What do you think?
Rate this book
Frozen Hearts #2
Arctic Wild
When a plane crashes in the Alaskan wilderness, the best place to land is in the arms of a younger man…
Hotshot attorney Reuben Graham has finally agreed to take a vacation, when his plane suddenly plunges into the Alaskan wilderness.
Just his luck.
But his frustrations have only begun as he finds himself stranded with the injured, and superhot, pilot, a man who’s endearingly sociable—and much too young for Reuben to be wanting him this badly.
As the sole provider for his sisters and ailing father, Tobias Kooly is devastated to learn his injuries will prevent him from working or even making it back home. So when Reuben insists on giving him a place to recover, not even Toby’s pride can make him refuse. He’s never been tempted by a silver fox before, but something about Reuben is impossible to resist.
Recuperating in Reuben’s care is the last thing Toby expected, yet the closer they become, the more incredibly right it feels, prompting workaholic Reuben to question the life he’s been living. But when the pressure Toby’s under starts closing in, both men will have to decide if there’s room in their hearts for a love they never saw coming.
One-click with confidence. This title is part of the Carina Press Romance Promise : all the romance you’re looking for with an HEA/HFN. It’s a promise!
Hotshot attorney Reuben Graham has finally agreed to take a vacation, when his plane suddenly plunges into the Alaskan wilderness.
Just his luck.
But his frustrations have only begun as he finds himself stranded with the injured, and superhot, pilot, a man who’s endearingly sociable—and much too young for Reuben to be wanting him this badly.
As the sole provider for his sisters and ailing father, Tobias Kooly is devastated to learn his injuries will prevent him from working or even making it back home. So when Reuben insists on giving him a place to recover, not even Toby’s pride can make him refuse. He’s never been tempted by a silver fox before, but something about Reuben is impossible to resist.
Recuperating in Reuben’s care is the last thing Toby expected, yet the closer they become, the more incredibly right it feels, prompting workaholic Reuben to question the life he’s been living. But when the pressure Toby’s under starts closing in, both men will have to decide if there’s room in their hearts for a love they never saw coming.
One-click with confidence. This title is part of the Carina Press Romance Promise : all the romance you’re looking for with an HEA/HFN. It’s a promise!
400 pages, Kindle Edition
First published June 3, 2019
83 people are currently reading
774 people want to read
About the author
Annabeth Albert
107 books3,763 followersFrequent tweeter, professional grammar nerd, and obsessive reader, Annabeth Albert is also a Pacific Northwest romance writer in a variety of subgenres.
Emotionally complex, sexy, and funny stories are her favorites both to read and to write. In between searching out dark heroes to redeem, she works a rewarding day job and wrangles two toddlers.
Emotionally complex, sexy, and funny stories are her favorites both to read and to write. In between searching out dark heroes to redeem, she works a rewarding day job and wrangles two toddlers.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 289 reviews
May 10, 2019
Arctic Wild is the second book in the Frozen Hearts series but can be read as a standalone. If you read the first book, however, you'll appreciate the cameo appearances by Griff and River, the MCs from book 1.
I loved certain aspects of the story:
- Age gap (Reuben is some two decades older than Toby)
- Hurt/comfort/healing trope
- Strong supportive characters, especially Reuben's daughter, Amelia, who's a very believable moody, awkward, but somehow eager to please, 14-year-old; trust me, I'm an expert on this)
- No unnecessary drama (conflict, yes, but Toby's doubts felt real)
- Slow burn (and some hot lovin' once the guy get around to it)
- HEA (great epilogue set a few months after the last chapter)
Like in the first book, the pacing felt slightly off. The climax of the story, or at least what felt like the climax, occurred much earlier than I anticipated. I honestly wasn't sure where the book was going to go from there.
The middle dragged a little, although I appreciated the way Reuben and Toby's relationship developed from client/guide to friends to lovers.
Both MCs stood out as unique individuals, and the dual POV gave us a glimpse of what makes each of them tick. I actually understood Toby's hesitance to accept help because I am the exact same way.
Overall, Arctic Wild was a win.
I loved certain aspects of the story:
- Age gap (Reuben is some two decades older than Toby)
- Hurt/comfort/healing trope
- Strong supportive characters, especially Reuben's daughter, Amelia, who's a very believable moody, awkward, but somehow eager to please, 14-year-old; trust me, I'm an expert on this)
- No unnecessary drama (conflict, yes, but Toby's doubts felt real)
- Slow burn (and some hot lovin' once the guy get around to it)
- HEA (great epilogue set a few months after the last chapter)
Like in the first book, the pacing felt slightly off. The climax of the story, or at least what felt like the climax, occurred much earlier than I anticipated. I honestly wasn't sure where the book was going to go from there.
The middle dragged a little, although I appreciated the way Reuben and Toby's relationship developed from client/guide to friends to lovers.
Both MCs stood out as unique individuals, and the dual POV gave us a glimpse of what makes each of them tick. I actually understood Toby's hesitance to accept help because I am the exact same way.
Overall, Arctic Wild was a win.
June 17, 2019
Usually I zip through an Annabeth Albert story, but Arctic Wild took me aaaaages to finish.
I feel slightly depressed because I adore Annabeth Albert, but this Frozen Hearts series isn't doing it for me. Though there were some great aspects about Arctic Wild, it didn't wow me like I wanted it to.
Right away, I'm giving this book a full bonus point for a silver daddy bear Jewish MC. My husband would say it's very Oedipal of me, but I ACCEPT IT, OKAY.
I tend to love predicament love stories, i.e. stranded/snowed-in/trapped, and I enjoyed that aspect here as well. I'll always go for an injured hero. I liked the dynamic between the two MCs, though I think they lacked passion and bit of chemistry. I wanted a bit more from them.
I didn't love the teenage daughter, to be honest. I found her to be super bratty, and though I have a tween, not a teen, daughter, this one grated on my nerves. Sometimes kids work for me in romance and sometimes they don't.
Though the book was good, even great at parts, the pace was a bit slow and the chemistry a bit off, just enough that this book took me about a week to get through. I don't know if this series is for me.
*Copy provided in exchange for an honest review*
goodreads|instagram|twitter|blog
I feel slightly depressed because I adore Annabeth Albert, but this Frozen Hearts series isn't doing it for me. Though there were some great aspects about Arctic Wild, it didn't wow me like I wanted it to.
Right away, I'm giving this book a full bonus point for a silver daddy bear Jewish MC. My husband would say it's very Oedipal of me, but I ACCEPT IT, OKAY.
I tend to love predicament love stories, i.e. stranded/snowed-in/trapped, and I enjoyed that aspect here as well. I'll always go for an injured hero. I liked the dynamic between the two MCs, though I think they lacked passion and bit of chemistry. I wanted a bit more from them.
I didn't love the teenage daughter, to be honest. I found her to be super bratty, and though I have a tween, not a teen, daughter, this one grated on my nerves. Sometimes kids work for me in romance and sometimes they don't.
Though the book was good, even great at parts, the pace was a bit slow and the chemistry a bit off, just enough that this book took me about a week to get through. I don't know if this series is for me.
*Copy provided in exchange for an honest review*
goodreads|instagram|twitter|blog
July 11, 2019
Audio – 4.5 stars
Story – 3.5 stars
A bit better than book 1, but mostly just as frustrating. I really wish this author would consider writing a book where it doesn’t’ take until the end of the story for the MCs to fully communicate with each other. Waiting until the end just leaves me feeling frustrated and less than convinced of the HEA.
Story – 3.5 stars
A bit better than book 1, but mostly just as frustrating. I really wish this author would consider writing a book where it doesn’t’ take until the end of the story for the MCs to fully communicate with each other. Waiting until the end just leaves me feeling frustrated and less than convinced of the HEA.
June 2, 2019
4 stars
This is the second book in the Frozen Hearts series. I got quite curious about it, after reading the excerpt at the end of the first book, Arctic Sun.
I loved it much more than the previous book and I think it can definitely be read as a standalone.
We met Toby in Arctic Sun. He's a 31 years old pilot. Sociable and carefree. Or at least it's how he appears.
Reuben is a hot attorney, but workaholic - married to his job. He's got a 14 years old daughter, Amelia, who was really annoying at first, but in time she changed so much.
This story is again a slow burning. But while in Arctic Sun this bothered me, here I enjoyed it. There's attraction from the start, but each man fought it, for very different reasons.
Toby gets injured in a plane crash and Reuben is determined to help him. Toby was so scared he won't be able to help his family, father and two sisters. I understood his fear, but to a point.
We get only a little angst, but I really rolled my eyes about the "I need space"...
This story was also full of Alaskan descriptions, and overall it was a sweet love story with my favorite trope: AGE GAP, a silver fox - actually a "silver bear" like Toby liked to call Reuben, and a very sweet ending.
This is the second book in the Frozen Hearts series. I got quite curious about it, after reading the excerpt at the end of the first book, Arctic Sun.
I loved it much more than the previous book and I think it can definitely be read as a standalone.
We met Toby in Arctic Sun. He's a 31 years old pilot. Sociable and carefree. Or at least it's how he appears.
Reuben is a hot attorney, but workaholic - married to his job. He's got a 14 years old daughter, Amelia, who was really annoying at first, but in time she changed so much.
This story is again a slow burning. But while in Arctic Sun this bothered me, here I enjoyed it. There's attraction from the start, but each man fought it, for very different reasons.
Toby gets injured in a plane crash and Reuben is determined to help him. Toby was so scared he won't be able to help his family, father and two sisters. I understood his fear, but to a point.
We get only a little angst, but I really rolled my eyes about the "I need space"...
This story was also full of Alaskan descriptions, and overall it was a sweet love story with my favorite trope: AGE GAP, a silver fox - actually a "silver bear" like Toby liked to call Reuben, and a very sweet ending.
This review is posted on DirtyBooksObsession
May 12, 2019
I enjoyed this one a fair bit more than the first in the series as it was way less angsty and involved a lot less introspection - although it does still have a bit of drama that people may consider to be a little contrived.
The dual POV worked well to let me see inside both characters heads and I have to admit, at times I found Toby a little bit wearing and I wanted to thump him upside the head but I did also understand why he was behaving as he did. His culture and upbringing, and the way his dad was, had been a heavy influence he found difficult to shake off.
I adored Ruben though. So much more than the staid upright and stuffy lawyer he first appears, an older man with depth and a desire to find a family he can nurture and care for and desperate for a second chance at building a relationship with his daughter.
Like my lovely friend Dani says in her review - https://www.goodreads.com/review/show... - the pacing on this one still felt a bit off, as with book one, and things seemed to happen in odd places.
It took a while to get to the big dramatic point which is referenced in the blurb, not an issue on its own so much as it then also had a slow burn into them becoming lovers.
However, once they did, their relationship was a wonderfully supportive and seriously steamy one until Toby decided to have a bit of a crisis and I got all frustrated with him 🤣
Great secondary characters and the amazing sense of place which Annabeth has definitely brought to this series, a flying guest appearance from Griff and River (book one) and an awesome epilogue, meant I enjoyed this book overall.
#ARC kindly received from the publishers Carina Press via NetGalley in return for an honest and unbiased review
The dual POV worked well to let me see inside both characters heads and I have to admit, at times I found Toby a little bit wearing and I wanted to thump him upside the head but I did also understand why he was behaving as he did. His culture and upbringing, and the way his dad was, had been a heavy influence he found difficult to shake off.
I adored Ruben though. So much more than the staid upright and stuffy lawyer he first appears, an older man with depth and a desire to find a family he can nurture and care for and desperate for a second chance at building a relationship with his daughter.
Like my lovely friend Dani says in her review - https://www.goodreads.com/review/show... - the pacing on this one still felt a bit off, as with book one, and things seemed to happen in odd places.
It took a while to get to the big dramatic point which is referenced in the blurb, not an issue on its own so much as it then also had a slow burn into them becoming lovers.
However, once they did, their relationship was a wonderfully supportive and seriously steamy one until Toby decided to have a bit of a crisis and I got all frustrated with him 🤣
Great secondary characters and the amazing sense of place which Annabeth has definitely brought to this series, a flying guest appearance from Griff and River (book one) and an awesome epilogue, meant I enjoyed this book overall.
#ARC kindly received from the publishers Carina Press via NetGalley in return for an honest and unbiased review
Read
June 25, 2019Time of death 20%.
This is not working for me at all. Reuben was kind of a douche in the beginning which I didn't really mind but his sudden change of heart seems fake. Also, I don't get why secondary characters have to be so damn rude in this series. Here, Toby's family should be grateful for Reuben helping out their son but in their first meeting they seem anything but. And Reuben's daughter...OMG. I get that the kid had issues but if this was my kid and spoke like that to others there would be hell to pay. So unbelievably rude.
Thongs probably get better later on, I'm just not in the mood to keep going.
This is not working for me at all. Reuben was kind of a douche in the beginning which I didn't really mind but his sudden change of heart seems fake. Also, I don't get why secondary characters have to be so damn rude in this series. Here, Toby's family should be grateful for Reuben helping out their son but in their first meeting they seem anything but. And Reuben's daughter...OMG. I get that the kid had issues but if this was my kid and spoke like that to others there would be hell to pay. So unbelievably rude.
Thongs probably get better later on, I'm just not in the mood to keep going.
May 14, 2019
Waaaaaaahhhhh! I just don’t know how I feel about this one! I don’t always have the best luck with this Author but that isn’t what is happening this time. Plus, I really, really, really liked the first one. This one though. Well, truth be told, I think I was bored. I’m sorry! I just felt like nothing much really happened and I had that horrible feeling of right place, right time, romance mostly born out of convenience and I couldn’t shake it.
Ok, so full honestly. I am a horrible blurb reader and this is what I thought I was getting…Plane crash + stranded with the injured, and superhot, pilot. I really thought there was going to be wilderness and danger and well, a plane crash that left them stranded! I mean, that did happen but well…Ugh.
So, really, this was a lovely romance. This was all about finding love when you never wanted it and in the most unlikely place. This was a great story about learning to trust and letting someone in. About starting something new; life is short and all that jazz. And all that was good, I just needed more of something. I’d hate to say more drama but even that would have been welcome.
Overall this was a good story it just felt super long and didn’t hold my attention.
One more thing though, what is up with the parents/families in this series? This is the 2nd book where I dislike the MCs family and don’t really forgive them for their behavior. In this one his Dad and his Sister were just totally out of line. Yuck.
More and more I really think I need to visit Alaska though.
**ARC provided by the author via A Novel Take Promotions in exchange for an honest review.**
Ok, so full honestly. I am a horrible blurb reader and this is what I thought I was getting…Plane crash + stranded with the injured, and superhot, pilot. I really thought there was going to be wilderness and danger and well, a plane crash that left them stranded! I mean, that did happen but well…Ugh.
So, really, this was a lovely romance. This was all about finding love when you never wanted it and in the most unlikely place. This was a great story about learning to trust and letting someone in. About starting something new; life is short and all that jazz. And all that was good, I just needed more of something. I’d hate to say more drama but even that would have been welcome.
Overall this was a good story it just felt super long and didn’t hold my attention.
One more thing though, what is up with the parents/families in this series? This is the 2nd book where I dislike the MCs family and don’t really forgive them for their behavior. In this one his Dad and his Sister were just totally out of line. Yuck.
More and more I really think I need to visit Alaska though.
**ARC provided by the author via A Novel Take Promotions in exchange for an honest review.**
June 28, 2019
Oh man, as I get older, I really appreciate the romance novels in which the main characters COMMUNICATE like fucking adults - even when it's messy and uncomfortable.
May 4, 2019
Although "Arctic Wild" is the second in a series, it easily can be read as a stand-alone ... although if you've read Arctic Sun, you'll get a brief, very sweet update on Griff and River here.
Reuben is a corporate lawyer who lives to seal the deal and spends far too much time on his cell, even when he's on an Alaskan vacation being flown into amazing locations via seaplane. When he and his pilot Toby crash into the Alaskan wilderness, Reuben reevaluates his life, deciding to take a break from this career and spend the summer in Alaska with his teenage daughter Amelia. And since Toby has broken bones due to the crash, Reuben invites him to share his vacation home so he can assist Toby with his rehabilitation.
"They were in this weird gray area - sort of friends, sort of roommates, no longer client and paid tour guide [...] if they were going to be friends or roommates, they might as well be the kind that had a little fun together."
Reuben and Toby's relationship gradually evolves into something neither man expects, and while Reuben realizes the crash as the huge cosmic wake-up call it is, Toby really struggles with its aftermath. Toby relishes Reuben's dominance in the bedroom but struggles with not being able to financially support his father and two sisters. And despite the obvious rightness in their relationship, it takes Toby a long time (a long, long time, which really drags down the pace of this story) to reconcile this.
I received an ARC from Carina Press, via NetGalley, in exchange for an honest review.
Review posted at Gay Book Reviews - check it out!
Reuben is a corporate lawyer who lives to seal the deal and spends far too much time on his cell, even when he's on an Alaskan vacation being flown into amazing locations via seaplane. When he and his pilot Toby crash into the Alaskan wilderness, Reuben reevaluates his life, deciding to take a break from this career and spend the summer in Alaska with his teenage daughter Amelia. And since Toby has broken bones due to the crash, Reuben invites him to share his vacation home so he can assist Toby with his rehabilitation.
"They were in this weird gray area - sort of friends, sort of roommates, no longer client and paid tour guide [...] if they were going to be friends or roommates, they might as well be the kind that had a little fun together."
Reuben and Toby's relationship gradually evolves into something neither man expects, and while Reuben realizes the crash as the huge cosmic wake-up call it is, Toby really struggles with its aftermath. Toby relishes Reuben's dominance in the bedroom but struggles with not being able to financially support his father and two sisters. And despite the obvious rightness in their relationship, it takes Toby a long time (a long, long time, which really drags down the pace of this story) to reconcile this.
He was glad that his dad had taught him to be his own person, taught him to take pride in hard work and his ability to provide, but he didn't want to spend the rest of his life shackled to an ideal when he could have had a real partnership instead.The premise of this story and the way the plot unfolds really grabbed my interest, and I like Reuben and Toby's slowly unfolding relationship as well as how Amelia changes from an annoying teenager to a slightly less-annoying teenager (c'mon, she's 14), but the pace was just too leisurely and unfocused at times. The epilogue gives us a glimpse a few months ahead, but I hope to see how Reuben and Toby are faring in the next book in the series Arctic Heat 4 stars.
I received an ARC from Carina Press, via NetGalley, in exchange for an honest review.
Review posted at Gay Book Reviews - check it out!
July 1, 2019
This book was fun and very sweet at places. The hurt/comfort trope worked quite well, but when the conflict happened, I have to say I didn’t like it (seems to be happening to me a lot lately). Thankfully, everything resolved quickly and the ending was very adorable.
I liked the characters of Reuben and Toby. They had a nice dynamic right from the get go and their easy chemistry while they were living together was very cute. I also adored Reuben’s daughter Amelia. Her transformation from a cranky teenager to someone who just finds her path was delightful to read about. I wasn’t that much of a fan of Toby’s family despite their closeness and his utter adoration for them, they just felt too nosy. However, it does seem to improve towards the end which wasn’t bad.
Overall, it was a good read. It doesn’t have that much of an atmospheric feel like the previous book and Alaska is still very much a good part of the story. It’s an okay book for a one time read and felt very easy to finish in a single sitting. However, it doesn’t live up to some of Annabeth Albert’s older, more amazing books.
I liked the characters of Reuben and Toby. They had a nice dynamic right from the get go and their easy chemistry while they were living together was very cute. I also adored Reuben’s daughter Amelia. Her transformation from a cranky teenager to someone who just finds her path was delightful to read about. I wasn’t that much of a fan of Toby’s family despite their closeness and his utter adoration for them, they just felt too nosy. However, it does seem to improve towards the end which wasn’t bad.
Overall, it was a good read. It doesn’t have that much of an atmospheric feel like the previous book and Alaska is still very much a good part of the story. It’s an okay book for a one time read and felt very easy to finish in a single sitting. However, it doesn’t live up to some of Annabeth Albert’s older, more amazing books.
May 5, 2019
This was a super sweet romance for me. There were a couple of things at the beginning that gave me pause, but by the time I hit the 50% mark I was all in.
48 year old corporate lawyer Reuben is forced into a trip to Alaska by himself. While there, a life and death situation causes him to re-evaluate his life and perspective.
Toby is a 31 year old tour pilot taking care of his disabled father and two younger sisters. Losing his life or even his ability to support his family is not an option. When Reuben offers help, he has to swallow his pride and accept.
The chemistry between these two is a very slow build. When Reuben's 14 year old daughter comes into the picture it starts to feel more and more like a small family. However, Toby's pride gets in the way. And Reuben has to decide what he wants in life for himself.
I read this as a stand alone and didn't have any problems with not reading the first book. The previous characters only make a brief appearance.
I liked this one a lot.
3.5 stars
Review ARC graciously provided by the publisher via NetGalley
48 year old corporate lawyer Reuben is forced into a trip to Alaska by himself. While there, a life and death situation causes him to re-evaluate his life and perspective.
Toby is a 31 year old tour pilot taking care of his disabled father and two younger sisters. Losing his life or even his ability to support his family is not an option. When Reuben offers help, he has to swallow his pride and accept.
The chemistry between these two is a very slow build. When Reuben's 14 year old daughter comes into the picture it starts to feel more and more like a small family. However, Toby's pride gets in the way. And Reuben has to decide what he wants in life for himself.
I read this as a stand alone and didn't have any problems with not reading the first book. The previous characters only make a brief appearance.
I liked this one a lot.
3.5 stars
Review ARC graciously provided by the publisher via NetGalley
April 5, 2021
I really enjoyed this book! One of my favourite things about Annabeth Albert’s books is how realistic the characters and situations feel. There is almost always an element of fantasy with romance novels, but I find myself really believing that her characters and their lives could be real. And this book is no exception! I love Toby and Reuben’s journey, and how each character learns from the other and becomes a better person. I also loved the supporting characters, even when they were trying my patience. I highly recommend this book and the whole series!
July 9, 2019
High-powered attorney Reuben Graham agrees to a trip with his friends through remote Alaska. Things don’t get off to the best start, when Reuben’s colleagues can’t make their flight.
Luckily, the persuasive and attractive younger tour guide convinces Reuben to make the best of the situation.
Tobias Kooly is ever the professional, no matter how sexy the silver fox is. And no matter how much both men begin enjoying their time together.
However, the careful distance disappears when the worst happens, and Toby and Reuben’s plane goes down in the wilds of Alaska.
I’ll admit it took me a while to really get into the book. The initial part of the book with the trip seemed fairly similar to all the touristy stuff in book 1. And though I liked both Reuben and Toby, neither immediately grabbed my attention.
But once things got a bit crazy, I was in for the ride. Nothing like a near-death scenario to really whet the appetite.
The experience forges a bond between Reuben and Toby. And Reuben, normally a very sedate and orderly man, decides to take a chance and spend the summer being Toby’s nursemaid.
Was it an odd and quick jump from strangers to roommates-on-the-cusp-of-more? Yes. Did I mind? Not too much. I wanted to see the big silver daddy take care of his young pilot!
The two made a cute pair, becoming closer as Toby recuperates from his injuries. And beneath that budding friendship, there’s a strong undercurrent of attraction that had been there from almost the moment the two men first met.
When they give in to it, it was hot. Kudos to them for finding ways to work around Toby’s injuries!
This isn’t a particularly drama-filled book. The angst comes from real issues that might face any long-distance relationship between two people from very different backgrounds.
I did think there was a bit too much family. I could have done with less of Reuben’s daughter’s constant surliness, though I did think her relationship with Toby’s sister was sweet.
Though the pace was a bit too slow for me, I really liked Toby and Reuben’s HEA! If you’re looking for an easy-to-read family-centric romance with a bit of action, give ‘Arctic Wild’ a try!
Luckily, the persuasive and attractive younger tour guide convinces Reuben to make the best of the situation.
Tobias Kooly is ever the professional, no matter how sexy the silver fox is. And no matter how much both men begin enjoying their time together.
However, the careful distance disappears when the worst happens, and Toby and Reuben’s plane goes down in the wilds of Alaska.
I’ll admit it took me a while to really get into the book. The initial part of the book with the trip seemed fairly similar to all the touristy stuff in book 1. And though I liked both Reuben and Toby, neither immediately grabbed my attention.
But once things got a bit crazy, I was in for the ride. Nothing like a near-death scenario to really whet the appetite.
The experience forges a bond between Reuben and Toby. And Reuben, normally a very sedate and orderly man, decides to take a chance and spend the summer being Toby’s nursemaid.
Was it an odd and quick jump from strangers to roommates-on-the-cusp-of-more? Yes. Did I mind? Not too much. I wanted to see the big silver daddy take care of his young pilot!
The two made a cute pair, becoming closer as Toby recuperates from his injuries. And beneath that budding friendship, there’s a strong undercurrent of attraction that had been there from almost the moment the two men first met.
When they give in to it, it was hot. Kudos to them for finding ways to work around Toby’s injuries!
This isn’t a particularly drama-filled book. The angst comes from real issues that might face any long-distance relationship between two people from very different backgrounds.
I did think there was a bit too much family. I could have done with less of Reuben’s daughter’s constant surliness, though I did think her relationship with Toby’s sister was sweet.
Though the pace was a bit too slow for me, I really liked Toby and Reuben’s HEA! If you’re looking for an easy-to-read family-centric romance with a bit of action, give ‘Arctic Wild’ a try!
October 22, 2019
Annabeth Albert gives us another Arctic adventure ! I liked Arctic book #1,
and of course her Out Of Uniform series, too !
High powered lawyer, Reuben, 48, a "silver bear,"
is finally getting time off from his New York City chaos.
Toby, 31, is the Tour guide/Pilot for the Alaska trip.
Toby dropped out of college to take care of his recovering father and two sisters.
Reuben is divorced and has a 14 yr. old daughter, Amelia. We like our guys right away, each for different reasons. This story is riveting, exciting, and fun
as we see them enjoy the first two days, and when the plane crashes, survival is key.
* After Toby is severely injured, Reuben steps up, big-time, even though he's injured, too.
We feel their emotions, each man's worries, and they explore what makes the other tick.
Amelia ends up in Alaska, and as the men begin to bond slowly, they build up to hot sexy times, with firsts for Toby. Reuben and Amelia are fitting in to the small community, and more will be discovered.
Later, as the men fall for each other, there are issues with Reuben's work and ex-wife, where Amelia will go to school, and how Toby will resolve his money problems, refusing to let Reuben help, and the slow recovery process is frustrating.
We get a terrific epilogue, and a HEA.
ENJOY !
=====
and of course her Out Of Uniform series, too !
High powered lawyer, Reuben, 48, a "silver bear,"
is finally getting time off from his New York City chaos.
Toby, 31, is the Tour guide/Pilot for the Alaska trip.
Toby dropped out of college to take care of his recovering father and two sisters.
Reuben is divorced and has a 14 yr. old daughter, Amelia. We like our guys right away, each for different reasons. This story is riveting, exciting, and fun
as we see them enjoy the first two days, and when the plane crashes, survival is key.
* After Toby is severely injured, Reuben steps up, big-time, even though he's injured, too.
We feel their emotions, each man's worries, and they explore what makes the other tick.
Amelia ends up in Alaska, and as the men begin to bond slowly, they build up to hot sexy times, with firsts for Toby. Reuben and Amelia are fitting in to the small community, and more will be discovered.
Later, as the men fall for each other, there are issues with Reuben's work and ex-wife, where Amelia will go to school, and how Toby will resolve his money problems, refusing to let Reuben help, and the slow recovery process is frustrating.
We get a terrific epilogue, and a HEA.
ENJOY !
=====
December 13, 2022
The first M/M romance book I ever read was a part of Annabeth Alberts "Out of Uniform" series and needless to say, I was hooked. She has been among my favorites ever since. I had read this one several years ago. Sometimes I reread a book just to see if I have the same point of view as previously. I believe that I liked the concept of the story more although I was still slightly put off by the way Tobby's father and sister treated Reuben. They disliked him without making any effort whatsoever to get to known him. Yes...he was successful. Yes...he was rich, but he loved Tobey, he saved Tobey's life when the plane went down. They avoid him like the plague, but he was never anything but kind to them when they did meet, and he went out of his way to care for Tobey when he was injured when the plane went down. Tobey was frustrated with not being able to return to work...with how long it was taking his injuries to heal...with how much his elderly father's medical bills were piling up, not to mention that all this didn't exactly bring out Tobey's best side.... along with all that, he would not in a million years let Rueben help him out. This all frustrated me... as I'm sure the author intended. There were several reasons that I liked the book more this time. I made an effort to work while I was reading, at giving Tobey and Reuben time. Time to feel that they were going to make a home together with Reuben's daughter...time for them to develop feelings of belonging.... time to realize that they were indeed, in every way, a family. I think these two were simply made for one another. So different, yet so much a perfect match.
June 2, 2019
I’m sorry to say I couldn’t really connect with these characters. It’s me I know, this author always writes good stories, so this one was good put together. Only I didn’t get the click. Maybe it was because I felt it had too much story around them. I don’t know. My expectations were from another level. It took a while before the crash actually happened (I was looking forward to it), and after it happened there was so much story I had to focus on, my attention drifted.
I will give three point five stars because the writing had no errors, only my head had them.
Kindly received an ARC through NetGalley
I will give three point five stars because the writing had no errors, only my head had them.
Kindly received an ARC through NetGalley
August 14, 2021
3.5
Super entertaining, sexy, sweet with a plot that goes beyond the main reality of the characters.
And speaking of the characters, it was good to see them battle their problems and fears.
Ideal for when you want to read a book in one go.
Super entertaining, sexy, sweet with a plot that goes beyond the main reality of the characters.
And speaking of the characters, it was good to see them battle their problems and fears.
Ideal for when you want to read a book in one go.
May 28, 2021
Loved it! So many things about Arctic Wild hit me just right, plus Iggy Toma's performance is simply spectacular. There's an exciting crash and rescue, and some really well done family drama, plus an absolutely delicious age-gap romance - it all came together in exactly the right way.
I haven't read Arctic Sun. That couple has a small part, and I'm looking forward to checking out their story next.
I haven't read Arctic Sun. That couple has a small part, and I'm looking forward to checking out their story next.
July 14, 2019
I've given this a B+ at AAR, so that's 4.5 stars
Arctic Wild, book two in Annabeth Albert’s Frozen Hearts series, is a gently moving, slow-burn romance between two very different men who find themselves re-evaluating their lives following an almost fatal accident. There are places where perhaps the pacing could have been a little faster and the focus a little sharper, but I really liked the way the romance developed and how the author explored the dynamics between the leads and the secondary characters/family members who also appear in the story.
Workaholic corporate lawyer Reuben Graham has been persuaded to take a long-overdue vacation with a couple of friends when a last minute change sees him heading off to Alaska on his own. He’d much rather just have cancelled, but was pretty much guilted into going and anyway, he’s got plenty of work with him so when there’s no decent internet connection he’ll just hunker down and read all that paperwork he’s got piled up. With any luck, his guide will be some “grizzled old mountain man pilot” who is disinclined to talk and will leave Reuben to work in peace. But he’s out of luck in that department and is instead greeted by a gorgeously attractive, vivacious, younger (too young for him, anyway) man who definitely doesn’t seem as though he’s the strong silent type.
Pilot and tour guide Toby Kooly (whom we met briefly in the previous book, Arctic Sun) is very good at what he does. Personable, informative and fun, he genuinely enjoys making sure his clients are having a good time and doing whatever he can to help them make the most of what is generally a once-in-a-lifetime experience. But on meeting Reuben Graham he instantly senses the man is going to prove something of a challenge; he obviously isn’t particularly enthusiastic about being there and seems resistant to enjoying himself. And he presents another sort of challenge, too; older guys don’t normally do it for Toby, but something about this tall, distinguished silver fox – no, silver bear – with the broad shoulders and the commanding presence most definitely turns his crank. But hooking up with clients isn’t something he makes a habit of, so he pushes temptation aside and concentrates on doing his job, determined to win Reuben over and get him to enjoy himself.
And over their first couple of days and tour stops Reuben does gradually start to unwind and even finds himself opening up a little about himself, chatting casually with Toby in a way he can’t remember really doing with anyone, especially not someone he’s known for so short a time. Both men are aware of the hum of an attraction between them, but before they can do anything about it, the trip takes a swift turn into hell when a freak storm blows in while they’re in the air and despite Toby’s best efforts, the plane crashes. Having sustained some serious injuries, Toby is pretty helpless and it’s down to Reuben to get them to safety while they wait for the rescue team to arrive.
This near death experience has big ramifications for both men, who find themselves having to make some major reassessments and adjustments in their lives. Toby, who has been the main provider for his family (an invalid father and two sisters at college) for over a decade, is unable to work due to a broken arm and broken leg, and is immediately swamped by money worries, while the event gives Reuben the push he needs to start rethinking his life. At forty-eight, he’s too young to retire, but his firm is restructuring and has offered him a buyout package, which he hasn’t really had the time and inclination to think about so far. Now, however, he realises he’s been given an opportunity to make the sorts of changes he hadn’t realised he needed to make, which includes spending more time with his fourteen-year-old daughter, Amelia. He’s missed out on a lot of her life and is determined to do better by her, and when he discovers the extent of Toby’s injuries (and knowing that he can’t possibly afford rehabilitative care) Reuben offers to rent a place that Toby can share with him and Amelia, who is coming to spend the Summer with him.
[On a side note, reading about how much Toby worries about his medical bills makes me so thankful for the NHS!]
The principal conflict in the story arises because Toby doesn’t find it easy to ask for and accept help. As Reuben falls in love with Alaska, and the two men fall in love with each other, Toby’s stubbornness on that point and his deep-seated fear of dependence threaten to derail things between them. He’s convinced that Reuben deserves someone as rich and sophisticated as he is and that whatever is happening with them can only be a short-lived thing – which isn’t helped by his father’s obvious disapproval of Reuben (he’s too old and too rich) and his constant insistence that a man must take care of his own shit and not rely on anyone else. It’s a mantra that Toby has been brought up with, and it’s hard for him to shake so many years of conditioning and admit to himself that he likes being taken care of for a change. Reuben freely admits that he enjoys taking care of others, but that gives rise to other doubts. Is Toby just some sort of ‘project’ to fulfil Reuben’s desire to feel useful and needed ? And given the feelings he’s no longer able to deny he has for Reuben, how will he cope when summer ends and they go back to their old lives?
While I admit that Toby’s reluctance to ask for and accept help did perhaps go on a little too long, and I had a few issues with how easily he was able to get around with a broken arm and leg (I’ve been wheelchair-bound and the kitchen counters were just about eye-level, so no way would I have been able to cook like Toby does!), I enjoyed everything else about the story very much. I could easily understand Reuben’s desire to make big changes in his life and I loved the slow-burning but sizzling attraction between the two men, which eventually culminates in some sensual love scenes. Ms. Albert takes her time developing their romance and she does it beautifully, showing them growing closer and their connection deepening as they spend more time talking and enjoying each other’s company.
Reuben’s daughter appears in a large chunk of the book, and comes across as a typical fourteen-year-old, wanting to be ‘grown up’ but isn’t quite yet. Ms. Albert captures that aspect of her character really well, and skilfully shows her gradually reconnecting with Reuben and recapturing some of the optimism and youthful enthusiasm she’d lost. The other secondary characters – Toby’s dad and sister, Nell (who befriends Amelia) – are well-drawn, and as in Arctic Sun, the Alaskan landscapes are vividly and tantalisingly described.
Arctic Wild earns a strong recommendation in spite of my few reservations, and I’ll definitely be picking up the next in the series, Arctic Heat, when it comes out later this year.
Arctic Wild, book two in Annabeth Albert’s Frozen Hearts series, is a gently moving, slow-burn romance between two very different men who find themselves re-evaluating their lives following an almost fatal accident. There are places where perhaps the pacing could have been a little faster and the focus a little sharper, but I really liked the way the romance developed and how the author explored the dynamics between the leads and the secondary characters/family members who also appear in the story.
Workaholic corporate lawyer Reuben Graham has been persuaded to take a long-overdue vacation with a couple of friends when a last minute change sees him heading off to Alaska on his own. He’d much rather just have cancelled, but was pretty much guilted into going and anyway, he’s got plenty of work with him so when there’s no decent internet connection he’ll just hunker down and read all that paperwork he’s got piled up. With any luck, his guide will be some “grizzled old mountain man pilot” who is disinclined to talk and will leave Reuben to work in peace. But he’s out of luck in that department and is instead greeted by a gorgeously attractive, vivacious, younger (too young for him, anyway) man who definitely doesn’t seem as though he’s the strong silent type.
Pilot and tour guide Toby Kooly (whom we met briefly in the previous book, Arctic Sun) is very good at what he does. Personable, informative and fun, he genuinely enjoys making sure his clients are having a good time and doing whatever he can to help them make the most of what is generally a once-in-a-lifetime experience. But on meeting Reuben Graham he instantly senses the man is going to prove something of a challenge; he obviously isn’t particularly enthusiastic about being there and seems resistant to enjoying himself. And he presents another sort of challenge, too; older guys don’t normally do it for Toby, but something about this tall, distinguished silver fox – no, silver bear – with the broad shoulders and the commanding presence most definitely turns his crank. But hooking up with clients isn’t something he makes a habit of, so he pushes temptation aside and concentrates on doing his job, determined to win Reuben over and get him to enjoy himself.
And over their first couple of days and tour stops Reuben does gradually start to unwind and even finds himself opening up a little about himself, chatting casually with Toby in a way he can’t remember really doing with anyone, especially not someone he’s known for so short a time. Both men are aware of the hum of an attraction between them, but before they can do anything about it, the trip takes a swift turn into hell when a freak storm blows in while they’re in the air and despite Toby’s best efforts, the plane crashes. Having sustained some serious injuries, Toby is pretty helpless and it’s down to Reuben to get them to safety while they wait for the rescue team to arrive.
This near death experience has big ramifications for both men, who find themselves having to make some major reassessments and adjustments in their lives. Toby, who has been the main provider for his family (an invalid father and two sisters at college) for over a decade, is unable to work due to a broken arm and broken leg, and is immediately swamped by money worries, while the event gives Reuben the push he needs to start rethinking his life. At forty-eight, he’s too young to retire, but his firm is restructuring and has offered him a buyout package, which he hasn’t really had the time and inclination to think about so far. Now, however, he realises he’s been given an opportunity to make the sorts of changes he hadn’t realised he needed to make, which includes spending more time with his fourteen-year-old daughter, Amelia. He’s missed out on a lot of her life and is determined to do better by her, and when he discovers the extent of Toby’s injuries (and knowing that he can’t possibly afford rehabilitative care) Reuben offers to rent a place that Toby can share with him and Amelia, who is coming to spend the Summer with him.
[On a side note, reading about how much Toby worries about his medical bills makes me so thankful for the NHS!]
The principal conflict in the story arises because Toby doesn’t find it easy to ask for and accept help. As Reuben falls in love with Alaska, and the two men fall in love with each other, Toby’s stubbornness on that point and his deep-seated fear of dependence threaten to derail things between them. He’s convinced that Reuben deserves someone as rich and sophisticated as he is and that whatever is happening with them can only be a short-lived thing – which isn’t helped by his father’s obvious disapproval of Reuben (he’s too old and too rich) and his constant insistence that a man must take care of his own shit and not rely on anyone else. It’s a mantra that Toby has been brought up with, and it’s hard for him to shake so many years of conditioning and admit to himself that he likes being taken care of for a change. Reuben freely admits that he enjoys taking care of others, but that gives rise to other doubts. Is Toby just some sort of ‘project’ to fulfil Reuben’s desire to feel useful and needed ? And given the feelings he’s no longer able to deny he has for Reuben, how will he cope when summer ends and they go back to their old lives?
While I admit that Toby’s reluctance to ask for and accept help did perhaps go on a little too long, and I had a few issues with how easily he was able to get around with a broken arm and leg (I’ve been wheelchair-bound and the kitchen counters were just about eye-level, so no way would I have been able to cook like Toby does!), I enjoyed everything else about the story very much. I could easily understand Reuben’s desire to make big changes in his life and I loved the slow-burning but sizzling attraction between the two men, which eventually culminates in some sensual love scenes. Ms. Albert takes her time developing their romance and she does it beautifully, showing them growing closer and their connection deepening as they spend more time talking and enjoying each other’s company.
Reuben’s daughter appears in a large chunk of the book, and comes across as a typical fourteen-year-old, wanting to be ‘grown up’ but isn’t quite yet. Ms. Albert captures that aspect of her character really well, and skilfully shows her gradually reconnecting with Reuben and recapturing some of the optimism and youthful enthusiasm she’d lost. The other secondary characters – Toby’s dad and sister, Nell (who befriends Amelia) – are well-drawn, and as in Arctic Sun, the Alaskan landscapes are vividly and tantalisingly described.
Arctic Wild earns a strong recommendation in spite of my few reservations, and I’ll definitely be picking up the next in the series, Arctic Heat, when it comes out later this year.
April 27, 2021
Arctic Wild was a little different from my usual reads and I'm curious as to how many readers can say that. We have all read books with an age difference I'm sure, even some where they outright call the man a silver fox but can you say that you have read one about a silver bear? Or what about religion, I don't think it's mentioned in the majority of books I've read and I honestly can't remember the last time I read a book where the main character was Jewish. So yes this book is a little different because Reuben Graham is both a silver bear and Jewish. ;) He's also a lawyer who works crazy hours, divorced, the father of a teenage daughter that he just doesn't know how to connect with, and about to embark on the trip of a lifetime without his two friends that were supposed to join him.
Tobias, Toby, is a tour guide in the beautiful state of Alaska. He takes care of his ailing father and is raising his two younger sisters. If I said he had a lot on his plate that would be the understatement of the year, but he works hard and is doing everything he can to make sure his sisters finish college and his father is taken care of. His pay helps but his tips help even more so when he finds out that two people of his three person tour has cancelled he's not happy but is committed to make the tour the best one possible so maybe the lone tourist will leave him an even better tip.
What neither Reuben nor Toby expected was the attraction they would feel toward the other, or the way meeting would impact either of their lives.
I enjoyed the slow burn between Reuben and Toby, watching them progress from tour guide/client to friends and then to lovers. I also LOVED a couple of the secondary characters, Reuben's daughter Amelia and Toby's sister Nell, for me these two young ladies added a lot to the story.
I listened to the audiobook version of this book and I have to say that the narrator did a wonderful job with the different characters. I never had to guess who was saying what at any point because each of his different voice inflections were very precise and held true throughout the book.
Arctic Wild is the second book in the Frozen Heart series but can easily be read as a standalone. I would recommend this to any one that is a fan of Annabeth Albert's work, and if you haven't read any of her books before this is a great place to start. If you enjoy MM Romance that has a slow burn, a silver fox/bear, or low angst I would recommend this book to you as well.
Happy Reading!!!
You can see this and other Reviews I have written along with various cover reveals, excerpts, and giveaways here Nadine's Obsessed with Books
Merged review:
Arctic Wild was a little different from my usual reads and I'm curious as to how many readers can say that. We have all read books with an age difference I'm sure, even some where they outright call the man a silver fox but can you say that you have read one about a silver bear? Or what about religion, I don't think it's mentioned in the majority of books I've read and I honestly can't remember the last time I read a book where the main character was Jewish. So yes this book is a little different because Reuben Graham is both a silver bear and Jewish. ;) He's also a lawyer who works crazy hours, divorced, the father of a teenage daughter that he just doesn't know how to connect with, and about to embark on the trip of a lifetime without his two friends that were supposed to join him.
Tobias, Toby, is a tour guide in the beautiful state of Alaska. He takes care of his ailing father and is raising his two younger sisters. If I said he had a lot on his plate that would be the understatement of the year, but he works hard and is doing everything he can to make sure his sisters finish college and his father is taken care of. His pay helps but his tips help even more so when he finds out that two people of his three person tour has cancelled he's not happy but is committed to make the tour the best one possible so maybe the lone tourist will leave him an even better tip.
What neither Reuben nor Toby expected was the attraction they would feel toward the other, or the way meeting would impact either of their lives.
I enjoyed the slow burn between Reuben and Toby, watching them progress from tour guide/client to friends and then to lovers. I also LOVED a couple of the secondary characters, Reuben's daughter Amelia and Toby's sister Nell, for me these two young ladies added a lot to the story.
I listened to the audiobook version of this book and I have to say that the narrator did a wonderful job with the different characters. I never had to guess who was saying what at any point because each of his different voice inflections were very precise and held true throughout the book.
Arctic Wild is the second book in the Frozen Heart series but can easily be read as a standalone. I would recommend this to any one that is a fan of Annabeth Albert's work, and if you haven't read any of her books before this is a great place to start. If you enjoy MM Romance that has a slow burn, a silver fox/bear, or low angst I would recommend this book to you as well.
Happy Reading!!!
Tobias, Toby, is a tour guide in the beautiful state of Alaska. He takes care of his ailing father and is raising his two younger sisters. If I said he had a lot on his plate that would be the understatement of the year, but he works hard and is doing everything he can to make sure his sisters finish college and his father is taken care of. His pay helps but his tips help even more so when he finds out that two people of his three person tour has cancelled he's not happy but is committed to make the tour the best one possible so maybe the lone tourist will leave him an even better tip.
What neither Reuben nor Toby expected was the attraction they would feel toward the other, or the way meeting would impact either of their lives.
I enjoyed the slow burn between Reuben and Toby, watching them progress from tour guide/client to friends and then to lovers. I also LOVED a couple of the secondary characters, Reuben's daughter Amelia and Toby's sister Nell, for me these two young ladies added a lot to the story.
I listened to the audiobook version of this book and I have to say that the narrator did a wonderful job with the different characters. I never had to guess who was saying what at any point because each of his different voice inflections were very precise and held true throughout the book.
Arctic Wild is the second book in the Frozen Heart series but can easily be read as a standalone. I would recommend this to any one that is a fan of Annabeth Albert's work, and if you haven't read any of her books before this is a great place to start. If you enjoy MM Romance that has a slow burn, a silver fox/bear, or low angst I would recommend this book to you as well.
Happy Reading!!!
You can see this and other Reviews I have written along with various cover reveals, excerpts, and giveaways here Nadine's Obsessed with BooksMerged review:
Arctic Wild was a little different from my usual reads and I'm curious as to how many readers can say that. We have all read books with an age difference I'm sure, even some where they outright call the man a silver fox but can you say that you have read one about a silver bear? Or what about religion, I don't think it's mentioned in the majority of books I've read and I honestly can't remember the last time I read a book where the main character was Jewish. So yes this book is a little different because Reuben Graham is both a silver bear and Jewish. ;) He's also a lawyer who works crazy hours, divorced, the father of a teenage daughter that he just doesn't know how to connect with, and about to embark on the trip of a lifetime without his two friends that were supposed to join him.
Tobias, Toby, is a tour guide in the beautiful state of Alaska. He takes care of his ailing father and is raising his two younger sisters. If I said he had a lot on his plate that would be the understatement of the year, but he works hard and is doing everything he can to make sure his sisters finish college and his father is taken care of. His pay helps but his tips help even more so when he finds out that two people of his three person tour has cancelled he's not happy but is committed to make the tour the best one possible so maybe the lone tourist will leave him an even better tip.
What neither Reuben nor Toby expected was the attraction they would feel toward the other, or the way meeting would impact either of their lives.
I enjoyed the slow burn between Reuben and Toby, watching them progress from tour guide/client to friends and then to lovers. I also LOVED a couple of the secondary characters, Reuben's daughter Amelia and Toby's sister Nell, for me these two young ladies added a lot to the story.
I listened to the audiobook version of this book and I have to say that the narrator did a wonderful job with the different characters. I never had to guess who was saying what at any point because each of his different voice inflections were very precise and held true throughout the book.
Arctic Wild is the second book in the Frozen Heart series but can easily be read as a standalone. I would recommend this to any one that is a fan of Annabeth Albert's work, and if you haven't read any of her books before this is a great place to start. If you enjoy MM Romance that has a slow burn, a silver fox/bear, or low angst I would recommend this book to you as well.
Happy Reading!!!
dnf
August 6, 2019Lo dejo al 70% porque paso de seguir perdiendo mi tiempo con Reuben y Toby, una pareja con la que no he llegado a conectar y que me ha parecido bastante improbable/forzada, not my cuppa.
September 30, 2019
Set in the Alaskan wilderness, and featuring a silver fox attorney and a hot pilot, this story had me glued to the pages from the get-go. It's a slow-burning kind of romance where the author takes her time developing the connection between the leads, and when they finally get together, the results are explosive. There's an age gap element, a single dad one, too, and the writing is simply wonderful. Can't recommend it highly enough!
May 22, 2024
Review from 2019
I've given this an A for narration and a B+ for content at AudioGals.
This second book in Annabeth Albert’s Frozen Hearts series is an opposites-attract, May/December romance in which the protagonists find themselves making a major reassessment of their lives and goals in the wake of a life-threatening accident. It’s no secret I’m a big fan of this author and narrator, so I had high hopes – and I’m pleased to report that Arctic Wild more than lived up to my expectations.
Corporate lawyer Reuben Graham and a couple of friends are due to fly to Alaska for an exclusive one-week wilderness experience when a last minute change sees him heading off on his own. He’d honestly prefer to have cancelled, but when his friend implies that Reuben isn’t the outdoorsy type (he isn’t) and might not cope easily with the challenges the trip is likely to present, Reuben finds he dislikes the insinuation and decides to prove him wrong. As he heads to catch his flight, he just hopes that his tour guide is a grizzled – and most importantly, taciturn – mountain man-type who is likely to leave him mostly alone and won’t notice or worry if Reuben spends a lot of the trip buried in the work he’s brought along.
Toby Kooly – who appeared briefly in Arctic Sun – is Reuben’s pilot and guide, and he’s very good at his job. Friendly, fun, entertaining and informative, he’s genuinely concerned to make sure that his clients have the best time possible, especially as for most of them, the trip is a once-in-a-lifetime experience. But when he meets his new client, Toby immediately senses that the man is going to be a tough nut to crack; he seems to not want to be there and is resistant to enjoying himself. It’s too bad Toby can think of other ways Reuben could enjoy himself; he isn’t normally attracted to older guys, but there’s something about this one that really does it for him. Still, Toby doesn’t make a habit of hooking-up with clients, so instead he concentrates on winning Reuben over and getting him to enjoy himself.
Over the next couple of days, Reuben is surprised to find himself worrying about work less and less and not wanting to check his email at every available opportunity. Equally surprising is the way he finds himself growing comfortable with his attractive – but far too young for him (Toby is thirty-one) – tour guide, even going so far as to open up to him about things he doesn’t normally talk about with anyone – such as his frayed relationship with his teenaged daughter, Amelia – let alone someone he doesn’t know all that well. Both men are aware of the current of attraction fizzing between them, but before they can do any more than acknowledge it, the entire trip goes pear-shaped when a freak storm blows in and forces a crash landing in spite of Toby’s best efforts to get the plane down safely. Toby sustains some serious injuries as a result, and it’s down to Reuben to get them both to safety while they wait for the rescue team to arrive.
This all happens in the first few chapters – the rest of the book deals with the ramifications of the crash and the way in which both Reuben and Toby find themselves making those reassessments and readjustments I mentioned earlier. For Reuben, the near-death experience gives him the push he needs to take a good, long look at his life and realise that he doesn’t really have one outside of his work. At forty-eight, he’s too young to retire, but the firm he works for is restructuring and he’s been offered a buyout package which, prior to the accident, he hadn’t been willing to consider. Now, however, he starts to see the offer as an opportunity to make a fresh start and decides to extend his stay in Alaska over the summer while he takes the time to think about what he wants to do next.
Toby, however, faces a completely different set of problems. He’s been his family’s main provider for a decade, but with a broken arm and a broken leg, he’s not going to be able to work for some time. With an infirm father and two younger sisters – one of whom is in medical school – not to mention his own medical bills, the family finances are going to take a massive hit – which is just one more thing to add to his growing pile of worries.
The principal source of conflict in the story stems from the fact that Toby finds it really hard to ask for and accept help, and it’s his stubbornness on this point that, more than anything else, threatens to tank his and Reuben’s burgeoning relationship. Reuben is a natural protector; he likes taking care of people, and occasionally, Toby can admit that it’s nice to have someone to lift – or at the very least – share his burdens, even if only for a little while. But he’s had it drilled into him from a very young age (by his father) that a man should stand on his own two feet and not be dependent on anyone, and it’s conditioning Toby finds very hard to break. In any case, he and Reuben have agreed to a summer fling, nothing more; Reuben doesn’t belong with someone like Toby any more than he belongs somewhere like Alaska and eventually he’ll go back to his big-city life and will find the sort of man he deserves, someone as rich and sophisticated as he is. Which is going to hurt like hell when it happens.
I did think Toby’s reluctance to ask for help went on a little too long, but otherwise, I thoroughly enjoyed the story and the sizzling, slow-burn romance. Toby and Reuben are attractive, engaging characters and Ms. Albert takes her time developing their love story, showing them getting to know each other, being comfortable around each other and gradually strengthening their emotional bond. She does an excellent job with the other relationships in the story, too, clearly depicting Toby’s dedication to his family (even though they drive him batty sometimes) and Reuben’s love for Amelia – who is very well written as a typical teen – as the two of them get to know each other again, and I really appreciated the way she so easily accepts Toby’s presence in their lives.
When I requested a review copy of Arctic Wild, the narrator was listed at Amazon and Audible as “TBA”, so I had no idea who I’d signed up to listen to! (Which just goes to show what a fan I am of Annabeth Albert’s work – normally I’m all about the narrator!) So I’m sure you can imagine my sigh of relief when the familiar voice of Iggy Toma filled my ears. (In fact, at time of writing he’s STILL not listed as the narrator for this title. Audible peeps, you need to fix that!) He delivers exactly the sort of expressive, emotionally resonant performance I’ve come to expect from him; the secondary characters are all skilfully delineated, his pacing is spot on and his portrayal of the two principals is superb. Reuben sounds exactly like I’d imagined he should when I read the book; he’s given a deep, slightly gruff tone that fits his physicality, and his delivery is measured in a way that conveys that here’s a man who is comfortable with who he is, who thinks things through and likes to take his time (as Toby is very happy to discover! *wink*). Toby’s speech is slightly faster and higher-pitched, and his innate good humour shines through in the portrayal, as does the frustration and anxiety that dog him later on in the story. The attraction, warmth and chemistry between the couple all come through in Mr. Toma’s voice, and his terrific performance, together with the sensual romance and thoughtful story make Arctic Wild an audiobook I’m more than happy to recommend.
I've given this an A for narration and a B+ for content at AudioGals.
This second book in Annabeth Albert’s Frozen Hearts series is an opposites-attract, May/December romance in which the protagonists find themselves making a major reassessment of their lives and goals in the wake of a life-threatening accident. It’s no secret I’m a big fan of this author and narrator, so I had high hopes – and I’m pleased to report that Arctic Wild more than lived up to my expectations.
Corporate lawyer Reuben Graham and a couple of friends are due to fly to Alaska for an exclusive one-week wilderness experience when a last minute change sees him heading off on his own. He’d honestly prefer to have cancelled, but when his friend implies that Reuben isn’t the outdoorsy type (he isn’t) and might not cope easily with the challenges the trip is likely to present, Reuben finds he dislikes the insinuation and decides to prove him wrong. As he heads to catch his flight, he just hopes that his tour guide is a grizzled – and most importantly, taciturn – mountain man-type who is likely to leave him mostly alone and won’t notice or worry if Reuben spends a lot of the trip buried in the work he’s brought along.
Toby Kooly – who appeared briefly in Arctic Sun – is Reuben’s pilot and guide, and he’s very good at his job. Friendly, fun, entertaining and informative, he’s genuinely concerned to make sure that his clients have the best time possible, especially as for most of them, the trip is a once-in-a-lifetime experience. But when he meets his new client, Toby immediately senses that the man is going to be a tough nut to crack; he seems to not want to be there and is resistant to enjoying himself. It’s too bad Toby can think of other ways Reuben could enjoy himself; he isn’t normally attracted to older guys, but there’s something about this one that really does it for him. Still, Toby doesn’t make a habit of hooking-up with clients, so instead he concentrates on winning Reuben over and getting him to enjoy himself.
Over the next couple of days, Reuben is surprised to find himself worrying about work less and less and not wanting to check his email at every available opportunity. Equally surprising is the way he finds himself growing comfortable with his attractive – but far too young for him (Toby is thirty-one) – tour guide, even going so far as to open up to him about things he doesn’t normally talk about with anyone – such as his frayed relationship with his teenaged daughter, Amelia – let alone someone he doesn’t know all that well. Both men are aware of the current of attraction fizzing between them, but before they can do any more than acknowledge it, the entire trip goes pear-shaped when a freak storm blows in and forces a crash landing in spite of Toby’s best efforts to get the plane down safely. Toby sustains some serious injuries as a result, and it’s down to Reuben to get them both to safety while they wait for the rescue team to arrive.
This all happens in the first few chapters – the rest of the book deals with the ramifications of the crash and the way in which both Reuben and Toby find themselves making those reassessments and readjustments I mentioned earlier. For Reuben, the near-death experience gives him the push he needs to take a good, long look at his life and realise that he doesn’t really have one outside of his work. At forty-eight, he’s too young to retire, but the firm he works for is restructuring and he’s been offered a buyout package which, prior to the accident, he hadn’t been willing to consider. Now, however, he starts to see the offer as an opportunity to make a fresh start and decides to extend his stay in Alaska over the summer while he takes the time to think about what he wants to do next.
Toby, however, faces a completely different set of problems. He’s been his family’s main provider for a decade, but with a broken arm and a broken leg, he’s not going to be able to work for some time. With an infirm father and two younger sisters – one of whom is in medical school – not to mention his own medical bills, the family finances are going to take a massive hit – which is just one more thing to add to his growing pile of worries.
The principal source of conflict in the story stems from the fact that Toby finds it really hard to ask for and accept help, and it’s his stubbornness on this point that, more than anything else, threatens to tank his and Reuben’s burgeoning relationship. Reuben is a natural protector; he likes taking care of people, and occasionally, Toby can admit that it’s nice to have someone to lift – or at the very least – share his burdens, even if only for a little while. But he’s had it drilled into him from a very young age (by his father) that a man should stand on his own two feet and not be dependent on anyone, and it’s conditioning Toby finds very hard to break. In any case, he and Reuben have agreed to a summer fling, nothing more; Reuben doesn’t belong with someone like Toby any more than he belongs somewhere like Alaska and eventually he’ll go back to his big-city life and will find the sort of man he deserves, someone as rich and sophisticated as he is. Which is going to hurt like hell when it happens.
I did think Toby’s reluctance to ask for help went on a little too long, but otherwise, I thoroughly enjoyed the story and the sizzling, slow-burn romance. Toby and Reuben are attractive, engaging characters and Ms. Albert takes her time developing their love story, showing them getting to know each other, being comfortable around each other and gradually strengthening their emotional bond. She does an excellent job with the other relationships in the story, too, clearly depicting Toby’s dedication to his family (even though they drive him batty sometimes) and Reuben’s love for Amelia – who is very well written as a typical teen – as the two of them get to know each other again, and I really appreciated the way she so easily accepts Toby’s presence in their lives.
When I requested a review copy of Arctic Wild, the narrator was listed at Amazon and Audible as “TBA”, so I had no idea who I’d signed up to listen to! (Which just goes to show what a fan I am of Annabeth Albert’s work – normally I’m all about the narrator!) So I’m sure you can imagine my sigh of relief when the familiar voice of Iggy Toma filled my ears. (In fact, at time of writing he’s STILL not listed as the narrator for this title. Audible peeps, you need to fix that!) He delivers exactly the sort of expressive, emotionally resonant performance I’ve come to expect from him; the secondary characters are all skilfully delineated, his pacing is spot on and his portrayal of the two principals is superb. Reuben sounds exactly like I’d imagined he should when I read the book; he’s given a deep, slightly gruff tone that fits his physicality, and his delivery is measured in a way that conveys that here’s a man who is comfortable with who he is, who thinks things through and likes to take his time (as Toby is very happy to discover! *wink*). Toby’s speech is slightly faster and higher-pitched, and his innate good humour shines through in the portrayal, as does the frustration and anxiety that dog him later on in the story. The attraction, warmth and chemistry between the couple all come through in Mr. Toma’s voice, and his terrific performance, together with the sensual romance and thoughtful story make Arctic Wild an audiobook I’m more than happy to recommend.
July 2, 2019
Audiobook reviewI’m a huge fan of Annabeth Albert’s and have had many great moments reading and listening to her books. Unfortunately the magic that I’ve come to expect from her writing is absent in this book, this series if I’m being honest. And that’s such a bummer as I really, really wanted to love this Alaskan series. The wilderness and remoteness of the setting called to me. I mean there’s so much potential in her set-up, but she never really gets there.
For this adventure we meet Reuben a hotshot lawyer from the big city. He’s divorced with a fourteen year old daughter and nearing his fiftieth birthday – and he’s very reluctantly going on a vacation to Alaska. A vacation that’s a bit derailed when he and Toby, his wilderness guide, are involved in a plane crash. After being rescued and knowing the extent of Toby’s injuries he decides to stay in Alaska over the summer to help Toby recover. He also invites his teenage daughter to join him in hopes to connect with her again.
My favourite part about this book was to see how Reuben and Amelia, his daughter, found their way back to each other. From nearly being strangers we watched them reconnect and grow close and fall in love with the Alaskan wilderness and slower life. It warmed my heart in a big way.
Sadly, Toby got on my nerves at times and I couldn’t quite get a grip on him. I mean he was supposed to be 31 years old, but often acted like a petulant teenager. Never accepting any kind of help from anyone, and complained about it constantly. We’ve listened to endless internal monologues justifying why he couldn’t accept help from anyone, stranger or family, he had to do it all on his own. I mean there’s carrying the world on your shoulders because there’s no other option, but Toby forced that weight on himself to the extreme. And then at the end of the book he does a 180 and committing to Reuben and happily accepting help from him, even asking for it. I mean we’ve spent I don’t know how many hours listening to how Reuben was too good for him, he was too rich, too perfect and so on. So when he did let others help, it was too sudden and I just didn’t believe it.
Arctic Wild has a different narrator from the first book. Normally I’m against switching narrator in an ongoing series. For this one I don’t really mind it as we deal with different couples and the two books aren’t related in any way other than the setting. This book was narrated by Iggy Toma and he did a really great job of it, capturing the characters really well. As always he has great pacing and enunciation and it was a pleasure to listen to him.
I can see where Albert was going with this book and it had great potential, but sadly it never really took off. At this point I’m unsure if I’m going to stick with the series in hopes that the next one will have that magic that was lacking in this one. I guess time will tell.
A copy of this book was generously provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review
April 24, 2019
I’m new to Annabeth Albert’s Frozen Hearts series, so ‘Arctic Wild’ was sort of a pleasant surprise to me—something that didn’t involve her usual military stories and instead, dealt with the Alaskan wilderness was something I couldn’t resist trying out.
But then, there’s nothing too unpredictable about the story. You could see the train collision coming however; big-city silver fox, high-powered lawyer and Alaskan guy who has no love lost for the city, whose relationship started out as unwilling participant and tour guide until an unexpected plane crash forces them together in unexpected ways. Reuben Graham and Toby Kooly couldn’t be more different and they both know it.
Essentially, this was less of a survival-in-the-wilderness type of read than it was a slow-paced, grinding out the differences type of story as both Reuben and Toby drew closer (the latter has colder feet and more commitment issues than the former who longed for a connection) to each other. And as a result, I was more restless than usual at certain parts of the book, despite it being as close to a realistic m/m romance—there’s real life mirrored in there—as it could probably get the way I imagined it
I can’t exactly put my finger on what would have made it a more convincing romance for me—the sexy times are certainly not lacking—but perhaps the depth of Toby’s own feelings and commitment after Albert had so painstakingly painted him as a casual-sex person who slept around because he didn’t want any more burdens added to his life was what ironically made me doubt the feasibility of this pairing even by the HFN at the end.
So in all, a somewhat engaging but middling read—just wish I could have been more excited about this whole story.
*ARC by the publisher via Netgalley
But then, there’s nothing too unpredictable about the story. You could see the train collision coming however; big-city silver fox, high-powered lawyer and Alaskan guy who has no love lost for the city, whose relationship started out as unwilling participant and tour guide until an unexpected plane crash forces them together in unexpected ways. Reuben Graham and Toby Kooly couldn’t be more different and they both know it.
Essentially, this was less of a survival-in-the-wilderness type of read than it was a slow-paced, grinding out the differences type of story as both Reuben and Toby drew closer (the latter has colder feet and more commitment issues than the former who longed for a connection) to each other. And as a result, I was more restless than usual at certain parts of the book, despite it being as close to a realistic m/m romance—there’s real life mirrored in there—as it could probably get the way I imagined it
I can’t exactly put my finger on what would have made it a more convincing romance for me—the sexy times are certainly not lacking—but perhaps the depth of Toby’s own feelings and commitment after Albert had so painstakingly painted him as a casual-sex person who slept around because he didn’t want any more burdens added to his life was what ironically made me doubt the feasibility of this pairing even by the HFN at the end.
So in all, a somewhat engaging but middling read—just wish I could have been more excited about this whole story.
*ARC by the publisher via Netgalley
June 5, 2019
Returning to the Alaskan wilderness Annabeth Albert brings us Arctic Wild continuing her Frozen Hearts series. This time around we are taught a valuable lesson. It is all too easy to get caught up in day-to-day life and forget what is important. Life is about balance. Sure, we need a career to sustain our lifestyle and to survive, but it is also a necessity to recall the importance of family, friends, and love.
Both Reuben Graham, a gruff forty-eight-year-old corporate lawyer, and Tobias Kooly, a thirty-one-year-old chatty Alaskan tour pilot, have forgotten this fundamental life lesson. Whether it be internal drive that serves as the catalyst or family pressures exerting themselves, fate has brought Reuben and Toby together and instantly their world shifts on its axis. Okay, while there is an instant shift their acceptance takes a bit of time.
Arctic Wild flows at a steady and seamless pace. However, there are defining moments keeping it engaging while gripping at your heart.
The Trickery – How Rueben winds up alone on an Alaskan trip. Maybe not so much trickery as a challenge.
The Crash – Funny how a silly thing like being in a plane crash changes your perspectives while providing opportunity.
The Offer – What does one say when a near stranger offers to help you heal?
The Daughter (Amelia) – The snarky and sullen teenager that slowly rekindles her father-daughter bond while befriending Toby and finding herself.
The Family – The disabled father and sisters who are leery of your relationship with an older man, and an outsider.
The Bonding – The chemistry that has been there from the start builds and builds, painstaking for the reader.
The Realization – The summer is about second chances and Rueben and Toby have decisions to make. Go back to life before they met or move forward in a positive and life affirming direction.
The Commitment – The moment when each man lets go and succumbs to their desires.
There are several aha moments throughout the story that are captivating. Just as the tension and angst is building, one of these men has a defining moment that settles the knots forming in your stomach. Their introspection challenges their perspectives, not always in a positive way at first, but watching them grapple with these moments provides insight into their wellbeing and their internal struggles.
The interactions between Ruben, Toby, and Amelia are fascinating to observe as their hearts expand and take on a new meaning for life and what is important. As they grow, they learn to express themselves and let go of old habits to embrace new beginnings.
Arctic Wild is Annabeth Albert’s second installment from her Frozen Hearts series. Another journey into the beautiful and this time somewhat treacherous Alaskan wilderness. It most definitely can be read as a standalone providing cameo appearances by the characters from Arctic Sun.
Both Reuben Graham, a gruff forty-eight-year-old corporate lawyer, and Tobias Kooly, a thirty-one-year-old chatty Alaskan tour pilot, have forgotten this fundamental life lesson. Whether it be internal drive that serves as the catalyst or family pressures exerting themselves, fate has brought Reuben and Toby together and instantly their world shifts on its axis. Okay, while there is an instant shift their acceptance takes a bit of time.
Arctic Wild flows at a steady and seamless pace. However, there are defining moments keeping it engaging while gripping at your heart.
The Trickery – How Rueben winds up alone on an Alaskan trip. Maybe not so much trickery as a challenge.
The Crash – Funny how a silly thing like being in a plane crash changes your perspectives while providing opportunity.
The Offer – What does one say when a near stranger offers to help you heal?
The Daughter (Amelia) – The snarky and sullen teenager that slowly rekindles her father-daughter bond while befriending Toby and finding herself.
The Family – The disabled father and sisters who are leery of your relationship with an older man, and an outsider.
The Bonding – The chemistry that has been there from the start builds and builds, painstaking for the reader.
The Realization – The summer is about second chances and Rueben and Toby have decisions to make. Go back to life before they met or move forward in a positive and life affirming direction.
The Commitment – The moment when each man lets go and succumbs to their desires.
There are several aha moments throughout the story that are captivating. Just as the tension and angst is building, one of these men has a defining moment that settles the knots forming in your stomach. Their introspection challenges their perspectives, not always in a positive way at first, but watching them grapple with these moments provides insight into their wellbeing and their internal struggles.
The interactions between Ruben, Toby, and Amelia are fascinating to observe as their hearts expand and take on a new meaning for life and what is important. As they grow, they learn to express themselves and let go of old habits to embrace new beginnings.
Arctic Wild is Annabeth Albert’s second installment from her Frozen Hearts series. Another journey into the beautiful and this time somewhat treacherous Alaskan wilderness. It most definitely can be read as a standalone providing cameo appearances by the characters from Arctic Sun.
November 11, 2019
*Received ARC via NetGalley*
I enjoyed this for the most part. There's a few things I wish were different but overall it's a sweet love story. I liked Reuben a lot and I loved his relationship with his daughter. I like her as well. I struggled more with Toby. Like a lot. I wanted him to stand up for himself, for Reuben more. I wanted him to let go and quit trying to control everyone around him. His sisters and his father are their own people. He can't dictate their lives. I don't care what he promised his momma. The reverse is also true. His sisters and father were pretty much jerks to Reuben for the entire book. Unnecessarily. I was a little underwhelmed by the plane crash and the aftermath. I thought it'd be a bigger part or have more impact. I wish the mental aftermath had been addressed more. Or like at all. It's mainly the physical injuries that gets the focus, I mean yes Reuben rethinks his priorities and life but there's other than that not much is mentioned. I did enjoy Reuben and Toby together when they were just removed from everyone else and all the expectations from life.
I enjoyed this for the most part. There's a few things I wish were different but overall it's a sweet love story. I liked Reuben a lot and I loved his relationship with his daughter. I like her as well. I struggled more with Toby. Like a lot. I wanted him to stand up for himself, for Reuben more. I wanted him to let go and quit trying to control everyone around him. His sisters and his father are their own people. He can't dictate their lives. I don't care what he promised his momma. The reverse is also true. His sisters and father were pretty much jerks to Reuben for the entire book. Unnecessarily. I was a little underwhelmed by the plane crash and the aftermath. I thought it'd be a bigger part or have more impact. I wish the mental aftermath had been addressed more. Or like at all. It's mainly the physical injuries that gets the focus, I mean yes Reuben rethinks his priorities and life but there's other than that not much is mentioned. I did enjoy Reuben and Toby together when they were just removed from everyone else and all the expectations from life.
May 20, 2019
This one was a bit of a mixed bag for me. It started out strong. I was thrilled to revisit Alaska and love the trope with the workaholic finding himself. I started to see the attraction blossoming between the MC's and was looking forward to them getting to know each other. Unfortunately, the author TOLD us that they were becoming closer and that they'd had a lot of long, open discussions, but we didn't get to see most of that. Because of this, I didn't feel their connection. When she mentioned that the urge to touch each other was almost overwhelming, I didn't feel it. True to Annabeth Albert form, the sex was smoking hot, but it would have been hotter for me if I'd felt the initial burn.
I liked getting to see Amelia find her way and become closer with Rueben, but I disliked the other family dynamics in a big way.
Honestly, everything felt quite formulaic and I feel like it could have been fleshed out more.
*Received in exchange for an honest review.
I liked getting to see Amelia find her way and become closer with Rueben, but I disliked the other family dynamics in a big way.
Honestly, everything felt quite formulaic and I feel like it could have been fleshed out more.
*Received in exchange for an honest review.
September 8, 2021
3.5 stars
I enjoyed this book waaaaay more than the first. I do wish they communicated more but I am glad their issues didn’t drag out as long as I thought it might.
I am interested in seeing Quills book since he got a VERY small cameo in this book! And speaking of cameos Griff and River only got a few moments so this book can be read completely as a standalone.
Also Iggy Toma did a great job narrating, he didn’t make Rueben sound ancient like some other narrators would because of the age gap. Also Amelia was annoying at the beginning but really redeemed herself at the end.
I do wish Toby and Rueben got stranded longer, it could have been a few more chapters but overall was still done well!
I enjoyed this book waaaaay more than the first. I do wish they communicated more but I am glad their issues didn’t drag out as long as I thought it might.
I am interested in seeing Quills book since he got a VERY small cameo in this book! And speaking of cameos Griff and River only got a few moments so this book can be read completely as a standalone.
Also Iggy Toma did a great job narrating, he didn’t make Rueben sound ancient like some other narrators would because of the age gap. Also Amelia was annoying at the beginning but really redeemed herself at the end.
I do wish Toby and Rueben got stranded longer, it could have been a few more chapters but overall was still done well!
March 15, 2020
3.5 stars
This is the second book in the series but can be read as a standalone. If you read the first book you will remember Tobias as he works with Griffin. (there is also an appearance by Griffin and River from book one).
The plot of this one is pretty unbelievable imo and I had to let that part go but once I did I enjoyed this for the most part. I really disliked Reuben's daughter which was a struggle. I can stand poorly behaved kids in books. Other than that I enjoyed the book. The setting and scenery were gorgeous and I enjoyed the romance.
**ARC provided through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review**
This is the second book in the series but can be read as a standalone. If you read the first book you will remember Tobias as he works with Griffin. (there is also an appearance by Griffin and River from book one).
The plot of this one is pretty unbelievable imo and I had to let that part go but once I did I enjoyed this for the most part. I really disliked Reuben's daughter which was a struggle. I can stand poorly behaved kids in books. Other than that I enjoyed the book. The setting and scenery were gorgeous and I enjoyed the romance.
**ARC provided through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review**
Displaying 1 - 30 of 289 reviews