The Fruitcake Bride

by Vickie McDonough

Pastor Clayton Parsons waited a year to bring his fiancée, Karen Briggs, to his new church post. They plan a Christmas wedding, but in the meantime Karen helps the church ladies with various projects, including a bake sale. But revealing her fruitcake recipe could spell disaster for her future in Bakerstown, Missouri.

Genres: Christmas, Historical, Christian, Historical Fiction, Romance, Christian Fiction, Fiction

48 pages, Kindle Edition

First published December 22, 2014

About the author

Over 1.5 million books sold!

Bestselling author Vickie McDonough grew up wanting to marry a rancher, but instead, she married a computer geek who is scared of horses. She now lives out her dreams penning romance stories about ranchers, cowboys, lawmen, and others living in the Old West. Vickie is a best-selling author of more than 50 published books and novellas, with over 1.5 million copies sold. Her novels include End of the Trail, winner of the OWFI 2013 Booksellers Best Fiction Novel Award. Whispers on the Prairie was a Romantic Times Recommended Inspirational Book for July 2013. Song of the Prairie won the 2015 Inspirational Readers Choice Award. Gabriel’s Atonement, book 1 in the Land Rush Dreams series, placed second in the 2016 Will Rogers Medallion Award. Vickie has recently stepped into independent publishing.

Vickie has been married for forty-one years to Robert. They have four grown sons, one daughter-in-law, and a precocious granddaughter. When she’s not writing, Vickie enjoys reading, antiquing, doing stained glass, watching movies, and traveling. To learn more about Vickie’s books or to sign up for her newsletter, visit her website: www.vickiemcdonough.com

Reviews

[Nikki · Rating 2 out of 5]

This novella wasn't as good as the other stories I have read so far in this series. Parts of the novella was ok but overall it wasn't great. I didn't like a lot of the characters in the novella which was partly the point but since it was so short there wasn't a lot of time to include characters that were really likable or to show any change in the ones that weren't liked. I didn't really like the plot either. The story was ok and I probably would have given it three stars but I really didn't like the way it ended so I gave it two stars instead. This novella wasn't great and I'm hoping the novellas I have left in this series are much better than this one was.

[Hannah · Rating 5 out of 5]

The worst part of this book is that it's the last of the series! I have enjoyed these stories so much.
This one was a little different because the main characters are already engaged when the book begins. But don't think for a minute that this story is any less sweetly romantic than the others!

[Danielle · Rating 1 out of 5]

Title: The Fruitcake Bride
Author: Vickie McDonough
Series: The 12 Brides of Christmas, 12
Format: ebook, bind-up
Length: 48 pages
Rating: 1 star

Synopsis: Pastor Clayton Parsons waited a year to bring his fiancée, Karen Briggs, to his new church post. They plan a Christmas wedding, but in the meantime Karen helps the church ladies with various projects, including a bake sale. But revealing her fruitcake recipe could spell disaster for her future in Bakerstown, Missouri.

Favourite character: Patsy
Least favourite character: Karen & Prudy

Mini-review: Oh boy. This was a severe case of me and not the book. I'm not into bookss that's main plot devices are to bully an insecure protagonist, both because the bullies need to stick a sock in it and because the victim needs to stand up for herself. And Karen running out every chapter really grated on me. She should've told them where to go. But nicely because it's a historical Christian fiction.

Fan Cast:
Karen Briggs - Cassidy Gifford
Clayton Parsons - James Maslow

[Nicole Normand · Rating 2 out of 5]

What the church women did was wrong but Karen is not fit to be a parson's bride. She's needy, there are too many repeats of how she was brought up and never trusted the Lord, and she's petty. After all the repeats from Clay that he loved only her since he was 9 y.o., she still believes other people - who actually want to marry the guy for his position. It lasts until the end and I got fed-up.

[Jan Konetski · Rating 5 out of 5]

Delightful Story!

What an unexpected treasure. I love Christmas stories, so I was looking forward to reading this book. I was very pleasantly surprised by the lighthearted romp the story turned out to be. Very enjoyable. I fully recommend this book.

[Princess Smith · Rating 5 out of 5]

Short and sweet.

This has been a wonderful series. I've read all 12. Not only were the stories good but the covers were just lovely. I'd like to see where these couples go from here.

[Goldenrod · Rating 1 out of 5]

Repetitious cycles of crippling self doubt, anyone? No? Me neither.

[BlueJeansAndTeacups · Rating 2 out of 5]

•°o•:*¨¨*:•. JUST AN OK CHRISTMAS READ.•:*¨¨*:• o°•
The Fruitcake Bride by Vickie McDonough – The 12 Brides of Christmas (Heartland Christmas Brides - 4 Novellas)


This was the fourth novella in this book, which is set in Bakerstown, Missouri 1890.
It involves Karen Briggs coming to a small town to marry her long time best friend, and Pastor, Clay Parson. She feels inadequate and out of place, but circumstances have left her no choice but to make the best of things. Clay is a happy, patient kind of guy who has also caught the eye of the local spoiled, rich girl Prudy. I did not enjoy her aggressive attempt to get Clay for herself, when he had made it clear he was engaged. Not a lot to this story. Soft pass in favor of other Christmas stories.

I give it 2 out of 5 stars, as per GoodReads rating system "it was ok"

Included at the end of the book: Recipe for “Fruitcake by Measure”

I purchased the hard copy of Heartland Christmas Brides BOOK #1 with 4 authors/stories included at a local store. I am reviewing each story separately as I read them. There are also 2 other books: Book #2 White Christmas Brides
Book #3 Christmas Wedding Bell Brides
or you can download any of the individual stories alone.

I am offering my honest opinions for no compensation.
©2014 Barbour Publishing
80 Pages (approx.)
Read 10/16/2014
Reviewed 10/22/2014

[Rebecca · Rating 2 out of 5]

When Karen Briggs steps off the train in Bakerstown, Missouri to re-acquaint herself with her fiancé, she is not even sure that she wants to get married, or if Clay Parsons actually wants to marry her. Being the pastor's wife in a small town has its own ready-made challenges, which Karen quickly discovers; especially when one of the town's most eligible young women has her own heart set on marrying the handsome town parson..

Clay Parsons is thrilled to be marrying the only woman that he has ever dreamed of marrying. He and Karen were childhood friends and in spite of the recent years of separation, Clay's feelings for Karen have remained steadfast. When her aunt dies and leaves her penniless, he knows the timing is right to offer a proposal.

In spite of Clay's repeated reassurances, Karen continues to worry that she might jeopardize his good standing in the community with her awkward social blunders and domestic inabilities. But Karen is a wonderful cook. Will it take one of her delicious fruitcakes to prove to everyone, including herself, that she will make the perfect Christmas Eve bride for Parson Parsons?

I received an advance copy of this story in exchange for my honest opinion.

[Sarah · Rating 3 out of 5]

Karen Briggs travels to Bakerstown, Missouri to meet up with her best friend since childhood and now fiancé and Pastor, Clayton Parsons. As they plan a Christmas wedding, Karen begins helping the local ladies with various projects that lead to some humorous situations and baking her famous Fruitcake recipe for a charity auction. However when the local gaggle of the town's leading ladies find out one of her key ingredients, it could be the final hit to Karen's confidence that she and Clayton are meant to be married.
Fruitcake Bride is the final installment of the 12 Brides of Christmas Novella series. I thought it was a cute tale and sweet addition to the end of this collection of Christmas tales, and I know I mentioned this in a previous review of one of the novellas, but felt like the collection would make a fun round of Hallmark Holiday movies. If you're looking for some easy reads to put you in the Holiday mood, many of the stories in this collection are worth the quick read.
Thank you to Barbour Publishing for the opportunity to read this in exchange for my honest opinion.

[Deanna Stevens · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Fruitcake Bride is #12, the last story in The 12 Brides of Christmas series. This was a story of Pastor Clayton Parsons in his first church post. He now feels settled in and that he can ask Karen Briggs to marry him. They have know each other for quite some time. Karen's Aunt has passed away unexpectedly and with no family, she has agreed to be his wife. She was not sure if she could fill the job of Pastor's wife but with his help and the church people she is willing to try. That is until someone tells her that putting Rum into the Fruitcake for the Christmas benefit bake sale may have been against what the church believes. You could feel her insecurities and want of being accepted. Young love, hope and faith were found throughout. This was another nice Christmas romance that I enjoyed reading..
I was gifted a copy by Barbour Publishing for my honest opinion which I have given.

[Susan · Rating 5 out of 5]

So sad to see this is the last of the 12 Brides of Christmas series! I loved it just as much as the others. Well written with the character shortcomings that we all feel we have. Karen comes from a sad background and therefore doesn’t trust anyone can love her unconditionally. Clay Parson, given the nickname of Parson Parsons since he’s the new pastor, has been her best friend since childhood. He struggles with getting Karen to see she is fully loved and flaws won’t stop that. Karen struggles with overcoming her childhood pain, especially in a town where another girl has her cap set for Clay! Great secondary characters and events with perfect dialogue to match the story. And yes, there is fruitcake involved!!
I received this story for an honest review.

[Laura · Rating 3 out of 5]

HE FRUITCAKE BRIDE is cute. A pastor, appropriately named Parsons, is marrying his long time friend, Karen. Karen thinks of Clay as more of a big brother than a groom, and is sure it's just a marriage of convenience. Plus, she's not at all sure she'll be a good pastor's wife. Her welcome to Bakerstown sign broke in half upon her arrival for pity's sake. I wasn't at all sure how this book would go. At first, with Karen's thoughts I figured that Clay would marry another woman and she'd marry someone else. But things changed, almost two quick. Some of the misunderstandings and accusations seemed contrived, but it did keep the tension high. This wasn't my favorite story in this collection, but it was okay.

[Carrie Schmidt · Rating 4 out of 5]

Karen Briggs has finally joined her fiance Pastor Clayton Parsons, affectionately known as "Parson Parsons" by the townsfolk, at his new church post. While she prepares for their Christmas wedding, she seems to cause one disaster after another. In trying to fit in, will she end up getting them both kicked out instead?

Nobody really likes fruitcake, but everybody should enjoy this story. In The Fruitcake Bride, Vickie McDonough combines humor, heart, and some really great kisses into a wonderfully entertaining Christmas novella. A couple of the kisses may steal your breath so, you know - just go in prepared ;)

[Wilani Wahl · Rating 5 out of 5]

The last of the 12 Brides of Christmas collection. I will miss this series as far as reading new stories. However I do plan to reread this story, I enjoyed it so much. I could relate to the characters, since I was a pastor's daughter and then a missionary. I know first hand what it is like to be in a fish bowl and having to worry what everyone in the church is thinking. The author nailed it on the head with the feeling and then the struggles of not worrying what everyone thinks but rather how does the Lord see you.

[June · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a lovely story to finish off the 12 Brides of Christmas series. Karen and Clay have loved each other since they were kids. But it isn't until her aunt died and Karen has no where else to turn that Clay proposes marriage. Karen finds herself wondering if he really loves her or if he's just doing his duty in offering to marry her. Humor is plentiful in the story also.

[Dianne Sidebottom · Rating 5 out of 5]

Liked this story about Karen being uncertain about acceptance by the congregation as a wife to the pastor and whether she was the best person to be his wife even though he has chosen her in his heart.

[Gayle · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars. Finally got to the last novella in this Christmas series (it's only almost June!). I got a little frustrated with the main character and all her insecurities, but overall I enjoyed this sweet story.