Former pro-football player Xavier returns to his Alaskan hometown to help run his grandmother’s cider company and gastro pub. Dealing with family issues and confronting his past, Xavier clashes with True, the woman managing his grandmother’s restaurant. Though determined not to let Xavier jeopardize her dreams, True comes to see a different side of him. Will Xavier’s true self win over True’s heart?

This heartwarming small-town romance has a loveable cast of characters. The story is engrossing from start to finish. Xavier and True have challenges, but they work to build a future together.

Thanks, NetGalley, for the ARC I received. This is my honest and voluntary review.

I am so glad that I chose to finish “Falling For Alaska”! It took me a while to get into the story. Once I did though, I couldn’t stop reading because I needed to know if Xavier and True were going to end up together or if their struggles from their past were going to push them apart. This reminds me of a Hallmark movie (and needs to become one for sure), and I love how Belle Calhoune creates a simple small town romance with characters that almost all readers can connect to at least one. I will be recommending this book to my book club when it is published and most definitely will be reading it again.

Rating: 3.5 ⭐️
Pub Date: March 26, 2024
How I Read It:📱

Synopsis
True runs the local tavern, Northern Exposure, and it’s her dream to one day own it, but famous football player Xavier has just arrived to Moose Falls, a small Alaskan town, and he’s the owner’s Grandson. Xavier has been given the choice to either take over operations of his grandmother’s businesses or sell them. Can True get along with Xavier? Will he crush her dreams of one day owning the tavern? Has all her hard work and commitment been for nothing? Can she somehow convince the owner Hattie to sell the tavern to her?

My Thoughts
This was a cute book that deals with family issues, past trauma, and feel good moments where friends and family come together for somebody they love. The book takes place in cold and picturesque Alaska, mostly in a tavern, but incorporates fun aspects of Alaska such as ice skating and mushing.

Final Thoughts
If you’re looking for a quick feel good read based in a small town (think Hallmark Movie), this is a very sweet story that’s worth a read. It will bring a few smiles to your face!

Of Note
📝 If you’re looking for a clean love story, there’s no spice, so it’s a good choice.
📝 Deals with death / terminal illness.

Tropes & Themes
💛 Small Town Romance
💛 Family Drama
💛 Famous Athlete / Small Town Girl

Thank you to Forever (Grand Central Publishing), and NetGalley for an advanced copy of this book!

This is likely a case that it’s the reader not the book. I’m not sure what I hoping for when I said yes to reading “Falling for Alaska.” Like others have mentioned, it’s a ready-made Hallmark movie. Those are not typically the genre of books I enjoy, hence my first comment. There wasn’t much character development. Some of the choices and behaviors of the characters were maddening.

I received an ARC from the publisher via NetGalley and am voluntarily posting a review. All opinions are my own.
Falling for Alaska is the first in Belle Calhoune’s new small-town romance series, Moose Falls, Alaska. As anticipated, there’s nice cozy community vibes, and I can’t wait to get to know the town and its people more in future books. And while I haven’t been to Alaska before, I loved getting a feel for the setting through the book.
The leads embody fairly standard archetypes of small-town vs. big-city, but Calhoune imbues them with her own charm. True has had to take on a lot of responsibilities, raising her younger brother since her parents died six years ago, and she’s very no-nonsense and practical. I admired her for her professional drive, wanting to take ownership of Northern Exposure after years of hard work. Xavier, meanwhile, is from Moose Falls, and left to pursue a career in the NFL, only to come back to assist his terminally ill grandmother and brothers (plus, unbeknownst to them, their estranged father) to help with his grandmother’s cider company and gastro pub.
Both leads have compelling arcs, navigating their different family situations, not to mention baggage from issues in previous relationships. While the situation at the outset means they start off butting heads, they end up bonding over their shared experiences as older siblings. While their respective trust issues do play a role in causing drama, especially on his part, with him being unsure if he can trust her due to his status as an NFL player, the romance comes together in a sweet way.
This was a sweet, heartwarming read, and I’d recommend it to readers looking for a low-steam small-town romance.

Falling for Alaska was such a cute book! This is my first read from Belle Calhoune and I will definitely be reading more of her books. Falling for Alaska is about a lady named True who lives in Moose Falls Alaska and she works at a tavern in town that is really important to her. She ends up falling for a man named Xavier who ends up coming back to the town with with two other brothers. The town is also where they grew up as well. During the story, you learn about both of their families and how True and Xavier were raised and the hardships they both went through. Xavier's grandmother has a terminal illness and is not doing very well. It is a beautifully written story about love, laughter, family and what really matters in life. True also takes care of her younger brother who absolutely loves Xavier and looks up to him because he is a famous sports player. Just learning about Alaska and imagining the scenery was absolutely beautiful! I would definitely recommend this book as it is a light read and it will make you laugh in some areas of the book.

A sweet story about two damaged people who want the same thing- a tavern owned by Xavier's grandmother Hattie. True has been managing it and wants to buy it but Xavier, along with his brothers, has come back to Moose Falls. He's a former football player who never expected to be in this position or to fall for True. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. This might be a a little trope-y and Hallmark movie like but it's a light enjoyable read with good characters.

✨ Publication date: March 26, 2024✨

Falling for Alaska is a closed door romance and the first in a new series by Belle Calhoune.

Xavier Stone left Moose Falls Alaska as a child. His mother packed up Xavier and his two younger brothers and fled the unhappy marriage she was stuck in. After relocating to Arizona, Xavier thought he would never set foot in Alaska again.

After a concussion injury that ended his professional football career and engagement, Xavier jumps at the chance to reunite with his grandmother, the matriarch of the Stone family and creator of Yukon Cider. After a terminal illness diagnosis, she calls her grandsons home to take over the family business.

True Everett is the bar manager of Northern Exposure, a sister of Yukon Cider. True’s dream is to eventually own the bar but when Xavier Stone the hotshot football player comes to town to claim his inheritance, she’s not as impressed as everyone else in Moose Falls.

As True and Xavier get to know each other, they experience definite chemistry. Both of them have experienced immense loss and have trust issues. Can they see beyond their past hurst or will they come together to heal and create a future.

This was a cute closed door romance. I liked Xavier and True’s connection and loved the Alaskan backdrop. This is a 3.5 star for me and I’ll be picking up the rest of the series when it becomes available!!

Disclaimer: I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

#NetGalley #bellecalhoune #fallingforAlaska

This is a story of finding love unexpectedly, family ties and loyalties, letting go of the past and being open to new possibilities. It is a sweet, sometimes emotional book with a bit of soul searching. Xavier and True have both had more than enough pain in their pasts and have assumed a burden of responsibility for their siblings. Neither expected the sparks between them or to want more than friendship from each other. Perhaps his grandmother has something more than a reunion with her grandsons in mind.

Xavier left Alaska with his Mom and siblings after his parents divorced. He eventually built a future that supports his siblings, mom and himself as a pro football player. Now he has left his career behind and his life is a bit of a mess. He has been called back to Alaska with his siblings to help his terminally ill grandmother with her businesses. Alaska holds painful memories for him, memories of a broken family and emotional devastation. He doesn’t want to be back, but for his grandmother and family, he will do anything he can to ease their way, even if he does have another secret motive. Getting to spend time with his brothers and grandmother is a good thing though. Xavier didn’t count on working with his estranged father or the winsome True who sparks something deep within him he is not ready to acknowledge.

True has been managing his grandmother’s restaurant with the hope of one day being able to buy it. But that dream seems to be a dead end when Xavier and his siblings show up. She can’t blame Hattie for wanting her life’s work to go to family though. True can see that he doesn’t want to be there, but she can also sense some underlying pain. She is also aware of her attraction to him and does her best to keep it hidden and under control. He and his brothers hold her future in their hands and she is a tad resentful and scared of that fact. Besides, the last thing True needs is a relationship when her life is already far too busy with raising her much younger brother and managing the restaurant. Xavier wouldn’t want an ordinary girl like her anyway, especially one that comes with a child, when he is used to having beautiful women swarm him. She already had her heart broken by her ex and isn’t looking for more heartbreak.

The rest of their story gives readers some insight into their pasts, their rather tangled emotions and inner thoughts. Family dynamics and loyalties play a big part in their story as does Alaska itself. Hattie is quite the character and certainly keeps everyone on their toes. I found this book to be fascinating and entertaining. I am looking forward to reading the books featuring Xavier’s brothers. I would recommend this book to anyone who loves a good, sweet romance with some angst to make it more interesting.

This was a nice story about changing your circumstances. Xavier had a rough start when he was taken from his hometown in Alaska to grow up miles away. And True had to become an adult overnight to raise her brother when her parents were lost. Both main characters were well developed and it was easy to root for them, even if this felt a little predictable the whole time. I wanted a little bit more substance from the story, maybe more revelations from Hattie, the long lost grandmother. But it was a quick, sweet romance, and if you like a good Hallmark movie, you’ll enjoy this read.

I really loved Falling for Alaska. You could say I fell for it. Haha. I loved reading about the main characters as they tried to navigate issues/life choices that might have kept them apart, but in the end they found a way. I really liked Small Town Alaska and the people who live there. Everyone I've met so far has an interesting story to tell. I'm looking for forward for the next books. I'm assuming we have at least 2 more since Xavier has two younger brothers. I'm hoping we find out more about what happened between their mom and dad. It was definitely a quick read for me and one that brought tears and happy smiles to my face. The characters will really draw you in. It was all in all a beautiful love story. I was given a copy, but all opinions are my very own.

Oof! If you want a cheesy, predictable, (sort of, not really) enemies to lovers, athlete falls for the "no one" girl - this is a book for you! It's a Hallmark movie in book form. I requested this one because my family is from Alaska (Homer and I loved that it was mentioned in the book) so I was partial to it from the beginning, buuut upon starting the book, I knew that it was going to be tough to get through (hence why it took me an entire week to read it). Tons of corny, "hip" terms that I could get past. Was the story cute? Sure. Did I enjoy the characters? Mostly. Would I recommend it to reader friends. Nooo.

Thank you to the author, Forever (Grand Central Publishing) and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Xavier and True don't meet under the best of circumstances. He and his 2 younger brother's have returned to Alaska after a 20 year lapse because his paternal grandmother is dying. She owns the tavern True manages and True thinks he's there to take over and plays a dirty truck on him.

As the story unfolds the reader discovers Xavier's and True's family histories that have shaped their lives . Can the retired pro football player and the local tavern manager be successful in love? Or will the past affect the future? A wonderful story of truth, love dreams and commitment

Although I received a free ARC eBook from Net Galley and the publisher, all thoughts and opinions are my own.

New series!

Loved the setting, Alaska is a place I would like to visit. Liked the clean, sweet vibe mixed with obvious undertones. Enjoyed Xavier’s brothers and the relationship they shared. The back/forth between True and Xavier helped to build the relationship. Fans of small town, sweet romance will enjoy this book.

Thanks to the author, publisher and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this book but my opinions are my own.

Falling For Alaska ⭐⭐⭐⭐ by Belle Calhoun
Release Date March 26, 2024
Thanks to NetGalley for this ARC

3 Brothers return back to Alaska after 20 Years to inherit their grandmother's Cider business. But they must live and work the business for a year before they are able to sell. Which is what they plan to do, as they need the money and want to leave Alaska. Read this sweet love story to find out if they success in selling the business. You will be surprised at the journey.

Book 1 of this new series by Belle excited to read the next book. Hope you are too.

4 stars

Xavier Stone faces a series of tough choices, leaving behind both an ex-girlfriend and a professional football career to heed his grandmother's call in Moose Falls, Alaska. With her diagnosis of terminal cancer, she needs help managing her cider company and gastro pub, where Xavier joins his brothers. Little do they know, their absentee father is also part of the plan. Meanwhile, True Everett, focused on caring for her younger brother since their parents' passing, has no time for distractions, especially from a charming football player. As Xavier navigates his new surroundings, will he succumb to the allure of Alaska? Dive into the story to uncover the answer!

Let me tell you about this gem of a book I stumbled upon! 'Falling for Alaska' ticks all the boxes for a sweet and swoon-worthy read, and bonus points for being a clean romance. Set against the stunning backdrop of Alaska, it's like the icing on the cake for me. Xavier and True's budding romance had me grinning from ear to ear. They just fit together so perfectly! I adored how True helped Xavier discover the beauty of Alaska and create new memories together. Their support for each other's dreams and happiness was heartwarming. And let's not forget the family element woven into the story - it added such depth and warmth. Overall, it was a cute, easy read that left me with a big smile on my face. Plus, the setting in Alaska? Absolutely delightful! It made the whole experience even more enjoyable!

Welcome to Moose Falls, Alaska, home of the famous Yukon Cider…the reason the three Stone brothers have come to town.
Hattie Stone, creator and founder of the company, wants to reconnect with her grandsons. Here for a year, the brothers will learn the business, spend time with their granny…and confront the father who abandoned them decades before.
Xavier Stone is the oldest. A football star not only haunted by the memories of his past, but he’s dealing with recent hits, both physical and emotional.
True Everett manages one of Hattie’s businesses, the local tavern, and dreams of owning it herself someday. She’s a hard worker with a big heart, also raising her young brother since their parents’ deaths seven years ago.
Sparks fly when they meet, but each of their histories has made them build huge walls around their hearts. As they spend time together, is it possible for the walls to be taken down, brick by brick, or is each wall just too cemented from the hurts of the past?
Find out in this amazing new first-in-a-series by author Belle Calhoune! Plus Falling for Alaska has my favorite…an epilogue!
I received a complimentary copy of this book, but my opinion is entirely my own.

This book kicked off as possibly the thirstiest thing I have ever read all while not being a spicy book? It was cute and cheesy and low stakes. It was like a sweet Hallmark movie except the leads kept eye-banging each other in almost every scene. True, female MC, works at a tavern that is owned by her dear friend Hattie and that True hopes to own someday. Xavier, male MC, is a has-been football player who is recovering from his career-ending injuries. He also happens to be Hattie’s oldest grandson who, along with his brothers, was summoned to the small town in Alaska they were born in. Hattie has a terminal illness and she wants her grandsons to learn her cider business so they can take it over. True doesn’t know what is the agreement with Hattie and her grandsons for business takeover, Hattie's son Red bailed on the boys when they were little and is the reason they moved away, and every one of them has to play nice and work together while the future of Hattie’s businesses unfold. This is a good book if you like slow plot, flirtatious interactions, respectful dating with (lightly) dirty internal monologue, and family (found and blood) drama.

Oh man. I just came off a series of books situated in Alaska, so I was kind of on that kick, and was more hopeful for this.
This novel, however, was not my style of read. Was quite predictable, with no real depth in anything.

Thank you to Forever (Grand Central Publishing) and Netgalley for the chance to read this ARC.

Just a wonderful sweet small town romance that has Hallmark movie written all over it.. First of a series of three Stone brothers reconnecting with their former life and their estranged father’s due to the demands of their grandmother. Hattie Stone is a matriarch who is dying and her wishes are to see her grandsons and son reunite. Xavier Stone is the oldest who was a famous NFL player that career ended suddenly due to an injury. Also heartbroken over his fiancée who cheated with his best friend and fellow teammate, plus broke from the life style he was living. Seems like a year away from the drama and being with his brothers was kismet. He left Moose Falls, AK with his mother and brothers when his parents divorced at the age of nine. Now 20 years later the memories he blocked are returning and there are many happy memories, but also lots of questions.
True is manager of Northern Exposure, the local tavern but more on the upside. She also is guardian of her 9 year old brother, both are the joy and soul purpose of her life. Hoping to buy one day the tavern, but Hattie grandsons are coming to town. Will they inherit and sell or would they take over and she is out of a job? Having a chip on her shoulder she plays a mean trick on Xavier, but he isn’t what she expected.
I don’t think I ever laughed so hard at the beginning of a book. I so enjoyed the story and can’t wait to see which brother is next. Thank you NetGalley for this eARC. I am voluntarily posting an honest review after reading an Advance Reader Copy of this story. #NetGalley #FallingForAlaska