Blame It on the Fruitcake
By Pat Henshaw
4.5/5
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Currently unavailable
Currently unavailable
About this ebook
Fruitcake is the laughingstock of the holiday season. But can it be an aphrodisiac instead? Motorcycle mechanic Sam McGuire is surprised to find a gaily wrapped box on his doorstep with a piece of fruitcake accompanying an invitation to a holiday party.
Wondering if he’ll fit in, Sam attends the party—mostly to get more of the fruitcake he falls in love with—and meets Jay Merriweather, his new neighbor. The lure of Jay’s big family and its holiday tradition of enjoying Grandma’s fruitcake hook Sam, as does the sexy man himself.
But Sam can't imagine why handsome, college-educated Jay would want someone like him, who was raised in a children’s home and barely graduated high school. Maybe the magic of the holiday season can help two men who seem so different come together like the ingredients in a well-made fruitcake.
A story from the Dreamspinner Press 2015 Advent Calendar package "Sleigh Ride".
Read more from Pat Henshaw
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Reviews for Blame It on the Fruitcake
6 ratings2 reviews
- Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Sam grew up in a children's home, never adopted, and has absolutely no family to call his own - just his coworkers/friends down at the motorcycle repair shop Sam owns. Christmas usually is, as Sam says, the saddest day of the year for him - it just reminds him that he has always been unwanted. But, in spite of Sam's loneliness, he's slowly carving a name for himself and has just secured a loan to add on to his shop in the new year. Jay Merriweather is Sam's new neighbor, and he's nothing like Sam. Jay has a big, close family; he's obviously more of a suit-and-tie type guy; and Sam doesn't feel like he can fit into Jay's world. It doesn't help matters when Jay's younger brother pretty much says that he doesn't see what Jay sees in Sam. But...maybe a Christmas miracle can happen for these two? :)I really, really enjoyed this story. It was short, and I kept wishing that I could read more about this couple, but the author managed to portray Sam's Issues very well in those pages. Let's be honest, this story was right up my alley - Sam felt completely unworthy of a relationship or good things, and I tend to gravitate toward those types of stories and characters. I really liked his insecurities and how they were dealt with (or not) as the story progressed. Also, no instalove - yay! Jay comes out and straight up says that he's not in love with Sam yet because they are just getting to know one another. Major fist bump to the author for not rushing them into anything. :) I would definitely read more from this author!
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5The "secret powers of fruitcake" were never something I thought about, but reading this story, they became quite obvious to me. Sam has never had fruitcake, so when he is confronted with it as part of an invitation to a party at Jay's, one of his neighbors' apartments, he becomes curious. And as the story develops and the fruitcake continues to play a central role, I began to smile. Personally, I have always loved it, but I can see how someone who has never had the opportunity to try it may see it as a challenge or a revelation, depending on their preferences.
Sam ends up loving the fruitcake made by Jay's grandmother. He and Jay begin to really like each other, but Sam's lack of self-esteem means he can't believe Jay is interested in him for more than some fun between the sheets. Sam just can't see beyond what years of disappointment in an orphanage, followed by several jerks as boyfriends have taught him: he is not worth anything, and his lack of an education means less than the fact he has built a successful motorcycle repair business from scratch. Sam has a lot to learn! And when Jay's grandmother herself gets involved? Sam begins to understand there is no way anyone can resist their family and that the self-image he has built may be less than valid.
If you like stories about men who think of themselves as worthless, only to learn they are valued by the people who matter, if two men who seem to have different backgrounds yet find out they are not so dissimilar at all sound interesting, and if you're looking for a sweet read that is full of hope and lots of love, then you will probably like this short story.
NOTE: This book was provided by Dreamspinner Press for the purpose of a review.