Review: Alaska Dreams

Jennifer Snow’s Wild River series has been so lovely to read. The romances are all enjoyable and the backdrop of Alaska helps sweep me away when I’m reading. Alaska Dreams is the latest in the series and I was really looking forward to reading Selena’s romance. I liked the book but I’m not sure I liked the hero for Selena so that kind of let me down. It’s still worth a read if you’re a romance lover but I find myself hoping the next book will be better.

Here’s the book’s description:

Following a near-death experience, Selena Hudson is finally going after the career she wants. And since casting directors won’t see her as anything but a rom-com queen, Selena signs on to produce and star in her own movie—an edgy psychological thriller. But just as the cast and crew arrive on location in Wild River, Alaska, the leading man drops out of the production.
Reporter Gus Orosco is not hiding out in Wild River—he’s waiting for the dust to settle after his on-camera “overreaction” triggered by watching his ex-fiancee get engaged to a superstar hockey player. Gus doesn’t want to be anywhere near the film crew shooting at his family’s campgrounds, but Selena makes him an offer he can’t refuse: she’ll snag Gus an interview with Sports Beat if he’ll be her leading man. All Gus has to do is learn his lines, hit his marks and somehow ignore the sparks flying between them…even though they’re hot enough to melt the Alaskan snow.

I love Selena. She’s a big name rom com actress who’s trying to break out of the stereotype and prove she can do more than just rom coms (with no disrespect meant for the genre). She’s smart and she has a huge heart. This is why I think Snow let her down with Gus. There’s nothing really wrong with the guy. But here’s a dude who blew up on national TV when he had to report on a story of his ex-fiancée getting engaged to someone else. And then he’s a complete ass when Selena and the film crew show up at the camp. He did lose his job, yes, and his sister did forget to tell him they were coming and he expected solitude but it’s his own damn fault he lost his job because his poor little man feelings were hurt and he couldn’t keep them under wraps while the camera was rolling. And then, near the end, he tries to fix things without discussing them with Selena and then just makes it all worse. I wasn’t here for it. So it’s kind of a real bummer that I didn’t love the romance as much as I wanted to.

For those who like the steamier romances, this one had open door scenes – more, I think, than any of the other Wild River books. I’m kind of curious as to why Snow made that choice but, hey, it made for some good reading!

Part of why I love this series is the small town feel and how everyone knows everyone. I liked getting glimpses into what other characters were up to. I missed them and it was nice to get caught up.

I’m going to keep reading the Wild River series because Jennifer Snow’s romances do always leave me with warm and fuzzy feelings (which is a nice break from, you know, *waves arms at world*). Alaska Dreams was a fun read and I’m looking forward to the next installment in the series.

*An egalley of this novel was provided by the publisher, Harlequin, via NetGalley in exchange for review consideration. All opinions are honest and my own.*

Review: A Lot Like Love

I really enjoyed Jennifer Snow's Wild River series, set in Alaska, so I was excited to see her publishing another small town romance series, this one in a much sunnier state on the West Coast. A Lot Like Love is the first in the Blue Moon Bay series, which is set in a small town in California. The town is super cute, the people are great, but, at the end of it all, the overall story didn't wow me. Was it bad? Definitely not! I just don't think it was as good as it could have been.

Here's the book's description:

They have different ideas about the fate of an old inn...until it brings them together.
When Sarah Lewis inherits a run-down B&B from her late grandmother in coastal Blue Moon Bay, the logical thing to do is sell it and focus on her life in L.A. But when she learns that interested buyers will only tear it down in its current state, she feels a sense of obligation to her grandmother to get it back to the landmark tourist destination it once was...even if that means hiring the best contractor for the job, who happens to be her old high school crush.
Wes Sharrun’s life has continued to unravel since the death of his wife three years before. Now with a struggling construction company and a nine-year-old daughter, he sees the B&B as an opportunity to get back on his feet. Unfortunately, despite trying to keep his distance, his daughter has taken a liking to Sarah, and his own feelings are tough to deny.
As they spend more time together painting, exploring a forgotten treasure trove of wine in a basement cellar, and arguing over balcony placement, the more the spark between them ignites. But will saving the B&B be enough to convince them both to take a second chance at love?

In a case of really unfortunate timing, I had recently read Mermaid Inn by Jenny Holiday (another Canadian romance author, like Snow). There were, at first glance, far too many similarities between the two and it took a little bit for me to shake it off. Really, it was a small town and a woman had been willed a B&B that she wasn't expecting from an elderly relative and was thrust together with a guy from her past. All the other little nuances were quite different, which I could see by the end of the story.

I found the character development to be a bit...lacking. Not too much with Sarah and Wes but the secondary characters did not stand out and I don't find myself wanting to get back to Blue Moon Bay immediately. Marissa, Wes' daughter, was the liveliest character in the whole story. I also struggled with a lot of the connections between them. Everyone seemed to have different memories of high school (don't ask me how long ago it was because there seemed to be conflicting timelines that I could not figure out) and I couldn't really understand, at times, why any of them interacted with the others. The whole Lia storyline seemed shoehorned in, even though the event was the catalyst for Sarah deciding what she wanted to do.

Despite all of the above, there were some great points to this romance. I loved that Sarah worked in the tech sector and that she could be a great role model for Marissa, who was obsessed with all things STEM. Wes was a great dad who wanted to support his daughter, even more so after his wife's death, but he's super old school and couldn't understand why his daughter would be into all that, even if he was trying. I appreciated that Sarah's final decision didn't really have anything to do with Wes (and Marissa). He played a part, for sure, but she knew what she needed to do from a career and personal (not romantic) perspective. 

All in all, A Lot Like Love was...fine. I have a strong feeling this could have been a case of right book, wrong time because I really enjoyed Jennifer Snow's other romances. If you're a sucker for small town romances, you might really enjoy this one.

*An egalley was provided by the publisher, Entangled, via NetGalley in exchange for review consideration. All opinions are honest and my own.*

Review: A Sweet Alaskan Fall

You know how when you read a new book in a series it kind of feels like coming home? You're reunited with friends you've met in other books and get to spend time in a place you love. No? Just me? *shrugs* Regardless, reading Jennifer Snow's Wild River series is like that for me. I had read a not-so-great book and being able to move to Snow's latest book, A Sweet Alaskan Fall, was such a joy. I knew the kind of story I was going to get it and it was so soothing and lovely. Even if I'm not quite ready to say hello to fall.

Here's the synopsis:

Montana Banks has returned to Wild River, Alaska, for a fresh start. Adventure has always been in her blood, but while an injury leaves her unable to participate in her favorite extreme sports, Montana settles for teaching base-jumping classes at her friend’s tour company. Settling in has been almost too easy: a great job, her family’s acceptance and her own apartment—right next door to straitlaced police officer Eddie Sanders.

Eddie has always had feelings for Montana, and now that he’s leaving for a new job in Anchorage he wonders if he should’ve taken a chance with her sooner. Then a moment of violence the night of his going-away party leaves him badly wounded. Seeing Eddie’s job opportunity lost and self-confidence following close behind, Montana is determined to show him all the reasons he has to pick himself up again.

I had a feeling while reading Under an Alaskan Sky, the second book in the series, that the next book would be about Montana and Eddie. It was almost hard to picture at first because in the second book he was extremely suspicious of her and her motives. But, by the end, you could tell there was an interest there but you didn't know if it would be reciprocated. Montana thinks she's pretty damaged and is focused more on strengthening her relationship with her daughter as well as staying on top of her health. And honestly? That was the best thing for her. Romance could take a back seat - it wasn't the most important. But falling for Eddie just seemed so right. Her daughter already knows him and he's friendly with her new friends plus she really gets a handle on so many things in this book that you can't help but root for the romance to blossom between Montana and Eddie.

And do I have a similar feeling about who the fourth novel will be about, you (don't) ask? Why yes, thank you for (not) inquiring. I had a sense that the next book (out next spring) would follow Eddie's sister, Leslie, and I was correct! It sounds great but heavy and I'm already looking forward to it.

I have to say that this book almost veered off into corny made for tv mystery territory (not that there's anything wrong with those, when done well). I suppose that was to be expected given Eddie's profession as a police officer but I think the subject matter was just a touch too heavy for the romance series Snow is writing.

I think I found Montana's character to be a bit stronger than Eddie's, but maybe that's because I got to know her a bit  in the second book. That said, there was a lot more to Eddie than the reader (and Montana) expected and I liked seeing more of him. More of both of them, to be honest. They were a unique couple in that they seemed like opposites but they were a lot more similar than you’d initially expect and in ways that’s kind of hard to describe. Like any great couple, they made each other shine. Their connection may have been unexpected but it was genuine and I loved reading as they fell for each other.

Finally, in case you're curious about what I thought about the first two books, you can read my mini review of An Alaskan Christmas here and my review of Under an Alaskan Sky here.

A Sweet Alaskan Fall might have edged out the others in Jennifer Snow's Wild River series as my favourite of the trio. I liked the story, I loved the characters, and I adored how I felt when reading it. This romance novel came along at just the right time and it made for the coziest, heartwarming afternoon when I read it.

*An egalley of this novel was provided by the publisher, Harlequin, in exchange for review consideration. All opinions are honest and my own.*

Review: Under an Alaskan Sky

Back in December I read a holiday-ish novel, An Alaskan Christmas (review here). I was completely enthralled so I was really happy when I realized Jennifer Snow would be writing it as a series. Under an Alaskan Sky published earlier this year and I read it at a time when I needed to go back to a place that was lovely and familiar and get caught up in another love story.

Here's the synopsis:

Allowing himself to love always seemed too dangerous. Now it might be his only salvation…
Single dad Tank Wheeler has vowed to keep his heart shuttered in the name of keeping his young daughter’s life stable. But lately, the chemistry between him and his adrenaline-loving best friend, Cassie Reynolds, has been getting him a little hot under the collar. And then, with one scorching birthday kiss, these best friends are instantly more.
Exactly the wrong time for Tank’s ex to show up in Wild River, Alaska.
Cassie is pretty sure she’s having a waking nightmare. Not only is Tank’s gorgeous ex hoping to reclaim her family, but a new megastore is threatening the wilderness-adventure business she’s spent five years building. But Cassie never backs down from a fight. And now it’s time to make the most terrifying leap of her life—and hope that Tank catches her…before she falls too far.

I'm not really a big fan of love triangles so I was a bit worried about where Snow was taking the story when Tank's ex came back to town. Without giving much away, I really liked how the story played out. Montana says she's coming back for her daughter but you gotta believe she wants another shot at Tank. She could have been painted as a totally evil witch-with-a-b but Snow manages to portray her so, so well. Which I'm thankful for because the next book in the series will be about Montana and someone else in town.

The other reason I was so wary of Montana was because I had already fallen in love with Cassie and Tank in the first novel. Their solid friendship was so lovely but you absolutely knew it had to eventually become much, much more than a friendship. While it's admirable to think of the child in the relationship - Cassie had become like a surrogate mother to Tank's daughter - if the pair had been open with each other, they could have avoided a whole lot of heartbreak and slammed doors and runaway daughters. But where's the fun in that, right?

I adore Cassie. She is small and spunky and with a heart of gold that is head over heels in love with Tank. I admired her entrepreneurial spirit and how she worked so hard to do the very best for her business - even when it was hard and made others question her decisions (and really, they were only questioning them because they loved her so much and wanted to keep her safe).

Tank was such a great father - which was refreshing to see in a romance novel. I think the single dad trope is getting stronger so we'll probably start seeing a few more out there. It's not one I'd normally seek out, to be honest, because single parent stories just aren't my jam. (I'm childless for a reason and know what I like when it comes to romance novels. And it doesn't include babies.) But. I liked Tank. Even though he needed to give his head a shake and realize that keeping things buried and Cassie at arm's length was not helping anybody, especially not him.

All in all, Under an Alaskan Sky is just what I like in a romance novel. Jennifer Snow's novel swept me away and I enjoyed every second I spent with Cassie and Tank in Wild River. I'm really looking forward to the third novel, A Sweet Alaskan Fall, so I can get back to the small town to see how everyone is doing.

*An egalley of this novel was provided by the publisher, Harlequin, via NetGalley in exchange for review consideration. All opinions are honest and my own.*