There were quite a few things I like about this book:

I liked Owen's character, and I thought that he did an impressive job of growing and changing, being flexible, particularly in the face of life-altering and life-threatening incidents.

I also liked that Owen was more than the sum of stereotypes, about being from an urban area, from San Francisco, Asian, an investment banker... based on my experience with other authors, it could have been ugly. Specifically, I really liked that Albert didn't make Owen incompetent about the outdoors, bowled over by the hard work, unable to handle roughing it or without his fancy coffee or personal care products.

The realistic detail, at least it seemed realistic to me. The CPR training and the avalanche information seemed well-researched, and the note about how much force one has to use for chest compressions was accurate.

The setting. Enough said.

That said, this was not one of my favorite Annabeth Albert books.

The main thing was that, Quill's character was all about stereotypes. After a while, it seemed like Albert used a checklist of required elements in an M/M novel as a cheat sheet. Laconic, introverted, outdoor-loving guy?
Only eats bland food and is uncomfortable in the kitchen?
Uncomfortable with his sexuality and any sex-related ideas or words?
Homophobic family in the extreme?
Hot in a uniform?
Ridiculously jealous?
Over-protective, with an almost ridiculously nurturing side that comes out when his love interest is ill or injured?

It really got on my nerves.

Finally, I didn't care for Quill's dramatic and far-too-rapid transformation from laconic and repressed in the extreme to insightful and deeply articulate, verbose even, about his emotional state.

I'm sad to say that I was underwhelmed by this one. Albert is one of my favorite authors, so it was especially disappointing. It was still entertaining, good for a little escape, but not one of her best.

This unbiased review was provided in exchange for an advanced reader copy through Netgalley.

Arctic Heat was my first book by Annabeth Albert and I really liked it. The story was so good. I loved Quill and Owen. Would love to read more by this author, I love her writing style.

This is my first book in the Frozen Heart series. And Wow, what a story. Owen a cancer survivor, very outgoing, very in tune with his feelings and his sexuality. Quill, very introverted, still closeted, a little bit older but not always wiser. When the two meet, then start a slow journey of discovery, patience, sex, love. They do get their HEA but it wasn't easy. This was an awesome read. Annabeth Albert knows how to make us, readers, feel as if we are there, with the description on the scenery. If looking for a good M/M romance in the Alaska wilderness, then this is for you.
I voluntarily reviewed this ARC on my own voluption and the opinions expressed here are all mine. Thanks Netgalley and the publisher.

I really enjoyed Quill and Owen’s story!  No one writes a slow-burn romance story like Annabeth, and their love story was no exception!  I loved Owen’s upbeat, take-charge attitude and how he was always up to learn and do more.  In turn, I appreciated Quill allowing Owen’s innate bossiness to shine from time to time!  Watching Quill shed his past experiences and misgivings of relationships was a long time coming.  In turn, Owen’s patience with Quill reticence with relationships was the perfect balance that Quill needed to see what right in front of him.  I loved their love story, and it’s one I will think back on fondly.  I enjoyed reading more about Alaska and learning what a Ranger may do and encounter in their official duties.  I really loved this Frozen Hearts series by Annabeth, and I’m sorry to see it conclude!  However, I know I found some great characters in these books, and I hope we get to hear more about them in bonus ficlets in the future.  I couldn’t recommend this book, and the others in this series which can stand alone, more!

Arctic Heat is the third and final book in Annabeth Albert’s Frozen Hearts trilogy of romances set in and around the spectacular landscapes of Alaska, and in it, we meet winter state park volunteer, Owen Han, an energetic, outgoing guy who has recently survived testicular cancer, and the reserved and closeted ranger, Quilleran Ramsey, who is just about as different from Owen as it’s possible to be.  It’s a relationship that probably shouldn’t work – yet somehow it does, although of course for two such different men, the road to forever isn’t going to be an easy one.

Having, as the synopsis puts it “kicked cancer’s ass”, Owen Han has put his career as an investment banker on hold and is taking time out to work his way through his bucket list.  Next up is something he’s been dreaming of doing for a long time – since childhood – spending the winter in Alaska as a state park volunteer assisting the rangers and other park employees.  He’s waiting with the other volunteers for their training to begin, trying hard not to stare at the ranger porn, the uniformed rangers who “make drag green and khaki downright sexy with their broad shoulders, and generous muscles and rugged jawlines.”  One particular ranger catches his eye though, a frisson of anticipation Owen had feared might be gone for good running through him at the sight of the man’s tall, well-built frame, handsome face and steely blue eyes.  He thinks the guy might be stealing glances at him, too and makes a beeline for the seat next to him just as the presentations are about to begin.

Quill Ramsey immediately pegs the chatty newbie as the high maintenance type who’ll never be able to handle the hard, often gruelling work of winter park management.  Even though he has the – surprisingly muscular – build that means he might be able to keep up, Owen Han is, thankfully, not going to be his responsibility; Quill appreciates a positive attitude but has never understood why some people feel the need to fill a perfectly good silence with questions and small talk. But Owen is dangerously distracting - smart, funny and possessed of killer dimples – and there’s no room in Quill’s life for anything besides his job.

Later that night after dinner, Owen and Quill are on the way back to the hotel when Owen takes the opportunity to kiss a very willing but still guarded Quill.  The kiss is like nothing Quill has ever experienced – hot, sweet and almost overwhelming – but he firmly rebuffs Owen’s further advances.  Owen is disappointed but doesn’t make a thing out of it; he’s already worked out that Quill is repressed and deeply closeted and they go their separate ways.  But of course, that’s not going to be the end of it.  The next day, when Quill learns his assigned volunteer is unable to make it and that Owen is to be spending the winter with him instead, he’s not best pleased.  However, he’s too professional to insist on a change, and tells himself it’ll be fine.  He’ll focus on his job, make sure Owen knows what needs to be done and keep his distance; there’s no need for them to spend much (if any) time together and there will certainly not be anything… extra going on.

Owen on the other hand, isn’t giving up hope.  He’s certainly not going to pester Quill or make him uncomfortable, but the Alaskan winter is seven long months and given the combustible chemistry between them – as shown by that single kiss – he likes his chances of getting more of them.  Or of their at least becoming friends.

Annabeth Albert does slow-burn, opposites-attract romance so well, and Arctic Heat is another terrific example.  Owen and Quill are nothing alike, and yet somehow they fit together perfectly; in spite of his determination to remain aloof, Quill slowly begins to respond to Owen’s genuineness, warmth and sunny disposition.  But it’s not easy for him.  He’s plagued by years of repression and insecurities born of a dysfunctional family whose difficult dynamics have given him a horror of any form of  relationship ‘drama’ together with an unfortunate relationship with someone who clearly wanted Quill to be someone else.  Owen isn’t without his own problems though; he has some lingering physical issues as a result of his treatment and has begun to question his place in the world. He realises he badly wants to belong to someone, to have that forever kind of connection, and believes he’s found it in Quill – but will Quill ever be able to overcome his natural reluctance to commit to loving Owen openly?

This is a quiet, character driven story that focuses firmly on the central romance while at the same time providing readers with considerable insight into the work of the park rangers and the awesome beauty and potential dangers of the region in which it the book is set.  It’s clear Ms. Albert has done her homework when it comes to Alaska and I once again enjoyed the vivid descriptions of the climate and locations.

Quill is reserved and steadfast, but his stoic exterior conceals a well of hurt and his deep loneliness is poignant and well-portrayed.  Owen, with his almost relentless optimism and innate confidence, could, in the hands of a lesser author, have turned out to be pushy and annoying, but thankfully, he’s nothing of the kind.  He takes his second chance at life seriously and doesn’t take anything for granted; he’s even-tempered, friendly and polite, slow to anger and even when he is mad he doesn’t stay that way for long.  They are engaging, well-rounded characters and the chemistry between them sizzles right from the start.  The sex scenes enhance the romance, helping to show Quill’s growing trust in Owen and how he comes to learn that sex can be wild and messy and fun and that the only rules are the ones he and his partner choose to make.  If I have a criticism, it’s that Quill’s late-book turnaround on being with Owen openly happens rather quickly, but it works, and I applauded his courage in finally deciding it was time to stop caring about what others thought and to focus on what was truly important to him – his love for Owen and their future.

Tender, sexy and emotionally satisfying, Arctic Heat rounds out the Frozen Hearts trilogy nicely.

Buy it at: Amazon/Apple Books/Barnes & Noble/Kobo
Visit our Amazon Storefront

A wonderful opposites attract story with great emotional depth and amazing character development. Loved it!
I really liked Owen’s optimism, his persistent friendliness and outgoing nature, which was perfect for drawing out Quill who is so very much the opposite. I loved that Quill’s personality doesn’t fit the stereotypical image of a gruff, macho ranger. My heart ached for him, though, because of how he struggled still with self-acceptance and coming out.
I also enjoyed the smattering of sly humor and sweeter moments that crop up in this book, a great foil for the profounder feelings and emotional scars that our MC’s have to deal with, as well as the sense of hopelessness with which Quill regards his and Owen’s future. Or lack thereof.
This was a great slow burn romance, with beautifully written yearning and an incredibly hot, sensual connection between the two MC’s. The book steadily builds towards an intensely moving finale, with things taking an unexpected turn for the worse on several levels, before finally granting the reader the relief of a HEA.
Recommend!

Something of a "locked room" romance, which Annabeth Albert does exceptionally well: two men, one a park ranger and the other a volunteer, connect during a winter in the remote Alaskan wilderness. I appreciated that the characters were able to articulate and communicate both their reservations and their desires, and Albert's characterization is, as always, achingly tender. Recommended especially for readers who prefer health approaches to dealing with trauma (as opposed to relationship drama). Some mild peril, but the resolution is believable, if a bit fast.

Si les deux premiers tomes de cette série m'avaient moyennement emballés, je dois dire que j'ai été séduite et touchée par celui-ci !

Le temps d'un roman, nous allons nous immerger dans l'immensité sauvage de l'Alaska, et partager l'expérience solitaire et feutrée de Quill, Ranger avec 20 ans de carrière à son actif, et Owen saisonnier bénévole pour quelques mois. Les deux hommes vont passer leurs journées à patrouiller dans les environs, à accomplir les différentes taches qui leur incombent, y compris la venue en aide aux touristes accidentés. À travers les yeux de ses héros, Annabeth Albert célèbre la beauté et la rudesse de l'Alaska, son côté rugueux, dangereux et solitaire, mais aussi magique, avec ses paysages, sa faune et ses lumières.

Quill a la quarantaine bien tassée, c'est un homme profondément solitaire, un vrai ours, et en fait, c'est quelqu'un de triste et blessé, il n'a jamais vraiment dépassé les peurs de sa jeunesse, il est enfermé dans cette vie, et l'arrivée d'un homme comme Owen, si à l'aise avec lui-même et avec les autres va forcément compliquer sa vie. Leur cohabitation est source de tensions en tout genre, Quill ne cherchant pas la compagnie de son collègue, tandis qu'Owen est lui déterminé à découvrir cet homme, et à engager une relation avec lui, ne serait-ce qu'amicale (en tout cas au début).

La romance est du genre slow burn, elle progresse doucement et connaît pas mal d'à coups. Owen est quand même assez persistant, on pourrait même trouver qu'il insiste parfois lourdement, et ne respecte pas assez les barrières de Quill, mais cela ne m'a pas trop dérangée. C'est une belle histoire que nous offre l'auteur, ce n'est pas une romance intense et passionnée, on est plutôt dans une forme de retenue, quelque chose de doux-amer, et je crois que c'est ce que j'ai le plus apprécié. On est aussi dans une sorte de huis-clos, avec cet isolement des personnages, un isolement finalement tant géographique que relationnel.

J'ai aimé cette histoire, les sentiments qu'elle m'a procurée, mais je suis un peu déçue et dubitative quant à la fin ... Néanmoins, j'ai été touchée par ce livre, par ses personnages, et c'est une lecture que je recommande (et qui peut sans problème être lu comme un standalone).

It’s probably more of a 3.5 but I don’t feel like rounding up.

I can’t say that I’ve been a huge fan of this series since the beginning, but I’ve enjoyed the Alaskan setting enough to want to continue. And I’m glad I did because I found this book to be much better than previous installments.

The writing in this book took me a while to get into and I was a bit bored initially. But once the winter season started in the story, it was interesting to get to know more about how the volunteers work along with rangers, what are their responsibilities and what kind of incidents should they be equipped to deal with. There was always this sense of danger, especially related to avalanches which felt real and visceral and gave me a real appreciation for the work all of them do to keep the tourists safe. On the flip side, this book doesn’t showcase the beauty of the Alaskan backcountry but concentrates on the issues travelers might face - but I didn’t mind this shift. I had enough of the picturesque locales in two books and it was nice to see the other side too. The last third of the book was also quite emotional and I ended up crying a lot (it could have just been my mood too though). It’s probably one reason I liked this book more despite not connecting with the characters a lot.

Quill wasn’t an easy person to like. Not that he is bad, but he has so many internalized issues about relationships and being out as gay that sometimes I wanted to give him a hug, but other times I wanted to give him a good shake. But he was great at his job and I really liked that he didn’t shy away from talking about all the dangers, even if his audience didn’t appreciate it. Owen on the other hand is a cancer survivor, who now has a bucket list and wants to get through it all because he doesn’t want to waste any time. He is also a very social, talkative and extroverted person which makes him an exact opposite of Quill. And I totally understood his wish that Quill be more open, but I don’t think he completely empathized with Quill’s hangups. They are so different from each other that I couldn’t understand why they liked each other in the first place, but there was a lot of friendship and relationship development which I enjoyed. It felt very domestic and adorable and I liked those quieter moments. However, there was also a lot of back and forth, especially on Quill’s part and while I could feel where he was coming from, it got frustrating after a while. When the conflict happened, it seemed inevitable but I was also so upset that I kept sobbing for quite some time. However, the ending felt a little rushed but also earned and very very sweet.

Overall, this was an enjoyable read despite some of the issues I had with the characters. I loved following the rangers and getting to know their daily life, and that’s one main reason this is probably my favorite of this trilogy. This book also has the hurt/comfort trope - so if you enjoy these themes or the setting of Alaska, you should definitely check out this book. Even if you have been disappointed by the previous books in this series, I have a feeling you might enjoy this better just like I did.

I keep coming back to this series because I like the author even knowing I haven't liked any of the books in the series so far. This was no exception. I don't even know if I can explain why I don't like the series but it just doesn't quite work for me. I guess it's hard for me to accept that all these people are totally willing to move to such an unforgiving environment like Alaska after knowing someone such a short period of time. Like it's hard to move to and move away from Alaska and depending on where you live there you can be stuck by snow for a while. I just find it all unbelievable in a way I can't get past.

Quill and Owen were great characters, I really enjoyed the slow-burn aspect of their romance because it allowed their relationship to really develop. While the story had a bit of angst it just added weight to the storyline and felt needed and not gratuitous.

All in all a very enjoyable read and another great addition to the series.

The love story in Arctic Heat is a much gentler journey than those in the first two books. Super prickly ranger Quill is stuck in his ways, but he's no match for Owen's careful onslaught. I appreciated that they didn't rush into a hot and heavy relationship and it wasn't fueled by the kind of drama you often find with the forced proximity trope. Rather, their relationship grew slowly from strangers to friendship to more and I appreciated that they recognized their arrangement as a true relationship rather than just a sexual experience out of convenience. I did find myself getting a little frustrated at Owen's ultimatum but I got where he was coming from. Quill's reluctance to reach for what he really wanted was so sad but also unfortunately understandable. For those reasons, the resolution was ultimately satisfying.

FYI: I’ve read and really enjoyed the first two books in Annabeth Albert’s Frozen Heart’s series, and this book is my absolute favorite. FYI – we very briefly met Quill and his partner Hattie as they rescued Reuben and Tobias after their plane crashed in the Alaskan wilderness in “Arctic Wild”, but rest assured, even if you haven’t the other books in the series, this book works very well as a stand-alone.

Ranger Quilleran Ramsey has spent 20 years telling people he is married to his job … which he feels is safer for his job and reputation than telling anyone he’s gay. Quill is the epitome of the strong silent type:

“He’d never figured out why some people enjoyed filling a perfectly good silence with inane questions. He’d had colleagues for twenty years without ever needing to have a deep chat or fill in personal details.” […] God, he hoped they didn’t assign him a talker for the winter. That was the last thing he needed."

Owen, a cancer survivor, is social (or as his sister says “aggressively extroverted), confident, out-and-proud and determined to experience the sort of life he dreamed about during cancer treatments. “Something about the past few years had turned him off pretension, made him value genuineness because time was really too short to deal with fake people and their fake problems.” And when Owen volunteers as a seasonal park volunteer, these two very dissimilar men are assigned to spend the Alaskan winter season together maintaining a ranger station.

Although there are a few secondary characters, this book focuses almost exclusively on Quill and Owen in their small cabin over the winter. Annabeth Albert absolutely shines in crafting their relationship as it grows and deepens ever so slowly; although some readers may find the pace slow, I absolutely loved the depth of the character development. You really feel like you know these two men, inside and out, by the end of this novel. And while I’m not the hugest fan of disaster or tragedy to hammer home a resolution, again I love the way the author uses a life-and-death situation to really crystalize the way Quill feels about Owen.

I love almost everything about this story – the rich character development, the Alaskan backdrop, the way their sexual relationship enriches Quill and Owen, the slow and steady pace and an ending that gives our MCs their well-deserved happiness. 5 stars and a Recommended Read for “Arctic Heat.”

There was a delicate balance that was achieved so beautifully and crafted so well here…I was drawn into the lives of these two men so thoroughly that I was sad to see it end. Annabeth Albert is at the top of her game in the third installment of her Frozen Hearts series with Arctic Heat.

Owen battled cancer and won, and one of his bucket list items is to spend a winter in Alaska with park rangers. And the first one he sees is easy on the eyes. If only Quill was as easy on the heart…

I love Alaskan romances. I love the wilderness atmosphere. I love the potential for snowed-in scenarios, and hot kisses in the cold. This one didn’t disappoint (even if there wasn’t really a snowed-in scenario). These two were wonderful together. Owen light-hearted and risk-taking with Quill being more reserved and careful. Quill is also kind of closeted while Owen is out and loud and proud about it.

Seeing them both open up to each other was just so freaking sweet and adorable. I grinned ear-to-ear in multiple parts, and it was wonderful. That said, the ending drew on way too long, and I got fidgety with it. Quill also really tested my patience.

Lovers of Alaskan wilderness romances aren’t going to want to miss this one. Bundle up for the cuteness, the sexy, and the adventure.

4 stars.

Arctic Heat is the final book in Annabeth Albert's Frozen Hearts trilogy, and follows the characters Owen - a cancer survivor ticking things off his bucket list - and Quill, a ranger used to long, cold, Alaskan winters. 

Owen's left his previous life as an investment banker to see the world and try new experiences, including volunteering alongside park rangers in Alaska - a far cry from his West Coast life. He thinks all his dreams have come true when he's paired up with the socially-awkward, but enticing, Ranger Quill, who wants nothing to do with volunteers who don't know what they're getting themselves in for. What follows is an on-again/off-again romance that explores breaking down people's barriers and trusting in others in an environment that is harsh and dangerous.

I enjoyed Arctic Heat, but I think the series overall pales in comparison to some of Albert's other work. Everything about it is fine, and enjoyable, but to me there was something missing that I've come to expect from Albert's books.

What I did really appreciate in this book, and the whole series, is the way the characters all come from very different backgrounds and experiences and these underpin who they are. Owen is a very fun, social guy who's survived cancer and recognised that the man he was before his illness is not the same man he is now. He's confident and outgoing and the total opposite of Quill who's always been socially isolated and has difficulty connecting to other people and this causes a lot of friction between the two men - who like one another, but find it challenging to find common ground.

I also continued to love the setting of the stories - Alaska is a great backdrop and Arctic Heat is a look at one aspect of the countryside, and the dangers that it can hold for people unfamiliar with the terrain. The way Albert describes the landscape is cold and unforgiving, and still enchanting enough to entice people to want to be there and explore the surroundings.

I'm so glad to have read this series and explored a new 'world' from this author, and I look forward to seeing what she releases in the future.

This was another great addition to this series with these two new characters, Owen and Quill. The pair are definitely an example of opposites attracting in that Owen being adventurous, outgoing and social while Quill was an introvert that prefers the stability of routine and solitude while denying his true feelings toward Owen. Quill coming from a bad home life as well as issues with events of his past. The pair work through their feelings and issues when events caused Quill to face his feelings and think about his future.
This was a great story that at first I thought started slow but once it began to progress I was hooked on the story. The pair had chemistry together and their challenges were relate-able. I enjoyed this book in its entirety and would recommend it to others.

Very definitely my favourite of the three in this Alaskan set series from Annabeth.

This is a story about second chances, not only at life but at finding your place and the things which are important to you no matter how small or insignificant they may seem.

I felt so bad for Quill, who has had a life which challenged his very sense of self to the point which he locked it away and decided he'd be married to his job as a ranger.

That was until wonderful Owen crashed full tilt into his steady world and thoroughly shook it up.

I loved how Annabeth made this a quiet story, it's focused on and around the day to day activities of the ranger station and its tiny staff quarters where the two men oh so slowly fall in love.

They are delicious together and quite unexpected in their sexual preferences, nothing more hotter than Quill starting to let go and explore how freeing sex can be when it's with the right partner.

The tension points felt earned and completely within the drive of the narrative and I was holding my breath even with the Carina Press guarantee of a HEA!

As with the other two, Alaska is as much a character as the humans and wildlife and I'm still totally jealous of my friend Dani who got to read this book on location!

The ending is awesome and I was sad to say goodbye to Quill and Owen as they settled into their Alaskan sunset forever.

Definitely liked the second half more than the first half. The first half was kind of slow but overall I highly enjoyed where it ended up. Quill and Owen compliment each other really well.

Thank you Carina and NetGalley for the ARC!

There’s something I find compelling about Annabeth Albert’s Frozen Hearts series, but perhaps it’s the wilds of Alaska and the odd, accompanying sense of adventure and danger so far north that pull me in. Here, the urban-suave ex-investment banker and a grumpy, closet ranger come together in ‘Arctic Heat’, a pairing that is as unlikely as Owen Han and Quill Ramsey meeting under ‘normal circumstances’ had tragedy not struck in a way to make the former reevaluate his priorities.

And they couldn’t be more different, especially when the thought of such a pairing seems like a bad idea from the start. Owen is rocking what life has to offer after beating cancer, now exuberantly pursuing everything in his bucket list, Quill’s stoic, cautious and reticent in his approach to jumping into everything headlong despite Owen’s very obvious attempts in starting something between them. More so, because Owen’s place in Alaska is temporary—a pit stop in his journey towards ticking off yet one more thing in his list—while Quill is simply opposed to having his slow, steady life upended by an eager, restless puppy of a volunteer who just won’t give up.

But Albert works these kinks out slowly but surely, with action that is muted in favour of relationship development and a slow burn that’s mostly found in Owen’s small but significant inroads (literally and metaphorically) in Quill’s closeted and closed-up life and his overall bleakness on the relationship front. It’s a pairing that’s good for each other, I think, despite my finding Owen a bit too pushy for my liking, even if it’s meant to get Quill to let go of his regimented thinking a bit more.

Overall, ‘Arctic Heat’ is a gentler, more emotion-focused than adventure-driven sort of story, with an iron-clad HEA that Albert reinforces through lots of emotional affirmation. It did drag a bit and became somewhat predictable for me, but it’ll could appeal to those who like delving into head space with some adult angst.

Annabeth Albert’s books all tend to follow the same pattern, and I suspect whether you find that boring or comfortable is a matter of taste. Personally, I enjoy her books - some more, some less, but I especially like this series. I’m a sucker for the Alaskan setting - I love hiking, and while I’m not a huge fan of the cold I certainly prefer it over the heat we experienced last week. Reading this book helped at least somewhat with that.

„Arctic Heat“ focuses on Quill and Owen, who spent a winter together in an Alaskan state park. Quill is an experienced ranger and Owen a volunteer, and they have very different personalities. But opposites attract and all that... the final conflict is extremely predictable, and I can’t say I didn’t roll my eyes, but overall it was a nice comfort read. My favorite book of the series remains book two, however.