sandlynn's review
2.0
Anne Stuart is one of the Grand Dames of romance writing. Even though I must own more than 20 of her books, I have only read two and this is one of them. Bewitching Hour is a Harlequin American Romance, published in 1986, over 30 years ago.
This story involves a young woman living in a small Vermont town, who manages a paranormal bookstore and acts as secretary to a group called the Society of Water Witches who dabble in dowsing, among other things. Sybil Richardson, whose real name is Saralee — no kidding — left her marriage to an up and coming banker as well as her very successful parents and siblings in Princeton, New Jersey, a few years back to live on her own in New England. She’s always felt out of place in her family — a not brilliant, mousey girl amongst a brood of tall, gorgeous, successful brainiacs. Recently, the Society works for was contacted by a Harvard professor doing research for a book on dowsing. He has asked to do research in their collection of papers and meet with a few locals who are experts in the work. During his weeks up in Vermont, the Society has offered to help him find a place to stay as well as offer their expertise.
Sybil is expecting Nicholas Fitzsimmons to be a crusty old scholar, but he ends up being nothing of the sort. Nick is a tall, handsome 34 year old, driving a Jaguar and exhibiting an attitude of amused skepticism — not of dowsing, but of all the other mystical pursuits and beliefs the members of the Society hold. Right off the bat, Sybil is both intrigued and irritated by Nick. She finds him enormously attractive but thinks he couldn’t belong with her since she sees herself as very average, leaving aside his skepticism of her interests. Because of this, she tries to pawn him off on a friend of hers who is a very good looking member of their Society. That being said, he doesn’t take the bait and continues to flirt and bait Sybil.
Nick, for his part, finds himself strangely drawn to Sybil. Some members of the Society are a little too much for him to take and he feels hostility emanating from their leader, Leona, but he definitely wants to get to know Sybil better, even though there’s a part of him which feels like they already know each other.
Bewitching Hour sells itself as one thing but ends up being something else. Although the synopsis on the back of the book promises that the contents include a lot of paranormal elements, including a haunted house which Nick rents during his stay in Vermont, very, very little of this actually comes to fruition. Towards the beginning of the story, I was kind of excited because there’s a scene that suggests this is going to be explored, putting a paranormal spin on Sybil and Nick’s attraction, but other than a few dreams Sybil has, it’s hardly touched on! I was so disappointed. I’m not a fan of haunted houses, but even that ball was dropped.
Instead the story turns into a partial who-done-it as Nick tries to find evidence against someone who is bilking the old ladies of the town of their savings. (Where did that come from?!) And, on Sybil’s side, the story pivots around her inability to understand what the gorgeous Nick sees in her — which gets tiresome — and her reluctance to get involved with someone who not only isn’t open to her beliefs but would potentially drag her back to the type of life she escaped a few years ago. (And, to be frank, I’m not so sure that wouldn’t be the case.) In any event, it’s a real bait and switch.
On the upside, the book cover does seem to look a bit like the characters, although Sybil spends most of the book with braids wrapped around her head, described in a manner that made me feel she purposely wore her hair that way to look unattractive. (On the cover, she looks more like Samantha Stephens of Bewitched, without the braids, which, I guess, is what the publisher was going for.) Anyway, even though the writing was fine. (I wouldn’t expect less from Anne Stuart.) The plot was totally misrepresented. I’d give it a C.
This story involves a young woman living in a small Vermont town, who manages a paranormal bookstore and acts as secretary to a group called the Society of Water Witches who dabble in dowsing, among other things. Sybil Richardson, whose real name is Saralee — no kidding — left her marriage to an up and coming banker as well as her very successful parents and siblings in Princeton, New Jersey, a few years back to live on her own in New England. She’s always felt out of place in her family — a not brilliant, mousey girl amongst a brood of tall, gorgeous, successful brainiacs. Recently, the Society works for was contacted by a Harvard professor doing research for a book on dowsing. He has asked to do research in their collection of papers and meet with a few locals who are experts in the work. During his weeks up in Vermont, the Society has offered to help him find a place to stay as well as offer their expertise.
Sybil is expecting Nicholas Fitzsimmons to be a crusty old scholar, but he ends up being nothing of the sort. Nick is a tall, handsome 34 year old, driving a Jaguar and exhibiting an attitude of amused skepticism — not of dowsing, but of all the other mystical pursuits and beliefs the members of the Society hold. Right off the bat, Sybil is both intrigued and irritated by Nick. She finds him enormously attractive but thinks he couldn’t belong with her since she sees herself as very average, leaving aside his skepticism of her interests. Because of this, she tries to pawn him off on a friend of hers who is a very good looking member of their Society. That being said, he doesn’t take the bait and continues to flirt and bait Sybil.
Nick, for his part, finds himself strangely drawn to Sybil. Some members of the Society are a little too much for him to take and he feels hostility emanating from their leader, Leona, but he definitely wants to get to know Sybil better, even though there’s a part of him which feels like they already know each other.
Bewitching Hour sells itself as one thing but ends up being something else. Although the synopsis on the back of the book promises that the contents include a lot of paranormal elements, including a haunted house which Nick rents during his stay in Vermont, very, very little of this actually comes to fruition. Towards the beginning of the story, I was kind of excited because there’s a scene that suggests this is going to be explored, putting a paranormal spin on Sybil and Nick’s attraction, but other than a few dreams Sybil has, it’s hardly touched on! I was so disappointed. I’m not a fan of haunted houses, but even that ball was dropped.
Instead the story turns into a partial who-done-it as Nick tries to find evidence against someone who is bilking the old ladies of the town of their savings. (Where did that come from?!) And, on Sybil’s side, the story pivots around her inability to understand what the gorgeous Nick sees in her — which gets tiresome — and her reluctance to get involved with someone who not only isn’t open to her beliefs but would potentially drag her back to the type of life she escaped a few years ago. (And, to be frank, I’m not so sure that wouldn’t be the case.) In any event, it’s a real bait and switch.
On the upside, the book cover does seem to look a bit like the characters, although Sybil spends most of the book with braids wrapped around her head, described in a manner that made me feel she purposely wore her hair that way to look unattractive. (On the cover, she looks more like Samantha Stephens of Bewitched, without the braids, which, I guess, is what the publisher was going for.) Anyway, even though the writing was fine. (I wouldn’t expect less from Anne Stuart.) The plot was totally misrepresented. I’d give it a C.
schomj's review against another edition
4.0
Thanks to my friend Anne for letting me borrow this - one of my favorite Stuarts so far! Starts off with the Society of Water Witches (SOWW *gigglesnort*), add in some past life regression (with the h/h as lovers in a former life, of course), Tarot readings, embezzlement, conveniently timed snow storms and more. Hilarious bit of campy Gothic romance, with a hero who demonstrates the softer side of gamma.
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