Well, that was quite a ride. And not what I was expecting at all, based on the cover or the description. Less historical romance, more romantic suspense with some paranormal elements. I am curious to see if the rest of the series is like this.

That’s not to say I didn’t enjoy it. But I was surprised by the tense, sometimes scary tone of the story.

Reviewed by Barbara.

PHENOMENAL read!!! I have a feeling I am going to run out of superlatives before I am through reading this entire series. I read the sixth book in the series first – because I received a review copy. I was so in awe of the writing, the story and the Moreland family in that book that I just had to go back and read all of the first books. Boy am I glad I did. I can’t think of a better introduction to a series than this book! I also now have the rest of the books in my reading queue so I can get them read before the next one comes out.

Stephen St. Leger is the second son of an Earl. He never expects and certainly didn’t want to inherit the title – but he has and now he’ll have to do his best by it. He had lived in America – Colorado – for the last ten years and had made a fortune in silver mining, now he had to sell out and head back to England – something he didn’t think he’d ever do. He didn’t leave on the best of terms with his older brother and it was all over a calculating, cold, self-centered woman. Stephen met her and fell in love (at least he thought it was love) and then when he proudly introduced her to his family, she promptly went after his brother because he had the wealth and title. Stephen and Roderick had harsh, hurtful words and Stephen left for America.

Upon his return to England, he spends several months at their country estate – Blackhope – in order to familiarize himself with the running of the estate and its tenants. At the end of the season, he heads to London to pick up his mother, sister, and his brother's widow and return them home. What he finds when he arrives is chaos. His mother has been seeing a ‘medium’ and she is totally convinced that this woman can speak to the dead – specifically to Stephen’s dead brother. She invites this woman, her daughter and their ‘sponsor’ to come back to Blackhope with them. Before that happens, Stephen decides to attend a séance just to see how they work. While there, he grabs onto a woman who he is sure is an accomplice to the charlatan medium. His whole body jolts when his hand wraps around her wrist. They are thrown out of the séance and she is absolutely and completely furious with him – but gives him her card anyway.

Olivia Moreland is the daughter of a duke. Theirs is a very large, loving, and unconventional family. That unconventionality is what has earned them the epithet of ‘The Mad Morelands’. Olivia is incensed when one of the first things out of the mouth of the stranger who dared to grab her during the séance is a referral to her family as The Mad Morelands. She sets him in his place quite thoroughly, but she hands him one of her business cards. You see – she is an investigator whose mission is to expose all of those fake mediums who have invaded London in the last few years. They both leave and she never expects to see or hear from him again. Just imagine her shock when he turns up at her office the next day and asks to hire her.

She travels to Blackhope the following week and the strange events begin immediately. She has a vision upon arrival (all of the Morelands seem to have some special ability) and she is shocked. Nothing like that has ever happened to her before. The strange occurrences just continue and they keep you riveted – turning the pages as fast as you can read them. Is the villain a real live person or a ghost? Or – is it both?

I cannot recommend this book highly enough! It is an exciting page-turner – I couldn’t put it down once I started reading – and yes, that meant an all-nighter. I loved being introduced to the Moreland family and particularly liked Olivia’s Great-Uncle Bertrand as well as Stephen’s sister Belinda. I can’t wait to meet the rest of the Moreland clan in their own books!

Thank you to NetGalley and Candace Camp for allowing me to read and review Mesmerized. I really enjoyed this book. 5/5

I voluntarily reviewed an Advanced Reader Copy of this book which I received through Netgalley.
This was a really engaging and well written story.

Unfortunately I couldn't get into this, and it became a DNF. There was something a bit off in the pacing - it started very, very slowly, and while this may have picked up I didn't get far enough into it to see it. I usually really enjoy paranormal with historical romance so I'll keep this author in mind for future reads.

The only way to fight a powerful darkness is with a powerful love

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 have always enjoyed stories sent in the time of the Spiritualism movement. There is always such chicanery involved with convincing the ones left behind that they can really communicate with their loved ones. I especially enjoy the stories about the people who debunk these con artists. Olivia is one such debunker.

Another thing that drew me to this book is that Olivia is part of the 'mad Morelands' who are not mad at all. They just happen to believe in education for all and women's rights. Olivia is an independent thinker who enjoys exposing the con men or women. She gets to know Stephen when he hires her to expose a spiritualist who has attached herself to his mother.

I really enjoyed MESMERIZED. It is a blend with the just right balance of historical romance with a touch of the paranormal and mystery. I think that any of my readers who enjoy historical romances will love this book and author.

*** I received this book at no charge from NetGalley in exchange for a fair and honest review. All opinions expressed within are my own.

Olivia Moreland is a paranormal skeptic who has made it her business to investigate and disprove fraudulent mediums. In one such investigation, she meets Lord Stephen St. Leger. St. Leger believes his grieving mother has been duped by a fraudulent medium who has convinced her that she can speak to his deceased brother. After discovering that Olivia knows how to uncover the duplicity, he teams up with her and invites her to his country estate, where the medium and her cohorts have joined in a house party. While trying to uncover the scam, both Olivia and St. Leger encounter something that neither one is prepared for.

[There are two paranormal plots in this book, one invented by the medium and the other witnessed by both Olivia and St. Leger. Olivia and St. Leger experience the same dreams and visions regarding events that took place in the Middle Ages. They even see the same ghost walk by and disappear into the wall. However, even being intelligent characters, it takes them way too long to start to believe what they are seeing is happening. I think it took way too long for them to come to terms with the fact that some of the events were real and not a part of the fraud's tricks.

I also feel that not a good enough explanation was given for why they were experiencing the events. Were the ghosts still stuck on the estate? Was it just their imprint? If they didn't die there, why are they seeing those things? (The short reasoning given does not satisfy me). (hide spoiler)]

I enjoyed the characters and the writing so I will be continuing this series.

I received an advance copy of this book from Netgalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

When I first opened this book, I’ll be honest, I expected to be reading a bodice-ripper. Thankfully, this book mixed historical romance with a dash of the paranormal to produce something rather different- and something that I rather enjoyed!
Olivia Moreland is one of the ‘Mad Morelands’- a suspiciously ahead-of-their-time family, who have been marked by society as ‘odd’ because of the progressive beliefs that they have and crazy adventures they all get up to: Olivia’s sister is a budding chemist, and her brothers have a penchant for blowing things up. Olivia herself has started a business unmasking the fake mediums that were extremely popular in the death-obsessed Victorian society, but when she crosses paths with Lord Stephen St. Leger she accidently becomes involved in a centuries-old mystery and a ghost hunt in Stephen’s ancestral home, all whilst battling her feelings for him.
I really liked the fact that Olivia and Stephen’s relationship didn’t follow the prescribed romantic formula; there was a minimum of irritated snapping, taking offence, and misunderstandings, which instead let the characters interact more naturally, spend more time together, and foregrounded their growing relationship. It also made more room for the two mysteries at hand: the fake medium that Stephen’s mother is reliant on after the death of her eldest son, and the very real ghost mystery that haunts Blackhope Hall, complete with vanishing spirits, visions and dreams that plague both Olivia nad Stephen. The two strands are woven cleverly together, with the author skillfully walking the line between the paranormal and the fake, and the result was something that kept me gripped: I never knew quite which way the story was going to turn!
The only thing I did take issue with was the sometimes-slow pace of the plotting. There were several occasions where Olivia and Stephen are about to fall into a passionate embrace but- in the nick of time- decide that instead they’d better run away instead. Once is great; twice is fine. Three or four repetitions of this had me was rolling my eyes. This approach was also repeated when it came to their shared skepticism over the visions they both experience: again, too much repetition made the plot drag.
That, combined with a little too much on-the-nose dialogue, was enough to make me put down the book for a while, for some deep breathing exercises.
This was a shame, because the nub of the plot was great. It was interesting, had a whole host of unsavoury characters- my favourite was the fake medium- and villains. Though the ancient mystery was a tad predictable, I enjoyed reading about how it impacted Olivia and Stephen in the present day, and wove into the overall plot, especially as there was so much good stuff going on.
Overall, Mesmerised was a good read, with a rather unique premise, memorable characters and some good plotting. A little more editing, and a little more character development, and it would have been great: that said, this is the first in a series, so I’ll be looking forward to seeing what else Camp has to offer!

I loved the premise of this book--investigating the paranormal and mediums in 1876--and I was looking forward to reading it. It started out great with Lord Stephen St. Leger meeting Lady Olivia Moreland during a seance. With his accusing her of being the medium's assistant, Olivia sets the record straight when they are both escorted out of the medium's parlor. Stephen is desperate for his mother to come out under the influence of another medium and he invites Olivia to his home to help him expose the medium as a fraud before his mother gives the woman any more money. This was well done, but it didn't hold true for the rest of the book.

What I didn't like was the constant rehashing of the same "evidence" between Stephen and Olivia of the medium's tactics while neither of them was willing to discuss their own connection and what was happening. Olivia's self doubt about Stephen's feelings got tiresome after a while and despite the fact that there was much more going on in the story than a fake medium, there was nothing to keep the two apart except Olivia's doubt. I don't want to say any more because it would spoil the book for others.

I would have rated the book higher if the story was tightened up more. All in all, I think fans of the paranormal and historical romances will enjoy this book.

***ARC received in exchange of an honest opinion***

I LOVE Candace Camp's books, but I was left unsatisfied by this one.
The main characters didn't hook me enough, in fact, the supoorting ones captivated me a lot more and made me want to read their books.

As you know, historical romance is one of my favorite genres and Candace's books are usually all up on my alley. This one was a bit flat, sometimes boring. The supernatural side of it diverged my attention and not for the best. I wanted something more from this book.

It was a good reading though, entertaining as only a historical book canbe. Just not enough for me to love it!

Olivia Moreland cannot stand to see people suffer at the hands of charlatans. That is one of the many reasons why she runs a business where she exposes false mediums. A recent run-in with Lord Stephen St. Leger leaves Olivia both angered and confused. When Stephen calls on her and wants to hire her for a job, Olivia wants to say no, but finds herself saying yes.

When Stephen's mother invites a medium into their home in hopes of connecting with his deceased brother, Stephen is at his wit's end. He knows the woman is taking advantage of his mother and plans to prove it. That's where Olivia comes in. Together they will work to uncover the medium's falsehoods. Stephen and Olivia couldn't possibly foresee what is to come next.

I have been a fan of author Candace Camp for many years, She is a romance writing legend in my mind. Her MAD MORELANDS series isn't your typical historical with it's hints at paranormal, but still very captivating in it's own right. It all begins with the first novel, MESMERIZED. Olivia Moreland was once told that she had a second-sight. She knows her family is considered eccentric, but Olivia refuses to believe she's that crazy. That is where her fascination starts with all things paranormal. I loved everything about Olivia. She is so unconventional.. her independent nature, her beliefs and opinions, her strength. She's a woman who can accomplish anything. Stephen is strong, resilient, kind and compassionate. He is perfect for Olivia. Don't miss their adventure in MESMERIZED.

Olivia Moreland investigates psychic phenomena in order to debunk them. So when Stephen St. Leger invites her to his country estate in order to discredit a so-called ‘medium’ who has her claws into his mother, and strange phenomena begin to occur, Olivia and Stephen have to band together to try and find out what is behind the disturbances. They also have to contend with Pamela, the conniving widow of Stephen’s older brother, who seems determined to get her hooks into Stephen now he is the holder of the title.

I really liked both Olivia and Stephen, and I enjoyed the clever way supernatural phenomena were used to combine a historical tragedy with present-day happenings. The explanation of how charlatans conducted their ‘magic’ tricks in the Victorian era was really intriguing and I’d have enjoyed reading more.

However, I had a couple of major issues with the story. Since the book is set in 1876, Pamela couldn’t marry Stephen because the Marriage Act of 1835 declared void any marriage which occurred with the ‘proscribed degree of consanguinity’. This included marrying the widow of one’s brother. So Pamela’s attempts to lure Stephen were completely pointless. This law was not repealed until 1921, and frankly I find it inconceivable that Stephen wouldn’t have simply stated to Pamela’s face that any relationship between them was impossible not only because of his feelings, but because it was actually illegal. I can only assume that the author is not aware of this fact.

In addition, on one occasion Olivia uses the word ‘gotten’ in dialogue. While this word is, contrary to popular belief, of Old English origins, by the late 18th century it had fallen out of use in the UK and would never have been used by an Englishwoman in the Victorian era.

Frankly, I expect better from an author of Candace Camp’s standing, and of her editors at Harlequin’s historical division. Though I enjoyed the read, any historical purist would feel just as frustrated at such errors as I did. Three stars.

An unremarkable paranormal historical romance. I didn't feel either the historical romance or the paranormal aspect was done well. The paranormal plot was cliched and predictable; the historical romance was not true to the times. (I didn't mind that so much until the hero and heroine slept together before they were even engaged when it was not important to the plot or their relationship. It was certainly wrong for the time period.)

Not bad enough to DNF, but not great. It didn't make me want to continue on to book two.

When I saw Candace Camp's Mesmerized on Netgalley, I clicked without thinking. Candace Camp's books are published in Turkey too and I had good time while reading them.

What I expected was a good historical romance. What I found was a good historical romance AND good paranormal parts. I love that part, because ghosts, evil spirits are always good for me. In some parts I spooked too, Olivia is a member of "Mad Morelands" and her job is uncloack the mediums' tricks. This is how she met Stephan. Stephan's mother is in pain and finds peace with mediums, but she doesn't accept that they are frauds. To prove that Stephan hires Olivia. And when they got together they started to dream strange things, strange like people lived 500 years ago in that house. And they had to defeat that evil spirit.

If there was only historical parts, I may get bored. But with paranormal parts it got better. I’m planning to read the next book.

Olivia Morelands is the youngest daughter of a noble family known by the lots as the Mad Morelands. Despite being a lady, she made a profession of investigating and exposing charlatans, specifically those who are engaged in paranormal activities, and in such investigations she met Lord Stephen St. Leger.

After his brother's death, Stephen came home to claim the family title along with an ancestral home named Blackhope Hall which seemed to be more intriguing than the home he remembered and grown up in. With his mother still grieving and enamored by a woman who claimed she can speak to spirits, Stephen seek help from Olivia.

But frauds aren't just what to be exposed, suddenly, there are talks of lost souls and evil spirits.

And of an intriguing affair between two people who have been dead for centuries.

........Let me start by saying that my Netgalley shelf is filled with Historical Romances because I love this genre so much. Needless to say, I was so excited to read this one. Sadly it didn't satisfy me as much as wanted it to.

The story started perfectly. Actually, the whole idea of a man and a woman who is skeptical when it comes to paranormal stuffs joined forces to expose a fraud, and ended up exposing more than they bargained for. It was amazing. How Olivia and Stephen met was amazingly done.

Actually, most of the scenes should've been great but I found that the writing isn't for me. Too informative making it too predictable. I had rolled my eyes countless times, and occasionally blurting out 'SERIOUSLY?!?' because really. There are instances that I want the characters to in front of me so I can smack them. The thing is right in front of their eyes, of their beautiful faces, and yet they kept on going over and over about their evidences. And by evidences I mean, the events that have happened all throughout their so-called investigation.

They kept repeating everything. SERIOUSLY!?! They would rehash it first in their minds and then speak it or sometimes vice versa. I thinks that's not necessary. Tehre are so many times that things could've been summarized into a single sentence than repeating everything else. It gets boring.

I also don't like the style of writing where in another's POV one is wondering about something about the other and in the other's POV it would be revealed. TOO INFORMATIVE. The readers can figure these things out. No need to literally tell the readers everything.

Also it bothered me, how saintly the main protagonists are. Their literally saints in all aspect, including physical. Countless times, the main ladies, Lady Alys and Lady Olivia were both depicted as women who aren't only strong, they're also have great hearts. Ugh!!!. Worse, sometimes, their good qualities were literally spoken.

I think my stars are only for the paranormal side, I kinda enjoyed them.

Olivia Moreland, one of the “Mad Morelands”—what society names her eccentric, independent, and forward-thinking family—spends her days trying to expose mediums for the charlatans she believes them to be. She knows all their little tricks, from phosphorescent gloves to hidden music boxes playing the dearly departed’s favorite tune, and she thrives on shining a bright light on their shady practices. Until one night, Lord Stephen St. Leger accuses her of conspiring with a medium—and they both end up kicked out of the party.

Stephen’s apology means nothing to her, until, a few days later, he asks her to help him expose the medium preying on his own mother, and she finds herself in a house party at the St. Leger estate, Blackhope Hall.

Blackhope Hall has secrets dating back hundreds of years, and when Stephen and Olivia both start seeing visions from the past—visions where they are living the lives of a pair of star-crossed lovers—the skeptical pair start to question if the supernatural world really exists. Is the dark spirit that haunts the Moreland family responsible for the death of Stephen’s brother, or is the psychic who does his bidding to blame? Stephen and Olivia must work together if they are to stop their visions from the past of coming true again, and only love is strong enough to combat the darkness.

Mesmerized was a well-plotted read twining romance and paranormal together in a Regency setting. Olivia, at first too rebellious against the customs of society, learns that she can still be a smart, independent woman, even if she does her hair and wears feminine clothing. Stephen, determined to save his family from more hurt, is close-minded about anything that falls outside his realm of experience, but exposure to Olivia softens him up a bit. The secondary characters, especially the “Mad” Morelands, are vibrant and entertaining, adding depth to the story that I enjoyed.

(Galley provided by Harlequin/HQN via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.)

3.5 Stars rounded up to 4 for sheer enjoyment

Mesmerized was an intriguing blend of paranormal with historical romance and I enjoyed it quite a bit!

Olivia Moreland is in the business of exposing charlatans and it is during the course of such an investigation that she meets Lord Stephen St. Leger who inadvertently exposes her intentions. After his brother passed away leaving him to inherit the family title as well as the ancestral home, Stephen has returned home to discover his mother has become intertwined with a woman who claims to be able to communicate with spirits. Stephen decides to enlist Olivia’s help to expose the woman and save his family from scandal. However, things are not as they appear at Blackhope Hall and soon Olivia and Stephen are swept up in a centuries old mystery while battling their growing feelings in the present.

Olivia has spent her entire life with society labeling her family the “Mad Morelands”, but Olivia knows they’re not mad, just different. The only person Olivia thinks the nickname applies to is her grandmother who has always told Olivia she has the sight which she claims Olivia inherited as well. Olivia was naturally skeptical and in part started her business to discover if there was any truth to the claims. Despite actively working towards that goal, she has never seen anything that couldn’t be logically explained. Now, Olivia mainly uses her resources to expose fakes for what they are as she has become quite knowledgeable in their tricks.

Stephen has spent the last ten years in America seeking his fortune abroad as a second son as well as because the woman he was in love with married his brother instead. Prior to leaving England, Stephen had a falling out with his brother which he regrets was not repaired prior to his brother’s death. He cares deeply for his family and doesn’t want to cause his mother any additional pain while she is still grieving, but he does believe she is being taken advantage of. I admired that he tried to find the best way to expose the medium without hurting his mother.

Olivia and Stephen felt a connection to each other right away although they were initially hesitant to act on it. Stephen was immediately intrigued by the work Olivia did and quickly became enamored with her. Throughout the course of their investigation, Olivia and Stephen spent a great deal of time alone together which allowed them a chance to speak freely and get to know one another in a more intimate setting. When their relationship takes a turn for the physical, it develops quickly and is quite steamy which I enjoyed. For me, the only downside to their relationship was the character Pamela who I felt added an unnecessary jealousy plotline.

There are two paranormal plots woven together throughout Mesmerized, the investigation into medium Madame Valenskaya and the visions/dreams that Olivia and Stephen experience at Blackhope Hall. Both of these plots were interesting and I enjoyed watching things unfold, however I did get confused at times about what was real and what was fake. Overall though, the paranormal aspects of the book were very well done.

Mesmerized was an enjoyable and unique read as I’ve never read historical romance with a paranormal aspect before. I will definitely be checking out the other books in The Mad Morelands series and would recommend Mesmerized if you’re looking for a unique historical romance.

There are some aspects of this story that I found thoroughly enjoyable, and a couple of things that I didn't enjoy (or found unrealistic that had nothing to do with the paranormal aspect of the story).

Because I like to end things on a positive note whenever possible, let me begin by going over the things that I did not enjoy. To begin with, some of the phrases used seemed entirely too modern to have been set in the time period. I also found it highly unlikely that Olivia would have been allowed to one, hold a profession where she spent much of her day alone in the company of a man who was not related to her. I also found it highly unlikely that as "peculiar" or "forward thinking" as her family might have been, that she would have been allowed to attend a "house party" of a man she barely knew without a chaperone. It just was not done, and would have completely ruined her reputation.

Now, on what I enjoyed about this story.

I really enjoyed Stephen and Olivia. Both as individual people, and as a romantic interest. I loved their cynicism, and the way they approached the problems at hand. Each character was well developed, and added something to the story, and often times I found myself unable to put this story down. Both because of the paranormal aspect, but also in the fraudulent claims of the medium and the steps Olivia and Stephen took to discredit and debunk the claims. The surprise twist at the end though sealed the deal for me. It was so unexpected that it was probably my favorite part.

I believe this story will appeal to those who enjoy slightly unconventional historical romance novels, especially if you enjoy a touch of the paranormal as well. I would read more from this author.

DISCLAIMER: I received a complimentary copy of this novel in exchange for my honest review. This has not affected my review in any way. All thoughts and opinions expressed in this review are 100% my own.

This book was really two books in one. The first part of the plot involves Olivia Moreland, daughter of an eccentric duke who has taken up debunking fake mediums who claim to help rich people reach their loved ones who have passed away. She meets up with Lord Stephen St. Leger whose mother has been taken in by a phony medium who is pretending to talk to her oldest son who died earlier. Stephen asks Olivia to come to his home to help expose the medium and stop his mother from having her grief taken advantage of.

That part of the story was really interesting and I was looking forward to Olivia doing some detective work to expose the charlatans and win over the handsome new Lord St. Leger. But then the book takes a different turn as it slowly becomes clear that there is some sort of psychic phenomenon going on. Both Olivia and Stephen experience the same visions of a Medieval woman and her lover as they try to run away together to escape the lady’s evil husband. The book then becomes a sort of “Ghostbusters” without the humor as the evil spirit threatens the couple while they try to figure what’s going on with both the fake psychic and real psychic infestations. And, of course, fall in love.

I enjoyed the first plot much better than the second which was basically a ghost story wrapped up in a historical mystery that is slowly revealed to them as they experience these visions. And to top it off, Olivia never really gets to display her talents at exposing charlatans. That was a real disappointment since I thought that was the most original part of the plot. Instead of a plucky, bright heroine as she seemed to be in the beginning, she becomes a rather standard heroine who needs to be rescued several times by the hero.

All in all, I found the story rather disappointing even though I’ve enjoyed Candace Camp’s earlier books.

I was given a free ARC of this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Mad Morelands Collection Volume 1: Mesmerized\Beyond Compare\Winterset
by Candace Camp

Okay Perhaps many will disagree, however, I had to go four stars because of the versatility and difference in this romance. While, I find it a little out there in some places, it was a very different romance with elements I did not expect. I cannot say I loved it... but I can say I enjoyed it. So for a book to while away the time, buy this one. This was not the normal standard I expect from this author, normally she is five stars without trying. However, with this book, the plot the characters the mystery the mix of paranormal all make it an interesting read. I was given this book in return for an honest review. Anna Swedenmom