Absolutely Captivated [Mass Market Paperback]

Again we meet the kitten carrying Fates, Clotho, Lachesis and Atropos, whom we adored in Simply Irresistable. This time they are entrusted to an average Joe, Travers, brother of Vi and Meagan. Vi and Dexter (a.k.a. Superman) ask Travers to take the fates back to his hometown of Los Angeles, from Portland where he attended their wedding. Thinking this was going to be a simple favor, a brotherly thing to do, Travers agreed to transport the three unusual women. But before he knows it, he's changed his destination to the one place on the planet that he vowed never to visit, Las Vegas.

Travers couldn't explain his affinity with numbers, and he considered it fortunate he could support his 11-year old son, Kyle, as an accountant. A non-believer in magic, he did concede that he was eeriely lucky when it came to guessing lottery numbers. Hadn't he made enough money picking lottery winners to pay for his college education? He was carefully not to select all the winning numbers on lottery tickets, just enough to win a few thousand here and there. But he hadn't used his talent since college, and preferred to use it to help his clients. He was extremely good at making for them money, too. So Vegas seemed the likely place to test his "number" affinity, a number man's Mecca. But Travers didn't trust a place where odds were a way of life. Somehow he knew his life would change forever if he went there.

Travers' eleven-year old son, Kyle, is immediately drawn to the blond, brunette and redhead, who recognize his magically powers and befriend him. He is intrigued by them, and recognizes that they are the "Wyrd Sisters" of old Norse myth and legend, and wants to help them. Kyle is already aware that he's special, although his father is in denial and fearful. After all, how many eleven year olds can hear people broadcasting their thoughts, and draw comics that predict the future?

In Las Vegas, all the fun starts as Travers life appears to spiral out of control and the insanity begins. It starts when he meets Zoe Sinclair, a Vegas detective the sisters were searching for in LA. The chemistry is spontaneous. Although Zoe is a mage of one hundred and fifty years, possessing a great deal of power, she chooses to live in Vegas as a detective to help ordinary people. She knows who the Fates are, realizes that not only they, but the entire magical world is in danger when she learns that three children of Zeus are now in charge, and agrees to help them find their lost wheel to return their powers.

Although he is only thirty years old (don't you just love a younger guy with an older, more mature woman) there is no doubt that Travers is the man of her dreams. (After all, the fates destined Zoe to meet her true love at the entrance of Faerie). The introduction to this magical chaotic world for Travers, and Zoe's mentoring of Travers education makes for an intricately funny story.

I love the pace of this book. The banter of the Fates reminds me of the quick wit and dialog of my favorite TV show, "Gilmore Girls", which last the majority of the book. I enjoy the way the Fates talk one after the other, finishing each other's sentence. At times, I found myself rereading passages because of a dizzying dialog, but it always made me smile.

The imagination of this author amazes me. She doesn't haphazardly mix a variety of mythology into her plots, she blends characters like fairies and comic book heroes that make you believe this world is real! I think it's fun that the setting is Las Vegas, the land of faires, where the Fairy Kings live. It's peopled with magic creatures like mages and evil fairies with pointed ears who steal magic from mages and spend fairy money that disappears after twenty four hours. Bet you never knew this side of Vegas! Speaking of fairies, I loved Hershel and Gaylord, her fairy friends, who imagine themselves as bikers and want to duplicate Evil Kinevel's death defying jumps. Even the animals are magical, like the dog she finds for a client that is really a "familiar." He confesses to Kyle that he doesn't like the name Bartholomew and wants to be called Fang, an unusual name of an obese, sausage loving dachshund. Every character or situation is inventive and unusual, which keeps your attention throughout the story.

I confess, I was disappointed that Travers didn't walk though a casino and have all the slot machines pay off at once. I was expecting this since he learned he had the magical ability to shower Zoe's detective office with five-dollar bills, although by accident. But that would be too predictable for this unpredictable genius of an author. I also would have like more dialogue between Zoe and Travers and more romantic situations. What about dinner and a show?

Again, the Fates outcome is unknown, but it comes as no disappointment since I know this means another inventively, funny novel is in the making. I'd like to see more of the fairies introduced in this next book, maybe Gaylord, the evil fairy that wishes he was mage. Then there was a mention of stealing the "wheel" and having Robin Hood do it!! And the fun continues!!

If you enjoy a lot of fantasy with your romance, you'll love reading this fast paced, zany book!

Los Angeles based accountant Travers Kineally wants to refuse the entreaty of the three dingbats who suddenly haunt him. However, though he can say no to the frantic females, he cannot deny his eleven year old son Kyle who persuades him that the quintet should journey to Las Vegas in order to help the nutty threesome regain whatever they seemingly misplaced.

Vegas based private investigator Zoe Sinclair figures she has seen it all in her century and half as a mage especially since becoming a sleuth. However, Zoe will soon learn she is a rookie when it comes to life's ironies. Her lesson is taught to her by her new clients, the three whacko Fates (Lachesis, Atropos, and Clitho) who have lost their enchanted status. To regain their former eminence the trio must locate a lost magical artifact. Protecting the three zanies from their millenniums of enemies is a full time job in of itself, but alas poor Zoe knows her fate and does not like it one iota though she finds the cynical Travers quite attractive.

Fans of fantasy romances will find ABSOLUTELY CAPTIVATED SIMPLY IRRESISTIBLE due to the return of the chaotic causing trio. The lead couple is a delightful pair with both suffering from skepticism amplified by love. Though his son is very precocious (he is only eleven) readers will be Completely Smitten by the amusing antics of the Three Fates.

Harriet Klausner

This book - the whole series of three - is just a good time. They are all three mindless and happy and great for really quick reads.