There's Something about Christmas

Emma Collins has wanted to be a serious journalist ever since she can remember. However, after attending school, the best writing job she can find for herself is a position with the "Puyallup Examiner" in small-town Puyallup, Washington, where she spends the hours between nine and five attempting to sell ad space to reluctant business-owners, and writing obituaries that no one but the deceased's own relatives will take notice of. However, when her first real journalism assignment comes rolling in, Emma is disappointed in what the subject will be - writing about the three Washington-based finalists in a national fruitcake recipe contest. Not only does Emma dislike fruitcake, but she also dislikes Christmas since her mother passed on, and feels that she's not cut out to accept a subject that she's so dead-set against. Not only that, Emma's boss has arranged for her to be flown to each contestants home in a rickety, small aircraft with none other than Oliver Hamilton behind the wheel, along with his dog, Oscar. As if having to contend with a fear of flying wasn't hard enough for the Scrooge-like Emma, trying to ward off the advances of the irresistible and charming Oliver proves just as impossible. Now, as Emma begins her journey to meet each of the three women, she begins to fall in love with the idea of their different recipes, from using all of your deceased husband's favorite ingredients, to sprinkling a little extra liquor into the concoction, and trying out a no-bake graham cracker fruitcake. But, not only does she fall for the recipes, she falls in love with each woman's story of how they were created, soon making her realize that Christmas isn't truly as bad as one would think, and sometimes life is full of fruitcake. This is my second Debbie Macomber book (my first being CHRISTMAS LETTERS), and my love for her writing is quickly growing. Macomber has the ability to put into words the slightest emotions and feelings, and bring them to life - almost placing them upon the readers shoulders, and making them feel as if they are a character in the story themselves. Mixing a bit of Charles Dickens' A CHRISTMAS CAROL and Robert Tate Miller & Beth Polson's SECRET SANTA, Macomber has woven a delightful tale that will please readers during the holidays or in the middle of the summer. Emma is a fantastic character, whose intelligence and sarcasm are unmatchable. She has a tendency to play it cool, but her kind, caring emotions do show their heads every now and then; while Oliver is an obnoxiously dashing individual, whose charm and wit floods over each and every page. The chemistry between these two characters is absolutely amazing, and can be felt by the reader each time Emma and Oliver interact with one another; while the inner-conflicts they are fighting regarding romance only leave the reader wanting to see them have their "happily ever after" even more. Like a fruitcake, THERE'S SOMETHING ABOUT CHRISTMAS is chockfull of colorful, chewy charact

There's Something About Christmas / Debbie Macomber: If you're looking for a quick read for a frosty Sunday afternoon, I recommend this book. It's got just the right mix of comedy, romance and Christmas. Nothing is over done, so you shouldn't get bored! I finished reading this book in about a day. This is my second Debbie Macomber Christmas novel, and having been pleased both times, I eagerly await her next one.

Emma Collins has an aversion to all things Christmas --- and that includes fruitcake. It's not only the confection that she doesn't like, but since the death of her mother two years ago Emma has avoided the holiday altogether. Instead she takes in a movie on Christmas Day and has buttered popcorn for dinner, which suits her just fine. But this year, some unexpected cheer is headed Emma's way. Fed up with penning nothing but obituaries for The Examiner, the local newspaper in Puyallup (a small town outside Seattle), Emma is set to give her boss an ultimatum when he offers her the chance to write not just one but a series of feature articles. Three of the twelve finalists in Good Homemaking magazine's national fruitcake contest live in the state of Washington, and Emma's assignment is to interview and write a profile about each one. When Emma finds out that she has to fly to all three destinations in order to make the newspaper's fast-approaching editorial deadlines, she almost bails out on what could be her big break. In addition to Christmas she also has an aversion to flying, particularly in small planes. And especially with local pilot Oliver Hamilton, who, in Emma's opinion, is far too reminiscent of her father --- an attractive man who flitted in and out of her life during her childhood and teen years, leaving a string of broken promises in his wake and her mother devastated. The more time she spends with Oliver, though, including an unexpected overnight trip because of a blizzard, the more Emma comes to realize that he isn't the bad-boy type she had pegged him to be. And as she gets to know each of the finalists, Emma realizes she also has misjudged something else: fruitcake. Along with sharing an intriguing personal story, each of the women serves Emma a delicious slice of the much-maligned dessert. Combined with her rescue of an abandoned dog and Oliver's enthusiastic efforts to change her mind about Christmas (and him), it just might be enough to entice Emma to celebrate the season. In an introductory letter to the book Debbie Macomber writes, "With all the demands and stresses of the holidays, I decided to give my readers a reason to laugh." Along with delivering a humorous and heartwarming tale, she shares the fruitcake recipes (which came from her family and friends). When you finish reading THERE'S SOMETHING ABOUT CHRISTMAS, you can keep the holiday spirit going strong by making one, two or even all three of the fruit-filled delicacies. --- Reviewed by Shannon McKenna

In "There's Something About Christmas" award winning and best selling author Debbie Macomber has given readers a sweet Christms treat with no calories! Whan a small town newspaper reporter is giver her first real story assignment it combines two of the things she likes least - flying and fruitcake. The tale unfolds with delightful intrigue - will she die of fear in mid air or turn green when faced with fruitcake? It includes many colorful and touching characters (some were REAL people Debbie has met!)along the way. A giant backwoods lumberjack wants to carry her off, the daredevil pilot both frightens and fascinates her and the fruitcake recipe contestants unwittingly share secrets to happiness. Stir this all with love and laughter and you have a recipe for a delectable Christmas dessert. In addition there are charming reflections by famous chefs on fruitcake and three recipes to boot. Pour some eggnog and savor this story!

I have read just about every book Debbie has written. Every year she writes a warm and fuzzy Christmas story. This year it is set in the state of Washington and it's about Emma who wants to branch out and write something besides OBits for the local newspaper. The Editor gives her a break.......write about the 3 local ladies who are finalist in a National Contest for Fruitcake. Yeah, we all love fruitcake!!!! Every chapter starts with a comment about fruitcake by chefs of famous restaurants, some will have you laughing! In order for Emma to get to all of the ladies in a timely manner, she has to fly. She hates to fly, infact, is scared to death to fly, but if she wants the story she has to do it this way. It just so happens the pilot is a friend of the Editor and is trading this service for ads in the newspaper. In the course of interviewing these ladies, Emmas learns a lot about the women and enjoys the time she spends with them, plus tasting each of the 3 kinds of fruitcake. And did I tell you she doesn't like fruitcake? Oh an of course there is a romance between Emma and the pilot Oliver. What is a book by Debbie if not for the people and settings. You learn a bit about the state of Washington, you get 3 recipes for fruitcake, I recommend the Chocolate one myself. And you read about real people because that is how Debbie writes, the characters have depth and flaws like everyone in the real world. When you finish a Debbie Macomber book you want to visit the towns and see those people. This is the same kind of book. If you want to get into the Christmas spirit buy this book. Cindy Thornlow