Jennifer LaBrecque

Northern Encounter by Jennifer LaBrecque
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I needed an uplifting change of pace from my usual dark suspense/thriller reads, and NORTHERN ENCOUNTER fit the bill perfectly. A romance set in Alaska is the perfect escape. I’ll probably never get there, so reading about it is the next best thing.

Clint is a Native Alaskan and wilderness guide who’s hired by Tessa, a videographer from Arizona. She’s come to the town of Good Riddance to film the magnificent landscape for her latest project. They feel an attraction to each other, though both have reasons for not wanting a relationship. The characters were strong, and their conflicts were realistic. Of course, I absolutely loved the small town Alaska setting. The secondary characters were likable and interesting too. Looking forward to reading the rest of the series!

The Complete Short Stories by Edgar Allan Poe
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

A motley collection of short stories from Poe (the complete collection!) – horror, suspense, comedy, detective, general life observations, even science fiction. At times the stories are too wordy, but Poe always entertains with his grand imagination. I greatly enjoyed Bob Thomley’s narration of the audiobook. ♥

A Discovery of Witches by Deborah Harkness
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I’m finishing up this chunkster book today. I liked it, though maybe not as much as I thought I would. The world building was quite interesting, and I was impressed with the scientific and historical research. I’m very curious about the magical book Diana found, and why the various creatures want it.

On the flip side, the many descriptions of things — rowing, horseback riding, food, wine, hunting, etc — slowed the pace down. I liked witchy Diana, but never warmed up to Matthew. Does he get more likable in future books??

A DISCOVERY OF WITCHES has been sitting on my TBR shelf for 8 years (!!!), so I’m glad I finally read it. Will definitely continue the series at some point.

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Series: Alaskan Heat, #1
Publisher: Harlequin
Released: September 21, 2010
Source: Purchased from Harlequin

Escaping the corporate rat race was the best thing Dalton Saunders ever did. Now he’s living life at a breakneck speed as an Alaskan bush pilot, doing what he wants, when he wants. There’s no adventure he hasn’t experienced….

Until Dr. Skye Shanahan rolls into town.

Skye Shanahan isn’t quite sure how she ended up in Good Riddance. Sure, she needed some time to evaluate where her life was heading, but this is ridiculous. Luckily, she’s only here for two weeks. She can handle it until then.

What she wants to handle, though, is Dalton. The sexy pilot has her feeling out of her element…and desperate to get into his bed. And once there, she’s not inclined to leave.

But when the time comes, will she be able to let go?

———

The philosophy of Good Riddance, Alaska: Good Riddance is where you leave behind whatever troubles you. That is exactly what Dalton Saunders did eight years ago. He walked away from his humdrum life as a CPA and his cheating fiancee for adventure as a bush pilot in a tiny Alaskan town. His new carefree, no attachments lifestyle seemed perfect until the smart and beautiful Dr. Skye Shanahan came into town and showed him what he had been missing. Skye meant for her stay in Good Riddance to be a brief two-week assignment as the town’s substitute doctor while their regular physician was on vacation. Though unhappy at the direction her life had taken back home in Atlanta, Skye can not believe someone would just up and move to the middle of nowhere and start over. That is until the ruggedly handsome and charming Dalton makes her question what is truly important and whether she is strong enough to leave her troubles behind as well.

Northern Exposure was a sweet romance filled with a cast of delightfully quirky characters. I loved the idea of a tiny town in Alaska being a place to start fresh, even for someone like the prim and proper city girl, Dr. Skye Shanahan. There is great chemistry between Dalton and Skye from the moment they meet. Of course, it begins as a love/hate relationship. Skye, the sensible doctor, is certain that an untamed Alaskan frontiersman is wrong for her, and Dalton feels the same way. Little do they know they have more in common than what’s on the surface. But, their sexual tension is intense! I had to laugh at the snarky banter between them. I found Dalton completely irresistible! Once Skye did some soul searching and realized what was missing from her life, she did too. (Secluded lakeside cabin in the Alaskan wilderness + Dalton = Bliss) Northern Exposure is a quick and fun read. It ended with a bit of a cliff hanger involving the town’s displaced southern belle mayor, so I’m excited to see what happens in the next book!

Rating: 4 Stars