Cooking Up Trouble [Mass Market Paperback]

Emma Craig (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: October 2000

Heather Mahaffey is a beauty, true, and clever, but her father has a tendency to run off at the mouth. And that could land a girl in a whole mess of problems--especially when he is praising her to the wealthiest rancher around, telling him that she can out-cook anyone in the New Mexico Territory. The whole situation is mortifying, especially when Heather knows she has difficulty boiling water. Worse, the wealthiest man in the territory is also the best looking. Philippe St. Pierre has a face women would die for ... and a body to match. But was it worth feigning ability just to earn money for her family...and maybe for a chance to be near Phillipe? And then there's the devilishly handsome man who offers to assist her--one Mr. D.A. Bologh -- on the up and up, or does he have a purpose far more sinister? Either way, with one kiss from Philippe and faster than she can say Rumpelstiltskin, Heather was in the kitchen and cooking up trouble.

Product Details

• Mass Market Paperback: 391 pages
• Publisher: Love Spell (October 2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0505523981
• ISBN-13: 978-0505523983
• Product Dimensions: 6.6 x 4.1 x 1.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 6.4 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 3.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,260,589 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

13 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars COOKING UP TROUBLE - a delight and joyful read, October 9, 2000

By 

Carol Carter "Carol C in GA" (Thomaston, GA United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Cooking Up Trouble (Mass Market Paperback)

Here's an old fairy tale with a modern twist Emma Craig has written that will lift your spirits and give you some laugh out loud moments as you turn the pages.

All Irishmen love to talk, and Heather Mahaffey's father is no exception. After a few drinks of ale at a town party and wanting to impress a wealthy rancher, Mr. Mahaffey brags on how well his daughter can cook. Now the whole town knows Heather can't boil water, but Philippe St. Pierre isn't aware of it. In desperation and seeking employment, Heather knocks on the St.Pierre door to apply for the position of cook. The housekeeper wants to throw her out, but after looking at this little beauty, Philippe decides to give her a chance.

When Heather goes into this beautiful, modernized kitchen, she drools over all of the equipment, but doesn't have a clue what to do with any of it. So....when a mysterious stranger comes calling and makes her an offer she can't refuse, he does the cooking and cleaning up and she does the serving! What this pretty little miss doesn't understand is that you don't get something for nothing. This fellow cooking up the gourmet dinners has a plan she isn't going to like; he is really cooking up trouble!

Ms. Craig gives readers another glimpse of the humor she is famous for, and you'll chuckle and grin to the end of the last page. It's a delight to see this mysterious stranger get bested, and it's fun to watch Philippe fall in love with this cutie. Gee, even the cover is wonderful as it shows that mischievious smile on Heather's face. COOKING UP TROUBLE will lift your spirits and leave you with a smile. I highly recommend it for an evening of fun.

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Rumpelstiltskin in the Old West - lots of fun!, October 5, 2000

By 

"welchly" - See all my reviews

This review is from: Cooking Up Trouble (Mass Market Paperback)

Heather's a sweet girl, but she absolutely cannot cook. Or clean, or do any of those other housewifely things. Oh, she tries, but they always end up as disasters. So whatever possessed her darling father to boast that she was the best cook in town to the richest (and coincidentally young, handsome and unattached!) man in town? I smirked, chortled, snickered and guffawed through most of this book. The descriptive passages made me feel the gritty texture of life in the Old West. The dilemma Heather faced - accept the cook's position offered by Philippe, and prove her incompetence! - or refuse, knowing her family needs the money just to get by - was realistically presented and dealt with. She waffles back and forth until a mysterious stranger tempts her with the best of both. He will cook all the meals in exchange for a future favor from her. How the situation unfolds is an example of this author's meticulous plotting and attention to character development. You come to know the characters and root for them to somehow wriggle out of the predicament they're in. Highly recommended for its humor and as a look at the Old West from a new perspective, by a writer who knows whereof she speaks.

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars What a tale!, October 4, 2000

By 

Elizabeth Benway (Westville, FL) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Cooking Up Trouble (Mass Market Paperback)

Heather Mahaffey finds herself in a fix when her over-zealous father praises her capabilities to the weathliest, and most handsome, bachelor in town. Her beauty is well known as is her catastrophes in the kitchen and Heather panics when her father brags to Philippe St Pierre that she is a fine cook indeed. Nothing could be further from the truth so she is shocked when she is hired as his cook.

Heather begins her new job in despair but help shows up in the form of a handsome stranger, D A Bologh. He is charming yet mysterious and offers Heather a deal.....he will cook the meals for one month if she will agree to give something small in return. She eagerly accepts the deal as she knows she desires to remain in her new position as she is attracted to her employer.

Philippe had heard the talk in town of his new cook's disastrous exploits in the kitchen so was simply amazed to taste the first meal served to him. He is pleasantly surprised and with great finesse, praises her and eagerly looks forward to her future culinary skills. He of course notices her beauty and thinks how much he would like to sample her delights in the bedroom as well.

What a far out story! I did not find it amusing as much as I did intriguing. The story had the paranormal touch that I enjoy very much. And the interaction between the hero and heroine was delightful. As was the mother and son reconciliation. Nifty story....with a very satisfying ending!