Alaskan Holiday

August 27, 2018
Macomber (Cottage by the Sea) brings her signature charm to this appealing tale of an aspiring chef and a taciturn, small-town sword maker. When lifelong Seattleite Josie Avery takes a short-term cooking job in remote Ponder, Alaska, she’s simply marking time until her job as a sous chef at a hot new Seattle restaurant begins. Meanwhile, lifelong Alaskan Palmer Saxon is perfectly content in his tiny lakeside community north of the Arctic Circle—until he falls head over heels for its temporary resident. Creating picture-perfect small towns packed with salt-of-the-earth characters is Macomber’s forte, and her foray into the wilds of Alaska is no different as she explores Josie and Palmer’s deep feelings for each other. Macomber takes the risky step of beginning the novel with Josie declining Palmer’s marriage proposal, making it work by skillfully illustrating how life can surprise and delight even the most planned-out of futures—and how dreams can backslide into nightmares. A quirky cast of supporting characters—particularly Palmer’s gruff, always-hungry sidekick, Jack—add color, and an expected happily-ever-after provides a resoundingly satisfying coda. This charmer will please Macomber fans and newcomers alike.

Laurel Rankin and Luke Daniels narrate Macomber's family-friendly romance set in remote Ponder, Alaska. Rankin's direct, declarative narration showcases the conflict Josie Avery feels as she decides between a marriage proposal and a chef job in Seattle. When she misses the last ferry and finds herself stuck in Ponder, she contemplates her life choices. Palmer Saxon's stumbling proposal is delivered in Daniels's Northwest twang. Daniels also creates a character voice for Navy vet and game hunter Jake Corcoran, who gives Palmer ineffective dating tips. The story, ending with a Christmas engagement, is a crowd pleaser, but the narration is uneven. Rankin's mouth noises can be distracting. Daniels's characterizations suffer from overacting. Listen if you're a Macomber fan--otherwise pass. C.A. � AudioFile 2018, Portland, Maine