Book Review: "The Lumberjack's Ball" by Carrie Fancett Pagels

(published from previous blog, posted Aug. 2015)

Blurb from Amazon . . .

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?

This is a sweet historical, so there is no sex and only mild steam. Despite that, the book starts off good and pulled me in. There was a bit of a mystery with the characters which unfolds nicely. However, near the center, the story becomes a bit muddled and drags, and at times I was bored. But, I have to be honest, I did have a lot going on at the same time I was reading, so I cannot totally blame all my boredom on the plot.

The biggest problem is that I am not a fan of “sweet,” so this is more my issue than the plotting, which is well done. I also prefer longer books, and this one, while not a novella, is not long enough to really get deep into the characters nor to have a lot of plot elements going on. The story though, moves forward from one event to the next. The characters are well-done, if a little too sweet for my tastes, and Janie seems to find her faith without any real hardship on her part. It was also a little heavy on the Christian ejaculations, so do not read unless you are specifically looking for Christian content or if such does not bother you.

Nonetheless, this is a well-done sweet historical for Christians, and would be very appropriate for older teens needing to branch into adult fiction.

The book is available at both Amazon and Barnes and Noble.

You can connect with Carrie Fancett Pagels on her website here.

About Donna

Donna Hechler Porter has always had stories in her head. When they were not swirling and gnawing, she had her head in a history book - both fiction and non-fiction. Now, she puts her love of old things, including her genealogy, to good use by writing both genealogy books and novels. She has published five historical novels, several of which have won awards, four genealogy books on her family history, and several smallish books including a book on the 1778 Big Siege of Fort Boonesborough and a book with tips and tricks for bringing history to life for young people. A graduate of Texas A & M University, she currently teaches middle school English and literature at a small private school east of Houston and runs a private tutoring business. She stops for all garage sales and to collect treasures from the side of the road. She dreams of life in a log cabin in the woods, even as she is addicted to antique and thrift shopping.

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