Avon Books (Paperback), ISBN 0-380-80365-8
Ah, magic. Two destinies woven in the misty past by a master enchanter's hand come to fanciful fruition in the delightfully daft time known as Regency England. It's enough to make a hardened reviewer wax poetic. 

Gavan St. Aldan, the Earl of St. Aldan, doesn't believe in magic, much less the legend that links his family with Merlin the Magician. Unfortunately, not only does Gavan's sister Gwyneth wholeheartedly believe in the silly fairy tale, but archeologist (and possible suitor for Gwyneth's hand) William Whitmore prattles of finding a book written by Merlin's true love. Gavan thinks William and Gwyneth are both a few dances short of a ball. 

But then the old druid translating the book for Gwyneth and William winds up dead -- smothered by someone searching for the book. Before you can say abracadabra, Gavan finds himself careening across country in a fast carriage bound for London. Gwyneth and William conceive the daft notion of getting the book translated in London while hiding from the unknown malefactors. Not wishing to see his sister harmed, Gavan reluctantly rides along. 

Priscilla Whitmore, hat-maker extraordinaire, watches in amazement as a carriage nearly crashes into her cozy cottage, and the most handsome man she's ever seen stalks through her door. Every hormone Priss owns sits up and purrs whenever Gavan so much as looks at her. Gavan, who previously contemplated an arranged marriage to avoid confronting that madness called love, finds that he can't get a golden-haired, hat-making enchantress out of his mind and heart. 

My Lord Destiny takes a thoroughly likeable hero and heroine, who aren't as different as they hope, through a fast-paced romp around the beautiful Welsh countryside. Throw in an attack cat named Precious, twin horses that won't go anywhere without each other, and two of the most wonderfully zany secondary characters ever chanced upon, and you've got a story that will keep you laughing all the way to the final page. 

And oh that Gavan. Tall, dark and handsome doesn't even begin to do the lad justice. Suffice it to say that he's a hero I wouldn't mind having a magic moment or two with myself. Lucky Priss. Better still, lucky reader who picks up My Lord Destiny. 

Teri Dohmen

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