Betraying Season

By Marissa Doyle

Penelope Leland has come to Ireland to study magic and prove to herself that she is as good a witch as her twin sister, Persy. But when the dashing Niall Keating begins to court her, Pen can't help being distracted from her studies. Little does Pen know, Niall is acting upon orders from his sorceress mother. And although it starts as a sham, Niall actually falls deeply in love with Pen, and she with him. Even if he halts his mother's evil plan, will Pen be able to forgive him for trying to seduce her into a plot?

• Language: English
• Publisher: Macmillan Publishers
• Release date: Sep 29, 2009
• ISBN: 9781429981781

Marissa Doyle

Marissa Doyle graduated from Bryn Mawr College and went on to graduate school intending to be an archaeologist but somehow got distracted. After working in a nursing home, in fundraising, and as a stay-at-home mom, she finally figured out what it was she really should be doing (apart from the mom part), and started writing a romance novel. Three books later a perceptive contest judge told her that her story would make a great young adult book, and she hasn’t looked back since.Her young adult books Bewitching Season, Betraying Season, and Courtship and Curses, all from Henry Holt Books for Young Readers/Macmillan, blend history (remember that archaeology background?) with a dash of magic and a heaping tablespoon of romance, and have won multiple awards and recognition in both the romance and children’s literature worlds. She lives in her native Massachusetts with her family, including a bossy pet rabbit, and loves making quilts, sailing, and antiques.Please visit her at her website, www.marissadoyle.com, and at NineteenTeen http://nineteenteen.com.

Reviews for Betraying Season

[byroade · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Solid YA title--historical fiction with a "Harry Potter" twist.Note: a small bit sitting on the fence between PG-13 and R territory, at least for me as the mother of a ten-year-old (when she first read it), however, I think that part sort of sailed under her radar.

[alyson_1 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Enjoyable but not as good as Bewitching Season.

[readinggeek451 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

After the events of The Bewitching Season, Penelope Leland accompanies her ex-governess to Ireland to continue her magical studies with Ally's new husband and father-in-law. Unfortunately, Ally is miserable with all-day morning sickness, and Doctor Carrighan's other students don't like the presence of a female, especially an English one. But Pen's visit is brightened by the patronage of Lady Keating, who is promoting a match between Pen and her handsome, charming son Niall. However, Lady Keating has an ulterior motive, one which will lead Pen into danger and possible heartbreak.A worthy sequel, although it lacks the freshness of it's predecessor.

[kmartin802_1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Pen Leland has gone to Ireland with her newly married tutor to study magic. She is hoping to improve her skills because she feels her twin sister Persy is a much better witch. She is befriended by Lady Keating when Ally is sidelined with morning sickness. Lady Keating has an agenda of her own for Pen and requires her son Niall to seduce her to gain her cooperation with Lady Keating's evil plan. Niall falls in love with Pen and Pen isn't the easily seduced child that Lady Keating is hoping for. This is a good combination of historical fiction, romance and magic.

[rebecca191 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

After her twin sister, Persephone, marries - during her first London season, no less - teenage witch Penelope Leland travels to Ireland in the spring of 1838 with her former governess Ally, who is also newly married. Pen has never been as talented with magic as Persy, and would like to prove that she can be as good a witch as her twin. She hopes her studies in Ireland will enable her to do just that.Shortly after her arrival in Dublin, Pen meets the handsome young Niall Keating. He begins to court her, and attracted to him, she enjoys it - even to the point where she is distracted from her studies. Unknown to Pen, however, is that Niall is acting on orders from his mother, who is also a powerful witch. Lady Keating wants to use Pen as part of a sinister plot against Queen Victoria. What wasn’t part of the plan was Niall and Pen falling in love with each other for real.Betraying Season is a wonderful sequel to Marissa Doyle’s first book, Bewitching Season, but also manages to stand on its own for readers who haven’t read the first book. It contains a perfect blend of magic, romance, and history. I highly recommend both books to readers who enjoy young adult fantasy or historical fiction.