PANDORA'S BOX

Author: Natale Stenzel ISBN: 9780505527523 2/2008 PARANORMAL Publisher: DORCHESTER

HOPE REMAINS All Pandemina Dorothy Avery ever wanted was to be beautifully, blessedly normal, with a stable career and a love life leading to a white picket fence and a happily-ever-after. That seems impossible now. Penniless and parted from her unfaithful boyfriend, unfairly shunned by her coworkers, not even Mina’s recent inheritance can help—especially not when it amounts to a ten-pound rock box and guardianship of the horny, devious puca she released from inside. His name’s Riordan, and he ain’t no Harvey. What’s a puca, you ask? A tricky faery-type, whose magic not only includes shape-shifting into a magnificent black stallion and a snarky mutt, but the ability to manipulate human perceptions. And Riordan is hardly shy of manipulation: Wasn’t that why he was imprisoned in the first place? He seems set upon making Mina’s life harder than ever, whether it be with Jonathon Teague, the handsome contractor who wants to work on more than her house, or Mina’s penitent ex-boyfriend. But as Riordan’s very existence proves, things are not always what they seem, and what stepped out of that box might be the key to her dreams.

RRAH's THOUGHTS AND PONDERINGS:

Natale Stenzel sets her contemporary paranormal romance, PANDORA'S BOX, in suburban Virginia where Pandemina (can't you imagine growing up with that name?) Avery has hit rock bottom. She's lost her live-in boyfriend, job and home because of a morality clause in her teaching contract. OOPS! Somebody should have reminded her that business and pleasure don't mix. Did she think nobody would notice her living with the school superintendent? Oh, and back to the rock—a far flung relative has willed her a rock (cornerstone) that is hollow and contains a cursed, shape shifting puca. "Puca?" you ask. Think of the rabbit in Jimmy Stewart's "Harvey." He's the product of a relationship between a human and Oberon, the king of the fairies.

So Mina is the guardian of Riordan the puca, who wants to break free from his two thousand year-old Druidic curse of living in a rock. She is also becoming enamored of the hunky, handsome construction worker, Teague, who is renovating her house so she can sell it. Oh, and he's got his own secret. Teague's been dreaming of a woman exactly like Mina for years. No, really, he's actually been dreaming of Mina.

Did I mention that Mina's related to the druid who cursed Riordan? And did I mention that Teague is in love with Mina, and Mina's in love with both of them and keeps having these weird feelings when they are around? And that her old boyfriend still really loves her?

Whew! So Pandemina opens the proverbial "Pandora's box" by accidentally letting Riordan out of the cornerstone, and I felt like I had whiplash from trying to figure out who loved whom (and the sexual tension was pulling in every direction). As with Pandora's box full of human frailties unleashed, hope is also released.

Stenzel creates characters that are witty, strong, lovable and, oh, so sexy!

As the plot raced from point to point, it was funny, romantic, suspenseful, and sweet with a dose of bittersweet to evoke a few of my tears. What a whirlwind! I wholeheartedly recommend PANDORA'S BOX to any reader of the comically paranormal romance genre.

Susan Barton