I thought this was a sweet adventure romance. I liked that it took place over a few months of isolation. It allowed me to buy into the couple's growing attraction and eventual love affair. My only complaint was that I found some of the dialogue a little cheesy. Still this is a couple you will root for and a story I do recommend.

In this book, we follow Mallory and Michael who are thrust into a situation that is going to challenge both of them in ways they never thought possible. Its a story of survival, second chances, and finding our place in the world.

This book is very much like a roller coaster. It is slow then picks up, then slows down, then picks up, then slows down. The highs of the story are great. But when the lows hit, it does take some effort to keep reading to get back to the highs.

I have really enjoyed SC Stephens books in the past. The Thoughtless series is one of my favorites. But this one, just was hard for me to get through. I liked the point that she was trying to make and i loved seeing Michael's character develop from a recluse to seeing that there is more to life then the road that he is going down. This was probably the highlight of the whole story.

This story is not like the other books that Stephens has written so be warned when you are diving into it. It's a book that takes some time to get into and if you don't like the characters, then you may not like the book

This had such a slow long beginning, that I almost gave up. It was due to the full monologue at the start. I didn't realize how important dialogue was until the beginning of this book. I think even a memory with dialogue would have helped break up the drawn out start of this book.

" . . . I just didn't know you ... noticed. " A smile softened his face. "I always notice you."

However, I'm glad I kept reading because the moment Michael gets introduced the story truly begins. Michael's back story is so heartbreaking of why he's in the northern bush. But Mallory's faith and hope is uplifting and the balm that Michael needs to get out of his misery, but is it enough?

Goodbyes are so hard to write but I felt the goodbye scene in here was very well written.

"Don't be sorry for loving me-don't be sorry that I love you. Love is the most precious commodity we have, and . . . even if it's temporary . . . it should be cherished."

Even though I did end up quite liking this I was left with some basic questions like: Did Mallory get period. Did they use birth control? I know that is a little thing but when they are stranded up north it did leave me questioning simple basics like that.

Great story about faith, hope, love and second chances.

3.5 stars

This book was very slow for me. I read 60% of it and just couldn’t make myself go on as I’ve been trying to read it for weeks. I didn’t connect with the characters at all. I won’t be reviewing it since I did not finish it.

I was pleasantly surprised especially after reading the mixed reviews. Hence why I rarely read reviews. I prefer to make up my own mind. Ms. Stephens wastes no time jumping right into the action. UTNL was a heartbreaking love story born of the harshest conditions. I was glad to see the author have her characters “stick to their guns” when it would’ve been much easier to give most of the readers what they wanted. I was amazed that I was so enthralled in a story that 99% of the time only revolved around two characters. The author does an amazing job immersing her readers in the remote Alaskan wilderness.

I was curious about this book. I love the author and the plot sounded interesting. It fell short for me though. The character, Mallory, seemed pushy instead of driven. She wore on me. Michael had a big life moment that changed him as a person but it didn't play out well. I just didn't care about their romance. It didnt matter to me where their relationship went.
They story had its good points. The landscape was described beautifully. It felt adventurous and wild, There was enough good to it that i didn't put the book down. It just fell flat at the end.

Mallory always finds herself in strange locations , shooting pictures that others rave about. This time they just might be the end of her. When her plan crashes she finds herself fighting off the animals that she loves to take photos of. She runs into an expected complication by the name of Michael, who exactly is this man and is he there to help her or does he have secrets? Thank you NetGalley

In Under The Northern Lights, Mallory Reynolds wanted to capture images of the wilds of Alaska. Instead, it was her heart that was captured by Michael Bradley, a mysterious mountain man living in self-imposed exile.

A short fun read, Under The Northern Lights is about finding love in the most unexpected place. Both Mallory and Michael were not looking for love. They were content being single. But fate had other plans for them.

A plane crash is not the best way to meet your other half. Wolves and bears are not the ideal neighbors. Yet, against these odds, Mallory and Michael still managed to find their happily ever after.

Under the Northern Lights is Rated T for Teens.

I haven't read a book by S.C Stephens in a very long time, so when I read the blurb for this story, I knew I had to give it a try. It hit all my must-haves for a book - adventure, mystery, a little love, and the writing must be great. I will say without a doubt, this is one to pick up!

This author never fails to disappoint with her stories. This is an amazong read and i devoured this story. A very well done job in writing this book.

Reviews by the Wicked Reads Review Team

Veronica – ☆☆☆☆
Under the Northern Lights has life threatening moments that had my heart in my mouth. From Mallory’s plane crashing at the start of the book, to encounters with wild animals, and other incidents that could easily lead to death in the wilderness of Alaska in the middle of winter, the danger is ever present. These times had me on the edge of my seat, frantically reading to see what would happen, hoping and praying that Mallory and Michael would be safe. Other parts of the story are taken up with the mundane of life and the story slowed right down.

The relationship between Michael and Mallory is a very slow burn and at times I was frustrated with Michael and it had me worried I wasn’t invested enough in the outcome of their relationship. Turns out I was I was way more invested than I realised because the closer I got to the end, the more this couple made heart bleed until I was eventually a great big sobbing mess.

Under the Northern Lights is a wonderful, emotion-filled romance dealing with issues around grief, hope, and faith. I loved it. It gets a solid four stars from me.


Mary – ☆☆☆☆
Mallory is a nature and wildlife photographer and she takes a trip to Alaska once a year for a few weeks. On her own and in her own plane, and she comes home with some great photos. But this year she has a problem, her plane stalls and she crash lands in who-knows-where Alaska. She is hurt, her plane is in pieces, and her stuff is scattered for what looks like miles. She has to get her tent up so she can protect herself from the frigid cold of overnight.

Michael has been alone in Alaska for five years and he likes it that way. After a terrible event in the city, Michael has moved to the wilds because he doesn't like being around humans anymore. When he heard the plane crash, he thought no one could have survived and he would make his way to it and see if he could salvage parts for his own plane. He was not expecting to find Mallory alive.

As Mallory heals and begins to trust Michael, feelings begin to grow between them both. There have been sparks between them from the beginning, but this sizzle lives just under the surface. As they grow closer, Michael seems to pull back because he is still living in parts of his past and he cannot let it go. He feels guilty for what they are feeling towards each other because he knows when it is time for Mallory to leave, they both will get hurt.

Can Mallory move on with her live when she leaves Michael? Will Michael be able to forget what started with Mallory? Will there ever be a chance for Mallory and Michael?

I was glued to this story from the beginning, it was intense and scary, but I found I couldn't put it down. I had to know what happened next in the wilds of Alaska. The only thing I wanted more of was the ending, but I guess it ended the way it should have.

Yes, this is the same author who wrote the Thoughtless series with Kellan Kyle but there is no Kellan here. It is a different story and Mallory is a religious person and she prays to God to keep her safe from being eaten by wolves and bears. And her faith is what helps her survive. I don't think it takes away from the story at all. So don't let that keep you from reading this great story about Mallory and Michael.


Avid Reader – ☆☆☆
M/F Romance

Mallory is a photographer who loves nature. While her family doesn't quite understand why she loves it, she is done explaining her job and her love of it to her family. When she's flying to her next destination, she runs into trouble. While she doesn't know her next steps, she knows that she wants to live.

Michael is living off the grid. After a traumatic experience, this ex-doctor decided that people were not to be trusted. When he finds Mallory, he knows that he can help. Michael is a tricky character to get to know. He's incredibly closed off and at times, I wanted to scream at him. He was so infuriating.

Overall, this was not like the other S.C. Stephens books that I've read. This was much more dialogue than romance. They were forced friends who became real friends. However, they lacked chemistry for me. Also, both were so timid in how they approached their relationship that it kind of dragged on.

While it was a well-developed story, it missed the mark for me. I wanted a more involved relationship between these two. More than the push and pull of what could have been, might have been, or might be.


Mary Jo – ☆☆☆
Mallory's a freelance photographer who spends a few weeks every winter at her remote Alaskan cabin. Only this year, the weather doesn't cooperate, and she crashes her small plane in the wilderness. Surviving the crash, now Mallory must survive the elements, which includes wolves and bears.

Michael finds Mallory and takes her back to his cabin. During the course of the winter, Michael and Mallory forge an uneasy friendship, then a true friendship. Michael can't let go of his wife's death and can't commit to anything long-term with Mallory.

Mallory knows that Michael is the one for her, but she respects his decision to live his life in seclusion while she returns to her life.

The real question is, does absence make the heart grow fonder? Or is it just something people say when they don't know what to say?

Under the Northern Lights by S.C. Stephens was such a surprisingly sweet story. Every year Mallory Reynolds travels to Alaska to photograph in remote locations. But this time she crashes into the wilderness she loves. Afraid for her life, she is surprised to be a rescued by a man living in the mountains. Michael Bradley has chosen to live outside the world by choice and Mallory entering his life changes everything. Because of his choices, they could not get help until the Spring and now they were stuck together.

Mallory and Michael begin to get to know each other and feelings emerged, even as he tries to keep her at arm’s length. His life is in the mountain, their situation only temporary. But Mallory wants more. Under the Northern Lights by S.C. Stephens was a slow burning romance that will charm you.

Happy reading!

The synopsis really got to me so I was interested to read it. It was an alright-okay read. I thought I would have liked it more than I did. There were some parts that I was not feeling and others I wished she would have gone more in depth to. The survivalist romance was intriguing, two people who are stuck together for an indefinite period of time. Seeing the bond developing and the relationship forming between Mallory and Michael was fascinating. They were on opposite ends of the spectrum when it came to things so I was interested to see how it would play out. However as I was reading I wanted a little more. I just felt like something was missing. It didn’t completely ruin the story but I wasn't feeling it as much as I thought I would. The writing was good and the characters were okay. Overall, a satisfactory story.

Totally enjoyed this book!
The imagery that Author S. C. Stephens describes through the lens of her main character Mallory had me throughly entertained. And Michael was the cherry on top of this story.
I liked the setup of being out in the wild and learning to survive after circumstances out of their control bring these 2 characters together.
It was a good blend of emotions that soared with love, trust and heartache. This book will keep you entertained.
I liked this new book from Author S.C. Stephen.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an ARC of this book. This is such a heartbreaking sweet romance with a HEA ending.
Mallory's plane crash lands in Alaska with winter all around her. She's hurt, cold and scared. On her second night the wild animals have surrounded her. She doesn't think she's going to make it until a burly beast of a man shows up out of nowhere to and saves her.
Michael has lived in solidarity for five years now. He would rather be with the wild animals than the crazy humans. When he sees a plane crash land the only thing he's thinking of is maybe it will have the part he needs to fix his plane. Getting to the crash is the easy part. Finding a beautiful woman alive from that wreckage is the hard part.
This book gave me chills and made me cry big tears. I felt for Michael and then I felt for Mallory but the ending was by far my favorite.

Under the Northern Lights by S. C. Stephens is the story of Michael Bradley and Mallory Reynolds.
Michael has left behind the civilized world to live in a cabin in the secluded wilds of Alaska about 5 years ago. Mallory is a wildlife photographer who leaves her home in Idaho to spend a few weeks each year camping and taking pictures of the wild life in its natural life, she even flies her own plane. But on this trip she ends in a plane crash where she does survive but has of course injuries. Michael finds the Mallory and slowly helps her back to the cabin. Since Michael has chosen to cut himself off from the world, he has no way to contact anyone. So Mallory won't be recused right away, which leads them to slowly start to learn about the other.
This was a really good easy read I thought.

I had the pleasure of going to Alaska in May 2017. Since then, anytime I see a book that takes place in Alaska, I’m immediately drawn to it. When I saw this book was written by S.C. Stephens, I jumped at the chance read it.

This book is so different than the author’s Thoughtless series, and I think if you try to compare this book to any of the author’s other works, that’s doing a disservice to this story. It should be judged on its own merit. That being said. I liked this book. There are some things I wondered about while reading it – you know, the if I were Mallory I would have done this instead. Then I realize there wouldn’t have been a story at all if things were done ‘my’ way. Sometimes I feel you just have a suspend reality a little while reading. It is fiction after all. Don’t get me wrong. I don’t think the story is far-fetched. I enjoyed the suspense the story offered, often wondering how Mallory was going to make it out of different scenarios.

I’ve seen several reviews that complained about the religion in this book. I just wanted to add my two cents. I don’t consider myself to be religious, and while reading the book, I wondered if some readers would have a problem with it. It didn’t bother me. I didn’t feel like it was trying to force anything on me. Mallory wears a cross necklace. When she found herself in perilous circumstances, she would hold her necklace and pray that she would make it out safely. Aside from holding the necklace, I think most people that found themselves in similar circumstances would also be praying to make it out alive. On the other side, Michael lives in isolation because of something that happened in his past. Because of what happened, he lost his faith. Yes, this is a discussion that the two characters have. While it’s part of the story, I don’t think that means it should be classified as a Christian Romance. If these things bother you, then I guess I would suggest you pass.

I’d also like to add that it’s been months since I’ve read this book and I still remember the story. I've read books that I absolutely love and a week later I can’t remember a thing about it. I think that says something about this author and this story too.

A photographer. The Alaskan wilderness. A plane crash. A life and death rescue by a mysterious man. Do I have your attention yet? I was practically foaming at the mouth to read this book because it had so many elements that really appeal to me (thank you to Netgalley and Montlake for the ARC!)

I LOVED Mallory. She's this independent, self assured heroine who knows what she wants and goes after it. Then there's Michael, the strong but quiet type who's shouldering enough emotional baggage and sadness for 100 people! My heart bled for him. Their journey for survival was completely engrossing but the slow burn love affair or "winter romance" as Mallory called it was what made the book for me. Surprising to me was how much faith played into the storyline as a central theme and how well it fit. I wouldn't call myself a religious person by any means but Mallory and Michael's discussion of faith and good and evil in the world was quite pivotal to their story.

I really enjoyed the book overall. I only wish I could have formed a quicker and stronger emotional attachment to Michael like I did Mallory. He is so closed off by his pain the pace at which we learned his background was very measured and slow. Recommended for those who love a slow burn romance!

The premise, cover, and author is what made me pick up this book. I was ready for something different by SC Stephens. The beginning was really packed with action then majority of the book it was slow for me in the content that nothing super dramatic happened. I guess I wanted a lot more. I'm glad the ending ended the way it did though. To me, this was just okay. If you're a fan of survival books where there's pretty much only 2 characters in the book, then try it out.

I received this book for free from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

I loved this story!
Intense, suspenseful and passionate, for me this was an intriguing journey of love, and self discovery.
Well written with well developed and realistic characters, the story starts out slowly as the author meticulously detailed the scenes and what was unfolding.
Wildlife photographer Mallory encounters a horrible situation during her annual journey to Alaska. As she encounters all kinds of life/death threats, she encounters Michael who saves her and offers her help.
What develops is a passionate slow burn story that albeit predictable is well written and thought provoking.
A lot of readers have complained about the religious aspects of the story and while everyone is entitled to their opinion I have to say I didn’t interpret it that way. There was nothing preachy or fanatic religious devotion. It was Mallory resorting to faith in an attempt to be saved.
What would you do in said situation?
Michael was a savior, a godsend and a miracle given the conditions she was facing, and I totally get that.
Do you believe in miracles?
What happens between them was somewhat predictable but so worth the read as Michael was an enigma and I really if they could really have an HEA.
Why the 4 stars, I felt the way their story ended could have used a prologue.