You know from the start that Rueben and Toby will eventually find their way to each other, don't you? The charm of this HEA is how they get there. Two very different men- Rueben is ahem older and an attorney and Toby is younger and a pilot in Alaska. Both of them have families, albeit Toby is caring for his sisters and father while Rueben has a daughter Amelia. These two make a lovely couple and it's a nice read. Thanks to Netgalley for the ArC.

A solid, enjoyable read. It follows fairly standard tropes (a high-powered lawyer who can't put down his phone and a working-class who has put his family's needs before himself, forced proximity, age-gap) but combines them with an alienated teen and the Alaskan wilderness in a way that makes you forget that you probably know how they're going to resolve their conflict. Toby and Rueben are both likable and I always appreciate when a relationship develops without the characters immediately jumping into bed together.

I was ecstatic to receive an early copy of Arctic Wild by Annabeth Albert, the second standalone in her Frozen Hearts series. I absolutely loved the first book, Arctic Sun, and I honestly loved this one just as much. This book brings us two men with an age gap and opposites in more than a few ways, finding their happily ever after.

Toby may be young but he has a ton of responsibility on his shoulders. After an accident in the beginning of the book he is left frustrated, angry and feeling helpless. He is stubborn as hell and fiercely proud. When he isn't being a grump he is playful and fun. Reuben is much older than Toby and comes from a different type of lifestyle. He means well even if he doesn't always think first before speaking, but he is so sweet kind and caring. Even though he hasn't been a hands on dad before now, he does a great job reconnecting with his daughter. He tries too hard to give everyone what they need that he tends to forget about what he wants.

Together they bring out the best in each other. Reuben helps take Toby's mind off the responsibility and stress weighing on him. Toby helps Reuben live in the moment and step away from his day to day work mode and appreciate life. They are also too stinkin' cute together when they are unconsciously in sync and finishing each other's sentences. The intimate aspect of their relationship was also beautiful and packed with emotions. Even though when things were good they we're good, their story is filled with a lot of insecurities, doubts and fears. They both questioned their age gap at times and Toby had a really hard time not feeling like he was a project for Reuben to fix.

Once again, Annabeth Albert brings to life the Alaskan scenery and wildlife. Her writing is vivid and fantastic. Arctic Wild is a romance filled with strong characters with real problems finding their happily ever after with the odds against them.

I love Annabeth Albert's characters, they are always easy to like and highly relatable. We journey again to Alaska and go on a journey with Reuben and Toby. The immediate chemistry between the two despite both of them being in denial was fun, but when disaster strikes, they are forced to acknowledge those feelings and rely on each other. When Toby is hurt and Reuben offers to look after him and rents a house bringing his daughter to Alaska for the summer, the feelings they've been fighting come to a head. I didn't like Toby's family much. The whole he's not the one for you, continually got on my nerves, the lack of support from his sister and dad along with the constant reminder that he's a man therefore should not rely on anyone to help him, really annoyed me. Thankfully Annabeth knows how to draw things out and still give us a HEA. I loved getting a glimpse of how Griff and River were going from Arctic Sun. I look forward to the next book.

Thanks to NetGalley and Harlequin-Carina Press for a digital copy in return for an honest review.

Very sweet, low angst read. I was a bit nervous to read the plane crash part but was relieved to find it read more like a car accident than a plane crash. Unfortunately though, after that not a lot happens. Good beginning and ending but the middle was a bit slow-mainly them building their relationship plus a little upset.

Thank you Carina and NetGalley for the ARC!

Arctic Wild
I am a big fan of this author, so I was really excited to get an advanced copy of this book. Overall, I liked the book quite a bit -- a little bit of escapist fiction to distract me from real life. This one didn't wow me like some of the author's other work, but I enjoyed it.

Specifically, I liked that:
--Toby's family didn't like him immediately, recognize his feelings for Reuben before Toby did, I think they were perfect together, or push Toby into an aha "I love him" moment;
--that Toby didn't need to have some all-seeing friend help him realize he loved Reuben or that he needed to risk his heart for happiness. I really, really liked that he figured it out by himself.
--that Reuben wasn't a completely stereotypical corporate lawyer. Some of the early descriptions and the blurb relied a bit heavily on stereotypes, but his actual character didn't seem too bad.
--I liked many of the secondary characters, although Toby's father was a bit one-dimensional.

I didn't care for:
--Reuben's very speedy transition from reticent and aloof, not wanting to be around people who talked, to sharing seriously personal information with Toby and actively seeking him out. I didn't find this believable at all.
--yet another aloof, money-hungry, self-serving, manipulative ex-wife. I am getting very tired of the misogyny in M/M novels.

In general, I enjoyed this book and would recommend it. I am grateful to the author and the publisher for an advanced copy of this book in return for an unbiased review.

This is book two within this series. And we briefly met Toby in Arctic Sun. Toby was portrayed as the fun loving, easy going guy. But In Arctic Wild we get to see what his burdens are and how all the stress effects him.

One of his tours he ends up doing a solo tour with an older, city man whom doesn't want to be there but is begrudgingly trying to make the best of it.

Reuben has always been work first life second, but being up north changes things. One accident brings these two close together. Then we get to meet the grumpy yet spunky daughter of Reuben, Amelia.

I loved seeing the growth of their relationship and at the same time we get to see Toby and Reuben fall in love even when everyone isn't on board with this relationship.

This book deals with culture issues, as well as parenting and relationship issues. It also deals with an age issue. However, the older age was eluded quite early and it wasn't till near the end where it was finally revealed.

"But part of parenting is learning to parent the kid we actually have, not the one we think we should have. "

I love this quote because I think this could be a good foundation when thinking about parenting.

It was very sweet and I adored these two together. I love Annabeth Albert's stories and here was another great one.

Avec ce deuxième tome de la série Frozen Hearts on retrouve la beauté sauvage et immense de l'Alaska, aux côtés du régional de l'étape, Toby, et de Reuben, le citadin accro au boulot.
Comme dans le tome 1, on part en voyage organisé au fin fond de l'Alaska, et cette fois-ci, pas de minibus, mais plutôt un avion, enfin ... selon Reuben, cela tient plus d'un coucou qu'autre chose ... Rien ne va se passer comme prévu, et les deux hommes vont assez vite se retrouver dans une situation assez dramatique, qui posera les bases du reste du roman, et les conduira à passer beaucoup de temps ensemble.

Si j'ai bien plutôt bien aimé Reuben, j'ai eu plus de mal avec Toby, qui a fini par m'agacer, même si je peux comprendre ses réticences. Et du coup, je trouve la fin bâclée, alors qu'il y a un épilogue ... La romance en elle-même n'est pas transcendante, on sait que leur relation progresse, mais nous n'y assistons pas vraiment, et je trouve cela un peu dommage.

Pour finir sur une note plus positive, j'ai apprécié les relations entre les personnages, notamment celles entre Amelia et les autres.

Oh, my! This book has so many of my favorite tropes that I really enjoyed it immensely. I’d tag it age gap, May-December, slow burn, men with children, family drama, Alaska, hurt-comfort, and second chances. Plus, it had a sneak peek at past characters Griff and River to let us know how they are doing.

As the story opens, Reuben is irritated when he learns his friends aren’t going to make the flight to Alaska to begin the vacation they’d insisted he take to destress from his high-powered corporate law office. Add to his irritation the fact that his ex-wife needs an immediate answer about buying out his share in their law firm and he’s not a happy man when he boards the tiny plane in Alaska to begin a solo tour with a chatty tour operator named Toby.

Toby has been providing for his ailing father and younger sister for years so he’s no stranger to responsibility. And he’s flown this trip many, many times over his favorite areas in Alaska and is happy to give personal attention to his solo traveler. Too bad the silver fox is grumpy and straight, or so he thinks. But halfway through the trip, a sudden storm causes them to crash, and it’s Reuben who rescues Toby before their plane catches fire.

I loved the way the author took both men out of their comfort zones and allowed them to have new experiences and new perspectives—aha moments, so to speak. One of my favorites came at the end of the book when both men acknowledge that the summer they spent together has been all about second chances and what they plan to do with those chances. I’m glad the author didn’t make the crash site the entire setting of the story and, instead, gave them the perfect excuse to spend a few months together and infuse a few other interesting characters into the mix.

Both characters are well-developed and engaging, and added to the chemistry between Reuben and Toby, we have a 14-year-old teen daughter for Reuben who was a spot-on perfect example of an annoying teen girl of that age. (Been there. Had that!) Watching her slowly gravitate toward her father, and he to her, was heartwarming. Meanwhile, Toby had to learn to rely on help from others, giving him a new perspective on how his father has felt for years. Both men changed over the time they spent together during Toby’s recuperation, and the changes had a ripple effect on their families.

When they allowed themselves to live their dreams, the impossible became possible. Set against the background of the most majestic state I’ve ever visited, how could I not love this story? I highly recommend this to lovers of MM romance, especially those who love the tags I mention at the beginning of this review.

This is the first book I have read by this author, but I will be looking at her back list and in fact bought the first entry in the Frozen Hearts series. Two men with little in common, including significant age and economic differences, meet on an Alaskan wilderness vacation that abruptly ends when weather forces small-plane pilot and tour guide Toby to crash land, leaving him with multiple injuries and financial concerns. Reuben is the very successful (and older) corporate lawyer from the New York area, who decides to stay and help Toby recuperate, using it as a chance to re-connect with his teenage daughter. How these two overcome their respective issues and ultimately commit to each other is an enjoyable pleasure to read.

Reuben is a successful attorney who reluctantly goes on a trip to Alaska. His best friends were supposed to accompany him but at the literal last minute flaked on him so he went by himself.

His best friends had an itinerary previously set up, so all Reuben had to do was show up and allow the tour guide to take him to all the places listed.

Toby is what you would hope a tour guide to be, friendly, outgoing and talkative. Upon meeting Reuben, Toby senses his reluctance to be there and enjoy himself.

After the first few days, Reuben actually begins to enjoy himself and begins to enjoy Toby's company. They both share a mutual attraction and flirt here and there. On their way back from a trip, the weather takes a turn and they crash.

Reuben offers to extend his stay in Alaska so he can help take care of Toby. Reuben loves taking care of people so this is something he wants to do. Toby is not used to asking for help much less accepting help. But he is left with no choice so he stays with Reuben.

During this time, their attraction grows and manifests into what they call a "Summer fling". Will this "fling" really just be for the Summer? Or will they develop real feelings for each other and decide to take things further?

I received this arc from NetGalley for an honest review. I love Annabeth Albert books and was thrilled to get this newest book. It's a generally good read but I did not feel the sexual tension that I felt in her other titles. It wasn't as exciting or appealing.

ARCTIC WILD is the second book in the Frozen Hearts series, and I am happy to report that Griffin and River make a cameo appearance. This book is all about Reuben and Toby though. Reuben goes on the trip initially to prove to his friend that he will, although he has no specific desire to. There he meets Toby, his tour guide. Everything is going well until a freak bout of weather sends them crashing to earth. The rest of the book is about Toby healing, and the two of them moving on from client and tour guide, to friends and lovers.

With a great cast of characters, this story supports Toby and Reuben as they learn about who each of them are, and what they really want. For me, Amelia has to be the star of the show though, and I loved the advice Reuben gave Natalie toward the end.

The pacing is smooth, and the storyline has not plotholes that I fell through. I understand Toby's dilemma, but I didn't particularly like it. It just seemed a tad out of place somehow, being as he was supposed to be thirty-one.

Anyway, moving swiftly on, there were no editing or grammatical errors that disrupted my reading, and I once again thoroughly enjoyed my time in Alaska. I definitely recommend this book, and look forward to the next.

Arctic Wild is very much an Annabeth Albert book, with which I mean it's the exact same formula I've seen from this author before. If Arctic Sun and Rough Terrain had a book child, this would be it, minus the military character background.
Which isn't to say Arctic Wild was boring - I enjoyed reading it as much as I enjoyed those other two books - it was just predictable in how the story would be structured and when key events would occur.

Content warnings include: plane crash, stuck in wilderness, fear of flying, heavy injuries from the crash (multiple fractures, character spends rest of the book in casts and a wheelchair,) one character is a workaholic, antagonistic parent; mentions of more heavy injury leading to disability, death of parents and brief custody battle.

I enjoyed reading this for the most part. I loved corporate lawyer and workaholic Reuben's transformation from reluctance, only doing the trip to prove that he can, and wanting to constantly check his phone for emails, to genuinely enjoying himself, falling in love with Alaska, overcoming his fears and reconnecting with his daughter.
Toby, the pilot and tour guide assigned to Reuben's trip, doesn't have quite such a nice arc. He starts out pretty even keeled, and even when his life gets turned upside down he mostly keeps his cool and ability to work his charm. It's only when his family and how the accident affects them comes into play that he crumbles.

What I didn't like was the conflict (though luckily it was rather short and resolved quickly.) It's strongly connected to Toby's dad, who I disliked. He's not a hateful or malicious character, but his pride and suspiciousness of outsiders was off-putting, especially with how he tries to push these sentiments onto his son.

On the flipside I adored the rest of the plot around the protagonist's families. There's Nell, Toby's youngest sister (with a few appearances of his other sister Hannah) and especially Amelia, Reuben's daughter, was a delight. I loved Amelia both as a character (and wasn't that like looking back at parts of myself when I was a teen!) and how her relationship with both Toby and Reuben develops. I really liked how she wasn't reduced to a stereotype, like the little princess or the tough-cool-girl like protagonist's kids are often handled: instead she was a complex character with a lot of quirks, flaws and many different interests.

There was a lovely little side plot about Toby connecting with Amelia by teaching her about his Native Alaskan, specifically Athabaskan, heritage, just like his mother used to teach him.

Something that stood out to me and that I strongly disliked was how a character saying "I'm not interested in relationships" was immediately met with "I bet you'll change your mind someday." This happened two times, with the characters not wanting relationships being two different ones and the one replying the same in both scenes. In the second instance it's at least followed up with the admittance that nothing is wrong with not wanting relationships, but it still grated.

That also made it weird that Toby, who definitely says he's not interesting in a relationship, then obviously ends up in one.... while his previous disinterest is never really mentioned again.
The romance plot still works and I mostly liked it, though I wish there had been a bit more explicit conversation around it from time to time.

Annabeth brings a way less angsty book than the first one in the series and I enjoyed it a lot more because of that.

I liked Toby but he frustrated me at times, although I did completely understand where he was coming from and being able to see inside his head with the dual POV was a great way to coming to realise why he behaved as he did.

I adored Ruben though, the way he was determined to make a new start and get a better relationship with his daughter really spoke to me. He was a seriously hot silver bear too and his nurturing and care for Toby was a big plus point.

But, as with book one, the pacing on this one still felt a bit off and things seemed to happen in odd places, which meant I wasn't quite sure where the big dramatic moments were going to be - not necessarily a bad thing but it meant that it felt like there were long beats between narrative changes.

Great secondary characters and the amazing sense of place which Annabeth has definitely brought to this series, a flying guest appearance from Griff and River (book one) and an awesome epilogue, meant I enjoyed this book overall.

Rating: 3.75 stars out of 5
When a plane crashes in the Alaskan wilderness, the best place to land is in the arms of a younger man…Hotshot attorney Reuben Graham has finally agreed to take a vacation, when his plane suddenly plunges into the Alaskan wilderness.
Just his luck

But his frustrations have only begun as he finds himself stranded with the injured, and superhot, pilot, a man who’s endearingly sociable—and much too young for Reuben to be wanting him this badly.
As the sole provider for his sisters and ailing father, Tobias Kooly is devastated to learn his injuries will prevent him from working or even making it back home. So when Reuben insists on giving him a place to recover, not even Toby’s pride can make him refuse. He’s never been tempted by a silver fox before, but something about Reuben is impossible to resist.Recuperating in Reuben’s care is the last thing Toby expected, yet the closer they become, the more incredibly right it feels, prompting workaholic Reuben to question the life he’s been living. But when the pressure Toby’s under starts closing in, both men will have to decide if there’s room in their hearts for a love they never saw coming.

Arctic Wild is the second book in Annabeth Albert's Frozen Hearts series that takes place in Alaska, and much like the first novel it has so much to recommend it.  It has that breath-taking setting that's described in gorgeous vivid detail.  The research into the National Park's, the locations, even the climate changes give this story an authenticity that can take your breath away, especially as seen from the cockpit of a small seaplane of the type(s) regularly used in Alaska.

The author's realism extends into the everyday livelihoods, local populace, and cultural heritage, even schools and town life.   Both novels, including Arctic Wild more so with the local native inclusion into the series, ground the series not just with the incredible beauty  of Alaska but with the people living out their lives there year round. I understood the love for a place and land, listening to the dialog and conversations of various individuals within this novel.  Great job!

The transition of Reuben Graham from uptight reluctant vacationeer to someone who feels the call of Alaska itself is also well done.  I believed in it and him, the change in the man, the work and reversal in his relationship with his daughter.  All heartwarming and gems of this story.  Maybe my favorite parts, honestly.  Watching the daughter grow and become who she really was? Perfection.  That includes the characters of Tobias Kooly's family, mostly his sister who helped her get there along with her father.

And then there's Toby and his relationship with Reuben.  Sigh.  You see. That didn't quite work for me.  As much as I liked Reuben?  Toby's character seemed a little unformed in comparison.  Perhaps because he was much younger, or continued to cave in with regard to his father's wishes. Or something.  But whatever it was.  It just felt like such an unequal matchup in characters, and not just because of the age difference.  I have loved a age gap romance so that's not the issue here.   It just felt as though his sister came across as a much stronger person or character than he did on the page and she was secondary to the story.  However, she remains a much brighter presence in my mind even now.  In fact, quite  a few of the people within the story jump to mind and I can see them clearly, just not Toby.  So what does that say?

Albert mentions several of the local tribal customs(the families getting together to fish their quota of salmon etc)  within the story and I wish they had been enlarged on.  They enriched the tale and made it a more layered, authentic novel with their inclusion here as they would be in real life.  Loved that aspect of this book.So while I found the relationship between Toby and Reuben to be not exactly to my liking, I loved so much else about this story that I'm definitely recommending it along with the first in the series Arctic Sun.  Loved seeing a glimpse of that couple here again as well.  I can't wait to see what the next story brings.  I will be here for that too.

Cover art by Carina Press is lovely, especially the Alaska background

This was a pretty good read that I did enjoy once I started to get into the story. At first, there was a lot that happened to Reuben and Toby but then the story started to slow down to almost a stop for the pair. The couple was well written as they worked through their issues with life - Reuben with trying to decide what he wanted to do with his career, parenting a teenager and finding himself again while Toby needed to heal from his injuries, issues with money while he heals, inner family issues and learning to accept help from others. Toby and Reuben's story was well written and worked for the couple, I just wished it moved along a little faster. I also liked the return, even brief, of the characters from the first book in this series. I look forward to seeing where this series goes next and would also recommend this book to others.

Even though this is book 2 in the series, it can be read as a stand-a-lone. I loved Reuben and Toby and it broke my heart that Toby was carrying the weight of the world on his shoulders. The age difference was not a big deal to me, it was only 17 yrs, but it was a big deal to several characters in the book. I can't believe how close Toby came to dying from the crash. The crash is a big wake-up call for Reuben. He wants to take care of Toby and though he means well, he does come across as a little bit pushy. I loved his 14 yr old daughter Amelia, she knew what she wanted & Reuben finally listened to her. Toby took forever to finally accept Reuben and that Reuben really wanted him. Toby's father was a tool and I didn't like him at all. He pounded into Toby's head that they never asked for help or accepted help from anyone. But in the end Toby stood up to his dad & went for what he wanted. I loved the ending, it was so sweet.

I wasn't sure about this book in the beginning. I didn't feel anything special between the main characters and didn't know if they would ever work. Fast forward a few chapters and the two have to rely upon each other in an emotional rescue. They stay bound together since then and worked at becoming more.
At the end I was definitely routing for them and their family members to succeed in Alaska.

I received a copy of this book for a honest review..

Although I've enjoyed Annabeth Albert's books in the past, this didn't work for me on a couple of levels. However, I'll round the 2.5 stars up to 3 simply because of Reuben, whom I loved!

What I loved:
~Reuben -- what a fantastic character! I liked everything about him, and I appreciated that he wasn't perfect but he approached life like an adult and thought through ideas and possibilities. He got defensive regarding criticism, but then he thought about it and tried to figure out what was real or not and how to change (or even if he needed to change). Other than his weak-ish parenting skills, he was truly a great person.

What I didn't like so much:
~ The set-up -- so I get that Albert needed to get Reuben and Toby stuck together, but she should have done better research (imo). Toby's injuries were serious enough that he needed to stay in a rehab facility *or* have someone take care of him -- yet when Reuben takes him in, he leaves him alone all day long while he's out doing stuff with Amelia. That, along with Toby cooking (um, no -- wheelchairs are low enough that you can't even see the back of a kitchen counter, let alone be able to reach up and cook something -- and that's not even taking into account that he wouldn't be able to hold the pan while he stirred...or any number of other impossibilities) and getting out of bed himself, wheeling himself around with ease (with only his non-dominant hand?), going to the bathroom alone (getting onto the toilet) -- argh! It drove me insane, and it pulled me completely out of the story.
~ Amelia -- I get tired of reading books where teenage characters are rude and disrespectful and the adults around them simply accept it because 'that's how teenagers are.' *sigh* No, teens do not have to be like that, and as a parent, Reuben should have stepped in (at least once or twice) and actually talked to Amelia about her rotten attitude. That's part of being a good parent, and it bugs me when I see characters in a book being considered 'good' parents simply because they love their kids -- but they never actually do any parenting. It would have been more realistic to me if Reuben had realized through the course of the book that he needed to confront Amelia about her behavior and help her to find the self-control within to change it. Or even if he simply realized that he *wasn't* doing a great job of being a parent in that way.

What I almost hated:
~ Toby -- yeah, this was kind of a huge problem: Toby simply wasn't likable to me. I found him self-centered, overly proud, arrogant, distant, shallow, immature...ugh. I didn't think he deserved someone like Reuben, and (along with that) I felt like Reuben deserved so much better. I won't get into details, as I don't want to spoil it. After all, everyone has their own perspective, and some might find Toby's journey just what they wanted!

So yes, this wasn't my cup of tea. I've read other Annabeth Albert books and really liked them, but I felt like she completely missed the mark here.