Christmas Traditions Series
Description
When new lumberjack Tom Jeffries tells the camp cook, Jo Christy, that he’ll marry her if she can make a fruitcake “as good as the one my mother makes”, she rises to the occasion. After all, he’s the handsomest, smartest, and strongest axman her camp-boss father has ever had in his camp – and the cockiest. And she intends to bring this lumberjack down a notch or three by refusing his proposal. The fruitcake wars are on! All the shanty boys and Jo’s cooking helpers chip in with their recipes, but Jo finds she’ll have to enlist more help – and begins corresponding with Tom’s mother.
Step back in time to 1890, in beautiful Northern Michigan, near the sapphire straits of Mackinac, when the white pines were “white gold” and lumber camps were a way of life. Jo is ready to find another life outside of the camps and plans that don’t include any shanty boys. But will a lumberjack keep her in the very place she’s sworn to leave?
Details
- Rating: ☆☆☆☆
- Title: The Fruitcake Challenge
- Author: Dr. Carrie Fancett Pagels
- Narrator: Virginia Gray
- Genre: Christian Romance, Historical Fiction
- Audience: Adult
- Length: 3 hrs. 12 min.
- Publisher: Carrie Fancett Pagels
- Release Date: November 11, 2020
- Recommended for fans of: A Clean Romance
My Thoughts
The setting for this is the late 1800s at a family-owned logging camp.
As I read about the camp and all the teasing and fun that the characters enjoyed together, I could almost visualize the setting.
The Fruitcake Challenge
This challenge occurs when Josephine “Jo” Christy, who is the camp cook, catches the eye of new lumberjack Tom Jeffries.
Jo, who has grown up in a logging camp, cooked alongside her mother until her mother passed away. She is left taking over her mother’s role as cook. Though she is used to teasing from the men, unfortunately the new lumberjack, Tom Jeffries, just rubs her wrong.
So when he presents a challenge that he will marry the girl who can bake a fruitcake as good as his mother makes every Christmas, Jo has the perfect plan to put him down.
But will it work as she plans? And does Tom have plans of his own?
What Concerned Me
Unfortunately, the narrator didn’t really work for me. She was not bad, just didn’t do the best with voice variances.
I also felt the story was very predictable. And maybe I missed it, but I didn’t feel the flow between dislike and like/love between Jo and Tom.
What I Liked Most
The setting was one I’ve never experienced before. I found it very interesting to learn about logging in the late 1800s in Northern Michigan. I also enjoyed parts of the sweet love story that develops between Jo and Tom.
My thanks to JustRead Publicity Tours and the author for a copy of this audiobook. I was completely free to post my opinion of this audio.
Rating
About the Author
Carrie Fancett Pagels, Ph.D., is an ECPA bestselling and award-winning author, tagline “Hearts Overcoming Through Time.” Possessed with an overactive imagination, that wasn’t “cured” by twenty-five years as a psychologist, she loves bringing characters to life. Carrie and her family reside in Virginia’s Historic Triangle, which is perfect for her fascination with history. Carrie enjoys reading, traveling, baking, and beading-but not all at the same time!
