Lovely romance with much internal conflict set mostly in the Alaskan wilderness, featuring a former supermodel and a recultant photopgraphy tour guide.

Content warnings include: sex on-page, protagonists are recovering from an eating disorder and being an alcoholic; mentions of traumatic events in the air force and homophobia.

I loved the setup for this novel: a grumpy vet reluctantly takes on a photography tour through the Alaskan wilderness, with one client being an outgoing supermodel who is far from as prissy as his jobs makes him sound.

The first half if not a bit more of the book focussed on this tour and a one-sided, mild enemies-to-lovers between the protagonists. In the beginning I found River to be a bit too pushy to the point of me uncomfortable, but Griffin didn't mind nearly as much as I did. As soon as the two got closer this became a non-issue.

I loved the way the sexual part of their relationship was not focussed on penetrative sex. Both protagonists make a point of talking about their sexual preferences and how these are not anal, which I loved seeing in a romance novel. While they did have quite a lot of sex, their relationship was never focussed on it, which I also adored. (view spoiler)

The plot is driven by internal conflict, meaning conflict between the characters, but honestly, it really was conflict of the characters with themselves rather than with each other. While River is still fighting a serious eating disorder that years after getting better leaves food a far from comfortable subject, Griffin is a recovering alcoholic. On top of them, both are struggling with finding inner peace despite outwardly being at good points in their lives.

While I did like this inward focus of the book, I found it a bit long. At almost 400 pages I wish there had been a bit more external tension to it.
Still, I was never bored and very engaged while reading.

I also liked that both main characters are pan! We need more pan people in books!

PTSD, a hot mountain man, and a super model/writer sounds like the beginning of a joke. But it isn’t. It is just another awsome book by Annabeth Rothbert.

River is just the perfect guy to get Griffin to open up and heal and vice versa. Opposites attract just long enough to realize they have something in common....each other.

One man hiding out and not looking for any attachments, the other man on an adventure and interested in maybe a fling, but something unexpected happens that takes them both by surprise.

Griffin Barrett is ex Military and has roots in Alaska with his family. But he is a loner, broody, rough around the edges, and likes to keep to himself. When his family needs him to take over more of the photography wildlife tours for their business when they are short handed, he will do it since he is loyal, but it is out of his comfort zone. Being with people in social settings is not his thing. And he has issues from his past that make him wary. He does not date. He does not do attachments. He tries not to take risks and likes his stable world.

River Vale is a vibrant, ex-model, now adventurer, photographer, author, and soon to be subject of a movie. He does not have roots and is a nomad. He has his own personal demons he needs to keep in check. He looks like he is going to be high maintenance and just too much for Griff to be around. But River usually gets what he wants and he wants Griff. So he tries to convince Griff that a fun vacation fling will be no big deal. River pushes Griff to the physical chemistry point of no return, and that starts his healing process, but the emotional one may or not be their downfall.

Both are scared of getting attached or hurt. They both have issues with self worth, self esteem, unhealthy vices, fears, and insecurities. But as the intimacy increases and the walls start coming down, they find that they share their raw edges, vulnerable hearts, and begin to trust the other. And they each make the other want more than they thought they were capable of.

But River is a runner and Griff is an avoider. Their real problems are not going to magically disappear and they come from two different worlds literally. Will they be brave enough to fight for love? And can they find the strength to accept and forgive themselves and then be able to truly accept the other's flaws and needs?

This is a heartfelt and emotional story of second chances, taking risks, living life to its fullest, and finding a true home. I liked the Alaska settings. I really liked both Griff and River, and loved how they balanced each other. In the beginning it seemed like River was this bright light illuminating Griff's dark places, but River has his own hidden needs that Griff also wants to help with. So they work despite their differences.

I liked that this book focused more on intimacy and trust during the sex scenes rather than just adding more hot scenes for filler. I will admit that it did seem long though, and it took me a bit longer to read for some reason. I think it was the fact that the guys were struggling with so many issues that there was a lot of back and forth, but with their situations, the angst made sense. This book has a more somber tone due to their self deprecation, challenges, and fear of the unknown. But overall, I felt like I went on an adventure with these two, and I felt that they were well developed characters that showed growth.


I received this book for free from netgalley in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
Follow Me: Reviews by Tammy & Kim (Rachel and Jay) | Facebook | Twitter

PLEASE NOTE: Will be posted on blog and social media on release and links will be updated at that time

Something about this book spoke to me. The descriptions of the setting made Alaska come alive. It wasn't all snow and ice. It was sweeping vistas, wildlife, and log cabins. There was a focus on photography and family.

Griffin had a wonderful relationship with his mom and uncle. He tried to do right by them, even as he was battling his own demons. When his injured uncle asks him to do a photography tour in his place, Griffin wants to say no. He's not a people person. He likes to fly alone. But he can't say no, not when his family needs him.

Griffin misjudges River, stereotyping his as shallow and flamboyant. But River, a retired supermodel cum travel writer, is anything but. He can hold his own and loves being outdoors.

The MCs felt very real. Both had flaws and insecurities. Griffin struggles everyday to stay sober. Alcohol loosened him up, lowered his inhibitions. Without it, he doesn't think he can have fun, and he's only ever had sex when drunk.

River understands addiction. He's recovering from anorexia and eating still makes him anxious. Griffin initially assumes River doesn't eat because of the modeling thing. The men do a slow dance of give and take. They kiss and share a tiny bunk. River has many slowburn fantasies, all of them sweet and sensual. This story isn't raunchy, but it is sexy.

I enjoyed the dual POV and the tender HEA. The men don't ride off into the sunset, but they are committed and so good together.

I also want to mention the wonderful secondary characters (particularly the two couples who were on the trip with Griffin and River).

My one complaint is that the story didn't always keep my interest, and I'm not entirely sure why. It wasn't the writing (I love this author's writing style), and I liked the characters. But there was so much push/pull, particularly on Griffin's side, that I started getting bored.

At one point, I felt like I'd been reading forever and thought I was more than halfway through the book, but when I looked I was at 30 percent. I groaned internally, never a good sign.

The atmosphere is subdued and somber. This really isn't a light and joyful story, so maybe I just wasn't in the right mood. I will most definitely read the next book in the series. Annabeth Albert remains one of my favorite authors in the genre.

I was so excited to be approved for an advance copy of this book. As I’d expected, it was a delight from beginning to end. Both main characters were layered and believable, and their respective journeys (literal and figurative) were compelling. Oh, and the sex: emotionally rich and fire-hot. If I have a quibble, it’s that I’d like to have seen more of what happened after the black moment and before the reunion, more of each of their growth. Not that there wasn’t any, but I’d have liked more. Of course, I’m one of those readers who always wants more of her favorite books: the longer the better! So my “more, please” may be another’s “just right.”

Bottom line: This was an excellent read, highly recommended, and I can’t wait for the next one in this series! 4.5 stars.

Oh how I LOVED this book!!!! I feel like I want to go on Alaskan adventure, but the reality is that I'd be annoyed quickly with no wifi or somewhere for my flat iron, but I digress.

Griff and River were just fantastic. Both battling real world, real life issues and finding their way through their issues and paving a way to happiness.

The scenes were totally beautiful. I honestly felt like I'd been plucked from my couch in Vegas into the Alaskan wilderness. There were strong family bonds, past trauma, and healing. Two parts of a while finding a way to make it work.

Brilliant read!!!

I think this is a 3.5.

After having read and enjoyed multiple series by Annabeth Albert, it was exciting to get into her new series with a very different location this time. I think I went into this one with not many expectations and that definitely worked in my favor.

The thing that stands out for me in this book is the setting - Alaska. As Griffin is a tour guide and River is a tourist/ travel author, we get to see this beautiful place through their eyes and it was an amazing experience. The author does a wonderful job describing the beauty of Alaska, the wilderness, their hiking, camping and flying experiences and all of this added a very soothing ambiance to the story. While Griff is a retired Air Force pilot and recovering alcoholic, River is a former model and now author who still has to deal with the remnants of his eating disorder - this makes for a very angsty, push and pull kinda dynamic between them while I really enjoyed most times, but also got frustrated in parts. They both still have a lot to deal with in their own lives, which leads to the usual miscommunication / separation that we see in so many books. However, at times it really felt like they were each other’s safe space and they could be open and vulnerable and share all their issues with each other, which was wonderful. I also thought that the author’s idea of giving importance to more intimacy than just sex, was perfect for the two characters.

This is a sometimes sweet, sometimes emotional angsty love story which is great for a one time read. And you’ll definitely fall in love with Alaska and want to visit it immediately. I’m looking forward to the next book in the series.

ARCTIC SUN by Annabeth Albert is a story about Griffin a veteran with a medical discharge. Griffin returns to Alaska, where his family has a tourism company. Griffin fly's and leads tours. River Vale is a former model and now writes books. Griffin meets River in one of his tours. Griffin and River are attracted to each other, but it's not smooth sailing! Lots of back and forth in this romance!

I enjoyed this first book in Annabeth Albert's new series. Great main characters as well as supporting characters. I love how she builds her communities and am eager to guess who will be in the next book in the series. Enjoyed the scenic descriptions and how both main characters dealt honestly with their struggles and worked to share them with each other. Can't wait for book 2!

3* Great descriptions of Alaska made me want to visit, but the romance is a slow burn... if it is actually a romance in your book, pun intentional.

If you're looking for a full-on romance novel, that's not what you'll be getting here. Instead, it seems to be a tale detailing the physical beauty of Alaska for the most. I was a bit surprised by it, didn't love the book, but did wonder about visiting Alaska - I mean, if characters from Holland can make the trip for 10 days, so could a Brit. I'm not sure if the author has visited and has a special love for the place, but she's done a pretty good job for the tourism aspect of the state.

The leads weren't at all suited on the face of it. One, River, is an ex-supermodel who's now a successful travel writer and whose first book is about to have its movie premiere. I'm not quite sure if he's come to Alaska to escape his demons - he has an eating disorder and perhaps detachment disorder, as well as the usual social vices, though for the most I think he's left those in the past - to kick back, to gather more stuff for his writing, or all of the former. The other, Griffin, is an alcoholic, ex-military pilot who doesn't really seem to have much aim in life other than to help out his family - grudgingly it seems, because they run a tourist business and he doesn't like interacting with people, though he does do other stuff for them - and to build his own place in an isolated plot of land.

Griffin is called in at the last minute to take a 10 day trip with a bunch of tourists and River happens to be part of it. I didn't really see sparks between the guys, though I read that River was doing his teasing best to get Griffin into bed. But, these guys' sexuality was refreshing, as neither was completely defined, and one was out and the other wasn't not out, but also wasn't that out about things - sorry that sounds confusing but read and you'll understand more. It was a nice change to see it wasn't all about getting to the prize in MM tales, i.e., the guys getting full-on sex on; in fact, neither seemed that up for full-on anal and they ended up opening up a lot to each other and discussing what they liked/not and the whys behind those likes/dislikes. Both had very different reasons, both guys' reasons were equally valid, and it actually felt believable. But, I couldn't see actual out-and-out attraction between them. It felt like River pursued, Griffin being sex-starved gave in, they had some time in bed and feelings grew. I am not meaning this as a criticism as neither was your average MM romance lead, leaving all tropes behind and simply being RL guys with pasts and experiences that had formed them into what they are today.

I can't truly say that I liked either guy and that I was rooting for them; they seemed to have many demons, were trying to overcome those demons, but what gave rise to those demons and made them the men they are today, was not given page-time. Yes, we fleetingly get told why River has an eating disorder, but that's no great surprise given that he was a supermodel. We don't get to really find out why Griff is an alcoholic and what caused his limp, so I didn't have much insight into him, other than that he was a loner and stubborn.

Like I said, I enjoyed the descriptions of the flora and fauna more than I did the romance, because the romance felt like a couple of guys coming together as they both happened to be in the same place at the same time. And the author tried to introduce a family vibe to the tale, both with Griff's full-on guys and with River getting in touch with the dad he's alluded as being estranged from, but those kind of seemed a bit isolated, even with the (abbreviated) wedding ceremony that takes place in the final chapter of the book. For people who meddled in Griff's life, his family didn't seem very meddling and his mother and sisters' ogre stance when they first saw River petered out into nothing, literal nothing. A couple of days after they meet fleetingly, River is invited for dinner, and it's as if the ogres part of the storyline had been forgotten... I'm not sure why the author went there and then didn't go there, unless she actually forgot to up the angst or edited it out in error. Sigh.

Overall, it is readable, as the author has a way with words. The next tale in the series is out in June 2019, featuring a young guy who's mentioned a couple of times in this book. I will no doubt pick it up, but this tale doesn't have me dying to read more in the series.

ARC courtesy of Carina Press and NetGalley, for my reading pleasure.