Once Upon a Cabin is the second book in the Sweet Home, Alaska series, and I absolutely loved it! I loved it because you get two romances brewing at the same time for two sisters who couldn’t be more different but are inseparable. In order to keep their inheritance, their uncle is requiring them to spend a year in Alaska with some constraints and with some guidance. It is a cross between an opposite attraction and a fish out of water story with wonderful results for Tori and McKenna St. James. Asthmatic and fragile Tori is required to live in a primitive homestead miles outside of Sweet Home and outdoorsy McKenna must spend her time in a bank in Anchorage. What makes it even more challenge is that they are paired with two men they both find attractive but definitely off limits. Easier said than done when they both find themselves leaning a little bit on both Luke and Jesse, and the Sisterhood of the Quilt ladies, to survive the next year in Alaska.

I enjoyed the transformation that both girls had to go through and learn what they can do and who they can count on for support. When both girls are together they get welcomed into the Sisterhood of the Quilt group and they learn that they can turn doodles into a cottage industry with the help of fellow Alaskan women sewers. Tori learns that she isn’t as frail as everyone thinks she is and that she can do it by pushing herself out of her comfort zone. McKenna doesn’t like the banking job at first, but she got excited when she was able to help families save their homes from foreclosure and make a difference in people’s lives. When she helps Tori get her Alaska Chic business off the ground she finds herself once again helping the women of Sweet Home support themselves.

Once Upon a Cabin is such a fun and enjoyable story with likeable characters and a cute dog too. I can’t imagine being in their shoes having their life turned inside out but it made them a better person in the long run. The story flowed well and the characters grew into stronger women. An added bonus was a character visiting from a previous series. I’m having a good time with this series and look forward to the next story.

Liked the first book, but at 62% I just can't go on anymore. Both couples are hot and cold and the situation these girls are thrown into just isn't believable.

My attention keeps drifting every time I pick this up to finish so it's best I just throw in the towel.

Thanks to Berkley for sharing a copy in exchange for an honest review.

What wonderful and humorous characters this story contained. The story was easy to read and the characters got into some scraps but with perseverance they weathered the storms to the end of the book.

Once Upon A Cabin by Patience Griffin is the second novel in the Sweet Home, Alaska companion series and delivers not one but two sweet romances when sisters are forced to move to Alaska for a year. Romance, townsfolk and living in Alaska await you in this charming story.

Tori and McKenna St. James of Dallas, Texas are trust fun babies thanks to their Uncle Morty. They have housing that is paid for and credit cards for monthly expenses, but all that changes when their Uncle cuts them off and sends them to live in Alaska for a year.

McKenna is sent to Anchorage to work in a bank. Now McKenna is the outdoors type and a runner..so not a city girl. Tori on the other hand, loves fashion, city life and beauty accessories. She is sent to Sweet Home to be a homesteader..living off the land. Thankfully, neither is a spoiled brat, and I actually liked them.

Uncle Morty arranged for the head of the bank, Luke McAvoy, to teach her the business and Jesse Montana will teach Tori how to live off the land, avoid bears, garden, fish and shoot.

This was a sweet story, and I loved daily life on the homestead, sans the outhouse and community shower, at the local grocer. Tori was a trooper, especially for someone who doesn’t know how to cook and has never even started a fire.

Most of the story centered on Tor and Jesse, but we got chapters about McKenna and Luke who end of spending some time with the others. I wanted to slap Jesse and McKenna a time or two for their denials and lack of communication, but wished for happily ever afters.

While a little predictable, I found myself caught up in the community quilting group, the building romances and Uncle Morty’s intentions. I even learned a little, which is always fun.

If you are looking for a feel good romance(s) with a small-town feel and love Alaskan settings like I do, you’ll enjoy Once Upon a Cabin.

Victoria and McKenna St. James want for nothing. They have lost their parents and are in the loving care of their uncle Monty. There is nothing that they need or want that won't be in their hands just about instantly.

Uncle Monty thinks the girls are just too spoiled. He makes very specific arrangements for each of them to move to Alaska for a year and to learn how to exist without their unlimited trust funds. He sets the girls up seperately. Victoria will learn to create a homestead, and McKenna will be working at a bank. Each of the girls will have a mentor - Jesse Montana will be working with Tori and Luke McAvoy will be working with McKenna.

Right from the outset the girls have challenges. McKenna is more of the outside type and is comfortable in a nice pair of jeans. Instead, she is set up in a deluxe apartment and will be working at a bank, and that includes a wardrobe change to reflect her new job.

For Tori, she will be creating a homestead. She has a cabin, but it barely has anything, including not having power or running water. One of her challenges is the fact that she has severe asthma and will not be able to use her nebulizer. Jesse is determined to teach her everything she needs to know about homesteading and Tori cannot imagine how she will survive. Jesse doubts Tori will be up to the task, especially as he has a job that will soon take him away.

Bottom line - Tori really likes Jesse and McKenna really likes Luke. But, will it always be business first for Jesse and Luke, especially when they each start to feel more than drawn to the women? In this engaging read I was more drawn to Tori as I could not imagine being in the middle of Alaska, with almost nothing to sustain me, and the outside being full of predators. Then the fact that it would be next to impossible for Tori and McKenna to communicate, which was utterly difficult as the two are so very close. It became a story of grit and challenges that were difficult to imagine.

I really enjoyed this story as the girls learned to cope with all of the changes they faced, all while they found love along the way. I especially liked it when the four of them were able to spend time together working on things. Once Upon a Cabin is the second book in the Sweet Home, Alaska series. The first book is One Snowy Night, which I thoroughly enjoyed reading, but each book does do well as standalone novels.

Many thanks to Berkley and to NetGalley for this ARC for review. This is my honest opinion.

✦Review: ONCE UPON A CABIN by Patience Griffin https://wp.me/p3d0RZ-bTP
Publication Date: November 30, 2021
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Reviewed by: Reading in Pajamas/ Donna
Rated 4 Stars

I enjoyed this book, it captivated me even through the holiday season chaos. Granted, the situation the women were thrust into seemed rather extreme – but it made for a fun escape. Tori was a prissy city girl that I planned to dislike and failed. I liked her and how she pushed herself to rough it in the wilderness despite obvious limitations. Jesse was her “teacher” for the adventure and a perfect match for her. He taught her how to survive without a feeling of rescuing or pampering her. He let her be strong. (I loved the homesteading tips strewn into the storyline.) Tori’s sister McKenna was a secondary romance within the story. This outdoorsy woman had to spend a year in the city to learn the banking business. Personally, I thought she got off easy, especially with Luke there to be her mentor. I wish both romances had a bit more depth in the emotions. It felt like I was told they were falling for each other instead of shown.

I love small town romances that also showcase the people that live there. How others treat the couples reinforces the character’s worthiness of caring. It also helps when the townspeople are fun and engaging. In closing, this is a fun romance. No sexy-time, but I didn’t miss it. I’ve found a new author.

*Review copy provided by Penguin in exchange for an honest review.

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KINDLE https://amzn.to/2ZzOfJz

I feel like this was the perfect level of Hallmark Alaskan romance for me. The sisters were similar enough to each other while still being different. Although, the "how did it end up this way" seemed a little far-fetched, I enjoyed it overall.

I really enjoyed the first book in this series by Patience Griffin, One Snowy Night, but this book just didn't have a storyline that appealed to me. I felt very uncomfortable with the way Tori and Mckenna's uncle treated them. I found him to be way too harsh and a jerk. Even though this book ended happily for Tori and Mckenna I just couldn't get over the situations their uncle put them in. I liked Sweet Home, Alaska and the people there but this book was just not my cup of tea.

2.5 Stars

Tori and McKenna find themselves in Alaska trying to ensure that they keep their inheritance. The sisters are determined to do whatever it takes in Alaska but their uncle has really put them to the test. Tori is sent to a homestead where she is ultimately stripped of everything she knew. She has never had to rough it out a day. She is paired up with a handsome local guide who is prepared to show her around and teach her how to survive a year out in Alaska.

McKenna is a tomboy who loves being outside. She is forced to work in town in the bank. Her new boss, a stuffed-up suit, maybe cute but she could never imagine herself with a man like him. The more time she spends with Luke, the more she realizes that she likes him and maybe even the small town she is residing in.

This was a little too clean for my own taste, but I still enjoyed it and the cheesiness it brings to the table. Maybe because it is around the holiday time or even that the story is based in Alaska, it gave me a bit of comfort reading this. I really love Alaska-themed romances. I find them so intriguing and this one gave me an education on homesteads and how to rough it.

As the ladies find themselves falling in love with their companions, they also learn a lot about themselves. They join a quilting group with other women in the community. They forged a true sisterhood with the others in the town.

The story is predictable and there is not much in terms of angst but it is a quick read. The small town has it own quirks but it is fun. I liked that Uncle Monty pushed each lady out of their comfort zone.

I would recommend this for fans of a light, clean, small-town romance.

~ Samantha

Back to Alaska in this cute one. Two sisters are sent from their cozy life in Texas to live in Alaska.
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This one reminded me a bit of The Simple Life, with a definite fish out of water vibes.
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Not only are Tori and McKenna sent to Alaska but they are separated, and without each other in the wilds of Alaska they find themselves.
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Thank you #NetGalley and @berkleypub for an arc in exchange for an honest review.

ONCE UPON A CABIN is the second book in the SWEET HOME, ALASKA series, and I can’t wait for more. It was fun being back in Sweet Home and reuniting with so many of the characters, being part of the community with the small businesses and their owners as well as the Sisterhood of the Quilt. The descriptions were vivid and had me feeling like I was there.

Tori and her sister McKenna are sent to Alaska to make something of themselves by their rich uncle, who has decided that they need more in their lives than what they currently do. He’s locked their trust funds, taken their credit cards, and their inheritance depends on them fulfilling the year-long requirements he sets forth for them in Alaska. They don’t expect to enjoy any of it, but they both are in for some huge surprises.

Tori has to learn to be a homesteader, and it won’t be easy since she’s considered frail. She has asthma and there’s a lot to trigger it. But when she meets mountain man Jesse, who is hired by her uncle to teach her the ropes, things get interesting. She finds him bossy; he wants to be sure she knows all that homesteading entails, especially since he has other commitments and won’t be around for the full year. McKenna is sent to Anchorage to work in a bank. She and her new boss, Luke, don’t seem to get along either but have a lot of interests in common. Watching the two sisters try to figure out how to exist in their new environments with the men who are training them was satisfying to watch. The attractions were there, but everyone seemed to be in denial. When one was on board, the other wasn’t.

There is a nice flow to the story and a lot of attention to detail, especially as they relate to Alaska. There are multiple stories being told that are woven together nicely. The story has a pleasant conclusion and ties up loose ends. There is more than one happily ever after, and all are nicely portrayed. At the back of the book there’s a preview of the next book in the series, and I can’t wait to read it.

This is only the second book I’ve read by Ms. Griffin. I look forward to reading many more of her books.

I love a fish out of water story and this book gave me two for the price of one. Griffin takes readers back to the small Alaska town of Sweet Home for another enjoyable story with very little steam but a whole lot of feelings.

While both Tori and McKenna have journeys of growth, self-discovery, and romance in the book, it's Tori's story that took precedence for me. McKenna has always been a strong and confident woman while Tori's asthma and severe allergies have kept her in a "protected" status within the family. Being thrown into the unknown without her sister by her side tests both women in different ways.

I enjoyed the push and pull between Tori and Jesse as well as the sparks that stayed just at the edge of igniting. I also liked how he advocated for her without undermining her independence. Of course, he's not perfect and there were times I wasn't so fond of him but he comes through in the end. As a couple I was pulling for them all the way but it was Tori's individual journey that really tugged at my heart. I loved her evolution, much of which came about with the support and assistance of the women of Sweet Home. I also enjoyed the shifting dynamic and more equitable relationship between the sisters as a result of that evolution.

I'm already looking forward to my next visit to Sweet Home, especially after reading the teaser at the end of Once Upon a Cabin. I love second-chance romances and it's looking like that will be at the heart of book three. I'm hoping for plenty of community interaction, including Tori, Jesse, McKenna, Luke and other favorite Sweet Home citizens from the first two books.

Readers can enjoy Once Upon a Cabin as a standalone but I also recommend book one, One Snowy Night, featuring Hope McKnight and Donovan Stone. You'll be seeing both of them, especially Hope, in book two.

4.5 stars

*ARC received for fair and unbiased review

This is the second book in the Sweet Home, Alaska series. The first book is One Snowy Night. I don’t think you need to read the previous one to read this as it seems like each of the books has different main characters but with Sweet Home being a small town characters will overlap from the first book into this. There will be a third book, the title and release date are unknown currently.

When I got selected for this tour I went ahead and ordered the first book so I am currently waiting for that to arrive and as soon as it does I plan on reading it ASAP because I loved Once Upon a Cabin. I loved everything about it and I was instantly hooked. I had a hard time putting it down.

The book takes place in a small little town in Alaska called Sweet Home. This is the kind of town where everyone knows you. The people are super helpful and friendly. The kind of people who will drop everything to help out a neighbor.

Our two main characters are sisters McKenna and Tori. They have been raised by their wealthy uncle Monty after their parents’ deaths. The sisters have been living an extravagant lifestyle and they want for nothing. The sisters think all is good until their uncle Monty pulls the rug from under them telling them that they will now have to fend for themselves with no help from him for a year. He informs the girls through the lawyer that they are going to Alaska but not together, They will be living separately. They will have to do this for one year and if they can’t handle it he intends to cut them out of his will. Will the girls be able to go through with this for a year or will they bail as soon as things get tough?

It was interesting to see how he perceived the girls and what they could do if they put their minds to it. McKenna who seems to be more the outdoor person he sent her to work in a bank and Tori who is more a business person sends her to live and make her own homestead and live off the land. They aren’t doing this alone as Monty has hired two guys to help them out. Jesse is a wilderness guy and knows how to run a homestead and Luke. who is the bank manager in Anchorage. The guys are best friends and grew up together. Both are experts in their field of work.

It was interesting at first because even though the guys were good-looking no one was really interested in each other at first and as the story progressed you could see that everyone was starting to see the other person differently.

I think the only thing I had a beef with was uncle Monty putting Tori in harm’s way. He knowsTori has severe allergies to basically everything and her life could have been put in danger and in fact, it was. She didn’t have access to a phone or electricity for her nebulizer. Thankfully Jesse was there to help and it was all due to Jesse’s actions that would save her. He speaks out and thankfully Monty hears him and makes up for his mistake and made it better. I thought the whole time that this could have been avoided. What would have happened if it ended up more serious?

I should warn you that if you plan on reading this have some kleenex on hand because that last 1/4 of the book had me in tears it was so sweet and heartwarming. I should also mention that this is a slow-burn romance (the sparks were there throughout the book and I know a few times I was like just kiss already) and I was okay with that. It was nice to watch all the characters grow as people and realize what they wanted out of life and it didn’t involve having tons of money. You can be happy with the simpler things in life.

I really enjoyed this and definitely want to continue this series.

Wholesome romance. McKenna and Tori St. James have never had to survive without their trust funds and credit cards curtesy of their uncle Monty. He decides to cut them off and gives them a year to survive in Alaska. If they do it their inheritances will be restored. Upon arriving in Alaska the sisters are split up. One is to work at a bank in town. Another is set to a homestead house without electricity, plumbing or running water. This is a fish out of water story like Schitt's Creek. I was alarmed at the extreme's the one sister was put in especially with some of her medical issues. But the uncle arranged for men to help both adjust. (It still didn't seem an equal challenge.) Of course they're going to learn and have personal growth. I like the premise and how embracing others were to them and their situations. But I wasn't blown over by the romances. I am new to the author and this is the second in a series. I would read her again but have other books and authors I would make more a priority. Clean for language and intimacy. Extra kudos on the cute cover. Thank you to NetGalley and Berkley Publishing Group for an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Cute, Fun, Quick Read, and Sweet. Those are words I would use to describe Once Upon a Cabin. From the first meeting of the sisters’ keepers, I knew where this story would head. I did not expect the sisters to adapt so well to the Alaskan world. I expected more push back and more problems and I was a little disappointed in that. I am not saying moving to Alaska came without any issues to Victoria and McKenna, but I would have had more problems adjusting.

I loved how the town welcomed Tori and McKenna into their community without any questions. They invited them to their quilting club, welcomed them to church, and helped Tori around the homestead. They took both girls in as one of their own and did everything they could to make their adjustment to life in Alaska as easy as possible.

Jesse and Luke (the guys to the girls) had their own stories and I would have loved to learn more about them, but I liked how they immediately became protective of the girls. They taught them how to live on their own, but they also respected their close bond and the fact that they came from a big city and needed help to adjust to their new lives.

Overall, Once Upon a Cabin was a good book. I read it in a day and enjoyed it.

Good story but some mixed feelings with this one.
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I have to say I was a little perplexed in the extreme situations these women were put into. Thankfully, they had their male “teachers“ that are going to show them and teach them everything they need to know, but it’s still left me feeling a bit uncomfortable with the choice and actions.

The uncle even went so far as to leave one of the girls with no form of communication to her sister, or anyone, plus no power/water while living in the wilderness. While personally, if this was me, I would’ve never spoken to the man again. Thankfully, these ladies took the highroad and embraced their changes rather well.

They learned to overcome and appreciate hard work and challenges. The towns people stepped up and embraced the sisters with amazing support and care. Their two companions / new love interests made Once Upon a Cabin into a real feel good, wholesome, clean romance which makes the heart happy.

Griffin crafts a story with grace, low angst, and major feels. While I would have enjoyed a bit more depth to the budding relationships, the story leaves you with a smile and fondness for Sweet Home, Alaska.

I've been on an Alaskan / small-town romance kick lately so I knew I had to read Once Upon a Cabin by Patience Griffin and I really enjoyed it! I wasn't familiar with this author prior to reading the book so I didn't realize that she writes clean romance. I like my books a little steamy (ok, a lot steamy) but I still enjoyed Once Upon a Cabin because the story was good.

The book revolves around two sisters, Tori and McKenna St. James, from Dallas, TX. Orphaned at a young age, their very successful and wealthy Uncle Monty ends up adopting them and they don't want for anything. They live very comfortably and don't know what it's like to struggle. Uncle Monty grew up humbly and wants to push the sisters out of their comfort zone, so he sends them to brave it out for a year in Alaska or they lose their inheritance.

The sisters couldn't be any more different from each other - Tori is a total fashionista and city-girl and McKenna is tomboyish and outdoorsy. Tori is sent to live on a homestead (without electricity and running water!) outside a tiny town called Sweet Home and McKenna is sent to work at a bank in Anchorage. A local resident named Jesse Montano is hired to be Tori's wilderness guide to teach her how to survive on the homestead (I've seriously learned everything there is to know about homesteading from this book, lol) and McKenna's boss, Luke McAvoy, is supposed to teach her about the banking business.

The attraction is mutual between Tori and Jesse and McKenna and Luke and it only grows stronger the longer they stay in Alaska. Can the sisters survive the whole year in Alaska and will they find true love in the process?

I loved the sense of community and sisterhood in the book. If you're looking for a clean Alaskan romance with a captivating plot, then you'll enjoy this book! Looking forward to book 3 in the series!

Rating: 3.5 stars out of 5 (rounded up to 4).

Thank you so much, NetGalley, Berkley Publishing and the author, for providing me with an eARC in exchange for my honest review.