In order to protect him, Aline convinces McKenna that she does not love him, hoping he will never return to Stony Cross. After he leaves, Aline descends into a depression that is followed by a terrible accident that leaves Aline with scars on her legs. Twelve years later, McKenna returns to Stony Cross from America, where he became one of the nouveaux riches, to take his revenge on Aline for all the pain and heartache he caused her. Aline realizing his intentions decides to ride it out until he goes back to New York. This plan fails however when both McKenna and Aline start to fall for each other again. But Aline can never be with him, for she is not only a spinster, but also damaged.
I don't think I've ever cried, or even teared up while reading a romance novel, before reading Again the Magic. Here we have two characters who are obviously in love with each other, but refuse to acknowledge it, and instead spend almost 400 pages fighting it. The book begins with Aline and McKenna in their late teens, already in love. Life is good. Well, except for the fact that Aline is the daughter of the cold and malevolent Lord Westcliff, and that McKenna is only a footman. After years of resenting, no that is not strong enough, hating is a better word; after spending years hating Aline, he starts to unwind when he realizes that Aline never married or slept with anyone. This sends his plan to "break her" out the window. Aline on the other hand, doesn't mind McKenna's efforts at hurting her. In fact, she welcomes them because they allow her to feel after years of being numb. This entire book had me screaming "Just say it!" It was like McKenna and Aline decided to be stubborn and thick-headed at the exact same time. And this is what created the tension throughout the novel. All of these scenes led up to an amazing tear-filled ending that any fan of romance will LOVE.
This novel deals mostly with Aline and McKenna's story but it also includes Livia, Aline's sister, and Mr. Shaw's, McKenna's business partner, story. This one was also cute. Of course, not as much drama as the main love story, but still a bit dramatic.
For a historical romance, this was fantastic. It is an emotional, film-worthy story that will have you rushing to the bookstore wanting more of this series.

This is one of my favorite books by Lisa Kleypas. She just has a way with words that i can not completely describe and i can not do this book justice the way that it should.
I am always a sucker for forbidden love or that Romeo and Juliet type of story, except that at least 'Again the Magic' doesn't end tragically like that story did.

Aline and McKenna love each other so much that i wish my boyfriend could love me as much as McKenna felt for Aline, by page 54 i was balling my eyes out and i am not a person who cries at the drop of a hat, but that scene when Aline was telling McKenna that she didn't love him broke my heart for McKenna, because i knew she was only telling him that so he wouldn't get hurt by her father. So she sacrifices her love for him so McKenna could move on from there and work some where else. When next Aline see's McKenna 12 year later, he is a hard man both physically (yum) and mentally. He doesn't believe in love any more and he believes that getting back at Aline for how she casually just threw his feelings away, will help him finally get over his obsession with her. But of course it doesn't work out the way he thought it would and when they finally come together it is beautiful and magic.

There is also a second story line in this book that involves Aline's younger sister, Olivia or 'Livia' and Gideon, McKenna's business partner. There story was quicker to come together. They instantly feel an attraction for each other when Gideon first spots her dancing by herself outside. Gideon is an American and a bit self absorbed with himself, but Livia who is awesome, takes him down a peg and shows him how to love.
There is a scene in here where Gideon tells her that he wants to marry her and she tells him that she can not do that because she can not watch someone she cares for, kill them self slowly with his drinking. She doesn't tell him to stop, she says that he has to make that decision for himself, which he does and he stops drinking and they end happily.
My absolute favorite quote in this book is when Aline tells McKenna the whole story of why she rejected him and an injury that happened to her years ago and what he finally says to her is so beautiful i started crying again.

He says "For twelve years i have been in constant torment, wanting you in my arms and believing it would never be possible. I want you for a thousand reasons other than your legs, and...no, damn it, i want you for no reason at all, other than the fact that you're you. I want to shove myself deep inside you and stay for hours...days...weeks. I want morning and noon and nightfall with you. I want your tears, your smiles, your kisses... the smell of your hair, the taste of your skin, the touch of your breath on my face. I want to see you in the final hour of my life... to lie in your arms as i take my last breath".

Now who couldn't love that. After i read this book, i bought everything that Lisa Kleypas had published and i have not been disappointed with anything she has written since.

Lady Aline Marsden and John McKenna became friends when she was eight years old and he, orphaned, was taken in by her families estate as a young stableboy. Nurtured by the housekeeper, McKenna, as he came to be called, and Aline were inseparable. When she was nineteen, Aline let McKenna know her feelings were no longer that of a child and thus began their covert relationship. While they knew their relationship was futile, Aline and McKenna continued their secretive romance until someone informed her father. McKenna was forced to leave the estate and Aline made certain he'd never return for fear of her father's retribution.

Twelve years later, McKenna returns to the Marsden estate, a wealthy and accomplished man who has revenge in his heart. Aline is also carrying secrets that provide an additional wedge between the couple. Gideon Shaw, an American from the New York aristocracy and a renowned drunkard, accompanies McKenna and is immediately smitten by Aline's younger sister Livia, who is recovering from her own
tragic circumstances.

This story is a prequel to the Wallflower series about the sisters of Lord Marcus. It is a poignant tale of four damaged people who are struggling to find their way in these relationships. It is told honestly and you feel their pain as they make their separate progress. I would have preferred reading this book before the starting the series but it doesn't make a difference. It is an emotional story involving some very likable and appealing characters.

I highly recommend the book, one of Kleypas' finest.

Other reviewers are absolutely correct in their opinion that the revenge/poor boy and rich girl storyline in 'Again the Magic' is
hackneyed, sterotypical and kind of lame. Not to mention, there are too many typos!

However to Kleypas's credit as an amazing author, she absolutely pulls it off! 'Again the Magic' is so much more than the (practically life-long love between McKenna (just once I wanted someone to call him John!) and Aline; it's the story of the Marsden siblings, the story of unlikely friendships (Shaw and McKenna, Aline and Lord Sandridge), of inner strength and loyalty. I absolutely loved how Kleypas portrays every single one of these characters as having real personalities. I love how the story focuses not just on one romance, but on the love that finds Olivia (Aline's younger sister), and on the maternal love between Mrs. Faircloth (oh, these names!!!) and the main characters. Best of all, I absolutely how Kleypas deftly interweaves her characters and storylines - Marcus gets his own day of reckoning in the Wallflower series and the illusive Harry Rutledge (talk about an anti-hero!) gets his own story in the Hathaway series (not the mention that the Hathaways are Stony Cross's neighbors!).

Honestly despite the eye-roll worthy premise, 'Again the Magic' is not only a keeper, but it's also a Kleypas classic with a perfectly romantic ending!

I liked Lisa Kleypas' other books but this one was just utterly stupid.

The premise are two old childhood sweethearts (deeply in love) that were forced to separate (by Aline's father), with the heroine Aline pretending to deny the male protagonist (McKenna) so he would leave her. So years later, McKenna (in his misunderstanding) determines to make Aline suffer for her blunt rejection through revenge.

Granted, revenge doesn't fall in place for the genre of this book. Nonetheless, if the author stamps revenge for 70% of the book, then at least make the revenge sensible. Otherwise, don't even use the word revenge.

So, what's the revenge? It's to seduce and make love to Aline. To relentlessly declare his love for her. To keep bedding her. To become her lover and friend again. To fall in love with her again. A side note is that McKenna plans to shame her through all this seduction but the internal narration of McKenna's thoughts make it seem highly unlikely that he'll go through shaming her.

Uh huh, that's revenge...

The terrible romance progression with frustrating personalities also don't help this plot mechanic. Hugely disappointed. Again, I like the author's other novels but this one wholeheartedly deserves a 1/5 in my opinion.

Bereft of any parental affection and supervision, Lady Aline Marsden spent most of her childhood roaming around Stony Cross Park's lavish estate. It was no surprise then that when eight-year-old orphan John McKenna came to work for the Marsden's, he and Aline found friendship with one another and became inseparable. Years later, and things begin to change between them, for along with adolescence comes the physical attraction, turning the innocent friendship into something much deeper and complicated. Thus begin the forbidden love between the noblewoman who was raised with one purpose, which is to make a good marriage with someone from her own class, and the lowly stable boy who could never overcome the social limitations that he had been born with. Although both know that their love is forbidden, each try to make the most of the time they can steal together. But neither expected that it would end too soon. When the earl finds out about his daughter's involvement with McKenna, he threatens to destroy him if he ever returns to the estate. But knowing that McKenna would come back regardless of her father's threats, Aline makes the ultimate sacrifice, a deception that will haunt them both for the next twelve years.

Now McKenna finally returns to Stony Cross. After years of hard work, sacrifice and utter will, he is a far cry from the lowly servant from over a decade ago, and is now a very wealthy man. But that long ago rejection he received from the only woman he's ever loved lingers, making him hungry for revenge. And Aline sees this hunger in him straightaway. But instead of fearing his intentions, she willingly risks being hurt again in exchange for a few moments of the past, just to get a taste of what might have been had they not been torn apart. For McKenna, along with his thirst for revenge comes the deep curiosity as to the reason why Aline remains unmarried and what other secrets she harbours. But one thing remains for certain - the magic between them from long ago remains as intense as ever.

AGAIN THE MAGIC is a poignant tale of a forbidden love featuring main characters who possess such passionate nature, and whose love for each other will make you care for them. While the underlying conflict in this story seem so trivial (one would think that the heroine will just confess the truth so everyone lives happily ever after), I think that it actually proves the author's talent in storytelling by providing us with a good reason for Aline's determination to keep the truth from McKenna, making us empathize more with their sufferings and wish them every happiness.

With an intense and sometime heart-wrenching storyline, AGAIN THE MAGIC makes for some emotional and romantic read. I only wish that the subplot featuring the romance between Aline's sister and McKenna's friend were given its own book, as I felt that their relationship and character could have been better explored. But overall, this is another enjoyable effort from Ms Kleypas.

The enormously talented Lisa Kleypas has outdone herself in her vivid and devastatingly romantic historical Again The Magic.

Lady Aline Marsden has loved stable boy John McKenna from childhood, and the two vowed to never be parted. But when her father finds out about their increasingly passionate relationship and threatens not only to banish McKenna from his vast English estate but to ruin his life if he ever returns, Aline knows she has to make McKenna hate her for his own protection. Feigning a heartless snobbery she's far from feeling, Aline convinces McKenna that she's merely been using him all along and sends him away broken-hearted.

Aline is shocked when McKenna returns years later, under the guise of making a crucial business deal with her brother, now the head of the family. Having made a fortune in America and acquired the power and finesse that makes him a deadly predator, McKenna can't wait to take revenge on Aline. He plans to seduce her senseless and then shatter her heart. And now a tragic accident has left Aline has yet another secret that she must keep from McKenna at all cost. But it's hard for either to resist the potent magic between them, and they embark on a dangerous affair that will either save or destroy them.

This irresistible book, filled with stunning emotions, vivid images, and rich descriptions, is a romance lover's dream come true. Kleypas develops living, breathing characters with an expert touch, weaving a riveting high-stakes plot that leaves the reader breathless and aching for release. This is one of the finest romance novels I've ever read, full of unrelenting drama and passion. You'll be unable to put it down, reading it all night if need be to reach the stunning climax. Don't miss this exquisite work of art and pure pleasure.

I love storylines where the main characters share a history that goes way back. This is true for this book where our heroine is the daughter of an Earl and her love interest is a servant that worked in the stable. They started out as the best of friends trying to forget the fact that it was not a proper relationship and that it could never go any farther. Despite the fact that they could never share their lives as husband and wife their feeling for each other grow until they both admit that they love each other. McKenna knows that Aline is out of his reach but he would do anything to stay close to her. Despite the care that they take in order to spend time together they are spotted and the Earl is told of the meeting. McKenna is sent away thinking that Aline never cared for him, and Aline is left behind mourning the only man she will ever love.
Years later McKenna returns to Aline as a wealthy American bent on revenge. He never slept with her as a teen he is going to fix that mistake. Of course McKenna is not aware of the truth that sent him away, nor is he aware of the tragedy that befell Aline not long after he left. What he was also not planning on was the fact that his feelings for Aline have never gone away. He still finds that he loves her despite what he thinks that she has done.
Aline has never forgotten McKenna and the man that he has grown to become is just as handsome and desirable as the young man he had been. She knows that he wants his revenge and she is willing to let him have it if it means that she will be in his arms once again.
This was such a moving story and I was totally drawn into it from the very beginning. There is the secondary storyline that involves her sister and McKenna's business parter that is equally moving. This story has all of the trademark Kleypas sensualtiy as well as the wonderfully crafted characters and storyline. This story had me reaching for my kleenex on more then one occassion. For a wonderful senual read you can't beat Ms. Kleypas.

My reading order when it comes to the Wallflower series is a little off. I started with Devil in Winter? And then continued with the One Summer night and so on. Again the magic is my final book in the series, even though I knew its existence when I started the series. During It happened one Autumn I wished that Gideon and Livia's was the one in this book and I was very disappointed when I found it wasn't. I barely knew Aline and I could see the love between Livia and Gideon. What I was surprised to see in this novel was that the book is about two love stories and the second one, the one the blurb isn't informing us us the one I wanted to read. Well done Mrs Lisa Kleypas.

In 1832 Hampshire stable boy John McKenna and Lady Aline Marsden, oldest daughter of an earl, exchange vows of love. However, her father angrily shouts at Aline that her feelings for John prove she is her just like her whore of a mother. He warns her that if she fails to end it, he will destroy John. A heartbroken Aline tells her father he better help John start a new life or she will give her virgin body to the first available bum which will cause scandal to the family name. Aline tells John that she never loved him as he is beneath her. Her dad arranges an apprenticeship with a shipbuilder for the former stable boy.
Twelve years later, John arrives back in Hampshire accompanying his American business partner Gideon Shaw. John hates Aline for her "betrayal", but is shocked she is not married. He begins to learn the truth about how much she sacrificed to keep him safe from her now deceased father's reach, but even before that he knew at first sight that he still loves her. This time he vows he will not let her go.
This an exciting historical romance that readers will enjoy due to a strong cast. The story line engages the reader from the moment Aline and her father confront one another, but really takes off when John returns to England after years in the United States. Though having her amiable brother as the earl instead of her acrimonious father takes away from the potential squabbles, fans will enjoy this fine second chance at love tale.
Harriet Klausner

The primary romance was underdeveloped. Aline and Marcus haven't seen each other in 12 years, but there was little page time devoted to getting to know each other again. It was just that they had always loved the other and now they were going to demonstrate it through sex. Also, Aline kept her secret so long from Marcus that it became annoying and contrived. So while the primary couple didn't engage me as much, I really enjoyed the secondary couple, Gideon and Livvia. I kept thinking that if they had their own book, I would have loved it even more. Their story demonstrated two people getting to know each other, learning to trust the other, and having each make the other a better version of themselves. I would have preferred a shorter middle of the book, where Aline keeps hurting Marcus for no damn reason over and over, with a longer ending showing both couples have more than a page of happiness.

There are several plot summaries here so I will just give my review:

I am a huge fan of Lisa Kleypas and this book is one of my favorites. I couldn't put this book down. I began it late one night before going to bed and ended up staying up most of the night until the book was finished! The story of Aline and McKenna was interesting and in-depth and the characters were well developed. I do understand people's dislike of the side story Aline's sister, Olivia, and her marriage to an American, Gideon Shaw. In most cases I don't like it when there is a romantic subplot, but, in this case it worked for me. Olivia's story was too small for a story of its own and seemed to work in coincidence with Aline's story. I thought the Aline's growing up and acceptance lead way for Olivia to do the same. Gideon Shaw's, flawed character was likable. Olivia's story did seem a little rushed towards the end of the book, however, and that comes when you have two smaller plots happening in one novel. I also love how this book leads into the Wallflower series where we get to see what happens to Aline and Olivia's brother Marcus!

First off: awfully weird cover. It looks like a carpet-cum-straightjacket ensemble or something. Secondly: not a very good book. She's the daughter of an earl. He's a stable boy. Can true love transcend all obstacles and bring these two together? If anything, this book shows that true love is certainly powerless against rampant stupidity. Again the Magic offers a revenge plot wherein the hero, John McKenna, is the injured party. Once her father finds out about Aline Marsden's involvement with the stable boy, he forces her to get rid of McKenna. She does this in a suitably dramatic fashion and tells McKenna she doesn't love him. So he runs off to America brokenhearted. Cut to twelve years later and McKenna has come back to his former place of employ after amassing a vast fortune with his American partner Gideon Shaw. All his youthful ardor for Aline has turned into hatred, (so he tells himself, but he doesn't fool me for a second) and he plans on a devastating assault of seduction against her. Aline still loves him (almost as much as she loves being a martyr) and so there's not much victory in his conquest of her. From the start she's happy to be his doormat, sexually speaking.

Since these two are in love from the start, there has to be something to keep them apart, however. The class issue, a favorite platform of Kleypas' it seems, provides for the initial estrangement, but that can't be all, since neither of them care about class and are oh so pure, noble, and selfless in their undying devotion to each other. What could possibly separate Aline and McKenna, then? The stupidity. Of course. For the sake of dragging us through 391 pages Aline subjects us to her whiney, tortured martyr act. She has a deep dark secret that she can't tell anyone, especially McKenna, and so she puts the poor guy through the wringer again and again, hurting him abominably, all for this poor excuse for a plot contrivance. She had a terrible accident, but I just couldn't dredge up the necessary sympathy for Aline because of the ridiculous way she dealt with it. She has no reason to push McKenna away - the book even admits this and spells it out for us. Despite myself, I actually felt sorry for McKenna. He truly seems like a broken, humbled man when he gives up on his hatred and revenge (after Aline's sister has revealed part of Aline's secret to him) and comes to her, hat and heart in hand. I feel even worse for him after Aline has her random epiphany, chases after him, and finally nabs him. Needless to say, besides being annoyed by their antics, I really couldn't care less about their happily ever after. If you find some way to feel sorry for Aline and her plight, you will probably enjoy this book though. I guess.

For me, the only enjoyable aspect of Again the Magic was a secondary romance between Aline's sister Livia and Gideon Shaw. Despite its rosy depiction of alcoholism, (Gideon has a drinking problem) their romance still managed to be believable and interesting, everything that Aline and McKenna's wasn't.

I feel pretty much as many of the other reviewers do, that the real story here isn't McKenna & Aline, but Shaw & Olivia. Not only did their story threaten to take over the book, it should have BEEN the book, it was that touching & wonderful. I would just like to have read more about them, and had their ending drawn out a bit fuller.

McKenna, I had no use for at all. Twice in the book, his buddy Shaw, who I adored, said exactly what he was, how ruthless & vengeful he'd become. He should have just gone on with his life, but nooooo, he just had to wait until he was wealthy & come back to torment Aline, possibly even impregnate her, with his b*****d
child. I don't know about you, but to me, this is just about my least favorite hero to read about. He didn't care if she was virginal or not, married or not, he was just going to waltz right on in & ruin her life forever. Yuck ... I don't even care that he made a turnaround at the end, sending her gobs of flowers & kissing her burn-ravished legs. By then, it was too late for me to even try to care about him anymore. If you want to read about a tortured hero, I suggest reading "Where Dreams Begin", a Kleypas winner. Zach Bronson was awesome in that book.

Aline I did like, but I thought it odd that she did take a risk in having anything to do with McKenna, not because of what her father did, or what happened to her legs, but because she knew what he was -- a vengeful, hatefilled man. I did not like their 2 'love' scenes, in the woods & in the closet, prior to her disclosure about her legs. McKenna was just an selfish animal in my opinion. Aline was just this side of being a rape victim. The only difference being, she gave her consent to his treatment of her. She knew what she was getting into & it still didn't matter.

Gideon Shaw may have been an alcoholic, but aside from that, he was such a hero, such a gentleman, when not drinking. When he met Olivia Marsden, his life changed for the better. I liked that Lisa K didn't have Olivia ask Shaw to change, but that he loved her so much he WANTED to change, and did. He was a hero to be admired & adored. Just a darling! If you're going to have a tortured hero, his kind is what it's all about. Someone who is sincere about changing their life for the better. And, a lovely woman waiting for them when they have changed. Awesome!!!

Olivia Marsden may have been a 'wanton' woman, but it wasn't like she was a prostitute. She was just a confident woman in what she wanted, confident in so many ways. I totally admired her, and I was cheering her on for following Shaw around the way she did. I didn't blame her a bit, and I loved it that she was so gutsy that way. To be that confident with your sexuality, I think, is great! So go, Olivia!

Unfortunately, I have to give the book 3 stars. I this had been more about Shaw & Olivia, or totally about them, it would have been a 4-5 star book. But the primary story of McKenna & Aline really dragged things down, in my opinion, so the best I can give it is 3 stars. I hope someday, Lisa will do a major rewrite of this book and drop McKenna & Aline altogether, and just do the story about Shaw & Olivia instead. It would be a worthwhile read & I'd buy it without hesitation.

1-10 scale for this book: 8.5 - 9.0

Kleypas is no stranger to crafting dark sensual romance with textured characters (Worth Any Price & Lady Sophia's Lover)and her latest treads the forbidden passion between Lady Aline Marsden and orphaned stable boy John McKenna. Again the Magic follows the conventional storyline of a doomed romance in the hierachical British peerage system with little surprises, but Ms. Kleypas draws her characters with empathy and heart. Readers will be captivated by the dark and angst-ridden McKenna who comes back to Stony Cross Park to wage vengeance after being spurned by Lady Aline twelve years ago and the flawed Lady Aline who can't trust McKenna enough to love her for her heart and not her body. They are all too human with foibles readers can identify - and along with the spunky Livia and a secondary romance developing between Livia and debonair charmer Gideon Shaw (who is an alcoholic), Again the Magic is consistently engaging even though it lacks the more intricate plotting in Ms. Kleypas' previous efforts. Ms. Kleypas clearly weaves her magic in this gratifying read, even though it is nowhere near her representative works.

I generally hate books that veer away from the main couple. But it definitely works in this book. The story of the main couple is good. However, there is a second couple in this book who are pure magic. Put both stories together, and you have an excellent read.
The main couple, McKenna and Aline, are childhood friends who grow up and fall in love. He is a servant to Aline's English family, she is a noble woman. Her father finds out about their relationship and forces Aline to send him away, threatening to torture and kill McKenna if he ever returns. Aline tells McKenna she doesn't want him, so that he will leave and be safe.
12 years later, after the father has died, McKenna returns after having made his fortune in America. He is angry and set upon revenge for the way Aline had sent him away. They discover that they are still in love, however Aline is vain and sends him away again because she does not want him to see her fire- scarred legs. This annoyed me. After he sends her 15 dozen roses, writes a poem for her, pays musicians to serenade her, etc., she is so vain that she would rather crush McKenna than allow him to see some scars. Still, when she finally chases him and tells him the truth, the make- up scenes are terrific. You learn to love McKenna more and more.
The secondary romance was actually much sweeter. McKenna's business partner, millionaire Gideon Shaw, is out walking in the garden one evening. He comes upon a woman dancing alone. He wants to know her, but she is aware that he is known for drinking too much. She leaves without giving him her name.
The next day, he spots her out walking. He chases her in hopes of finding out who she is. The two walk together and get get to know one another. They share several kisses and she reveals that she is lady of the manor. She is Aline's sister, Livia.
Gideon is besotted with her. He uses his best charm and treats with respect. Over the next weeks, they get to know one another better. Livia is not a virgin, having been engaged in the past. When Gideon is forced to go to London on business, she throws caution to the wind and follows him to London. They spend a week of sneaking to one another's room every night. He tells her he loves her, and asks her to marry him. She regretfully turns him down, not wanting to spend her life watching him drink himself to death.
Feeling she is worth any sacrifice, Gideon tells Livia he cannot see her for 6 months. He asks her to wait for him, while he tries to break his drinking habit. They write romantic letters back and forth, while he challenges himself to become a better man for her. This couple is one that you feel a personal hope for.
Terrific love scenes, lots of passion, an overall story that keeps you reading. Not a lot of excitement, but plenty of humor and romance.
The only character I couldn't like entirely, was Aline. Her pride and vanity got annoying. She caused McKenna and herself a decade of pain over something rather dumb.

Lady Aline Marsden was brought up for one reason: to make an advantageous marriage to a member of her own class. Instead, she willingly gave her innocence to John McKenna, a servant on her father's estate. Their passionate transgression was unforgivable--John was sent away and Aline was left to live in the countryside...an exile from London society.

Lisa Kleypas's writing skills do not get much better than in Again the Magic. Truly an enchanting tale woven around star-crossed lovers and the injustices that have wrongly affected their lives together. Kleypas has delivered her own special brand of magic, drawing the reader deep into believable scenarios where each character bursts forth from the pages with passion and drama.

Easily, this is a book well worth the read. I found that Again the Magic was capable of delivering both tears and sighs of joy to the entranced reader!

This book was a very good read. A little different from other Lisa Kleypas books since in this one, she features two stories, instead of concentrating just on the lead couple. But it was fine, because the secondary characters (who were not so secondary at all) were very likeable and added a nice element to the story.
The only complain I have is with Lady Aline behavior towards the man she has loved all her life. I could understand why she had to drive him away the first time, and even shed a few tears at those scenes, but I could not understand how she could possibly be willing to let him walk away a second time just out of misguided vanity.
These are two people who shared a passionate love when they were just teenagers, and even though they have been apart for 12 long years, they still love each other. I am awed and marveled at such a great love. I thought that Aline would come around eventually and realize that it was preferable to take a risk and give their love a chance, instead, if it hadn't been for her brother, she would have let the love of her life walk away for a second time, brokenhearted and miserable before revealing her secret.
I'm not saying that her reason was trivial. I'm sure having to deal with disfiguring burn scars from an accident, even if it is only on the legs must be very traumatic. But I kept hoping that her love for McKenna would overcome her fears, and when she didn't realize that she could trust him on her own, that dissapointed me a litte, and that was the reason I did not give this book 5 stars.
However, except for that minor issue, the book was very emotional, passionate and sensual. I would definitely recommend it. Lisa Kleypas is still one of my favorite authors.

I love this book. It is possibly my favorite Kleypas book, tied with Dreaming of You, Where Dreams Begin and Then Came You. I can't pick. They were all great.

Aline and McKenna were so in love, it was almost painful to read about. It will definitely tug at your heartstrings. She's the daughter of a peer and he's an orphaned boy who works on her family's estate. Her father finds out about their relationship and she is forced to lie to McKenna to send him away (otherwise her father has threatened to blackball McKenna for any other job). 12 years later, McKenna is back, and a rich success American businessman, but he never forgot Aline. It's not really a revenge story like the publisher's description says. He just approaches her cynically, because he believes she never loved him and was just a shallow rich girl using him for fun.

There were a couple of boneheaded moves on the heroine's part, but there would be no story if they came together easily and without drama.

My only real complaint is that there wasn't enough of their story. I was disappointed that the sister got about half the screen time in the book AND she got the epilogue AND there weren't any post-marriage scenes like Kleypas usually gives her readers. Grrr... We don't even hear about McKenna and Aline in subsequent books except for a brief mention in Wallflower Book #2, It Happened One Autumn. I mean, Marcus & Lillian (my least favorite Kleypas hero & heroine) are in almost every book but McKenna and Aline can't make another appearance?? So not fair!

I really enjoyed Again The Magic! A tale of lovers from two different worlds. Early on they hero and heroine are torn apart only to come together again years later with many issues to work through! Lisa Kleypas is as sparkling as ever with a dark intense hero and a beautiful heroine with secrets that could keep them apart forever! The only part about this book that I didn't like was that it took so long for the heroine to finally admit to the hero the reasons she feels they cannot be together once they are reunited years later! Although I suppose it was necessary to add to the drama of the book! A bonus within Again The Magic is a secondary love story that features Aline's younger sister and McKenna's American business partner! This couple also has some issues to overcome...but as always Lisa Kleypas shows that love truly can conquer all! Again The Magic is passionate and intense and I highly recommend it to not only Kleypas fans, but to anyone who believes in the power of true love!

This is my 5th time reading "Again the Magic. McKenna (hero) and Aline (heroine) are an amazing couple. I always read this book in less one day. Everytime is like the first time. This is a wonderful story of second chances, redemption, healing, and so much more. The chemistry between the two is amazing. The author does a great job of showing the love they had for each other in the past...and how their love still remained afetr 12 years of separation. I love how she inplements the heroine's sister love match as well. LH always does a great job at satisfying her fans...OLD AND NEW. I've read all of her books but I must say this is one of my favorites. Talk about one f the greats. This story would make an exceptional movie. KEEPER, KEEPER, KEEPER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

My first foray in the Regency Romance genre is reading mostly Jane Austen's work; and then, I moved on to Julia Quinn who led me to another exemplary romance writer of modern times, Ms. Lisa Kleypas. "Again the Magic," the forbidden story of love between stable hand John Mckenna and Lady Aline Marsden somewhat reminds me of Heathcliff and Catherine of Emily Bronte's "Wuthering Heights," without the much of the cathartic sadness of the latter.
Aline and Mckenna's youthful romance turned into a bitter and painful end when Aline's father discovered their relationship. Mckenna was sent away but not before Aline shattered his dreams of love; she did what she thought was right to save his life. Aline might have saved his life but this made Mckenna into a hard-driving bitter man who vowed vengeance on his once true love.
The story has a lot of true passionate moments where you can really feel the love that Mckenna still has for Lady Aline. I have more sympathy for Mckenna and could not really comprehend Lady Aline's misguided efforts to protect him from her little secret. Nowhere is the saying "the road to good intentions is paved with evil," truer or nearer than in this book.
Overall, a very enjoyable read from Ms. Kleypas.

Lisa Kleypas is again in fine form with her latest novel "Again the Magic." I love her books and this was enjoyable, but not as good as "Dreaming of You" which was her best. I look forward to reading the sequel of "Again the Magic" which will probably focus on the secondary characters Livia and Gordon. They are in my opinion more interesting and real than the main characters in this book. I had a problem with Aline and McKenna because despite their great love for each other, they couldn't be honest with one another until the very end. Considering their past together and their bond, you would think they could be truthful because of their friendship. But all in all I'm glad I bought this book because nobody writes historical romance like Lisa Kleypas. I'll definitely read the sequel.

I think I was a bit underwhelmed considering all of the glowing praises. I wasn't all to crazy about the writing. Maybe I had a bad e-copy, but I don't know I was wow-ed by it. Maybe I was expecting more.

I was a bit annoyed with Aline's hesitance at finally telling McKenna the big secret. I understood her reasoning, but at least Marcus called her out on it. Livia and the housekeeper (Mrs. Fairspoon?) tried talking sense to her.

Everyone, literally everyone knew McKenna came back for some sort of vengeance and Aline was too easily persuaded to let him purge himself of her for his own ease. I understood her reasoning, but I thought she was just too soft with it.

I thought perhaps if this story just focused on McKenna and Aline then both of their characters could have been more fully developed to the point where they really become real life characters. I really enjoyed the first half where they were young adults, I thought the tension was done really well and you just felt when Aline had to push McKenna away. And when they first saw one another I thought the tension was palpable. But then...

I enjoyed Livia and Gideon's story, but I thought it was almost like a novella. Like the pacing for their story was rather quick to the point whereas with McK/A it was a bit more established when they were younger then kind of fluttered away as they got older.

I'll definitely keep reading the series, but I think I'm going to stay away from the reviews until after I'm done as to not build too much anticipation.