Enchanted Christmas

by Emma Craig and Alice Duncan

Love and the spirit of the season cast a spell on a lonely widow and a darkly handsome loner with a frozen heart in this holiday tale from the author of "Christmas Pie". This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 050552287X
• Release Date: January 1998
• Publisher: Leisure Books
• Length: 400 Pages
• Weight: 0.45 lbs.
• Dimensions: 7.0" x 0.8" x 4.0"

Customer Reviews

Enchanted tale.

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

Beautifully written.

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 forget his experiences during the Civil War and afterwards.Grace Richardson wants to remember her late husband Frank and teach her small daughter about him. She works for Mac, who owns the Wagon Yard, in the Mercantile but just until she can pay off the mortgage on the land that Frank bought to build a ranch. She also cooks for him and Mac is providing 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.Mac is a delightful secondary character as is Susan Blackworth, wife of a local rancher.This is a novel of growth, rebirth and redemption and Emma Craig has written it beautifully. The reader can see Noah change under the influence of Maddie and Mac. His first scenes in the book are actually painful to read and the reader, as least this reader, felt much sympathy for Noah, and for everything he has been through. Grace is so closed up and unreceptive after Frank's death that she borders on hostile towards Noah at first. Maddie has less influence on Grace than she does on Noah but Mac has more.A beautifully written, satisfying book just in time for Christmas. ENCHANTED CHRISTMAS is just the book to get the reader in the Christmas spirit.Reviewed by Beth Coogan for Under the Covers

An excellent read

Noah Partridge has seen enough war and betrayal and just wants to be alone. He comes to the wilderness looking for solitude. What he gets is people who care about him no matter how unfriendly he is.Grace Richardson is a beautiful softhearted woman who lost her husband when he was struck by lightening in a storm. She's trying to make a life for herself and her daughter Maddie in a barren land.What these two have in common is a piece of land that Grace owns and a loneliness as desolate as the land they live on. What they gain is something to last a lifetime. Noah wants Grace's piece of land that was given to her by her late husband for her daughter Maddie. Grace doesn't want to part with the land because it's the only legacy she has left of her husband to give to Maddie.A whimsical tale of magic and laughter, with wonderfully written characters full of life. A hardened hero whose heart is softened by the beautiful heroine and her lovely daughter. A heroine who must overcome the fear of loss and love again. Ms. Craig has created a well blended story with enough laughter and magic to make for an excellent read. I look forward to the second book in this series.

Believe in magic!

McMurdo goes by the name Mac. No one knows how he does the tricks and small miracles he does. Upon finally seeing Noah arrive, he wondered if he had waited too long to summon the young man. Of course, Noah does not know Mac. he definately does not know he was summoned. But Mac planned to make Grace's dreams all come true, Maddie's too, and heal Noah. It was time for Noah to rejoin the human race. And Mac had the power to do it. You would be amazed at what someone that looks like a little old man can do. All through the story I could tell Mac was more than he appeared to be. Susan is one of the more interesting background characters I have ever read. I'll let you learn of that old lady for yourself. This one will bring tears to your eyes, laughter to your lips, and love to warm your heart!