IMMORTAL ILLUSIONS - Ursula Bauer
The Eternity Covenant, Book 2
Samhain Publishing
ISBN: 1-59998-832-1
March 2008
Fantasy Romance

Manhattan - Present Day

Occult Operations Analyst Raine Spencer knows exactly what the Council of Wardens thinks of elves. And even though she's a half-breed, they look down on her for her tainted and wild blood. But Raine doesn't care. She'll endure all manner of ridicule to get what she wants, and that's to eventually take the oath to become a knight in the service of the Council. In order to achieve her ultimate goal, though, she has but one challenge to complete: help "Mad" Jack Madden find four ancient objects by being his mystical surrogate. All Raine has ever heard about Mad Jack is how he is only out to save himself, damn the consequences. But she never knew how intoxicating it would be to be in his presence.

For fifty years, sorcerer Jack Madden has waited for revenge after the Council wrongfully convicted him and stripped him of his powers. Now he has a chance to get back at them, and Raine Spencer is going to help him. New to her powers, and afraid of what they do to her, Jack will expose her to even more magic so that not only can they find the artifacts a lot of gods are looking for, but also to hopefully restore his own powers. Being around straight-laced Raine is causing Jack to have second thoughts about using her this way, but he's come too far to have doubts now. That doesn't mean he can't show Raine how fun it is to be an elf in the process, and hopefully awaken not only her magical senses, but her heart as well.

Simply put, IMMORTAL ILLUSIONS is just plain fun. Full of energy, colorful characters, and all the gods you can poke a stick at, this addition to the Eternity Covenant is very exciting. Though there's a lot going on in Ursula Bauer's latest, the author does a great job of keeping the story from being too overwhelming. The main characters are full of depth, and secondary characters all have their own motives. Raine has never been happy as an Elf, and has even gone so far as to keep her ears clipped so as to not remind those who loathe her kind of what she is. She's on the straight and narrow, which quickly changes when Mad Jack roars into her life. And what a roar. Deliciously wicked, Jack isn't the carefree rogue he pretends to be. Deep down he longs to be what he once was, and he knows Raine is his ticket back to that. Neither of them counted on their intense feelings for the other, and although they try to fight it, their passion eventually gives way to some yummy scenes.

Throw in the Norse god of trickery, the Egyptian god of chaos, Jack's wacky elfin driver, and IMMORTAL ILLUSIONS just screams good time. Don't be the one who misses out on it!

Courtney Michelle