"A terrific outer space romantic thriller"

The Argon Marten bought the brooch for his mother's birthday, but stopped at a tavern to initially meet the seller of the jewelry. A dancer put on quite a show and somehow stole the brooch from Marten and vanished immediately afterward. More irate that she fooled him and that he has nothing for his mother, he tells the laughing at him Daameon Traders he wants the bewitching thief caught.

Lysie, a feline Felys, ran away from home and her duty of breeding the next generation of her endangered species. She sneaks onto a parked spaceship to hide from a deadly cyborg who wants her dead. However, her luck of thieving enabling her to live a little better ends when the ship is captained by Marten, who is stunned to see her. As they travel together, Marten finds he is falling in love; Lysie reciprocates, but assumes his feelings are lust as she is going into heat. However, she might believe him when he risks all including his life to keep her safe from the killing cyborg that wants her dead.

This reviewer is already a big fan of Angela Verdenus for her terrific outer space romantic thrillers (see LOVE'S SWEET ASSASSIN and SOUL OF A HUNTER, etc.), but LOVE'S BEWITCHING THIEF is her best futuristic to date. The action-packed story line never slows down yet insures that the audience believes in other worlds and other species especially the Daameons and the Felys. The lead duet is a fine pairing with each containing different personalities, motivations, and needs yet sharing love.

Harriet Klausner

Reviewed by Harriet Klausner
Posted December 24, 2004

Summary

All Lysie did was steal the handsome Argon's jewels - twice. She hadn't bargained on being trapped on his ship.

Marten had her now, a Felys female with tortoiseshell hair, a purr to curl a man's toes -- and coming dangerously into heat.

The cyborg just wants to kill her.