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Northern Hearts: A Novel
Tessa Collins has just moved to Alaska. An anthropologist and professor, she embarks on a research trip to Denali National Park with five other people. Unexpectedly an early winter storm pummels the tundra. When the band of researchers is forced to take refuge in a cave, Tessa finds herself drawn to two of her traveling companions-a Native Alaskan activist and adventurer, and a former New York stockbroker turned Alaskan general store owner. Against this dramatic background, Tessa finds herself worrying about survival but also enjoying the attentions of two men. Ripped away from all she's known, she is learning more about herself, and in the midst of this harrowing experience, she realizes she has choices to make. Will she make the right ones? This exciting and tender novel will captivate anyone who likes stories of romance and adventure.
- GenresChristian Fiction
240 pages, Paperback
First published February 1, 2007
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
June 8, 2015
**SO MANY SPOILERS**
I feel like Ms. Elliston didn't really outline the main plot structure of her novel before writing.
1) We start out with Tessa heading from Minnesota (where she is an anthropologist) to Alaska to study the Inuit people. She meets R.E., a former businessman from New York who gave up everything, changed his name to Running Elk (R.E.) and moved to Alaska to open a general store. The two become friends. She signs up to go on an excursion with a group of people, nearly all of which are well-versed in Alaska and prepared for the trip.
2) Near the middle, the plot change to a girl on a trip who must choose between two men. The Tessa at the beginning of the book had absolutely no intention of finding a man on her Alaska journey -- she was here to study the native people and love would get in the way, naturally. She moves in just a few short pages from becoming a strong, independent woman to grown up Bella Swan.
3) At the end, she decides to both move completely from Minnesota to Alaska (after the one excursion into the Alaskan tundra), without any prospects of job, housing or transportation, and spend some time getting to know herself again and her new residency, thus declining a relationship with either man from Point 2.
I should also note that at no point in this book did she actually complete her study of the Alaskan people. The worst-even-the-natives-had-ever-seen came across and the entire group got trapped in a cave for several days. This, combined with the fact that nearly all of their essential supplies were lost along the way, made it impossible for them to continue on or for Tessa to actually accomplish what she came on the trip -- and to Alaska -- to do.
I feel like Ms. Elliston didn't really outline the main plot structure of her novel before writing.
1) We start out with Tessa heading from Minnesota (where she is an anthropologist) to Alaska to study the Inuit people. She meets R.E., a former businessman from New York who gave up everything, changed his name to Running Elk (R.E.) and moved to Alaska to open a general store. The two become friends. She signs up to go on an excursion with a group of people, nearly all of which are well-versed in Alaska and prepared for the trip.
2) Near the middle, the plot change to a girl on a trip who must choose between two men. The Tessa at the beginning of the book had absolutely no intention of finding a man on her Alaska journey -- she was here to study the native people and love would get in the way, naturally. She moves in just a few short pages from becoming a strong, independent woman to grown up Bella Swan.
3) At the end, she decides to both move completely from Minnesota to Alaska (after the one excursion into the Alaskan tundra), without any prospects of job, housing or transportation, and spend some time getting to know herself again and her new residency, thus declining a relationship with either man from Point 2.
I should also note that at no point in this book did she actually complete her study of the Alaskan people. The worst-even-the-natives-had-ever-seen came across and the entire group got trapped in a cave for several days. This, combined with the fact that nearly all of their essential supplies were lost along the way, made it impossible for them to continue on or for Tessa to actually accomplish what she came on the trip -- and to Alaska -- to do.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 13, 2010
Having never read any of elliston's novels I didn't know what to expect. I really enjoyed her easy writting style and her characters. It's one of those book you don't want to end. I really got into the characters lives. I definate must read.
September 8, 2014
Slow to but with good points. Could have been told in half the book.
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews