Emma Craig
Craig, Emma - CHRISTMAS PIE (Leisure - 1997) (4)
The setting is San Francisco in 1899. Polly MacNamara, a
quiet and sweet, but very strong woman, has been left with
the responsibility of providing for herself and her mother.
The two were left alone when Polly's father was killed as the
ship he was traveling on exploded; while in a separate
incident, her brother and his ship were reported missing at
sea. Prim-and-proper Polly has been earning a living as a
typist for a prestigious law firm, gaining the reputation of being very dependable and professional. James Drayton, the hero of the story, is the head of the law firm where Polly works. He is the son of J.P. Drayton, a wealthy, influential and ruthless man, who "owns" favors from many powerful people in the
political arena. J.P. had planned for his son to take over the family shipping industry; however, because James detested the
way J.P. took advantage of people and opportunities, he completely separated himself from his father and became a successful lawyer on his own merit.
Polly purchases a Christmas gift for her mother at a little Chinese shop, and when she pays for her purchase the proprietor presents her with a strange coin that seems to "glow." As she is leaving the shop she accidentally meets James, who insists on driving her home. There he meets Polly's invalid mother, which is the beginning of a relationship that will grow into more than a friendship for the three of them. After he learns about their family circumstances, James secretly investigates the death of Polly's father and the incident regarding her missing brother, and discovers that both of the ships involved were in his father's shipping line. This brings father and son together again, but in confrontation, not reconciliation. Meanwhile, Polly is considering her relationship with James. She has no idea that he finds her appealing, and she thinks he is only giving her his attention until the investigations are concluded. Polly believes herself to be a nothing...a nobody, and has no idea of her beauty, inside and out. As she absentmindedly touches her "magic" coin, she makes secret wishes; and coincidentally those wishes begin to come true.
It is magic to watch the characters and personalities of all the players in CHRISTMAS PIE change, and you get a wonderful feeling when the book ends. Even if it isn't the Christmas season, this is a feel-good story, great to read any time of the year. ~Carol Carter for Bookbug on the Web
Craig, Emma - ENCHANTED CHRISTMAS (Love Spell - 1998)
(Very Highly Recommended)
Noah Partridge is a broken man who only wants to be left alone. He has come to McMurdo's Wagon Yard in Rio Hondo, New Mexico territory to try to forget his experiences during the Civil War and afterwards.
Grace Richardson wants to remember her late husband Frank and teach her young daughter about him. She works for Mac (who owns the wagon yard) in the mercantile, but only until she can pay off the mortgage on the land that Frank bought. She also cooks for Mac, and in return he provides shelter for Grace and her little girl, Maddie. Mac is also a surrogate grandfather to Maddie—and there is more to him than meets the eye. He is a delightful secondary character, as is Susan Blackworth, the wife of a local rancher.
ENCHANTED CHRISTMAS, the first book in the Land of Enchantment series, is a novel of growth, rebirth and redemption. The reader can see Noah change under the influence of Maddie and Mac. Noah's first scenes in the book are actually painful to read, and I felt much sympathy for him and everything he has been through. Grace is so closed up and unreceptive after Frank's death that her reaction to Noah borders on hostility at first. Emma Craig presents us with a beautifully written and satisfying story just in time for the holidays. This is just the book to get the reader in the Christmas spirit. ~Beth C. (Elizabeth_Coogan@brown.edu)
Craig, Emma - ENCHANTED CHRISTMAS (Love Spell - 1998) (4+)
Emma Craig spins an enchanted tale that has a tortured hero running from humanity...and into the world of a widow and her precocious little daughter, who live in the New Mexico Territory of 1869. The story takes place at the wagon yard and mercantile of Alexander McMurdo, a wizard who loves these three humans and is determined to bring joy into their lives with a little help from his magical powers.
The mercantile and wagon yard has been home to Grace Richardson and her daughter, Maddie, since her husband was killed by lightening several years prior. The lonely widow has nearly enshrined his memory, and she is determined to fulfill the dream they had shared of building a home on their land. Noah Partridge, bruised emotionally and physically from being a prisoner of war, has also suffered the loss of his family and the jilting by his sweetheart. He has come to the remote Southwestern desert looking for a piece of land to settle on. Noah is skin and bones, and cold of mind and heart—believing his soul has been lost. Arriving at the wagon yard, he feels he has found the place where he will have the isolation he seeks.
Mr. McMurdo, also known as Mac, has other plans for Noah and Grace, however. His wizardry draws them together, and with his help these two lonely souls both realize that love can heal even the most broken spirit. Emma Craig (a.k.a. Alice Duncan) reveals in parable how forgiveness of our fellow man, as well as ourselves, can be cleansing for the soul, mind, and body, while showing us that disappointments and struggles only serve to strengthen us. ENCHANTED CHRISTMAS is a delightful, uplifting read for the holiday season or any other time of the year. Her story will touch your emotions, and the magical happily-ever-after ending will leave you with a warm, contented feeling. ~Carol Carter for Bookbug on the Web
Craig, Emma - GENTLE MAGIC, A (Love Spell - 7/99) (3+)
In this second tale of her Enchantment trilogy, Emma Craig once again brings to life the ancient, funny little wizard, Alexander MacMurdo, who still has a passion for matchmaking. In GENTLE MAGIC, he unites two opposites: Mellie, a sweet young woman born in the slums of Boston who believes herself unworthy of love;
and Cody, a compassionate young man raised in a loving family
who has no desire to marry or become romantically involved. Mac enjoys watching his "magic" at work as he brings these two souls together to fulfill the destiny he knew was meant for them.
While Emma Craig fills her pages with witty dialogue, unusual phrases, and colorful secondary characters for your reading enjoyment, they also contain underlying messages about child labor, spousal abuse, adultery, and making a good life for yourself no matter what your circumstances are. Emma Craig continues to weave her spell in GENTLE MAGIC and bring you hours of her own special magic. ~Carol Carter for Bookbug on the Web
Craig, Emma - ROSAMUNDA'S REVENGE (Love Spell - 1997) (3+)
Jed Hardcastle was hired as a guide to take Tacita Grantham and her pet Yorkshire Terrier, Rosamunda, from the New Mexico Territory to San Francisco. When Jed arrives in town, he is attacked by a "big, hairy rat," but before he can kill the varmint that is chewing on his pants, Tacita runs toward him screeching for him to stop. The rat is her beloved Yorkie!
Other than the fact that Jed doesn't like her pet, Tacita takes an immediate dislike to him—he appears gruff, unmannerly and uneducated. But Jed has traveled all the way from Texas for this job, and she cannot find anyone else trustworthy enough to guide her and Rosamunda to San Francisco. During their journey, the three of them have nothing but trouble. They are pursued by peddlers and a drunken outlaw, who was hired by Tacita's Uncle Luther to steal her emerald necklace (it is believed to be a religious Indian artifact); and there is no end to the fun.
This story is told partially from the dog's point of view. Rosamunda comes to the rescue, saving the sorry humans who have forsaken her for "love." And when the trail ends in San Francisco, everything comes together in a grand finale. If you want a laugh-out-loud funny tale (no pun intended), you will really enjoy ROSAMUNDA'S REVENGE. ~Carol Carter for Bookbug on the Web
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