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Surviving With Noah: In the dangerous Arctic wilderness, two reality show contestants turn up the heat
In the unforgiving wilderness of the Arctic, two contestants must fight to survive - and discover the warmth of love in the process.
Ava Phillips, a shy accountant with a knack for plants, enters the cutthroat world of " Duos," a reality show that will push her limits in more ways than one. Noah Hartman, a seasoned wilderness guide and search and rescue volunteer, chooses Ava as his partner, setting the stage for an adventure neither could have predicted.
As Ava and Noah battle the elements and their own fears, an unexpected bond blossoms between them. But when a dangerous rival threatens their safety and their budding romance, they must dig deep to find the strength to survive - and to fight for the love they never saw coming.
Fans of slow-burn, opposites attract, mountain man romances will be captivated by this gripping tale of survival and romance in the Arctic wild. With heart-stopping peril, sizzling chemistry, and a touch of humor, Surviving With Noah will keep you turning the pages long into the night.
#Steamy #CurvyGirl #ShyGirl #ArcticHeat
Ava Phillips, a shy accountant with a knack for plants, enters the cutthroat world of " Duos," a reality show that will push her limits in more ways than one. Noah Hartman, a seasoned wilderness guide and search and rescue volunteer, chooses Ava as his partner, setting the stage for an adventure neither could have predicted.
As Ava and Noah battle the elements and their own fears, an unexpected bond blossoms between them. But when a dangerous rival threatens their safety and their budding romance, they must dig deep to find the strength to survive - and to fight for the love they never saw coming.
Fans of slow-burn, opposites attract, mountain man romances will be captivated by this gripping tale of survival and romance in the Arctic wild. With heart-stopping peril, sizzling chemistry, and a touch of humor, Surviving With Noah will keep you turning the pages long into the night.
#Steamy #CurvyGirl #ShyGirl #ArcticHeat
299 pages, Kindle Edition
Published May 14, 2024
1 person is currently reading
14 people want to read
About the author
K.B. Brookes
4 books6 followersK. B. Brookes is a passionate writer and storyteller with a deep love for crafting empowering and engaging romance novels. With a wealth of travel experiences, including visits to remote locations, K. B. brings a unique perspective and rich detail to her writing.
Inspired by her love for reading and a desire to create stories where women have positive, empowering experiences with intimacy, K. B. has found her niche in the romance genre. Although she has never been in a survival situation like some of the characters in novels, her extensive travels and love for hiking—including on some of the trails mentioned in her books—have helped her create vivid, immersive settings for her stories.
When not writing, K. B. can often be found exploring the great outdoors, seeking new hiking trails and adventures to fuel her creativity. Her passion for storytelling shines through in her work, which aims to transport readers to exciting new worlds while celebrating the power of love and the strength of the human spirit.
Inspired by her love for reading and a desire to create stories where women have positive, empowering experiences with intimacy, K. B. has found her niche in the romance genre. Although she has never been in a survival situation like some of the characters in novels, her extensive travels and love for hiking—including on some of the trails mentioned in her books—have helped her create vivid, immersive settings for her stories.
When not writing, K. B. can often be found exploring the great outdoors, seeking new hiking trails and adventures to fuel her creativity. Her passion for storytelling shines through in her work, which aims to transport readers to exciting new worlds while celebrating the power of love and the strength of the human spirit.
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Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews
June 23, 2024
Interesting concept - romance story
Interesting concept book based on the reality TV show “Survivor”. In this incarnation, the contestants team up with a partner who best complements their skill set to Survive: Duos in the Arctic Wilderness. It begins with the show’s hosts talking up the latest series backdrop: harsh landscape and sub-arctic temperatures and giving background on the contestants and who they may pick to help them win the ‘Survive Champion’ title and grand prize money. Noah, wilderness guide extraordinaire, chooses the unlikely Ava to be his partner. Ava would rather spend her time with plants than people and is socially awkward. It turns out that Noah and Ava have a past as young people growing up in the same neighborhood, and Noah saved Ava from a wild cougar attack. She feels indebted to him and wants to break out of her sheltered life. The chapters alternate between the main characters and the tv show’s hosts who give their perspective on how the contestants and the match are progressing. Cue the hot tent on a cold night scenario when Ava and Noah start to have strong feelings for one another. Nothing like death defying experiences in the Arctic to push people together in an adventure romance. Who will win?
Interesting concept book based on the reality TV show “Survivor”. In this incarnation, the contestants team up with a partner who best complements their skill set to Survive: Duos in the Arctic Wilderness. It begins with the show’s hosts talking up the latest series backdrop: harsh landscape and sub-arctic temperatures and giving background on the contestants and who they may pick to help them win the ‘Survive Champion’ title and grand prize money. Noah, wilderness guide extraordinaire, chooses the unlikely Ava to be his partner. Ava would rather spend her time with plants than people and is socially awkward. It turns out that Noah and Ava have a past as young people growing up in the same neighborhood, and Noah saved Ava from a wild cougar attack. She feels indebted to him and wants to break out of her sheltered life. The chapters alternate between the main characters and the tv show’s hosts who give their perspective on how the contestants and the match are progressing. Cue the hot tent on a cold night scenario when Ava and Noah start to have strong feelings for one another. Nothing like death defying experiences in the Arctic to push people together in an adventure romance. Who will win?
September 6, 2024
Noah earns a living through the survival skills he and his brothers learned from their parents, taking people with no knowledge of how to get by in the wild on wilderness hikes and as a rescuer for those who have gone out alone without any guide. But how to get into the big league? The answer is a survivalist show where he can showcase his skills to the world on prime-time TV. Having been accepted as a contestant, he learns that this show has an extra tweak in it - he has to undergo the challenges with a partner. He could take his brother, someone he works with and who shares his skill set and to whom he is very close, but that in itself would be an issue - besides he'd eat too much. So instead Noah asks an acquaintance who is skilled in botany and herbalism, who is small, well rounded and female. Not only has she a skill that might be useful, she will eat less and have reserves if food is short - and he won’t care so much about her in a crisis!
Or so he reasons.
Noah is about to undergo a rather sharp learning curve!
Enter Ava. Shy, steeped in herbal law by her rather hippy mother and keen on handcrafts like whittling. No idea about survival, but blessed with high intelligence, a good feel for nature and masses of common sense, she learns quickly and proves a more than capable partner in the survival endeavour. But there is more stacked against Noah and Ava than just the elements…
The stage is set for an inevitable romance but with great adventure along the way.
Confession time. I am not a great reader of romantic fiction and am someone who turns the page on a sex scene (not many in this book and completely interwoven into plot and character development). I hold present tense writing in utter antipathy and find multi first person POV in a book completely unpalatable.
Yet I enjoyed this book.
It has engaging characters, a believable and seemingly (I am no expert so can’t be sure) well-researched background on survival skills, tension, human interest, friendship, resourcefulness and that warm glow that comes from seeing characters grow and develop on the page before you, in a really well drawn way. The best romantic fiction has a lot more to the story than just that romance as this book has.
For me, the aspect where I occasionally stumbled was keeping track of where I was in the timeline. This was because the TV presenter sections often covered things that had yet to happen and could thus be confusing or act as mild spoilers for the events to come. There were even post-series debriefs inserted whilst events were still unfolding. This led to a very choppy feel to that part of the book. I began to feel those TV presenter sections would have been much better placed at the end of each ‘episode’ not the beginning.
But if you enjoy romantic fiction that is a bit different, then stop reading my review and go get this book. It has your name on it!
Or so he reasons.
Noah is about to undergo a rather sharp learning curve!
Enter Ava. Shy, steeped in herbal law by her rather hippy mother and keen on handcrafts like whittling. No idea about survival, but blessed with high intelligence, a good feel for nature and masses of common sense, she learns quickly and proves a more than capable partner in the survival endeavour. But there is more stacked against Noah and Ava than just the elements…
The stage is set for an inevitable romance but with great adventure along the way.
Confession time. I am not a great reader of romantic fiction and am someone who turns the page on a sex scene (not many in this book and completely interwoven into plot and character development). I hold present tense writing in utter antipathy and find multi first person POV in a book completely unpalatable.
Yet I enjoyed this book.
It has engaging characters, a believable and seemingly (I am no expert so can’t be sure) well-researched background on survival skills, tension, human interest, friendship, resourcefulness and that warm glow that comes from seeing characters grow and develop on the page before you, in a really well drawn way. The best romantic fiction has a lot more to the story than just that romance as this book has.
For me, the aspect where I occasionally stumbled was keeping track of where I was in the timeline. This was because the TV presenter sections often covered things that had yet to happen and could thus be confusing or act as mild spoilers for the events to come. There were even post-series debriefs inserted whilst events were still unfolding. This led to a very choppy feel to that part of the book. I began to feel those TV presenter sections would have been much better placed at the end of each ‘episode’ not the beginning.
But if you enjoy romantic fiction that is a bit different, then stop reading my review and go get this book. It has your name on it!
June 21, 2024
Action packed with a twist! Great storyline and beautiful characters. I especially loved the unique take on a tv series as a book! It worked really well and I was hooked until the end!.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
August 31, 2024
⭐⭐⭐⭐
At a glance:
Surviving With Noah is an easy read that follows two main characters on a reality TV show competition. The story is told through their perspectives and narrated by the TV show host here and there. There are points where there are “episodes” that go over the details and other contestants, and at times provides as a bit of exposition about the other characters. These are short, but are a fun break between the main storylines, although I wish they were further expanded as it is a strength of the novel.
As a disclaimer, I don't read romance, so take this review as someone who doesn't read a lot of romance.
What I liked:
The plot was good and the challenges the characters faced were sensible. The issue with some roadblocks was the timing of events as they are shown to us in the story. For example, we are given tidbits in the beginning about the progress the contestants make on the show. However, when there are certain twists that occur in a flashback, we know they have little to no impact because of where we see the characters in previously mentioned scenarios. This takes the tension out of most of the challenges. But, I like the episode format as it was reminiscent of Big Brother in a lot of ways with the main host, Nicky, really striking a lot of parallels with Julie Chen Moonves. It also did touch on the real reality of reality television in some aspects.
There is also a lot of good imagery, and the diction used was thoughtful. I rarely found myself questioning word choice outside dialogue. There are a few (three if I recall correctly) “spicy” scenes that were well done as isolated moments. Each character also has their own quirks, and the main character's knack proves useful in the challenge scenario. Her intelligence is something I enjoy, especially with her skill set. I also detected no errors as I was reading which is always a huge plus.
What I didn't like:
My biggest criticism of the novel was the dialogue. Often times, it felt like characters weren't speaking like real people, and were often too verbose and focused on explaining things that they already said. There were several places where characters would move from angry to forgiving in a matter of one sentence of dialogue. Also, few people use colorful language as they speak. This is the same case with the first person point of view, where the two main characters use the construction “As I __,” and lots of filter words. Several times, we are told that Noah feels “frustrated” or “angry.” But we are rarely shown that his face turns bolt red, and he balls up his fists.
Second, the timeline of events was jarring. I would have much preferred if the book stuck to the format of episodes leading up to the events and telling them as the competition went on. Often times, I was confused about both the history of the challenge “Survive Duos” and their actual goal. It wasn't clearly explained, and while the location is described as the “Arctic,” no information is really given about what the Arctic is. I believe it is fictionalized, but it wasn't clear to me that was what was happening.
Concluding Thoughts:
I enjoyed this novel as my first romance novel. It was a good introduction and easy to read. I wish it was more linear and the dialogue was tightened up. Despite that, the concept was exciting, and I really hope the format continues with more episodes getting utilized. Having the episodes is what separates this from other novels, and is a stronger point and if made even stronger will have a lasting impact.
Recommended to:
If you are looking for something with a different structure than the usual cookie cutter book, I would recommend this novel. The author clearly did research into survival aspects, and I was surprised with the ingenuity of the characters. While there were certainly some issues I had, I couldn't put the book down, reading it under the course of a week!
At a glance:
Surviving With Noah is an easy read that follows two main characters on a reality TV show competition. The story is told through their perspectives and narrated by the TV show host here and there. There are points where there are “episodes” that go over the details and other contestants, and at times provides as a bit of exposition about the other characters. These are short, but are a fun break between the main storylines, although I wish they were further expanded as it is a strength of the novel.
As a disclaimer, I don't read romance, so take this review as someone who doesn't read a lot of romance.
What I liked:
The plot was good and the challenges the characters faced were sensible. The issue with some roadblocks was the timing of events as they are shown to us in the story. For example, we are given tidbits in the beginning about the progress the contestants make on the show. However, when there are certain twists that occur in a flashback, we know they have little to no impact because of where we see the characters in previously mentioned scenarios. This takes the tension out of most of the challenges. But, I like the episode format as it was reminiscent of Big Brother in a lot of ways with the main host, Nicky, really striking a lot of parallels with Julie Chen Moonves. It also did touch on the real reality of reality television in some aspects.
There is also a lot of good imagery, and the diction used was thoughtful. I rarely found myself questioning word choice outside dialogue. There are a few (three if I recall correctly) “spicy” scenes that were well done as isolated moments. Each character also has their own quirks, and the main character's knack proves useful in the challenge scenario. Her intelligence is something I enjoy, especially with her skill set. I also detected no errors as I was reading which is always a huge plus.
What I didn't like:
My biggest criticism of the novel was the dialogue. Often times, it felt like characters weren't speaking like real people, and were often too verbose and focused on explaining things that they already said. There were several places where characters would move from angry to forgiving in a matter of one sentence of dialogue. Also, few people use colorful language as they speak. This is the same case with the first person point of view, where the two main characters use the construction “As I __,” and lots of filter words. Several times, we are told that Noah feels “frustrated” or “angry.” But we are rarely shown that his face turns bolt red, and he balls up his fists.
Second, the timeline of events was jarring. I would have much preferred if the book stuck to the format of episodes leading up to the events and telling them as the competition went on. Often times, I was confused about both the history of the challenge “Survive Duos” and their actual goal. It wasn't clearly explained, and while the location is described as the “Arctic,” no information is really given about what the Arctic is. I believe it is fictionalized, but it wasn't clear to me that was what was happening.
Concluding Thoughts:
I enjoyed this novel as my first romance novel. It was a good introduction and easy to read. I wish it was more linear and the dialogue was tightened up. Despite that, the concept was exciting, and I really hope the format continues with more episodes getting utilized. Having the episodes is what separates this from other novels, and is a stronger point and if made even stronger will have a lasting impact.
Recommended to:
If you are looking for something with a different structure than the usual cookie cutter book, I would recommend this novel. The author clearly did research into survival aspects, and I was surprised with the ingenuity of the characters. While there were certainly some issues I had, I couldn't put the book down, reading it under the course of a week!
March 25, 2025
NZ author!
This book has such a fun premise! If you've ever watched a survival show like 'alone' it's set like that but duos! The style of storytelling with the jumping back and forth between the narrator and the now was something new to me but totally worked for this story.
I feel like the end of the book was a bit messy but this was a debut and overall a fun read! I will be continuing on the series for sure !
This book has such a fun premise! If you've ever watched a survival show like 'alone' it's set like that but duos! The style of storytelling with the jumping back and forth between the narrator and the now was something new to me but totally worked for this story.
I feel like the end of the book was a bit messy but this was a debut and overall a fun read! I will be continuing on the series for sure !
September 22, 2024
“Surviving With Noah: In the dangerous Arctic wilderness, two reality show contestants turn up the heat” is Alone meets romance in the woods. It's an intriguing concept to weave a romance into the setting of a survival reality TV show, and this mix gives the novel an appealing edge.
Noah is portrayed as the quintessential “man’s man,” with a noble streak that makes him a classic romantic hero. Ava starts off more reserved, but as the story unfolds and we see her in action, the saying “don’t judge a book by its cover” comes to mind. There’s far more depth to her than first impressions suggest. Both characters are well-developed, and the groundwork for future books is laid out nicely.
The reality show backdrop brings interesting elements to the story, though at times it can feel a bit jarring, like an ill-timed commercial break. Still, it largely adds to the book's unique appeal. There's a good deal of story woven together, with other contestants and the show’s crew playing their parts. The book does a commendable job of making these threads easy to follow and bringing them to satisfying conclusions, no small feat given the number of characters involved.
The novel does get quite steamy at times. However, these moments don’t detract from the story—if you’re not a fan, they can be skipped without losing the plot, but if you enjoy the heat, you'll find plenty of it.
If you enjoy romance novels, Surviving With Noah is definitely worth your time.
Noah is portrayed as the quintessential “man’s man,” with a noble streak that makes him a classic romantic hero. Ava starts off more reserved, but as the story unfolds and we see her in action, the saying “don’t judge a book by its cover” comes to mind. There’s far more depth to her than first impressions suggest. Both characters are well-developed, and the groundwork for future books is laid out nicely.
The reality show backdrop brings interesting elements to the story, though at times it can feel a bit jarring, like an ill-timed commercial break. Still, it largely adds to the book's unique appeal. There's a good deal of story woven together, with other contestants and the show’s crew playing their parts. The book does a commendable job of making these threads easy to follow and bringing them to satisfying conclusions, no small feat given the number of characters involved.
The novel does get quite steamy at times. However, these moments don’t detract from the story—if you’re not a fan, they can be skipped without losing the plot, but if you enjoy the heat, you'll find plenty of it.
If you enjoy romance novels, Surviving With Noah is definitely worth your time.
July 3, 2024
This is the story about the relationship between Noah and Eva. He is a wilderness expert. He wins a spot on an Alaskan survival reality show, much like the popular series “Survivor.” Then a kink is tossed into the mix. He must choose a partner to accompany him into the wilderness. He decides that Ava, a quiet, young accountant, will be a strong partner even though she doesn’t know much about wilderness survival. That doesn’t matter to Noah. He can take care of that. What she brings to the team is the ability to identify edible and medicinal plants. Plus, she can whittle.
The story is told from three viewpoints—Noah’s, Ava’s, and the reality show commentators. While the reader gets snippets of wilderness survival skills, the real story is the development of Noah and Eva’s attraction for each other. Both characters are likable. They seem perfect for each other if they can overcome the difficulties of surviving, coupled with inner fears of what the other really thinks about them.
Potential spoiler alert: Overall, it was a satisfactory romantic read. What was a little unexpected were a couple of explicit, steamy, sex-scenes close to the end of the book. Perhaps less detail would have fit the overall tone of the proceeding chapters. For this reason, I gave this a 4-star rather than a 5-star rating.
The story is told from three viewpoints—Noah’s, Ava’s, and the reality show commentators. While the reader gets snippets of wilderness survival skills, the real story is the development of Noah and Eva’s attraction for each other. Both characters are likable. They seem perfect for each other if they can overcome the difficulties of surviving, coupled with inner fears of what the other really thinks about them.
Potential spoiler alert: Overall, it was a satisfactory romantic read. What was a little unexpected were a couple of explicit, steamy, sex-scenes close to the end of the book. Perhaps less detail would have fit the overall tone of the proceeding chapters. For this reason, I gave this a 4-star rather than a 5-star rating.
June 17, 2024
What starts as a wilderness adventure gradually morphs into a love story between Ava Phillips, a shy, spiritual introvert with an intuitive knowledge of plants and Noah, a well-respected wilderness guide with proven survival skills. The two team up for a “Survive: Duos” contest knowing that they’ll have to fight both harsh Arctic conditions as well as seasoned and determined competitors. The format of the book is interesting and somewhat experimental, with many chapters driven by the voice of one of the two main characters. Additional voices (for example those in “Short take” and “Springs Chronicle” chapters) bring additional color but also some redundancy. More insights about the specifics of Arctic life, in particular plants, would have made Ava a stronger character, as she is presented as a plants expert whose “uncanny knowledge of plants borders on the mystical.”
October 15, 2024
I am not a huge fan of reality contest shows, but if you are, this book will definitely be right up your alley. However, I was pleasantly surprised, and the story has enough adventure plus the suggested romance element-- to keep other readers interested. I think we all might have had some sort of fantasy where we were stuck in a cold, frigid, arctic zone, and we get paired up with a decent-looking person of the opposite sex for a night of steamy escape. Ava is a little bit shy and looking to find herself, and Noah is a resourceful, rugged, outdoor survival type guy. Sparks fly and it reminds me and other readers of Survivor, Amazing Race, or a plethora of other reality survival shows. Recommended if you like romance or outdoor activities, etc.
June 20, 2024
Surviving With Noah by K. B. Brookes is a good, and enjoyable steamy shy curvy girl opposites attract slow burn reality tv wilderness survival mountain man romance read. The story has a great entertaining world building story line. The characters are great, and they have great chemistry. This story is a very entertaining steamy page turning romance read. I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
June 19, 2024
A niche romance novel that uses a survivalist reality show as its backdrop, Surviving With Noah is the story of wallflower Ava falling for manly mountain man Noah. Romance fans will enjoy the traditional tropes, although it might be too steamy for some. My personal opinion is that the prose and dialogue could be tightened up a little, but overall this is an enjoyable enough read.
November 16, 2024
reality romance heaven!
This is such a fun read, especially if you’re a lover of reality tv survivor type shows. I loved the strength Ava the FMC has and Noah MMC can make me a cup of tea anytime😏
This is such a fun read, especially if you’re a lover of reality tv survivor type shows. I loved the strength Ava the FMC has and Noah MMC can make me a cup of tea anytime😏
June 17, 2024
A page turner I couldn't put down. Great characters and interesting survival and nature's facts seamlessly interwoven in to a good story. Steamy scenes but not at the expense of the plot.
Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews