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Survival Instincts #2
Uncharted
Hotshot pilot Leo Eddowes is afraid of nothing and no one. So when she's asked to evacuate a man from the wilds of Alaska, she doesn't hesitate. But with enemies in close pursuit and the weather turning sour, what should have been a simple mission quickly shifts to disaster.
And there's only one way out.
When Elias Thorne disappeared, he was America's most wanted. Now he's spent more than a decade in one of the most remote places on earth, guarding a dangerous secret. Leo's arrival, quickly followed by a team of expert hunters, leaves him no choice but to join forces with her—and run. Neither is prepared for their reluctant partnership to flare into something as wild and untamed as the frozen world around them...but as desperately cold days melt into scorchingly hot nights, Leo and Elias must learn to dig deep, trust in each other, and forge a bond as strong as the forces of nature.
Stranded together in a frozen wilderness,
There's nowhere left to run...
And there's only one way out.
When Elias Thorne disappeared, he was America's most wanted. Now he's spent more than a decade in one of the most remote places on earth, guarding a dangerous secret. Leo's arrival, quickly followed by a team of expert hunters, leaves him no choice but to join forces with her—and run. Neither is prepared for their reluctant partnership to flare into something as wild and untamed as the frozen world around them...but as desperately cold days melt into scorchingly hot nights, Leo and Elias must learn to dig deep, trust in each other, and forge a bond as strong as the forces of nature.
Stranded together in a frozen wilderness,
There's nowhere left to run...
366 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published August 24, 2021
112 people are currently reading
1836 people want to read
About the author
Adriana Anders
26 books1,039 followersAdriana Anders is author of the Survival Instincts, Love at Last, and Blank Canvas series. Her debut, Under Her Skin, was a Publishers Weekly Best Book of 2017 and double recipient of the HOLT Medallion award, and Loving the Secret Billionaire was a Romance Writers of America 2019 Rita® Award Finalist. Her books have been featured in Entertainment Weekly, Oprah Mag, Bustle, USA Today Happy Ever After, and Book Riot. Today, she resides with her husband and two small children on the coast of France, where she writes the gritty, emotional love stories of her heart.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 324 reviews
September 6, 2021
I absolutely loved book one, so I was excited for another survival story that turned into a romance. This one takes place in Alaska and Leo is an agent trying to find the person living in the woods with a dangerous virus. Instead, she finds Elias, who happens to have dangerous people after him because of this virus. The two go on the run and, I will say, almost all of this book is just them walking and trying not to die. While this happened a lot in the first book, I was hooked on the romance in book one but felt really detached from the romance in book two. There wasn't that much variety in the suspense they were dealing with and it took a long time for the romance to develop, so it was hard to believe how hard and fast they fell for each other by the end. I really wanted to love this one, but it dragged more than anything for me.
December 9, 2025
Daredevil pilot, Leontyne “Leo” stays home from an assignment, grounded by a stomach bug, but rest isn’t in her future. She’s sent off to fetch a man in the wilds of Alaska before the evil Chronos group can get their hands on him, and the deadly virus he might possess. However, they’re outnumbered and outgunned and from the minute Leo and Elias connect they’re running for their lives. Not only do they have the enemy to contend with, they have the rugged Alaskan wilderness and its fickle weather to survive.
Uncharted was so much fun! From page one it’s an action-packed thrill ride! The romance between Elias and Lee was a big part of the story as well, and oh-so-hot! Even though things happened fast when you analyze the time they spent together, it didn’t feel fast since Leo and Elias were glued together, relying on each other through all sorts of life-or-death situations: injury, weather, near escapes from the enemy. It bonded these two like nothing else! Attraction was immediate, but trust and respect took a little more time, and it felt like they got to know each other before anything physical happened. Sometimes characterization suffers with an action-packed story, but Ms. Anders deftly worked layers into Leo and Elias without slowing the plot down. I cared about them and was on the edge of my seat hoping they’d come out on-top and happy together!
There were a few interesting secondary characters as well: Amka, the woman who sent Leo off to fetch Elias in the first place, was one bad-ass old lady, and I just loved her! She had her own little side story, and I was in awe! One more that I won’t mention because of spoilers, and I can’t forget Borealis “Bo”, Elias’ sweet dog. The Alaskan wild was almost another character vividly described. Untouched beauty, awe inspiring and deadly.
I read and loved the previous story, Whiteout. Uncharted lived up to my expectations and then some! While this is part of a series, I don’t think it’s necessary to read the previous stories. Uncharted stands well on its own, however, you’d be missing out on two amazing stories: Deep Blue (Survival Instincts #0.5) part of Turn the Tide, a novella still free on Amazon, and Whiteout (Survival Instincts #1). I’m eagerly anticipating the next one to come!
A copy was kindly provided by Sourcebooks Casablanca via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
Uncharted was so much fun! From page one it’s an action-packed thrill ride! The romance between Elias and Lee was a big part of the story as well, and oh-so-hot! Even though things happened fast when you analyze the time they spent together, it didn’t feel fast since Leo and Elias were glued together, relying on each other through all sorts of life-or-death situations: injury, weather, near escapes from the enemy. It bonded these two like nothing else! Attraction was immediate, but trust and respect took a little more time, and it felt like they got to know each other before anything physical happened. Sometimes characterization suffers with an action-packed story, but Ms. Anders deftly worked layers into Leo and Elias without slowing the plot down. I cared about them and was on the edge of my seat hoping they’d come out on-top and happy together!
There were a few interesting secondary characters as well: Amka, the woman who sent Leo off to fetch Elias in the first place, was one bad-ass old lady, and I just loved her! She had her own little side story, and I was in awe! One more that I won’t mention because of spoilers, and I can’t forget Borealis “Bo”, Elias’ sweet dog. The Alaskan wild was almost another character vividly described. Untouched beauty, awe inspiring and deadly.
I read and loved the previous story, Whiteout. Uncharted lived up to my expectations and then some! While this is part of a series, I don’t think it’s necessary to read the previous stories. Uncharted stands well on its own, however, you’d be missing out on two amazing stories: Deep Blue (Survival Instincts #0.5) part of Turn the Tide, a novella still free on Amazon, and Whiteout (Survival Instincts #1). I’m eagerly anticipating the next one to come!
A copy was kindly provided by Sourcebooks Casablanca via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
August 2, 2021
I loved Whiteout, and this one was also a good read. But the romance felt like it took a backseat to the survival stuff and I wished these two could had a bit more of a break from the "this place is going to kill you" vibe.
I really liked the villain leading the team hunting them! He was super-interesting and it was nice to see a well-nuanced secondary character like that rather than cardboard-cutout bad guy.
I read an ARC of this book from the publisher.
I really liked the villain leading the team hunting them! He was super-interesting and it was nice to see a well-nuanced secondary character like that rather than cardboard-cutout bad guy.
I read an ARC of this book from the publisher.
September 9, 2021
Headlines:
Action-brimming
Survival with proximity
Page-turner
The second book in this series did not disappoint me at all, in fact, it lived up to all my hopes. It was a new couple and I wondered if I could feel the same connection as the previous couple. The answer was I did and quickly.
The story started with a bang and with Leo, a pilot, brave and a bit stupid gung-ho. She held the stage until Elias entered the story and together they made compelling reading. I want to say nothing about the plot because it was clever and kept the story from book one going but in a fresh way, however these two were part of that complex picture.
While this book had its adrenaline moments, feelings of helplessness, that was well balanced with a suspicious connection between the MCs that built into both investing in surviving. As that relationship evolved, it was as much of a page-turner as was the suspense plot.
He felt rearranged by this woman. His insides would never be the same again.
I loved everything about the Alaskan context, the danger of it, the nature. The set up for the next book sounds good and I can't wait to read more.
Thank you to the publisher/netgalley for the early review copy.
Find this review at A Take From Two Cities Blog.
Action-brimming
Survival with proximity
Page-turner
The second book in this series did not disappoint me at all, in fact, it lived up to all my hopes. It was a new couple and I wondered if I could feel the same connection as the previous couple. The answer was I did and quickly.
The story started with a bang and with Leo, a pilot, brave and a bit stupid gung-ho. She held the stage until Elias entered the story and together they made compelling reading. I want to say nothing about the plot because it was clever and kept the story from book one going but in a fresh way, however these two were part of that complex picture.
While this book had its adrenaline moments, feelings of helplessness, that was well balanced with a suspicious connection between the MCs that built into both investing in surviving. As that relationship evolved, it was as much of a page-turner as was the suspense plot.
He felt rearranged by this woman. His insides would never be the same again.
I loved everything about the Alaskan context, the danger of it, the nature. The set up for the next book sounds good and I can't wait to read more.
Thank you to the publisher/netgalley for the early review copy.
Find this review at A Take From Two Cities Blog.
July 10, 2021
*Thank you to NetGalley and Sourcebooks Casablanca for an eARC of this title.*
Having just read Whiteout, I was very hyped up to read Leo's story and to get to know more about this tough pilot chick. I was also intrigued to meet Elias and find out what his secrets were.
Even more so than Whiteout, this book jumped right into the action. Leo is thrown right into the deep end and she is very quickly thrust into danger and ends up in the company of Elias.
Elias Thorne has been living in exile for 10 years. Just him and his dog and the wilderness. When Leo comes barging into his life, he is stunned and in awe. At first not sure if he can trust her, survival and escape become their goal and force them to become a team. Their attraction soon rears its head and with their forced proximity it is ready to explode at any moment.
I loved our stoic hero and our sassy, strong heroine. I loved the danger and the headlong rush to safety. I loved that this one had a bit more chance to breathe, and a bit more romance than we were able to get in Whiteout.
The danger of Chronos keeps building and I am very interested in where things go next. We are slowly forming a plan, but I'm sure the way to the end will have a few more hiccoughs and survival situations along the way.
5/5 stars.
Having just read Whiteout, I was very hyped up to read Leo's story and to get to know more about this tough pilot chick. I was also intrigued to meet Elias and find out what his secrets were.
Even more so than Whiteout, this book jumped right into the action. Leo is thrown right into the deep end and she is very quickly thrust into danger and ends up in the company of Elias.
Elias Thorne has been living in exile for 10 years. Just him and his dog and the wilderness. When Leo comes barging into his life, he is stunned and in awe. At first not sure if he can trust her, survival and escape become their goal and force them to become a team. Their attraction soon rears its head and with their forced proximity it is ready to explode at any moment.
I loved our stoic hero and our sassy, strong heroine. I loved the danger and the headlong rush to safety. I loved that this one had a bit more chance to breathe, and a bit more romance than we were able to get in Whiteout.
The danger of Chronos keeps building and I am very interested in where things go next. We are slowly forming a plan, but I'm sure the way to the end will have a few more hiccoughs and survival situations along the way.
5/5 stars.
August 1, 2021
This book is an Alaskan adventure full of suspense and life threatening situations. The action starts from the very beginning and never lets up. On top of that, you almost have two stories you are following. You've got the two main characters running for their life in the Alaskan wilderness and then you have this old lady named Amka that is doing everything she can to free the towns people from the same group that are chasing Leo and Elias. Even though the action was non-stop, it did take me a few chapters to really get into what was happening, and at times I felt Old Amka's mission to be more exciting. But...the further along I got, the more invested I got. I have not read the first book in the series, and I don't think you need to to read this book. I admit that after finishing Uncharted, I now want to read White Out. I like these characters and what they stand for.
May 7, 2021
I absolutely adored Whiteout, but for me this rom-suspense tipped over that narrow edge into being a bit too much on the survivalist/suspense side versus the romance. The action is super intense and stressful, and the two love interests having a meet disaster in Alaska as she has a stomach bug and maybe a concussion, and he thinks he's getting ambushed, made it a bit more difficult to see how these two would fall in love. I did enjoy their love story, I was just a little stressed out getting to the payoff.
Payoff it does, and Anders absolutely delivers on the emotion and heat, so that made me really happy. I was also worried about the dog a lot (it all ends up fine), and I think if I could have read the book in one sitting I'd have had a less stressful and more enjoyable time reading.
Thank you to the publisher for the ARC.
Payoff it does, and Anders absolutely delivers on the emotion and heat, so that made me really happy. I was also worried about the dog a lot (it all ends up fine), and I think if I could have read the book in one sitting I'd have had a less stressful and more enjoyable time reading.
Thank you to the publisher for the ARC.
April 3, 2021
5 Stars!
Uncharted hit the ground running from the first chapter in an expertly paced story between two strong, equally capable, and determined protagonists. All while learning to put their full trust in one another in order to survive being pursued in the Alaskan wilderness. This story was written in a style that has consistently drawn me to this author’s work - steady and natural pacing, realistic characterizations, vivid details, and skillfully written sensuality. Add in some impressive suspense where I had to actually set the book aside to let my heart rate slow down, and it has become a surefire hit.
Uncharted may have had a few panic-inducing moments, but it still delivered on the romance between these two fascinating characters. Leo was former military, a stealth pilot, and even at the mercy of a head injury, she held her own. I’m typically not a fan of females with alpha tendencies, but Leo was a well-balanced heroine with convincing strengths and vulnerabilities. So, while I really liked Leo, I loved Elias! He was everything I've come to expect from this author’s heroes; all alpha in his physical capabilities, but the perfect beta hero when it came to respect, protectiveness, and admiration for Leo. They were the perfect counterbalance for each other and their quickly growing romance never felt forced or contrived. The author believably tucked in small moments of romantic tension and swoon-worthy tenderness between significant moments of escape and battling the elements.
If I’m going to choose romantic suspense, this is the kind of story I want to read. Intense, surprising, and wonderfully romantic along with secondary characters that help enhance and round out the story. I'm talking about you, Bo and Amka. Regardless of the sub-genre, this author always writes with sensitivity and never fails to move me emotionally.
May 13, 2021
Adriana Anders knows how to do romantic suspense. This is the kind of read that will literally have you on the edge of your seat wondering how many more times they can snuggle naked without having a dick slip in somewhere...
Wait. That's not what I meant.
Her first book in the series, Whiteout, was an epic tale of grumpy vs. sunshine traveling together through the Antarctic wilderness on the run from bad guys while their food supply slowly dwindles down. I was on the edge of my seat with anticipation and nerves the entire read, but also thoroughly enjoyed the sexy slow burn tent-sharing situation.
When Uncharted popped up on my Kindle I couldn't wait to start reading (and then stayed up far too late reading and was very tired the next day at work, whoops). What we get is yet another amazing, strong, capable heroine and a bigfoot-esque mountain man who surprisingly isn't really grumpy. He's lonely. And somehow I loved that even more than him being a grump.
This book is very suspenseful and very nerve-wracking. Our hero and heroine are being chased down by bad guys intent on, well, killing them. There's cliffs and thin ice and guns and explosions and at least three near-death experiences. At this point you may be questioning why you'd even want to read this book, but... did I mention the nakedly warming each other up after said near death experience? Did I mention sharing sleeping bags? Did I mention cuddling to keep warm in the icy wilderness? Did I mention he's lonely and hasn't felt human touch in a really, really long time?
I mean...did I?
Uncharted is exciting and sexy and thrilling and romantic. Another amazing addition to the Survival Instincts series and another amazing read by Adriana Anders. She never disappoints.
Wait. That's not what I meant.
Her first book in the series, Whiteout, was an epic tale of grumpy vs. sunshine traveling together through the Antarctic wilderness on the run from bad guys while their food supply slowly dwindles down. I was on the edge of my seat with anticipation and nerves the entire read, but also thoroughly enjoyed the sexy slow burn tent-sharing situation.
When Uncharted popped up on my Kindle I couldn't wait to start reading (and then stayed up far too late reading and was very tired the next day at work, whoops). What we get is yet another amazing, strong, capable heroine and a bigfoot-esque mountain man who surprisingly isn't really grumpy. He's lonely. And somehow I loved that even more than him being a grump.
This book is very suspenseful and very nerve-wracking. Our hero and heroine are being chased down by bad guys intent on, well, killing them. There's cliffs and thin ice and guns and explosions and at least three near-death experiences. At this point you may be questioning why you'd even want to read this book, but... did I mention the nakedly warming each other up after said near death experience? Did I mention sharing sleeping bags? Did I mention cuddling to keep warm in the icy wilderness? Did I mention he's lonely and hasn't felt human touch in a really, really long time?
I mean...did I?
Uncharted is exciting and sexy and thrilling and romantic. Another amazing addition to the Survival Instincts series and another amazing read by Adriana Anders. She never disappoints.
August 31, 2021
Advanced Reader Copy (ARC) provided by the Author and Publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an fair and honest review.
This book had all the makings of a fantastic Romance-Action-Adventure. The plot was intriguing, the setting in the Alaskan wilderness, unbeatable, the mismatched main characters running for their lives, sexy. The author quite simply overwrites this book to the point that the narrative becomes boring and I simply lose interest. A good editor would have reigned her in and this book could have been at least 50 pages shorter, all out of the first half. When it really got cooking in the second half - wow! I see now what I so loved in the first book.
Leo Eddowes is a pilot in Alaska with her team to track down a scientist who has in his possession a deadly virus. They are having no luck with their search, Leo is sick and her team has left to pursue other leads. When an old woman from the settlement barged in and demands she rescue her godson, Leo is not sure what she is getting into, but she believes this could be her missing scientist, so off she goes in an ancient Piper Cub plane. Soon she has enemies on her tail and the weather takes a nasty turn. A crash landing is her only alternative.
Elias Thorne has lived for ten years as a recluse in the Alaskan wilderness with a dangerous secret. His very survival hinged on staying hidden. Now, he has an injured woman in his care and deadly enemies on their trail. He doesn't trust the woman, but that doesn't even slow the attraction that builds between them. But trust is the only thing that will help them survive their trek across the harsh Alaskan wilderness.
3 1/2-Stars
This book had all the makings of a fantastic Romance-Action-Adventure. The plot was intriguing, the setting in the Alaskan wilderness, unbeatable, the mismatched main characters running for their lives, sexy. The author quite simply overwrites this book to the point that the narrative becomes boring and I simply lose interest. A good editor would have reigned her in and this book could have been at least 50 pages shorter, all out of the first half. When it really got cooking in the second half - wow! I see now what I so loved in the first book.
Leo Eddowes is a pilot in Alaska with her team to track down a scientist who has in his possession a deadly virus. They are having no luck with their search, Leo is sick and her team has left to pursue other leads. When an old woman from the settlement barged in and demands she rescue her godson, Leo is not sure what she is getting into, but she believes this could be her missing scientist, so off she goes in an ancient Piper Cub plane. Soon she has enemies on her tail and the weather takes a nasty turn. A crash landing is her only alternative.
Elias Thorne has lived for ten years as a recluse in the Alaskan wilderness with a dangerous secret. His very survival hinged on staying hidden. Now, he has an injured woman in his care and deadly enemies on their trail. He doesn't trust the woman, but that doesn't even slow the attraction that builds between them. But trust is the only thing that will help them survive their trek across the harsh Alaskan wilderness.
3 1/2-Stars
December 12, 2021
This second book is a bit like the first one. But still love these action packed sexy stories. Wonderful.
July 22, 2024
When a vial containing a deadly virus goes missing, Leo Eddowes and her Polaris team of ex-military operatives are sent to the remote town of Schink’s Station, Alaska to apprehend the man who stole it. Unable to locate him, the team leaves their pilot Leo behind to tie up loose ends. When an old woman gives Leo a lead and the use of her plane, Leo eagerly follows to investigate. Her crash landing in the Alaskan wilderness is the least of her worries…
The tension created by a team of assassins who are chasing Leo and ‘the yeti’ through the Alaskan backcountry was well balanced with the forced proximity attraction between them. (A word of caution: this has two open-door scenes.) I was in awe of the ingenuity and preparedness of the tracker, loved the action-packed survivalist story, and was immediately drawn into the adventure. I saw myself a little in each of them as competence and preparedness are big on my list and I find it hard to connect with or trust someone who doesn’t seem to know what they’re doing. Despite not knowing or trusting each other, I think they were initially attracted to each other because of a mutual respect for preparedness. The military outlook in one, appreciated seeing it in the other. Amka’s character was fantastic; I’d love to sit and have a Raven’s Brew coffee with her one day!
🚩Unfortunately, the steam factor and language are keeping me from continuing with this series. I can’t in good faith recommend this one for that reason. It’s really, really unfortunate as this would be a five-star thriller without the spice.
I bought this book in Parnassus Books in Ketchikan.
The tension created by a team of assassins who are chasing Leo and ‘the yeti’ through the Alaskan backcountry was well balanced with the forced proximity attraction between them. (A word of caution: this has two open-door scenes.) I was in awe of the ingenuity and preparedness of the tracker, loved the action-packed survivalist story, and was immediately drawn into the adventure. I saw myself a little in each of them as competence and preparedness are big on my list and I find it hard to connect with or trust someone who doesn’t seem to know what they’re doing. Despite not knowing or trusting each other, I think they were initially attracted to each other because of a mutual respect for preparedness. The military outlook in one, appreciated seeing it in the other. Amka’s character was fantastic; I’d love to sit and have a Raven’s Brew coffee with her one day!
🚩Unfortunately, the steam factor and language are keeping me from continuing with this series. I can’t in good faith recommend this one for that reason. It’s really, really unfortunate as this would be a five-star thriller without the spice.
I bought this book in Parnassus Books in Ketchikan.
October 10, 2021
I really loved the intense action scenes they were fantastic. The characters had a lot of depth and possibilities. What Hold me back on the rating was the need for the couple to stop mid-survival to make out and think about relationship instead staying alive. A couple moments would have been perfect, believable, but the amount and time taken was over the top for me. You know adrenaline can make you hot to trot but come on. I had massive eye rolling going on. There was also some serious personality flip flops that just didn't work.
Will I read more ? Normally I'd say no, but her characters were so interesting I might give it another go and hope this author brings it together more.
Will I read more ? Normally I'd say no, but her characters were so interesting I might give it another go and hope this author brings it together more.
October 3, 2021
I've given this a C at AAR.
I haven’t read Whiteout– the book that precedes Uncharted in Adriana Anders’ Survival Instincts series – but although there is an overarching plotline running through the series, there’s enough information provided here for a newbie to jump into the story without feeling lost, so Uncharted can be read as a standalone. It’s my first experience with this author, and unfortunately, I can’t say I was all that impressed; the writing is solid, the story is intriguing and the set-pieces are well-written, but the central characters are bland and never came to life, the romance is lacklustre and while most romantic suspense requires some suspension of disbelief, way too much of it is required here.
Leo Eddowes is former military, a pilot with a unit from an elite private security company tasked with locating the man believed to be in possession of one of only two extant samples of a deadly virus. She and her team had been in Antarctica in Whiteout, where they barely survived a confrontation with a… team of scientists and mercenaries tasked with stealing and testing a deadly virus by Chronos Corporation, one of the world’s biggest pharmaceutical companies. She and her team have moved their search for the virus and the man believed to have it to Alaska, but have been unable to locate either of them – and now her team has left and she’s had to stay behind owing to a bout of food poisoning or a stomach bug; whatever it is, she’s not in top condition and just wants to sleep it off and go home. She’s not allowed to do either of those things however, because old Amka, one of the women from the town of Schink’s Station won’t stop pounding on her cabin door. When Leo, groggy and still sick, opens the door, Amka tells her that another team from Chronos will arrive any minute and demands Leo fly out to bring her godson safely home. Believing that godson to be the man in possession of the only remaining sample of the virus, Leo shucks off her grogginess (or tries to), and goes with Amka to find the town’s only remaining air transport – a small light aircraft from the 1940s that’s obviously been cared for, but which has seen better days.
Elias Thorne is one of America’s Most Wanted, a former US Marshal set up to take the fall for mass murder – including the deaths of his own parents – and he’s been in hiding for the last decade. A static-laden phone call from Schink’s Station alerts him to the fact that trouble is on the way and tells him “she” is on her way to get him – but he has no idea who “she” is and doesn’t know if “she” is part of a rescue or of another group who is after him. Then he watches, helpless, as a small plane is shot down and crashes into the frozen lake; Elias makes his way carefully across the ice to see if he can help the pilot, only to be confronted by a woman in the cockpit pointing a gun at his head.
Uncharted gets off to a flying (sorry!) start and the author does a really good job of setting the scene, ramping up the tension as Leo sets off on her rescue mission and in setting up the mystery surrounding Elias. The descriptive writing is evocative and helps build a picture in the reader’s mind of the terrain and locations that the couple encounter throughout the story, and there are some really tense moments as Leo and Elias find themselves on the run from the mercenaries who are out to capture them and the virus.
Unfortunately however, after the initial excitement of the crash and then a couple of narrow escapes, the lack of actual plot became apparent. I’d reached the halfway point, and nothing new was happening other than Leo and Elias wandering around Alaska going from one life-threatening situation to another as they tried to outsmart and outrun the people hunting them I know that’s the plot of many romantic suspense novels and I’ve probably read and enjoyed some of them, but without strong, engaging characters who made me want to root for them, and without much in the way of chemistry or romantic development between them, Uncharted got boring very quickly and the read became a real slog to the finish.
As for the amount of suspension of disbelief required… first of all, we’ve got Leo, who is decidedly unwell and describes herself as “hardly able to see straight” yet still getting into and flying an unfamiliar plane; after the crash, she’s clearly sustained a head injury and/or concussion, yet she’s walking and running and lifting heavy equipment. Elias is shot and sustains a bad wound to his side, and yet he, too, is very quickly back on his feet and doing all manner of energetic and dangerous things. I understand that an adrenaline rush can enable an injured person to carry on doing things they perhaps shouldn’t be able to do for a little while, but it seemed as though the author felt the need to justify the fact that these two people were still walking, running, hanging off cliffs and whatever else while on their last legs for most of the book by constantly reminding us of Leo’s illness and Elias’ injuries, and it felt ridiculous rather than edge-of-the-seat exciting.
As for the romance, well it’s all insta-lust and I honestly couldn’t work out what these two people saw in each other. We’re told Leo and Elias are attracted to one another but I never felt any real degree of emotional connection between them – and don’t get me started on the ‘we’re running for our lives, but let’s shag anyway thing’, which is one of my biggest pet peeves ever. Also – when the most interesting character in your romantic suspense novel is the villain, you’ve got a problem.
Uncharted was a dreary reading experience – after the first few chapters, I just wasn’t motivated to pick it up and it took me more than twice as long to read as it should have. Maybe I’ll try another romantic suspense novel by Adriana Anders, maybe I won’t. But I certainly can’t recommend this one.
I haven’t read Whiteout– the book that precedes Uncharted in Adriana Anders’ Survival Instincts series – but although there is an overarching plotline running through the series, there’s enough information provided here for a newbie to jump into the story without feeling lost, so Uncharted can be read as a standalone. It’s my first experience with this author, and unfortunately, I can’t say I was all that impressed; the writing is solid, the story is intriguing and the set-pieces are well-written, but the central characters are bland and never came to life, the romance is lacklustre and while most romantic suspense requires some suspension of disbelief, way too much of it is required here.
Leo Eddowes is former military, a pilot with a unit from an elite private security company tasked with locating the man believed to be in possession of one of only two extant samples of a deadly virus. She and her team had been in Antarctica in Whiteout, where they barely survived a confrontation with a… team of scientists and mercenaries tasked with stealing and testing a deadly virus by Chronos Corporation, one of the world’s biggest pharmaceutical companies. She and her team have moved their search for the virus and the man believed to have it to Alaska, but have been unable to locate either of them – and now her team has left and she’s had to stay behind owing to a bout of food poisoning or a stomach bug; whatever it is, she’s not in top condition and just wants to sleep it off and go home. She’s not allowed to do either of those things however, because old Amka, one of the women from the town of Schink’s Station won’t stop pounding on her cabin door. When Leo, groggy and still sick, opens the door, Amka tells her that another team from Chronos will arrive any minute and demands Leo fly out to bring her godson safely home. Believing that godson to be the man in possession of the only remaining sample of the virus, Leo shucks off her grogginess (or tries to), and goes with Amka to find the town’s only remaining air transport – a small light aircraft from the 1940s that’s obviously been cared for, but which has seen better days.
Elias Thorne is one of America’s Most Wanted, a former US Marshal set up to take the fall for mass murder – including the deaths of his own parents – and he’s been in hiding for the last decade. A static-laden phone call from Schink’s Station alerts him to the fact that trouble is on the way and tells him “she” is on her way to get him – but he has no idea who “she” is and doesn’t know if “she” is part of a rescue or of another group who is after him. Then he watches, helpless, as a small plane is shot down and crashes into the frozen lake; Elias makes his way carefully across the ice to see if he can help the pilot, only to be confronted by a woman in the cockpit pointing a gun at his head.
Uncharted gets off to a flying (sorry!) start and the author does a really good job of setting the scene, ramping up the tension as Leo sets off on her rescue mission and in setting up the mystery surrounding Elias. The descriptive writing is evocative and helps build a picture in the reader’s mind of the terrain and locations that the couple encounter throughout the story, and there are some really tense moments as Leo and Elias find themselves on the run from the mercenaries who are out to capture them and the virus.
Unfortunately however, after the initial excitement of the crash and then a couple of narrow escapes, the lack of actual plot became apparent. I’d reached the halfway point, and nothing new was happening other than Leo and Elias wandering around Alaska going from one life-threatening situation to another as they tried to outsmart and outrun the people hunting them I know that’s the plot of many romantic suspense novels and I’ve probably read and enjoyed some of them, but without strong, engaging characters who made me want to root for them, and without much in the way of chemistry or romantic development between them, Uncharted got boring very quickly and the read became a real slog to the finish.
As for the amount of suspension of disbelief required… first of all, we’ve got Leo, who is decidedly unwell and describes herself as “hardly able to see straight” yet still getting into and flying an unfamiliar plane; after the crash, she’s clearly sustained a head injury and/or concussion, yet she’s walking and running and lifting heavy equipment. Elias is shot and sustains a bad wound to his side, and yet he, too, is very quickly back on his feet and doing all manner of energetic and dangerous things. I understand that an adrenaline rush can enable an injured person to carry on doing things they perhaps shouldn’t be able to do for a little while, but it seemed as though the author felt the need to justify the fact that these two people were still walking, running, hanging off cliffs and whatever else while on their last legs for most of the book by constantly reminding us of Leo’s illness and Elias’ injuries, and it felt ridiculous rather than edge-of-the-seat exciting.
As for the romance, well it’s all insta-lust and I honestly couldn’t work out what these two people saw in each other. We’re told Leo and Elias are attracted to one another but I never felt any real degree of emotional connection between them – and don’t get me started on the ‘we’re running for our lives, but let’s shag anyway thing’, which is one of my biggest pet peeves ever. Also – when the most interesting character in your romantic suspense novel is the villain, you’ve got a problem.
Uncharted was a dreary reading experience – after the first few chapters, I just wasn’t motivated to pick it up and it took me more than twice as long to read as it should have. Maybe I’ll try another romantic suspense novel by Adriana Anders, maybe I won’t. But I certainly can’t recommend this one.
November 18, 2021
Good follow up to the first in the series. Some interesting revelations. Lots of action and danger. Of course that doesn't stop the main characters from having sex on the run! Insta-lust turns to insta-love with an HEA for the couple and enough mystery to keep the series going. Will definitely keep on the lookout for the next book! It's a good series for Romantic Suspense readers.
A copy of this story was provided by the publisher via NetGalley.
A copy of this story was provided by the publisher via NetGalley.
January 5, 2022
Intense, sexy, and adrenaline pumping!
Uncharted is a sinister, steamy tale that finds ex-military pilot Leo Eddowes and former US Marshall Elias Thorne in a race against time to save themselves against not only the harsh Alaskan wilderness but a team of mercenaries on a mission to find Campbell Turner, the man who has the virus they’re all looking for before they do.
The prose is tight and enticing. The characters are resilient, resourceful, and relentless. And the plot is a menacing tale of mischief, mayhem, manipulation, romance, impulsivity, sizzling attraction, desperation, drama, tension, survival, violence, and murder.
Overall, Uncharted is a propulsive, provocative, action-packed thrill ride by Anders that is highly entertaining, thoroughly engrossing, and the perfect choice for anyone who enjoys a really good survivalist tale with a lot of heat.
Thank you to Sourcebooks Casablanca for providing me with a copy in exchange for an honest review.
Uncharted is a sinister, steamy tale that finds ex-military pilot Leo Eddowes and former US Marshall Elias Thorne in a race against time to save themselves against not only the harsh Alaskan wilderness but a team of mercenaries on a mission to find Campbell Turner, the man who has the virus they’re all looking for before they do.
The prose is tight and enticing. The characters are resilient, resourceful, and relentless. And the plot is a menacing tale of mischief, mayhem, manipulation, romance, impulsivity, sizzling attraction, desperation, drama, tension, survival, violence, and murder.
Overall, Uncharted is a propulsive, provocative, action-packed thrill ride by Anders that is highly entertaining, thoroughly engrossing, and the perfect choice for anyone who enjoys a really good survivalist tale with a lot of heat.
Thank you to Sourcebooks Casablanca for providing me with a copy in exchange for an honest review.
June 25, 2021
Thanks to #Netgalley and Sourcebooks Casa for making this book available to me.
.
I have been itching to read a book set in the Alaska wilds and am I quite glad that this is my first one. It really displays the topography and the characters are just so loveable.
I will try to review this book without giving much away. It is really best if you into this one without knowing to much to prevent spoilers. Leo is an amazing pilot and she and her team have been sent to find a man who is suspected to have a very dangerous virus (in a time of the pandemic, I honestly do not think this is funny so I am all for hunting the guy with it down, as long as it gets into the hands of the right people). Leo knows that if she does not get to him soon another team of independent contractors will get to him and they might leave him for dead after they get the virus from him. The only problem now is that they have been unable to track him down.
She is then given a run-down plan by an old woman who says she knows where the man is hiding. In a last attempt to find him she takes the plane and ends up crashing on a frozen lake. This is when she is saved by a man who seems like a Yeti (I tell you this book is really funny. It was more hilarious because it was not attempting to be comedic). She is saved by Elias.
Elias has been hiding in secret because of a secret he holds. Everyone is trying to get a piece of him. So when he is told by his grandmother than someone is coming to help him. He is not sure if it is the lady, Leo who has heroically crashed a plane.
This book is just so intense, the relationship between Leo and Elias was so slow burn that I almost caught on fire from waiting for them to finally kiss. There are underground escape routes, bombing, shooting. You are not ready for this one!
.
I have been itching to read a book set in the Alaska wilds and am I quite glad that this is my first one. It really displays the topography and the characters are just so loveable.
I will try to review this book without giving much away. It is really best if you into this one without knowing to much to prevent spoilers. Leo is an amazing pilot and she and her team have been sent to find a man who is suspected to have a very dangerous virus (in a time of the pandemic, I honestly do not think this is funny so I am all for hunting the guy with it down, as long as it gets into the hands of the right people). Leo knows that if she does not get to him soon another team of independent contractors will get to him and they might leave him for dead after they get the virus from him. The only problem now is that they have been unable to track him down.
She is then given a run-down plan by an old woman who says she knows where the man is hiding. In a last attempt to find him she takes the plane and ends up crashing on a frozen lake. This is when she is saved by a man who seems like a Yeti (I tell you this book is really funny. It was more hilarious because it was not attempting to be comedic). She is saved by Elias.
Elias has been hiding in secret because of a secret he holds. Everyone is trying to get a piece of him. So when he is told by his grandmother than someone is coming to help him. He is not sure if it is the lady, Leo who has heroically crashed a plane.
This book is just so intense, the relationship between Leo and Elias was so slow burn that I almost caught on fire from waiting for them to finally kiss. There are underground escape routes, bombing, shooting. You are not ready for this one!
September 9, 2021
I haven’t read Whiteout, the first book in this series, but I think it’s actually pretty easy to pick up what’s going on. Leo Eddowes is a hotshot pilot and part of a crew doing their best to keep a deadly virus out of the hands of Chronos Corp, a giant biotech company who will stop at literally nothing to possess it. Leo and her crew have tracked the last known sample, and the man who had it, to an extremely remote Alaskan village. Now Leo’s on her own (and sick with a stomach bug) when Chronos’ murderous mercenaries arrive, and has to bail out in an ancient plane, sent on a mission by Old Amka to rescue someone who turns out not to be the man she’s after at all. Instead, he’s Elias Thorne… domestic terrorist… who's supposed to be a dead man.
Now Leo and Elias are on the run through the brutal Alaskan wilderness together, hunted, injured, forced to rely on each other. And in a whole separate adventure, Amka decides she’s not letting these mercs take over her village and hold her people hostage, and sets out to do something about it.
Whew. This is an absolute adrenaline rush thrill-ride of an adventure romance. It’s quite clear the author kept looking at her story and going “hm… how can I make it worse for my characters?” The Alaskan wilderness at ice break-up time provides plenty of options. Honestly, though, I’m not sure even two people who were as desperately attracted to each other as Leo and Elias would be able to act on it as much as they did in those situations. Hypothermia tends to preclude arousal, and frankly they were both smart enough to understand they needed to conserve their energy, but it didn’t seem to occur to either of them. Romantic license, I guess!
Honestly, Amka was my favourite character in the story. Bad*ss old lady lesbian willing and able to take out an entire team of heavily armed, well-equipped mercenaries? That’s catnip, right there. Frankly I thought she should have been asked to join Leo’s team.
I liked that the villains weren’t all one-dimensional too, with Amka recruiting one of the mercenaries having second thoughts once he realized his colleagues were quite happy to hold women and children hostage, threaten and harm them, and an intriguing tracker on Leo and Elias’ trail whose motives weren’t at all clear.
Superbly well-written, with so much action it’ll leave you breathless, I’m happy to give this five stars.
Disclaimer: I received a review copy of this title via NetGalley.
Now Leo and Elias are on the run through the brutal Alaskan wilderness together, hunted, injured, forced to rely on each other. And in a whole separate adventure, Amka decides she’s not letting these mercs take over her village and hold her people hostage, and sets out to do something about it.
Whew. This is an absolute adrenaline rush thrill-ride of an adventure romance. It’s quite clear the author kept looking at her story and going “hm… how can I make it worse for my characters?” The Alaskan wilderness at ice break-up time provides plenty of options. Honestly, though, I’m not sure even two people who were as desperately attracted to each other as Leo and Elias would be able to act on it as much as they did in those situations. Hypothermia tends to preclude arousal, and frankly they were both smart enough to understand they needed to conserve their energy, but it didn’t seem to occur to either of them. Romantic license, I guess!
Honestly, Amka was my favourite character in the story. Bad*ss old lady lesbian willing and able to take out an entire team of heavily armed, well-equipped mercenaries? That’s catnip, right there. Frankly I thought she should have been asked to join Leo’s team.
I liked that the villains weren’t all one-dimensional too, with Amka recruiting one of the mercenaries having second thoughts once he realized his colleagues were quite happy to hold women and children hostage, threaten and harm them, and an intriguing tracker on Leo and Elias’ trail whose motives weren’t at all clear.
Superbly well-written, with so much action it’ll leave you breathless, I’m happy to give this five stars.
Disclaimer: I received a review copy of this title via NetGalley.
February 21, 2022
Trigger warnings: plane crash, gun violence, blood, descriptions of wounds, suicide of a parent (in the past), death of a parent (in the past), mentions of parent with Alzheimer's.
3.5 stars.
I had high hopes for this one because I flew through the first one. But for some reason, I struggled my way through this one. Don't get me wrong, I liked Leo and Elias as characters and narrators. I liked the continuation of the overarching story from the previous book and the hunt for the virus. But there was something about this that just...dragged for me. I suspect maybe it's because they were literally running for their lives and yet kept stopping at ridiculous moments to have sex.
And, like, I know that it's romantic suspense and stopping at ridiculous times to have sex is kind of par for the course. But when you add in the fact that this is set in Alaska and it snows and storms in the course of the story and they just...strip down and jump in a hot springs to fuck????? I just... *sigh*
3.5 stars.
I had high hopes for this one because I flew through the first one. But for some reason, I struggled my way through this one. Don't get me wrong, I liked Leo and Elias as characters and narrators. I liked the continuation of the overarching story from the previous book and the hunt for the virus. But there was something about this that just...dragged for me. I suspect maybe it's because they were literally running for their lives and yet kept stopping at ridiculous moments to have sex.
And, like, I know that it's romantic suspense and stopping at ridiculous times to have sex is kind of par for the course. But when you add in the fact that this is set in Alaska and it snows and storms in the course of the story and they just...strip down and jump in a hot springs to fuck????? I just... *sigh*
August 26, 2023
Actual Rating: 2.5 Stars
August 24, 2021
Rating: 5 stars!
"You don't scare me, Leo Eddowes." "No?" She sniffled, her voice thick with emotion. "Well you scare the living hell out of me."
What can I say to make you fully understand how much I believe you and the rest of the world need to read this book? Adriana Anders blows it out of the park with this second installment in her Survival Instincts series. Uncharted follows Leo's story and picks up in the time gap of the first book's (Whiteout) epilogue. Leo, an ex Navy pilot finds herself on a manhunt for who her and her team suspect has the missing vial of one of the world's deadliest viruses. But nothing is as it seems for Leo when her tip goes south and the man she is now on the run with in Alaska's most harshest terrains, turns out to be America's most wanted killer.
You guys when I tell you that this book gave me chills and had me yelling in the middle of my office like a banshee, I am not lying to you! I could not keep my composure at all with this one! The suspense, the writing, the characters--the chemistry! I honestly was enthralled the entire way through. Leo and Elias and their fury companion were so much fun and had such an interesting dynamic when they were brought together. I fell hard for this duo who through forced proximity (you gotta love mother nature for that) had to face the secrets they were holding inside, as well as both learning to depend on someone other than themselves for the first time in a long time.
"Jaw hard, she set off shuffling down the back path to Marion's, humming "These Boots Are Made for Walking" under her breath.
Time to wreak some old-lady havoc on these motherfuckers."
But above all else, my favorite character in the entire story would have to be Amka. A firecracker in every sense of the word, we must protect her at all costs! Fiercely loyal, independent, and determined to never let her age stop her. Amka is what I aspire to be when I grow up. I absolutely adored every single scene she was in and I loved watching her in her element trying to save her town and those she loved. It was truly a wild ride watching Amka do her thing and I desperately want more of her in the series!
A survival romance to rival all survival romances, Uncharted is a scorching hot and fast paced romance that will leave you breathless as you dive deeper into the rough terrain of Alaska's wilderness. Like I said before, I highly recommend this book to everyone and anyone who wants to dive into some good romantic suspense or just wants a great adventure. Adriana Anders nails that and more with this book and I am already begging for the next one!
Huge thank you to Sourcebooks Casablance and Netgalley for sending me an ARC for my honest review! Quotations taken from an uncorrected proof and may change upon final publication.
July 23rd Update:
WHAT A WILD RIDE!!!
Hands down one of my top ten favorite books of 2021. Holy fire crackers I need book three immediately.
full RTC when I can pick my jaw off the ground.
"You don't scare me, Leo Eddowes." "No?" She sniffled, her voice thick with emotion. "Well you scare the living hell out of me."
What can I say to make you fully understand how much I believe you and the rest of the world need to read this book? Adriana Anders blows it out of the park with this second installment in her Survival Instincts series. Uncharted follows Leo's story and picks up in the time gap of the first book's (Whiteout) epilogue. Leo, an ex Navy pilot finds herself on a manhunt for who her and her team suspect has the missing vial of one of the world's deadliest viruses. But nothing is as it seems for Leo when her tip goes south and the man she is now on the run with in Alaska's most harshest terrains, turns out to be America's most wanted killer.
You guys when I tell you that this book gave me chills and had me yelling in the middle of my office like a banshee, I am not lying to you! I could not keep my composure at all with this one! The suspense, the writing, the characters--the chemistry! I honestly was enthralled the entire way through. Leo and Elias and their fury companion were so much fun and had such an interesting dynamic when they were brought together. I fell hard for this duo who through forced proximity (you gotta love mother nature for that) had to face the secrets they were holding inside, as well as both learning to depend on someone other than themselves for the first time in a long time.
"Jaw hard, she set off shuffling down the back path to Marion's, humming "These Boots Are Made for Walking" under her breath.
Time to wreak some old-lady havoc on these motherfuckers."
But above all else, my favorite character in the entire story would have to be Amka. A firecracker in every sense of the word, we must protect her at all costs! Fiercely loyal, independent, and determined to never let her age stop her. Amka is what I aspire to be when I grow up. I absolutely adored every single scene she was in and I loved watching her in her element trying to save her town and those she loved. It was truly a wild ride watching Amka do her thing and I desperately want more of her in the series!
A survival romance to rival all survival romances, Uncharted is a scorching hot and fast paced romance that will leave you breathless as you dive deeper into the rough terrain of Alaska's wilderness. Like I said before, I highly recommend this book to everyone and anyone who wants to dive into some good romantic suspense or just wants a great adventure. Adriana Anders nails that and more with this book and I am already begging for the next one!
Huge thank you to Sourcebooks Casablance and Netgalley for sending me an ARC for my honest review! Quotations taken from an uncorrected proof and may change upon final publication.
July 23rd Update:
WHAT A WILD RIDE!!!
Hands down one of my top ten favorite books of 2021. Holy fire crackers I need book three immediately.
full RTC when I can pick my jaw off the ground.
June 9, 2021
Oh wow. That was intense. The life-threatening survival in the cold was just as gripping as in Whiteout. Maybe more so? Leo and Elias scramble through the Alaskan wild and it is beyond wild. It's kind of too much. I think that it had to be that way in order to still call this a romance, because we have to spend more time with the couple, but honestly I could have used a lot more of Old Amka in this book! She is an amazing character, and her role was really important but we just didn't get to spend much time with her. Also, I've never worried so much for a dog. Goodness!
I did like the characters, the plot, and setting. If you want to feel suspense, this is for you! I found I was really piling up the suspension of disbelief on some level after the challenges just seem insurmountable, but that is also what makes over-the-top adventure fun sometimes. (Except for the part about licking someone in the Alaskan wilderness, honestly I can't imagine wanting to be licked when it's that cold! Ha).
This is an interracial romance, Leo is a Black woman (her mother is of Ethiopian origin) and Elias is a white man. Leo has a close-knit team of friends/colleagues.
My thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for providing an eARC free of charge. My opinions are my own.
I did like the characters, the plot, and setting. If you want to feel suspense, this is for you! I found I was really piling up the suspension of disbelief on some level after the challenges just seem insurmountable, but that is also what makes over-the-top adventure fun sometimes. (Except for the part about licking someone in the Alaskan wilderness, honestly I can't imagine wanting to be licked when it's that cold! Ha).
This is an interracial romance, Leo is a Black woman (her mother is of Ethiopian origin) and Elias is a white man. Leo has a close-knit team of friends/colleagues.
My thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for providing an eARC free of charge. My opinions are my own.
June 11, 2021
This. This is how you do a follow-up in a great romantic suspense series!
Quick spoiler (ish) about the fate of two of the characters, because I know it mattered to me going into it:
I absolutely loved this book and I couldn't put it down. You can read this as a standalone, though I think you will get so much more out of it if you've read Whiteout first. And Whiteout is an incredible book too, so why not enjoy both? Uncharted hits the ground running, and we're thrown right into the Alaskan deep-end right from the start and it doesn't slow down once! I think the fast pacing right from the jump along with the fact that this story spends less time in the villain's POV compared to Whiteout is what set Uncharted apart and made it that much better for me.
The writing of Leo and Elias's survival journey through the Alaskan wilderness was beautiful and cinematic. The tension and danger were so high, but it was incredible to watch their relationship transition from reluctant and hesitant partners, to trust, to love. It felt so organic for their situation and I loved it so much!
This book has everything you want in romantic suspense. High stakes, knives-to-the-throat, body heat for survival, teamwork, wonderful side characters, personal growth, and of course, danger banging! I genuinely cannot wait to see where this series goes next!
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book provided to me through NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own. Thank you to the author and Sourcebooks Casablanca for giving me the opportunity to read this book!
Quick spoiler (ish) about the fate of two of the characters, because I know it mattered to me going into it:
I absolutely loved this book and I couldn't put it down. You can read this as a standalone, though I think you will get so much more out of it if you've read Whiteout first. And Whiteout is an incredible book too, so why not enjoy both? Uncharted hits the ground running, and we're thrown right into the Alaskan deep-end right from the start and it doesn't slow down once! I think the fast pacing right from the jump along with the fact that this story spends less time in the villain's POV compared to Whiteout is what set Uncharted apart and made it that much better for me.
The writing of Leo and Elias's survival journey through the Alaskan wilderness was beautiful and cinematic. The tension and danger were so high, but it was incredible to watch their relationship transition from reluctant and hesitant partners, to trust, to love. It felt so organic for their situation and I loved it so much!
This book has everything you want in romantic suspense. High stakes, knives-to-the-throat, body heat for survival, teamwork, wonderful side characters, personal growth, and of course, danger banging! I genuinely cannot wait to see where this series goes next!
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book provided to me through NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own. Thank you to the author and Sourcebooks Casablanca for giving me the opportunity to read this book!
July 11, 2021
3.5 stars
‘Uncharted’ was the book I was chomping at the bits to read ever since I finished ‘Whiteout’—a brilliant run-for-your-life-and survive (in the extreme cold) type of story. Much like its predecessor, ‘Uncharted’ is written in the same vein where survival at all costs while dodging a shadowy enemy is pretty much what the whole book is about.
It’s breathless action the whole way, from start to finish, obscuring perhaps, even the finer details of why Elias and Leo were where they were in the first place. There was quite some time spent in confusion as you’re only given bits and pieces of their histories and motivations, but even those are put aside with Anders’s relentless focus on overcoming obstacle after obstacle as they outrun a mysterious helicopter and a corporation nipping at their heels.
While I could appreciate both Leo’s and Elias’s tenacity in constantly staying a step ahead, I couldn’t quite get their attraction at first—which seemed to pop out as a result of dangerous head injuries—as it felt too much like a adrenaline-fuelled reaction to danger rather than actual emotional development. If they were exhausted by the sheer number of obstacles they had to conquer, so was I as well just reading about them…more so when over half the book rolled around and they’d made little forward progress in both plot and action.
But I really like Ander’s writing and that really, was the main thing that propelled me forward to the book’s somewhat rushed conclusion. That said, I wasn’t sure by the end of it all, where the larger narrative arc was heading and did wish that this aspect of the story was less opaque and piecemeal.
*ARC by the publisher via Netgalley
‘Uncharted’ was the book I was chomping at the bits to read ever since I finished ‘Whiteout’—a brilliant run-for-your-life-and survive (in the extreme cold) type of story. Much like its predecessor, ‘Uncharted’ is written in the same vein where survival at all costs while dodging a shadowy enemy is pretty much what the whole book is about.
It’s breathless action the whole way, from start to finish, obscuring perhaps, even the finer details of why Elias and Leo were where they were in the first place. There was quite some time spent in confusion as you’re only given bits and pieces of their histories and motivations, but even those are put aside with Anders’s relentless focus on overcoming obstacle after obstacle as they outrun a mysterious helicopter and a corporation nipping at their heels.
While I could appreciate both Leo’s and Elias’s tenacity in constantly staying a step ahead, I couldn’t quite get their attraction at first—which seemed to pop out as a result of dangerous head injuries—as it felt too much like a adrenaline-fuelled reaction to danger rather than actual emotional development. If they were exhausted by the sheer number of obstacles they had to conquer, so was I as well just reading about them…more so when over half the book rolled around and they’d made little forward progress in both plot and action.
But I really like Ander’s writing and that really, was the main thing that propelled me forward to the book’s somewhat rushed conclusion. That said, I wasn’t sure by the end of it all, where the larger narrative arc was heading and did wish that this aspect of the story was less opaque and piecemeal.
*ARC by the publisher via Netgalley
September 24, 2021
BOOK REVIEW: Uncharted by Adriana Anders (Survival Instincts Series | Book 2)
Book 2 of this series (Survival Instincts) continues to deliver a "mixed drink" concoction of genres that will satisfy any reader looking for good "Long Island Iced Tea" version of an exciting read... Spicy Romance | T.I.M.E. Jalapeno Rating: 🌶🌶 (Medium Spicy)... ✨😎✨
T.I.M.E. Most Anticipated Books of 2021
Genre: Suspense | Action Adventure
Sub-Genre: Forced Proximity | Survival Romance | Steamy Romance
Time Period: Contemporary
Location: Alaska
Series: Survival Instincts - Book 2
IF YOU LIKE THIS AUTHOR THEN TRY…
Whiteout by Adriana Anders (Survival Instincts - Book 1)
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All my reviews can be seen at This Is My Everybody | Books, Lifestyle & Home Ideas for Simple Living | Denise Wilbanks at www.thisismyeverybody.com
♡ Thank you to NetGalley for this ARC. I voluntarily chose to review it and the opinions contained within are my own.
Book 2 of this series (Survival Instincts) continues to deliver a "mixed drink" concoction of genres that will satisfy any reader looking for good "Long Island Iced Tea" version of an exciting read... Spicy Romance | T.I.M.E. Jalapeno Rating: 🌶🌶 (Medium Spicy)... ✨😎✨
T.I.M.E. Most Anticipated Books of 2021
Genre: Suspense | Action Adventure
Sub-Genre: Forced Proximity | Survival Romance | Steamy Romance
Time Period: Contemporary
Location: Alaska
Series: Survival Instincts - Book 2
IF YOU LIKE THIS AUTHOR THEN TRY…
Whiteout by Adriana Anders (Survival Instincts - Book 1)
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All my reviews can be seen at This Is My Everybody | Books, Lifestyle & Home Ideas for Simple Living | Denise Wilbanks at www.thisismyeverybody.com
♡ Thank you to NetGalley for this ARC. I voluntarily chose to review it and the opinions contained within are my own.
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January 30, 2023Uncharted was a great follow-up to Whiteout. It had the same pulse-pounding action and the same forced-together romance trope which I loved in book 1.
I wish I'd read this right after Whiteout because I was a little lost as to who was who, but figured it out around 30%. This is completely personal, and I don't remember if this was the case in Whiteout, but I prefer to stay in the hero/heroine's head instead of jumping around the cast of characters.
Still a fun book for adrenaline romance junkies!
I wish I'd read this right after Whiteout because I was a little lost as to who was who, but figured it out around 30%. This is completely personal, and I don't remember if this was the case in Whiteout, but I prefer to stay in the hero/heroine's head instead of jumping around the cast of characters.
Still a fun book for adrenaline romance junkies!
August 26, 2021
This is intense action adventure, one after another that there’s hardly time to take in a full breath in between. I had a blast reading this. Leo and Elias are hot together but now I’m so very, very curious about this Ash fellow. I need to know more about this mysterious operative who lurks in the shadows.
August 26, 2021
Content notes:
Whiteout was one of my favorite reads of 2020, so of course I was excited to see what crazy wilderness shenanigans would happen this time. While different in several ways, this book still scratches that same itch for me.
It’s some kind of luck for Leo to get a tip about the scientist her team has been searching for the same day she’s out sick with a stomach bug – and even worse luck that a hostile corporate extraction team is right behind her. And then she’s shot down shortly before she reaches his location. Luckily, she’s rescued by Elias, a man who’s spent the past decade living in the Alaskan wilderness and knows the area like the back of his hand. Leo’s not sure why the bad guys are after him or why he rescued her, but they form an unlikely team fleeing through the wilderness to reach the nearest town. Injured and pursued, Leo has nothing to show for it, because Elias isn’t the man she’s looking for. Or is he?
Leo’s the type of person to be constantly on the move, ready to tackle whatever comes her way. And as a Black female elite pilot, it’s a trait that’s served her well. While she’s not military any longer, she feels a strong kinship with her fellow team and is similarly driven to find the virus that the Chronos Corporation desperately wants for nefarious purposes. Elias is a wrench in those plans, much in the same way she is for him. Elias has spent years living mostly by himself, with only his dog Bo for company. There’s a good reason for him to be hiding in the woods, and he’s wary of how Leo is tangled up in it. Like Leo, he’s extremely good at what he does, and that’s keeping himself alive in the wilderness. Both characters are just incredibly competent, and I loved seeing that.
While I liked the individual characters, I think the romance didn’t work as well. In the first book, while the main characters weren’t close, they at least knew each other. In this one, the characters meet for the first time when the heroine’s concussed after a plane crash (oh, and suffering from some sort of stomach virus). They’re on the run almost immediately from that point onwards, so the whole “getting to know you” bit is secondary to the “running for our lives” plot. The individual character development was fine – after all, we get to see inside each character’s head – but it takes a while for them to even start trusting each other, let alone falling in love. What I really liked about the romance, though, is how it’s built on respect. Leo’s impressed by how prepared Elias is for nearly every eventuality, and how good he is at navigating and surviving in the wilderness. Elias is impressed by Leo’s flying (what little of it he sees before she crashes) and her spirit; she’s not one to give up, even against insurmountable odds.
The POV alternates mostly between Leo and Elias’s third-person, but also occasionally switches to one of the bad guys hunting them down. Usually I don’t care for the villain POV and quickly rush through those bits, but I actually liked the character in this case. As for other secondary characters, well, they’re escaping through the Alaskan wilderness, so there’s not really a ton of other people in the book! But without being too spoilery, I will say that I want to be Amka when I grow up! The suspense portion of the plot was excellent, if a bit on the unbelievable side – they get injured a lot and yet somehow keep on going. It was gripping, though, and I gulped down large chunks of the book at a time because I simply had to know what was going to happen next.
Overall, this was another extremely enjoyable romantic suspense, even if the romantic relationship took longer to get in place. There’s several options for who the next book might be about and I can’t wait to see what’s next in this series!
I received an advance review copy of this book from NetGalley. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
Whiteout was one of my favorite reads of 2020, so of course I was excited to see what crazy wilderness shenanigans would happen this time. While different in several ways, this book still scratches that same itch for me.
It’s some kind of luck for Leo to get a tip about the scientist her team has been searching for the same day she’s out sick with a stomach bug – and even worse luck that a hostile corporate extraction team is right behind her. And then she’s shot down shortly before she reaches his location. Luckily, she’s rescued by Elias, a man who’s spent the past decade living in the Alaskan wilderness and knows the area like the back of his hand. Leo’s not sure why the bad guys are after him or why he rescued her, but they form an unlikely team fleeing through the wilderness to reach the nearest town. Injured and pursued, Leo has nothing to show for it, because Elias isn’t the man she’s looking for. Or is he?
“Never, can’t, won’t. I don’t believe in those words.[…] Even metal melts if you get it hot enough.”
Leo’s the type of person to be constantly on the move, ready to tackle whatever comes her way. And as a Black female elite pilot, it’s a trait that’s served her well. While she’s not military any longer, she feels a strong kinship with her fellow team and is similarly driven to find the virus that the Chronos Corporation desperately wants for nefarious purposes. Elias is a wrench in those plans, much in the same way she is for him. Elias has spent years living mostly by himself, with only his dog Bo for company. There’s a good reason for him to be hiding in the woods, and he’s wary of how Leo is tangled up in it. Like Leo, he’s extremely good at what he does, and that’s keeping himself alive in the wilderness. Both characters are just incredibly competent, and I loved seeing that.
“There wasn’t time for this now—thinking about how this person who’d been sent to him—who’d literally fallen from the sky—made him strong in a way he’d never felt. Together, he thought, letting his mind take an uncharacteristically fanciful spin, they were more than the sum of their parts.”
While I liked the individual characters, I think the romance didn’t work as well. In the first book, while the main characters weren’t close, they at least knew each other. In this one, the characters meet for the first time when the heroine’s concussed after a plane crash (oh, and suffering from some sort of stomach virus). They’re on the run almost immediately from that point onwards, so the whole “getting to know you” bit is secondary to the “running for our lives” plot. The individual character development was fine – after all, we get to see inside each character’s head – but it takes a while for them to even start trusting each other, let alone falling in love. What I really liked about the romance, though, is how it’s built on respect. Leo’s impressed by how prepared Elias is for nearly every eventuality, and how good he is at navigating and surviving in the wilderness. Elias is impressed by Leo’s flying (what little of it he sees before she crashes) and her spirit; she’s not one to give up, even against insurmountable odds.
The POV alternates mostly between Leo and Elias’s third-person, but also occasionally switches to one of the bad guys hunting them down. Usually I don’t care for the villain POV and quickly rush through those bits, but I actually liked the character in this case. As for other secondary characters, well, they’re escaping through the Alaskan wilderness, so there’s not really a ton of other people in the book! But without being too spoilery, I will say that I want to be Amka when I grow up! The suspense portion of the plot was excellent, if a bit on the unbelievable side – they get injured a lot and yet somehow keep on going. It was gripping, though, and I gulped down large chunks of the book at a time because I simply had to know what was going to happen next.
Overall, this was another extremely enjoyable romantic suspense, even if the romantic relationship took longer to get in place. There’s several options for who the next book might be about and I can’t wait to see what’s next in this series!
I received an advance review copy of this book from NetGalley. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
July 29, 2021
Whiteout blew my mind and I was ready for that heady, rush once again when I picked up Uncharted. Adrenaline pumping, edgy thrills, and slow-build spicy romance are brought together once again for incredible results.
Uncharted is book two in the Survival Instincts series of closely connected books. Read in order to get the best result.
Leo and the rest of her team have separated to track down the one other source of the virus code. She has followed a lead to a remote Alaskan resort village and the other two will check out leads and return for her. Struggling with a stomach virus, she is in no great shape to begin with and then the Chronos Group shows up on the same trail she is following. A wizened old woman gives her cryptic directions and an antique small sea plane to go get a man out in the wilderness. With a powerful Sikorsky helicopter on her tail full of a team of mercs, she doesn’t argue and gets plunged into a death-defying struggle for survival with a man she isn’t sure she can trust at first and the hits just keep coming.
Elias has lived off grid to keep the past from catching up, but it all comes rushing back when he saves a woman’s life from some pretty serious fire power, realizes he is their target, and that he must keep what he knows from those on his trail at all costs. Leo is a sassy, gutsy, and courageous woman that he feels both attraction and distrust for and knows the feeling is reciprocal. He’s not sure where that leaves them, but they’re stuck with each other on the race of their lives and there just might be time along the way for friendship and more to develop.
Like Whiteout, Uncharted takes the reader into survival-mode right alongside her characters. Elias has wilderness survival down to a science and Leo is a former Navy pilot who can hack a tough mission. They get a lot thrown at them between the well-heeled mercs and the Alaskan wilderness. It was breath-taking each time they fell into and barely scrambled out of situations. I loved their animal sidekick, Elias’ pet malamute- husky Bo and Bo didn’t miss the danger either. Plus, there is fab side-story for Elias’ godmother and her village as they don’t let the mercs have it all their own way.
The romance is just how I prefer them when it comes to a romance paired with a thrilling suspense plot. It came on slowly and I liked that trust had to happen through shared experience before they even considered anything but fantasizing and staying alive. They were a great team and I loved them together. Leo really brought Elias back to life after he thought his life was taken from him when he was framed and Elias respected and accepted Leo for the skilled, amazing woman warrior she was.
Things got pretty drastic and I was flipping pages madly at times. I am oh so curious about a certain character and really hope he gets his book next. Neat seeing how things finished and getting more of the team. I am antsy for more from this series and can definitely recommend it to those who love lusty, raw off-grid survival adventure-style romances that just happen to include a formidable big bad.
I rec'd an eARC of this book through Net Galley to read in exchange for an honest review.
Uncharted is book two in the Survival Instincts series of closely connected books. Read in order to get the best result.
Leo and the rest of her team have separated to track down the one other source of the virus code. She has followed a lead to a remote Alaskan resort village and the other two will check out leads and return for her. Struggling with a stomach virus, she is in no great shape to begin with and then the Chronos Group shows up on the same trail she is following. A wizened old woman gives her cryptic directions and an antique small sea plane to go get a man out in the wilderness. With a powerful Sikorsky helicopter on her tail full of a team of mercs, she doesn’t argue and gets plunged into a death-defying struggle for survival with a man she isn’t sure she can trust at first and the hits just keep coming.
Elias has lived off grid to keep the past from catching up, but it all comes rushing back when he saves a woman’s life from some pretty serious fire power, realizes he is their target, and that he must keep what he knows from those on his trail at all costs. Leo is a sassy, gutsy, and courageous woman that he feels both attraction and distrust for and knows the feeling is reciprocal. He’s not sure where that leaves them, but they’re stuck with each other on the race of their lives and there just might be time along the way for friendship and more to develop.
Like Whiteout, Uncharted takes the reader into survival-mode right alongside her characters. Elias has wilderness survival down to a science and Leo is a former Navy pilot who can hack a tough mission. They get a lot thrown at them between the well-heeled mercs and the Alaskan wilderness. It was breath-taking each time they fell into and barely scrambled out of situations. I loved their animal sidekick, Elias’ pet malamute- husky Bo and Bo didn’t miss the danger either. Plus, there is fab side-story for Elias’ godmother and her village as they don’t let the mercs have it all their own way.
The romance is just how I prefer them when it comes to a romance paired with a thrilling suspense plot. It came on slowly and I liked that trust had to happen through shared experience before they even considered anything but fantasizing and staying alive. They were a great team and I loved them together. Leo really brought Elias back to life after he thought his life was taken from him when he was framed and Elias respected and accepted Leo for the skilled, amazing woman warrior she was.
Things got pretty drastic and I was flipping pages madly at times. I am oh so curious about a certain character and really hope he gets his book next. Neat seeing how things finished and getting more of the team. I am antsy for more from this series and can definitely recommend it to those who love lusty, raw off-grid survival adventure-style romances that just happen to include a formidable big bad.
I rec'd an eARC of this book through Net Galley to read in exchange for an honest review.
May 31, 2021
This was a book I was really nervous to read as I had such high expectations for it after “Whiteout” dominated as my favorite read of 2020, and I was not disappointed. I’m in awe of Adriana Anders and her ability to weave words into these beautiful stories that will stick with me long after I’ve finished them. “Uncharted” for me was amazing in its own way to where I found I wasn’t even comparing it to “Whiteout” as I was reading it as it was so different. Now let’s get down to the nitty gritty!
What I loved:
-Adriana Anders knows my type so well that I wonder if she has gotten a look in my head. If big, burly, stoic mountain/wild men who are competent and feral for the women they love is your thing, then this series is for you. Not to mention he has a beard!!! There’s never enough beards in romances for me.
-The fact that Leo and Elias meet how they meet and don’t really even know each other’s names for a while after meeting due to their natural distrust of others was so satisfying to watch. It made their love that much more real and special to me!
-So often in books I find that my hero and heroine are never “beat up” enough for me to truly be worried about their well-being. That is not the case with this one. If anything, Leo especially, was so beat up so consistently that I wondered how she was going to make it through.
-The way the conflict is able to seamlessly carry on from one book to the next without feeling dragged on is amazing.
-I really enjoyed the perspectives we got from Ash, the man who is tracking them throughout their journey in the Alaskan wilderness. (and also kind of really want a book for him. Like I need it.)
-Amka is the best. She stole the show and every time she was on the page I fell i love with her all over again and her intense focus on getting back to Daisy to make sure she was safe. (Also loved her interaction with Jack and again, just like with Ash, I want his story.)
-The scene towards the beginning of the book in the cave when Leo has a knife to Elias’ throat is my lifeblood.
-This was a book that didn’t feel like the love was rushed or out of place despite the entirety of it occurring over only 5 (maybe 6?) days.
-This was the best kind of slow burn for me. It’s what made them finally clashing together so much better than what I could hope for. It also helped with the timeline, as it wouldn’t have been very believable for me if it had happened faster than it did considering they were strangers to each other at the start.
-One last thing so this review doesn’t become a book of its own, I loved the way both Leo and Elias preferred to be alone and in solitude without someone else but both decided that they were worth it and that being alone couldn’t compare to what it was like being together. They decided to jump into the unknown together and to trust despite their fears.
What I didn’t love:
-Nothing. I can’t think of a single bone to pick with this book other than I wanted it sooner because I’m greedy and now that it’s over, I’m going to go out of my mind waiting for the next book.
-Ok, well maybe one thing, but it wasn’t something I didn’t love, it was more just funny to me which is how often the word “scuffled” and variants of it are used. It was one of those words that I noticed and then couldn’t stop seeing because it was such a bizarre word to me (I’ve never seen this word used in this context). Again, not bad, just weird to me. (I searched the book and it’s only used 8 times from what I can see so I’m not sure why this stood out to me which is just making it funnier to me that I’m so fixated on the word.)
If you were thinking about picking up, don’t think, just do. This series is phenomenal and everything I want out of a suspense. I highly recommend both “Uncharted” and “Whiteout” and will be shoving these books into peoples hands for as long as I’m alive. I already want to re-read the book and I just finished it.
*I received this ARC through NetGalley and voluntarily read this book. my thoughts and opinions are my own. Thank you NetGalley and Sourcebooks Casablanca for giving me the chance to read an advanced copy!*
What I loved:
-Adriana Anders knows my type so well that I wonder if she has gotten a look in my head. If big, burly, stoic mountain/wild men who are competent and feral for the women they love is your thing, then this series is for you. Not to mention he has a beard!!! There’s never enough beards in romances for me.
-The fact that Leo and Elias meet how they meet and don’t really even know each other’s names for a while after meeting due to their natural distrust of others was so satisfying to watch. It made their love that much more real and special to me!
-So often in books I find that my hero and heroine are never “beat up” enough for me to truly be worried about their well-being. That is not the case with this one. If anything, Leo especially, was so beat up so consistently that I wondered how she was going to make it through.
-The way the conflict is able to seamlessly carry on from one book to the next without feeling dragged on is amazing.
-I really enjoyed the perspectives we got from Ash, the man who is tracking them throughout their journey in the Alaskan wilderness. (and also kind of really want a book for him. Like I need it.)
-Amka is the best. She stole the show and every time she was on the page I fell i love with her all over again and her intense focus on getting back to Daisy to make sure she was safe. (Also loved her interaction with Jack and again, just like with Ash, I want his story.)
-The scene towards the beginning of the book in the cave when Leo has a knife to Elias’ throat is my lifeblood.
-This was a book that didn’t feel like the love was rushed or out of place despite the entirety of it occurring over only 5 (maybe 6?) days.
-This was the best kind of slow burn for me. It’s what made them finally clashing together so much better than what I could hope for. It also helped with the timeline, as it wouldn’t have been very believable for me if it had happened faster than it did considering they were strangers to each other at the start.
-One last thing so this review doesn’t become a book of its own, I loved the way both Leo and Elias preferred to be alone and in solitude without someone else but both decided that they were worth it and that being alone couldn’t compare to what it was like being together. They decided to jump into the unknown together and to trust despite their fears.
What I didn’t love:
-Nothing. I can’t think of a single bone to pick with this book other than I wanted it sooner because I’m greedy and now that it’s over, I’m going to go out of my mind waiting for the next book.
-Ok, well maybe one thing, but it wasn’t something I didn’t love, it was more just funny to me which is how often the word “scuffled” and variants of it are used. It was one of those words that I noticed and then couldn’t stop seeing because it was such a bizarre word to me (I’ve never seen this word used in this context). Again, not bad, just weird to me. (I searched the book and it’s only used 8 times from what I can see so I’m not sure why this stood out to me which is just making it funnier to me that I’m so fixated on the word.)
If you were thinking about picking up, don’t think, just do. This series is phenomenal and everything I want out of a suspense. I highly recommend both “Uncharted” and “Whiteout” and will be shoving these books into peoples hands for as long as I’m alive. I already want to re-read the book and I just finished it.
*I received this ARC through NetGalley and voluntarily read this book. my thoughts and opinions are my own. Thank you NetGalley and Sourcebooks Casablanca for giving me the chance to read an advanced copy!*
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