FIVE STARS!!!Lisa Kleypas is simply a master Historical Romance writer!!If you've read her, then you know what I mean. If you haven't, DO IT NOW!!! You're missing out on some of the most heartfelt, swoony, so-romantic-your-eyes-fill-with-tears stories. Seriously, I teared up at least three times while reading Again the Magic. My chest actually hurt. And these aren't sad tears. They're over the top girlie tears that only happen when I gain a new book boyfriend. McKenna is a classic LK hero in that he rides the razor's edge of unlikeable for quite some time. But he just never quite inches his way across. And when he redeems himself, Aaah! He's been in love with Aline since childhood. And she with him. As they become young adults and more mature feelings arise, they both know that Aline, as an upper class lady, has no chance of marrying the hired hand. But their passion knows no limits...one thing leads to another...and they are caught. To save McKenna, Aline must make him go away. She is cruel and heartless in her execution and McKenna is crushed. His sorrow turns to bitter anger throughout the years. When he returns, he is rich, angry, and ALL GROWED UP!! "She swallowed against the tightness in her throat, willing the surge of unruly emotion to recede. "McKenna," she whispered, "how you devastate me."And I was also devastated. How does your heart break when something isn't even sad? Cue those sloppy, girlish tears!!! You know how certain authors words just speak to you? This author does that for me. I feel as if I'm not just an observer. I feel like I'm right there. Here is a part in which McKenna just holds Aline. Nothing more...it doesn't lead anywhere but comfort. If you've ever been held by someone that you know without a doubt loves you, there is such a comfort in that, and these words are that feeling on paper. I just think it's beautiful. "The delicious smell of his skin drew a catch of pain from beneath her ribs, a sting that quickly eased into fluid warmth. It went far beyond sexual pleasure, standing there with his hands on her, one at her back, one at her nape. It was bliss. Completeness. The heat of his touch sand through her skin and leaked down into the marrow of her bones. His thigh pressed between her legs, nudging so gently, as if he know of the urgent fullness that was gathering in her tender flesh. And he held her, just held her, with his mouth against her temple and his hot breath blowing over her skin. Their bodies were so close, and yet not close enough. She would gladly give away the rest of her life in exchange for one night of pure intimacy, to feel the naked skin of his body, skin to skin, heart to heart." Aline has her own issues. It's slightly spoilerish, so I won't put it here. Suffice it to say that she doesn't trust that McKenna can love who she is, the way that she is. She just doesn't understand what love is, and how it overlooks all physical flaws. And my GOSH! Does McKenna prove it to her! When he finally realizes why she's kept him away from her all of these years, the utter RAGE in him is magnificent! Rage is a passion, after all...and he is so very passionate about her. One more quote, and I'm done. It is taken from close to the end of the book, so if you don't want the HEA spoiled, don't read on:"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...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."I realize that this is a very quote-y review, and I apologize. There were just so many moments that I want to remember, moments that moved me. I can't recommend this author or this series enough. If you want a HR recommendation, read the Wallflowers series, starting with this book. It is one of my top favorite series of all time! And it segues into the Hathaway series, which is another favorite. So, so fabulous!!
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 definately one of my favourite LK books, Aline and McKenna are just a fabulous couple, you could feel the pull they have for eachother 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, ofcourse that would have made this a very short book and I understand her reluctance intially 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, I felt I had to mention it!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 loads 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.Here some of the quotes that made me love this book:She was not thegirl 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."~He came to ger, dropped to his haunches, and took one of her cold, pespiring hands in his own. The heat of hi 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..."
What do You think about Again The Magic (2015)?
“McKenna,” she moaned, turning her mouth from his, “promise me…”He held her tight, stroking her back, rubbing his cheek against her hair. “Anything. Anything.”“If you ever marry someone else, promise that you’ll always love me best.”“Sweet, selfish darling,” he murmured tenderly. “You’ll have my heart always—you’ve ruined me for life.”Lady Aline Marsden knows that her role in life is to make an advantageous marriage, but instead she willingly gives her innocence to John McKenna, a "mere" servant on her father's estate. She is distraught, heartbroken and left to live in the country when John is sent away by her father. Now, years later, he has returned: rich, powerful, and more handsome than before. His plan is to take revenge on the woman he feels betrayed him, but he still cannot resist the passion that flares between them.This was the very first Lisa Kleypas novel I read and right away I fell in love. Now thinking back, one of my favorite things about this book was the secondary story of Livia (Aline's younger sister) and Gideon Shaw. Their romance provided much-needed breaks from the sometimes emotionally overwhelming love story of McKenna and Aline. Secondary stories usually irritate me, but Lisa Kleypas can do no wrong. This book was perfect in every way and McKenna was such a loveable hero.I get teary quite often when I read but to be nearly bawling my eyes out before the end of the first chapter was a new record for me. From the very beginning, the book was an emotional rollercoaster. I felt the longing, the pain, the suffering, and eventually the happiness and joy of Aline and McKenna's sensational love story. McKenna was everything I could ever want in a hero. I loved him when he was a lanky, love-struck boy and I loved him even more when he returned as a dark, brooding stranger.Lisa Kleypas was flawless in writing this book and I just know I'm going to be reading it again and again.Rate: 5++ stars
—Sophie ♥
3.5 stars after rereadingThis one goes straight to my in between shelf, the ones I don't dislike, but which aren't favorites of mine, either. I will start with what I enjoyed about this novel: The story is really interesting, I like the kind of cliché "star crossed lovers seperated by an evil parent" plot. And even more than that I like the Lisa Kleypas trademark self made man, or from stable boy to multimillionaire in America. So trust me when I say: the story is interesting!The first three chapters of the novel were very sweet to read, LK describes the young lovers in a realistic way: youthful, full of hope, idealistic etc... After that there's jump of 12 years, and both Aline and McKenna are of course different people alltogether. I think maybe even more than the actual love story I liked the story of Olivia 'Livia' and Gideon Shaw. Of course I knew them from their short appearences in Secrets of a Summer Night, but the impression I got of them in that novel was not at all connected to the way they meet here. I was much more invested in their story because Livia is a genuine, sweet, but not too mushy heroine, and Gideon was exactly my cup of tea when it comes to heroes: cynical, brooding, having problems with drinking, jaded (the list can go on forever). Their story was, although it was just the secondary plot, very enchanting. And of course I loved Marcus! I think I've read like six or so LK novels with him in it, wether as a host of a party, as the actual hero, the friend of the hero, the employer.... puh! I think that's the reason I love him so much: I've seen him in action so many times, and it seems as if I as the reader know him much more intimately than the other heroes. Marcus, you're adoreable! Now, what I didn't like about the novel: Mainly Aline and McKenna. Yes, they are the H/h, but I didn't connect with them after the 12-year-jump. Although we had an inside to their feelings, I had an cold and unemotional impression of them. McKenna was very cruel in his plans etc, but that wouldn't have bothered me if I actually had been able to detect the point where his feelings turned softer. I only remember that he was mostly thinking of Aline in a physical and desireable way. Aline hadn't my sympathy, either, not because of the decision she made when they were young, but because of her behaviour when she was much older. Her pride... duh. The whole conflict at the end was because she didn't trust enough in McKenna's love. And because of her... Pride. That was kind of annoying. There weren't any sweet moments about them, or at least none which I considered to be so. Nonetheless, this was an a little more than okay read, with great secondary characters and a story that held my interest.
—[Aengell]
****SPOILER****He uttered a curse that startled her with its foulness, and gripped her head between his hands, forcing her to stare at him. His voice was savage. "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"...Once in a while, I am reminded of why I love reading romance novels...and why Lisa Kleypas is, without a doubt, Queen of Romancelandia!
—KarenH
