Her One And Only

By Alice Valdal and Ana Huang

She Couldn't Resist A frontier mining town seems like an ideal place for Emma Douglas to make a fresh start as a schoolmarm. But even a haven like Prospect has its distractions--in the form of dashing... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Mass Market Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0821778374
• ISBN13: 9780821778371
• Release Date: July 2006
• Publisher: Zebra
• Length: 352 Pages
• Weight: 0.40 lbs.
• Dimensions: 6.8" x 1.0" x 4.3"

Customer Reviews

Enjoyable read

Valdal returns to the gold rush town of Prospect for this lively tale of the schoolmarm and the rake. An entertaining tale, rife with intriguing characters and historical detail. As usual, this author delivers a thoroughly enjoyable read.

SUPER Story - 4-1/2*

Wanting to escape from the censure of the San Francisco society she'd once been the darling of, Emma Douglas had come to Prospect, B.C. to make a fresh start. Two years later after finding work as a teacher she'd gained a better perspective of her own self worth and was proud of the fact that she was making it on her own. Life was not always easy, and it did have it's distractions in the form of the very handsome, very virile and enigmatic hotel owner Grey North. Knowing Emma had turned down four different marriage proposals, Grey assumed the prickly stand-offish teacher would relish the chance to play the part of Grey's intended as it appeared she wasn't interested in marriage. While he admired her spunkiness and intelligence, he knew Emma, like him, had her own secrets to keep. For a man who intended to avoid matrimony at all costs, Emma would be the perfect foil to keep the marriage minded misses at bay. But after an unplanned night of passion the hard won camaraderie changed and Grey felt both duped and honor bound in offering for Emma Stunned by Grey's change of attitude Emma was heartbroken to have misjudged his feelings and did what any feisty American girl would do, she refused his `offer' and hightailed it back home to forget Grey and clear her father's name with Grey hot on her heels. *** This was a very good read from a new debut author who did a marvelous job in developing vibrant characterizations for protagonists that kept my emotions on a seesaw making them both likeable, and at times not so likeable - BUT always interesting. Emma was a well to do American heiress who because of the shame of her father's suicide after being accused of embezzlement left her comfortable life in San Francisco to start anew. Two years later she had made a new life for herself, new friends and was somewhat content though lonely. Emma also experienced a remarkable growth in gaining a new perspective of the differences of her old life versus the new that was expressed very well by her journey back to San Francisco and the realization of what was really important for the new person she'd become. The story was well written and well developed with just the right amounts of intrigue, sensualness, and witty repartee beautifully mingled together in keeping the interest high. Mrs. Royston, Emma's busybody `heart of gold' landlady, snobbish Mrs. Allen, and Grey's very surprising mother Lady North are only a few of the plethora of engaging secondary characters that were sprinkled throughout as well as noteworthy in adding a great deal of substance to this very entertaining story. This is an author who bears watching and I do recommend this book. Marilyn Rondeau, for The Mystic Castle