More Than Magic by Kathleen Nance is the sequel to the excellent Wishes Come True and is the story of Simon's Djinni friend Darius and Isis Montgomery the woman who finally traps this charming and dangerous man.  Isis had spent much of her life helping her Aunt Tildy expose fake psychics who conned their way into the lives and wallets of unsuspecting people.  However, unlike her loveable aunt who still believed that there was real magic out there Isis had long since given up on finding it.

Her searches now are for an elusive perfume that will make her fortune and bring her the success that was stolen from her by her former partner.  When she is given the chance of summoning a Djinni so that she can wish for the perfume she is sceptical but is desperate enough to try anything.  Paying the money to the owner of the ritual she also pays with a favour to be collected later....and so she starts to begin the binding rite, little realising that the person who sold her the spell is merely using her as a pawn in a dangerous game of revenge.

Meanwhile on Kaf, the world of the Djinn, Darius is losing control of his ma-at (magic) and from a prophecy he discovers that he must make Isis his zaniya (wife) in order to restore his control over the powers.  He travels to Terra (Earth) and arrives in Isis's home just as she begins her ritual.  At first he is amused by her efforts but when he realises that she is doing a binding spell his anger begins to rise.  When he realises she is trying to bind him he stops her in a blaze of fury.

And so meet the hero and heroine of the novel.

Isis does not realise that her binding spell has not worked.  She only sees that a djinni is in her house with her and does not realise that he had come of his own accord.  Her first words to the djinni "aren't you supposed to be bald?" set the humorous tone of their first encounter as Isis tries to figure out just why the arrogant djinni will not grant her the three wishes she has set her hopes on.

In order for Darius to make Isis his zaniya he must take her to Kaf, and she must go willingly with him.  So keeping his plans to take her to himself Darius strikes a deal with Isis that he will grant her three wishes in exchange for three bargains.  The deal made he then proceeds to set about his seduction of her.

But Isis is not easily swayed having been burnt badly in the past.  Her whole life revolves around proving herself a success in the world of aromatherapy to both her family and herself.

While Darius and Isis are performing their bargains Darius enlists the help of Simon to discover how he can defeat the vengeful Pari, an old enemy who will stop at nothing to take her revenge and will demand the ultimate sacrifice from Isis in return for her original favour.

And Isis is not the only one who must make difficult decisions.  Darious too finds himself making some tough decisions when he discovers that his choices were not as limited as he realised and that the path he was forced to take was not the only one available to him.  Too late he realises that he may not have made the right choice in seeking out Isis and must face his greatest enemy with only their love to strengthen his ma-at and not the full control of the power which he had sought.

This book is a worthy sequel to Wishes Come True and shows us more of the world of Kaf and the lives of the Djinn.  Told with plenty of humour, this book also offers the reader a chance to be reacquainted with Zoe and Simon and to follow their continuing lives.

A strong story line with some good twists at the end to keep the reader guessing make this another keeper.
 

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Also by Kathleen Nance:   Wishes Come True