I loved everything about this book. The chacters were rich and interesting. Each a little broken and trying to find their way. It's a bit of a slow burn at first but one River decides to start discussing fantasies the chemistry is off the charts. River is an irrepresible flirt and Griff just doesn't know what to do with that. I loved them both. The author was very knowledgable about the issues each character faced. I especially appreciated how she handled River's eating disorder and the way he views food. There were interesting twists to the relationship and how their communication with each other and within themselves evolves. Albert also defty describes the Alaskan landscape and culture. Annabeth Albert is a must read for me and this is a fantastic start to a new series. Looking forward to the second book!

HOT, M/M romance: sexy, poignant, trigger moments maybe
Let me start with the triggers: there are eating disorder and alcoholic situations in this book. If you are OK with those, you will love this book. Griffin is an introverted bush pilot in Alaska, former Air Force and 36yo. He’s a big, flannel-wearing, gruff mountain man who likes his isolation. B/c of circumstances he’s forced to lead one of his families’ wilderness excursions and meets River. Oh. My. Word. You know where this is going…
River is a famous former male model who has turned to writing adventure stories, which have become very popular. River tries to get a rise out of Griff and Griff is afraid of what might happen if he gives in.
Loved this story. Both men are bi or pan as they say and bringing baggage to this potential fledgling relationship. The scenes when they share a cabin!!! There is angst in this relationship b/c of their hang-ups. Part of the way into the book I was yelling, “Don’t you see where this relationship should go?” Loved the ending…makes me wonder who’s next on this new adventure series, Toby or Brand maybe??? Really can't wait...

Arctic Sun is the first book in a new series called Frozen Hearts by Annabeth Albert. It follows ex-military guy Griffin Barrett who is in recovery and is currently doing wildlife guide gigs for his family’s company in Alaska, and ex-model River Vale who is also battling recovery from his own illness, and who decides to take part in an Alaskan wildlife expedition for his next book. They make friends and find something special in each other. Apart they are totally different but together they seem to balance each other out. Can they be together and stay in their own recoveries?

River had two sides. The side where he is calm, confident and very much himself and the side he shows to his "friends" and colleagues. I of course prefer his first side the most. He shows he is more than an empty-headed model, as they are sometimes portrayed in the media. He comes off as strong and independent, all while being fashionable and cute. He shows that there is life after an eating disorder and how it is a lifelong battle even once recovered. He also shows that despite common perception, males can develop eating disorders. Griffin is an ex-military mountain man who prefers being alone. He is also fighting alcohol addiction. Even though he is huge and masculine he shows that he is vulnerable and caring and all around sweet. Once he got over his fear of falling for River, anyways.

I really liked this book and all the characters. The story was paced well and had a really great ending. I did not really like how River flipped out even though Griffin was simply trying to help and even though I know recovery plays a big role in this story he still didn’t have a right to act like he did while Griffin was in a big city where he hadn't been before, pretty much alone. And, I also really disliked his friends. I cannot wait for the next book

*** Copy provided to Bayou Book Junkie for my reading pleasure, a review wasn't a requirement. ***

I received a free copy through Netgalley and voluntarily reviewed it.

I have heard a lot of good things about this author and when I saw the tour invite for this book come in I jumped on the chance to read it. I really like the set-up for this book and the fact that it takes place in Alaska appealed to me too. When reading the book tough it really took me a while to full get invested in the story. Later on it got a lot better and I enjoyed the story more.

Arctic Sun was very good in places and failed to capture and keep my attention in others. It's quite confusing actually. I really struggled through the first part, I liked the set-up, with them meeting during the tour, but the story didn't grip me as much. I am not even sure exactly why, it's not like nothing was happening, but it felt very slow somehow and I even shortly considered DNF'ing it as there was just something missing for me. I feel like this book was two parts: the tour part and then the second half of after the tour. The first half didn't fully work for me, but I enjoyed the second half a lot more. And the second half seemed to go by a lot faster.

Griffin and River have this instant attraction when they meet. Griffin is the wildlife guide for the tour and River is one of the clients who goes on the tour. Besides them there are some other side character we get to meet, the author did a good job giving a feel for them, but they're mostly there for fill-up and disappear completely in the second half. Which makes sense, but it still felt a bit weird and only adds to the feel of two distinct halves. And in the second half other side characters play more of a role.

Griffin is a bit bit gruff and distant at first, he doesn't do tours or social interactions and prefers his routine and the solitude of his normal job. The only reason he's doing this tour is for his family. He is attracted to River, but determined to keep his distance. It took me a while to warm up to Griffin, as he can be a bit gruff and distant at first, but I ended up liking him the best of the two main characters. I liked how his love for this place and his dreams shine through. He knows what he wants and is very focused on that.

River comes across as this cheerful guy at first. But behind his cheerful and upbeat personality is a whole more depth and struggles. I liked how River wasn't who he seemed at first, while he had been a model and liked to look good, he also was well aware of how to dress when going hiking. And he has his own struggles with food, body image and negative thoughts. What I liked less was the way he almost pressures and teases Griffin into having sex with him. I am not sure why, but the tone of those initial interactions didn't quite work for me.

The whole book is about the romance, but also about a lot more. The romance is a central line throughout the book tough. I struggled with the first half when it came to the romance as well. I didn't like the tone of their initial interactions and how the progression mostly came from River's side just didn't fully work for me. I didn't feel like this was something griffin wanted as much, even tough he was attracted to River. The initial part of the romance focuses on having fun and made up fantasies to get them off and less on the intimacy and connection they share. I just wasn't fully feeling the romance in the first half.

That all changes in the after tour part and with them no longer being guide and client and exploring their relationship more it felt a lot more natural and coming from both sides. It also felt more real and serious, with how they both seemed committed to see how this would work even while for along time they believe it won't, which did frustrate me a bit. I also liked how the second half had much more depth and intimacy to the romance. And there are some great scenes with the two of them and I liked seeing how they are by the end. Even the part where they run into some struggles felt quite believable and realistic.

This book also deals with topics like addiction and eating disorder. It was well handled and I liked the message of how you're never fully cured of things like this, but you will always stay working with it/ recovering. These topics also mainly played a part in the second half, adding to the feel of depth and also more heaviness in the second half. It almost felt a bit weird how absent the topics are in the first half with only being touched upon, as I would've liked to see it being addressed there a bit more too. But at the same time it felt realistic with them having periods of time with doing well and then sliding back down again. I did feel Griffin's struggle less than River's and wouldn't have minded seeing that explored a bit more. And with River I would've liked to see a bit more of the process after a certain event. But at the same time I also felt like it was enough part of the story already.

I liked exploring Alaska in this book and wouldn't have minded a bit more description and bringing the scenery alive. But that's probably as I love that sort of thing in books and in certain scenes I would've liked a bit more to help me visualize this country as I've never been there.

To summarize: Arctic Sun was a good read about who men who connect. I did feel very much like this book has two parts the first half which I enjoyed less and is more lighter in tone and the second half with I enjoyed more, which was heavier and had more depth and intimacy as well. I struggled a bit with the first half as it just felt like something was missing to fully keep my attention, I also didn't like the romance as much as first as it felt one sided with how River tried to convince Griffin to have sex with him. The second half was a lot better with more depth and intimacy to their relationship and I felt their romance a lot more then. I liked both characters and how they have their strengths and flaws and struggles, making them feel real. It also deals with some difficult topics like addiction and eating disorder, I felt like it was handled well. I liked the Alaska setting, although in parts I would've loved a bit more description so I could visualize things more vividly.

CW: eating disorder, alcoholism, discussion of near death due to disorder/alcoholism

I wanted to like this book because the premise and setting seemed up my alley, but I continuously grew frustrated with one protagonist's selfish actions and that ultimately ruined my belief in their HEA.

The Premise:

Griffin Barrett is an an air force veteran who has moved back to Alaska to live near his family. His family heads up an Alaskan tourist/wilderness guide business. They lead wilderness trips for interested tourists into the beautiful (but potentially dangerous) nature spots. He's struggled with severe alcohol issues and a past unrequited love. Griffin is a scowly, misanthropic, and grumpy mountain man who doesn't like outsiders and never wants to leave his house. Unfortunately for him, his uncle's injuries force Griffin to head up the next tourist/wilderness group. Much to his initial discontent, his group includes ex-model and travel writer River Vale.

River quit the model life to become a travel/memoir writer (I can't remember if he focused solely on nature/wilderness writing, or if he wrote about everything). His first book was so successful that it actually got made into a movie. He's in the Alaskan wilderness because he wants to write about this area specifically for his next book.

You can guess what happens next. They meet, they butt heads, there's an intense sexual attraction that eventually culminates into a relationship, there's a big Black Moment conflict that almost ruins everything, and finally there's a Happily Ever After. That's pretty much all you need to know before picking up this book. My favorite part of the book was the description and integration of the Alaskan wilderness into the plot/writing. I've never been to Alaska, but the storytelling was so picturesque and vivid that I could easily imagine myself hiking and admiring the glacier-topped mountains.

Unfortunately, the relationship between River and Griffin did not work for me at all:

1) River initially has zero respect for Griffin's boundaries or requests to be left alone. Griffin continuously tells him that he's not interested, and River continues to flirt and hit on Griffin. I was not amused. River's rationale is basicallt "of course, I *know* Griffin is sexually attracted to me and that gives me permission to not respect his privacy." Well, I disagree. I didn't find River's behavior attractive and was downright angry at some points. Here's one of many, many cringe worthy interactions:

“Bed.” River pulled away with a low groan, and all Griffin’s doubts and objections came rushing back.

“No.” He finally succeeded in forcing his legs to work, scooting back before standing and pacing away.

River followed, easily unfolding from the rocking chair to stride over to Griffin and wrap his arms around Griffin’s neck. “The reluctant thing is kind of sexy, but we both know you want this. And I’m not a jerk. No means no unless it’s a kink for you, in which case, please, speak up now.”

“It’s not a kink.” He managed to find the strength to gently free himself from River’s embrace.

“So, why not simply say yes then? You can help me take my mind off my throbbing finger, and I can take your mind off...whatever makes you so damn serious. Just have a little fun, Griff.”


Blergh. See what I mean? River has zero respect for Griffin's boundaries or explicit refusals. This quote might seem innocent by itself, but River continues to make Griffin uncomfortable with his attentions after this incident. Later on, River actually thinks about how he likes "the thrill of the hunt" in reference to his pursuit of Griffin. Yeah, no. Griffin isn't some wild animal that gets hunted in the Alaskan wilderness. River kept on harping on how it would be casual fun sex for both of them, and it's obvious that Griffin isn't in the market for that (he has extremely good reasons to not want to be in a relationship). I maybe could have forgiven this behavior from River if it happened once or twice. Unfortunately, it kept on happening over and over again. By the time they actually hooked up, I was actively rooting for their relationship to be over.

Another review on Goodreads goes into further detail about their relationship, and I highly recommend that you read it. The reviewer says everything I felt but in a much more detailed manner (spoilers ahoy): https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/2738788859

2) I don't have a problem with "issue books." In general, I thought the alcoholism and eating disorder were handled well here (I have no prior experience with either of those things so don't really have the authority to discuss them). My problem is that River and Griffin have *so many other* major issues to resolve and those didn't receive enough screen time. River has an eating disorder, a tough relationship with his dad, his toxic friends from his model lifestyle, etc. Griffin has severe alcohol problems, a former unrequited love with someone who has died, difficulty in family communication, etc. All of this stuff was bundled into a 90k book, and several didn't receive enough discussion in the book. I just knew they existed, but there was no serious/satisfactory plot point to address them. As a result, the ending felt quite unsatisfactory and unfinished.

3) I don't want to spoil the ending, but what happened in the lead up and aftermath of the Black Moment made me so angry. River's lack of boundaries come up again. He fundamentally doesn't understand or respect Griffin as a person. He treats everything as a game and is selfish to the point of completely misunderstanding his partner. But wait, you ask, shouldn't protagonists be flawed so that they can make mistakes and then resolve them? That's true, but his apology/attempts to mend the relationship felt half-assed and in no way made up for his selfish behavior. I didn't get a satisfactory or remorseful character arc when he and Griffin eventually made up. I ended the book feeling furious at River, the relationship, and their future "HEA." The most important part of the romance novel is how convincing I find the HEA. Simply put, I have no faith that River and Griffin will live happily for the rest of their lives.

I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review and will cross-post this review on Amazon.

This was a good start to a new series that I enjoyed. Griffin and River were a well written couple and their story was told from dual POV. Both characters battle series issues; Griff's being alcoholism while River deals with an eating disorder. Both characters at the beginning of their story do not deal with their demons in a healthy manner and I felt that River was rather persistent in his pursuit of Griff when at first Griff told him that he was not interested in a fling. I did like how the pair evolved from fling to relationship but I thought that the ending had a quick resolution for all of the issues that the pair had to face. I also felt that River's eating disorder had more resolution than Griff coping with his recovery. Overall, this was a good book that I did enjoy. At times the story moved along slowly but it did pick back up pretty quickly. I look forward to seeing where this story will go next and I would recommend this book to others.

You never know what you are missing until it is right in front of your face. Griffin finds so much more than what he bargained for when he takes over a guide for his family's wildlife tour in Alaska. River, a former model who has turned into a travel writer sees so much more in Griff than he sees in himself. When the two connect the chemistry is so hot, but will the former military recluse come out of his shell and continue in a relationship once the tour is over? Can River finally find happiness and stop running away from confrontation? With beautifully written characters and a storyline that had me hooked form the opening pages this was a fabulous read. Once again Annabeth Albert creates characters that the reader cannot help but fall in love with.

The setting of Arctic Sun is against the backdrop of the beautiful Alaska. Griffin is a recovering alcoholic and ex-military pilot who basically become a hermit while working for his family business. He hates socializing and try to keep to himself, but when his family needs him to take over a new tour, Griffin was force to step up and out of his comfort zone. That's when he met a blue hair celebrity-writer, River.

River is a total opposite from the gruff mountain man. River is an ex-supermodel turn travel writer and visiting Alaska as his latest adventure. River is playful, fun, flirty, sociable and he was instantly attracted to his broody tour guide. The first half of the book was dedicated to their trip with River trying to befriend and coax Griff to come out of his shell. I thought River did a wonderful job at that and manage to tempt Griff into some sexy escapade despite Griff reluctance in the beginning.

I enjoy their tentative friendship in the beginning with Griff slowly opening up and sharing part of himself to River. They have something great going on but the truth is River is there as a tourist and he will be leaving soon. What kind of future will they have when one of them is rooted to Alaska, while the other can't stop at one point long enough?

The story touched on some heavy subject matter such as past addiction and eating disorder. River might seems functional but beneath his facade is a total mess especially after he left Alaska behind to join back the bustling society. Both Griff and River are stubborn as a mule. They kept trying hide their vulnerability and always act tough and fine. I just knew their tough act is a recipe for disaster. What really warms my heart though is the way they both want to protect the other from themselves. River trying to be the perfect boyfriend without showing his less than perfect self and Griff trying to be sociable and fit into River's lifestyle.

In the end, they need to do some soul searching before they work on their HEA and the part that I admire most is that they finally face their demon and work on getting better.

I really enjoyed this. Griff and River were great characters, complex and engaging. They're both dealing with their own demons and as love will do, it came at a moment when neither were looking for it nor did they think they were capable of coping with it. Theirs was journey with ups and downs but so worth the effort. All in all a very enjoyable read and a great series opener. I'm looking forward to reading more in this series.

Sur le papier, ce roman avait tout pour me plaire : les grands espaces sauvages de l'Alaska, des héros cabossés par la vie, un couple improbable ... Cependant, si tous les ingrédients sont là, la recette a quelque peu raté pour moi.
J'ai quand même eu du mal avec River et son attitude assez "agressive" envers Griff : il le poursuit de ses assiduités, le pousse sans cesse dans ses retranchements, mais lorsque les rôles s'inversent, il pète un plomb ! Pour moi, leur relation n'est pas équilibrée, et si Griff se plie en douze pour faire plaisir à River et prendre soin de lui, j'ai trouvé que la réciprocité ne s'appliquait pas vraiment.
En fait ça m'a fait mal au coeur pour Griff de voir à quel point River le poussait hors de sa zone de confort, alors qu'il est en situation de grande fragilité, et qu'en face, River ne soit pas disposé à en faire de même. Certes, il est profondément enfoncé dans la souffrance et le déni, mais quand même ...

J'ai beaucoup aimé la première partie, avec ces descriptions de paysages, cette ambiance de voyage organisé en tout petit comité, avec des personnages secondaires bien présents. C'est après que cela se gâte, et, dans le fond, je me suis beaucoup ennuyée en lisant ce roman.

"Maybe it's not that we're perfect for each other. But that we're imperfect". This was the most profound moment for me in this wonderful story of growth and redemption. To allow yourself to be imperfect with someone who loves you and knows you, yet accepts that you have flaws and still continues to be there for you. Griff was battling every day to stay away from his addictions and basically was going through the motions of living in fear he would mess up and hurt his family. River a former fashion model now turned adventurer/writer is booked on an Alaskan tour group that Griff's mom strong armed him into running. River may seem jovial and together but like Griff he struggles with inner demons. Griff feels out of his element as he prefers solo assignments and he was a bit overwhelmed with River in the beginning! They seem worlds apart but Ms. Albert sets a slow pace for the two men to evolve and at times fail which leads to a believable and touching relationship. The author did a marvelous job in describing Alaska, I was there on a trip and she did the state justice in her vivid descriptions. I smiled and cried as the men made their journey of self acceptance. Life is not perfect but knowing that is half the battle. Thank you for a wonderful book and I eagerly await more from this series.

Arctic Sun was something that should have been an immediate hit out of the park for me. Except it wasn't and it is a case of characterization issues, poor word choices and many moments that could have been fixed or reworded by a good editor.

I should have liked River he his former model turned travel enthusiast who has self doubts, intrusive thoughts, family issues and still in recovery from an eating disorder.

Except.

River refuses to take no for answer from Griffin. The first 40% of the story is the set up for forced proximity trope when they are on the tour with Griffin for ten days alongside a dutch queer women couple and standard white middle america couple. Yes from the get go Griffin does find River attractive but is not in a space in his own recovery to entertain starting anything. River on the other hand doesnt give two shits about that. Griffin repeatedly says no. River ignores that. River kisses him right after Griffin says no twice. This is incredibly uncomfortable. Why should I root for a hero that doesn't actually listen to and respect the consent and bodily autonomy of the love interest.

We are treated to this incredibly weirdly worded line after the forced kiss Griffin

“The reluctant thing is kind of sexy, but we both know you want this. And I’m not a jerk. No means no unless it’s a kink for you, in which case, please, speak up now.”
“It’s not a kink.”He managed to find the strength to gently free himself from River’s embrace.

“So, why not simply say yes then? You can help me take my mind off my throbbing finger, and I can take your mind off... whatever makes you so damn serious. Just have a little fun, Griff.”

This is so utterly cringey and wrong and extremely not okay. Ever. Its just a little fun. Dont worry its only a little sexy times even though you've already said no several times and continue to say no. I am definitely not being coercive at all. He says that he will listen to Griffin but literally at the beginning of the next chapter a few pages later in Rivers pov it is the exact opposite!!

“Oh, he was going to get Griffin in bed before the end of the trip, and that was just a fact. But when he did, Griff would come willingly, and it wouldn’t be because River had made a pest of himself. Pushy wasn’t part of River’s MO. He did like the thrill of the hunt so to speak, but he’d give Griff plenty of space to sort himself out.”

He contradicts himself here when what he has been doing the past 5 chapters has been being pushy and coercive. Talking about Griffin like he something to be hunted is both poor choice of words and really creepy. Regardless if it says he will give Griffin space he doesnt give him space because they are on a bloody tour. Why should I continue to root for River when he is treating Grififn more as a conquest? When they do get to the cabin where its just the two of them everything that has come before sets up the cabin for just feeling more dubious. It doesnt feel full consensual because every other instance has been coercive. And this isn't okay.

The wording in the previous chapters set it up as not on a level playing field. And that is something an editor could have pointed out at any point in development.

It should be great that River is helping Griffin reawaken his sex life and his sense of body again after years of trauma. But instead it feels like he is just using Griffin as a means to an end. They want to be a safe space for each other but it is not working!

The first 40% does not work as a healthy or even semi healthy relationship set up.

So when the tour ends which is really all the blurb talks about its like okay whats next.

Well whats next is a weird tailspin into a toxic relationship that is really hard to watch. Griffin likes doing photography for himself. It is not something that he feels comfortable with at this point in his life because of past friendship sharing with the world yet. He is an intensely private person whose only got so many spoons to deal with people. River repeatedly pushes him about it and isnt respectful of how his constant and pushing and what is actually gaslighting later on makes him feel. He doesnt want to upset River but he doesnt know River well enough yet at this point in the second half.

Its especially worse in the city where city River who is even more jumpy and anxious appears. Griffin doesnt do cities so this is big for him.

Once again I should love these two together but they do not mesh well. Fast forward to post Franchesa who is another whole pile of awful that I will touch on.

We get to the big fight. Now these men have known each other maybe a little over a month??? I dont expect people to have entirely settled into the relationship but what we are given is two people with vastly different sets of traumas that end up gaslighting each other.

In the beginning of the big fight where Rivers mode is to shut down and not deal and not think lets just have sex and haaaave fun Griffin. We get this line from Griffin

“you say fine again and I'm going to smash something”

Hello domestic violence red flag. Red flags all over. It is a threat of violence at the beginning of the argument. Which is both disturbing and unsettling and it dissolves from their with them both gaslighting each other but with River having the more power when he threatens to slip back to his eating disorder. Its Grififn standing up for himself and not wanting to be seen as just an object to have fun with and for his life to be played with. Its river not respecting his lifestyle. Rivers fun is destructive and Griffin calls it out. And its just a horrible mess.

River and his choices at this stage of them game which is literally 74% into the book are not Griffins responsibility. You are not responsible for what a person who is recovering from something doing something stupid because that is gaslighting.

By the end of the book even when River and Griffin get help for their issues. I still dont buy their HEA together. We are not given time to see them as a functional or semi functional in the book. We get River and his dad reconnecting and Griffin and his mom but I can't buy these two together as healthy because for 80% of the book their relationship was based on coercive sexual behavior that in a mf het romance would have been called out as problematic by any editor from the get go.

Ther are several other issues I want to address and one of those is the inclusion and characterization of Franchesa. Francesa exists to be Rivers friend from the modeling world his link to past that nearly killed him. And Franchesa fetishizes queer men. Out and out fetisizies them and is not called out verbally for it by River. It is called out internally but never externally does River call out his friend on her shit for wanting to see queer men kiss and dance so she can get her rocks off and be happy.

For this to be included is absolutely disgusting. I do not read queer romance to see people be fetishized by a cishet side character. This is a disservice to queer people especially queer men.

Ultimately in order for River and Griffin to get the proper treatment that they and their relationship deserve this should have been two books. One centered on the tour trip and the other centered on their life after. What we are given is not enough for me to buy their hea and that they would continue to be respectful of each other and their boundaries after their revelations at 85 to 90%.

There are scenes that I did enjoy. River with his father and how it shows the effects of grief and how he is unreliable narrator about his father being the villain is handled well. The discussions on grief and toxic masculinity are handled well. And this book could have been so much more if it had a better editor

Lovely romance with much internal conflict set mostly in the Alaskan wilderness, featuring a former supermodel and a recultant photopgraphy tour guide.

Content warnings include: sex on-page, protagonists are recovering from an eating disorder and being an alcoholic; mentions of traumatic events in the air force and homophobia.

I loved the setup for this novel: a grumpy vet reluctantly takes on a photography tour through the Alaskan wilderness, with one client being an outgoing supermodel who is far from as prissy as his jobs makes him sound.

The first half if not a bit more of the book focussed on this tour and a one-sided, mild enemies-to-lovers between the protagonists. In the beginning I found River to be a bit too pushy to the point of me uncomfortable, but Griffin didn't mind nearly as much as I did. As soon as the two got closer this became a non-issue.

I loved the way the sexual part of their relationship was not focussed on penetrative sex. Both protagonists make a point of talking about their sexual preferences and how these are not anal, which I loved seeing in a romance novel. While they did have quite a lot of sex, their relationship was never focussed on it, which I also adored. (view spoiler)

The plot is driven by internal conflict, meaning conflict between the characters, but honestly, it really was conflict of the characters with themselves rather than with each other. While River is still fighting a serious eating disorder that years after getting better leaves food a far from comfortable subject, Griffin is a recovering alcoholic. On top of them, both are struggling with finding inner peace despite outwardly being at good points in their lives.

While I did like this inward focus of the book, I found it a bit long. At almost 400 pages I wish there had been a bit more external tension to it.
Still, I was never bored and very engaged while reading.

I also liked that both main characters are pan! We need more pan people in books!

PTSD, a hot mountain man, and a super model/writer sounds like the beginning of a joke. But it isn’t. It is just another awsome book by Annabeth Rothbert.

River is just the perfect guy to get Griffin to open up and heal and vice versa. Opposites attract just long enough to realize they have something in common....each other.

One man hiding out and not looking for any attachments, the other man on an adventure and interested in maybe a fling, but something unexpected happens that takes them both by surprise.

Griffin Barrett is ex Military and has roots in Alaska with his family. But he is a loner, broody, rough around the edges, and likes to keep to himself. When his family needs him to take over more of the photography wildlife tours for their business when they are short handed, he will do it since he is loyal, but it is out of his comfort zone. Being with people in social settings is not his thing. And he has issues from his past that make him wary. He does not date. He does not do attachments. He tries not to take risks and likes his stable world.

River Vale is a vibrant, ex-model, now adventurer, photographer, author, and soon to be subject of a movie. He does not have roots and is a nomad. He has his own personal demons he needs to keep in check. He looks like he is going to be high maintenance and just too much for Griff to be around. But River usually gets what he wants and he wants Griff. So he tries to convince Griff that a fun vacation fling will be no big deal. River pushes Griff to the physical chemistry point of no return, and that starts his healing process, but the emotional one may or not be their downfall.

Both are scared of getting attached or hurt. They both have issues with self worth, self esteem, unhealthy vices, fears, and insecurities. But as the intimacy increases and the walls start coming down, they find that they share their raw edges, vulnerable hearts, and begin to trust the other. And they each make the other want more than they thought they were capable of.

But River is a runner and Griff is an avoider. Their real problems are not going to magically disappear and they come from two different worlds literally. Will they be brave enough to fight for love? And can they find the strength to accept and forgive themselves and then be able to truly accept the other's flaws and needs?

This is a heartfelt and emotional story of second chances, taking risks, living life to its fullest, and finding a true home. I liked the Alaska settings. I really liked both Griff and River, and loved how they balanced each other. In the beginning it seemed like River was this bright light illuminating Griff's dark places, but River has his own hidden needs that Griff also wants to help with. So they work despite their differences.

I liked that this book focused more on intimacy and trust during the sex scenes rather than just adding more hot scenes for filler. I will admit that it did seem long though, and it took me a bit longer to read for some reason. I think it was the fact that the guys were struggling with so many issues that there was a lot of back and forth, but with their situations, the angst made sense. This book has a more somber tone due to their self deprecation, challenges, and fear of the unknown. But overall, I felt like I went on an adventure with these two, and I felt that they were well developed characters that showed growth.


I received this book for free from netgalley in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
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Something about this book spoke to me. The descriptions of the setting made Alaska come alive. It wasn't all snow and ice. It was sweeping vistas, wildlife, and log cabins. There was a focus on photography and family.

Griffin had a wonderful relationship with his mom and uncle. He tried to do right by them, even as he was battling his own demons. When his injured uncle asks him to do a photography tour in his place, Griffin wants to say no. He's not a people person. He likes to fly alone. But he can't say no, not when his family needs him.

Griffin misjudges River, stereotyping his as shallow and flamboyant. But River, a retired supermodel cum travel writer, is anything but. He can hold his own and loves being outdoors.

The MCs felt very real. Both had flaws and insecurities. Griffin struggles everyday to stay sober. Alcohol loosened him up, lowered his inhibitions. Without it, he doesn't think he can have fun, and he's only ever had sex when drunk.

River understands addiction. He's recovering from anorexia and eating still makes him anxious. Griffin initially assumes River doesn't eat because of the modeling thing. The men do a slow dance of give and take. They kiss and share a tiny bunk. River has many slowburn fantasies, all of them sweet and sensual. This story isn't raunchy, but it is sexy.

I enjoyed the dual POV and the tender HEA. The men don't ride off into the sunset, but they are committed and so good together.

I also want to mention the wonderful secondary characters (particularly the two couples who were on the trip with Griffin and River).

My one complaint is that the story didn't always keep my interest, and I'm not entirely sure why. It wasn't the writing (I love this author's writing style), and I liked the characters. But there was so much push/pull, particularly on Griffin's side, that I started getting bored.

At one point, I felt like I'd been reading forever and thought I was more than halfway through the book, but when I looked I was at 30 percent. I groaned internally, never a good sign.

The atmosphere is subdued and somber. This really isn't a light and joyful story, so maybe I just wasn't in the right mood. I will most definitely read the next book in the series. Annabeth Albert remains one of my favorite authors in the genre.

I was so excited to be approved for an advance copy of this book. As I’d expected, it was a delight from beginning to end. Both main characters were layered and believable, and their respective journeys (literal and figurative) were compelling. Oh, and the sex: emotionally rich and fire-hot. If I have a quibble, it’s that I’d like to have seen more of what happened after the black moment and before the reunion, more of each of their growth. Not that there wasn’t any, but I’d have liked more. Of course, I’m one of those readers who always wants more of her favorite books: the longer the better! So my “more, please” may be another’s “just right.”

Bottom line: This was an excellent read, highly recommended, and I can’t wait for the next one in this series! 4.5 stars.

Oh how I LOVED this book!!!! I feel like I want to go on Alaskan adventure, but the reality is that I'd be annoyed quickly with no wifi or somewhere for my flat iron, but I digress.

Griff and River were just fantastic. Both battling real world, real life issues and finding their way through their issues and paving a way to happiness.

The scenes were totally beautiful. I honestly felt like I'd been plucked from my couch in Vegas into the Alaskan wilderness. There were strong family bonds, past trauma, and healing. Two parts of a while finding a way to make it work.

Brilliant read!!!

I think this is a 3.5.

After having read and enjoyed multiple series by Annabeth Albert, it was exciting to get into her new series with a very different location this time. I think I went into this one with not many expectations and that definitely worked in my favor.

The thing that stands out for me in this book is the setting - Alaska. As Griffin is a tour guide and River is a tourist/ travel author, we get to see this beautiful place through their eyes and it was an amazing experience. The author does a wonderful job describing the beauty of Alaska, the wilderness, their hiking, camping and flying experiences and all of this added a very soothing ambiance to the story. While Griff is a retired Air Force pilot and recovering alcoholic, River is a former model and now author who still has to deal with the remnants of his eating disorder - this makes for a very angsty, push and pull kinda dynamic between them while I really enjoyed most times, but also got frustrated in parts. They both still have a lot to deal with in their own lives, which leads to the usual miscommunication / separation that we see in so many books. However, at times it really felt like they were each other’s safe space and they could be open and vulnerable and share all their issues with each other, which was wonderful. I also thought that the author’s idea of giving importance to more intimacy than just sex, was perfect for the two characters.

This is a sometimes sweet, sometimes emotional angsty love story which is great for a one time read. And you’ll definitely fall in love with Alaska and want to visit it immediately. I’m looking forward to the next book in the series.

ARCTIC SUN by Annabeth Albert is a story about Griffin a veteran with a medical discharge. Griffin returns to Alaska, where his family has a tourism company. Griffin fly's and leads tours. River Vale is a former model and now writes books. Griffin meets River in one of his tours. Griffin and River are attracted to each other, but it's not smooth sailing! Lots of back and forth in this romance!