Books › The Marriage Spell
The Marriage Spell
A Novel
First published 2006 · 544 pages
A tender historical fantasy where a marriage of convenience unlocks hidden magic and long-simmering passions.
What it feels like
Reading this book feels like slipping into a cozy, candlelit drawing room where the stakes are deeply personal and laced with quiet enchantment. The steady pacing allows the classic marriage of convenience trope to breathe, transforming a reluctant, duty-bound arrangement into a deeply felt partnership. The mood is warm and romantic, yet threaded with the tension of hidden identities and the fear of societal judgment. Putney's prose is elegant and emotionally grounded, anchoring the magical elements in very human vulnerabilities and the struggle to accept one's true self. It is a perfect escape for readers who love historical romances with a gentle, integrated magic system, where the most powerful spell is the slow, inevitable pull of two guarded people learning to trust.
- Mood
- enchanting
- cozy
- romantic
- tense
- Tone
- earnest
- romantic
- warm
- wistful
- Pace
- steady
- Themes
- marriage of convenience · hidden identities · accepting one's true self · duty versus desire · sacrificial love
- The writing
- Elegant and emotionally grounded, blending historical formality with accessible, character-driven warmth.
- The arc
- Moves from reluctant obligation and guarded secrets to mutual respect, passionate acceptance, and deep devotion.
- Who it's for
- Readers who crave Regency romances infused with gentle magic, focusing on marriages of convenience and the slow unraveling of secrets.
Content notes
- near-death experience
- societal prejudice
About the book
author Mary Jo Putney is acclaimed by critics and readers alike for unforgettable storytelling and arresting characters. Now she introduces a Regency England you've never seen before, where dazzling magic is practiced in all but the highest reaches of Society, and where desire is the most mysterious and seductive force of all.One of the Duke of Wellington's most respected officers, Jack Langdon, Lord Frayne, takes his family's honor very seriously. He also hides a shameful secret: a talent for sorcery he has been raised to suppress and openly reject. But after an injury lands Jack at death's door, his only chance at survival lies with Abigail Barton, a peer's daughter and a skilled wizard. Her price: Jack's hand in marriage. It isn't long before Jack feels an irresistible attraction to his forthright new wife, whose allure is as intense as the reawakening magical abilities he can no longer deny.Abigail had to make a great sacrifice to perform a spell powerful enough to save Lord Frayne, and although she cannot help but be drawn to her reluctant husband's surprising sensitivity and kindness, she knows all too well his distaste for magic. Once she has Jack's name and the child she has always longed for, she is determined to live apart from him so that he can preserve his reputation--and so that she herself can stay true to her gifts.But neither Abby nor Jack reckons on the deep, long-simmering passions her spell ignites. They challenge each other's extraordinary powers and deepest desires for the sake of a love that may cost them all they cherish most. With breathtaking skill and vivid historical detail, Mary Jo Putney weaves a tale of enchantment, mystery, and romance that will forever hold you spellbound.From the Hardcover edition.
Description from Open Library.
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