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Emerald Embrace
From a New York Times– bestselling author, “readers will thrill” to this historical novel, a “sensual and mysterious gothic romance ” set in 1865 Scotland ( Publishers Weekly , starred review) .
Martise St. James came to the Scottish Highlands in search of answers after her friend’s mysterious death—and to bring home the legendary St. James emerald. But once she encounters the darkly handsome Lord Creegan, she wonders if she dares to share the lonely castle with the alluring widower. Everything about him arouses her suspicions—as well as her every desire. Even as she investigates his secrets, she surrenders to the devastating power of his desire. Soon the question becomes whether she will lose her heart—or her life.
Praise for Heather Graham
“A master storyteller!” — Romantic Times
“[Graham] writes high-quality, addicting romances.” — Publishers Weekly
“Each page keeps one eager to get to the next.” — Affaire de Coeur
Emerald Embrace was originally written under the pseudonym Shannon Drake
Martise St. James came to the Scottish Highlands in search of answers after her friend’s mysterious death—and to bring home the legendary St. James emerald. But once she encounters the darkly handsome Lord Creegan, she wonders if she dares to share the lonely castle with the alluring widower. Everything about him arouses her suspicions—as well as her every desire. Even as she investigates his secrets, she surrenders to the devastating power of his desire. Soon the question becomes whether she will lose her heart—or her life.
Praise for Heather Graham
“A master storyteller!” — Romantic Times
“[Graham] writes high-quality, addicting romances.” — Publishers Weekly
“Each page keeps one eager to get to the next.” — Affaire de Coeur
Emerald Embrace was originally written under the pseudonym Shannon Drake
359 pages, Kindle Edition
First published April 1, 1991
23 people are currently reading
365 people want to read
About the author
Shannon Drake
52 books573 followersHeather Graham Pozzessere
aka Heather Graham, Shannon Drake
Heather Graham was born on March 15, 1953 and grew up in Dade County, Florida, and attended the University of South Florida at Tampa, majoring in theater arts and touring Europe and parts of Asia and Africa as part of her studies. After college, she acted in dinner theaters, modeled, waitressed, and tended bar. She married Hershey Dennis Possezzere, and after the birth of her third child, she was determined to devote her efforts to her writing: her dream. She sold her first book in 1982.
Today, this author's success is reflected not just by reader response and the over 20 million copies of her books in print, but in many other ways. In addition to being a New York Times bestselling author, Heather has received numerous awards for her novels, including over 20 trade awards from magazines such as Romantic Times and Affaire de Coeur, bestseller awards from B. Dalton, Waldenbooks, and BookRak, and several Reviewers' Choice and People's Choice awards.
Heather has appeared on Entertainment Tonight, Romantically Speaking, a TV talk show that aired nationwide on the Romance Classics cable channel, and CBS Sunday News. She has been quoted in People and USA Today, been profiled in The Nation, and featured in Good Housekeeping. Her books have been selections for the Doubleday Book Club and the Literary Guild. She has been published across the world in more than 15 languages and has published over 70 titles, including anthologies and short stories.
Now, she had five children. Somehow, this prolific author manages to juggle it all - family, career, and marriage - while reaching a level of success to which few can aspire.
aka Heather Graham, Shannon Drake
Heather Graham was born on March 15, 1953 and grew up in Dade County, Florida, and attended the University of South Florida at Tampa, majoring in theater arts and touring Europe and parts of Asia and Africa as part of her studies. After college, she acted in dinner theaters, modeled, waitressed, and tended bar. She married Hershey Dennis Possezzere, and after the birth of her third child, she was determined to devote her efforts to her writing: her dream. She sold her first book in 1982.
Today, this author's success is reflected not just by reader response and the over 20 million copies of her books in print, but in many other ways. In addition to being a New York Times bestselling author, Heather has received numerous awards for her novels, including over 20 trade awards from magazines such as Romantic Times and Affaire de Coeur, bestseller awards from B. Dalton, Waldenbooks, and BookRak, and several Reviewers' Choice and People's Choice awards.
Heather has appeared on Entertainment Tonight, Romantically Speaking, a TV talk show that aired nationwide on the Romance Classics cable channel, and CBS Sunday News. She has been quoted in People and USA Today, been profiled in The Nation, and featured in Good Housekeeping. Her books have been selections for the Doubleday Book Club and the Literary Guild. She has been published across the world in more than 15 languages and has published over 70 titles, including anthologies and short stories.
Now, she had five children. Somehow, this prolific author manages to juggle it all - family, career, and marriage - while reaching a level of success to which few can aspire.
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Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews
December 9, 2019
This book is a little tough for me to review, 3.5 stars. It was a good book and I enjoyed the ending when the ‘mystery’ finally came about, but it was not a book that I couldn’t put down. I really love Heather Graham’s, Aka Shannon Drake, books however this was not one of my favorites. To me it seemed a bit dramatically over done maybe that was the point she was going for the Gothic in this one? Although I did like the characters I just didn’t care for all the descriptions the heroine constantly gave in the book of i.e. how she was getting shivers or her teeth were chattering or the chills down her spine or the fire in the hero’s eyes, was he going to kill her or not kill her....again the drama and it just distracted a little bit for me the way it was written....there be dragons in that castle!
May 21, 2015
4 and 1/2 stars - Love in a Mysterious Castle in the Highlands!
I am a huge fan of Heather Graham (here writing under her pen name Shannon Drake) and really enjoyed this romance, though it didn't earn the full 5 stars I have rated most of her others.
This story takes place in mid 19th century Scotland where Martise St James travels from Virginia just after the Civil War to Castle Creeghan in the Scottish Highlands where her best friend, Lady Mary Creeghan, has died mysteriously. Martise seeks the truth of her friend's death and she seeks the emerald that she knows Mary held that will allow Martise to save her beloved home in Virginia. Captivated by the handsome Lord Creeghan, a man of dark secrets, she stays though he repeatedly warns her that she must leave. In her wanderings, Martise discovers many other strange doings about the castle and its crypts below ground that frighten her. But she is committed to staying no matter the risk to her person, her life or her heart.
Graham/Drake draws you into the life of the castle, its mysterious past and the times as only she can do. I really only dropped it a half star as the action was not as continuous or as breathtaking as some of her other stories. I did not like the cartoon illustrations that were in the book as I thought they made the hero look ordinary and the heroine very young, all of which were inconsistent with Graham's excellent portrayals.
You will enjoy this one and if you're a Graham fan, you will not be disappointed.
I am a huge fan of Heather Graham (here writing under her pen name Shannon Drake) and really enjoyed this romance, though it didn't earn the full 5 stars I have rated most of her others.
This story takes place in mid 19th century Scotland where Martise St James travels from Virginia just after the Civil War to Castle Creeghan in the Scottish Highlands where her best friend, Lady Mary Creeghan, has died mysteriously. Martise seeks the truth of her friend's death and she seeks the emerald that she knows Mary held that will allow Martise to save her beloved home in Virginia. Captivated by the handsome Lord Creeghan, a man of dark secrets, she stays though he repeatedly warns her that she must leave. In her wanderings, Martise discovers many other strange doings about the castle and its crypts below ground that frighten her. But she is committed to staying no matter the risk to her person, her life or her heart.
Graham/Drake draws you into the life of the castle, its mysterious past and the times as only she can do. I really only dropped it a half star as the action was not as continuous or as breathtaking as some of her other stories. I did not like the cartoon illustrations that were in the book as I thought they made the hero look ordinary and the heroine very young, all of which were inconsistent with Graham's excellent portrayals.
You will enjoy this one and if you're a Graham fan, you will not be disappointed.
February 19, 2011
*** "Emerald Embrace" is the enfolding entrancing protective green-eyed gaze of dark fearsome Highland Laird Creeghan, in 1865, for southern blue-eyed belle Martise, not, I think, the large jewel she seeks. Shannon Drake pens here Gothic-style, with tumultuous trembling terrified passion. Explicit wooing precedes marriage. A masked cloaked coven meets in a dark forest. Secret gloomy passages honeycomb ancestral underground crypts and seaside caves. Sleep brings murderous nightmares. Midnight is busy. Whispers, footsteps, gates lock ... nobody can be trusted. Too many ships wreck on jagged rocks in black thunderstorms. [Spoilers: Oops, ghost mystery solved. Epilogue: twins. I dislike the dramatic convenience of identical twins because I know such siblings are distinguishable.]
October 28, 2024
Very suspenseful!
The story was suspenseful from the very beginning to the point my heart was beating wildly by the end!!! The love scenes were amazing too!
The story was suspenseful from the very beginning to the point my heart was beating wildly by the end!!! The love scenes were amazing too!
July 6, 2025
Absolutely loved reading this. The gothic feel of it and the way each character adds their own personality to it is very well written
August 22, 2025
Predictable
If you’ve read Ondine and/or No Other Man, you know who the “bad guy” is. The first half was good but the second half dragged on.
If you’ve read Ondine and/or No Other Man, you know who the “bad guy” is. The first half was good but the second half dragged on.
May 22, 2014
An adequate read. I see other reviewers thought it moved too slowly but I disagree. I found the story consistently moved forward. I found the coloring book quality illustrations were unnecessary. Now that I've finished the book I do have one final nitpick:
Want to read
February 15, 2016514p After a friend 19s untimely death arouses suspicion of murder, Martise St. James journeys to the brooding Scottish castle of the late Mrs. Creegan to find her mystifying widower. Lord Bruce Creegan 19s presence arouses more than just her suspicions. Surrounded by fear, temptation, and uncertainty, Martise tries to unlock the mystery of the ancient castle and locate a missing emerald. But when the Lord 19s stormy eyes and charm melt her resolve, Martise struggles to destroy the shadow of her doubts in flames of reckless passion.
January 28, 2013
Tak tohle bylo vyloženě divné, mělo to sice svoje chvilky, ale přišlo mi, že se moc lidí vydávalo za někoho jiného a vůbec jsem neodhadla záporáka(a to mě štve ze všeho nejvíc :D )...Už jsem od ní četla lepší věci...
August 11, 2013
while it was a good book, I think it dragged on way to much. I understand you had to build the plot up, but because it took so long, its probably the reason why it took so long to finish it. it just didn't hold my attention.
November 1, 2007
Shannon Drake tried to write a Gothic style novel. She did fairly well. I did enjoy reading it, loved the twist, even if it was pretty predictable.
August 9, 2010
Super gothic, but it was entertaining.
August 22, 2010
You can read my review at Romance Reader at Heart
September 1, 2011
My review courtesy of Romance Junkies: http://romancejunkiesreviews.com/artm...
June 7, 2013
Is a great book to read
February 2, 2015
Historic Romance Overly melodramatic and excessively repetitive. Not worth finishing even though it's a free book on Kindle
March 18, 2014
I just hope reading this "book" has not caused any permanent damage to my brain. Definitely not my cup of tea.
June 7, 2013
got to page 108 and couldn't finish. For such a short book, I couldn't get through it.
April 20, 2017
It was an OK read for me. Loved the mystery though - it kept me guessing who the killer was and surprised the heck out of me towards the end. As for the romance - so-so... could have been way better. I mean how could you fall in love so easily and yet not trust the guy and what's worse is, you suspect his the killer till the very end? Seriously?
Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews