I enjoyed this story very much. Great characters all around and they gave the story life. We have Reuben, 48 yr old corporate lawyer, Amelia his 14 yr old temperamental teenager, and Toby the 31 yr old tour guide who bears the weight of financially caring for his entire family. Reuben is the typical east coast workaholic who ends up going solo on what was suppose to be a group vacation. At first he's abrasive but then he seems to mellow (thankfully)! Reuben and Toby are involved in an airplane accident that leaves Toby injured. Feeling responsible Reuben offers to stick around and help Toby during his recovery. The romance between these two builds slowly and when Amelia joins them they form a nice little family unit. But can this last considering how different these two men are? Will Reuben and Amelia stay and make a home with Toby or will he return to his high powered job? Their story is one I would definitely recommend to anyone who enjoys a nice M/M romance.

3.5 Stars
Adjective : Am·biv·a·lent /amˈbivələnt - having or showing simultaneous and contradictory attitudes or feelings toward something or someone.

That's is what I am feeling after reading Arctic Wild by Annabeth Albert..

Okay, folks , let's do it ! Here are the nuts and bolts of this tale:

MM Romance - Reuben a Corporate Lawyer Partner & Toby an Alaskan Airplane Pilot and Adventure Tour Guide
Age gap - Reuben 48 and Toby 31
Hurt/healing - Toby got badly hurt after an airplane accident. Reuben is instrumental to Toby healing.
Alaska - Beautiful setting , Lots of visually descriptive details.
Strong secondary characters- although not all are likeable and logical in their hangups .
Heat level : Slow burn until 37 or 38% then it picked up to a medium heat.
HEA - Yes , with a nice epilogue 4 month after.

My ambivalence stems from my expectations and execution of this story . When I read the blurb it said , plane crash , survival . My mind, right or wrong , went to Naked and Afraid meet Castaway meet Six days and Seven nights. Meaning a lot more action and adventure , a fast pace plot with snarky , witty dialogue and loads of steam. And this story is far from what I just said.

With that said , it is a good , solid tale and it's the story the author wanted to write and it's not her fault or the book fault that I was expecting something else entirely.

Artic Wild is a client- to friends - to lovers , slow burn , slow pace , lovely and sweet romance story; about trust , trying something new , it's medium angst and medium to low drama. It drag a bit in the beginning and the middle but had a nice strong ending.

After reading this book , I want to learn how to Fly Fish and go trail - hiking in Alaska

I received a copy of Arctic Wild, at my request , from the publisher Carina Press via NetGalley and am leaving my voluntarily and unbiased review.

An Alaskan trip meant to be shared with friends was suddenly a solo endeavor for New York attorney Rueben. He was laser-focused on his career, unable to connect with his teenage daughter, and completely out of his element in the Alaskan wilderness. When his plane went down and he helped rescue his pilot/tour guide Toby, Rueben had a new lease on life and was ready to make some major changes.

Toby carried a staggering mantle of responsibility on his shoulders. With his father unable to work, Toby was supporting his family, including putting his sister through college. Despite that, he managed to be upbeat, funny and charming. But when his injuries from the crash sideline him, his ability to provide for his father and sisters in in jeopardy. He begrudgingly accepts Rueben’s offer to help in his recuperation, but his pride takes a hit.

Rueben and Toby might have experienced some instant attraction and chemistry but there was no insta-love here. They each had their own issues to overcome – Rueben’s innate need to be a “fixer”, Toby’s inability to accept help – as well as an age gap that seemed less of a problem for them as it was for Toby’s family. I enjoyed watching their friendship develop and the relationship that followed, even though in the first half of the book it felt like I was being told how they felt instead of seeing it and feeling it for myself. There were times I wanted to shake Toby’s father for his stubborn belief that accepting help made a man weak, a belief he instilled in Toby and made for a lot of stress and conflict. And speaking of conflict, Rueben’s daughter Amelia added plenty with her surly nature and nasty attitude (translation: she was a Grade A brat). Seeing the changes in her as she spent the summer in Alaska with Rueben, and watching their relationship strengthen, was a real bonus.

I enjoyed the pacing of both the story and the relationship. While I would have liked more showing than telling when it came to Rueben and Toby’s feelings for one another, Arctic Wild was still a solid contemporary romance with a satisfying HEA.

This was a really enjoyable read. I started it thinking I knew where it was going: two men stumbling in the wilderness for days after a plane crash and they find comfort in each other’s arms. Glad I was wrong! While there is a plane crash (don’t think that's a spoiler to any one), fortunately it’s a brief event and the bulk of the story takes place after the rescue. I enjoyed the character evolution and the path the story went. Looking forward to the next one!

Annabeth Albert's Artic Wild, the second book in her Frozen Hearts series, is my first read of the series.

Reuben's a sexy silver bear who's attracted to his Alaskan tour guide, Toby. I love these two. A May to December couple, they know they shouldn't be attracted to each other, but they don't let that stop them. Take one man who doesn't do relationships and present him with a hot older man who happens to be a workaholic? Hell yes!

As the only ones on the tour, the two start to get close. Not only is the chemistry there, but the conversations are honest and real. Their relationship includes some funny moments, some scary moments, and some family issues. I love the differences between the men, not just age wise, but also personality and backgrounds. Watching them try to navigate these differences made for a fun read. In the end, it's a beautiful reminder to take some time to stop and smell the roses.

The writing is great, with an intriguing plot and a good flowing pace. There's plenty of sweet getting to know each other moments, some action, and some steamy moments. The atmosphere of Alaska is well handled, allowing the readers to get the feel of the land naturally.

I love Artic Wild and am hoping to go back and read the first book of the series.

I really enjoyed Rueben and Toby’s story. I’m loving this new series set in Alaska and this was a great addition. Rueben and Toby were each two totally different people, and it wouldn’t seem like they could work. Something Toby’s family had no problem mentioning every chance they got! Rueben was a well-off, vacationing attorney from New Jersey; Toby an Alaskan native who was a bush pilot with a proud family. After a crash landing brings Rueben some life clarity, he finds himself renting a vacation home and living in Alaska with his teenage daughter, and a healing Toby. What was supposed to be a summer fling, doesn’t seem to be panning out so lightly. If you like a little adventure, a sweet story with a slow burn, and age gap then this is the read for you! After reading their story, you’ll know no one else could have been better partners for these men!

I was given the opportunity to preview this book from NetGalley. All opinions are mine alone and no one else.
This is the first time that I have had the opportunity to read a book from Annabeth Albert. She really takes you on a ride with her story. She has a way of writing that makes you want to continue to read the book when you know you need to go to bed.
This story is about Toby and Reuben. Toby who is a tour guide for Alaska Adventures. Reuben is suppose to be taking a vacation trip with 2 of his best friends, when they back out of at the last minute. It becomes apparent that Reuben wants to cancel too, but decides to do it anyways. Toby has a relaxing fun nature personality. He is hoping he can keep Reuben for the whole week, so he can pay his bills. 1 paying customer is better than no paying customer.
Reuben is a Lawyer from New York who hasn't relaxed in years. At first he agrees to go, but reluctantly. Once Toby and Reuben take off to all of the adventures that were scheduled for the week. Reuben starts to relax for the first time in years. He starts getting into the suggested places that they should go to. Like hiking, kayaking and fishing. At one of there stops they stay a little bit longer than they should have. A storm comes out of nowhere when they are trying to fly to the next stop. Toby does everything in his power to not crash the plane, but he has no choice but to land hard. Toby is injured by the plane when he is getting luggage off the plane. It is up to Reuben to get him to safety. After almost dying, Reuben decides he has a new lease on life. He doesn't want to go back to New York. He wants to stay in Alaska so that he can see if he really likes who he is becoming. He does ask is teenage daughter to spend the summer with him.

Is it a HEA, yes, but you don't know until almost the very end. Which I like when an author builds the characters up and then you don't know if they are actually going to make it until the very end.

4.5 stars for me, I really enjoyed this return to Alaska with this newest book in the series! I also felt like I enjoyed the overall read of this one more than the first book.

Annabeth Albert is great at putting characters in intense situations, often when fighting for your life is an aspect of the setting. I really enjoyed the camaraderie and beginning between Toby, the younger pilot, and Reuben, the lawyer on a solo vacation. When their plane malfunctions and they are forced to take an emergency landing, the two must work together to survive. And when Reuben decides he wants to spend the summer in Alaska, also bringing his daughter along with him, Toby needs to figure out how to accept help while also maintaining his independence.

I really loved the may/december element in this - yes, it did bother some people, it wasn't all sunshine with this, the hurt/comfort element was strong in this one - Reuben especially strives being a caretaker in all roles, so it's hard for him to accept when Toby wants to do it all on his own. I also enjoyed the secondary characters - Nell, Toby's sister, and Amelia, Reuben's daughter.

Although it dealt with some serious topics - long recovery from an accident, learning to take help when it's offered versus fighting for complete independence, and family disapproval of a new partner, I loved the flow of this story and the characters. The overall tone felt more...uplifted? than the first book, and the pacing of the story felt to move along a bit better.

Can't wait for the next book in the series!
I received an arc from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

3.5/4 stars
Although this does have a suspense component, that part is not drawn out. It is more of a story of priorities, personal growth, and second chances.

Reuben is a work-a-holic corporate lawyer who was supposed to be going on an Alaskan adventure trip for his birthday with friends, but it ends up being a solo adventure. He is not sure he really wants to do this trip, but is determined to prove he can. He is a bit grumpy, reserved, and his mind is still focused on work and issues at home.

Toby is his pilot and tour guide. He is over fifteen years younger, charming, funny, and a talker. He is a hard worker striving to take care of his family. He does not have the time or energy to have romantic entanglements.

When the unthinkable happens, they work to save each other. And afterwards, Reuben wants to help Toby however he can including providing him an accessible place to stay. But Toby is a prideful man and hates being beholden to anyone. But no matter how resistant Toby is, he cannot help but respond to Reuben's caring nature. And as Reuben begins to figure out his own priorities and look at the mistakes he has made in his life, it becomes a big wake up call for him.

This is a slow-burn, second-chance romance. The plot is moved forward more by character development and building(rebuilding) of relationships than by action. They each have their own issues and also complex family dynamics issues. They both have to face their fears, insecurities, limitations, and figure out what they want their futures to look like. It's about finding themselves, building connections, living life to the fullest, and finding what feels safe and fulfilling.

I liked the characters and I thought their differences actually helped to balance them out. They both try to push the other out of their comfort zone while trying to provide a safe landing place. But in order to do that they will have to be willing to be open to change, accept help, trust, and take a risk. And with two stubborn, intelligent, and prideful men, that is not an easy task.

They both had caretaker personalities, but also had a hard time accepting help themselves. There were times I wanted to shake some sense into Toby especially. And as a therapist myself, I had some issues with how his recovery went, but I have also seen much worse representations in books so it actually did not bother me too much. I enjoyed small cameos from the first book, but this can read as a total stand alone.

**Will be posted on blog and social media upon release and will go live 7 am cst 6/3/19

3.5 I’m sorry to say I couldn’t really connect with these characters. It’s me I know, this author always writes good stories, so this one was good put together. Only I didn’t get the click. Maybe it was because I felt it had too much story around them. I don’t know. My expectations were from another level. It took a while before the crash actually happened (I was looking forward to it), and after it happened there was so much story I had to focus on, my attention drifted.
I will give three point five stars because the writing had no errors, only my head had them.

Arctic Wild has May/December, kids, second chances, taking of family, and angst. Toby and Reuben's chemistry is shown throughout the book. Their story is easy to read, and I love how the author let us see it from point of views from both men. Their plane crashes, Toby is hurt and Reuben is taking care of him until they are rescued.
Love seeing the other MCS from the previous books and I’m looking forward to the next book in this series. Annabeth Albert did a great job with this book also.

I liked Arctic Sun, the first book in this series, but I thought it was a bit lacking in conflict. This one places stronger barriers between the two leads and makes them work harder for their HEA.

Reuben is a wealthy East Coast attorney reluctantly taking a vacation from work, and Toby is his pilot and tour guide. The two of them start to bond when their plane crashes and they wind up saving each other’s lives. Even though they are rescued relatively quickly, Toby is left with injuries that make it impossible for him to take care of himself. Since Toby’s family isn’t really in a position to help, Reuben steps in, giving Toby a place to stay and assisting him during his recovery. Being together gives them the opportunity to explore the attraction between them, and when Reuben’s daughter decides she would rather spend time in Alaska with her dad than go to camp, the three of them start to form the family that Reuben has been missing as a single man. However, Toby can’t forget that Reuben is just on an extended vacation and is reluctant to admit that what’s happening between might be more than just a summer fling.

In addition to being two very different people with lives that have almost nothing in common, Toby and Reuben clash because Reuben is a natural caretaker and Toby has been raised to be proud of his independence. Toby really struggles with relying on Reuben for almost everything, especially since Toby has been the main support for his own family and isn’t used to being taken care of himself. Toby’s family isn’t in great shape financially, so Reuben’s money also becomes an issue between them. So, Reuben and Toby have a lot to work through before they get their HEA, since they have to learn how to navigate their differences and be a couple.

I enjoyed Reuben and Toby’s romance, and I’m looking forward to reading the next book in the series. It’s about a park ranger and the volunteer he gets paired with for the winter, so that should be fun!

A copy of this book was provided through NetGalley for review; all opinions expressed are my own.

Toby and Reuben are so good together!

Arctic Wild is my favorite type of age-gap story…it doesn't beat the age difference to death like some books do. It's book two in the Frozen Hearts series but you won't feel lost if you haven't read book one, Arctic Sun (you will be missing a great story, though).

I'm loving this series so much; mostly because it's Annabeth Albert but also because I got to go on a bucket list trip to Alaska last year with friends and family. The things that Annabeth describes in the book remind me so much of what I saw when I was there; it's absolutely beautiful. I have to be honest, though, I don't think I could take the dark winter days and that is something that Toby warns Reuben about in Arctic Wild.

We know from the books blurb that Toby and Reuben are in a plane crash but to experience it while reading the book was nail-bitingly real. I can't even imagine the research that Annabeth did to help her writing be so realistic sounding.

I loved everything about this story: how workaholic Reuben learns to slow down and connect with his daughter and how Toby eventually learns that it's OK to accept help from people who care about you. Arctic Wild is another great book from one of my favorite authors. I can't wait for the third book in the series.

***Reviewed for Xtreme-Delusions dot com*** (posting on 6/3/19)

This is a genuine love story with all the depth, heartfelt emotions and character growth one could wish for. Not a fast or light read per se, but certainly one that makes you feel and that absolutely draws the reader into the world of its characters. This book was beautifully written, very compelling and thoughtful, with a surprisingly romantic and very satisfying HEA.

Reuben and Toby are opposites in many ways, but it was lovely to see them overcome their differences and discover how sweetly they fit together and complement each other. Toby feels safe with Reuben and I think that’s so important when loving someone.

Family is very important in this story, both Toby’s and Reuben’s, and that part of the plot really appealed to me. Amelia especially was wonderful and I loved seeing her re-connect with her father and growing to accept and care for Toby too.

Second in the Frozen Hearts series – this can be read as a standalone.

If you like strong hurt/comfort/healing books, then this may be for you.

Blurb sums up the plot fairly well, if not prone to a teeny bit of exaggeration. I did think this was going to be a “Survivor” type book, our characters having to spend a week or more struggling to get out, but it wasn’t like that.

For the most part, I enjoyed this. It’s a slow-burn romance, that has strong elements of dating and getting to know the person which I always appreciated. It’s also about personal growth, introspection, and learning to stand up for what one wants in life.

A few items dropped this from a five star to a four-star read for me:
Reuben is dubbed a “silver bear” by Toby almost immediately in the book. Despite having a 14-year-old daughter, the age difference between the two main characters was not apparent. Even with the snide remarks from Toby’s family, for myself, it never really <i>felt</i> like Toby and Reuben were that much different in age.

<i>Even though</i> this character trait defined Toby, I admit to growing weary of Toby’s continual “I’ll do it myself,” attitude and his insistence on running his sister’s lives. This was almost a deal-breaker for me. By the time we hit the conclusion and resolution, I was very glad to see a much-needed personality shift which greatly improved my opinion of the overall book.

And some positives:
I’m starting to change my mind about kids in books – usually not a fan, but lately I’ve read several where the kiddo aspect was well done. This was one of them. I enjoyed Amelia’s transformation as much as Reuben’s and Toby’s.

The impetus for the book – the plane crash. Again, my impression was our characters would be stranded in the Alaskan wilderness for days and days, and it wasn’t. I liked how this event was short and initiated the rest of the plot.

And this was, ultimately, an engaging read. Interesting characters, plot was nicely written with just the right amount of tension, and the dynamic tension between our main characters felt realistic. If you enjoyed Arctic Sun, you’ll probably enjoy Arctic Wild.

Arctic Wild follows Toby, who we met very briefly in Arctic Sun, and Reuben. Toby is a pilot for Annie’s company and coworkers with Griffin from Arctic Sun. He’s been working there for ten years and in many ways flying is a way for him to get away from stress at home. His father is partially disabled from an accident several years ago, and has impressed on Toby that asking for help is a show of dependence, an inability to take care of one’s own. Reuben is a hot-shot workaholic lawyer who ends up going to Alaska alone when his friends and coworker have to bail for work-related reasons. During the days with Toby he starts to relax and find new things to enjoy outside of work. When sudden weather causes the plane Toby is flying to crash, Reuben steps up to offer assistance and a place to stay while Toby recovers.

In some ways I struggled with this book because it felt like the “big exciting” happened early on and the middle felt almost like filler. I loved the scenes with Reuben’s daughter, Amelia, and seeing the dynamics with her shift as she came out of her shell and Reuben listened and gave her space as needed. I also loved Toby’s familial closeness, though it was also really stressful reading about the financial burden he was under between his hospital bills from the plane crash, his sisters being in college, and costs related to his father’s care. I did really enjoy the ending and the epilogue-esque final chapter with seeing Reuben and Toby building their future together.

I’m also a little conflicted on Reuben’s Jewishness because I felt like it was thrown in for rep, while Toby’s Athabascan was such an intrinsic part of his identity and his upbringing. It sometimes felt easy to forget Reuben is Jewish, and not like it’s incidental but more like he’d talk about his Bubbe or Hanukkah would come up and it was like, “oh yeah, he’s Jewish.”

I really enjoy Annabeth Albert’s books and her writing, but I don’t think this book worked as well for me, especially in the middle. I’d still recommend Arctic Wild because the ending is very sweet and worth the read, but while the middle did develop the closeness between Toby and Reuben I did feel like it dragged at times. Overall, this was a good book but I don’t think it worked as well for me personally.

Actual rating: 3.5 star

This is one story that I started off liking and ended up loving. Toby and Reuben seem an unlikely pair, and Reuben's kid is such a brat at first. They all have to take the summer to assess their lives and what they want from it. While I liked seeing the dynamic between these guys, and let me tell ya- Reuben is not your typical male love interest (which made him more awesome), the second half of this book really made me love it. The emotion, with all they are dealing with, and the fact that Toby's family isn't super supportive, and he's under so much stress! But also when Reuben hurts, I hurt. I felt it all. I loved it.

Arctic Wild is second in Annabeth Albert's Frozen Hearts series. Book one, Arctic Sun, is not required reading to dive into Arctic Wild.

Reuben is a high powered attorney whose firm is trying to cajole him into retirement. A workaholic, he truly can not see himself doing anything different. Forced on a vacation to the wilds of Alaska with friends, he knows this isn't his cup of tea. And then his friends cancel, leaving Reuben on a trip he really didnt want to take, with an all to mesmerizing tour guide.

Toby is the tour guide for Reuben's Alaska trip. Completely smitten with the silver fox, Toby has his work cut out for him since they seem so opposite of each other. When an unforseen storm rears its head, Toby is forced to make an emergency crash landing. Living through the crash is one thing, but now they have to plain out survive!

I enjoyed the story of an older man/younger man, opposites attract troupe. Both characters were believable and I liked them equally. Throw in a 14 year old and her moodiness, I bought the whole scenario Annabeth created!

The only thing that was off was the pacing for me. It seemed to drag quite often. I am not a fan of unnecessary angst or drama, and we did not get either-but I felt this could've wrapped much earlier than it did. I was still pleased with the story and happy with the ending!

3.5 stars

Toby and Reuben were lovely main characters to follow and I really enjoyed their banter. I must say that I was really enjoying the book until the crash, the vibe seemed to change a bit after that and everything seemed like a given instead of building it up as it had been in the beginning.

Reuben's character arc was nice to see - how he changed and how his relationship with his daughter developed. Toby was a major reason that Reuben changed and his relationship with Amelia was also quite sweet.

ARC provided by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

3.5 stars

Arctic Wild is the second standalone in the Frozen Hearts series and a good slow burn, May-December romance. Despite liking the characters and the bulk of the story, I’ve gone back and forth over how to rate this book, reflecting on what did and didn’t work for me. In the end, I realized that some of the things that didn’t work for me weren’t necessarily problems that needed correcting, but rather an honest portrayal that life isn’t always clean and perfect, even after finding a special love, making Arctic Wild worth the read and one I’d recommend.

From the outset I liked the characters of Arctic Wild. Toby was outwardly engaging and happy and Reuben curt and disinterested, a classically good opposites attract pairing. However, the dual point-of-view narrative ensured readers knew early on that there was more to both men than initial impressions suggested. I was excited to get to know more about these men and eager to see a relationship develop, but the book suffered from a pacing shift. Arctic Wild starts off fairly quickly with the characters involved in a plane accident early on. Once their ordeal resolved, the book downshifted for me, taking on a more meandering pace and allowing room for the slow-burn romance between Toby and Reuben to grow. Unfortunately, the abrupt change in pace meant my interest wavered a bit through the middle of the novel. I liked that these two took their time and the things that gave both Toby and Reuben pause in pursuing a relationship were completely valid for the characters, I just wasn’t as interested as I’d expect.

The familial situation also threw me off a little. I loved how the author included Reuben’s teen daughter in the story, developing her character along with Toby and Reuben. And while I admired Toby’s commitment to his family and loved how that part of his personality fit with Reuben, his sister and father’s negativity and nay-saying got old for me. After sitting on this review for a bit though, I realize what rankled me was that things weren’t perfect for these two as the book closed… instead they were a bit messy and an honest look at a couple who chooses love for one another and for their family, even when it can’t be all tied up with a neat little bow. So yes, though Arctic Wild wasn’t all I thought it might be at the start and the pacing change threw me off a little, I would recommend this title, especially if you appreciate the beauty in love when things aren’t so easy.