Reviewed by Sadonna
TITLE: Artic Sun
SERIES: Frozen Hearts, #1
AUTHOR: Annabeth Albert
PUBLISHER: Carina Press
LENGTH: 384 pages
RELEASE DATE: April 1, 2019
BLURB:
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.
REVIEW:
Griffin has returned to his Alaskan home after time in the military. His time in and after the military had not been easy on him – for a number of reasons – and he ended up with a serious addiction. However, he’s gotten sober and now regiments his life so that he isn’t tempted. He flies with his family’s business, but tried to limit his interactions with anyone but his family and business associates. But when his uncle, a famous photographer, is injured and needs a replacement to lead a wilderness and photography tour that has been booked, Griffin very reluctantly takes his place.
River is a former supermodel turned travel and adventure writer and he’s been looking forward to this trip. Griffin is very much his type and while he would love to hook-up, he takes the hint from Griffin, who initially holds himself aloof – not just from River, but from the majority of the tour group. River isn’t sure what his story is, but he’s respectful of the distance Griffin puts between them.
However, there are circumstances that continue to put them in close proximity and Griffin finds himself less able to resist River. Frankly he’s surprised that River is nothing like he assumed he would be. For River’s part, he’s impressed more by Griffin than he expected and he really comes to like and respect him. There is a slow burn during the tour that of course leads to them getting closer. Both are a bit damaged from past relationships – both familial and other – but they begin to feel like there might be something real between them.
Of course, nothing is ever easy, and obstacles and missed opportunities lead them to think that maybe things won’t work out for them. This might just be a passing fantasy that could leave them both heartbroken. It’s clear that they are both going to have to work on a solution that will give them each security and freedom to live their best lives – hopefully together.
While not my favorite story from this author, nonetheless I enjoyed it. I felt for both River and Griffin that their past lives had left them damaged and vulnerable. They each have developed mechanisms for keeping themselves distant from real feelings and intimacy. This of course is the crux of the conflict for them. They are both fearful of the potential pain that could come from letting someone get close and then failing to make it work. Despite encouragement from family, each man tends to retreat to their own corner and they will have to break this pattern if they are going to succeed in building anything with each other. The risk seems pretty great and both have worked very hard to overcome unhealthy habits that could ultimately destroy their lives, so it’s not unreasonable for them to be apprehensive about something that might have the power to break them. This part of the story I especially felt was well-written because I think most people can relate to pain avoidance. I had a slight niggle with the pacing of the book, because at times it felt a little slow to me. Overall, this is a nice start to a new series for Annabeth Albert If you are a fan of her Out of Uniform or her #gaymers series I think you will enjoy this book set in the beautiful Alaskan wilderness.
RATING: 
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