Mary Jo Putney ensorcels readers with "The Marriage Spell"

It's winter in 1813 in Mary Jo Putney's"The Marriage Spell" ($24.95, Ballantine Books), when Jack Langdon, Lord Frayne, is mortally wounded during the hunt in the English Midlands.

Devastated, Jack's friends take him, reluctantly as to the home of the local wizard -- Sir Andrew Barton -- reputed to be a great healer. The nobility are disdainful and distrustful of magic, but desperate circumstances call for desperate measures.
Unfortunately, Barton is not home. But fortunately for Jack his daughter, Abby, a healer also, is in residence at Barton Grange.

With Jack a death's door, Abby thinks she can save him with the aid of a healing circle. Her price is Jack's hand in marriage. Jack agrees to her terms.

Abby manages to save his life and though she tries to release him from their bargain, Jack decides he wants to marry her. He finds Abby kind, intelligent and honorable and if he marries her he won't have to endure the marriage mart.

But for a man repelled by magic to the point that he denies his own nature, Jack and Abby won't have an easy time of it. Plus, there's the matter of braving London Society which won't treat his wizard wife kindly and then reclaming Langdale Hall, Jack's family seat, from his evil stepfather.