Title: Mesmerized Series: Mad Morlands #1
Author: Candace Camp
Published: October 1, 2003
Genre(s): Romance: Historical
Page Count: 360
Rating:
Summary from Goodreads:Olivia Moreland prides herself on discrediting charlatans, particularly the false mediums that flock to London. But when Lord Stephen St. Leger requests her help in investigating an alleged psychic’s claims, she can’t deny the ominous feeling she has within the walls of his ancient estate—or the intimately familiar connection she has with Stephen himself.
The last time he’d called Blackhope Hall home, Stephen had watched as his elder brother claimed both the family title and the woman he loved. Now, in the wake of his brother’s murder, Stephen has reluctantly returned to find his family ensconced in scandal. Who is responsible for his brother’s untimely death? And what is it about investigator Olivia Moreland that so thoroughly draws him in, reigniting a passion he hasn’t felt in years?
I really was excited about this book for the first 100 pages. Mesmerized was going places! It seemed to be a unique Victorian Romance about a paranormal skeptic out to prove that a “Russian psychic” is a phony. There was a bit of mystery and the tone was suitably dark and serious. Candace Camp’s writing…wasn’t stellar, but I was so excited I let it slide. I felt like I’d discovered the historical romance equivalent of Nancy Drew, and I was really excited.
But then…eh. There was too much going on. Black Magic! Warlocks! Long-lost secret ancestors! Cursed Norman treasure! Spiritual possessions! Maniacal ex-loves!
What the hell, Mesmerized? You’re only one book, try to slow it down. Save some tropes for the other romances, you know?
Like I said, though: the book starts of promisingly. Olivia Moreland is an independent-minded lady (slightly anachronistic, but whatevs) who runs a side business in exposing fraudulent psychics in Victorian London. She meets Stephen, an earl, and he hires her to expose this Russian lady who’s latched onto his mother. There’s a house party (of sorts) at Stephen’s ancestral estate, Blackhope.
Then things get super effing weird.
Olivia and Stephen have shared dreams about 12th century lovers? The psychic seems to not be so fake after all? There’s a super secret treasure that seems to be the root of it all? Stephen’s former lover is a scheming villainess? And somehow, amidst all this nonsense, I’m supposed to believe that there’s “true love” in the air?
No, Candace. Just no. You have bitten off way more than you can chew with this one.
I really, honestly, did not pick up Mesmerized with the expectation that it would feature actual ghosts. I thought it was all fake! (So did Olivia and Stephen, but that’s beside the point.) Malevolent ghosts out for revenge are really not my jam, and I like forewarning if I absolutely can’t avoid reading about them. So, yeah. There actually is ghostly shit going down at Blackhope, just so all readers are aware.
Now, the writing. Had the story actually been good, I probably wouldn’t have minded the writing. But the story wasn’t good, so I had less patience for all of the head-hopping, shoddy characterization, and caricaturized villains that populated Mesmerized‘s pages. Also, the actual romance was completely lost amidst all of the Black Magic hubbub, and I did not for one second believe that the protagonists had actually fallen in love. The HEA felt fake and inconsistent with everything that had come before.
All in all, Mezmerized feels like a book that wants to be a spooky paranormal, but is being forced to dress up like a historical romance. As might be expected, it fails as both, and is therefore disappointing and strange. There needed to be more ghosts or less ghosts, and either way, it still probably wouldn’t have been fantastic.
Maybe someday I can fulfill my dream of reading the historical romance equivalent of Nancy Drew. Someday.
