FREE:
The Mesmerist (Hope Chest #1) - Pam McCutcheon
-Originally published as Enchantment by Zebra, 2001
-Time Travel/Paranormal/Historical Romance
Amazon US---
Kobo US---Not Free at Amazon UK & Canada when I checked
Spoiler:
An antique hope chest containing five unique objects . . . five people inexorably drawn to the items inside . . . each sent to the past where they must accomplish a task and find their own path to true love with the help of a magical matchmaker determined to bring soul mates together, even across time.
On the eve of her wedding, dog trainer Gina Charles finds her fiancé in flagrante delicto with her maid of dishonor, so she flees to a hotel in a nearby town. Unfortunately, her room already has another occupant—a ghost with compelling dark eyes who cuddles up to her in the middle of the night.
Gina reluctantly agrees to help the ghostly mesmerist, Drake Manton, learn how he died. When her investigation leads her to the burned-out Chesterfield hotel, Gina finds a hope chest in the ruins and is drawn to the melted dueling pistol inside. When she touches it, she and her faithful terrier hurtle back in time to 1883 where she comes face-to-face with the very alive, very sexy mesmerist.
Now all Gina has to do is prevent Drake’s fiery death so she can return to her own time. Or will she give up her life in the future for a lifetime of love in Drake’s arms?
Originally published as Enchantment by Zebra Ballad.
Reviews
"The first of what looks to be a delightful five-book time travel series,
[The Mesmerist] is quick, light and enchanting! — Romantic Times Magazine
“Combines the best of time travel with superb romantic elements with enchanting results. Intrigue, danger, and a magic hope chest bring together two strong willed, volatile characters with delightful results. This whimsical tale is one of the most convincing time travel romances I've yet to encounter, coming very highly recommended.” —Cindy Penn, Senior Editor, WordWeaving
“Hits you with action from the beginning and has you anxious to know how it will all end. The storyline is humorous at times, sensual and uplifting.” — Denise Fleischer, Gotta Write Online Romance Editor
“This series promises to be a lot of fun. The mystery surrounding Miss Sparrow and her hope chest are yet to be discovered. Ms. McCutcheon's characters are compelling, both the hero and heroine dealing with their personal pain in constructive ways. Drake is a deeply kind, caring, and honest man, just what Gina needs. He has a great desire to help others. Gina's confidence and insight provide what Drake needs to attract patients and discover the source of their problems. They make a great team. Together they sizzle with passion.” — ParaNormalRomance/PNR
“Pam McCutcheon certainly starts us out with a lively beginning that pulls you right into this delightful story... It was a roller coaster of laughs and tears and I hated to put it down; I couldn’t wait to see how it all turned out. If the other books in this series are as good as this one, then we are in for a wonderful extended read.” — Becci Davis Clayton, About.com