Midsummer Magic

Magic Trilogy, Book 1

By: Catherine Coulter

Narrated by: Anne Flosnik

Dear Listener: Midsummer Magic, the first novel in the Magic Trilogy, was published at the end of 1987.

Philip Hawksbury, the Earl of Rothermere, obeying his father's dying wish, hies himself to Scotland to offer for one of the daughters of Alexander Kilbracken, the Earl of Ruthven. Frances Kilbracken, informed of the earl's arrival and his mission, disguises herself as a bespectacled dowd so she won't be the one selected by the young earl. But choose her he does, and for all the wrong reasons. The newly married couple return to England, together but not at all happy. Philip dumps Frances at Desborough Hall, his ancestral estate, and heads back to his old life in London. Ah, but Desborough has a stud farm and racing stable, and Frances is magic with horses. When the earl returns to his home, driven by guilt, he discovers the woman he married has grossly deceived him. What follows is a battle of the sexes that will have you chuckling, maybe even howling with laughter. Let me know what you think of this first of the Magic novels - it's one of my own favorites. - Catherine Coulter

©2003 Catherine Coulter (P)2012 Brilliance Audio, Inc.

Coulter delivers again.

Would you listen to Midsummer Magic again? Why?

I will definitely listen to Midsummer Magic again as I often do with my audible books when I'm completing a routine task such as gardening, cooking, or crafting. I always hear elements I missed when I first listened.

Who was your favorite character and why?

The main character, Frances Kilbracken, was my favorite because I liked her ingenuity and her strong spirit. She was ingenious in her solutions to problems she faced.

Which character – as performed by Anne Flosnik – was your favorite?

Anne Flosnick's performance of the French mistress' accent and intonation was outstanding. The conversations moved seamlessly between French and British dialects.

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

My only extreme reaction occurred when her horse was cruelly injured.

Any additional comments?

I will certainly purchase the other works in the trilogy.

Enjoyed it

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

Worth a listen.

What was the most interesting aspect of this story? The least interesting?

The hero is handsome, the heroine beautiful. But it's not boring...Catherine keeps the tension going beautifully.

Have you listened to any of Anne Flosnik’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

The male voices are weird but you get used to it.

WELL DONE!

Very enjoyable--it has it all: Romance, Intrigue and Humor.
Anne Flosnik's narration was perfect. This abridged book was long enough not to miss anything of import, and short enough to listen to in one setting. An unabridged copy would have gone into greater detail, but sometimes authors can go into too much detail, causing a story to drag. This book was so well edited is seemed complete.

ABRIDGED! For the better? Trigger & Spoiler warnings

Another excellent performance by Anne Flosnik. I never pick abridged books but the fact that this version was escaped my notice. There were a few spots with abrupt transitions and Coulter’s usual humor was not as evident.
The most difficult to accept were H’s treatment of h during the early period of their marriage when there were several scenes of marital rape. The attitude and actions of the H were probably more historically accurate than the emphasis on consent in more current Historical Romance. I found the scenes disturbing.
Did the abridgment omit a slower wooing of the h that would have made her acceptance of the H more believable.

Rapacious and unsettling...

I almost didn’t finish this book. Halfway through the “romance” was nowhere in sight. The resolution of conflict was almost completely based on sexual conquest, which made both parties seem painfully shallow and dysfunctional. Interactions were abusive and dysfunctional. Very UNromantic.

Not very enjoyable

Narrator is awful. Story is boring. Hard to get involved with the characters
Just a waste of money.