An Alaskan Christmas

Erika and Reed’s love story in An Alaskan Christmas by Jennifer Snow, book 1 in A Wild River series, is a friends to lovers and best friend’s brother trope as well as intriguing, sexy, and an enjoyable tale. Not knowing where to go when forced to take a vacation right before Christmas, workaholic Dr. Erika Sheraton decides to head to Wild River, Alaska where she grew up. Her friend Cassie owns a tour company that offers adventures to fit each visitor, but it’s her brother, Reed, who makes her heart race. Reed doesn’t remember Erika being so strong, skilled, and confident. She’s exactly what his search-and-rescue team needs and maybe what’s been missing from his life. When Erika returns to her big city hospital she wonders if small town living and being near Reed just might be a better fit for her. Ms. Snow wrote a fun, flirty, sexy romance that should not be missed. She provided a tale rich with emotions, sexual chemistry, humor, wonderful dialogue, and endearing characters giving Erika and Reed a chance at a forever love. I highly recommend An Alaskan Christmas to other readers and look forward to the next book in this series. I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book.

An Alaskan Christmas is more holiday adjacent than what I expect in a holiday romance. Nevertheless, the setting in Alaska always intrigues me, so I curled up to see where this one would go. I admit I had a bit of trouble getting into this romance mostly because it didn't feel much like a romance to me. Erika isn't very likable in the beginning, and I'm not sure if the back and forth between her and Reed is supposed to be fun banter or not, but I wasn't a fan. That said, she does redeem herself, and as the story goes on, the reason for her prickly nature is explained. The middle of the story is a bit more sex than substance, and I did end up skimming some of that. I have no problem with some steamy goodness, but this one was a bit of overkill for me. That said, the conclusion did win me over as far as rooting for this couple, and it's hard not to like Reed. He's much more considerate in the beginning than I felt like Erika deserved. In the end, there were things I liked, and things I didn't about this romance, but this couple did make for an interesting opposites attract romance.

Ordered to take time off, Erika Sheraton reluctantly trades in her scrubs for a ski suit and heads to Wild River, Alaska where her friend Cassie owns an adventure tour company, but nothing compares to the adrenaline rush Erika feels on being reunited with Cassie’s brother, Reed. His sister’s best friend has blossomed into a strong, skilled and confident woman and she’s exactly what his search-and-rescue team needs – and everything he didn’t know he craved. A moving romance that hits readers right in their hearts with strong characters that easily draw readers in and keeps them quite entertained. Erika is a successful young woman but she has her emotions locked down tight which makes her a workaholic and a bit socially awkward. Reed works search-and-rescue and has a mission – find out what happened to his father. The romance between these two is quite possibly fruitless endeavor to begin with but the chemistry sizzles with strong currents which keeps pulling them together and readers can’t help but the relationship amusing and full of emotional turbulence. The plot is steady to fast paced with the question of whether Erika and Reed can possible find a middle ground and achieve a happily ever after keeping readers in suspense until the very end. There is also the added excitement of a couple of adrenaline pumping search-and-rescues and the friction between Erika and her father which ensures that readers can’t possibly stop reading this delightful and moving holiday read.