Received an ARC for an honest review.

This was a fun holiday read without being over-the-top Christmas-y. Erika is a workaholic. There's no other word for her. When she's forced to take time off, she decides to reconnect with her childhood best friend...and her older brother. Reed remembers Erika, but clearly puberty and adulthood have done them both wonders. Attraction heats up and when the sister leaves for a few days, it boils over into some very hot love scenes. But can this last?

I really enjoyed this one. It had a lot of heart that had me rooting for all of the characters, not just Reed and Erika and it gave me enough to want to read the next one. Although all of the description of all those search and rescues made me cold :).

It's amazing how much a job can change you as a person. Forced into a vacation, she felt like her world was ending. Little did she know it was just beginning! Reconnecting with old friends, maybe falling in love, and learning new passions. I loved this journey!

It's definitely the time of the year for warm and fuzzy stories centered around or set at Christmas and this one definitely fit the bill. Erika is a hardworking surgeon, perhaps too hardworking, who is forced to go on vacation. Not knowing what to do she decides to venture back to her hometown, which is culture shock and in adjustment that scares her at first.

The interaction between her and Reed, as well as her and Cassie are wonderfully real and written well. Their reactions and internal dialogue regarding each other are really well done. It's a heartwarming romance that tackles some very real issues such as being socially awkward, feeling inadequate, hard family issues and more.

Erika is a workaholic surgeon and when her father, who is also her boss, forces a two week vacation on her before an important clinical trial she is set to lead, she's not happy. Deciding to try and reconnect with her childhood bestfriend Cassie, she heads up to her hometown of Wild River.
Reed was always intrigued by his younger sister's friend Erika but she's even more stuck-up than she used to be, until he has to help her and his sister get home after a couple of drinks. Having her help on his Search and Rescue crew has brought them together but circumstances and secrets could keep them apart.

Their tattoos had been more than just words at one time and their shared history had to mean something.

First in the Wild River series set in Alaska, I thought the author did a great job transporting the reader there. There are a couple search and rescue missions that Erika and Reed go on that help set the scene and environment, also giving a good winter wonderland feel that fits the holiday title. While I thought the environment setting was well written, I struggled with Erika and Reed's relationships with secondary characters. It's at first set-up for Erika to reconnect with her childhood bestfriend Cassie, but Cassie is not around Erika for most of the book and I missed their friendship, even while this gave more time to Reed and Erika. I also thought more interaction between Reed and his friends was needed to create more of the small town vibe and give the story more life. I just generally missed secondary characters helping to round out and fill the story.

Crazy as it sounded, nothing else seemed to exist when he was holding her. Both an amazing feeling and a terrifying one.

Our leads Erika and Reed do spend a lot of time together, this definitely helped their chemistry but the middle of the book and the majority of their time is sex scenes. I thought the sex scenes did good on emotionally connecting the characters at times but, I personally, was looking for more of them outside the bedroom; I found myself skimming some of the bedroom scenes at times.

Reed and Erika did have chemistry and I liked how low angst most of the story was, the author did a good job of creating real world problems, Erika being a workaholic due to how her father treated her after her mother died and Reed sticking around his hometown to help his sister and mother out and search for his missing father, and how this created two different worlds that put their happily ever after in jeopardy.

And it surprised him that two people who were so incompatible on the surface could be so perfect together at the core.

There was a hint of secondary romance between Reed's sister Cassie and his friend Tank that will draw you into (along with Cassie's narcoleptic dog) wanting to read the second of the series. The main characters' relationships with secondary characters wasn't filled out enough for me and the sex scenes were a bit too abundant but Erika and Reed's chemistry and emotion was there.

This book was not my personal taste. It was much more of a steamy romance, and I could not appreciate the story for the sexual tones and constant sexual tension. I was excited by the premise of the story but it was lost in the book. If you are a fan of the sexual harlequin novels you will like this. I myself just prefer more the hallmark style. That being said the characters were entertaining and the writing was solid.

For me the book was kinda perfect. Erika was a workaholic surgeon forced to take a 2 week break, hence she was in her hometown of Wild River, Alaska. Reed was a bartender and mountain rescuer. The two clash with her snooty attitude and his laidback. But love found its way.

My first book by Jennifer Snow, the story was so much fun. I loved how attitudes were taken down a peg without being mean. Their attraction sizzked, I loved every fight and argument as there was a force of chemistry to reckon with.

The writing brought out the emotions. There was lust and love in equal parts. The twists in the rescues brought out my adrenaline. The other characters were not the gushy kinds, but real. The awkwardness between old best friends who had moved so far away emotionally was well shown. I loved how the book made me feel.

The story was sweet and entertaining, their chemistry strong and biting, and love and friendship made it completely captivating. I loved it. A perfect Christmas treat!!

A charming, sexy, and entertaining romance.

Erika Sheraton is a workaholic surgeon who’s ordered to take a mandatory vacation and heads to Wild River, Alaska where her best friend Cassie lives.

Reed Reynolds is Cassie’s brother and a valuable member of Wild River’s search-and-rescue team. As soon as Erika and Reed meet there’s a strong attraction but also lighthearted tension and humorous banter. As they start spending time with each other the desire and admiration for each other grows, but what will happen when vacation ends and Ericka has to return back to work?

This was a heart-warming romance which I enjoyed and recommend.

Thanks to Harlequin and the author for providing a copy in exchange for an honest review.

Two and a half stars: A book marketed under the guise of being a Christmas read, but this isn’t a holiday book. Instead it is a steamy, winter romance.

Erika Sheraton is a workaholic. She is a talented and dedicated surgeon so much so that she has time for little else in her life. So when her father, the head of the hospital tells her she must take a mandatory two week vacation immediately, Erika is shocked. Even worse, she has no idea where to go or who to spend the time with since she has no life. On a whim, Erika decides to pay a visit to her childhood best friend in Wild River, Alaska. At first, the trip starts out rocky, but Erika quickly reconnects with Cassie and her brother Reed. What Cassie doesn’t expect is to feel sparks of attraction for Reed. She doesn’t have time for love, or does she?
What I Liked:
*An Alaskan Christmas is a tough book for me to review. I picked this up wanting a nice, fluffy holiday read, but this book isn’t that. This is a steamy wintery romance, with a brief mention of the holidays. Still there is stuff to like. I enjoyed the setting, the characters and the search and rescue parts. If you want a winter romance, this is one to try.
*I was fascinated by the search and rescues portions of the story. In the beginning, Reed is introduced while on a rescue mission. I was immediately immersed into this portion of the story. I liked the danger, and the cool head of Reed. Search and Rescue in the wilderness is no joke!
*I adored Reed. He is an all around good guy. He has a big heart. I especially liked seeing him on a rescue. He is all serious and all about saving lives while on a mission. He was an excellent male lead.
*The book after a lot of action and drama, finally ends in a great spot. I liked the way it worked out.
And The Not So Much:
*I picked this up wanting a holiday read. This is not a Christmas book. There is a brief mention of the holidays, but Christmas Day in the book is absolutely dismal. I am not sure why this is being marketed as a holiday book because it really isn’t. This is a winter romance.
*I was not a fan of Erika. She is a tough sell. She has lots of issues, and she comes off as being an ice queen. I struggled throughout with her character. There was some growth, and I did like the way she changed at the end, but I was never a fan.
*The romance was a bit much for me. As I said, I was expecting a light, holiday read. Instead I get this steamy, sexy book. I was put off by the insta love vibe. I also got sick of the lust. I don’t know how many times I read about Reed’s jeans bulging. The latter half of the book has pages and pages of sex scenes that I got tired of and skimmed over. It was too much, especially in what I thought was a holiday book.

An Alaskan Christmas is a book plenty of readers are liking, but it was a miss for me. I specifically wanted a holiday read, and this book is not that. There is a mere mention of Christmas, other than that I would consider this a winter romance. I wasn’t a fan of the insta love, lusty romance, and the main character, Erika, was too much of an ice queen for me. If you want a holiday book, skip this one, but if you want a heated romance for winter, this is one to grab.

I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own, and I was not compensated for this review.
Posted@Rainy Day Ramblings.

These kind of books are not really my thing. I mean that the medical aspect of it turns me off a little and makes it hard for me to get through. However, I found it quite lovely overall. It is the first in the series and I really appreciated the set up of the characters to continue the series. I must mention also that it isn’t a very long agonizing “will they, won’t they” storyline, which makes this definitely better.

Short Synopsis (from Goodreads):
In Alaska, it’s always a white Christmas—but the sparks flying between two reunited friends could turn it red-hot…

If there’s one gift Erika Sheraton does not want for Christmas, it’s a vacation. Ordered to take time off, the workaholic surgeon reluctantly trades in her scrubs for a ski suit and heads to Wild River, Alaska. Her friend Cassie owns a tour company that offers adventures to fit every visitor. But nothing compares to the adrenaline rush Erika feels on being reunited with Cassie’s brother, Reed Reynolds.

Gone is the buttoned-up girl Reed remembers. His sister’s best friend has blossomed into a strong, skilled, confident woman. She’s exactly what his search-and-rescue team needs—and everything he didn’t know he craved. The gulf between his life in Wild River and her big-city career is wide. But it’s no match for a desire powerful enough to melt two stubborn hearts…
⠀
I received this book for review purposes from NetGalley and Harper Collins Harlequin. ⠀

This is a new-to-me author and I’m so excited to read more of her books. A few weeks ago I was invited by the publisher to participate in a blog tour for some of their Christmas titles. I’ll be honest, I probably would have missed this one if that wasn’t the case. I love holiday romances, but I have a lot of books to read right now and this was an unknown author to me. I really liked the description though, so decided I had to make room on my schedule. I’m so glad I did.

Erika is a compassionate person, but she doesn’t really know how to show that compassion. Losing her mom as a teen and having a dad that withdrew into himself made her inability to express her emotions even harder for Erika as she progressed in life. Not only did she throw herself into school and then work, she also let any personal connections she had fall by the wayside. The only personal connection she craved was one from her father, the one she was chasing to no avail.

While Reed’s upbringing was much harder that Erika’s in some ways, his single mother struggled to pay the bills and give her kids all they wanted, he had the love and support of his sister and mom no matter what. This makes Reed better able to handle emotions. But he still has his own issues he hasn’t dealt with that are perhaps unhealthy. His father disappeared years ago. Most people assumed the man took off on his family, but Reed couldn’t accept that explanation and always held out hope of finding his dad while out on one of his search and rescue missions. Like I said, not so healthy.

Somehow Reed and Erika round each other out perfectly. He teaches her to let go a bit and she helps him to understand that there’s more to life than an occasional hook-up. Not only are they good for each other, they also entered each other’s lives at the right time. Or, I should say, re-entered. Growing up in a small town, Erika was Reed’s sister’s best friend. Although Cassie and Erika haven’t spoken in years, the time eventually melts away when Erika comes back to town to take a forced vacation.

There is a lot Erika and Reed have to go through before they can have their HEA. They are both extremely stubborn so need to learn to compromise. Cassie calls Erika out on her need to please her father more than once, and that needed to be done. But Erika has to come to certain realizations on her own. And Reed has to exercise patience…something he didn’t know he had.

While there is a thing or two that I didn’t feel got a full wrap up, I can’t help but think that may come in another book. After all, I’m sure (hoping, pleading) Cassie will get her story told. All in all, I’m happy to have found a new author and hope to get to some of her back library very soon.

This was decidely un-christmassy and mainly focused on a romance with a bit of snow and some mountains! If you like a lot of romance in a book then this is definitely the book for you. Not only did her warmth help him warm up but it also made him hard apparently! I found it a bit over the top to be honest and the underlying story was a little lost. It's not really a book to get you in the Christmas spirit. If Christmas was taken out of the title it would make more sense. An Alaskan Romance is more like it!

Erika wanted to be a doctor just like her father and she grew up to be a surgeon. Her and her best friend promised they would stay together but when it came to collage Erika and Cassie both went there sperate ways and they lost touch its been 10 years since they last talked. With med school and working at the hospital Erika has become a workaholic, she is working on a new clinical drug trial and with it taking up a lot of her time she has kept herself separate from people. One day her dad tells her that she needs to go on a vacation and no ifs ands or butts about it. She ends up going to Wild River after getting into contact with Cassie after so many years.
While Erika is in Wild River she relaxes and doesn’t worry about work as much and meets a hot guy named Reed. They go on a few rescues together and she realised that she can make a difference with her medical career that she never knew she could do before.
I rather enjoyed this book and cant wait to see what happens in the next book.

I love reading books that are set in Alaska and this Christmas one by Jennifer Snow was so wonderful, she had me from the very start with these characters and the setting. This is my first read by this author, I was totally entertained from start to finish with her writing style. I am excited that this is book one of the Wild River series and can't wait to read the next book, I hope it's about Reeds sister Cassie and Reed's boss and friend.

Dr Erika Sheraton is a workaholic that lives and breathes her job as a surgeon, but when she is told to take a vacation she's at lost to fill days up with. She decides to return to her home town of Wild River and catch up with her best friend from high school.

Reed Reynolds has stayed in Wild River all his life, where he has become a barman in his spare time away from his passion for Mountain Search and Rescue. He is very surprised when his sister walks into the bar with her old school friend Erika one day, this is not the same rim and propper nerdy girl from school. This is a sexy, attractive and successful woman that will push his buttons at every move but have him thinking of 24/7.

This book is full of everything you need in a great story from, humour, suspense, drama, heartache, disappointment, family, commitments and a great feel of community to bring you this great romance full of season felling.

With Christmas almost here, it’s the perfect time for a feel good romance and An Alaskan Christmas by Jennifer Snow has all the elements you’ll love. Cute puppies, suspense, a hottie search and rescue dude and a smart surgeon who needs to discover what’s important in life.

Coffee Dates With Alaskan Christmas
First Date – Our story opens when we meet Erika Sheraton. Erica is a gifted surgeon and researcher in Anchorage with zero bedside manner. She lives and breathes her duties at the hospital in the hopes of some praise from her father who runs the hospital. Things are looking sad for Erika, but when her Dad tells her the board is forcing her on a mandatory 14-day leave, she visits her childhood friend, Cassie in Wild River, Alaska. When the girls meet up at the train depo, things are strained. They haven’t seen each other in over ten years. Cassie’s brother, Reed Reynolds, is bartending at the local pub and helps ease the awkwardness of renewing their friendship with a little alcohol. I gotta tell ya… was not a fan of Erika on our first coffee date. Reed teased her, and she loosened up but yikes this girl needs to chill.
Second Date– A few days in the mountain air has done Erika wonders and I am loving the chemistry between her and Reed. We get to do a little search and rescue on the mountain and damn it I want fudge in the worst way. I loved the no-strings romance that unfolded. Before you knew it these two were completely wrapped in ribbon and planning trips to visit each other. I am hating on someone’s Daddy at the moment.
Third Date- Growing pains, serious setbacks, dangerous moments and swoons had me completely caught up. Secondary characters added depth from family to friends. I loved all the side stories and found they only enhanced my feelings towards the couple. The drama was kept low and was replaced with some suspense and heart-pounding moments before the author delivered all I hoped for and more.

If you are looking for a swoon-worthy romance with snow and character growth, you’ll love An Alaskan Christmas. I am looking forward to the next book in the Wild River series.

Review will post on blog December 23rd. Link provided below.

If there’s one gift Erika Sheraton does not want for Christmas, it’s a vacation. Ordered to take time off, the workaholic surgeon reluctantly trades in her scrubs for a ski suit and heads to Wild River, Alaska. Her friend Cassie owns a tour company that offers adventures to fit every visitor. But nothing compares to the adrenaline rush Erika feels on being reunited with Cassie’s brother, Reed Reynolds. Gone is the buttoned-up girl Reed remembers. His sister’s best friend has blossomed into a strong, skilled, confident woman. She’s exactly what his search-and-rescue team needs—and everything he didn’t know he craved. The gulf between his life in Wild River and her big-city career is wide. But it’s no match for a desire powerful enough to melt two stubborn hearts…
Instead of watching 24/7 marathons of the Hallmark channel, this year I decided to sign up for a number of holiday books to read. This was the first one I decided to read. I had a love/serious dislike with it. Because of my dislikes, it really should be a 3.5 but since it's the holidays and a holiday book, I decided to round up instead of down (go me!). My likes are the two main characters. I really liked both Erika and Reed. I just thought Reed was a great guy and, except for plot reasons, didn’t see why he was single. I liked Erika too and for most of the book, really felt bad for her and the invisible expectations she was trying to live up to. I was very happy when they finally got their HEA. Yes, everything was pretty predictable but since I liked the characters and the flow, didn’t bother me at all. My problems with the book: Everything to do with Erika and the hospital situation. This is most likely because I work in a hospital so I couldn’t just go with the flow and accept it’s a holiday read, but none of this, from the beginning to the end, never would’ve happened in a real hospital nor would she have legally been allowed to work as often as she does. That right there took a star off the rating. The other big thing was (without giving away spoilers) the very end with her father. Just no (and yes my inner Grinch might be coming into play here). A (very) small issue was that the author seemed to throw everything and anything at them and I’m not sure if it was to give numerous situations or to make the book longer, which it definitely did to the point where I was skimming a bit just to finally finish it. That said, I did truly enjoy the book and could totally find it popping up on the hallmark channel! I recommend for anyone who enjoys these types of books.
**I voluntarily read and reviewed this book

Dr. Erika is on a forced vacation. She has been so wrapped up in her career that the only place she has to go is back to her hometown. She reconnects with her teenage friend Cassie. Their reunion is a bit forced, but she begins to relax. Cassie's older brother Reed is still in town and still handsome as ever. Reed is on the local SAR team and is intrigued by this grown up Erika. He can tell she is a wound a bit tight and sets out to loosen her up. Their time together morphs into something more and when the time for her to go back arrives decisions have to be made. A great start to a new series.

Dr. Erika Sheraton has been given two weeks off and it isn't voluntary. Not knowing what else to do, she returns home and reconnects with her only friend from the past, Cassie, whom she hasn't spoken to in years. Cassie's reception and their connection in the beginning can only be best described as...awkward. But then there is a rapid turn-around. Not sure how that happened so fast. Erika's love interest, Cassie's brother, is hot and their attraction instant. Their love story was good but I just didn't connect with Erika's motivation and actions. Thank you, Netgalley for this ARC

This is the first book in a new series by Jennifer Snow. It is hot, steamy, and sizzling. Erika Sheraton grew up in Wild River, a shy, almost loner. She had one friend, Cassie Reynolds. They were inseparable, and Cassie's family made life bearable for her after the death of her mother. Erika always wanted to be a doctor like her father, so when it came time for college, Erika heads off to Anchorage with plans of medical school, never to return to Wild River. Erika is still a loner as well as a workaholic. She spends every possible hour at the hospital and is in charge of a new clinical drug trial that takes up every extra moment she has. She has no friends, and no life, but suddenly she finds herself on a forced two week vacation. She actually has nowhere to go. She hasn’t talked to Cassie in ten years, but that is the only place she can think of going, so she reaches out to her and heads off to Wild River. Little does she know that she is about to face her past and her life will never be the same again.

I love the characters we meet in Wild River. Cassie is still pretty much the same, but has opened her own business. The search and rescue team play a huge role in Erika's soul searching, and they are led by Reed Reynolds, Cassie's brother. I enjoyed the chemistry between Reed and Cassie. It sizzled from the first meeting, with both of them remembering a past experience. Of course they both try to ignore the feeling, but it doesn't last long. Their relationship grows quickly and their intimate encounters sizzle, with some graphic encounters. Erika has a difficult time with her pride and that causes her and Reed to have a couple of touchy situations. She is a very talented surgeon, stubborn and driven, so when she gets the call to come back to the hospital, she heads back with the hope that she and Reed will be able to carry on a long-distance romance.

I really enjoyed this passionate story. There is a lot in this book, including the romance and personal growth involving Reed and Erika. I loved the parts with the rescues on the mountain. Some of them had me holding my breath as I eagerly read to see if those in trouble would survive or not. There were also so many wonderful secondary characters, including Cassie, and I am looking forward to more of their stories in future Wild River Stories. The setting is great. A small Alaskan ski and camping town that is basically a hospitality industry, yet it has a lot to offer. This is a well-written story that I read quickly to find out what was going to happen. The plot combines friendship, insta-love, steamy chemistry, some graphic intimacy, fun dialogue, a bit of angst, some humour and the excitement of the search-and-rescue missions. A bit of everything to appeal to just about anyone. I enjoyed this story and definitely recommend it during this wintry, Christmas season.

The story was well written and quite enjoyable. Although the story was slightly predictable it was still fun to read. I enjoyed the the main female character. Her demeanor especially at the beginning was the absolute best. This book was a fast paced read and perfect for this time of year.

I ended up giving An Alaskan Christmas 3 stars. Unfortunately this is an instance of going in with different expectations. When I read a Christmas book I want it to be throwing up Christmas and brimming with Christmas cheer. I’m not sure about the decision to have the word Christmas in the title. I think titled differently I would have enjoyed this book more. It was an interesting story of the Alaskan wilderness, search and rescue teams, and a hot romance between Erika and Reed. But almost no Christmas. I left feeling mostly disappointed but I know other readers loved this one. So go in knowing there’s not much Christmas here!!