Griffin Barret has found a good place in his life, or at least one where he can live peacefully after a tour of duty that has him losing his best friend and life long crush which leads to some serious problems with alcoholism. He's sober on and resigned to a life of near solitude with his family. He's not looking for anyone to share his life.

River is a former model. He's made a new life and career for himself through travel, photography and writing. He still struggles with an eating disorder and his family life isn't all that great, or at least he doesn't think so. When he meets Griffin on his Alaska tour, he decides to coax Griffin into his bed, although Griffin isn't really looking for any one or any action of the sexual kind. But River doesn't let Griffin retreat into himself, and they begin a sexual relationship during their ten day tour of Alaska's wilderness.

When I saw this new series from Annabeth Albert, I was really excited to see that it was located in Alaska. Having been there years ago, it's the perfect place for a romance, with lots of opportunities with conflicts with the elements. Sadly, this story did not capitalize on any of this. Arctic Sun is a very quiet, low drama sort of romance that starts with physical attraction and then over the course of conversation, Griff and River do find some common ground that helps to make them both think they don't want it to end after ten days.

After the tour of Alaska is over, the guys struggle with getting back together. I almost felt sorry for Griff at this point -- River has come along and disrupted his life, making him want thing that he may not be able to have. It gets even worse when Griffin goes to Seattle to meet up with River for an absolutely disastrous weekend that really had me feeling for both of these characters.

Overall, while I liked these two characters, and I absolutely loved how their individual situations were explained, especially River's eating disorder, I really wanted a little more in this story to help me understand why these two guys really wanted to be together for more than just a brief fling. They had so many obstacles to overcome, especially distance and understanding. Even though they had an HEA, I found myself questioning how long they would last because I just didn't feel that spark between them outside of the bedroom. I was a bit underwhelmed with Griff and River.

An ARC was provided for review.

when recovering alcoholic griffin barrett is tasked with filling his uncle's shoes for a photography trek in the alaskan wilderness, he's not excited about it. he's even less excited when he meets river vale, a model turned author who looks the part of high maintenance diva, and not a guy used to roughing it.

river quickly proves griffin wrong, and the two of them connect on so many levels. partly because they are such hot messes of human beings that only two people so broken could make each other whole, but also because they both have a way of seeing the beauty in the world around them. they have such a hard time in seeing it in themselves though.

it's not an easy journey, but arctic sun is a story filled with emotional depth and heartfelt connection that just works as a swoony romance.

**arctic sun will publish on april 1, 2019. i received an advance reader copy courtesy of netgalley/carina press in exchange for my honest review.

I’m sure that out of those of you who have visited my blog before, exactly zero of you are surprised that I’m reviewing Annabeth Albert’s newest release. Arctic Sun kicks off her Frozen Hearts series that takes place in Alaska, and as a huge fan of this author, my hopes were pretty high for this one. Though it didn’t exactly live up to them, this story did still have some of the things I love about Annabeth’s writing. First of all Griff - he was so gentle and sweet. I swear she writes the best gentle heroes while still maintaining their masculinity, and I really appreciate that. There’s also something that she does with setting that almost always makes it a prominent part of the story; I find it easy to imagine I’m wherever she’s writing about, and this Alaskan adventure setting was no exception. But this book felt a little...off to me. The first half was so fun and flirty while River worked to get Griff to open up to him. You could tell they had their issues, but they were bumbling through, and those issues didn’t define every aspect of their lives. Until about halfway through, when they did. The lightheartedness from the first half disappeared, and the tone for the second half of this book was very dark; the two didn’t mesh well, and it almost felt like I was reading the halves of two different books. Griff and River both fell into pretty dark places, and while I was able to (mostly) understand Griff and what drove him, River’s character never became clear to me. It made it really hard to see where he was coming from, and I feel like once a character comes full circle, you should understand what motivates them throughout the story. And I have to be honest - I felt like Griff was trying so hard, and I just didn’t feel like River was. Griff was so comfortable in his self-imposed solitude. It was painful to see him try to break out of that for River, especially when I didn’t feel like River appreciated it. It was almost like when River left the Alaskan wilderness, he left everything that had defined his character up until that point behind. It left me feeling confused. I will say that there was a storyline with River’s dad that really tugged at my heart strings and had me tearing up, and I really feel like if River’s character had been more fleshed out, I could have loved this story. Griffin’s family, on the other hand, felt a bit busybody-ish, and I kept getting frustrated at the lack of trust they had in him. I sort-of understand why, but I just feel like throughout most of this story, no one gave Griffin a break. My heart hurt for him, because he was trying so damn hard, and I loved his character so so much. Another highlight for me were the people that ventured through Alaska with Griff and River at the beginning. I felt like we got a good piece of all them without them overwhelming the story, and I really enjoyed spending time with them. I wish that part of the story had gone on longer. As for the pacing, I’m not sure if it was River’s underdeveloped character or what, but this story did seem to go on for too long. Both men just kept beating themselves up over and over again, and at points, it seemed neverending.Overall, I feel like Arctic Sun just wasn’t a good fit for me. But I know Annabeth Albert is, and so, of course, I’m looking forward to her next book.

I got to read the NetGalley ARC of this novel. This is my review freely given: I wasn't sure I was going to enjoy this story. There is a pace to it that you can't fight.

I advise you not to. Settle in and get comfortable. Despite the timeframe, this is the slowest of slow burns between two vastly different men with different flaws, in terrific settings.

If at times in other stories you've wondered about the compulsions and hurdles characters navigate, rest assured you get everything spelled out here sooner or later. Ordinarily I'd find that annoying, but for some reason, with these two guys, it's just fine. I did enjoy the Alaska scenery, but as always with romances, it's the love story that makes or breaks the experience, and I really, really liked how River and Griff compromised for each other. I also appreciated that our intrepid author made River's job as hard as it is - that's real life experience, right there. Writing IS hard.

3.5 Stars rounded Up

Annabeth Albert is back with yet another new captivating series, “Frozen Hearts” set in Alaska. The first entry brought together opposites characters; an air force vet with issues and a former supermodel turned writer. It’s a clash of personalities, presented Albert’s style that took readers along the MCs on an emotional roller coaster ride.

As the first in the series, this book introduced the general premises and characters - main and secondary. “Arctic Sun” brought readers adventuring to wild Alaska, witnessing the dynamic exchange between Griffin and River, noting the gradual changes in their view of each other and how they carried themselves. Moreover, it’s a journey of two battered souls to find peace with themselves and each other.

One of the delights in Albert’s books for me is her talent to generate various types of tangible yet unique characters. I liked Griff and River, although Griff could be such a gloom-and-doom often times. I especially loved how creative River was in coming up with fond moniker(s) for Griff throughout their acquaintance. Their romance didn’t feel rushed and even understated. That saying, there was this scene close to closing chapter that had me bemused if they didn’t communicate at all during the cooling off period, how the heck Griff knew where to look where River was staying, much less finding (easy) access to the room. . Personally that bit felt like patchy sequence in the timeline - not that I begrudged the result of said scene, though. That glitch aside, “Arctic Sun” is a joy to read and for sure, “Frozen Hearts” is another promising series to look out to. Can’t wait for the next book!


Advanced copy of this book is kindly given by the author/publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

4.5
Arctic Sun is the first book in the Frozen Hearts series by the talented and fabulous Annabeth Albert. I have read over thirty of Annabeth's books and I love them all for very different reasons. The writing is always great, the characters always entertaining, fun and the stories gripping and interesting. Arctic Sun is an emotional, fun, flirty and sexy romance.
Griffin was a fighter pilot in the military and now he's home in Alaska working for the family business. He's living with being sober and his past mistakes. He doesn't like to talk too much or be with people. But when his family needs him to lead a wildlife expedition he has to play nice. Enter sexy ex-model River. He's beautiful and put together and Griffin isn't going to be attracted to him. River is living with his own demons. Leaving modeling, writing a book and traveling helped him overcome his eating disorder. River can't help but flirt with the mountain man. He's determined to get under his skin and in his bed. It's a short fling and they can just have fun. Griffin doesn’t do fun. He does real. But River is very persuasive. What happens when their hot chemistry turns into something real? Will their two different lives collide or meld together? This isn't a soft and fluffy romance. River's eating habits and his fears and Griffin's sobriety are big front runners in this story. It's sadder than most of Annabeth's books, but it's also funny, flirty, sexy, and deals with real life issues. Griffin thinks he can't leave Alaska to survive and River has to travel to be free. Recovery isn't easy but Griffin and River find a way to work together. Give each other what they need. I felt for these characters. Everyone has something they're afraid of and they have their own way of dealing with it. I thought it was handled extremely well! I loved these two characters and how they just fit together even though they are from different worlds. I'm looking forward to Arctic Wild!

🌟🌟🌟🌟 4.5 stars
🔥🔥🔥🔥 Heat Level: 4

A beautifully and emotional adventure!

I love Annabeth’s writing and this one is exceptional. A fun-loving premise with a deep undertone of real-life issues and struggles. River and Griff are such deep and dynamic characters, I felt for both of them!! Griff struggle with his sobriety and River fights his eating disorder. Annabeth took such care with these issues and characters while keeping them so very real. If these are issues you struggle with, be warned as Annabeth’s writing is emotionally real that it could be confronting. I was moved by the reality found in these characters and their issues and she didn’t shy away from the real world environments these issues can stem from and ‘thrive’ in. The complex dynamics of River’s eating disorder are confronting at times but injected with so much emotion and truth; it is hard to ask or seek help sometimes.

This is a story of healing and dealing with your issues. They will never go away but they can be managed with the right love and supports. I liked that this story felt more real and true. It’s not a fluffy, ride off into the sunset story. It’s a real-life struggle to heal, address and manage your issues every day while trying to live your life. If you’re lucky enough to find your person along the way then you have something else to fight for. River and Griff are lucky to have found each other and I loved the very real journey to healing and happiness!! Another fantastic story from Annabeth!!

Thanks for reading!

Annabeth Albert’s stories always have a kind of softness to them, even when dealing with heavy topics. Arctic Sun is a lot of healing, learning coping methods, and opening up.

Griffin is former Air Force and now helps his family out with their tourist photography trips in Alaska. His uncle Roger is a very well-known photographer, but when he has a fall and needs surgery, Griffin ends up taking over a trip for him, where he meets River. River is a former model turned travel novelist who is working on a new book about traveling through North America. At first Griffin is antagonistic towards River, imagining him to be flighty and incapable of seriousness because he’s a model, but as they get to know each other and open up about their pasts, they become close.

Like I said, this book has a lot of themes of healing and coping in it, and I liked seeing it. Griffin is a recovering alcohol while River is recovering from an eating disorder, and through the book we see them learning to get support from each other, but also how they cannot be responsible for the other’s choices. Griffin is very self-sufficient around his recovery, talking about not wanting/needing group or therapy, while River tends to use his traveling as a form of therapy, though he does have a therapist he Skypes with regularly. I liked how they learn to trust and share the burden, as well as learning new coping methods.

I also really enjoyed the romance. There is an element of insta-attraction/lust, but I loved the buildup to actually coming together. Griffin is very gruff and essentially a hermit, while River is very bright (he does have blue hair after all!) and tends to be in the center of groups and helping as much as he can. River does kinda wheedle and cajole Griffin but there’s also great bits about consent and boundaries. What finally pushed their relationship forward was a forced-proximity arc when there’s a miscommunication about the number of cabins they’ll need at one of the stops.

I really enjoyed the way their relationship continued after the tour, the making efforts to keep in touch as well as making plans to spend time together. Griffin’s family is a little protective of him after his rehab and worry that getting involved with a model could be detrimental to his sobriety, and I liked how River respected that, rather than feeling treated or off-put. In fact, the whole family dynamic was lovely and I thought River reconnecting with his father was a nice touch, showing growth and perspective shifts.

Overall, I loved this book and am looking forward to the rest of the series. I love the softness of Annabeth’s writing/characters and loved the themes of healing and support in this book.

Edit/addendum: reading other reviews and thinking on the consent issues in the beginning and the breakup arc, dropping original rating from 4 stars to 3. I did really enjoy this book at the time, and I love Albert’s writing, but thinking on it, I’m realizing those aspects made me more uncomfortable than I realized.

This is the first book in the Frozen Hearts series. It is a MM contemporary adventure romance set in Alaska. This story deals with some difficult issues and does it in a wonderful way. The main characters are opposites, yet from meeting they are attracted to one another. Mix in the problems they both have and you get a very interesting adventure. I want to go to Alaska, so having the author paint such a lovely picture of it was just a plus for me. The characters are developed and the pace of the story is fabulous. Great start to a new series.

I enjoyed Attic Sun. Griffin and River are both a little broken not looking for anything long term just a little fun to ease their pain.
At times each of their takes were difficult to read. Their hearts and minds held such pain I didn't know if they would ever see the light.
While it was heartbreaking I'm glad they focuses on themselves to get well before committing to each other.

Very well-written story and with great character development. Though perhaps not as gripping or simply as fun to read as I’d have expected.

It’s not a light read, because neither of our MC’s is in a totally happy place when they meet and they have things to overcome before they can make a relationship work. Not a problem in itself, but everything is kept a little too low key, both MC’s trying not to rock the boat or have expectations, a lot is left unsaid/unacknowledged for a long time… The emotions are there, but not as intensely as I prefer and the pacing is also a little off.

We have several sweet and romantic moments throughout the book, but I sometimes started losing interest the tiniest bit because it was a bit slow going for me, and maybe a tad too mellow at times. I liked the secondary characters, both the other tourists, as well as River’s and Griff’s family members.

I really love this author’s writing, but, this once, I had a harder time connecting with the story.

A sweet romance between two flawed but lovely humans. I really appreciated the descriptions of Alaska and how it was basically a third main character. I was slow to like the two main characters but by the end I appreciated them and their growth. It was a slower read for me but that was mostly due to the mental health aspects of the two characters. I would recommend taking the authors note seriously regarding content warnings. I really appreciated the way they were depicted but at times I did need to put it away for a bit. I am looking forward to the next book in the series and hope that the two main characters do make a cameo or two.

My review is originally published in German for all the readers from Germany, who love reading english books but prefer to read reviews in German. So I post the original german review here.

Darum geht's:

Griffin Barrett gefällt das einsame Leben in Alaska, denn hier wird er nicht in Versuchung geführt und es ist leichter, vom Alkohol fernzubleiben. Als er für seinen kranken Onkel eine mehrtägige Wildnistour als Guide und Fotografie-Coach übernehmen muss, ahnt er schnell, dass River Vale, ein ehemaliger Supermodel-Promi und Reiseautor, Ärger für ihn bedeutet. Denn Griffin kann die Augen nicht von sexy River lassen und River flirtet fleißig zurück. Dabei ist River klar, dass er mit Griffin höchstens eine kurze Affäre haben kann, denn River bleibt nirgends länger. Er muss immer in Bewegung bleiben, damit er nicht näher über die Probleme nachdenkt, die er mit sich herumschleppt.

So fand ich's:

Sowohl Griffin als auch River sind keine unkomplizierten Menschen und haben beide ein ziemliches Päckchen zu tragen.

Griffin hing viele Jahre einer hoffnungslosen Liebe zu seinem inzwischen verstorbenen besten Freund nach und kämpft darum, vom Alkohol wegzubleiben. Das einsame Leben in Alaska mit viel Natur und seinen beiden Passionen, dem Fotografieren und dem Fliegen, die Arbeit im touristischen Familienbetrieb, scheint ihm die sicherste Variante. Von Flirts oder gar Beziehungsversuchen hält er sich fern. Seine Familie, Mutter, Onkel, die Schwestern, sind wichtig für ihn und erden ihn, obwohl er sich als Einzelgänger sieht, der auch sehr gerne ganz für sich ist.

Rivers Leben wird von einer Ess-Störung bestimmt, die er auch nach dem Ende seiner Modelkarriere nicht ablegen kann. Er zieht rastlos durch die Welt, berichtet von den schönsten und interessantesten Ecken dieses Planeten und gibt in seinen Büchern weise Ratschläge, wie man zu sich selbst findet - doch für ihn selbst hat er noch nicht herausgefunden, wie er seinen inneren Frieden finden kann. Auch wenn er zuerst wie ein verwöhnter Cityboy auf Griffin wirkt, fühlt sich River doch auch in der Natur ohne Luxus wohl und zuhause.

Als die beiden sich am Anfang einer mehrtägigen Gruppenexkursion in Alaskas Wildnis kennenlernen, fallen sie dem jeweils anderen sofort ins Auge. Doch Griffin ziert sich und River will auch eigentlich nur einen One Night Stand. Entsprechend zögerlich schleichen sie umeinander herum und ihre Lovestory beginnt eher schleichend. Alaskas Natur, die anderen Teilnehmer der Exkursion und ihre Fotoausflüge bekommen ein bisschen Raum, der Erzählton ist ruhig, aber nicht langweilig. Manchmal hätte ich mir eine kleine Straffung hier oder da gewünscht, dann war ich wieder froh, dass die alles andere als hektische Art, diese Geschichte zu erzählen, so perfekt mit den Protagonisten, mit dem Trip in die Wildnis und mit ihren Problemen, sich jemandem wirklich zu öffnen, harmoniert. Man muss sich in Ruhe auf diese Geschichte einlassen, sie wirken lassen, und genau das habe ich getan und sehr genossen.

Ich fand es wunderschön, wie Griffin und River sich langsam beschnuppern, denn sie beide wissen, dass sie schwierige Menschen sind, die Probleme mitbringen, dass es ihnen sehr schwerfällt, sich zu öffnen. Sie fallen nicht in einem schnellen sexuellen Rausch übereinander her, sondern es gibt Blicke, Gesten, Zärtlichkeiten und Nähe, die mindestens genauso wichtig sind. Dass beide eigene Suchterfahrungen haben, hilft ihnen, den anderen zu verstehen. Aber die eigenen Limitierungen stehen ihnen auch schwer im Weg dabei, wirklich offen zueinander zu finden.

Leicht, locker und fröhlich ist diese Geschichte wirklich nicht. Doch sie ist gefühlvoll, lebensnah und atmosphärisch und die Art, wie Annabeth Albert ihre Geschichten erzählt, mag ich sowieso. Deshalb habe ich "Arctic Sun" sehr genossen und freue mich darauf, dass ein zweiter Band "Arctic Wild" schon in zwei Monaten erscheint. Dort wird Toby, der in "Arctic Sun" eine Nebenrolle einnimmt, die Hauptrolle spielen und hoffentlich auch in Alaskas Wildnis sein Happy End finden.

This was an amazing start to a new series! Alaska is one of my bucket list destinations, so I was excited to see that Annabeth Albert would be basing her new series there, making this a must-read for me. I really enjoyed River and Griffin’s story. Both characters really pulled at my heart strings and you could really feel their individual pain as they each battled their own demons and self-doubt. Griffin’s struggles of finding himself, and allowing himself to be happy was emotional. I found myself reaching for a tissue and crossing my fingers for them. They both made me want to pass out some hugs at points throughout their story. I appreciated that River didn’t always follow the supermodel stereotype, and the same went for Griffin as the typical “mountain man”. All around their story had it all: chemistry, romance, fun and a splash of angst. Their on page chemistry was palpable and their sexy times were super hot. I definitely recommend this book, and I can’t wait for the next book in the series!

3.5.

Annabeth Albert's books, even when there's angst, have a way of making you feel warm (and not just from the sexy times!). River and Griff were both terribly broken and very strong at the same time. It was great to see these two very different men find what they needed -- Not just in each other and from each other, but inside themselves for themselves.

For lovers of the Opposites Attract Trope this will quench your thirst for something new. Annabeth Albert delivers not only interesting characters with complicated backgrounds but also a stunning take on Alaska itself so much so I felt as if I was on the tour with them seeing everything as vividly as they were.

This book does move at a much slower pace then I am use to with Annabeth Albert's books but honestly I felt the need for that, we needed to get to know both Griffin and River better to understand their struggles. Griffin is a recovering alcoholic, a loner, and a survivor. River is recovering from an eating disorder but covers it so well most wouldn't notice if they weren't watching...but Griffin was always watching, he is full of life and while he doesn't need to be the center of attention he definitely doesn't have a problem with spending time with others.

When River and Griffin meet there is an attraction but Griffin is totally against it, even though River is constantly hitting on him. At times I was thinking will this guy get the hint and let Griffin be, I did understand why he kept pursuing him, it just seemed like it was too much at times. This story deals with difficult topics which can be a hard for some to read about but I think Ms. Albert did a wonderful job staying true to the characters struggles with their addictions and disorders. She didn't make light of the true struggles that one would have with coping with such things and I am grateful for that.

Arctic Sun is the first book in the Frozen Heart Series which for me is off to a great start. I recommend this book to lovers of MM Romance and those that enjoy the opposites attract trope. Happy Reading!!!

**I have voluntarily reviewed an Advanced Readers Copy of this book for my Blog, https://nadineisobsessedwithbooks.blogspot.com/

I really enjoyed reading this book. Set in Alaska, we get to enjoy the scenic beauty and see the beautiful place through their eyes.

River and Griff are opposites but also so similar. Both are wounded men and together they help heal each other.

Giffin is a former military pilot who now works for his family business as a tourist guide. He has an amazing relationship with his family but also yearns for a place quiet of his own.

"He was in too deep already, no life raft in sight, and worst of all, he wasn’t sure he wanted rescue."

River is an ex supermodel turned writer who comes to Alaska for a visit. He is a "blue haired siren" and Griff was a goner from the start.

"All he needed was this man right here, this moment, and River was going to appreciate the hell out of both for as long as he had this."

The book deals with recovery eating disorder and alcoholism and I must say I haven't read many books that deals with these topics.

"Griffin might be the pilot, but River was the one who had taught him to fly on wings he hadn’t even realized he possessed."

Their chemistry is off the charts and the sex is really amazing too (love that it isn't focused on penetrative sex). I loved the side characters and I'm looking forward to read Toby's book which is releasing in June.

*ARC provided by the author via A Novel Take PR in exchange for an honest review

This is a story that builds slowly. The two boys even keeps their secrets from readers, so it means that we are sometimes as much in the dark as the love interest.

We do hear about River's food issues, but not about Griffin's heartbreak (Initially). We know about Griffin's drinking problems, but not about River's desire to keep moving (although it's easy to work out). This means we are swapping sympathies along the way.

The landscapes and hiking adventures are given plenty of page space, and the boys are not alone very much which is both realistic and actually built the sexual tension (poor Grif. River was v flirty).


I enjoyed this very much, and look forward to the next story involving Toby.


Thanks Netgalley and Carina Press. Due out on April 1st.

Annabeth Albert has done it again with this new series. It's filled with angst, romance, love, and very sexy times. Griffin is a recovering gambler and alcoholic.that had hit rock bottom and came home to his family to start over. River has a problem with his body image and he's on a vacation to take pictures for his new book. The special part about this book is that their relationship starts out slow but with a few setbacks they end up together.
I like each character in the book and they seem so real it's as if you are there with them. The scenery in the books are beautiful it really seems like you are there.
Overall, it's a great book and I'm looking forward to the next book in this series.

This book has a slow start, but just hang in there, because the last quarter of the book is just everything I love about Annabeth Albert's writing.

I loved the descriptive writing of Alaska and where Griff and his family live and work. I have never been to Alaska, but it was easy to imagine what they were seeing - and I'll have to bump Alaska a bit higher up on my want-to-visit list, because it does sound beautiful. Griff is a tour guide and pilot working for his family business, and trying to live a sober life after hitting rock bottom. He has to step in for his uncle on a tour unexpectedly, and that's where he meets River, once supermodel now travel writer and author.

Both of these two men have some major baggage and tragic pasts. Griff is still dealing with addiction and recovery, and his past with his unrequited love for his best friend. River still deals with the repercussions of his modeling days, of starving himself and recovering from anorexia, and is still working on his self-image post-modeling. I thought that all of these aspects of their pasts was handled so very well, so realistically, and made both of these men feel that much more real.

I also loved how they communicated with each other as far as preferences in the bedroom. This is one thing I have really loved with a lot of Annabeth's books - the characters might have different wants in a physical relationship than we usually read about, and I love getting to read that. It's not always about penetrative sex, and Griff and River find that their desires are very well matched. I loved them talking out fantasies and expressing what they wanted.

I do agree with some others - the pacing on this one felt slow, and with the subject matters that it deals with, it's a very serious story. There is romance, yes, but there's also this overwhelming somber feeling, especially when everything comes to head when Griff and River are in Vancouver together. Maybe it was because some of what would have been their lighter moments - talking on the phone, chatting via webcam - weren't in the story, it was just angst and doubts, and a bit of push/pull when neither one is willing to compromise or talk.

I look forward to more in this series! I love this author and if you haven't tried any of her books, you simply must.

I received an arc from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.