Wednesday, March 16, 2016

The Christy Lumber Camp Series By Carrie Fancett Pagels



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?

A decade after surviving a brutal attack, a mercantile owner’s daughter begins her life anew in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula. A gifted craftsman wishes to leave the lumber camp and seeks employment at her new store. When his presence dredges up memories she wishes to suppress, the proprietress must learn to face her past and open her heart. When complications arise, will they overcome adversity in time for The Lumberjack's Ball?

Petite Juliana Beauchamps possesses a vivid imagination, which comes in handy as a librarian. When a handsome giant of a lumberjack comes to town and rescues her from possible tragedy, she’s shaken by the event. A dashing beer baron, from Milwaukee, also pursues Juliana’s attention. Meanwhile, a library trustee determines to push out the female librarians. 

Pick up your copy here...
 
 
Former "Yooper" Carrie Fancett Pagels writes Christian historical romances about overcoming. 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!

Usually I avoid novellas because they are far to short, for me. I like my books long and all at one time. But I got this whole series at once, so I was so happy to read it.
I have seen a lot about this series on social media and I could not wait to pop open the book and get started.
Boy as I right I would have not been happy if I had to wait for the next one, with that being said guess what you can get all three of the novellas now and read them all together like I did.
You are going to love this storyline. You will not want to put these books down. I put my review together with all three books so that you will get the idea that you need to read them all three not just one, it flows much better that way. I wanted to give you the order to read them in as well. The Fruitcake Challenge is book one, The Lumberjack's Ball is book number two, and last but certainly not lest is Lilacs for Juliana. I must tell you my favorite one was Lilacs for Juliana.  I would also like to say I would not read one with out the other two, stand alones they could be but why miss out on the whole story. Wonderful characters and well written.
I gave this whole series 4 stars and recommended this series. Pick up extra copies for a nice gift for the reader in your life. 
I was given a copy of these books by the author for my honest review.

30 comments:

  1. Well this is nice all three books and we don't have to wait for the next one. I am not a fan of Novellas for that reason waiting on the next one.

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    1. Linda, only the first book is a novella and it is a very long one. The other two are short novel length. I do have plans for more in the series but am under contract for several other books before then! Thanks for coming by!

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  2. short stories is just what I need at times. I love novellas

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    1. Hey Amber! None of these books is a short story. The Fruitcake Challenge is a long novella. Both The Lumberjacks' Ball and Lilacs for Juliana are short novel length. ALL three were Family Fiction Book of the Year nominees PTL!!!

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  3. Sounds good to me. The only problem I have is sometime they are way to short for me.

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    1. Natalie, you may find my long novella, the first in the series jam-packed. The other two books are both short novel length with Lilacs for Juliana at over 53,000 words.

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  4. The Lumber Camp Series sounds like a good read . I game I'd read it . Blessings ,DanaGirl

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    1. Hey! I thought you had read already, DanaGirl! Not yet? hope you get to do so soon!

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  5. A whole series at one time no waiting. Sign me up I want to read these. This is a new athor for me to. Oh boy

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    1. Hey Henrietta! They are ALL on SALE for St. Patricks' Day, too!!! This is the time to get all three for under $6 on Kindle!!!

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    2. I think they are short so she is calling them novellas.

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  6. New Author to me, but sounds wonderful. Thanks Mary now I have to go to Amazon for all three.

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    1. Hey Jon, I have published six books in the past eighteen months and am under contract to have at least four more out in the next twelve months! I hope you will enjoy my writing! Thanks for coming by!

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  7. Whether it's a novel it a novella lovea good romance.

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    1. Hey Willard! One is a novella and two are novels and ALL are romances!!! Hope you will enjoy!

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  8. mMry, since when did they start publishing the whole series at one time, this is a great idea then I don't have to wait on them all to start reading the series. I love this.

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    1. Hey Emma Grace! In summer, 2014, The Fruitcake Challenge was published (this novella became a Selah award finalist and also got me into Professional Authors Network for Romance Writers of America!) PTL! The two novels were published in April 2015 and August 2015 and both were Family Fiction Book of the Year finalists. Mary is a dear and I sent her the entire set recently! There will be one to two more books in this series!

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  9. Iv'e never heard of this author before shes new. I like the sounds of the books and i want to try her out now. Thanks Mary for telling us about her.

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    1. Hi Jean! I debuted in 2013 with Return to Shirley Plantation: A Civil War romance that was an Amazon Civil War bestseller for 8 months and a top-rated book for a year! It has just re-released under a beautiful new cover. I also contributed to Guidepost Books "A Cup of Christmas Cheer" collection later that year. The Christy Lumber Camp series have been a lot of fun to write as my grandfather really was a lumberjack and ran a camp! I have a bunch of books releasing in 2016, too!

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    2. Carrie, I'm very excited to hear this. Blessings, Susan Fryman

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    3. Carrie, I'm very excited to hear this. Blessings, Susan Fryman

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  10. I kinda like novellas and it sound like I would enjoy these. Will give them a try. Thanks Mary for this review!

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    1. Only one is novella length, Shinyhalo but I am hoping you will enjoy them all! I'm so glad Mary was willing to take a look at this series!

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  11. Great reviews, Mary!! They sound lovely!

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    1. Mary did a great job reviewing my Family Fiction Book of the Year finalists books (ALL three were on the lists PTL!) I hope you'll get a chance to read them, Sarah!

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    2. Sarah, You are the WINNER! I will get all 3 books right out to you!

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  12. Thanks so much, Mary!!! Only one of the books is novella length and that is The Fruitcake Challenge, which is a long novella. The other two books in the series are actually short novel length! That might be why you enjoyed Lilacs for Juliana the most as it is the longest, coming in at over 54,000 words!!! I am so glad you enjoyed the stories and there will be a couple more coming, but probably not until late 2016 or into 2017. Blessings!

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  13. I too don't care for the novellas or serialized novels. That was a smart way to read this. I will have to look for this series. Thank you as always for the review. Blessings, Susan Fryman

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    1. Hi Susan. Only one is novella length and it is a very long novella! I hope you get a chance to read the series!

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  14. I too don't care for the novellas or serialized novels. That was a smart way to read this. I will have to look for this series. Thank you as always for the review. Blessings, Susan Fryman

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