This book was really cool. That doesn't really sum up The Lost Enchantress very well, but it's an accurate statement. It also doesn't explain why this was a eight-star book instead of a ten-star.
I'm a sucker for magic, especially when the author ties it to some type of mythology, which is why I purchased this book. I'm also a sucker for a this-may-not-turn-out-well love story, and The Lost Enchantress fits that bill, too. In more ways that one, I guess I was drawn to this book, and the cover art kind of sealed the deal. Who doesn't love curly letters and a pixie-dust encircled hourglass?
**I want to make sure you understand one thing first: this is a romance novel. I don't mean the kind of romance you get in a romantic comedy; I mean the kind you get from Danielle Steele with Fabio on the cover. When I picked up the book, it was in the bargain section with no sign over it to tell me it was in the romance section, and the LOC information on the copyright page just called it "fiction." Color me surprised when I find myself privy to scenes that should be kept the parties involved. This is why I docked a couple stars. This was more the publisher's fault, than Coughlin's, but the novel could have done without the two major scenes that made me a little uncomfortable.**
Now that that's out of the way, let's get to the fun part. This was a very clever story, with memorable characters, and a twist ending that I didn't really see coming. This is exactly the combination that makes me read the same books time and again. To start, The Lost Enchantress takes place in Providence, Rhode Island, which is a place I've never been to. Immediate interest because I depend on the author for background to the city and it's history. It also really brings home the story; even though Providence is the capital of RI, Coughlin makes it seem like you can still find a small town feel, and have room for adventure on the side.
As for characters, I thought the two main people were very well thought out. The story centers around Eve Lockhart, a top-notch journalist with a sad family history. She inherited a very powerful form of magic that she shares with her grandmother, but a horrible accident leads her to turn away from her birthright. Coughlin takes a great deal of care to make you understand Eve's position, and how she got to the place she is when the main story begins. I enjoyed the twists in Eve's life, and the courage it took to stay her course.
Next on the list is the opponent-turned-love-interest, Gabriel Hazard -- horrible name, but great character. There are a lot of interesting things that happen with Hazard, including his interesting ability to have blocked color from his vision. (You'll have to read to find out how that happened.) Coughlin chooses to use Hazard as an example of how finding the right person can change your entire life. This man was a loner for many years, and with good reason, but when he meets Eve, his entire outlook on life slowly changes until he comes to the conclusion that he can never go back the way he lived life before. It sounds very sappy in the summary of it, but when you read it, his story will sound much more romantic; it's an ideal that many people (the romantically inclined people at least) wish would happen in real life. That's the beauty of a novel, though. Many things that can't/won't/don't happen in the real world can be played out in fiction; it sort of fills a void between your life and your dream life. (Oops, getting sidetracked.)
Back to the topic at hand, though. I very much liked the way that Coughlin quietly steered Eve back into her magic. Magic was something that Eve had sworn off because she believed it was the cause of all the terrible things that had happened to her as a child. However, because of a centuries-old prophecy, it becomes impossible for her to ignore that magic any longer. To make things more interesting and complicated, her magic it tied to all of the people in her life, including Hazard, in a way that I really didn't expect. The villain was also very villainous and kind of gross, but I suppose that was the point. It's a story about finding out who you really are and finding peace with the past and the future. Again, this sounds very sappy as I'm writing it out, but Coughlin does a much better job than me at telling the story.
The Lost Enchantress is a wonderful example of a story that shows your past may come back to save you instead of haunt you. I was impressed with the depth of her characters, and the story kept me coming back to it whenever I had time (which isn't often since I'm in grad school now). This will definitely be a re-read in the future, and I would recommend it for its writing style and cohesion, although Coughlin does use the phrase "nerve endings" a little too often for my taste. Just keep my initial note in mind before you make your reading decision.
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