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Alaska Twilight
"You're afraid of really living, Haley." He flicked his finger at her camera. "You hide behind your camera instead of stepping out and engaging life with both hands. You're so afraid you'll fail at something, you won't even try."
For some people, Alaska is a breathtaking wilderness adventure, full of light and beauty. For Haley, it is a dangerous world of dark dreams and tortured memories. On the surface, she's here to document wildlife activist Kipp Nowak's bear encounters. But her real reason is to unearth the truth about a past murder. The suspense mounts when another body turns up, and Haley beginst to wonder if the tragedies she experienced in the past are connected to the dangers and mysterious incidents of the present. From behind the viewfinder of her camera, Haley observes it all, including Tank Lassiter, the bear biologist who has been forced to lead Kipp and his team into the Alaskan backcountry. As she watches him with his work, she feels a growing attraction. It will take great courage and faith to confront the truth she once ran away from. Before it's over, Haley may be viewing herself from an entirely new angle.
Alaska Twilight is the story of a young woman's emergence from the shadows of past sorrow into the light of forgiveness and grace.
310 pages, Paperback
First published March 7, 2006
598 people are currently reading
1967 people want to read
About the author
Colleen Coble
147 books6,312 followersUSAToday bestselling author Colleen Coble lives with her husband, Dave, in Arizona. She is the author of dozens of novels including the Rock Harbor Series, the Aloha Reef Series, the Mercy Falls Series, the Hope Beach Series, the Lonestar Series and two Women of Faith fiction selections, Alaska Twilight and Midnight Sea. She has more than 6 million books in print.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 215 reviews
March 29, 2024
I wanted a “wintery” book, and this hit the spot. It was my first Colleen Coble book, and I will definitely be reading more from this author! I loved how she painted a clear picture of each character, and the depth in each characters storyline. It was completely clean. The faith based element seemed minimal throughout most of the story, but near the end tied up beautifully. It’s really a story about the freedom from darkness we find when we surrender to the Lord. I really enjoyed this one!
March 7, 2022
This was another great mystery suspense to solve by Colleen Coble. I enjoyed the characters and the mysteries and the actual baddie took me by surprise.
I loved that Bree, Kade and Samson made an appearance in this story.
I listened to the audiobook and enjoyed it.
*I listened to this on Scribd.*
I loved that Bree, Kade and Samson made an appearance in this story.
I listened to the audiobook and enjoyed it.
*I listened to this on Scribd.*
August 17, 2017
Books that take place in Alaska always make me curious, hence the reason I started this book.
Sadly the few books written by Miss Colleen that I've read haven't been my style. Although I like a good mystery, I really dislike violence, and her books have too much violence for my tastes. In addition to human/human violence, there was also animal/human violence. There were several other things I disliked, including the fact that some of the comments regarding bears seemed ill-researched and therefore took me out of the story and made it feel unbelievable to me.
The plot was interesting, and the main characters were complex and grew during the story, but overall this book really wasn't one I liked.
Sadly the few books written by Miss Colleen that I've read haven't been my style. Although I like a good mystery, I really dislike violence, and her books have too much violence for my tastes. In addition to human/human violence, there was also animal/human violence. There were several other things I disliked, including the fact that some of the comments regarding bears seemed ill-researched and therefore took me out of the story and made it feel unbelievable to me.
The plot was interesting, and the main characters were complex and grew during the story, but overall this book really wasn't one I liked.
April 11, 2022
ALASKA TWILIGHT
Colleen Coble
I started this because I had it on hold at my library. I love books that include Alaska as their setting and so had great hopes for this one. What a letdown this was!
I could not relate to any of the characters, nope not one of them. The big grizzle man was such a letdown, extremely predictable with problems that were contrived and unrealistic. I mean who lets an old boyfriend who was dumped investigate the man that he was dumped for? No real department that I can think of. The whole thing just went downhill from there for me.
DNF 1 star
Happy Reading!
Colleen Coble
I started this because I had it on hold at my library. I love books that include Alaska as their setting and so had great hopes for this one. What a letdown this was!
I could not relate to any of the characters, nope not one of them. The big grizzle man was such a letdown, extremely predictable with problems that were contrived and unrealistic. I mean who lets an old boyfriend who was dumped investigate the man that he was dumped for? No real department that I can think of. The whole thing just went downhill from there for me.
DNF 1 star
Happy Reading!
March 14, 2023
The book starts out with a prologue of a guy throwing kerosene on a cabin and burning it down with people inside, but it really gets “started” in chapter one when a bunch of people pile out of a float plane and mill around for like an hour. The main character is Hayley, and she’s a nitwit. Her grandma, Augusta, has come along to gather information for the coffee table book she’s writing (lol). Also in this group is Kipp, who has some sort of Crocodile Hunter-esque TV show. Why this odd conglomeration of souls has assembled, I have no idea.
There was a confusing part that I read a couple times. The way it’s written, these people all just turn around and look at a waterfall where there are two grizzly bears looking for salmon. “They were only ten feet away.” So…the plane landing didn’t scare them off?
Now, I have never read a book that triggered me so.many.times. in such a short amount of time. Maybe it’s because I have a basic knowledge of the outdoors/National Park codes of conduct/animal safety, but these people are freaking idiots and this author didn’t do much research. Kipp’s producer, Denny, starts talking about Kipp’s past escapades for his show. He mentions the time they were in Yellowstone and Kipp “jumped on the back of a bison and got thrown off and almost gored. We had to beg pretty hard to be allowed back into Yellowstone after that one!”
FIRST OF ALL, you would have gone to jail for this. Second, you would NEVER be allowed back into Yellowstone. THIRD, you wouldn’t have been able to get on a bison’s back in the first place...you would most likely die trying.
Hayley is bemoaning the fact that she’s in Alaska and alludes to some past trauma here that I don’t care about because she’s a butt. She just wishes she could have some powdered donuts and be back in the city!!!! She went on a “Web site” to find out what kind of clothes she should wear and we are told the brand names of the jeans, shirt, and sweatshirt she bought. Is she stupid? You’re going camping, it’s pretty self-explanatory what you need to wear. She is hitting the sack one night and then suddenly it’s like, “she removed the prosthetic” and yeah, apparently Hayley only has one leg.
Surprisingly the next morning this poser finds powdered donuts in her backpack but it’s not enough to stop her whining. She goes for a walk and comes upon a grizzly bear. However, she refers to it as a “brown bear.” Look, I know they’re (basically) the same thing. But everyone in the US and Canada would see one of these and call it a grizzly bear, not a brown bear. She’s frozen to the spot because she’s stupid. The bear comes toward her and she just crumples into a “play dead” position. I had actually just asked Derek the other day what the guidelines were for playing dead with a grizzly bear. He explained that you don’t do this unless the bear has already taken a swipe at you. So there, Colleen Coble. The bear is tugging at her sleeve when some guy named Tank comes along and rescues her. Of course he raised this bear, Miki (stupid name) from a cub and is like, I’m not sure how to disentangle the bear from thinking humans equal food source. A FED BEAR IS A DEAD BEAR, TANK.
Tank watches Hayley, who of COURSE has auburn curls, walk away and is like, I’m so attracted to the fact that she needs me to protect her and can’t handle life on her own. Stop right there. This is when I got so angry I had to close the book for a while because I realized this is the problem with every Christian romance novel (yes, this turned out to be a CRN). The women are weak and the men love it. Are you for real? This is what abusers want: a weak woman who he can mold into what he wants and won’t stand up for herself and leave. A real man wants a strong woman who can handle life by herself but allows him to protect her. I’m all for traditional gender roles, but traditional gender roles do not equal weak women and overbearing men.
Grandma Augusta is going somewhere with a nameless companion and Tank tells them it’s a two mile walk. “My feet are already tired,” says Augusta. THEN WHY DID YOU COME ON A TWELVE WEEK CAMPING AND HIKING TRIP TO ALASKA?
Tank is leading this group on a hike to some bear area and says it’s a two hour hike. There are moans and groans and Kipp is like, “Aren’t you gonna help us carry our packs?” What? It’s a two hour hike! Isn’t he supposed to be an outdoorsman?? Why is everyone in this book acting like they’ve never been outside before?
Tank says he used a snowmobile to get somewhere in the winter. Wrong. People in Alaska call them “snow machines.”
Kipp puts up his “high-dollar” tent on a bear trail in some bushes and everyone else hurries off with Tank. “We watched two bears feeding yesterday. We were within just feet of them,” Augusta said. “Now you’re saying it’s not safe to be so close. We don’t know what to believe.” I have no words.
They find a body and a bear tooth by it so they assume a bear killed him. If it was Miki, the animal will have to be shot. Speaking of guns, Tank is parading ‘round the brush with nothing but bear spray. I wonder if this is what a real Alaskan would do? Survey says: they’d carry a gun.
Kipp is still acting like a fool and like he’s never been outside. He wants to leave food out for the bears to come into their camp. Tank wonders if there’s any way he can get out of this “assignment” (side note, who gave him this assignment anyway??) to which I say: yes there is, just get up and leave.
This grandma just said something that sounded an awful lot like "you don't need therapy or help after trauma, you just need to become Christian."
Somebody in a ski mask sticks their upper body into Hayley’s tent in the middle of the night and is unzipping her backpack. She throws her wooden leg at the person and then Tank comes up and sees nothing where her leg should be.
It was at this point that I realized I couldn't go on and skipped to the end. Tank's former father-in-law has apparently killed just about everyone in town, and Miki is now domesticated enough that the dachshund is SLEEPING ON MIKI'S BACK. A GRIZZLY BEAR IS NOT A PET, COLLEEN COBLE.
In the acknowledgements, the only research she sites is going on some writer's forum and asking for writers who lived in Alaska to review her manuscript. My question is, who reviewed it? Someone who had moved to Alaska...the day before they reviewed it?
Another thing that really bothered me through the book were Hayley's stupid clothes brands being mentioned constantly. I don't care what brand of jeans a character in a book is wearing.
There was a confusing part that I read a couple times. The way it’s written, these people all just turn around and look at a waterfall where there are two grizzly bears looking for salmon. “They were only ten feet away.” So…the plane landing didn’t scare them off?
Now, I have never read a book that triggered me so.many.times. in such a short amount of time. Maybe it’s because I have a basic knowledge of the outdoors/National Park codes of conduct/animal safety, but these people are freaking idiots and this author didn’t do much research. Kipp’s producer, Denny, starts talking about Kipp’s past escapades for his show. He mentions the time they were in Yellowstone and Kipp “jumped on the back of a bison and got thrown off and almost gored. We had to beg pretty hard to be allowed back into Yellowstone after that one!”
FIRST OF ALL, you would have gone to jail for this. Second, you would NEVER be allowed back into Yellowstone. THIRD, you wouldn’t have been able to get on a bison’s back in the first place...you would most likely die trying.
Hayley is bemoaning the fact that she’s in Alaska and alludes to some past trauma here that I don’t care about because she’s a butt. She just wishes she could have some powdered donuts and be back in the city!!!! She went on a “Web site” to find out what kind of clothes she should wear and we are told the brand names of the jeans, shirt, and sweatshirt she bought. Is she stupid? You’re going camping, it’s pretty self-explanatory what you need to wear. She is hitting the sack one night and then suddenly it’s like, “she removed the prosthetic” and yeah, apparently Hayley only has one leg.
Surprisingly the next morning this poser finds powdered donuts in her backpack but it’s not enough to stop her whining. She goes for a walk and comes upon a grizzly bear. However, she refers to it as a “brown bear.” Look, I know they’re (basically) the same thing. But everyone in the US and Canada would see one of these and call it a grizzly bear, not a brown bear. She’s frozen to the spot because she’s stupid. The bear comes toward her and she just crumples into a “play dead” position. I had actually just asked Derek the other day what the guidelines were for playing dead with a grizzly bear. He explained that you don’t do this unless the bear has already taken a swipe at you. So there, Colleen Coble. The bear is tugging at her sleeve when some guy named Tank comes along and rescues her. Of course he raised this bear, Miki (stupid name) from a cub and is like, I’m not sure how to disentangle the bear from thinking humans equal food source. A FED BEAR IS A DEAD BEAR, TANK.
Tank watches Hayley, who of COURSE has auburn curls, walk away and is like, I’m so attracted to the fact that she needs me to protect her and can’t handle life on her own. Stop right there. This is when I got so angry I had to close the book for a while because I realized this is the problem with every Christian romance novel (yes, this turned out to be a CRN). The women are weak and the men love it. Are you for real? This is what abusers want: a weak woman who he can mold into what he wants and won’t stand up for herself and leave. A real man wants a strong woman who can handle life by herself but allows him to protect her. I’m all for traditional gender roles, but traditional gender roles do not equal weak women and overbearing men.
Grandma Augusta is going somewhere with a nameless companion and Tank tells them it’s a two mile walk. “My feet are already tired,” says Augusta. THEN WHY DID YOU COME ON A TWELVE WEEK CAMPING AND HIKING TRIP TO ALASKA?
Tank is leading this group on a hike to some bear area and says it’s a two hour hike. There are moans and groans and Kipp is like, “Aren’t you gonna help us carry our packs?” What? It’s a two hour hike! Isn’t he supposed to be an outdoorsman?? Why is everyone in this book acting like they’ve never been outside before?
Tank says he used a snowmobile to get somewhere in the winter. Wrong. People in Alaska call them “snow machines.”
Kipp puts up his “high-dollar” tent on a bear trail in some bushes and everyone else hurries off with Tank. “We watched two bears feeding yesterday. We were within just feet of them,” Augusta said. “Now you’re saying it’s not safe to be so close. We don’t know what to believe.” I have no words.
They find a body and a bear tooth by it so they assume a bear killed him. If it was Miki, the animal will have to be shot. Speaking of guns, Tank is parading ‘round the brush with nothing but bear spray. I wonder if this is what a real Alaskan would do? Survey says: they’d carry a gun.
Kipp is still acting like a fool and like he’s never been outside. He wants to leave food out for the bears to come into their camp. Tank wonders if there’s any way he can get out of this “assignment” (side note, who gave him this assignment anyway??) to which I say: yes there is, just get up and leave.
This grandma just said something that sounded an awful lot like "you don't need therapy or help after trauma, you just need to become Christian."
Somebody in a ski mask sticks their upper body into Hayley’s tent in the middle of the night and is unzipping her backpack. She throws her wooden leg at the person and then Tank comes up and sees nothing where her leg should be.
It was at this point that I realized I couldn't go on and skipped to the end. Tank's former father-in-law has apparently killed just about everyone in town, and Miki is now domesticated enough that the dachshund is SLEEPING ON MIKI'S BACK. A GRIZZLY BEAR IS NOT A PET, COLLEEN COBLE.
In the acknowledgements, the only research she sites is going on some writer's forum and asking for writers who lived in Alaska to review her manuscript. My question is, who reviewed it? Someone who had moved to Alaska...the day before they reviewed it?
Another thing that really bothered me through the book were Hayley's stupid clothes brands being mentioned constantly. I don't care what brand of jeans a character in a book is wearing.
May 24, 2022
This was really good 😊. I liked reading about Alaska and the bears it was super interesting. You couldn't even guess the murderer. I loved the slow build of romantic tension between Haley and Tank. I loved reading about a girl who had gone through a lot and still found her way back to God in the end. I also enjoyed that Haley had a disability and it didn't stop her from doing hard things. Although I really hated Kipp he got on my nerves. All in all a good read 😃.
,
,
September 30, 2013
I struggled a little bit rating this one. It held my interest, I enjoyed it, and I loved the mix of mystery and romance. There were simply several times during the course of the book that I found something a little hard to fully believe, so I considered rating it a three, but entertainment value won out and I went with a four. The author does a very good job making the reader feel they are actually experiencing the Alaskan wilderness, and I enjoyed the characters of Haley, Brooke, and Tank. If you want an intense mystery with some sweet parts mixed in, I would recommend this book.
did-not-finish
June 3, 2023DNF at 31%. This book is inane and this other reviewer covers all the points I would have. But more eloquently.
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
May 22, 2019
2.5 stars
Haley Walsh has returned to remote Alaska to come to terms with her past. Twenty years ago a tragedy occurred, and Haley has been living with her grandmother in Phoenix ever since. Haley’s parents stayed behind to work on an archeological dig, and with their recent deaths, Haley has decided to face her troubles head-on. She joins Kipp Nowak, a television wildlife star, and his crew, who are making a documentary about bears. Their group is also accompanied by Tank Lassiter, a biologist who is less than thrilled with Kipp’s easygoing approach to the dangerous bears.
As Haley begins to delve into the circumstances surrounding her parents’ deaths, she uncovers evidence that the fire that killed them might not have been an accident. Tank, although fighting a battle of his own to retain custody of his daughter after his wife’s suspicious death, joins forces with her to uncover an evil force at work in the Alaskan wilderness.
Colleen Coble writes interesting and moving romantic suspense. However, Alaska Twilight doesn’t really seem to flow cohesively. There are too many storylines all trying to battle for the forefront: Kipp versus Tank with the bear issue, Tank’s loss of his wife and custody battle, Haley’s past tragedy, and her parents’ possible murders. Intertwined with this is a faith message about God’s sovereignty. There are also other storylines that are presented but never fully developed.
I had a very difficult time with the plot involving Haley’s parents. It is a stretch to believe that two people could hold an eight-year-old child responsible for a tragic accident, ship her away, and never speak to her again for twenty years. That entire concept is so absolutely unbelievable that it makes it difficult to focus on the rest of the story.
The family relationships are beautifully portrayed and realistic. The storyline featuring Kipp eerily mirrors the tragic true story of Timothy Treadwell, a bear activist who lost his life while living among the bears in Alaska. Coble obviously did a tremendous amount of research into bears and the wilds of Alaska.
The take-away faith message is heartfelt. Haley learns to trust in God, learns to let go of her fear and her blame. This idea brings meaning to the story and can help the reader to see God’s hand in their own life. Alaska Twilight is decent read despite its faults, and readers will enjoy the unusual, beautiful setting.
Haley Walsh has returned to remote Alaska to come to terms with her past. Twenty years ago a tragedy occurred, and Haley has been living with her grandmother in Phoenix ever since. Haley’s parents stayed behind to work on an archeological dig, and with their recent deaths, Haley has decided to face her troubles head-on. She joins Kipp Nowak, a television wildlife star, and his crew, who are making a documentary about bears. Their group is also accompanied by Tank Lassiter, a biologist who is less than thrilled with Kipp’s easygoing approach to the dangerous bears.
As Haley begins to delve into the circumstances surrounding her parents’ deaths, she uncovers evidence that the fire that killed them might not have been an accident. Tank, although fighting a battle of his own to retain custody of his daughter after his wife’s suspicious death, joins forces with her to uncover an evil force at work in the Alaskan wilderness.
Colleen Coble writes interesting and moving romantic suspense. However, Alaska Twilight doesn’t really seem to flow cohesively. There are too many storylines all trying to battle for the forefront: Kipp versus Tank with the bear issue, Tank’s loss of his wife and custody battle, Haley’s past tragedy, and her parents’ possible murders. Intertwined with this is a faith message about God’s sovereignty. There are also other storylines that are presented but never fully developed.
I had a very difficult time with the plot involving Haley’s parents. It is a stretch to believe that two people could hold an eight-year-old child responsible for a tragic accident, ship her away, and never speak to her again for twenty years. That entire concept is so absolutely unbelievable that it makes it difficult to focus on the rest of the story.
The family relationships are beautifully portrayed and realistic. The storyline featuring Kipp eerily mirrors the tragic true story of Timothy Treadwell, a bear activist who lost his life while living among the bears in Alaska. Coble obviously did a tremendous amount of research into bears and the wilds of Alaska.
The take-away faith message is heartfelt. Haley learns to trust in God, learns to let go of her fear and her blame. This idea brings meaning to the story and can help the reader to see God’s hand in their own life. Alaska Twilight is decent read despite its faults, and readers will enjoy the unusual, beautiful setting.
May 30, 2015
Unimpressed. That's how I describe my attitude through the entirety of this book. I can't really blame the author; freelance writers tend to be of an, er, lesser quality.
The usage of Christianity felt forced, the relationships were very superficial, the dialogue was synonymous with a 14 year olds creative writing assignment. Just a lot about this was over all unimpressive. Not recommended to anyone younger than 40 of Protestant religion who doesn't spend their days knitting and watching family feud.
The usage of Christianity felt forced, the relationships were very superficial, the dialogue was synonymous with a 14 year olds creative writing assignment. Just a lot about this was over all unimpressive. Not recommended to anyone younger than 40 of Protestant religion who doesn't spend their days knitting and watching family feud.
Read
May 18, 2021oh boy.
ran out of books to read on my kindle (at college so didn't bring any other books lol), so i grudgingly decided to read this. oh gosh.
it's not terrible - it has a good message / moral. it's just cheesy and over the top (quickly realized that christian romance is not my favorite genre lol), and the writing style sucks (sooooo much telling, not showing).
but all in all, an enjoyable quick read. ;)
ran out of books to read on my kindle (at college so didn't bring any other books lol), so i grudgingly decided to read this. oh gosh.
it's not terrible - it has a good message / moral. it's just cheesy and over the top (quickly realized that christian romance is not my favorite genre lol), and the writing style sucks (sooooo much telling, not showing).
but all in all, an enjoyable quick read. ;)
August 21, 2017
Wonderful. THIS IS what I have come to expect from this very talented writer.
THIS BOOK SHOWED ME THAT WITH GOD ALL THINGS ARE POSSIBLE. ADVERSARY, HARD TIMES, AND FEAR ARE NO MATCH FOR LOVE!
THIS BOOK SHOWED ME THAT WITH GOD ALL THINGS ARE POSSIBLE. ADVERSARY, HARD TIMES, AND FEAR ARE NO MATCH FOR LOVE!
March 25, 2018
3.5 stars rounded up. I was disappointed in how the story ended. It was definitely a surprise though!
But appreciated the uniqueness of Haley.. not your typical heroine !
The romance was insta IMHO.
Liked the S&R with dogs.. lots of movement NOT a boring book by any means.
Great cover.
But appreciated the uniqueness of Haley.. not your typical heroine !
The romance was insta IMHO.
Liked the S&R with dogs.. lots of movement NOT a boring book by any means.
Great cover.
September 4, 2023
Loved this book. The characters were described so well. I was glad to see Bree, Kade & Sampson showing up to help. A hard to put down book.
March 25, 2024
2.75 stars rounded up to 3. WAY too much religion focus in this book, took away from the storyline. Not my cup of tea.
April 2, 2024
Good story. Well written.
November 26, 2022
2.5 ⭐️ hard to follow and not very interesting
April 15, 2023
Thrill ride in Alaska
Bears, and crime, and family drama set in the wilds of Alaska. Beauty and heart-pounding adventure draw the reader through to the end. This book stuck in my hand.
Bears, and crime, and family drama set in the wilds of Alaska. Beauty and heart-pounding adventure draw the reader through to the end. This book stuck in my hand.
October 22, 2017
Set in Alaska....mystery/suspense. Loved the book, characters & plot.....Colleen Coble is one of my favorite authors!!
March 14, 2021
I enjoy reading all of Colleen Coble mysteries. I never get bored because I enjoy what I read.
June 15, 2019
I love Colleen Coble and her Rock Harbor Series was my absolute favorite. I loved the characters and I loved the stories throughout that series. This book fell short for me though.
Alaska Twilight is about Tank Lassiter, a bear biologist, and Haley, a girl returning to Alaska to help take photos for a documentary and to also face her past.
The premise of the story itself was a great idea, but it fell a little short. The beginning started off very slow and didn’t develop smoothly and Haley’s character was hard for me to like and relate to at first. The mystery was intriguing, but was wrapped up too quickly at the end. It was almost as if the author squeezed everything into a page to make sure everything was covered, which took away from the intrigue of the mysterious happenings. I didn’t see the twist at the end coming though and really liked that turn of events!
The romance was sweet, but certain moments felt awkward for me. I did, at the end, like Haley’s character and warmed up to Tank as well who comes across as a callous grump at first.
I loved the vivid descriptions of Alaska and the intrigue of the bears and other wildlife. Coble has a beautiful way with words to paint a vivid picture of the scenery before you in the story.
Overall, it wasn’t my favorite Coble book, but she still is an author I enjoy and I look forward to picking up another one of her books when I get the chance.
Alaska Twilight is about Tank Lassiter, a bear biologist, and Haley, a girl returning to Alaska to help take photos for a documentary and to also face her past.
The premise of the story itself was a great idea, but it fell a little short. The beginning started off very slow and didn’t develop smoothly and Haley’s character was hard for me to like and relate to at first. The mystery was intriguing, but was wrapped up too quickly at the end. It was almost as if the author squeezed everything into a page to make sure everything was covered, which took away from the intrigue of the mysterious happenings. I didn’t see the twist at the end coming though and really liked that turn of events!
The romance was sweet, but certain moments felt awkward for me. I did, at the end, like Haley’s character and warmed up to Tank as well who comes across as a callous grump at first.
I loved the vivid descriptions of Alaska and the intrigue of the bears and other wildlife. Coble has a beautiful way with words to paint a vivid picture of the scenery before you in the story.
Overall, it wasn’t my favorite Coble book, but she still is an author I enjoy and I look forward to picking up another one of her books when I get the chance.
September 9, 2022
When it comes to romance novels, I like them trashy. I don't expect them to be the next literary masterpiece. The fun comes from how ridiculous the characters, writing, and premise are.
This is not a trashy romance novel, although I enjoyed it. While the author overstuffed the story a bit, the characters were fun and the setting was interesting. I found God to be a little shoehorned in, because although I'm Christian, I'm not fond of shoving Him down people's throats. The character of Augusta was annoying in this regard, because she was pushy, and that's obnoxious.
Overall, fun novel, with entertaining writing and plot.
This is not a trashy romance novel, although I enjoyed it. While the author overstuffed the story a bit, the characters were fun and the setting was interesting. I found God to be a little shoehorned in, because although I'm Christian, I'm not fond of shoving Him down people's throats. The character of Augusta was annoying in this regard, because she was pushy, and that's obnoxious.
Overall, fun novel, with entertaining writing and plot.
March 2, 2009
One of the most ill-written mysteries I've read. Not only does it have a charicature of the grizzly man, but it is rife with Alaskan similes that are so formulated as to be insulted. Granted, it was an easy one-day read, but it did not instill in me a desire to read any of Colleen Cobles other books.
July 31, 2017
Engaging!
Another I-couldn't-put-it-down read! It's refreshing to read Christian fiction that isn't sappy and unrealistic. Coble gives this genre quality and nobility.
Another I-couldn't-put-it-down read! It's refreshing to read Christian fiction that isn't sappy and unrealistic. Coble gives this genre quality and nobility.
December 26, 2021
I have a lot of thoughts on this book. It wasn't what I expected it to be, the main character frustrated me a lot. (I freaking hate books set in AK with a protagonist who hates the outdoors when you're targeting an audience who does.) Honestly, I thought the Christians in this were a poor representation, (realistic in some cases) they were judgemental and didn't really listen to those who needed help and just quoted scripture at them. There was never any personal connection made between the characters. There is a season for everything, and there's a time to listen and a time to share--the book felt tone deaf to me. A little too cardboard. It felt like the author was just trying to get her point across rather than actually trying to write real followers of Christ.
The main character, Haley did not want to be in Alaska, she complained the whole time she was there. Saying how she'd rather be in a city with malls and her powdered donuts. I don't think that Tank or Haley were good for each other, their relationship was weird and had no build-up or attraction either. Other than the fact that Tank was tall. Tbh it was like one of his personality traits for Haley. Also, the mystery took a back seat to whatever took the front seat.
Also, I felt like Marley should have had more of a backstory other than the pure villainous role she played. She did some bad things but there was never given a real explanation as to why. She had trauma from her twin sister dying. Child endangerment is no joke and what she did should be dealt with in a court of law. But it's so hypocritical that Haley gets to be forgiven, but Marley doesn't. Haley gets to hear the Word but Marley doesn't. No. Nope. Marley could have been a great character with great development, but she was pushed to the side and labeled materialistic (all the women in this book were) and bad. Really I could write so much more about this.... (I'm more interested to know her backstory rather than Haley's actually)
I didn't like Tank, he had nothing going for him and he definitely didn't have anything going for him after he said this about Haley, "She's afraid of the wilderness" Tank said to Libby. "You should have kept a better eye on her. She couldn't find her way out of a paper bag." *laughs* That is a great thing to say--make her seem dumb! I sure hope she can find her way with the fact that she's in Alaska with bears!
I did like a few aspects of this book, but if this book was about Haley coming to trust God more, healing from her past, and understanding what happened was in no way her fault, it was terribly done.
This also could not be a Christian romance without The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe reference.
2.5 stars
The main character, Haley did not want to be in Alaska, she complained the whole time she was there. Saying how she'd rather be in a city with malls and her powdered donuts. I don't think that Tank or Haley were good for each other, their relationship was weird and had no build-up or attraction either. Other than the fact that Tank was tall. Tbh it was like one of his personality traits for Haley. Also, the mystery took a back seat to whatever took the front seat.
Also, I felt like Marley should have had more of a backstory other than the pure villainous role she played. She did some bad things but there was never given a real explanation as to why. She had trauma from her twin sister dying. Child endangerment is no joke and what she did should be dealt with in a court of law. But it's so hypocritical that Haley gets to be forgiven, but Marley doesn't. Haley gets to hear the Word but Marley doesn't. No. Nope. Marley could have been a great character with great development, but she was pushed to the side and labeled materialistic (all the women in this book were) and bad. Really I could write so much more about this.... (I'm more interested to know her backstory rather than Haley's actually)
I didn't like Tank, he had nothing going for him and he definitely didn't have anything going for him after he said this about Haley, "She's afraid of the wilderness" Tank said to Libby. "You should have kept a better eye on her. She couldn't find her way out of a paper bag." *laughs* That is a great thing to say--make her seem dumb! I sure hope she can find her way with the fact that she's in Alaska with bears!
I did like a few aspects of this book, but if this book was about Haley coming to trust God more, healing from her past, and understanding what happened was in no way her fault, it was terribly done.
This also could not be a Christian romance without The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe reference.
2.5 stars
August 16, 2023
Kind of frustrated at the inconsistencies I saw within the characters in this book. One of the main characters, Tank, was adamant to other characters that they not feed the wild bears - feeding the bears was dangerous - and what does he do? Feeds a granola bar to a wild fox.
This same character then accuses the other main character, his love interest, Haley, that she is hiding behind her camera and afraid to step out from behind it and take a chance on them when she is having serious doubts about whether she can give up all that she loves for a terrain that she hates. He seems to be asking everything of her and nothing from himself. (Later on, he seems to do some sacrificing, but his comments came off as abrasive to me).
Then Haley decides on the spur of the moment to give up her camera and books, all for Tank. In what world is that healthy or beneficial to give up everything that makes them "them" for another person? Now I believe that the author was trying to show what sacrificial love looks like, but yet there is something about celebrating the person God made you to be and using the talents God gave you to serve Him without having to reinvent yourself into a new person. Do we sometimes need to make tweaks and changes in our behavior for the good of a healthy, Godly relationship? Yes. But greater than throwing everything away with abandon is working within who you were created to be to bless each other and grow together.
There are a few mentions of a couple of twinges of guilt that Tank feels about possibly his role in not seeing how his first wife needed a community of women around her that was non-existent when she was alive, but he seemingly gets off the hook for that, and it's never truly resolved. Why does Haley have to do all of the changing, and Tank doesn't?
I almost think the greater story here would be the "what happens next?" How do you work together through the irritations of a hard Alaska winter when you don't like winter? How do you struggle to love your spouse when your temper flares up in 90 degree Arizona heat? How do both the man and the woman sacrifice for the good of their spouse to make them both better? These things make a book more authentic than a whirlwind romance with not much basis for long-lasting sustainability.
This same character then accuses the other main character, his love interest, Haley, that she is hiding behind her camera and afraid to step out from behind it and take a chance on them when she is having serious doubts about whether she can give up all that she loves for a terrain that she hates. He seems to be asking everything of her and nothing from himself. (Later on, he seems to do some sacrificing, but his comments came off as abrasive to me).
Then Haley decides on the spur of the moment to give up her camera and books, all for Tank. In what world is that healthy or beneficial to give up everything that makes them "them" for another person? Now I believe that the author was trying to show what sacrificial love looks like, but yet there is something about celebrating the person God made you to be and using the talents God gave you to serve Him without having to reinvent yourself into a new person. Do we sometimes need to make tweaks and changes in our behavior for the good of a healthy, Godly relationship? Yes. But greater than throwing everything away with abandon is working within who you were created to be to bless each other and grow together.
There are a few mentions of a couple of twinges of guilt that Tank feels about possibly his role in not seeing how his first wife needed a community of women around her that was non-existent when she was alive, but he seemingly gets off the hook for that, and it's never truly resolved. Why does Haley have to do all of the changing, and Tank doesn't?
I almost think the greater story here would be the "what happens next?" How do you work together through the irritations of a hard Alaska winter when you don't like winter? How do you struggle to love your spouse when your temper flares up in 90 degree Arizona heat? How do both the man and the woman sacrifice for the good of their spouse to make them both better? These things make a book more authentic than a whirlwind romance with not much basis for long-lasting sustainability.
November 3, 2017
Alaska Twilight is the story of a young woman's emergence from the shadows of past sorrow into the light of forgiveness and grace.
"You're afraid of really living, Haley." He flicked his finger at her camera. "You hide behind your camera instead of stepping out and engaging life with both hands. You're so afraid you'll fail at something, you won't even try."
For some people, Alaska is a breathtaking wilderness adventure, full of light and beauty. For Haley, it is a dangerous world of dark dreams and tortured memories. On the surface, she's here to document wildlife activist Kipp Nowak's bear encounters. But her real reason is to unearth the truth about a past murder. The suspense mounts when another body turns up, and Haley beginst to wonder if the tragedies she experienced in the past are connected to the dangers and mysterious incidents of the present. From behind the viewfinder of her camera, Haley observes it all, including Tank Lassiter, the bear biologist who has been forced to lead Kipp and his team into the Alaskan backcountry. As she watches him with his work, she feels a growing attraction. It will take great courage and faith to confront the truth she once ran away from. Before it's over, Haley may be viewing herself from an entirely new angle.
I was hooked the first page. Cobble is quickly becoming my go to author. This book was riveting from beginning to end. 5 stars.
"You're afraid of really living, Haley." He flicked his finger at her camera. "You hide behind your camera instead of stepping out and engaging life with both hands. You're so afraid you'll fail at something, you won't even try."
For some people, Alaska is a breathtaking wilderness adventure, full of light and beauty. For Haley, it is a dangerous world of dark dreams and tortured memories. On the surface, she's here to document wildlife activist Kipp Nowak's bear encounters. But her real reason is to unearth the truth about a past murder. The suspense mounts when another body turns up, and Haley beginst to wonder if the tragedies she experienced in the past are connected to the dangers and mysterious incidents of the present. From behind the viewfinder of her camera, Haley observes it all, including Tank Lassiter, the bear biologist who has been forced to lead Kipp and his team into the Alaskan backcountry. As she watches him with his work, she feels a growing attraction. It will take great courage and faith to confront the truth she once ran away from. Before it's over, Haley may be viewing herself from an entirely new angle.
I was hooked the first page. Cobble is quickly becoming my go to author. This book was riveting from beginning to end. 5 stars.
December 1, 2019
Story Recommended, Audiobook Not So Much...
Truth be told, Colleen Coble deserves a better narrator than she had with this audiobook. If you're just planning on reading the book itself, great. It's a good story with heart-warming characters. But if you're a fan of audiobooks and hoping to choose the audiobook, please be warned. I listened to the version read by Rachel Dulude (and "read" is a good way to phrase that). I don't enjoy bashing anyone's work, and I rarely leave a truly negative review. But when the narration nearly ruins a book for me, I feel like other readers might want to know.
This narration was so disrupting that I almost stopped the book in the first chapter. Since I really wanted to "read" this story, I discovered that speeding up the playback a little bit helped. So I just stuck it out, but I was really close to a DNF several times simply due to the reading. How bad could it be? Envision a female version of William Shatner using his emphatic Captain James T. Kirk voice throughout the entire book: THEN. you might. have some idea. what the entire. book. was like.
Yep. Not kidding. Improper emphasis and phrasing throughout. It was tough. It was a shame, too. Because the story definitely deserved so much better. My recommendation? Read the book.
Truth be told, Colleen Coble deserves a better narrator than she had with this audiobook. If you're just planning on reading the book itself, great. It's a good story with heart-warming characters. But if you're a fan of audiobooks and hoping to choose the audiobook, please be warned. I listened to the version read by Rachel Dulude (and "read" is a good way to phrase that). I don't enjoy bashing anyone's work, and I rarely leave a truly negative review. But when the narration nearly ruins a book for me, I feel like other readers might want to know.
This narration was so disrupting that I almost stopped the book in the first chapter. Since I really wanted to "read" this story, I discovered that speeding up the playback a little bit helped. So I just stuck it out, but I was really close to a DNF several times simply due to the reading. How bad could it be? Envision a female version of William Shatner using his emphatic Captain James T. Kirk voice throughout the entire book: THEN. you might. have some idea. what the entire. book. was like.
Yep. Not kidding. Improper emphasis and phrasing throughout. It was tough. It was a shame, too. Because the story definitely deserved so much better. My recommendation? Read the book.
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