The descriptions of Alaska were beautiful and wild. Her men were smoldering together, and the issues that River and Griffin dealt with were handled with care and delicacy. ~ Leigh, Guilty Pleasures
Blurb:
Everything’s bigger in Alaska, especially the HEAs. Annabeth Albert kicks off the brand-new Frozen Hearts series with Arctic Sun, an opposites-attract romance between a rugged outdoorsman and a smoking hot former male model.
He’s built a quiet life for himself in Alaska. But it doesn’t stand a chance against the unrelenting pull of a man who’s everything he shouldn’t want.
Ex-military mountain man Griffin Barrett likes his solitude. It keeps him from falling back into old habits. Bad habits. He’s fought too hard for his sobriety to lose control now. However, his gig as a wildlife guide presents a new kind of temptation in superhot supermodel River Vale. Nothing the Alaskan wilderness has to offer has ever called to Griffin so badly. And that can only lead to trouble…
River has his own methods for coping. Chasing adventure means always moving forward. Nobody’s ever made him want to stand still—until Griffin. The rugged bush pilot is the very best kind of distraction, but the emotions he stirs up in River feel anything but casual, and he’s in no position to stay put.
With temptation lurking in close quarters, keeping even a shred of distance is a challenge neither’s willing to meet. And the closer Griffin gets to River, the easier it is to ignore every last reason he should run.
One-click with confidence. This title is part of the Carina Press Romance Promise: all the romance you’re looking for with an HEA/HFN. It’s a promise!
Publisher’s Note: Arctic Sun deals with topics some readers may find difficult, including sobriety and eating disorders.
I am a huge fan of Annabeth Albert’s books, and I simply adored her Out of Uniform series. I was very excited to see a new series from her and couldn’t wait to meet a new cast of characters. And while I really liked both Griffin and River, truly enjoyed the new scenery and untamed wilderness brought by an Alaskan locale, it pains me to say that I was not “wow-ed” by this book. I enjoyed Arctic Sun, and I am looking forward to the next in this series. I’m just hoping that the next story moves along at a faster clip than this one.
River and Griffin were total opposites in all ways but one: they refused to see that, despite their past addictions and compulsions, they deserved to find happiness. River’s body image issues and Griffin’s alcohol addictions have colored their pasts, and working to overcome these problems have become a way of life for both of these men. But when they get to know one another, they each can see more clearly in the other man those things they won’t acknowledge in themselves: that they each deserve to be loved and that they are both works in progress.
I found these two men together to be intriguing because the dynamics of their relationship were not what one would think. Griffin was not the alpha male, despite his lumber-sexual appeal, and as the waifish male model, River was not the more submissive one in the relationship. As a couple, they worked perfectly for me and despite Griffin’s gruff exterior, I felt their affection for one another. The descriptions of Alaska were beautiful and wild. Her men were smoldering together, and the issues that River and Griffin dealt with were handled with care and delicacy. And yet, I cannot put my finger on why I found the story to be lacking something. Perhaps it was the pace at which it plodded along. Maybe it was a vagueness in Griffin’s backstory. But for whatever reason, I just wanted the story to move more quickly for me than it did.
Annabeth Albert is a fantastic writer and her ability to create characters with dimension and realism is a talent. I find that I am looking forward to reading the next book in this series and getting more acquainted with her men from Alaska.
3.5 stars
Annabeth Albert wrote a compelling story about difficult subjects but was able to bring out love as well. She made you feel for both Griffin and River, understand them and root for them to overcome their pasts and embrace the future. ~ Kitty, Guilty Pleasures
What a wonderful beginning to the Frozen Hearts series. Annabeth Albert did a beautiful job of bringing us characters with heart, with everyday problems and showed us their way of coping with them. She brought two “broken” men together who showed each other the path to healing. She did it in a way that didn’t attack their integrity or beliefs and she left me with a beautiful feeling inside. I was really impressed with Arctic Sun.
Right from the beginning, I knew that I was going to admire Griffin. There was something about him that totally drew me in. As his story unfolded, a part of my heart broke and then I sat back and let nature and River heal it … the same way he healed Griffin. It took a lot for him to admit his faults, admit his love and face his fears … to open his heart to the possibility of loving someone and being loved in return. But he did and I was so proud of him.
And River, what a wonderful, outlandish, fun character he was. I didn’t like his friends but I loved his tenacity and personality. Here was a man who went after what he wanted. His life in no way paralleled Griffins. But, his story was just as compelling and just as heartbreaking. Healing, forgiveness and second chances are a long journey and it was Griffin that made him realize that it was time to stop running and face his problem head-on. In the end, the journey was worth it.
Annabeth Albert really wrote a beautiful love story. Not only were her characters beautiful but her descriptions of Alaska were wonderful. She wrote a compelling story about difficult subjects but was able to bring out love as well. She made you feel for both Griffin and River, understand them and root for them to overcome their pasts and embrace the future.
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