If you love stories set in small towns and second Chance romances this book should certainly be on your radar. Bush pilot Bridget Shanahan and Archer Ellison lll second chance is set in Captivity, Alaska and Ms Beck did such a wonderful job describing this town that I fell in love with it as well as its residents.
Archer is determined to win the love of his life back but it’s take fate intervening for him to have a real shot at proving the attraction and chemistry can’t be ignored.
Playing Dirty can be read and enjoyed as a stand-alone but I’m sure one visit to Captivity will never be enough. This is a second chance romance that’s about soulmates finding each other again, it’s full of love and passion, it’s emotional with just the perfect amount of witty banter. I highly recommend this gem to all romance lovers.
I received a copy from the publisher through Netgalley.

The second installment in the CAPTIVITY ALASKA series bring to the page a second chance for romance for main characters Bridget and Archer. Archer left Bridget abruptly and without explanation 8 years prior, which left them both heartbroken. While Archer always held hope of getting Bridget back, she closed off and erected a wall around her determined to avoid any and all romantic entanglements.

Archer relocated to Captivity in the hopes of winning Bridget back only to find a hardened woman who didn't trust easily. What ensues are a series of events that led Bridget and Archer to spend time together, giving them the chance to get to know one another again, heal from old words and find love again.

Archer and Bridget story was not only swoon-worthy but also sexy and fun. I enjoyed Archer and Bridget's interactions and appreciated the author's effort in bringing a variety of interactions that ranged from the most heartfelt to the most wicked. Their bickering and banter were as enjoyable to me as their more candid moments. I enjoyed Archer's efforts in convincing Bridget to give him a second chance, especially since Bridget fought him every step of the way. In contrast, I also loved how Bridget lowered her guard and allowed Archer in. Her growth as the story progressed felt real, which endeared her to me even more. Along the way I became invested in their story and couldn't wait until they worked out all their differences and found their HEA.

Of course, I also enjoyed revisiting Captivity and its residents. They were as charming and entertaining as I remember and their addition to the story was a treat to read.

All in all, a wonderful addition to the series and a great read.

I'm a sucker for hero in pursuit stories and I'm a fan of Samanthe Beck since she wrote for the Entangled Brazen line (which were some of the first steamier romances I read back in the mid 2010s). I read and enjoyed the first in the Captivity Alaska series so I'd been waiting for another book with the Shanahan siblings. Fortunately it wasn't a long wait to get Bridget's book and I enjoyed it even more than her sibling Trace's book so win-win for me!

As a bush pilot in isolated Captivity, Alaska working for her family's small airfield business, Bridget Shanahan is happier being in the air than working in the office, but helping her brother Trace with the business end of things is part of being a good sister and shareholder in the company. Things have been a bit screwy since their brother Shay died in a tragic plane accident months earlier, including the discovery that her ex-boyfriend Archer Ellison III had at one time sought to buy out the company. Though those plans had fallen through for Archer, for some unknown reason he's shown up in Captivity with plans to headquarter his own airline company there. After all, he'd dumped her with not so much as by your leave while they were in college, putting her through plenty of heartache and resulting in the end of her college plans and a swift return back to colder but familiar home territory. What possible reason could he have for intruding back in her life now?

Archer has had two goals since being forced through family obligations to give up the woman he'd loved. First, become independent from his father and successfully pilot his own business. Second, get Bridget back. He knows he hurt her deeply, and since their breakup he's spent all his time and energy putting a plan in action to accomplish step one, getting his own business operational, so that he could proceed to step two, winning Bridget over again and being able to offer her what he couldn't when they were both young and obligated to more than just each other. His plan to get Bridget to acknowledge him succeeds well enough as she ends up breaking her tailbone in a bet with him that results in him offering to help as a spare pilot while her brother and new sister-in-law are away on their honeymoon and she is grounded. Seeing her every day is a first step to getting her to remember the good times between them. Now can he convince her that he's a sure bet if she'll give him a second chance?

There were a lot of enjoyable things in this story that make for a fun reading experience. The author is great at writing witty banter, and you get lots of it between Bridget and Archer, as well as many of the other town characters including periodic appearances by Shay (as a ghost or dream apparition). Bridget is understandably wary of any kind of emotional commitment after her broken heart. She has a healthy sexual appetite, a friends with occasional benefits relationship with one of the other pilots, and has no problem admitting to her sexual attraction to Archer. They definitely didn't have any problems in the bedroom department before, and as she and Archer settle into a tentative rekindling of their friendship, it's not long before their chemistry results in some steamy bedroom scenes. But she's not interested in making it any more than that.

Archer wants more though, and he realizes he has a lot to make up for and that it's going to take time to get Bridget to trust him again. Because their breakup hadn't involved cheating or other toxic behavior, he knows he has a good shot. Starting by making himself an asset to her as a pilot during her time of need, he slowly rebuilds their friendship and shows her in multiple ways that a sexual relationship, while great, is not his ultimate goal. Wooing her is his design, and he's helped by the appearance of a kitten whom he rescues, that Shay's dog Key (whom Bridget looks after) takes a permanent liking to, as well as the fact that her co-workers and friends in town can see that he's serious about her and are willing to aid him in his quest. (Honestly, the scenes with Wally the kitten are some of my favourites).

Archer's relationship with his parents is poor, though he has an ally in his sister. His father wants to make things as difficult as possible for Archer as a punishment for trying to branch out on his own instead of following in his father's footsteps. Trying to balance his developing relationship with Bridget with the expectations of his father lead him to make some decisions that in the long run will be the best for their future but in the short run cause some hiccups for him and Bridget. Fortunately they are short lived and they help Bridget understand how truly different things are with Archer this time around. Happy endings come to those who wait and Archer and Bridget deserve their newfound happiness. I'm not sure where this series is going next, but I'm definitely hoping to see some of the other characters find love and will be keeping my eye out for more from this author.

This review will be posted at All About Romance and feedback updated with the link.

5 star review of Playing Dirty In Alaska (Captivity, Alaska #2) by Samanthe Beck

I love stories set in small towns and could easily see myself in Captivity, Alaska. This is a second change at love story for bush pilot Bridget Shanahan and Archer Ellison III.

For Archer, Bridget is the one who got away and he is bound and determined to win her back. What he doesn't count on is her determination to ignore the intense attraction that still sizzles between them.

When circumstances play into his hands, Archer knows that fate is on his side. This book can certainly be read as a stand alone. I haven't read book one in the series but after finishing Playing Dirty In Alaska I immediately went and one clicked the first book.

This was an emotional story of loss, grief and guilt that was handled realistically. The banter was witty and the steam was certainly there with this well written romantic story. Bridget and Archer were meant to be together and I loved that they finally got the happily ever after that they deserved. I received a copy from the publisher through Netgalley.

4.25⭐

Playing Dirty in Alaska is a well-written, fun, sexy, banter filled second-chance romance. That easily pulled me in, thanks to two main characters who had bags of chemistry, little angst and plenty of interesting secondary characters. And I would happily recommend it to others.

I went into this one not realizing that it is actually the second book in Samantha Beck’s Captivity Alaska series. I’ve accidentally skipped the first book in quite a few series, but usually I don't feel like I need to read the books in order. This was the exception. While you can read this as a stand alone, I think this book would be much more enjoyable to read as a true series. There was a really big plot point that was clearly huge in book one that I wish I hadn’t spoiled for myself.
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I DNF’d this book simply because I want to read it in the order it was written! I didn't read very much, but I really liked what I've read so far!

we get a little lead up to this one from the previous book. Bridget has her ex boyfriend show up to not only buy her brother out of the airfield but he wants her heart as well. This is a deep second chance romance after a lot of hurt and pain, especially for Bridget. Archer is the rich sunny happy good old boy but goes against his father so he can have Bridget. This one is super steamy. We also get dog and kitty love which is super cute.

Can't wait to see this series out and who will be next! Small town Alaska!

4 stars
4 steam

Whewwwwww 🥵 Is it hot in here or just me? I loveeeeee a good romance and I was pleasantly surprised at this one seeing as I have yet to read the first book but Netgalley was a gem and gifted me an advanced copy of this book.

I loved the back and forth between Bridgett and Archer. Although B could be a bit much at times, her compatibility with A really grew throughout this book. Being pilots, they really make me want to take a trip to Alaska… anyone know of any cute, single pilots 🤔😉 I also loved how the town just really rallied for everyone, like, talk about hometown love and support 🥺

It has angst - romance (aka smut) - sadness - hometown support - love - family - cute animals - travel - Alaska - and some suspense.

“I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.”

This series in Captivity has been so much fun and the latest installment doesn't disappoint! The characters are lively, with a lot of depth. The secondary characters are great and the humor and heat round out the story well.

Archer and Bridget have so much chemistry it just jumps off the page! The banter between them is very amusing and makes it easy to get lost in the book. I finished the whole thing in one go, without even meaning to - I couldn’t put it down! Although there are some sad moments, it’s generally a fun, upbeat story exploring the theme of second chances. I loved the setting and secondary characters and thought this was a great addition to the series.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own. Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for providing a copy of this book.

Bridget is a bush pilot trying to turn a new leaf following the sudden death of her brother, a life-changing event which has left her with more responsibilities than she planned for. What she doesn’t need is her ex-boyfriend, Archer, waltzing back into her life. Archer, though, has only one goal - the same one he’s been working towards ever since he ended things with her four years ago. He wants her back, and after a bet between the pair goes disastrously wrong, Bridget finds herself unable to avoid his attempts to win her over.

There’s a lot in this book to love. The writing is so good and easy to read, it’s well-paced, and it has good, solidly drawn characters. It also has a concept I found delicious to read. Outside of the fact it has a really, really strong second chance romance, there are also some really good sickbed scenes that were really soft and sweet. There’s minimal external plot in this one - the focus is very much on Bridget and Archer’s relationship, both past and present, and how they’re going to repair the rift between them.

They had fantastic chemistry and the banter between them was really fun. I particularly liked Archer and how he took Bridget’s prickly nature in his stride - he was so funny sometimes in how he reacted to her. This book also has some really steamy moments that are very well-written.

I also want to draw attention to the subplot involving Bridget’s grief over the loss of her brother. I thought this aspect of the novel was beautifully done: it really tugged on the heartstrings and her feelings about her loss were almost palpable to me.

Overall, this was a really solid romance and I really enjoyed reading it. I would recommend it to anyone who wants to read a one-sided-enemies-to-lovers, second chance romance with sickbed scenes.


Content warnings: Scenes of recovery from injuries, scenes of medical care, death of a sibling (in past), grief, mentions of plane crash, sexual harassment (on-page).

This is my first book by Samanthe Beck and it is safe to say it will definitely. not be my last. Samanthe Beck swiftly drew me into this second chance romance. Beck's writing is easily engaging, she characters are interesting and I was swept up in the Alaskan setting and family run airfield. Beck layers in lighthearted moments with real life sorrows and problems to build this romance between two people who have loved each other for years and have to learn to trust again.

Bridget, the heroine, has been left in charge of her family's airfield while her brother is on his honeymoon, so she is ready to set into her adulthood and prove she is capable. But her confidence is thrown off when her College Sweetheart walks back into her life ready to prove that he still loves her and that they are meant to be together. After a challenge Bridget finds herself in need of Archer's help in order to keep the airfield running smoothly without her brother cancelling his honeymoon plans. Archer, knowing that forced proximity is a great way to break down Bridget's walls, takes every opportunity he can to become indispensable to her as well as show her that she needs to trust herself and live her life to the fullest. (Content Notes: there is death of a brother that is explored and discussed through Bridget, death does not happen in this book.)

This book is a face paced, sensually steamy and charmingly romantic story. I loved watching the cat and mouse game between Bridget and Archer play out. Bridget is confident and independent and she keeps her walls up to prove she is strong. Archer is sure of himself and his love for Bridget that he know that persistence and openness will help him win his battle against Bridget's protected heart. Archer is absolutely swoon worthy as he learns to readjust his tactics, learn to understand Bridget better, and show her that she is the most important person in the world to him. I loved watching Bridget's walls slowly crumble as Archer shows her again and again that he loves her. This novel is also delightfully steamy, Samanthe Beck has done a wonderful job of using their physical exploration as another way of showing the reader how Bridget feels and how she is learning to trust again. The physical relationship between Bridget and Archer is very nicely done, and really speaks to who they are as a couple with a past and how their bodies trust and know each other.

I would very highly recommend this novel, if you love a second chance romance with a wonderful steam level and a hero who will do anything to win his heroine back, this is definitely the book for you! I am looking forward to reading the first book in this series, as well as seeing where this series will continue to grow.

So I am jumping into this series at Book #2 - a second-chance romance set in Alaska. SOLD

Archer walked away from his one true love, and didn't look back. Four-years later, he's back in Captivity, Alaska to win back Bridget. This sexy Yeti has a lot of groveling to do to prove he's here to stay forever. Playing Dirty in Alaska's pages sizzle with intense chemistry and steam worthy scenes.

I devoured this book in one-day, enjoying it more than I could've imagined. Is the ending a glimpse into what we can expect in the next installment?

Thank you Entangled Publishing LLC for the advance reader copy. #PlayingDirtyinAlaska #NetGalley.

Loved this one more than the last!
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I got to know many of the main characters from Book One, Wild in Captivity, a few months ago and definitely recommend reading that one before this edition for the best possible outcome.

There are so many awesome things happening in this story that for me, it really leveled up the series. For one, I really love how Archer was all in from the beginning. He was on a mission to change her mind and was patient and loving throughout.

Beck created Archer as the perfect balance for Bridget as she tried warming up to a second chance romance with the one that broke her heart. The delicate balancing act and subtle plays were written perfectly and added so much to the life of this story.

Beck is also not shy about putting the heat and steam right out there and the pages were simmering! I loved the intense connection between the two that showcased the fact they truly were supposed to be together.

A few twists and low angst made Playing Dirty in Alaska my favorite one so far in the series and I cannot wait for the next installment. We get a bit of a glimpse of who that will be about and I am excited!

“This April Fool’s Day, the joke was definitely on her”
“We’ve never been done, Bridge. We’ll never be done”
“That’s my girl”
I absolutely loved this book !!
This is the second book in a series and you don’t have to read the first one to understand it… although I bet you’ll want to get to it too!!
It was an amazing love story set up in the air with tension, lovers turned enemies and then lovers again and a sexy love interest who will not let anything stand in his way to win back the woman he loves !!!
There’s drama but a bit of trauma too especially when it comes to family issues: the loss of a brother, the grief and regret while dealing with it, and some trust issues about relying on him again !!!
But I loved how the author handled it … I loved how much he teased her and how much she teased him back.
Archer and Bridge were really something else entirely !!
I had inch a fun time reading about their banter and how much he cared after her, trying to show her that the time they’d lost was something he wanted to take back!!
Trusting someone who broke your heart is not easy and we could follow the main character as she tried to figure out what she wanted and how she wanted it to happen and from whom… even though half the time it was not easy.
This book was everything I was expecting and then some and I really appreciated it!!
I’ve always loved flying on a plane but this kind of put it on a whole different level !!
I cannot wait to read something more about it and maybe get to the first one !!
“Bridget was equal parts exhausting and entertaining, and he wouldn’t have her any other way. But he would have her. All of her. Eventually”
“She’s safe with me, but I don’t think she’s ready to believe it and let her guard down”
“Some things you take on at your own risk”

Playing it Dirty in Alaska by Samanthe Beck is a great second book in the Captivity Alaska series and is the story of Archer and Bridget. After a 4 year absence, Archer has returned to win back Bridget’s heart. Bridget Shanahan never got over her college boyfriend breaking her heart. So she has done everything she can to avoid getting in any sort of a relationship, or risking her heart, ever again.
Archer knows she is it for him so despite her resistance, he is going to use all the tricks up his sleeve to prove they were meant to be together. Pilot Bridget is a strong heroine who knows what she wants and how to get it. And what she doesn't want is giving a second chance to the man who broke her heart.
I love second chances romances and this one has a lot of twists…meddling family, pets, action … and of course beautiful settings that Samanthe Beck so beautifully describes for us. This also had a fun cast of side characters that just added to the story.
Thank you @entangled_publishing, @samanthebeck, and @netgalley for this eARC in exchange for my honest feedback.

I think this might be a second in a series so I may have missed some early details in the first book.

Playing Dirty in Alaska is a second chance romance with Archer, who is now a billionaire (well definitely rich) returning to Alaska to win back the heart of his college-sweetheart Bridget. The couple split after Archer walked away after college, leaving Bridget heartbroken. Initially Archer tried to acquire a half share of the company Bridget owns with her bridge but was unsuccessful. Instead on reigning to town he has a bet with Bridget and whilst he loses the bet, helps her out when she falls on her behind (broken tail bone no less). It means he has 4 weeks to convince Bridget to take him back..

One of the points of difference with this romance was Archer’s transparency on returning to town. He made it clear to Bridget he wanted to win her back, despite her continual attempts to push him away. This was a nice change seeing a male character who was up front and attempting to communicate, admitting he’d made a mistake and had regretted it. Bridget was unforgiving, impacted by trauma having lost her brother and continually trying to push Archer away. The steak was there, but it was interspersed with a lot of other going’s on in the community that took away from the story.. Having picked this book up I felt I could get the details of the community pretty quickly and I felt it was a bit too laden even for a series which affected the pace and I admit I skimmed a little. The contentious issue was believable and I liked Archer’s response particularly when presented with it.

One point that didn’t work for me was the paranormal plot regarding Bridget. I felt it was bit over the top and unnecessary.

Thanks to netgalley and Entangled Publishing for the complimentary copy of this book.

This is a second in a series of bush pilots in Alaska. I love a great second chance romance in Alaska especially when he has to work extra hard. There was a lot of family drama and heartache. I totally felt the loss of her brother and I loved her visions of him though they came from guilt they helped her through his loss. I still feel my Dad around me and he's been gone for 5 years.
This had some fun forced proximity as Bridget injures herself trying to show off and Archer offers to take care of her and enacts his plan to win her back. He brings out the big guns. Even though his father does not think it's a good idea and wants him out of this small town in Alaska he's not having any of it.
These two get super steamy especially since he plays hard to get which denies them both what they want.


Thank you to the publisher entangled for the e-ARC for my honest and voluntary review.

Thank you to netgalley for the ARC! I was looking forward to reading the next in this series. In the previous book, Bridget and Archer’s story is set up. This is definitely not a stand-alone it is part of a series. This is a second chance romance and I thoroughly enjoyed it. I really hope the author is doing Ford and Lilahs story next!

Years ago, Bridget Shanahan and Archer Ellison were an item in college. But then, against his will, Archer breaks her heart.
Nowadays, Bridget is a bush pilot in Alaska in charge of her family’s airfield.
Imagine her surprise when devastatingly handsome Archer shows up in her town. Needless to say, resurfacing hurt makes its appearance.
At the time of the breakup, Archer felt he had to do it, but nowadays he has two goals, be independent of his father’s business, and get the girl back.
Neither is going to be an easy endeavor but he’s determined to succeed.
The chemistry is still there, but will that be enough to win Bridget back? Will they get a second chance in life and love?
This was an entertaining story about trust, hope and second chances.
I was entrusted a copy of this book by Netgalley and Entangled Amara. The opinions expressed are solely my own.