When a fire decimates much of Candlewood, Widow Emma Garrett opens her boarding house to those whose homes have been damaged or destroyed. She even opens her home to two of the town’s most disagreeable citizens, much to the dismay of the other residents of Hill House. On top of this craziness, Emma has also been keeping the secret that she is not the legal owner of Hill House after all. The man she thought she was buying the property from was a thief who ran off with her money and any day now the true owner of the house could show up to either let her re-purchase the house…or kick them all out.

REFINING EMMA opens with a bang…literally. The town’s match factory is on fire. It is the dead of winter, the canal is frozen and there is little the town’s people can do but watch many of the town’s buildings go up in flames. From the start the reader is drawn into the destruction of the town’s people. Author Della Parr does an amazing job penning the horror and devastation of the characters. Emma is a kind hearted, Christian woman who opens her door without a second thought to most, the exception being a brother and sister who had made many enemies in the small village of Candlewood. Knowing that many of her houseguests will not be happy, Emma’s Christian duty wills out and she invites the crotchety and disagreeable couple into her already over crowded home. This reader can only hope to someday possess the wonderful qualities that make up Widow Garrett. This reader was impressed.

REFINING EMMA has it all, a bit of anticipation on when the true owner will show up, a bit of romance between Emma and her lawyer, and loads of drama over the fire and the inhabitants of Hill House. Ms Parr wields a gifted pen. This tale grabs the reader’s attention and doesn’t let go until the last page is turned. Her writing style is not overly flashy or complicated. The characters are well developed and are totally believable. The rich historic details add to the authenticity of REFINING EMMA. This reviewer felt that she was actually inside Hill House with the characters. This is truly a book not to be missed.

August 2007