~ Review: Under Your Spel ~

If a Caribbean vacation is not in your budget right now, do yourself a favor and pick up a copy of UNDER YOUR SPELL by Marcia King-Gamble.  This book is as close as you will get to an island retreat and offers everything one could desire: romance, mystery, intrigue and authentic local color.  This is Ms King-Gamble’s third offering in the Arabesque line and arguably her best.  After reading it the steel drums are still echoing and the smell of the ocean lingers, along with a strong desire to go San Simone for the same kind of exotic adventure.

Marley Greaves, a local as she prefers to be called, is returning to the islands after living in Canada.  She has the opportunity to work for Dane Carmichael, an internationally known author and anthropologist.  Marley is thrilled by the opportunity, but she is not blind to the fact that she could be getting in over her head.  Dane Carmichael, in addition to being handsome, brilliant and wealthy, is a man steeped in controversy.  His wife died over a year ago under mysterious circumstances--island rumor has it that he killed her.  And he is a Rastafarian; a member of the religious sect that she suspects killed her boyfriend some years before.

Dane is attracted to Marley immediately--she is beautiful and spirited and compassionate, as well as extremely intelligent. He almost believes that this is the woman that can set his world right and bring him peace.  Against his will, he becomes more and more involved with Marley until a series of mysterious deaths brings more controversy to his door.  Together, Marley and Dane work to uncover the truth of the situation and clear his name once and for all.  Their search for answers is complicated by lies, mistrust, black magic, and ghosts.  The most dangerous complication of all is love, as they cannot resist each other and the spell of the islands draws them closer and closer.

With an unerring ear for local language and customs, Ms King-Gamble creates a colorful and rich setting for her book.  The characters are warm, dimensional and interesting, the dialogue fresh and believable.  There is a ring of authenticity in the descriptions that is understandable given the fact that Ms King-Gamble is a native of the West Indies.  Her love for her homeland and her skill as a romantic storyteller combine to make Under Your Spell and wonderful way to spend a hot summer afternoon.

So, forget making reservations.  Pour a tropical libation, put on some reggae and kick back with UNDER YOUR SPELL.  You will be in the Caribbean before you know it--and you won’t have to worry about lost luggage, mon.