Breaking the Ice by Kim Baldwin

Alaska #2

by Kim Baldwin

Nothing is easy about life above the Arctic Circle. Except, perhaps, falling in love.

Bryson Faulkner embraces the challenges that come with making a home in one of the most beautiful but unforgiving places on earth: the isolation of the endless wilderness, the harsh and unpredictable climate, the predators that lurk about her remote cabin, and even the most perilous dangers of all--those that await her when she takes to the skies as one of Alaska's most daring bush pilots. The only thing missing is a special woman to share it all with, but she's resigned herself to the fact that few people can thrive in such an extreme environment.

Everything Karla Edwards thought she knew gets called into question when a series of events turns her comfortable and well-ordered life on its ear. Her partner leaves her, her mother dies, and Karla learns she has a sister in Alaska she never knew. She takes a leave of absence from her job as an ER nurse in Atlanta and heads to the far north, seeking answers and adventure. She finds all that and more when she crosses paths with a sexy bush pilot who opens her eyes to new possibilities. But can she open her heart as well and learn to trust again?

Genres: Romance, LGBT, Lesbian, Audiobook, Lesbian Fiction, Fiction, Lesbian Romance

Paperback

First published January 1, 2009

About the author

Kim has made her living as a writer for more than three decades, working as an Emmy-winning journalist in network news for twenty years before she began penning fiction. She resides in a national forest in Michigan, with few neighbors and a long drive to get to the nearest airport, movie theater, or ethnic restaurant. She never imagined herself a novelist, her first book, Hunter’s Pursuit, was written as a way to fight off cabin fever during a long winter and was sent off to a publisher at the encouragement of friends. The positive feedback she received from readers hooked her to continue writing more romantic lesbian adventures.
Travel is a major obsession. Kim first went to Europe at age fourteen, traveling with her parents on a five week excursion through a dozen countries. Four years later, she returned as part of a singing and dancing troupe, performing in town squares and castles and staying with local families.
The decades since have been filled with many more far-flung excursions... riding a camel at the Pyramids of Giza, crossing the U.N. green line at Cyprus, dogsledding above the Arctic Circle in Alaska, watching Paris awaken from atop Notre Dame Cathedral, motorcycling the Blue Ridge parkway, watching shuttles launch from a kayak near Cape Canaveral, skiing Whistler/Blackcomb, British Columbia, climbing Diamondhead in Hawaii. Her travels and journalism background provide great fodder for her novels. And her younger years in community theater have paid off in her new passion--narrating audiobooks.
Kim is a member of PAN (Published Author’s Network), Romance Writers of America, and the Rainbow Romance Writers, Chapter #217 of the RWA. She's also a 2008 Recipient of an Alice B. Readers Appreciation Award The Alice B. Medal: This award is given annually to living writers who have careers distinguished by consistently well-written stories about lesbians. The award is given once, only, in appreciation of career achievement. (from the author's website)

Reviews

[Carrie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Oh, how I dislike audio books. But I continue to listen to them because I now have a lengthy commute. This is available through Audible Escape. If you aren't aware, for a monthly fee you get a whole bunch of romance audio books. There is an OK selection of lesbian fiction. Nothing to write home about.

What to say about 'Breaking the Ice' by Kim Baldwin? This is my first book by this author. I'm sure I would have liked it more had I read it myself. I feel like a broken record about that at this point.

The story was just OK for me. An average story that had some entertainment value as I traveled along to and from work.

The relationship between the two main characters, Karla and Bryson, was fast. Insta love. After only a few weeks they were professing love and couldn't fathom being apart.

Overall, it was an OK read. It felt a bit dated. Reference to Indigo Girls and friends going to Canada to get married.

Also, everyone knows how I can do without the sex in books. But this book referenced using a strap-on. What is the point in that? If you are going to reference it, you might as well put it in action.

Listen to this if you need some entertainment in the car. You could do worse.

[Howard · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 Stars for Breaking the Ice: Alaska, Book 2 (audiobook) by Kim Baldwin read by the author.

A big city woman learns that she has a sister after her mother dies. And the sister lives in a very small and remote town in Alaska. So she takes time off and heads to Alaska. She lost the only family she knew but hopefully she’ll connect with this new part of her family.

[Laure · Rating 2 out of 5]

I confess that I was disappointed by this book.

It could have been a wonderful novel if the story wasn't rushed on the last third of the book ...
Seriously, we are almost lost in details in the 2 first thirds of the novel which last only a short preiod in time ... and after that ... BOOM !! We jump in time suddenly and we don't know what happens during several weeks ...

The Love story between Bryson and Karka should have been more built in time, 'cause yeah they could have had more time together in a less dramatic way than to be injured + a so long separation doesn't seem to be logical ... Neither the fact that one day, Bryson and Karla almost hate eachother and the day after they seem to be madly in Love ..

A few more moments of seduction would have been great, a few more scenes outdoors too. Bryson could have learn Karla how to recognise the different species by their prints, work the wood ...Such things would have helped Karla to understand why Bryson is so in Love with Alaska and why she falls in Love with both Bryson and her beloved country in the same time.

More scenes like the one with the mountaineers, so a lil bit more of action on the field would have been interesting. It would have reinforced their attraction, their link, their Love ... It could have helped Karla to understanding that she can make a lot of good out there and a huge difference with her medical training in such a desolated place ...

Think this novel could be reworked before being released again ... and, then, it could become a real bestseller ...

[Sandra · Rating 4 out of 5]

Nice and enjoyable read but not the perfect one. Especially the last third was too rushed.

My rating 3.5 stars

[Lorraine Rusnack · Rating 5 out of 5]

I enjoyed the whole story. The beautiful descriptions of Alaskan wilderness. Bryson the daring and attractive bush pilot longs to find a woman willing to live the simple life with her. Karla has had her life turned inside out and goes in search for a sister she never knew existed. Bryson and Karla’s first meeting is a bit tense. Some of the subject matter about Alzheimer’s was hard for me but it was handled so well with love and care. There were a some thrilling moments that kept me on the edge of my seat. I loved how the romance unfolded. The authors insights at the end were great. Kim Baldwin did a good job narrating too.

[MaxDisaster · Rating 3 out of 5]

3 stars
Rather formulaic, but definitely not bad.
It was a bit preachy at times with it's "modern stuff isn't necessary, true happiness is in wilderness" thing, but that's basically the staple of this whole genre so it doesn't bother me.
I'm not sure if there wasn't much chemistry between the MCs or if I just somehow missed it, but it was a better story about family than a romance.

[Jae Jae]

It was a solid romance, but not a perfect one. The last third of the book felt rushed — Karla went from not liking Bryson and Alaska to falling in love with them a bit too fast for me.

[Katia M. Davis · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 really because of the epic wilderness. I did like the two main characters and the relationship that formed between them despite a rocky start. I also enjoyed the fact this was generally an angst-free read. I still have to get over the author's propensity for explaining feelings as if the reader can't figure it out from the dialogue or action. There was a spot in the novel where we simply jump forward in time to deal with a separation. I think that could have been used more effectively and it made the ending feel rushed. But this was an enjoyable read so I do recommend it.

[Svetlana Wesley · Rating 5 out of 5]

Storyline is very capturing but I guess I was spoled by Radclyffe by her deep emotional struggle on the characters. That what was missing as for me. All got settled simple. may be that how it happens in life and I am weird lol. Great book though

[Kelly_Hunsaker_reads ... · Rating 2 out of 5]

This is a sweet, simple, predictable romance. About two thirds into the book makes a jump forward in time that was frustrating. I felt like the author didn't know what to do but wanted to wrap up the story in a happy bow. But an extra fifty pages and no time jump would have allowed for a much more believable and enjoyable romance. Why not let the readers see why these two people fall in love. Instead it felt like. I hate you. Okay I respect you. No, I am madly in love with you. There were no little moments of joy and discovery. There were no intimate conversations where they found their commonalities. No inside jokes. This book could have been so much more enjoyable.

[Unpopmary · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.75 ⭐

[Cyndi Marie ☆★Audiobook Addict★☆ · Rating 4 out of 5]

🎧 Audio Review 🎧

This was my first delve into FF Romance and this was probably the lowest steam book I could have picked. I have a serious love for books set in Alaska so I picked this book based on that and a recommendation from the Audible Editor podcast Audicted to Romance. I was captivated by the setting and the story immediately. I loved that the author took the time to let the story happen and let the characters get to know each other, I can't get on board with Insta-love so this was a huge plus for me. I will be honest, I was a little surprised at the low steam level of this book but that's not a complaint, I actually enjoyed that this was more about family, love and finding a place in the world. I loved the family dynamic of this story, sisters getting to know each other for the first time and they fall right into the relationship sisters should have. I also love the survival & helping others aspect of this book, that's probably why I love Alaskan books. The love story was sweet and left me with a very happy heart.

The narration was ok. TBH I don't love author narration. In this case she wasn't bad, probably better than I expected but she still wasn't great. She was a little too monotone and honestly showed very little emotion in her narration. Maybe with a little more work she could be a great narrator, she had the potential for sure.

[Emma · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book would have received a much higher rating if it hadn't been so utterly predictable. It's one book I would have loved to have read before it got to an editor. I just got the sense that it got cut and trimmed too much. There were a few scenes where you felt a sense of adventure and suspense, but it would just get interesting, and them boom, all of a sudden it was over and on to the mundane. I would love to have seen the suspense heightened and most of all, a plot that wasn't so predictable. I don't enjoy books that I know exactly what's going to happen by page 3, and unfortunately this was one of them. It's a shame, because she is a good writer. She just bored me to tears on the romantic plot.

[Alena · Rating 3 out of 5]

Standard solid romance novel with endearing characters.

Predictable, very sudden ending, you know the game. With those limitations it was a lovely story.

Sigh. I really, really have to learn to stop reading this stuff. It leaves me wanting more. Wanting more meat to the stories, issues explored they only hint at. Something more than cookie-cutter romance.

I have to make a more serious attempt to find the sort of lesbian/queer novels I want to read.

[Janet · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a nice, quick read. I enjoyed the scenery and the Alaskan "feel" to the story, but wanted to know more about the characters. I felt it was very light and didn't dwell on the issues I wanted to know more of.

[Sascha Broich · Rating 4 out of 5]

Declaration of love from the author to Alaska.

[Kim · Rating 4 out of 5]

The action, characters, and conflicts in Breaking the Ice are nicely paced, relatable, and stirring. I like the fact that Karla isn't another of those "always calm and kind" type of characters. She is in what, to her, is a high-pressure situation, and she behaves accordingly. After being told she can't reach her destination that evening, Karla responds by being demanding, impatient, and self-centered. Hey, look! It's a human! What do you know? The icing on the cake is that her sister behaves similarly. Stuff like that increases my enjoyment in a book..
Bryson is a good character, too, but, like Lars, is a very "go with the flow" kind of person, which make sense, given her chosen career, but also makes her a little harder to relate to.
Overall, I enjoyed this book very much, and look forward to reading more by Kim Baldwin.

[Jen · Rating 4 out of 5]

After losing everyone she still had, can she get everything she wanted?

“If you live according to nature, you will never be poor; but if according to opinions, you will never be rich. Nature demands little, opinion a great deal.”
–Epicurus, Greek philosopher
+ • + • + • +

After losing everyone she still had, Karla might get to find everything she ever wanted. Her mother dies just two weeks after the girlfriend she considered her wife left in love with someone else, she discovers a sister her mother gave up for adoption at 16. Fueled by grief, desperation & a lifelong desire for a sibling, she races off to Alaska bush to all the family she has left. & the smoking hot female pilot she gets to know along the way maybe can be family too… if not just fun…

[Kaye · Rating 3 out of 5]

Romance from 2009. Karla Edwards learns after the death of her mother that she has a half sister living in Alaska that she never knew about. She seeks her out finding her living in a remote town in the Arctic Circle. Getting there she meets bush pilot Bryson Faulkner. Bryson is neighbors (miles apart) of the half sister and they have a connection. The story was going along fine but then jumps in time weeks. I wanted the romance to be shown more. This is one of those books where the romance is obvious seemingly because they are the only two single people. This is low angst but nothing really memorable.

[Kirsten · Rating 4 out of 5]

I wanted to like this one more than I did. I loved the setting and reading about life in Alaska. But the 2 girls falling in love seemed to do so very slowly and by the time the whole rest of the plot had resolved it seemed the last thing unresolved and I just didn't care anymore. I guess I like lesbian fiction in which the romance goes on throughout the entire book, not as an afterthought. However im grateful that lesfic even exists so I give it 8/10.

[JT · Rating 5 out of 5]

I don't generally enjoy novels narrated by the author. Kim is definitely an exception. I liked everything about novel. It is one of the most scene descriptive novels I have experienced in a while. I felt like I was seeing Alaska in a snowstorm. The characters and the story were also engrossing. I am going to read more of Kim's work.

[Dide · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.6 star ratings
Sweet. Love this story, as an outdoor enthusiast, i would have loved if more of the wildlife and environment was depicted but all the same the author did a sweet job of merging romantic destiny with a romantic setting.
This is a stand alone but those that have read the previous book (Whitewater Rendezvous) in the series will recognise a short scene by one of the characters.

[Lyssa Wolf · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was very well crafted, extremely descriptive, and very cute. It makes a good read, and will make the reader hungry to explore Alaska and the wilderness.

[IndigoIris · Rating 5 out of 5]

Super enjoyable story, much more polished than the first Alaska book. I felt like it ended abruptly but overall I really enjoyed the story and the vibrant descriptions of the Alaskan wilderness.

[Kristy Drexel · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great read I felt like I was right there in Alaska as the story pulled me into the pages

[Jamie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Alaska setting! But I just needed more… something. More talking. More heat?

[Shannon Luchies · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good read.

Was a bit of a fast read, so I felt a bit unfulfilled at the end.

Interesting characters, interesting location.

[Smash · Rating 2 out of 5]

The love story was the worst part of this book. There was no development of their attraction and the love scene was just cringeworthy. The rest of the story, however, was engaging.

[Bianca · Rating 5 out of 5]

Kim writes wonderfully.

It was s great book.
I recommend it to anybody that likes to read a good book. Love it .

[Allison]

Don’t recommend!