Alaska Dreams

Wild River #6

by Jennifer Snow

Is she making the right decision…for her career and her heart?

Following a near-death experience, Selena Hudson is finally going after the career she wants. And since casting directors won’t see her as anything but a rom-com queen, Selena signs on to produce and star in her own movie—an edgy psychological thriller. But just as the cast and crew arrive on location in Wild River, Alaska, the leading man drops out of the production.

Reporter Gus Orosco is not hiding out in Wild River—he’s waiting for the dust to settle after his on-camera “overreaction” triggered by watching his ex-fiancee get engaged to a superstar hockey player. Gus doesn’t want to be anywhere near the film crew shooting at his family’s campgrounds, but Selena makes him an offer he can’t refuse: she’ll snag Gus an interview with Sports Beat if he’ll be her leading man. All Gus has to do is learn his lines, hit his marks and somehow ignore the sparks flying between them…even though they’re hot enough to melt the Alaskan snow.

Genres: Romance, Contemporary, Amazon, Audiobook, Contemporary Romance, Fiction

352 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published January 25, 2022

About the author

Jennifer Snow is an award-winning, USA Bestselling author. Her publishing credits include a six book small town, Brookhollow series published through Harlequin Heartwarming, her MMA sports romance series Beyond the Cage is published through Berkley/NAL Intermix, her Colorado Ice series with Grand Central and her Wild River & Wild Coast series published with HQN. She also writes thrillers under J.M. Winchester and screenplays with 13 produced rom-coms for UPTV, Hallmark, BET+, QVC+ and more. Her upcoming speculative rom-com is releasing through Canary Street Press in Sept 2024.
More information can be found at www.jennifersnowauthor.com

Reviews

[Tina Loves To Read · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a Romance, and this is the 6st book in A Wild River Novel series. I have not read the other books in this book series, but I do not think that hurt my reading enjoyment of this book. I would say this book can be read as a stand alone book without any problems. This book takes a little bit to get going, but once it does I loved it so much. I normally do not love books about making movies/following actors, but I really enjoyed this book. This book is all about an actress, Selena, that normally does romance movies, but she wants to do a thriller. This book is about a low budget thriller she is doing. The other main character is Gus, and I really loved his character. There is some really funny moments in this book. There is also some steamy times in this book. I love the movie filming parts of this book, and The movie parts reminds me of a romantic suspense book I have read before. I was kindly provided an e-copy of this book by the publisher (Harlequin) or author (Jennifer Snow) via NetGalley, so I can give an honest review about how I feel about this book. I want to send a big Thank you to them for that.

[Pj Ausdenmore · Rating 4 out of 5]

Three years ago I stumbled upon An Alaskan Christmas, the first book in Jennifer Snow's Wild River series. That was all it took to hook me on Snow's writing, her small Alaskan town, and all of the interesting people who call it home.

Gus and Selena are both at a crossroads in their lives, let down by the people they loved, and struggling to forge new career paths. Well, Selena is forging ahead. Gus is still in the wallowing, I've lost everything stage. They should have a lot in common, and they do, but it will take a while for them to realize that. First, they'll have to move beyond their preconceived notions and instant animosity towards each other. And doesn't that turn out to be eye-opening fun!

I love these two together, their snappy banter, sizzling chemistry, and how their respect for one another slowly grows while they work together on Selena's film. I love Gus's innate goodness and the decisions he makes to protect and promote Selena. He doesn't always get it right but his heart is in the right place and I appreciate that he's willing to listen and learn.

I was in Selena's corner, urging her on as she sticks to her determination to call her own career shots after being "herded" into movie roles by others since she was a child. She's finished being taken advantage of and that applies to her personal life as well. But, like Gus, she also is in want of emotional growth. Snow does a good job of moving their relationship, as well as their individual evolution, forward slowly and realistically, with a satisfying amount of steam, and a few potholes to test them along the way. By the time they reached their story's conclusion, I was fully confident in their future happiness and their professional success.

As a fan of the series, it's always fun to catch up with former main, and secondary, characters from the earlier books. In this one, I especially enjoyed watching a certain almost-teen gradually coming into her own while helping on the movie set. She was an absolute delight. For readers new to Wild River, however, you should feel comfortable jumping in at any point in the series. Give this one a try. I enthusiastically recommend it.

4.5 Stars
ARC received for fair and unbiased review

[Barbara Powell · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is book 6 of the wild river series, and while it wasn’t my fav of them, it was definitely a fun way to spend a few hours.
Selena Hudson was a child star and is now a rom-com success, but she wants to take her Career in a different direction, so she fires all her “people” and takes on an independent film with more depth and thrills. Her boyfriend is an up and coming star was supposed to star in it with her, but at the last minute he backs out for a bigger role and she is left to find a replacement in Wild River where they’re filming. .
Meanwhile, Gus is a tv sports reporter who has his life implode on screen and he goes back to wild river to lick his wounds and figure out what to do next. He had three weeks of self discovery before Selena and her crew took over the family campgrounds for shooting and their paths cross and sparks fly.
I liked meeting new characters as well as revisiting some from other books in this series, but if you haven’t read the others, you will still find this as an enjoyable stand alone. There’s just enough steam without it being over the top and in typical Jennifer Snow form, there’s no cheese.
Thanks to the publisher, author and NetGalley for this arc in exchange for my review.
Publication date: January 25, 2022

[Thushara · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.75 🌟s

[Wendy W. · Rating 4 out of 5]

Alaska Dreams by Jennifer Snow is the sixth book in her popular Wild River series but can easily be read as a stand-alone book. I chose to read this book because of the location in Alaska, but I enjoyed it so much more than just that. These characters were realistic and I was rooting for them both. I really enjoyed this steamy, enemies to lovers romance.

Selena Hudson was a child actress and the as she got older she became the queen of Romcoms. Now she wants to do more serious movies and has a thriller she wants to produce and star in. With a shoestring budget, she decides to film her new thriller in an abandoned campground near Wild River, Alaska. But, she finds out that the campground isn’t as abandoned as she thought.

Gus Orosco just made the biggest mistake of his life when he had a meltdown on live TV and lost his job as a sportscaster for a local Seattle news station. Embarrassed and jobless, he decides to hide out in Wild River to let the dust settle as he ponders what he will do next. What he doesn’t expect is a film crew descending on his family’s campground, and he doesn’t have time for the attraction he feels for the star and producer of the film.

I enjoyed this fast-paced book. Gus and Serena are both sympathetic characters and I wanted both of them to be happy. Although Serena is a famous actress, I found her very relatable and down to earth. And Gus was much more than a dumb jock sportscaster. Both characters have something to prove and something to overcome, and the book was emotional as well as entertaining. Gus and Serena have great chemistry, but they also had some fun banter as they realize they have much more in common than they thought at first.

I highly recommend Alaska Dreams to anyone who enjoys a sizzling romance set in a gorgeous location. I received a complimentary copy of this book. The opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

[Ela's Welt der Bücher · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ich habe alle Bücher dieser Serie geliebt und mir wäre dieses fast entgangen. Eigentlich wollte ich es gleich nach dem Kauf lesen, aber tja ich habe es natürlich erst jetzt geschafft. Ich muss leider zugeben, dass dies das schwächste ist, ich mochte Selena in den anderen Teilen schon gerne, aber hier tat ich mir ein bisschen schwer. Ihre Handlungen waren für mich teilweise nicht nachvollziehbar und das hat mir das Lesen ein wenig erschwert. Trotzdem fand ich es schade, dass das nun das Ende ist und diese Serie beendet ist.
4 Sterne

[Peyton Emerson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Absolutely beautiful, and the fact that he proposed while their movie together was finally premiered made it all so much better. And his CAREER! OMG
Without a second thought, i recommend this book to whoever likes the uncertainty of second chances and a romance that makes your heart warm

[Carla · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have been enjoying the Wild River series set in Alaska. Reporter Gus Orosco has returned home to Wild River to "hide out" after an on-air overreaction when seeing his recent ex-fiancée get engaged to a high-profile hockey player. He is living in the family campground when a film crew shows up. Rom-com queen, Selena Hudson is trying to break out of the mold and produce as well as star in her own movie. Shortly after arriving, Selena finds out the leading man, her boyfriend is opting out of the project after receiving a better offer. Not knowing what to do, she ends up hiring Gus who does an amazing job opposite Selena. When Selena finds out that her boyfriend is being unfaithful, in her apartment, she ends her relationship and Gus is there to console her. The pair have chemistry and it shines in the movie. Will that on-screen emotion transfer to real life? With Gus in Alaska and Selena in California, will they be able to have a relationship?

I really liked both Selena and Gus. They were both at a turning point in their lives with decisions to make. This was an interesting relationship as they had an instant animosity towards each other due to some preconceived notions. Their banter was hilarious at times. There was chemistry there right from the start and as much as they tried to fight it, it sizzled. It definitely shone through while filming their scenes together. Gus was such a sweetheart, wanting to protect Selena, although his attempts were not always successful or appreciated. It causes some issues, but I enjoyed seeing them work through their problems. Selena has been through a lot in her young life and I was cheering her on for not only a successful movie, but a relationship with a man who appreciated and loved her for her true self, not what she could do for him. Jennifer Snow does a good job of moving their relationship forward in a realistic way, as well as showing their individual growth. Their is some steam as well as angst that every romance needs. I also enjoyed seeing some of the characters from the previous stories make appearances.

This is the 6th in the series, but can definitely be read as a standalone. I did a read/listen and enjoyed both formats. The narrator, Melissa Moran, is enjoyable to listen to and uses her expression and tone to add to the emotion in this story. An Alaskan Christmas Homecoming was a bonus story added to this audiobook. It was short but sweet and I reviewed it separately.

[Tina ♥ Bookaholic · Rating 3 out of 5]

Das Buch rund um die etwas naive, sehr verliebe Selena hat ganz gut begonnen und obwohl man gleich zu Beginn wusste, dass es mit ihrem ersten Lover nicht gut ausgehen und wie der weitere Verlauf sein würde, war ich doch am Anfang sehr angefixt von der Story. Was vor allem an der Schreibweise, die sehr mitreißend begonnen hat und an den doch liebenswerten Charakteren und der Grundidee zu tun hatte. Außerdem hatte ich gleich eine Verbindung zu Gus, der seine Karriere wegen seiner Ex-Freundin in den Sand gesetzt hat.
Doch nach der anfänglichen Begeisterung für das Buch hat es sich im Verlauf immer weiter abgeschwächt. Nicht gleich, die erste Hälfte oder dreiviertel des Buches waren auch noch gut und auf einen vier oder fünf Sterne Kurs. Aber später wurde mir das Verhalten der beiden einfach zu kindisch, zu gelenkt und damit unecht. Es wurde künstliches Drama erschaffen aus dem Nichts, nur um die Handlung in die Länge zu ziehen und noch einmal schnell einen Bruch zwischen den beiden Figuren zu erzeugen... viel zu abgeklärt und manipuliert. Daher hat es mich gegen Ende hin vollkommen verloren und das Ende war dann auf einmal puderrosa kitschig schön, was zuuu viel für alles andere war. Zuerst hat mir wie gesagt der Schreibstil der Autorin noch gefallen, aber das Ende war einfach nur noch Kitsch im großen Stil. Da konnte ich nur noch Augen verdrehend die letzten Seiten über mich ergehen lassen. Daher schrumpft das Rating nun auf 3 Sterne zurück für einen guten Anfang, interessanten Mittelteil, und einem völlig verhunzten Ende. Schade darum.

[Margie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Child actress and rom-con movie super star Selena Hudson decided she wanted to move her career in a new direction. She wanted to play more serious roles but Hollywood was having none of it. Finally when independent movie producer Jay Kline offered her the chance to co-produce and star in his psychological thriller Selena jumped at the opportunity. When her boyfriend and rising star Matt Mayson, who was supposed to be the male lead in the movie, bailed on her and the movie Selena was desperate to find a replacement but they were filming in Alaska and accomplished actors are hard to find there. Since the filming was being done at disgraced sports reporter Gus Orosco's closed family camp grounds Selena drafted Gus to costar with her. Not only did Gus hit the mark in the film but he also hit the mark with Selena. But will their attraction last?

When sports reporter Gus Orosco's fiance dumped him and three months later accepted an engagement ring from a star hockey player on air Gus lost it on air while reporting. And lost his job at the family's sports station also. That sure seemed to be a career ending major mistake. He was advised to leave Los Angeles in hopes things would blow over. Gus ended up in his old hometown of Wild River, Alaska. He had three weeks of seclusion there at his family's closed camp grounds before the movie production people showed up to film there. Gus was not pleased and he made sure actress Selena Hudson knew it. Although there was something about Selena...

Alaska Dreams by Jennifer Snow is book #6 in her Wild River, Alaska series. There's a lot to like about this story. The antagonism between the two main characters is a great buildup to an explosive loving relationship that develops. Both Selena and Gus came to realize what they want in a loving relationship. I really liked how they worked through some tough situations. It was great to see some of the characters from earlier books in the series. Ms. Snow makes Alaska out to be better than the Love Boat.

I received an ARC and this is my honest review.

[Caitlin · Rating 3 out of 5]

This might be my least favorite of this series so far. These characters just weren't inspiring and I really hard a tough time getting behind them.

[June Price · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love Gus in "Alaska Dreams'. He seems to operate from the heart and even though he doesn't always make the wisest decisions, he means well. He's willing to sacrifice for those he loves, even if it means losing his dream job. When rom-com star Selena shows up at his family's campsite to film a movie, however, he's still wallowing from his very public outburst over his recent breakup and thinks she's a bit of a spoiled movie star. Yet, he's willing to help her out when she agrees to call in a favor for him. This is, after all, her chance to prove she can do something besides rom-com movies. The rest of the story, with the expected highs and lows of most romance novels, flows from there. The fact Gus, a sports caster, seems to be an instinctively talented actor doesn't hurt.

I don't specifically remember reading any of the previous books in this series but didn't matter as past characters blended into Gus and Selena's story smoothly. To be honest, I was hoping for more of a look at Alaska or at least the dogs as the story progressed but that was a minor, probably personal quibble as I live in Alaska and am owned by a dog. For those who care, I should mention that there are some steamy sex scenes. There's also a great deal of humor and character growth, not to mention you'll learn a bit about movie-making, both the process of shooting and the post=shoot production aspect.

Bottom line, this was a fun read. I liked the characters, not just Gus and Selena but those surrounding the story, and Gus' grand gestures, right or wrong, added an element of surprise. Heck, we even got a peek at what the Alaska Coast Guard does in an emergency, which was a tense, serious moment in the plot. I'm definitely going to be looking for the rest of this series by Jennifer Snow.

Thank you #NetGalley and #Harlequin for allowing me to visit Wild River and meet Gus and Selena, not to mention their friends.

[Marcia · Rating 4 out of 5]

Terrific characters, witty banter and lovely scenery made this book a pleasure to read. I have not read the previous books in the series, but the author provided enough back story to familiarize the reader with the main characters. Selena is a actress, who was introduced in a previous book, when she was being stalked by a crazed fan and was brought to Wild River, by her body guard. Now she comes back to Wild River as the lead actress, financier and co-producer of an Indy film, in which she steps our of her Rom-Com pigeonhole to be the main character in a thriller. Her boyfriend is supposed to play the lead, but he bails on her last minute. Meanwhile sports reporter, Gus Orosco, blew his career when he had a melt down on air watching his ex- accept a marriage proposal from a hockey player. Gus retreats to his home town, Wild River, where he ends up being cast as the lead, as no other local has had any experience in from of the camera. And surprising everyone, including himself, he is good at it. Both Gus and Selena are fresh from break-ups and are wary of a new relationship. But things happen just as they are meant to. In addition there is a bonus novella, An Alaska Christmas Homecoming.

I read an ARC offered by NetGalley.com. This is my unbiased and voluntary review.

[Leanna Hiner · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good story. I really liked both characters Selena and Gus.

[Kaley · Rating 3 out of 5]

Originally reviewed at Books Etc.

Jennifer Snow’s Wild River series has been so lovely to read. The romances are all enjoyable and the backdrop of Alaska helps sweep me away when I’m reading. Alaska Dreams is the latest in the series and I was really looking forward to reading Selena’s romance. I liked the book but I’m not sure I liked the hero for Selena so that kind of let me down. It’s still worth a read if you’re a romance lover but I find myself hoping the next book will be better.

I love Selena. She’s a big name rom com actress who’s trying to break out of the stereotype and prove she can do more than just rom coms (with no disrespect meant for the genre). She’s smart and she has a huge heart. This is why I think Snow let her down with Gus. There’s nothing really wrong with the guy. But here’s a dude who blew up on national TV when he had to report on a story of his ex-fiancée getting engaged to someone else. And then he’s a complete ass when Selena and the film crew show up at the camp. He did lose his job, yes, and his sister did forget to tell him they were coming and he expected solitude but it’s his own damn fault he lost his job because his poor little man feelings were hurt and he couldn’t keep them under wraps while the camera was rolling. And then, near the end, he tries to fix things without discussing them with Selena and then just makes it all worse. I wasn’t here for it. So it’s kind of a real bummer that I didn’t love the romance as much as I wanted to.

For those who like the steamier romances, this one had open door scenes – more, I think, than any of the other Wild River books. I’m kind of curious as to why Snow made that choice but, hey, it made for some good reading!

Part of why I love this series is the small town feel and how everyone knows everyone. I liked getting glimpses into what other characters were up to. I missed them and it was nice to get caught up.

I’m going to keep reading the Wild River series because Jennifer Snow’s romances do always leave me with warm and fuzzy feelings (which is a nice break from, you know, *waves arms at world*). Alaska Dreams was a fun read and I’m looking forward to the next installment in the series.

*An egalley of this novel was provided by the publisher, Harlequin, via NetGalley in exchange for review consideration. All opinions are honest and my own.*

[Jessica · Rating 4 out of 5]

Actress Selena is going for a new start career after firing her team and taking on an indie project so different from her usual roles. Gus is a sports reporter licking his wounds after seeing his ex get engaged so quickly and making fool of himself on live tv. Unfortunately for Gus his quiet stay at his family's campground is going to get eventful with Selena's film crew shows up claiming that the area is the film location for the new upcoming movie. On top of that Selena's actor boyfriend bailed and need needs a replacement so she convinces Gus to take up the role.

This was a pretty fun read. I really enjoyed Selena's character, she was a strong and independent and wasn't about to take crap from anyone. I loved that she was pretty strong in her choices to and when her mind was made up she went for it. I loved how sweet but also that when he set his mind on something he was in wholeheartedly. Gus could've just half ashed things when it came to getting sucked into the film project but he did things well and if he wasn't sure he looked things up to get into character. Then there was the simmering attraction and romance that was going through with the character. There was just so much to love and enjoy about this book.

[Sa Bi Ne · Rating 4 out of 5]

"Alaska Love - Träume in Wild River (Wild River 6)" von Jennifer Snow
Preis TB: n.a.
Preis eBook: 6,99 € (Stand: 18.10.2022)
Seitenanzahl: 400 Seiten lt. Verlagsangabe
ISBN: 978-3-7363-1801-4
Erschienen am: 01.10.2022 bei LYX.digital
Buch hier kaufen (externer Link)
Leseprobe (externer Link)
====================

Vorab:
Rezensionen sind immer eine ganz persönliche Meinung. Vielen Dank an den LYX Verlag, der mir das Buch kostenlos als Rezensionsexemplar zur Verfügung gestellt hat, was meine Meinung aber in keiner Weise beeinflusst!
====================

Klappentext:
Schauspieler wider Willen …

Für ihren neuen Film reist Schauspielerin Selena Hudson in das kleine Städtchen Wild River in Alaska. Nicht nur spielt sie die Hauptrolle in dem psychologischen Thriller, sie übernimmt auch einen Teil der Produktionskosten. Umso ärgerlicher ist es daher, als der männliche Hauptdarsteller am Tag des Drehbeginns überraschend abspringt. Kurz entschlossen organisiert Selena ein Casting vor Ort, um die Rolle neu zu besetzen. Doch das erweist sich als schwieriger als gedacht – bis ihr Blick auf Gus Orosco fällt. Der ehemalige Sportreporter hat sich auf dem Campingplatz seiner Familie verkrochen, um nach einem Skandal seine Wunden zu lecken, und das Allerletzte, was er will, ist Teil eines Films zu sein. Doch Selena macht ihm ein Angebot, das er nicht ausschlagen kann. Und schon bald funkt es nicht nur vor laufender Kamera …
====================

Buch-/Reihentitel & Cover:
"Alaska Love - Träume in Wild River" ist Teil 6 der Wild River – Reihe. Die Teile bauen in sofern aufeinander auf dass die Protagonisten in den Folgebänden ebenfalls auftauchen. Die Geschichten selbst können auch unabhängig von einander gelesen werden, dennoch empfiehlt sich für den vollen Lesegenuss aber die korrekte Lesenreihenfolge. Das Cover, welches meiner Meinung nach gut zum Buch und auch zu den vorherigen Bänden der Reihe passt, zeigt eine verschneite Waldlandschaft (vermutlich Alaska) und einen Mann im Anschnitt.
====================

Schreibstil:
"Alaska Love - Träume in Wild River" wird von einem personalen Erzähler erzählt. Der Fokus wird dabei auf Selena oder Gus gelegt. Der Schreistil ist flüssig und angenehm zu lesen.
====================

Mein Fazit:
Der Klappentext des Buches hat mich gereizt, dennoch habe ich mich, bevor ich dieses Buch gelesen habe, erst einmal bei befreundeten Bloggern erkundigt ob ich nicht zuerst die anderen Bände der Reihe lesen muss, denn Asche auf mein Haupt, ich habe diese Reihe tatsächlich mit dem letzten Band begonnen.
Das Buch war es für mich etwas ungewohnt, da ich fast ausschließlich Geschichten aus der Ich-Perspektive lese, aber da der Schreibstil der Autorin schön flüssig ist, habe ich dennoch schnell in die Geschichte von Selena und Gus hineingefunden. Selena ist Schauspielerin, eine sehr starke Frau, die bereits viel in ihrem Leben erreicht hat, dafür aber auch hart arbeiten musste. Gus arbeitet auch gerne und hart, hatte es im Leben, als Mann, aber viel einfacher als Selena.
Selena möchte ihr ‘Gutes-Mädchen‘-Image loswerden, produziert daher einen Indi-Film außerhalb ihres ‘normalen‘ Genres und lernt durch einen privaten Rückschlag den gebrochnenen Gus kennen. Während ihrer gemeinsamen Zeit und der freien Zeit drum herum ‘heilen‘ beide und es funkt nach und nach immer mehr zwischen den beiden – doch die Realität, ihre Karrieren, der Alltag und die Probleme die es so mit sich bringt im Rampenlicht zu stehen stellen sie auf eine harte Probe.
Jennifer Snow hat die Charaktere dieser wirklich schönen Geschichte authentisch gestaltet und ich konnte mich durchweg sowohl gut in Selena als auch in Gus hineinversetzten. Auch die Geschichte an sich ist für mich absolut realistisch und ich habe mit den zweien gefiebert. Selena ist bemerkenswert, zielstrebig und einfach zum gernhaben. Gus schießt das ein oder anderen Mal über’s Ziel hinaus, handelt impulsiv, ist aber dennoch ein liebenswerter Kerl.
Für mich war der Einstieg am Ende und damit in die Reihe kein Problem, mir haben, aus meiner Sicht, keine Informationen gefehlt.
Ich kann dieses Buch auf jeden Fall empfehlen, mir hat es eine schöne zeit bereitet und ich werden sicher auch noch die anderen Bände der Reihe lesen.

4 von 5 ★★★★

[Katie Mettner · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love the Wild River Novels by Jennifer Snow and Alaska Dreams did not let me down. I was so busy over Christmas that I decided to read this book slowly so I didn't binge it all in one day and then have to wait a year for book 7! I'm glad I savored Gus and Selena's story rather than gobble it up because it had the perfect redemption arc.

Selena was back in Wild River to film a little Indie film. She was the star and her co-star was supposed to be her boyfriend Matt. Until Matt pulled a fast one and refused to honor his contract. Now in Alaska without a boyfriend or a co-star, Selena has less than a day to find someone to play her male lead.

Gus Orosco had lost everything. Not to sound like a country song but he'd lost his girl, his job, and his apartment. When his grandfather fired him from the sports desk after an emotional outburst on-air, Gus had no choice but to lay low somewhere and lick his wounds until someone was ready to revive his broadcasting career.

Then along comes Selena, and a camera crew, to disturb his peace, quiet, and brooding at Orosco Campgrounds. Their 'meet cute' was more than cute, it was wildly inappropriate, on Gus's part, but in his defense, he didn't know anyone was going to be at the campground when he opened the door...naked.

Desperate and willing to do anything to make sure the movie gets filmed, Selena casts Gus in the role of her male lead and the movie commences. It isn't long before their onscreen chemistry overflows into their personal life and things get complicated.

I loved all the new characters in Alaska Dreams, and I was thrilled to get a glimpse into the lives of the characters who came before them. Jennifer Snow is a master at telling a story that will have you laughing one minute, engaged in a sexy bedroom scene the next, and mad as heck the next. You never know what's going to happen in Wild River, Alaska and that's the best part about this series. The sweet novella at the end with Jade and Griffin was an extra-special bonus for the Christmas season. If you haven't read the previous five books in this series, that's okay, you can read Alaska Dreams and not be confused. Ms. Snow does a wonderful job of introducing you to the previous characters and not hinging the new book on the previous ones. If you're looking for a great steamy romance with heart, grab Alaska Dreams and the entire Wild River series today.

[Stephanie Panach · Rating 2 out of 5]

Gus and Selena have been having a tough time - both in life and in romance. Gus had an expletive filled on-air meltdown after being surprised with a live report of his ex-fiancé getting engaged to a hockey player. This led to his own family firing him and a retreat from the world back in his small hometown in Alaska. Selena was in that same town last year being chased by a stalker - and now she is back in town to film a low budget independent movie. She had planned to film the movie with her up-and-coming star boyfriend - but when he gets a more career making opportunity he leaves her in the dust to pursue that - and some other girls along the way. When Gus steps in to the role - he and Selena have a whirlwind romance to go along with it.

So here's the thing - I had two main issues with the book (1) I didn't really like Selena all that much and Gus (at least at first) does not make a great impression and (2) the resolution at the end was - cringeworthy.

Selena is career driven and tough - she clearly cares for those around her but seems distant from them at the same time. She's built some strong friendships along the way - but even those felt superficial. It is brought up several times that the crew from the movie doesn't seem to click with her - but why is never really resolved. I definitely appreciated the spotlight the book put on the differences between men and women in the workplace - and especially the double standards so often applied to women. Even with that - I felt like she was burning through romantic connections at a rate that didn't really have any depth to them. She seemed more in love with the idea of love and having a supportive partner than anything else. And Gus - he started as a grumpy jerk - but ended up coming across as somewhat sad and lovelorn. He clearly is a relationship guy - but I felt like he also was in love with the idea of love with Selena more than her as a person. In the end - their relationship just didn't have any depth.

And the drama between Selena and Gus at the end - was to be very modern about it - cringe. It was totally predictable - but like Gus and Selena just didn't have any depth or emotional punch to it.

This was just a big miss for me.

I received this as an ARC, but these opinions are all my own.

[Sasa03 · Rating 4 out of 5]

„Träume in Wild River“ wurde von Jennifer Snow geschrieben. Es handelt sich dabei um den Abschlussband ihrer Alaska Love-Reihe. Da es in jedem Band um ein anderes Pärchen geht, können die einzelnen Geschichten unabhängig voneinander gelesen werden. In diesem Band geht es um die Schauspielerin Selena und den Sportreporter Gus.
Klappentext:
Für ihren neuen Film reist Schauspielerin Selena Hudson in das kleine Städtchen Wild River in Alaska. Nicht nur spielt sie die Hauptrolle in dem psychologischen Thriller, sie übernimmt auch einen Teil der Produktionskosten. Umso ärgerlicher ist es daher, als der männliche Hauptdarsteller am Tag des Drehbeginns überraschend abspringt. Kurz entschlossen organisiert Selena ein Casting vor Ort, um die Rolle neu zu besetzen. Doch das erweist sich als schwieriger als gedacht - bis ihr Blick auf Gus Orosco fällt. Der ehemalige Sportreporter hat sich auf dem Campingplatz seiner Familie verkrochen, um nach einem Skandal seine Wunden zu lecken, und das Allerletzte, was er will, ist Teil eines Films zu sein. Doch Selena macht ihm ein Angebot, das er nicht ausschlagen kann. Und schon bald funkt es nicht nur vor laufender Kamera ...
Meine Meinung:
Das Cover ist wunderschön gestaltet worden. Es gehört zu meinen Lieblingscovern der Reihe. Der Schreibstil ist mal wieder locker und flüssig. Erzählt wird die Handlung aus den Perspektiven von Gus und Selena. Selena ist gerade dabei, etwas Neues auszuprobieren. Sie will nicht nur in romantischen Komödien mitspielen. Auch ernstere Filmrollen würden sie ansprechen. Dabei kommt ihr die Idee mit dem Thriller gerade recht. Sie geht ein Wagnis ein. Wie es mit ihrem Freund geendet hat, tat mir leid. Aber die Zeichen waren bereits von Anfang an da. Er keine Zeit mehr für sie, verschiebt Termine, geht nicht ans Telefon. Sie sollte froh sein, dass sie es so früh herausgefunden hat. Außerdem kann sie sich so viel besser auf den Film konzentrieren. Für diesen hätte es nicht besser kommen können. Gus ist der perfekte Kandidat für die Rolle. Er bindet sich mit ein, sagt seine Meinung und versucht gemeinsam mit den Anderen etwas Großes aus dem Film zu machen.
Gus lernt man als Griesgram kennen, der sich zurückgezogen hat, um seine Wunden zu lecken. Celia reißt ihn aus seiner Trauerphase und bringt ihn dazu, wieder zu sich zu kommen. Auch wenn sie ihn eigentlich Bestechen muss, um ihn für ihren Film zu engagieren, ist er kurze Zeit später Feuer und Flamme dafür.
Natürlich kommen sie irgendwann einander näher. Es war schön zu sehen, wie sie sich aufeinander eingelassen haben und zueinander gefunden haben.
Mich hat es gefreut, etwas über die ehemaligen Hauptcharaktere zu erfahren. Wie es mit ihnen seit dem letzten Band weitergegangen ist. Welche Pläne sie für die Zukunft haben. Mal wieder eine angenehme und schöne Runde aus dem Alaska Love-Universum. Traurig, dass es jetzt vorbei ist. Die Geschichten konnten mich gut unterhalten. Ich bin schon auf die folgenden Geschichten der Autorin gespannt.

[I-Heart-Books · Rating 5 out of 5]

Da ich alle bisherigen Titel der »Alaska Love« - Reihe gelesen habe, konnte ich diesen natürlich nicht einfach nicht lesen. Ich hab mich riesig gefreut, dass sich dieser Band um die Schauspielerin Selene drehen würde, die ja bereits in einem der vorhergehenden Titeln einen Auftritt hatte.
Der Schreibstil von Jennifer Snow war gewohnt leicht, luftig und auch dieser Band liess sich zügig lesen. Die Sprache war angenehm und passt zu den weitern Büchern der Reihe. Mir gefiel gut, dass Snow auch in diesem Band ein stimmiges Bild des beschaulichen Wild River gezeichnet hat – ich kann mir diesen sympathischen Ort in Alaska sehr gut vorstellen, auch wenn ich noch nie in Alaska war. Ein gutes Element war natürlich auch, dass wieder Protagonisten aus den vorherigen Büchern einen Gastauftritt hatten. Aber – das Buch ist autonom lesbar, man muss die anderen Bücher der Reihe also nicht zwingend gelesen haben.
Selena war ja bereits aus der Geschichte rund um Leslie und Levi (Band 4) bekannt. Die Schauspielerin aus LA, die nach der ganzen Geschichte mit der Entführung nun einen ganz anderen Weg gehen will und nicht mehr nur Romcoms drehen, sondern eigene Filme mit produzieren möchte, die mehr Tiefgang und ernstere Themen ansprechen. Aus dem oberflächlichen Star aus Band 4 ist eine Frau geworden, die weiss was sie will und auch dafür kämpft.
Gus, der Sportreporter der nach einem Ausraster im Live-TV gefeuert wird und in Wild River seine Wunden lecken will, ist beim Dreh ein Hindernis. Grumpy und so gar nicht kooperativ, aber im Herzen... Tja, er ist ein bäriger Typ mit weichem Kern. Und ich finde, dass Snow einen sehr netten BBF geschaffen hat.
Offenbar gibt es noch einen oder zwei Bände auf Englisch und ich bin schon gespannt, wer hoffentlich sein/ihr Happy-End in Band 7 finden wird.

[Nicole Aufderheide · Rating 4 out of 5]

"Alaska Love - Träume in Wild River" ist der sechste Teil der "Wild River" Reihe. Jeder Teil kann unabhängig voneinander gelesen werden. jeder Teil ist abgeschlossen.



Für mich war es tatsächlich erst der erste Teil dieser Reihe den ich gelesen habe. Als ich das Cover zum ersten Mal in den sozialen Medien gesehen habe, war ich sofort neugierig. Irgendetwas hat es einfach an sich, ich musste es mir einfach näher anschauen was wohl dahinter steckt.



Ich habe mit dem Buch in meiner Mittagspause angefangen zu lesen und war vom ersten Moment in das Buch versunken. Die Protagonisten und besonders auch das Setting das die Autorin hier erschaffen hat, haben mein Herz auf Anhieb erobert. Alaska hat irgendetwas an sich das mich fasziniert. Irgendwann möchte ich selbst einmal dort hinreisen.



Es gibt allerdings auch etwas was ich nicht so toll fand. Es ist aus den zwei Sichtweisen der Protagonisten geschrieben werden, das an sich finde ich super, denn so lernt man beide Seiten sehr gut kennen. Womit ich aber ein paar Probleme hatte, das das nur durch einen Absatz gekennzeichnet wurde. Ich hätte es besser gefunden, wenn der jeweilige Name darüber gestanden hätte, das hätte mir das Lesen definitiv erleichtert.



Der Schreibstil der Autorin hat mir sehr gut gefallen. Er ist flüssig, leicht und mitreißend. Es war zwar erst der erste Teil dieser Reihe für mich, aber auf keinen Fall der Letzte. Dankeschön das ich es lesen durfte.



Selena begibt sich auf neue Spuren und produziert das erste Mal selbst einen Film in dem sie die Hauptdarstellerin ist. Doch schon bei der Ankunft in Alaska steht sie vor ihrem ersten Problem. Der männliche Hauptdarsteller ist kurzfristig Abgesprungen. Der Sportreporter Gus möchte nur in Ruhe seine Wunden lecken und das Letzte ist es als Schauspieler durchzustarten. Doch Selena macht ihm ein Angebot das er nicht Ablehnen kann..

[Mary-Megan · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is an enjoyable romance about people coming into their own and falling in love along the way. Selena is tired of being a Rom-Com actress and thinks an indie thriller filmed in Wild River is her ticket to showing Hollywood what she's really made of. Gus destroyed his career as a sports reporter thanks to an on-air meltdown. While licking his wounds in his hometown of Wild River, his path crosses with Selena. When filming of her movie is delayed due to an actor not showing up, Selena coaxes Gus into filling in. Soon their on-screen chemistry becomes the real deal, but both of their career aspirations threaten to ruin their relationship.

This is book 6 in Jennifer Snow's Wild River series. I've read them out of order and generally had no problem keeping up with the characters. If anything, this book made me want to read more of the stories I missed. The characters are great and really draw the readers into their desire to be seen as more than the image they've presented. This novel is also filled with small town charm and plenty of steamy romance. Overall this was a great romance and worth the read.

Thank you Netgalley and publisher for a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

[Tara · Rating 4 out of 5]

I didn't realize that this was book 6 in the series, but that no bearing on understanding what was going on. I don't have to read the others to love the book (I am going to go back and get the previous 5 books now though!!)

Selena had a near death experience and is turning her life around. She's finally going to go after what she wants in life.

She's going to direct and star in a new film, destined to shoot in Wild River.

Gus, who's just about ruined his career is hiding out in Wild River, but he's not hiding out - he's running his family's campground.

Selena's crew is shooting at his family's campground and Gus has no interest until Selena makes him an offer he can't refuse.

She needs a leading man and he needs an in with a producer to get back into the sports world. He agrees and she will fulfill her promise at the wrap of shooting.

What they both didn't plan on is feelings and falling in love.

I reviewed this book in exchange for an early copy.

I just reviewed Alaska Dreams by Jennifer Snow. #AlaskaDreams #NetGalley

[Karen Hackett · Rating 4 out of 5]

ALASKA DREAMS by Jennifer Snow, another Wild River novel, book 6. Bonus novella: An ALASKAN CHRISTMAS HOMECOMING

Is she making the right decision…for her career and her heart? Following a near-death experience, Selena Hudson is finally going after the career she wants. Reporter Gus Orosco is not hiding out in Wild River—he’s waiting for the dust to settle after his on-camera “overreaction” triggered by watching his ex-fiancée get engaged to a superstar hockey player. Until Selena makes him an offer that will put his career back on track: be her leading man. All Gus needs to do is learn his lines, hit his marks and somehow ignore the sparks flying between them.

ALASKA DREAMS is about going after one’s dream, except Selena or Gus cannot ignore the sparks flying between them, hot enough to melt the Alaskan snow. Jennifer Snow makes a perfect balance of sexy love scenes, tension, and amiable banter.

ALASKAN CHRISTMAS HOMECOMING by Jennifer Snow—is a season of second chances in life and love.

[Steph Macisso · Rating 4 out of 5]

I stumbled upon this series back in December of 2021, and I am so thankful I did! I love the setting of Wild River! It’s always so fun seeing reoccurring characters from past books (especially Kaia I love that kid!) The tight nit community is so welcoming and it’s like coming home every time I read a new book in this series.

I remembered liking Selena a lot as a side character in Stars Over Alaska. I though her optimistic and sunshiny personality was perfect for her own book. I loved how hardworking and career driven she was, as well as being down to earth.

Gus was a a very likable male lead and was an overall good guy. I thought He and Selena compliment each other very well and had good chemistry. It was nice to see them find love after both getting out of messy, public relationship drama.

I’m sad that this is the last installment in the Wild River series, but Jennifer Snow did a really nice job with this one!

[LustamLesen · Rating 5 out of 5]

ES IST DAS LETZTE MAL!!! Ich bin unendlich traurig mit TRÄUME IN WILD RIVER den letzten Teil der ALASKA LOVE-REIHE in der Hand zu halten. Ich bin wirklich gerne mit JENNIFER SNOW und ihren Figuren nach ALASKA gereist und habe WILD RIVER sehr ins Herz geschlossen. Aber es ist ein WÜRDIGER ABSCHIED.
SELENA HUDSON ist zurück, nachdem man im letzten Band schon viel über die Schauspielerin erfahren durfte, habe ich mich riesig darüber gefreut, dass sie erneut nach WILD RIVER kommt und ihre eigene Geschichte erhält. Der männliche PROTAGONIST dieser Geschichte ist GUS OROSCO.
Ich mag beide HAUPTCHARAKTERE dieser Geschichte, finde sie SEHR GUT AUSGEARBEITET. Außerdem wirken sie AUTHENTISCH und REALISTISCH. Was meiner Ansicht nach hier gar nicht so einfach ist.
Nach dem, was im letzten Band so passiert ist, war es irgendwie zu erwarten, dass SELENAS GESCHICHTE SPANNEND wird. Mit so viel SPANNUNG habe ich dann aber doch nicht gerechnet. Einmal angefangen, ist es mir sehr schwer gefallen, das Buch aus der Hand zu legen.
Der SCHREIBSTIL von JENNIFER SNOW gefällt mir hier SEHR GUT. Trotz all der SPANNUNG ist auch diese Geschichte für mich wieder eine WOHLFÜHLGESCHICHTE. Der neuerliche Ausflug nach WILD RIVER hat mir GROßEN SPAß gemacht. Die Autorin schreibt BILDHAFT und nimmt einen sehr gut mit, die Geschichte ist KURZWEILIG, LOCKER und LEICHT zu LESEN.
Das SETTING finde ich einmal mehr GROßARTIG. ALASKA ist in meinen Augen WAHNSINNIG INTERESSANT. Für mich ist und bleibt es ein SEHNSUCHTSORT.
Auch bei diesem Teil der Reihe muss ich GANZ AUSDRÜCKLICH sagen, dass man ihn DEFINITIV nicht ohne den Vorgänger lesen sollte. Man verpasst einiges, das im Vorfeld passiert und nimmt sich INFORMATIONEN und DETAILS, wenn man Wiedersehen in Wild River nicht kennt. Es MINDERT DEN LESEGENUSS in meinen Augen GANZ DEUTLICH!
Ich hoffe inständig darauf, dass weitere Geschichten von JENNIFER SNOW ins Deutsche übersetzt werden. Ich mag die Bücher der Autorin WIRKLICH SEHR und würde gerne weitere lesen. TRÄUME IN WILD RIVER ist ACTIONREICH, SPANNEND und HERZERWÄRMEND. MIR hat das Lesen SEHR VIEL FREUDE bereitet.
Von mir bekommt dieses Buch von JENNIFER SNOW 5 von 5 STERNEN.

[Alexia Cara · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this story, the characters as well as their development throughout. Selena is a young woman who is taking a new career path in acting, starring in a thriller when she’s only ever been in rom coms.
Gus is a sports broadcaster who got fired from his role due to an emotional breakdown while live.
The way these two met on the campgrounds his family owned, where Selena’s movie was being filmed was destiny for them to end up together.

This story reminds me that God puts people in your life for a reason. That’s exactly what it was for both of them, as two individuals trying to navigate through the challenges of life. God brought them together to fight through it together!

It was also nice to get a fictional behind the scenes of Hollywood and how famous individuals have to deal with paparazzi every second of their life. I also enjoyed the glimpse of being on a movie set, and how that whole process works.

[Jeff · Rating 5 out of 5]

When Dreams Turn To Nightmares, Create Your Own Reality. This was another solid entry into the Wild River series, one that can be read as standalone if you don't mind knowing that other couples from previous romance books wound up together. While the focus is on our primary couple here and their struggles both personally and as a couple, most of the rest of couples from previous books make appearances, with some of them playing key support roles. Overall an excellent depiction of this side of Snow's writing, this one is great for the Hallmarkie type crowd that needs at least some elements of drama without going *too* deep, but which also likes several laughs along the way. Another fun book that manages to showcase Alaska - but also Seattle and Los Angeles. Very much recommended.

[Becky Tatar · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good story in the series featuring the town of Wild River, Alaska. Serena Hudson returns to film an indie movie that she hopes will change her stereotyping rolls in rom-coms. But her leading man - her boyfriend, bails on her because he's up for a part in a big blockbuster film. Enter Gus Orosco, former sportscaster, who's hiding out at his family campgrounds, after a very public meltdown on TV when seeing his girlfriend get engaged to a hockey player. So, Serena gets Gus to take the leading man role, and is surprised when he has good ideas for the part. But keeping the film quiet ends when former boyfriend shows up, and blabs about the film to the press. And it doesn't help that Serena and Gus have some definite chemistry.