Book Reviews

Book Blurb

When a plane crashes in the Alaskan wilderness, the best place to land is in the arms of a younger man…

Reuben
My plane suddenly plunging into the Alaskan wilderness is not what I thought would happen when I finally agreed to take a vacation. Just my luck. Now I find myself stranded with the injured, superhot pilot, Tobias Kooly, a man who’s endearingly sociable—and much too young for me to be wanting this way.

The longer I spend with Tobias, the more I’m beginning to question the workaholic life I’ve been living. Is there room in my heart for a love I never saw coming?

Tobias
As the sole provider for my sisters and ailing father, I’m devastated to learn my injuries will prevent me from working or even making it back home any time soon. So when hotshot attorney Reuben Graham insists on giving me a place to recover, not even my pride can make me refuse. I’ve never been tempted by a silver fox before, but something about Reuben is impossible to resist.

Recuperating in Reuben’s care is the last thing I expected, but the closer we become, the more incredibly right it feels. Can this thing betwen us hold up as the pressures I’m under start closing in?

 

First edition published by Carina Press, June 2019.

 

Book Review

Second in the 'Frozen Hearts' series – this can be read as a standalone. If you like strong hurt/comfort/healing books, then this may be for you.

The blurb sums up the plot fairly well, if not prone to a teeny bit of exaggeration. I did think this was going to be a “Survivor” type book, the main characters having to spend a week or more struggling to get out, but it wasn’t like that.

For the most part, I enjoyed this. It’s a slow-burn romance, that has strong elements of dating and getting to know the person which I always appreciate. It’s also about personal growth, introspection, and learning to stand up for what one wants in life.

A few items reduced my enjoyment: Reuben is dubbed a “silver bear” by Toby almost immediately. Despite having a fourteen-year-old daughter, the age difference between the two main characters was not apparent. Even with the snide remarks from Toby’s family, for myself, it never really felt like Toby and Reuben were that much different in age.

Even though this character trait defined Toby, I admit to growing weary of Toby’s continual “I’ll do it myself,” attitude and his insistence on running his sisters’ lives. This was almost a deal-breaker for me. By the time the story hit the conclusion and resolution, I was very glad to see a much-needed personality shift which greatly improved my opinion of the overall book.

And some positives: I’m starting to change my mind about kids in books – I am usually not a fan, but lately I’ve read several where the kiddo aspect was well done. This was one of them. I enjoyed Amelia’s transformation as much as Reuben’s and Toby’s.

The impetus for the book – the plane crash. Again, my impression was the characters would be stranded in the Alaskan wilderness for days and days, but they weren’t. I liked how this event was short and initiated the rest of the plot.

And this was, ultimately, an engaging read. Interesting characters, the plot was nicely written with just the right amount of tension, and the dynamic tension between the main characters felt realistic. If you enjoyed 'Arctic Sun', you’ll probably enjoy 'Arctic Wild'.

 

 

DISCLAIMER: Books reviewed on this site were usually provided at no cost by the publisher or author. The first edition of this book was provided by the publisher via NetGalley for the purpose of a review. This review was first published on Gay Book Reviews.

Additional Information

Format	ebook
Length	Novel, 400 pages
Heat Level
Publication Date	24-February-2025
Price	$5.99 ebook
Buy Link	https://www.amazon.com/Arctic-Wild-Romance-Frozen-Hearts-ebook/dp/B0DF3CJFRB