Recent Reads - Lumberjacks and Ladies

This post contains affiliate links - using affiliate links from Just A Second helps supply books and coffee.

Lumberjacks and Ladies (a novella collection) - A themed novella collection is a nice break from longer novels now and again, don't you agree? It's an introduction to authors I might not have read before, and the shorter stories are easier to get through in a short period of time. This particular set focuses on the lumber trades during the 1800s, from Maine to the Great Lakes region to the Rocky Mountains.

All That Glitters is set in 1851 Maine. Wini has taken responsibility for her family's lobstering trade because her father and brothers have gone in search of gold. A lumberjack named Jess happens to see her fall into the water and saves her from drowning. He also falls for her and as he's courting her the two of them try to find out what is really going on at the Electrolytic Marine Salts Company. 

In Winter Roses, Eliza Beth comes home to help her mother cook for a logging crew in Michigan, but she's determined to find a teaching job and get away from that life. She's also sure she does not want a relationship with a logger, because of the danger and uncertainty of that life, even if the new hire Wes is charming and kind, and even saves her life. 

Not for Love is set in Wisconsin. Maggie, a  young widow, hopes to find a husband from the logging camps where her late husband worked. She needs a man to help her work her farm so that she won't need to sell to speculators, so it's just a marriage of convenience. To her surprise, once Jack has settled in and they start working together, she may be open to love again after all.

In the final story, Undercover Logger, widow Carrie needs to get her inherited timberland to turn a profit again before the bank calls her loan. The banker's nephew, Michael, hires on as a clerk, and unbeknownst to Carrie, his assignment is to figure out why her business is losing money. Soon he realizes he has a rival for her affections as well. Can he help her hold on to the property so she can follow the dream she has for developing it?

The first story, All That Glitters, was my least favorite of the four, which was disheartening. I assumed that the crazy scheme of the marine salts company had to be based on a true story (it was), but overall the story didn't ring true with me. From the 'love at first sight' meeting of the two protagonists to the improbable amateur sleuthing they try to do, somehow it didn't draw me in. I enjoyed the other three stories, and I think the characters were more realistic and the love stories moved at a more believable pace. The sweet courtship of Winter Roses and the friendship turning to something more in Undercover Logger were paced well. Undercover Logger also had an improbable scheme going on, one that was not based on real events, but it seemed more believable for some reason! Not For Love was my favorite of the four, and ironically almost none of it involved logging! Maggie and Jack form a good working partnership which inevitably leads to trusting friendship and eventually a true marriage. The progression goes quickly, but because the story itself has a gentle pace, it feels measured and real.

From the publisher:

Lumberjacks and Ladies Work Together to Build America

Struggling to remain independent in the 1800s, four women reluctantly open up to help from lumberjacks - and love.

All That Glitters by Candice Sue Patterson

1851 - Maine

Winifred finds herself running the family lobstering business when her father and brothers join the California gold rush. Will she stubbornly reject help from a local lumberjack?

Winter Roses by Pegg Thomas

1865 - Michigan

Eliza Beth cooks for a logging crew, determined to escape that life for something better, until reoccurring gifts capture her attention. Will she follow her dreams - or her heart?

Not for Love by Naomi Musch

1881 - Wisconsin

Widowed, Maggie seeks a husband - in name only - from the logging camps, but the man who answers her letter is a surprise. Can she open her heart to love again?

Undercover Logger by Jennifer Lamont Leo

1890 - Idaho

Carrie will not sell her timberland and allows the banker's nephew to sign onto her logging crew to ferret out the reason she is losing money at an alarming rate. Will truth be revealed to her forlorn heart?

Visit Barbour Publishing for more info on where to buy.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from Barbour Publishing and was under no obligation to post a review.

This is an anthology (#44) for The 52 Book Club's 2022 Reading Challenge

#the52bookclub2022

©2008-2022 Just A Second. All rights reserved. All text, photographs, artwork, and other content may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form without the written consent of the author. http://justasecondblog.blogspot.com/ 

 We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.