THE MAGIC BETWEEN US by Tammy Falkner is a magical tale of love and redemption that could be enjoyed by all if it weren't for the incredibly graphic sex scenes that saturate the novel's pages. I give it 4 stars and recommend it to any adult who loves novels featuring magic.
In the novel, Cecelia and Marcus, lifelong fae friends who are deeply in love with each other, are separated when Marcus is called to live in the human world and take his rightful, titled place in the ton. Marcus believes he must leave his old life and Cecelia behind; Cecelia is understandably devastated, but six months later, when called by Marcus' grandmother to use her magic to help ease Marcus' transition, Cecelia cannot refuse. Cecelia's love for Marcus thrusts them back into each other's life, and the sparks fly. Can their love overcome the difficulties and dangers within their families?
I enjoyed Cecelia and Marcus' story. The description of the fae world was just enough to aid the story, although I would have liked a bit more. Also, even though I could tell that there were other books in this series that chronologically precede this book, enough of the previous drama was summarized to allow the reader to understand what was happening.
The plot was straightforward with a couple of subplots that added depth to Marcus and Cecelia's story, and the novel was well paced. I liked the characters, especially the illustration of personal growth for some of them. The emotional upheaval of Marcus' abandonment was so palpable that I cried for Cecelia, but the novel also had some comic moments.
The only thing I did not like about this novel was the sheer number of pages dedicated to illustrating in minute, graphic detail the physical relationship between Marcus and Cecelia. It felt gratuitous and voyeuristic. It was also shocking because prior to those pages, which number in the double digits, the novel felt like a young adult novel. Clearly it is not. On the heat scale, it rates 4 out of 5, and probably should be categorized as "erotic" instead of "romance".
Other than that, the book was well written, and I recommend it to all adults who like magic in their novels.
**Review originally written for The Romance Reviews.com at http://www.theromancereviews.com/viewbooks.php?bookid=12562.
