Whiteout is set in Antarctica which is probably the last place I think of for romantic settings but it was also one of the things that made me want to read this book. Such a unique setting and a totally new concept for my mind to imagine as I was reading.

Another thing that piqued by interest about Whiteout was the grumpy hero/happy heroine trope. What is it that's so appealing about that combination? Give me all the angsty, broody heroes and the cheerful, optimistic ladies that win their hearts!

Whiteout is categorized as romantic suspense and that is definitely not an exaggeration. This book opens with an intense scene where a man is fleeing for his life while also trying to get a message back to his coworkers that their lives are in jeopardy. Plot hook? Yes ma'am! Because of the severe conditions of the Antarctic environment, this book is so intense! Just walking outside in that setting can be perilous if you're not outfitted properly so the stakes are high -- and that's not when there's a team of villains hunting your every move!

This is the first book in the Survival Instincts series so while Whiteout does end on an upswing, there is definitely a cliffhanger that will for certain have me checking out the next book. I cannot wait to see where this series goes!

Whiteout is available tomorrow and is a perfect mid-winter read (or even a hot stretch in July when you're wanting to mentally escape the heat)!

{Thank you @sourcebookscasa @netgalley for the eARC}

Holy heck! This book is one wild adventure! From pretty much the very beginning things start happening and it never slows down. Talk about drama, danger, suspense! I couldn’t put it down!

When Angel and Ford are left as the only survivors after their research facility is attacked, they find themselves running for their lives across the unforgiving Antarctica landscape. To be on the run would be enough danger but with the addition of the sub-zero temperatures and conditions of the location they’re in, this author takes danger to a whole new level. Who would have thought that someone could find romance in such a cold and colorless world?

I absolutely loved both Angel and Ford. Despite feeling lost and unsure of herself, Angel was a ray of sunshine, especially to Ford. He’s the Ice Man, hiding behind a cold facade for reasons, unfortunately, that were never completely revealed or either I missed them through the sheer adrenaline this book created.

Ford is not only withdrawn, he’s also a bit of a science geek, a grump who doesn’t like mixing with people and who struggles just to speak (again not completely revealed why). When he does choose to speak, he usually messes it up, unsure of the words to say or how to say them. Especially when it comes to speaking to Angel. I enjoyed watching him slowly come out of his shell and reach out to her verbally and physically.

While there is plenty of romance, I have to admit that sometimes it was difficult to really feel it because this author has created so much danger just from the elements alone. I was so caught up in the suspense I found it hard at times to relax enough to enjoy this couple’s quiet moments.

This ends with a “happy for now” rather than a “happy ever after” and despite the thrills and drama this unforgiving backdrop of ice gave me, it looks as if the next book may take us to another location. I suspect it may still have severe weather conditions and while I enjoyed this one, I’m not in a hurry to return to such a harsh environment again. Then again, by the time the next book releases, it’ll be summer and should make a perfect beach read.

I thought the beginning was a little confusing, but it was also exciting to se what was going tio happen next. South pole scientific baseunder attack, with only two surviers. Thse two survivers are now stranded and are on a mission to find away out and of this lace. The book was filled with gasping moments, a gripping story line but then the second half happened.... I am here for all the romance and smutty goodness, but i thought it was lacking somthing. I think overall the intention of this story was there, it just didt give me what i was looking for, I will read more from this author. 3/5 stars.

I just finished reading Adriana Anders’s "Whiteout," releasing January 28th by Sourcebooks Casa, and whoa! Who knew a novel set in Antarctica would be so steamy? Scorching, indeed! Thank you to NetGalley and to Sourcebooks Casablanca for allowing me to read this advanced copy. All views are my own.

This is my first Adriana Anders novel, and I’m hooked. As in call me bait, snag me on a line, and sink me into the depths of these pages hooked! I wouldn’t even mind a dunk into icy water after this one because this novel promises (and delivers) the yummy romance only a chef in Antarctica can deliver.

After the devastating end to her marriage, Angel Smith closed up her restaurant and headed to the remotest place she could find—the Burke-Ruhe Research Station in Antarctica. Cooking scrumptious meals for the Poleys (the individuals who live and work at the Pole) is more rewarding than she could have ever imagined. She almost finds herself feeling sad that her tour at the Pole is ending. Almost. If only the Ice Man would stop glaring icicles at her.

Ford Cooper is more comfortable on the ice than he is around people. A glacialist with a military background, he finds solace in the void of the ice—or he did, until Angel Smith showed up. She’s too loud, too boisterous, too much—an overstimulation to his senses, which is the last thing he needs. Thank God she’s leaving Burke-Ruhe with the rest of the summer crew.

There’s a plane heading to McMurdo and Angel is getting everything ready for the winter-overs before she heads out. Only Angel is about to unwittingly uncover a sinister plot by the so-called leadership at Burke-Ruhe, and it’s a secret they’ve no problem killing her over.

After being on the ice all day, Ford heads back to the station, only to find it completely deserted. The plane’s gone, but so is everyone else. Perplexed, he takes a closer look around, and he finds a shaking Angel on the edge of hypothermia. What she tells him next sends them on a frigid trek through the winter desert of Antarctica, in a fight for their lives against not only the elements but against the people who want what Angel and Ford have in their possession—the key to their whole operation.

I loved every second of this book. The tension between the main characters is expertly done. Who says opposites don’t attract, right? In a classic case of girl-thinks-boy-hates-her, the tables turn and Angel discovers just how far the Ice Man is willing to go to save her. And he’ll discover a few things about himself along the way—like what he’s been missing his whole life by shutting his heart away from anyone who could care about it.

Angel is strong and sassy and full of surprises, and Ford is brooding in a sexy strong-but-silent kind of way. He’s a man you instantly trust, even if he isn’t the most amiable. He values control above all else, and Angel is the only one who can cause him to lose it—and the only one he’d ever want to lose it for.

Seductive and thrilling, this romantic suspense is the first book of Adriana Anders’s Survival Instincts series, and you can bet I’ll be among the first in line for book two. As my first new series in 2020, it’s early yet to be calling it my favorite of the year, but with ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️, I don’t see this one being toppled from its position anytime soon. This was a fabulous winter read, so check it out when it comes out on Tuesday!

Typically I am not one for suspense or adventure novels, even within the Romance umbrella; but Whiteout by Adriana Anders has turned me into a true fan of the romantic sub-genre. Action packed and exhilarating, the story follows Angel, a chef who is one step closer to getting back to civilization after spending the summer working as head chef at an Antarctic research center, and Ford—a glaciologist who hides from life and the shadows of his past. After witnessing a robbery heist gone bad, Angel and Ford find themselves stranded and on the run in the worlds most deserting and unforgiving places.

I was HOOKED. From the very first page Anders had me instantly pulled into the storyline and the lives of these people who live out in the cold. The narrative and writing style was so fresh and captivating that when I started reading, I didn’t want to stop. The characters were deep and the development was so beautiful that I swooned before they even had an interaction. The forced closeness and the use of the cold as an external conflict for both the thriller side as well as the romance side is what chef kisses are made of. It wasn’t until I read this book that I realized just how much cold weather could be a cock-block.

With the plot twists that I never saw coming, to the ending that I desperately wished wasn’t, this book sent shivers down my spine. I am head over heels in love with this series and am in desperate need for more. So, if you like thrilling suspense or romance that is packed with action and a slow burn that is rot with sexual tension, I highly highly recommend giving Whiteout a try.

Suspenseful and talk about plot twists! This was read in one night and I absolutely loved it! The characters are amazing and intricate!!

Antarctic run for their life

Ford Cooper, glaciologist research scientist, and Angel Smith, cook, are both at a research station in Antarctica when people start getting killed.

Both have been trying to ignore each other during their common time at the station but end up getting thrown together to flee a crew of deadly mercenaries. They head off across Antarctica during deadly weather conditions, depending on each other to stay alive.

I read a lot of books about Antarctica, some good and some not so good. I enjoyed this story. I felt like the author had done their research about this frigid, deadly country. Very descriptive - it made me cold just to read it. The descriptions about the research station were believable too.

I wasn't quite expecting a romance but the storyline between these two very different people was well done.

This book is the first in a series and it did end in a minor cliffhanger.
I received this book from Sourcebooks Casablanca through Net Galley in the hopes that I would read it and leave an unbiased review.

The first half of this book was excellent, an attack on a south pole scientific base, leaving two people stranded and on a survival mission to overland to the next base with the odds stacked against them. It was a gripping rollercoaster ride of adrenalin and I was glued to the pages.

Unfortunately the second half let this book down. The two main characters spent the whole time acting like horny teenagers, the baddies ridiculous and incompetent, the dialogue cheesy, and the whole plot turned out to be thin. It's a shame because the book started with so much promise, and I felt let down, rolling my eyes on more than one occasion.

Overall this book is okay, but it could have been so much better.

My thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Growing up, I was fascinated with Mount Everest and fictional survival stories taking place there. After I read The Kingmaker by Kennedy Ryan and loved the parts when the main character was in Antarctica, Kennedy Ryan recommended this book! I immediately went to netgalley to request a copy and couldn't wait to start this romantic suspense.

When this book started, it took me a few chapters to really get into the story and actually want to start reading. I was a little confused by what was going on, but as soon as the bad guys made themselves known, boy was I invested in these characters and their ability to survive. I loved how Ford and Angel had this attraction to one another that Ford refused to act on. Now, they have to trek across Antarctica together to survive and those scenes were CRAZY. Antarctica is beautiful and terrifying, so I had no idea how those two were going to walk over two hundred miles together and make it out alive.

If you're a fan of a romantic suspense novel with a slow burn romance, you're going to love this so much. It reminded me of an 80s survival/action movie and I could not stop reading. Ford is a cold, brooding man and I loved how he slowly decided to let Angel in. Definitely pick this book up if you want a good survival story in the freezing cold while the characters slowly fall for each other.

Whiteout is the first installment in Adriana Anders Survival Instincts series. This is the first book I've read from this author, and I'd like to pick up more books in this series as they're released.

The story follows Angel Smith and Ford Cooper on a dangerous trek across Antarctica as they attempt to elude a band of dangerous men who want a frozen virus that Ford uncovered from the ice. As they make their journey to safety, they coldness that's always existed between them begins to thaw. As a reader, I'm fairly new to romantic suspense/thrillers, but I really enjoyed the unique tension that racing across a deadly landscape added to this story. There truly were realistic dangers around every corner, and it was well balanced with the growing attraction between Angel and Ford, who had really nice chemistry together.

There were a few things that kept this from being a higher rated read: The villain plotline is part of a large arc that will continue throughout the series. As a result, the book ends without answering all of the questions I had about their motivations, connections, and more. It led to a few moments of confusion. While I understand spacing that information out throughout the series, I was confused enough that I think readers needed some more information here.

I was also left wanting more when it came to diversity (Angel is Latinx, but the references to it are so subtle and brief that I would forget. It felt more like dressing and less like part of her identity) and Ford's backstory (he references problems with his vocal cords often but I don't think we ever learn what happened and similarly don't learn as much about his military background as I wanted).

Still, I found this to be an entertaining thriller and one that left me wanting to know more about the cast of characters introduced at the end. A unique location definitely makes this one standout and introduces challenges for characters rarely seen in other books, and I think romantic suspense/thriller readers will enjoy that a lot.

What a rush! I was not sure where this was going at first but then I got caught up in the thrill. I could never imagine living in those conditions with the sun and ice. Cooper and Angel surprised each other in the best ways. They developed a new relationship while evading paramilitary muscle. The action was intense and scary and their situation completely unnerving. Its not exactly over, not really a cliffhanger, however another book was implied in the epilogue. Thankful to have received an early copy through Netgalley, review provided voluntarily.

I saw a review of this book on a blog and was instantly intrigued. I love a good survival story and this one did not disappoint. I was on the edge of my seat the whole time and was rooting hard for Ford and Angel to not only survive, but confront their feelings for each other. I'm so sad that this is the only book in the series so far because I was instantly ready for more from this world. I can't wait for the next in the series!

Talk about a guilty pleasure! This has everything- an evil genius, a conspiracy, two people healing from psychic (and physical wounds), a chase, steam, and best of all- Antarctica! Angel is a cook at a research station and she's had the mild hots for Ford Cooper, one of the scientists. He feels the same but neither can connect to the other. Then, on Angel's last day, they both discover that someone's killed two of their colleagues and is trying to take off with some of Ford's samples. When it all goes to hell, these two are the only good guys left standing and they have no choice but to try to trek miles and miles across the continent to another station, towing sleds with their food and the samples the recovered. To say it isn't easy to cross Antartica on foot is an understatement. Angel and Ford manage, despite everything, to get pretty far before the bad guys find them. I would have been happy without the steamy stuff (I was happy with the thriller/survival part) but I'm sure others will appreciate it. As implausible as some of the novel is, it's really well written and Anders does a nice job of pulling you in. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. It's a page turner.

The overall impression that I have after reading this book is cold. I was a bit confused at the start, got a lost a bit in the middle trying to figure out the plot, the characters, it was all a bit of a jumble.

Get a blanket, warm slippers and something hot to drink before snowshoeing into this read. Baby it’s cold inside this book and then it HOT but that has nothing to do with the weather. It’s about two people who are running away from their lives and a horrendous plot to kill millions.
Favorite line “The Iceman Cometh” < wink >. So the story is set in a remote scientific station near the pole, frozen beyond cold. Angel is the new hire, the cook for the station. Coop, one of the scientist, is the stick in her side, Mr Grumpy. He is colder than the ice surrounding the place. He spends most of his time out on the ice so when something goes wrong and he comes back to a nearly empty station he has no idea what happened, till he finds a certain cook. The cook, Angel is traumatized, horrified and broken. It doesn’t last long she’s not there to die. She’s a hero here, and Mr Grumpy knows it. Together they take steps to survive with little to no chance of making it. Remember it’s cold, and they have to stay warm somehow when it gets dark and there is no generator. :P Here come the toe tingling bits, it’s slow and delicious. It’s not all warm generating going on the guys who destroyed the station are now looking for them.
What an intense read. It has it all, intense action, uncertain future, difficult hard won relationship, snark, and so much more. I loved and hated the characters as they ere writer. The good was so awwwww, the bad, ugg they were nasty bits of evil ! Fun read !

Holy cow, so this was recommended to me by a friend. It's not often I go straight for a 'romance' book but this book did an incredible job at blending romance and adventure/thriller. The action is nonstop but without feeling overwhelming and the characters are unique and well fleshed out. Definitely enjoyed reading this and would recommend it to any romance reader.

Thank you to netgalley and the publisher for an earc of this book in exchange for my honest opinion.

Edge of your seat thriller! The setting on the ice in Antarctica just adds a layer of thrill to this book. It apparently is part of a series that I will now go looking for - because I enjoyed this one so much. The teaser at the end is just mean because it makes me want the next story NOW!

One of my reading goals for 2020 was to include more romantic suspense into my book lists and Whiteout by Adriana Anders was the perfect way to get started on this goal!

This was my first Adriana Anders novel and certainly not my last. Whiteout is the first book in the Survival Instincts series and tells the thrilling story of two characters - Angel Smith, a chef, and Ford Cooper, an ex-veteran/current scientist studying glaciers - living and working in a remote science station in Antarctica. Cooper is a full time worker at the station and likes to keep his distance from everyone else. His world is shaken up when he meets the lovely (and lively) Angel who decided to work the summer months at the station.

On the last day for the summer workers, Angel misses the plane when she witnesses a murder at the base and risks her life to hide the research wanted by the bad guys. Cooper arrives back at the deserted station (after finding his drilling sites completely destroyed) to find Angel locked in a freezer. With no other options and no help in sight, Coop and Angel team up to trek across the uncertain and deadly plains of Antarctica.

I absolutely adored Anders writing style in this book. Her storytelling kept me on the edge of my seat and I really struggled to put it down. It felt like each time I needed to put the book down, something major would happen and I'd promise myself over and over again: 'just one more chapter'. Angel and Cooper were such great characters too. Their personalities were relatable and approachable, and I kept my fingers crossed that they would just finally catch a break. The lengths those two went through was astounding and I loved their interactions, not only with each other, but with the side characters too. I'm not sure yet if the next book in the series will be focused on Angel and Cooper again or the side characters but I would be happy with either. I want more Angel/Cooper but I also want more from the side characters.

My only concern was I struggled to understand the Director's backstory and wished that was explained a little more clearly but given how Whiteout ended, I think there is definitely more opportunity for this in book 2. And speaking of endings, talk about a cliffhanger. Anders really knows how to leave a reader wanting more and I can't wait to read more from this series and from Anders!

Disclaimer: Thank you to Sourcebooks Casablanca and Netgalley for the free copy in exchange for an honest review.

I really wanted to like this book after reading the blurb, but after several tries, I just couldn't connect with it. Maybe because of the locale (Antarctica) and because I'm freezing in the middle of winter myself, but I felt like I was forcing my way through this read. I can't give this a bad review because I didn't finish reading it, and while it wasn't the book for me, the writing and editing were good. Maybe I'll give it a shot in the future. I voluntarily read and reviewed an ARC for NetGalley.

Many contributing elements made me excited to read Whiteout by Adriana Anders, but somehow all of those elements never managed to coalesce into a story I cared about or enjoyed. First, there was the author: I’d read a previous romance by Adriana Anders that I remembered enjoying. So I was excited to read something else by her. Then, there was the unusual setting (I won’t say unique, because there’s a graphic novel and a movie based on the graphic novel with the EXACT SAME TITLE that also involves murder in Antarctica. But I digress…). I don’t find many romances set in Antarctica, so that sounded like a fun change of pace. There were also some nods to diversity early on which I was really excited to see represented in romance. Angel is apparently Latinx, and Ford/ Coop is neurodiverse, with a sensory processing disorder. Finally, I hadn’t read a romantic suspense or action adventure book in awhile, and I thought this might be a good way to reintroduce myself to the subgenre. I’m sad to say it wasn’t.

Some of my lack of connection to the story and frustration with the author’s writing may simply have been that I don’t apparently favor this type of story, and because it might have been me, not the book, I didn’t rate the story lower. I don’t think it’s incredibly sexy to have a big strong man who will go around killing people brutally to protect me. I don’t like simplistically evil villains. I’m especially not into where this story went with the murder and the reasons behind it. I don’t mind murder mysteries, or even stories dealing with serial killers. But somehow I missed that this story was about a huge transnational conspiracy behind the murders. You know, gummint out to get you, in league with big evil corporations. (Not a spoiler…you find this out pretty earlier in the book.) I don’t doubt that this happens far too often, but I don’t enjoy these themes in fiction. I should have known this book wasn’t my speed when the story started off with a gross scene about someone being badly beaten and slowly dying. But I charged on.

What about the diversity? I was initially excited to see neurodiversity and a Latina heroine represented. But…how are we told that Angel is Latinx? In addition to her name and dark coloring, her mama’s pasteles are mentioned several times, and another character mentioned once that Angel speaks Spanish. Also, apparently she smells like cinnamon and spices and loves to dance. It’s a weak effort at representation that does not affect her character much apart from where it is mentioned. But at least the author tried to diversify her book. A little more attention is given to Ford’s sensory processing disorder, because it’s used to excuse a lot of his behavior and attitude. But his neurodiversity was only mentioned when it could advance the plot (like being overwhelmed at a noisy party), and otherwise didn’t seem to affect his behavior throughout much of the story.

The writing itself felt pretty clunky. I never connected to either Angel or Ford, didn’t buy into their romance OR their sexual attraction, and didn’t really care what happened to them. And as I mentioned, the villains are extremely simplistic. Brutish violent monsters who drink and curse and have herpes sores (no, really) and don’t just murder people, but enjoy it. While loudly crunching mints. Trust me, that must be important, because it’s mentioned several times in the story. Also used frequently is the author’s tendency to use the phrase “the man” or “this woman” or “that man”–everyone was referred to constantly by other characters as “man” or “woman,” whether it was Angel thinking dreamily of Ford, or one of the villains raging over how the hero and heroine kept eluding them. Aside from constantly reinforcing a binary view of sexuality, the use of those phrases was so repetitive as to become not just noticeable but tedious.

Then, finally, just when the story seemed like it should be wrapping up, there was another 10-20 percent of the book to read. Because we were suddenly introduced to a whole new cast of characters, complete with their full names AND nicknames (because everyone had a “cool” nickname, like Leo or Ans or whatever) and their former military service and and their particular special skills. It was great to see a woman of color as the indispensable pilot, but otherwise I was just incredibly frustrated. I thought I’d finally finished the book, but no, we had to go through several more chapters detailing who these new characters were, and how they ran rescue missions and called in favors to subvert international regulations and national laws, but all for the greater good, so it was OK, and they were not only heroes, but COOL, and don’t you want to read a whole series about them?

No, no, I don’t. I thought this book had a lot of potential to be an enjoyable read for me, but I was incorrect. If you prefer simplistic stories with militaristic/ veteran heroes who are mavericks who buck the system when it suits them to go rescue people or something (like NCIS, for instance), then you may enjoy this. I did not, and I’m sorry to say it makes me hesitant to try anything else by this author in the future.