This was an unexpected addition to the Wild River series after several new characters, but I surprisingly loved seeing Selena go back to Wild River and fall in love worth the Grumpy Gus.

Thanks to Harlequin and NetGalley for my copy to review.

DNF @27%

I was excited to see Selena had a novel of her own, but I just could not get into this one. I also did not really see the chemistry between the main characters. This series has been a hit or miss or me. I don't think I will continue the series as I have a few more I would like to finish that I like better. For comparison the series is comparable to Robyn Carr, Jill Shelves, etc

***I received a complimentary copy of this ebook from the publisher through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own.***

I love a book set in Alaska! Alaskan Dreams was a sweet and enjoyable read. Can't wait until the next book in this series!

Terrific characters, witty banter and lovely scenery made this book a pleasure to read. I have not read the previous books in the series, but the author provided enough back story to familiarize the reader with the main characters. Selena is a actress, who was introduced in a previous book, when she was being stalked by a crazed fan and was brought to Wild River, by her body guard. Now she comes back to Wild River as the lead actress, financier and co-producer of an Indy film, in which she steps our of her Rom-Com pigeonhole to be the main character in a thriller. Her boyfriend is supposed to play the lead, but he bails on her last minute. Meanwhile sports reporter, Gus Orosco, blew his career when he had a melt down on air watching his ex- accept a marriage proposal from a hockey player. Gus retreats to his home town, Wild River, where he ends up being cast as the lead, as no other local has had any experience in from of the camera. And surprising everyone, including himself, he is good at it. Both Gus and Selena are fresh from break-ups and are wary of a new relationship. But things happen just as they are meant to. In addition there is a bonus novella, An Alaska Christmas Homecoming.

I read an ARC offered by NetGalley.com. This is my unbiased and voluntary review.

This is an enjoyable romance about people coming into their own and falling in love along the way. Selena is tired of being a Rom-Com actress and thinks an indie thriller filmed in Wild River is her ticket to showing Hollywood what she's really made of. Gus destroyed his career as a sports reporter thanks to an on-air meltdown. While licking his wounds in his hometown of Wild River, his path crosses with Selena. When filming of her movie is delayed due to an actor not showing up, Selena coaxes Gus into filling in. Soon their on-screen chemistry becomes the real deal, but both of their career aspirations threaten to ruin their relationship.

This is book 6 in Jennifer Snow's Wild River series. I've read them out of order and generally had no problem keeping up with the characters. If anything, this book made me want to read more of the stories I missed. The characters are great and really draw the readers into their desire to be seen as more than the image they've presented. This novel is also filled with small town charm and plenty of steamy romance. Overall this was a great romance and worth the read.

Thank you Netgalley and publisher for a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Jennifer Snow’s Wild River series has been so lovely to read. The romances are all enjoyable and the backdrop of Alaska helps sweep me away when I’m reading. Alaska Dreams is the latest in the series and I was really looking forward to reading Selena’s romance. I liked the book but I’m not sure I liked the hero for Selena so that kind of let me down. It’s still worth a read if you’re a romance lover but I find myself hoping the next book will be better.

Here’s the book’s description:
Following a near-death experience, Selena Hudson is finally going after the career she wants. And since casting directors won’t see her as anything but a rom-com queen, Selena signs on to produce and star in her own movie—an edgy psychological thriller. But just as the cast and crew arrive on location in Wild River, Alaska, the leading man drops out of the production.
Reporter Gus Orosco is not hiding out in Wild River—he’s waiting for the dust to settle after his on-camera “overreaction” triggered by watching his ex-fiancee get engaged to a superstar hockey player. Gus doesn’t want to be anywhere near the film crew shooting at his family’s campgrounds, but Selena makes him an offer he can’t refuse: she’ll snag Gus an interview with Sports Beat if he’ll be her leading man. All Gus has to do is learn his lines, hit his marks and somehow ignore the sparks flying between them…even though they’re hot enough to melt the Alaskan snow.
I love Selena. She’s a big name rom com actress who’s trying to break out of the stereotype and prove she can do more than just rom coms (with no disrespect meant for the genre). She’s smart and she has a huge heart. This is why I think Snow let her down with Gus. There’s nothing really wrong with the guy. But here’s a dude who blew up on national TV when he had to report on a story of his ex-fiancée getting engaged to someone else. And then he’s a complete ass when Selena and the film crew show up at the camp. He did lose his job, yes, and his sister did forget to tell him they were coming and he expected solitude but it’s his own damn fault he lost his job because his poor little man feelings were hurt and he couldn’t keep them under wraps while the camera was rolling. And then, near the end, he tries to fix things without discussing them with Selena and then just makes it all worse. I wasn’t here for it. So it’s kind of a real bummer that I didn’t love the romance as much as I wanted to.

For those who like the steamier romances, this one had open door scenes – more, I think, than any of the other Wild River books. I’m kind of curious as to why Snow made that choice but, hey, it made for some good reading!

Part of why I love this series is the small town feel and how everyone knows everyone. I liked getting glimpses into what other characters were up to. I missed them and it was nice to get caught up.

I’m going to keep reading the Wild River series because Jennifer Snow’s romances do always leave me with warm and fuzzy feelings (which is a nice break from, you know, *waves arms at world*). Alaska Dreams was a fun read and I’m looking forward to the next installment in the series.

*An egalley of this novel was provided by the publisher, Harlequin, via NetGalley in exchange for review consideration. All opinions are honest and my own.*

I really enjoyed this book.. It is part of a series, I had to look to see as I was reading this book. I enjoyed this one so much I am going to read the others in the series.

Thank you Netgalley and Harlequin for allowing me to read this book for an honest review.

I have been enjoying the Wild River series set in Alaska. Reporter Gus Orosco has returned home to Wild River to "hide out" after an on-air overreaction when seeing his recent ex-fiancée get engaged to a high-profile hockey player. He is living in the family campground when a film crew shows up. Rom-com queen, Selena Hudson is trying to break out of the mold and produce as well as star in her own movie. Shortly after arriving, Selena finds out the leading man, her boyfriend is opting out of the project after receiving a better offer. Not knowing what to do, she ends up hiring Gus who does an amazing job opposite Selena. When Selena finds out that her boyfriend is being unfaithful, in her apartment, she ends her relationship and Gus is there to console her. The pair have chemistry and it shines in the movie. Will that on-screen emotion transfer to real life? With Gus in Alaska and Selena in California, will they be able to have a relationship?

I really liked both Selena and Gus. They were both at a turning point in their lives with decisions to make. This was an interesting relationship as they had an instant animosity towards each other due to some preconceived notions. Their banter was hilarious at times. There was chemistry there right from the start and as much as they tried to fight it, it sizzled. It definitely shone through while filming their scenes together. Gus was such a sweetheart, wanting to protect Selena, although his attempts were not always successful or appreciated. It causes some issues, but I enjoyed seeing them work through their problems. Selena has been through a lot in her young life and I was cheering her on for not only a successful movie, but a relationship with a man who appreciated and loved her for her true self, not what she could do for him. Jennifer Snow does a good job of moving their relationship forward in a realistic way, as well as showing their individual growth. Their is some steam as well as angst that every romance needs. I also enjoyed seeing some of the characters from the previous stories make appearances. This is the 6th in the series, but can definitely be read as a standalone.

I didn't realize that this was book 6 in the series, but that no bearing on understanding what was going on. I don't have to read the others to love the book (I am going to go back and get the previous 5 books now though!!)

Selena had a near death experience and is turning her life around. She's finally going to go after what she wants in life.

She's going to direct and star in a new film, destined to shoot in Wild River.

Gus, who's just about ruined his career is hiding out in Wild River, but he's not hiding out - he's running his family's campground.

Selena's crew is shooting at his family's campground and Gus has no interest until Selena makes him an offer he can't refuse.

She needs a leading man and he needs an in with a producer to get back into the sports world. He agrees and she will fulfill her promise at the wrap of shooting.

What they both didn't plan on is feelings and falling in love.

I reviewed this book in exchange for an early copy.

I just reviewed Alaska Dreams by Jennifer Snow. #AlaskaDreams #NetGalley

Gus and Selena have been having a tough time - both in life and in romance. Gus had an expletive filled on-air meltdown after being surprised with a live report of his ex-fiancé getting engaged to a hockey player. This led to his own family firing him and a retreat from the world back in his small hometown in Alaska. Selena was in that same town last year being chased by a stalker - and now she is back in town to film a low budget independent movie. She had planned to film the movie with her up-and-coming star boyfriend - but when he gets a more career making opportunity he leaves her in the dust to pursue that - and some other girls along the way. When Gus steps in to the role - he and Selena have a whirlwind romance to go along with it.

So here's the thing - I had two main issues with the book (1) I didn't really like Selena all that much and Gus (at least at first) does not make a great impression and (2) the resolution at the end was - cringeworthy.

Selena is career driven and tough - she clearly cares for those around her but seems distant from them at the same time. She's built some strong friendships along the way - but even those felt superficial. It is brought up several times that the crew from the movie doesn't seem to click with her - but why is never really resolved. I definitely appreciated the spotlight the book put on the differences between men and women in the workplace - and especially the double standards so often applied to women. Even with that - I felt like she was burning through romantic connections at a rate that didn't really have any depth to them. She seemed more in love with the idea of love and having a supportive partner than anything else. And Gus - he started as a grumpy jerk - but ended up coming across as somewhat sad and lovelorn. He clearly is a relationship guy - but I felt like he also was in love with the idea of love with Selena more than her as a person. In the end - their relationship just didn't have any depth.

And the drama between Selena and Gus at the end - was to be very modern about it - cringe. It was totally predictable - but like Gus and Selena just didn't have any depth or emotional punch to it.

This was just a big miss for me.

I received this as an ARC, but these opinions are all my own.

Alaska Dreams by Jennifer Snow is the sixth book in her popular Wild River series but can easily be read as a stand-alone book. I chose to read this book because of the location in Alaska, but I enjoyed it so much more than just that. These characters were realistic and I was rooting for them both. I really enjoyed this steamy, enemies to lovers romance.

Selena Hudson was a child actress and the as she got older she became the queen of Romcoms. Now she wants to do more serious movies and has a thriller she wants to produce and star in. With a shoestring budget, she decides to film her new thriller in an abandoned campground near Wild River, Alaska. But, she finds out that the campground isn’t as abandoned as she thought.

Gus Orosco just made the biggest mistake of his life when he had a meltdown on live TV and lost his job as a sportscaster for a local Seattle news station. Embarrassed and jobless, he decides to hide out in Wild River to let the dust settle as he ponders what he will do next. What he doesn’t expect is a film crew descending on his family’s campground, and he doesn’t have time for the attraction he feels for the star and producer of the film.

I enjoyed this fast-paced book. Gus and Serena are both sympathetic characters and I wanted both of them to be happy. Although Serena is a famous actress, I found her very relatable and down to earth. And Gus was much more than a dumb jock sportscaster. Both characters have something to prove and something to overcome, and the book was emotional as well as entertaining. Gus and Serena have great chemistry, but they also had some fun banter as they realize they have much more in common than they thought at first.

I highly recommend Alaska Dreams to anyone who enjoys a sizzling romance set in a gorgeous location. I received a complimentary copy of this book. The opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

I love Gus in "Alaska Dreams'. He seems to operate from the heart and even though he doesn't always make the wisest decisions, he means well. He's willing to sacrifice for those he loves, even if it means losing his dream job. When rom-com star Selena shows up at his family's campsite to film a movie, however, he's still wallowing from his very public outburst over his recent breakup and thinks she's a bit of a spoiled movie star. Yet, he's willing to help her out when she agrees to call in a favor for him. This is, after all, her chance to prove she can do something besides rom-com movies. The rest of the story, with the expected highs and lows of most romance novels, flows from there. The fact Gus, a sports caster, seems to be an instinctively talented actor doesn't hurt.

I don't specifically remember reading any of the previous books in this series but didn't matter as past characters blended into Gus and Selena's story smoothly. To be honest, I was hoping for more of a look at Alaska or at least the dogs as the story progressed but that was a minor, probably personal quibble as I live in Alaska and am owned by a dog. For those who care, I should mention that there are some steamy sex scenes. There's also a great deal of humor and character growth, not to mention you'll learn a bit about movie-making, both the process of shooting and the post=shoot production aspect.

Bottom line, this was a fun read. I liked the characters, not just Gus and Selena but those surrounding the story, and Gus' grand gestures, right or wrong, added an element of surprise. Heck, we even got a peek at what the Alaska Coast Guard does in an emergency, which was a tense, serious moment in the plot. I'm definitely going to be looking for the rest of this series by Jennifer Snow.

This is a Romance, and this is the 6st book in A Wild River Novel series. This book takes a little bit to get going, but once it does I loved it so much. I normally do not love books about making movies/following actors, but I really enjoyed this book. This book is all about an actress, Selena, that normally does romance movies, but she wants to do a thriller. This book is about a low budget thriller she is doing. The other main character is Gus, and I really loved his character. There is some really funny moments in this book. There is also some steamy times in this book. I love the movie filming parts of this book, and The movie parts reminds me of a romantic suspense book I have read before. I was kindly provided an e-copy of this book by the publisher (Harlequin) or author (Jennifer Snow) via NetGalley, so I can give an honest review about how I feel about this book. I want to send a big Thank you to them for that.

Actress Selena is going for a new start career after firing her team and taking on an indie project so different from her usual roles. Gus is a sports reporter licking his wounds after seeing his ex get engaged so quickly and making fool of himself on live tv. Unfortunately for Gus his quiet stay at his family's campground is going to get eventful with Selena's film crew shows up claiming that the area is the film location for the new upcoming movie. On top of that Selena's actor boyfriend bailed and need needs a replacement so she convinces Gus to take up the role.

This was a pretty fun read. I really enjoyed Selena's character, she was a strong and independent and wasn't about to take crap from anyone. I loved that she was pretty strong in her choices to and when her mind was made up she went for it. I loved how sweet but also that when he set his mind on something he was in wholeheartedly. Gus could've just half ashed things when it came to getting sucked into the film project but he did things well and if he wasn't sure he looked things up to get into character. Then there was the simmering attraction and romance that was going through with the character. There was just so much to love and enjoy about this book.

Selena is an actress who has grown weary of being pigeonholed into the roles she has had in the past rather than the roles she would like. She has come to the conclusion that the only way to achieve her dream is to take part in a small production that is being filmed in Alaska however she hits a roadblock when her boyfriend and leading man decides not to participate.

After his personal and professional life took in a detour in the most public way possible Gus has returned to Wild River to put some time and space between himself and the situation. Having the movie being filmed on the family lands was difficult enough but when she offers an arrangement that will help both their careers the fun really begins.

Even though Selena and Gus paths wouldn’t have crossed under normal circumstances once they started to get to know each other they proved they were perfect for each other in every way.

When Dreams Turn To Nightmares, Create Your Own Reality. This was another solid entry into the Wild River series, one that can be read as standalone if you don't mind knowing that other couples from previous romance books wound up together. While the focus is on our primary couple here and their struggles both personally and as a couple, most of the rest of couples from previous books make appearances, with some of them playing key support roles. Overall an excellent depiction of this side of Snow's writing, this one is great for the Hallmarkie type crowd that needs at least some elements of drama without going *too* deep, but which also likes several laughs along the way. Another fun book that manages to showcase Alaska - but also Seattle and Los Angeles. Very much recommended.

Three years ago I stumbled upon An Alaskan Christmas, the first book in Jennifer Snow's Wild River series. That was all it took to hook me on Snow's writing, her small Alaskan town, and all of the interesting people who call it home.

Gus and Selena are both at a crossroads in their lives, let down by the people they loved, and struggling to forge new career paths. Well, Selena is forging ahead. Gus is still in the wallowing, I've lost everything stage. They should have a lot in common, and they do, but it will take a while for them to realize that. First, they'll have to move beyond their preconceived notions and instant animosity towards each other. And doesn't that turn out to be eye-opening fun!

I love these two together, their snappy banter, sizzling chemistry, and how their respect for one another slowly grows while they work together on Selena's film. I love Gus's innate goodness and the decisions he makes to protect and promote Selena. He doesn't always get it right but his heart is in the right place and I appreciate that he's willing to listen and learn.

I was in Selena's corner, urging her on as she sticks to her determination to call her own career shots after being "herded" into movie roles by others since she was a child. She's finished being taken advantage of and that applies to her personal life as well. But, like Gus, she also is in want of emotional growth. Snow does a good job of moving their relationship, as well as their individual evolution, forward slowly and realistically, with a satisfying amount of steam, and a few potholes to test them along the way. By the time they reached their story's conclusion, I was fully confident in their future happiness and their professional success.

As a fan of the series, it's always fun to catch up with former main, and secondary, characters from the earlier books. In this one, I especially enjoyed watching a certain almost-teen gradually coming into her own while helping on the movie set. She was an absolute delight. For readers new to Wild River, however, you should feel comfortable jumping in at any point in the series. Give this one a try. I enthusiastically recommend it.

4.5 Stars
ARC received for fair and unbiased review

This started out a bit slow and I didn't like the main character, Selena, but she grew on me as the story progresses. A child actress, she wants to break out of the romcom movie roles and expand her acting talents. Things don't go as expected when her current boyfriend, an up and coming actor, is being considered for a major film and pulls out of the Indie film she's acting in.

Now stuck in remote Alaska looking for her leading man, she meets Gus, a former sports broadcaster, who lost his job after an explosive meltdown while live . They're like oil and water on the first introduction, but learn to respect each other's talents.

After a series of unfortunate events, they reconsider the fate of their futures and the relationship. It was a funny and cute story with some explicit love scenes, just to give a heads up.

I received a free ARC eBook from Net Galley and the publisher in exchange for my honest opinions.

ALASKA DREAMS –Jennifer Snow

Wild River, Book 6

HQN

ISBN: 978-1-335-63982-0

January 25, 2022

Contemporary Romance



Wild River, Alaska – Present Day



Actress Selena Hudson is in Wild River to star in and produce a movie that she feels will put her career on the right path. A year ago, she was nearly killed by a stalker and is hoping her personal life is once again heading in the right direction. But upon her arrival in Wild River, Selena learns that her leading man—and live-in boyfriend—has ditched her in favor of a better offer. Now she needs a new man to play the hero in the movie. Due to budget and time constraints, Selena and her director decide to check locally. It appears the only viable candidate is the man who greeted her arrival to Wild River not too kindly.



Former sports anchor Gus Orosco is without a job and facing social media ridicule after he had a meltdown on-air one day. He grew up in Wild River and is currently staying at the family campground in a cabin. When Selena shows up unexpectedly—his sister neglected to tell him that she’d rented the land for filming the movie—he greets her by telling her to get off his property. After his sister explains and apologizes, Guy has to reluctantly put up with the movie. But then he’s approached about being the male lead. Guy should refuse, except Selena offers him a connection to his dream sports reporting job.



Selena and Gus are as different as night and day, but they click romantically in ALASKA DREAMS, the latest tale in the Wild River series. He was looking for peace and quiet after his public meltdown on live television and his subsequent firing by his own father. Of course, there is also the fact that his outburst happened after his fianceé broke things off between them. She found someone better. Gus is now ready to move on—after he spends a few weeks in the wilds of Alaska. But Selena and her film crew burst into his quiet time, and things will never be the same. She’s obstinate, pushy, and beautiful. The zing of attraction that Gus feels for Selena shouldn’t be there, especially since she has a boyfriend back home in Los Angeles. But things soon change.



Selena isn’t sure why she’s attracted to Gus. Her boyfriend, Matt, should be perfect for her, but after he bails out on her and leaves the film crew without a leading man, one thing leads to another, and Matt is soon her ex. Gus and Selena like to challenge the other, which adds to their mutual attraction. Neither came to Alaska looking for love, but Cupid knows how to slingshot that bow and arrow. Will Gus and Selena each get what they want? Can they even think about pursuing a romance once they’re back on the mainland?



A sexy and intriguingly fun read, ALASKA DREAMS takes readers to the heart of Alaska. Will the movie turn out to be a success for both? Can Selena and Gus find happiness together? Find out by picking up a copy of ALASKA DREAMS.



Patti Fischer

This is book 6 of the wild river series, and while it wasn’t my fav of them, it was definitely a fun way to spend a few hours.
Selena Hudson was a child star and is now a rom-com success, but she wants to take her Career in a different direction, so she fires all her “people” and takes on an independent film with more depth and thrills. Her boyfriend is an up and coming star was supposed to star in it with her, but at the last minute he backs out for a bigger role and she is left to find a replacement in Wild River where they’re filming. .
Meanwhile, Gus is a tv sports reporter who has his life implode on screen and he goes back to wild river to lick his wounds and figure out what to do next. He had three weeks of self discovery before Selena and her crew took over the family campgrounds for shooting and their paths cross and sparks fly.
I liked meeting new characters as well as revisiting some from other books in this series, but if you haven’t read the others, you will still find this as an enjoyable stand alone. There’s just enough steam without it being over the top and in typical Jennifer Snow form, there’s no cheese.
Thanks to the publisher, author and NetGalley for this arc in exchange for my review.
Publication date: January 25, 2022