Under the Midnight Sun by Tracie Peterson and Kimberley Woodhouse is the third book of their Heart of Alaska series. To be honest, I had not read the first two books of the series, but I absolutely loved this book.  I have read many Christian fiction books, but I always appreciate a book like this: sweet, wholesome, and full of positive character traits and Scripture.

Set in Alaska in the late 1920s, this story focuses around the Curry Hotel which is a popular tourist attraction near Denali, the tallest mountain in North America.  With a national park and such vast mountains nearby, there are several people who guide tourists on hikes and other adventures.  One of these young guides is Thomas Smith, a recent graduate from college who is returning to his hometown. Although Thomas has heartaches in his past, he was an excellent example in this book of a Christian man dealing with the many twists and turns in life.  Thomas learns that his boss has decided to hire another person to fill the opening they have, but when he meets the new naturalist, he is shocked that his new co-worker is a woman!

Tayler Hale enters the scene as the new naturalist at the Curry Hotel.  Needless to say, she has to deal with many surprised people, considering the few women in the field; however, Tayler is surrounded with support as she gets to know her new co-workers and family.  However, one of Tayler's fellow naturalists, Thomas Smith, seems to particularly dislike her, even though she didn't do anything to provoke him.  While Thomas and Tayler's relationship started off rocky, they end up developing a sweet friendship that lasts through many difficult situations and surprises.

The characters in the book were excellent in their realness, weaknesses, strengths, and struggles. I enjoyed the main character--Tayler Hale--a young woman with a love for adventure and the outdoors.  Although she is outnumbered as a female naturalist and constantly discounted in her strength and expertise, Tayler perseveres and maintains her poise, letting her knowledge and experience prove her worth. I appreciated her strength of character and her focus on helping others, even forgiving those who wronged her. I also appreciated Tayler's character as she focused on pleasing God, not looking to the expectations and opinions of others.  Tayler shows a strength of character in her unwillingness to compromise in her relationships.

Thomas' character was very well portrayed,  showing him to be a gentleman, Christian, and nature enthusiast.  He is very careful and reserved about Tayler at first, but as he sees her character and expertise in nature hikes and other outdoor things, he begins to trust her. Yet, when Tayler's past comes to find her in Alaska, will Thomas and Tayler be able to overcome the dangers and survive?

This is a delightful sequel to Holding the Fort (The Fort Reno Series Book #1). I really enjoyed the first book but this one was really wonderful. It dealt with the Indian School at Fort Reno, the children that attended it and some of the challenges with living on an Army base in the middle of Indian Territory. This is the story of Lieutenant Jack Hennessey and his childhood crush who happens to be stranded when a stagecoach is robbed and she is rescued by the local Indian tribe. Her name is Hattie Walker and she is an artist on the way to Denver to enter a competition. Her plans were waylaid along with the stagecoach and they are both surprised to see each other. Through a misunderstanding and a language barrier, they end up married in the eyes of the tribal leaders. Wading through all their conflicting emotions and the mystery of who waylaid the stage and stole the money that was on the stage from the US government for the Indians, as well as Hattie’s personal belongings and art supplies, provides the rest of the action in this story. It was fun to read and I enjoyed every bit of it.

Once again, Regina Jennings has done her research and brought us a book chock full of historical details and delightful conversation and action. I look forward to a third installment in this series!

I received a digital copy of this book through NetGalley from Bethany House in exchange for a review. I’m never disappointed with the offerings from Bethany House.

Tracie Peterson is not an author I usually pick up, but I have enjoyed her Alaskan series from the early twentieth century. With an interesting scenery and reoccurring characters, Under the Midnight Sun is an wonderful addition to the series. The story moved at a nice pace and kept my attention the whole time. I enjoyed watching the heroine do a job that wasn't popular for women during the time period. The romance didn't move too fast. It plowed a long slowly, allowing the hero and the heroine to fall in love naturally. Overall, Under the Midnight Sun, is a wonderful way to spend a couple of hours with the wonderful outdoors under a warm blanket. I enjoyed this novel. Fans of Karen Barnett should pick this up.

I received a complimentary copy of Under the Midnight Sun by Tracie Peterson from Bethany House Publishers, but the opinions stated are all my own.