A funny, romantic book that definitively gives the warm fuzzies. The plot is nothing new, a fish out of water storyline. A high maintenance, celebrity reporter ends up in  Alaska to write an article on fishing as penance for an earlier indiscretion. She meets a gorgeous, park ranger and they fall in love. The characters are genuine and like able. The writing is bright and full of energy. I left smiling and wanting more book. Would definitely recommend for the people who love HEA stories.

For me, Kris Bryant’s Breakthrough is the perfect romance. The characters are vividly brought to life, the setting is gorgeous, and the plot is exactly what I want in a romance.

Celebrity journalist, Kennedy Wells is relegated to Alaska to do a piece on deep-sea fishing for an outdoors magazine as a result of a past indiscretion. She is all gorgeous and glamorous and looking to get in and out of Alaska as quickly as possible. On her first day she meets Ranger Brynn Coleman who is the quintessential tall, dark and handsome leading lady. Brynn is capable and gallant. The only things she is missing is the suit of armor and white horse. Kennedy is completely out of her element in Alaska, but Brynn comes to her aide time and again and introduces Kennedy to the beauty and contentment of a simpler life in rural Alaska. Kennedy is immediately drawn to Brynn, but Brynn tries to keep things platonic until she can’t. The question is, can this city girl find her happiness north of the lower 48?

The descriptive prose Bryan conjures up paints an Alaska that this city girl is dying to explore. The book is full of supporting characters that are each distinctive, which isn’t always the case. The dialogue is natural while making both Kennedy and Brynn very relatable despite the fact that they are almost polar opposites. Oh, and there is the best pet I have ever found in the pages of a romance.

The book is told in the first person, past tense from Kennedy’s point of view. I generally don’t care for first person narration, but Bryant made this feel natural and I didn’t feel like I was shorted on learning about Brynn’s character. There is something about this pair that transcends most characters I have encountered. They are perfectly imperfect, but they make a wonderful matched set.

I love this book and highly recommend it. I plan on reading everything in this author’s body of work.

I was given an ARC of this book from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for a fair and honest review.

Kris Bryant is back again with her latest book. I didn't like "Touch" so much but this one I devoured it in one night. The descriptions of Alaska were so accurate and breathtaking that I now want to visit! I felt the tension and  chemistry between the two MCs and I understood why they were so hesitant to express their feelings and thoughts. 
One minor complaint is that I think the book ended rather abruptly, like the author didn't know how to resolve the long distance problem so she conveniently skipped to 8 months later.

Well who’d have thought that Breakthrough would be the best novel Kris Bryant has ever published! I am not shy to admit that I’m probably Bryant’s biggest fan. She’s had this way of drawing me in from the get go on all her books and I’d be lying if I said this book drew me in as much because truly, Breakthrough is better, unbelievably so.  She has raised the bar with this novel and 5 star reviews frankly, no longer cut it… because it was worth much more.

Breakthrough follows main protagonist, Kennedy to Alaska on a writing assignment for her boss in a bid to get her back into the good graces and finally start writing what she loves again after a scandal sent her back to the bottom of the beloved magazine. She arrives in Alaska and has run in after run in with the wildlife, locals and the very handsome, Brynn. Brynn is perfect in so many ways but unfortunately she lives in Alaska and Kennedy is desperate to return to the city and her beloved job. Brynn doesn’t do casual but her attraction to Kennedy is taunting her. So it’s better that they stay friends… right?

If there was ever a novel I’d want to act out this is the one. I’d happily play Kennedy’s part and go through all her clumsiness to be close to Brynn. Brynn is this handsome, androgynous Wildlife Director and she is such a gentlewoman, I was a little crazy for her to be honest. At first her stand-off nature and the walls she carefully had placed around her heart intrigued me but as Kennedy knocked each of her walls down it was like revealing new and more alluring facets of her already beautiful personality.

Kennedy was just fun. She brought the light and fun to this book that no other character could do but her. Her personality and clumsiness made me chuckle more than a few times but what really made me love her was her chemistry with Brynn, it was palpable. Also I can’t not mention my favourite character from the book, Wally. I won’t tell you much about him but look out for him because he’ll steal the show.

The sex scenes as per usual blew me away and really connected the characters on another level. It made the chemistry increase and both Kennedy and Brynn’s love really shone in those moments. Kris Bryant still writes the best sex scenes for me… every single time, wow.

Reading this book as made me add Alaska to my ‘Must See’ travel list. Alaska almost felt like a third protagonist because of how it was beautiful one minute and throwing poor Kennedy around the next. I really saw its beauty and breathtaking landscape through Bryant’s words.

All in all this is an exceptional book that has a few twists and turns that catch you out and make you wish the book would never end. I was captivated from the beginning and can’t wait to see how Bryant will top this.

5 stars

This book had a perfect balance of romance, suspense and humour. Most importantly though, the characters were very likeable, especially Kennedy who was multifaceted and really well rounded. Brynn was just as fantastic, very sweet and down to earth, the perfect match to Kennedy's high maintenance character. Overall this was a good, fun read.

Romance story with the beautiful setting of Alaska. Kennedy Wells is an LA based showbiz journalist sent to Alaska to write an article on fishing after a scandal almost finished her career. Feeling completely out of her comfort zone, she gets into trouble almost immediately and is saved by sexy ranger Brynn Coleman who introduces Kennedy to the vibrant wildlife and breathtaking landscape of the 49th state. Kennedy slowly falls for both Brynn and Alaska but her home and career are back in LA. Will they have a happily ever after?

Written in first person from the point of view of Kennedy, Brynn appears as the epitome of the stoic butch and enigmatic knight in shining armour ready to save Kennedy from her blunders but at the same time, unwilling to open up to her. Ms. Bryant plays well with a few contrasts such as butch - femme, outdoors girl - city girl, hot LA - cold Alaska, all done with wittiness, humour and sizzling chemistry. Nature takes a big role in this book sometimes acting as a beautiful background of the romance, other times at the forefront raising issues such as illegal hunting, wildlife conservation or environment protection. Even though this is mainly a romance novel, there is a mystery subplot that adds a bit of fast-paced action that keeps the reader turning pages. Add a cute atypical "puppy" to the mix and the result is a very enjoyable story.

Overall, a very entertaining romance with a bit of fast-paced action. 4.5 stars.

ARC provided by Netgalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

See all my reviews at
www.lezreviewbooks.wordpress.com

Kris Bryant is one of the more reliably good writers out there. This latest book by her is no different, however I found myself a little underwhelmed by the originality. The romance is simplistic and not filled with as much drama as I would have expected with them being from California and Alaska. They fall in love simply and then it gets wrapped up quickly. 

That leads to my two biggest gripes. The first being the length of the book is pretty short and the second that they fall in love in 2-3 weeks. Everything seemed rush. My favorite book of hers so far is Taste, and that’s because she did so well with more of a slow burn relationship. Even if these two did get to know each other by a lot of conversations, Kennedy being there for only two weeks made me feel like everything is headed toward Lesbian U-hauling. And conversations between the two weren’t fleshed out to help with that feeling. Brynn and Laura had a relationship once and Kennedy asks about it but gets no further details on why it didn’t work out. Brynn basically avoids the question….I’m still curious!! 

I personally wish that Kris Bryant ventures out into territory that she hasn’t gone to yet. Supernatural? Unique tragedy? Sci-Fi? I think it would help to go outside the box that her books have geared toward.

Loved, loved, loved this book!! It had such a great balance of humour, series, thriller and sweet romance. Kennedy was fantastic! I loved how she was this perfect balance of high maintenance city girl that was strong and able to laugh at herself. Brynn was perfect! She provided this sweet butch that could do no wrong in my eyes. 

Kris Bryant nailed this book and think it could be a reread in my future!

i've never been to Alaska, but after reading this book i promise to myself that i need to go!!!!!! Kennedy is a Californian writer who is sent to Alaska to write a fishing story, Brynn is a ranger well involved in saving the wildlife  but Kennedy needs more help than the animals and Brynn continues to save her from strange and also hysterical situations, they had chemistry together but nothing happens for a while; Kennedy witness a crime and she is in danger so Brynn take her to her home and.....

What a delight to read. I laughed. I cried. I held my breath in suspense as to what could possibly happen next.                                                                                                                                                                             Kris Bryant went out of her comfort zone of pure romance and added a bit of intrigue to the story and she did it well. Follow the escapades of big city reporter Kennedy Wells as she is sent to Alaska to write a fishing story. She wasn’t ready for Alaska nor was Alaska ready for her. Follow her antics as she winds her way through the trials and tribulations of the wild. I highly recommend it.

The concept that one MC is only going to be around for a limited time helps with the push/pull of the rom arc but it is exasperating in some aspects as well as slightly tired in it's originality.

Having said that, the setting of Alaska was well done. I lived there for 7 years. So this was particularly well done. Alaska is singularly unique to the US and it was well represented here. I've had my fair share of wild life run ins. Momma moose included. 

As far as Brynn and Kennedy goes, they present with great chemistry but it's all pretty much just wasted because of the prolonged 'I'm leaving' arc that I said above. The bow at the end was less than fulfilling. It only highlights the lack of communication between MC's throughout the book. That isn't really great IMO.

I'm a huge fan of the author though. Her novel 'Jolt' is one of my all time favorites (as well as 'Taste'). This one here just didn't work as well for me. It falls firmly into the, it's 'ok' category.

In a short time, Kris Bryant has become one of my very favorite authors. I always look forward to her books because I know there will be something unusual about the story, I will love the main character because of the use of first person, and I know the sex will be hot. Breakthrough is no exception. The story is set in Alaska when an entertainment writer from LA follows a story there, and from the very beginning it’s a comedy of errors. One disaster leads to another and Kennedy (the main character) seems to be rescued each time by Brynn, the hot local ranger. Brynn has relocated to Alaska with a ton of baggage, which makes the eventual succumbing to Kennedy’s charms all the sweeter. And holy cow, do they have chemistry. There’s a subplot dealing with poachers that kept me on the edge of my seat that I wasn’t expecting.  I feel like every Kris Bryant book is better than the last, and that’s saying a lot.

I liked this book for its vivid descriptions of Alaska alone. Made me want to be there at the cabin and the sanctuary. Wally the raccoon is such a delight. The story itself is a classic, femme meets butch, are attracted to each other right away. While Kennedy doesn't have a deep backstory, except for the scandal that played a role in her ending up in Alaska. Brynn was a mystery to unravel as the story went along. I wouldn't mind a sequel to find out more about Brynn eventually seeing her family again.
It's a perfect read for a night in, funny, a bit of adventure and mishaps. All help bring our two characters together. Did I mention Wally?

This is a read about embracing something different. The story is cute with a bite of angst. The talks by the fireplace, the picnic lunches, and the need to care were all very romantic. I enjoy reads by this author and this time around was no different. The characters, very different from each other, are interesting with their need to be good at what they do and also the need to find solid footing in a relationship.

I usually dont read stories where one of them is "butch"  no offense to anyone it's just not my cup of tea, and had I known I would've skipped this one, but honestly I hardly noticed, the characters was nice, lovely and sweet. I loved the humor, It's not that deep story and I have no idea why ppl think the author needed to show more info on B I thought she wrote just enough background for her. 
I was given a free copy in exchange of an honest opinion. "very thankful by the way :) "

5 stars! Really enjoyed this one. Such a breath of fresh air after uncountable insecurity driven books. It's lovely to read about two strong women finding each other. And I love nature so that's another thing I enjoyed amongst the ocean of city-based stories. 

Usually, I don't like first person view but this time it was used really well and I think it's even one of those rare occasions when it fits better than anything else. Kennedy's misadventures in the Alaskan wildlife were funny and her reaction to all that's happening even more so. And Wally is my spirit animal. 

Overall a really enjoyable, light read. Recommended for everyone!

It wasn’t a bad book but it won’t become one of my favorites either. I think the whole description of Alaska was a bit off putting for me – I lived there several years and some things like, the airport, are described completely wrong.

Kennedys character was well described, however Brynn was less well written and described. There wasn’t much chemistry between them.

This has been a pleasant book, good paced, fun and sweet. Certainly, for the premises and the first chapters of the book, you can expect another typical story of a woman accustomed to luxury and urban life, transported by work circumstances to a rural environment, in this case the extreme environment that Alaska represents. This is so, in a certain way. But even being able to fall into the usual clichés, the book goes further in some way.

Kennedy is clumsy, stubborn and frightened but eager to enter into this new environment so different from the one she is used to living. And Brynn is tall, dark and handsome, with that bit of mistery that makes her even more attractive, a huge heart and above that, she fits beautifully the ranger uniform.

There is this episode with the poachers that goes around since half of the book and never seems to disentangle, and finally it does, too quickly perhaps. A little bit of tension that does not ruins the story at all. All in all, a very recomendable and pretty enjoyable romance.

4.25 Stars. I’m a fan of Bryant, so I always look forward to reading her books. I’m happy to say this book was much better than her last two. This book is getting back to the Bryant I know and enjoy. I think romance fans and Bryant fans are going to be very happy with this one.

The story is about a Kennedy, a city girl reporter, venturing to Alaska for a few stories. She is unprepared for the wilds of Alaska and soon finds herself in need of rescuing from Ranger Brynn. While the attraction is immediate, neither woman is really looking for a relationship. Alaska has other plans in mind and makes sure to keep putting the two of them together. Can Kennedy survive Alaska or might it just capture her heart?

Alaska is such a wonderful setting to place a story in. The wildlife and breath taking views, Bryant used Alaska perfectly in this book. Going there is on my bucket list, and Bryant just made me want to visit even more. In Bryant’s book Forget Me Not, I didn’t think she used the beautiful setting of Ireland to the benefit of the book. This book she absolutely did and brought the beauty of Alaska to life.

Kennedy, as a character, was not immediately likeable for me. But what I really liked it she grew through the whole book. By the time the book was done, I realized I really did like the “new” version of her. The other main Brynn is pretty much the perfect butch character. Talk, dark and handsome, with a great heart. The two of them made a convincing and likable pair. I was also happy with how steamy the sex scenes were. These two had a lot of chemistry in and out of the bedroom.

Besides the fantastic setting, one of the best pets in a lesfic book, and the good romance, this book also had a little bit of excitement. I don’t want to give away what happens, but it was just exciting enough, that it kept me happily turning the pages. This is mostly a romance, but the little bit of excitement was just a cherry on top.

As I said before, this was a big step up for me from Bryant’s last two books. This is the kind of good story I expect when I read her books. I’m really happy that Bryant is back and I think romance fans are going to be happy too. I can’t wait to see what she writes next.

P.S. I just wanted to add, I don’t think the cover does the book justice. There is nothing wrong with the cover. It looks to be the Alaska state flower breaking out of the snow. I get the symbolism and it is perfectly fine. I just think with the breath taking views and wildlife of Alaska, the cover should be something encompassing that beauty. I’m just worried people won’t be as attracted to this book as they should be.

Kennedy Wells is sent off to Anchorage, as continued penance for an indiscretion, to interview a celebrity who wants to do a reality fishing show. A total city-slicker, her disastrous first day in Alaska is brightened only by her rescuer: tall, gorgeous wildlife ranger, Brynn Coleman.

I’m a fan of Bryant and I’ve been waiting impatiently since ‘Taste’ and I relieved to say that this did not disappoint. Kennedy’s unashamed and blatant cluelessness about the outdoors is hysterical. It also serves to highlight how ill-suited she and Brynn are. I thought that this was all there would be to the story but I was wrong and the suspense that wove itself into the plot was a wonderful surprise. I liked that Kennedy was aware of how incompetent she was in the wilds but that she was also there to do a job and would do it to the best of her ability.

Brynn was a bit more of a dark horse and mostly because of the first person point of view being all Kennedy. I don’t mind this viewpoint but it does mean limited insight into the other characters. The chemistry between them is palpable and the sex scenes steamy. I had a couple of misgivings about Brynn’s backstory and the way Kennedy felt the issues could be resolved but to go into would be an unnecessary spoiler.

This is a good, well-paced read and easy to recommend.

Book received from Netgalley and Bold Strokes Books for an honest review.