Christina Skye
Skye, Christina - CHRISTMAS KNIGHT (Avon - 1998) (4+)
Once again Christina Skye enchants us with a spirited Draycott Abbey tale. Hope O'Hara finally "comes home" to Glenbrae House,
a 13th-century manor in the Highlands of Scotland. After months
of hard work, she wonders if her dream of opening Glenbrae
House as an inn will ever be realized. Too much money is going out and none is coming in, and the problems are never ending. Hope's chef thinks the old house needs a ghost since every inn worth visiting is haunted. The Wishwell sisters, elderly
neighbors who are also concerned witches, have their own idea of what Hope needs—a hero to rescue her, of course. And they know exactly who this man will be.
Out of the dark and stormy night, rides Ronan MacLeod. He wonders who Hope is and why Glenbrae House looks the same...yet different, but the dark warrior soon realizes he has traveled through time from the 13th-century to the year 1998. He also discovers there is something dangerous going on at the manor house—something evil and threatening to Hope, which he won't allow. Adrian, the infamous ghost of Draycott Abbey, also makes an appearance in order to find out what the Wishwell sisters did wrong and put things right.
CHRISTMAS KNIGHT is an endearing story of two lonely people, separated by time, who have suffered tragic losses and need each other to heal. Hope O'Hara and Ronan MacLeod are fire and ice—oh, what fun to see them come together! We also meet and revisit with a delightful cast of secondary characters, including the bewitching but lovable Wishwell sisters; Nicholas Draycott and his family (who spend Christmas at Glenbrae House); and Adrian the ghost, of course, along with his faithful companion, Gideon the cat. Oh, and a Shakespeare-spouting parrot named Banquo, who flies in and out at just the right moments. CHRISTMAS KNIGHT belongs on your keeper shelf alongside Christina Skye's other Draycott tales. What a charming Christmas gift she presents to readers! ~Jolene K. Ehret for Bookbug on the Web
Skye, Christina - PERFECT GIFT, THE (Avon - 1999) (4+)
While being held as a political prisoner in the Far East, Jared Cameron MacNeill is tortured and beaten daily until one night he "dies." Later, however, he revives and discovers he has been given a gift that is more like a curse. Jared is able to read people's thoughts and emotions with just a touch, and he
witnesses his own death within his mind. He doesn't know when
he will die, but he knows how it will occur.
Longtime friend Nicholas needs a favor. He wants Jared to protect Maggie Kincade, one of the artists chosen to be in the Draycott international jewelry exhibition. Maggie is in danger because her father mysteriously disappeared, along with many jewels, after dealing with some evil individuals. Jared reluctantly heads to New York and traces Maggie in order to deliver the news of her selection. At their first meeting, he accidentally touches her and can't believe the emotions that radiate through him: wariness, excitement, and desire. There is a strong sense of familiarity between them even though he knows they have never met before—at least not in this lifetime.
An expert in jewelry design and metalwork, Maggie is ecstatic about being chosen to work for the Draycotts. She travels to London, where she is met by Jared and escorted to Draycott Abbey. But strange occurrences soon begin to happen, giving them cause for alarm. More than once while asleep, seemingly in a trance, Maggie takes on the personality of another woman and roams the abbey grounds searching for something...or someone. Jared and Maggie are also haunted by visions of a past love that ended tragically. Maggie is frightened and refuses to listen to Jared's plea to stay and discover the answer to these occurrences and visions. She returns to London, but Jared is even more determined to protect her after her life is threatened. Will they be able to escape the imminent danger and find love once again? Or will history repeat itself?
Rarely does a book grab my attention on the very first page, but THE PERFECT GIFT, did just that. Christina Skye's latest Draycott Abbey tale has nonstop action and adventure with a touch of paranormal that will keep readers rapidly turning the pages. The plot is deftly woven and the romance is both sensual and heartwarming, with characters that are so realistic they seem to leap off the pages. Maggie and Jared, both tormented by past experiences, fight for love and happiness—the perfect gift—and swear that this time around they will not lose each other. Readers are also treated to a return visit with several characters from Ms. Skye's previous romances, including the two ghosts, Adrian Draycott and Gideon the cat. THE PERFECT GIFT is a marvelous book that will hold your attention from the first sentence to the last! ~Sharon Laird for Bookbug on the Web
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