Two self-deprecating people come together and overcome how they see themselves and the way others see them as well. It is very well written and flows beautifully. You feel for the struggles of both main characters and rejoice at their victories. Recommend!

Soren is tasked with weeding through replies to his brother's ad looking for a wife. He is immediately drawn to Nola and writes back, eventually admitting himself. They meet in person and see if they can develop a relationship.
I really struggled with this book. Both the main characters were too willing to have put up with years worth of poor treatment from their respective families, and their trauma from the way they've been treated is impacting all areas of their adult lives. The insta-love aspect just showed how much these two needed someone to truly care about them. They also both seem d younger than they are or just immature based on their lack of life experiences. This just wasn't the book for me.

This book was fun and unexpected. The author did a fantastic job engaging the reader from the start and keeping you hooked.

I tried really hard to like this, because I love Kate’s books. I just couldn’t get into this. At all. I hated Soren’s brother and I just couldn’t like Soren anymore that much either. The plot is good but maybe I’ll try to read it again and I’ll completely love it. Fingers crossed!

Katy Regnery's "Kodiak Lumberjack" is a delightful addition to her Alaskan Romance series, offering a heartwarming story set against the rugged backdrop of Alaska. In this standalone novel, we meet Nola and Sören, two characters who are refreshingly normal yet utterly captivating. Nola, scarred both physically and emotionally, finds solace in her online persona, while Sören struggles to break free from the shadows of his family's expectations. When their paths cross through a mistaken identity, sparks fly, leading to a charming tale of love, self-discovery, and overcoming insecurities.

What makes this book stand out is its authentic portrayal of everyday people facing relatable challenges. Nola's journey to embrace her scars and Sören's quest to find his own identity resonate deeply, touching on themes of self-acceptance and familial dynamics. Regnery's writing shines as she navigates the complexities of modern romance with empathy and humor, making it impossible not to root for Nola and Sören as they navigate the highs and lows of their burgeoning relationship. With its engaging plot and endearing characters, this book is a must-read for fans of heartfelt romances set in the wilds of Alaska.

Thank you NetGalley for this advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review.

Somehow Katy knew Kodiak Lumberjack was just what I needed, even when I didn't know it. Nola and Soren are emotional, each have so much family baggage, are struggling to find themselves and someone to love and I loved watching their story unfold. Such a beautiful story with so much depth and feeling!
~~Michele McMullen~~

I received an arc from NetGalley and this is my honest opinion.

Soren attempts to assist his brother in finding a woman however when he narrows the list down Soren ends up intrigued and falling for the woman who fits the requirements.

Nola has scars from an accident when she was younger and is afraid to venture out and meet people due to her reaction. When she starts corresponding with Soren she thinks it’s too good to be true and doubts his feelings. Her family dynamic doesn’t help the situation and neither does Soren’s family dynamic.

I felt for these two and the hardship their families dealt them but I felt the ending left us hanging with Nolas mother.

I loved the Alaska setting and the characters were great. It was a quick read, i read it in two afternoons..

Loved Nola and Soren. Nola had a sheltered life and even she though they meet in an unconvential way, I loved their connection.
How he supported her and how they feel in love!

I really love this series and this book is no exception. There’s definitely someone out their for everyone. You just have to be lucky enough to find that person for your HEA.

Love this setting so much. I have never been to Alaska but it is on my bucket list for sure. I love the two main characters, Soren & Nola. They are so good together. I love how they meet and that they are already so far gone by the time they meet in person that it may seem too fast to others but they know. Enjoyable read with a really good story and likable characters.Looking forward to more books based in Alaska and more fun couples from this author.

I liked this story and the two main characters were great. I loved that seeking counseling was part of the story (pet peeve when someone's mental health is cured by the love of romantic partner). The only gripes I have with this book is the title (he's not a lumberjack so its misleading), and that the family issues don't seem resolved at the end (though I'm going with somethings don't resolve right away. Overall, an enjoyable story that dealt with some deep issues very well IMO. *I received an ARC of this book from Netgalley and this is my voluntary and honest review.

I just LOVE books set in Alaska. And this series is exactly what I need in order to relax and have a huge smile while reading.

Soren is replaying for his brother's personal ad for a wife. When he reads Nola's email he has to answer her and confess that he is the less handsome brother.

Nola want through a horrible car accident while she was a toddler and has been suffering from how she looks since.

I loved that both main characters in the book have their issues and both are able to support each other and make each other better ❤️

This book made me laugh and groan, Magnus is so self absorbed that he doesn’t realize that he comes out looking like an idiot. I loved Soren’s character and how he falls for Nola before he even meets her. Nola has a disorder that I have never heard of before. It was interesting to know that this even existed. BDD - Body dysmorphic disorder. Really like how she learns to deal with it. This was a good read and not at all what I was expecting. I enjoyed this book. I received a free book from NetGalley and the views and opinions are my own.

This book is based in Alaska!! LOVED that setting! Soren & Nola were absolutely meant for each other!!! This was sort of an insta-love romance, but the relationship did build before they met in person, as they were talking & communicating regularly! Both of them had challenging family dynamics, which they helped each other through! I absolutely LOVED Soren!!! He was everything-such a kind soul! I felt for Nola so many times, and was so proud of her and how she took control of her life! Their first meeting was captured so perfectly with all the nervous jitters and emotions!

I will definitely have to dive into more of the books in this series!! AND I will be watching out for Magnus & Cady’s book!!!! They have to get one!

****Thanks to Net Galley for an advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review****

This was an amazing story with characters that I won’t forget. Katy has done it again. Once I started reading I didn’t want to stop.

I received a free ARC of this book through Netgalley, but I’m familiar with Kate Regnery, so I knew I would enjoy it. This is about Penelope Magnolia, “Nola,” Weaver, a native of Georgia, and Soren Haugen, a native of Alaska. Soren’s brother Magnus places an ad in The Odds Are Good magazine, a publication that helps Alaskan men find partners in the lower 48. Nola answers his ad, but because Magnus delegated the task of reading through the letters to Soren, Soren is the one who reads Nola’s letter and is immediately intrigued. Although he pretends to be Soren in his first letter to her, he almost immediately confesses who he is. Meanwhile, Nola suffers from nearly-debilitating fear of others making fun of her for scars she incurred during a car accident when she was a toddler. She confesses to him that her face is disfigured but when she sends him a picture, he barely notices anything.

They begin communicating more regularly and find they have a lot in common so they quickly arrange for Soren to visit Georgia. Their weeked together is almost magical, and it’s clear they’re both falling in love. In fact, Soren convinces Nola to purchase a ticket to Alaska in three weeks and stay with him for as long as she wants. Both secretly hope that will be forever.

But there are problems. Nola’s family has always sheltered her from the reactions others might have to her appearance, but they’ve ended up convincing her she is grotesque when she is actually quite attractive. Soren convinces her she might have Body Dysmorphic Disorder (BDD) and she should go for counseling. If only her family were so open to the idea. Her sister and brother make an effort to understand, but her mother refuses to hear any of it. Nola realizes she must create some distance between herself and her family, but when she tells them she’s going to Alaska for an unspecified amount of time, her mother loses her temper, tries to guilt-trip her, and storms out. When the story ends, this relationship is still in limbo, but Nola is certain she and her mother will work things out eventually because they love each other.

It seems like Soren has his act together, having come to terms with the fact that his parents love Magnus more than they love him. It isn’t until Nola visits his parents and sees how they treat him that he has the courage to tell them how he feels and leave. Turns out, they both come from dysfunctional families. But then, don’t we all, to one extent or another? Again, love binds them together and there’s hope of reconciliation when we reach the conclusion. This book is really about the relationship between Nola and Soren, two lost souls who find each other under unusual circumstances and immediately recognize their soulmates.

At times, the story was a bit sappy for me. I much prefer the banter of couples teasing one another and laughing. Nola was deeply sad at the beginning, so she spent a lot of her time crying. I appreciated the honesty between Nola and Soren, who didn’t try to hide their feelings from one another, no matter how vulnerable that made them. As a result, I understood their feelings and empathized with them.

Their relationship moves very quickly, and when Nola questions whether they can trust their feelings due to the rapidity with which they’re fallin in love, Soren tells her, “Don’t confuse new with impermanent. Newly poured concrete hardens quickly and lasts a hundred years.” This statement gives Nola the courage to embrace what they have together and trust that they’ll figure out how to be together.

I only had one problem with this story, and it’s kind of nit-picky because it’s not that important to the rest of the story, but here it is. Nola calls her new therapist Dr. Byers, but the doctor insists Nola must call her Gigi because she’s only a psychologist, not a doctor. Psychologists are required to obtain their doctorate, which means she would be called a doctor. Saying a psychologist is not a doctor is demeaning and minimizes all of the work that goes into obtaining a doctorate.

Other than that small issue, I think the story was great. Characters were well-developed and easy to love. I could feel the emotions of Nola and Soren. It’s a quick read, which means there isn’t a lot of excess angst to make the story last longer. If you enjoy earnest, verging-on-sappy romances, this one is for you.

This was a new author read for me. I have seen books by this author many times and decided to give them a chance. This was a very well written book. It flowed well and had a good romantic plot. No real twists or turns to it other than the relationship aspect as it built which I knew going into this read.

One of the things I liked most about this book was how normal the two main characters were. Nola isn't beautiful but definitely attractive; she has scars (both literal and emotional) from her past. She was a bit of a reclusive because she thought all anyone saw was her scars. Soren also is attractive but maybe not your normal hottie that gets the first look. He has always come second best to his brother who is that type of guy and it was perpetuated by his parents and his brother's friends. Nola and Soren meet through an online ad through his brother in fact. Soren's brother wants to have a wife who isn't pretty and shallow like what he usually dates. So he places an ad and gets Soren to weed through the responses and vet them for him. Nola answers the ad and her response intrigues Soren and he feels a connection to her. When they meet that connection gets stronger but there are some hurdles. Nola has some body image issues from her scars that she needs to overcome to believe Soren actually likes her.

Overall a very well written book. An easy read and good story. I loved the normalcy of the two main characters which was a huge draw and a big change from most romance books. And it touches on some great family issues and body image issues. What woman hasn't dealt with that at some point in her life?

Soren has accepted that when it comes to his brother he will always come second so when his brother posts an ad for a wife, he agrees to reach out to the women that are interested and see if they are a good fit. When he reaches out to Nola, he is both intrigued and attracted to her and it no longer becomes a search for his brother but for himself.

The impact of a childhood accident has shaped the course of Nola’s life. Her family’s attempts to protect are not only stifling her but have impacted her self-confidence as well. She doesn’t know what a man like Soren would see in her, but she definitely wants to find out.

Nola knows that there is more to life than the way she has been living it and Soren shows her that she is perfect just the way she is. The way they encourage and are each other’s champions only reinforces that they are exactly what the other needs in their life.

This is a hard book to describe what I like or dislike
with out giving anything away.
The relationship between Soren and Nola is a bit of
an emotional rollercoaster ride.
I voluntarily reviewed a copy of this book