(Found) Searching for a fantasy novel set in San Francisco 1905/6...

Galactic Bus Driver

Galactic Bus Driver

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...and this time I remember lot's of details. I read this book in the early to mid 90s and it was a library book.

The main character is a woman, hired to be a companion to a male shut-in. She arrives at his home for the interview on a private train from San Francisco. After being hired, she reads to and converses with him and also does shopping if I remember correctly, but never sees him. He is exceedingly reclusive, and it turns out a magical experiment in his youth left him disfigured and ashamed to be seen. She either already know about, or discovers magical talent within herself during the course of the book. It ends with the 1906 earthquake which has been caused by subterranean dragons which have become restless in their sleep. I also seem to remember a love interest between the main character and her employer, a sort of "Beauty and the Beast" vibe, but I may be conflating that from another book.
 
Galactic Bus Driver said:
...and this time I remember lot's of details. I read this book in the early to mid 90s and it was a library book.

The main character is a woman, hired to be a companion to a male shut-in. She arrives at his home for the interview on a private train from San Francisco. After being hired, she reads to and converses with him and also does shopping if I remember correctly, but never sees him. He is exceedingly reclusive, and it turns out a magical experiment in his youth left him disfigured and ashamed to be seen. She either already know about, or discovers magical talent within herself during the course of the book. It ends with the 1906 earthquake which has been caused by subterranean dragons which have become restless in their sleep. I also seem to remember a love interest between the main character and her employer, a sort of "Beauty and the Beast" vibe, but I may be conflating that from another book.
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This I would like to read!
 
This might be Mercedes Lackey's 'The Fire Rose'? The first of her 'Elemental Masters' series?
 
I agree with chrispenycate-- The Fire Rose. Available on Kindle and hard copy. Many more of Mercedes Lackey's books are available for Kindle as well.
 
It is indeed "The Fire Rose." Somewhat surprising to me because outside her work with Andre Norton, I've never been a huge Mercedes Lackey fan. Probably part of why I had so much trouble finding the books again, because I wasn't looking at authors I'm not terribly fond of. Perhaps it's time to revisit some of her work (starting with this one) to see if I've been fair to her, though not the dreadful Arthurian stuff she's written.

Edit to add a hearty thank you. :)
 
Be sure to check out Mercedes Lackey's novels of the kingdom of Valdemar. (no relation to He Who Must Not Be Named)
 
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