An Alaskan Christmas: review & excerpt

In Alaska, it’s always a white Christmas—but the sparks flying between two reunited friends could turn it red-hot…

If there’s one gift Erika Sheraton does not want for Christmas, it’s a vacation. Ordered to take time off, the workaholic surgeon reluctantly trades in her scrubs for a ski suit and heads to Wild River, Alaska. Her friend Cassie owns a tour company that offers adventures to fit every visitor. But nothing compares to the adrenaline rush Erika feels on being reunited with Cassie’s brother, Reed Reynolds.

Gone is the buttoned-up girl Reed remembers. His sister’s best friend has blossomed into a strong, skilled, confident woman. She’s exactly what his search-and-rescue team needs—and everything he didn’t know he craved. The gulf between his life in Wild River and her big-city career is wide. But it’s no match for a desire powerful enough to melt two stubborn hearts…

Review: I read this book in an evening after a long and trying day. It was fun and the multiple plot lines kept the pages turning. Having grown up skiing, I loved the skiing scenes and they were very accurate. The search & rescue adventures that Erika went on with Reed were exciting and never presented her in a light other than a capable doctor – this was not a damsel in distress story which is one of my biggest annoyances when it comes to romance novels.

Cassie and Reed’s father disappeared years before, around the same time Erika lost her mother which added the perfect amount of mystery to the plot.

Somewhat predictably, Reed and Erika begin a relationship when Cassie is away leading a winter camping trip – another capable female in the story – yay!

Slowly Erika finds her old self the further she is away from her overbearing physician father/boss. Add to the mix her romance with Reed and now we have our conflict when Erika is summoned home early by her father to begin the clinical trials that have been so important to her.

Ok, and Diva – Cassie’s dog – the dog is narcoleptic. I found this detail so amusing and it made even the dog endearing in this story.

I found all the characters realistic with no one being irritating, or in great need of saving. That was refreshing for a romance.

My one issue: where was Christmas?

Other than taking place in December and a few mentions of people working in the hospital on Christmas Eve, there really wasn’t a Christmas plot line. Not that it needed it, but if it’s in the title a Christmas romance would be nice.

I mean, someone could have at least tied a bow around themselves or posed in front of the Christmas tree… so many options here but I’ll leave that to your imagination. My opinion of course, and thankfully the book stood on it’s own two feet without Christmas.

If you enjoyed Things You Save in a Fire, you will most likely love this book! They were different settings but reminiscent of each other with the strong, capable female characters.

Excerpt from An Alaskan Christmas by Jennifer Snow:

He tossed the blanket over her quickly and stood. “Okay, so you’re all good?”

She nodded, but her gaze was on his midsection. And her unblinking stare was full of unconcealed attraction. The same way she’d checked out his biceps in the bar.

He glanced down to see that his T-shirt had risen slightly on the right side, exposing his stomach.

Obviously his abs were to her liking.

“Erika.”

“Huh?” Still staring.

“It’s been a while, huh?”

She frowned, finally pulling her gaze back to his. “For what?

“Since you’ve had sex.”

Her mouth gaped.

“I mean, that’s why you’re staring at my stomach like I’m a piece of chocolate.”

“I was not,” she said, but her cheeks flushed. “And I’ll have you know, I have plenty of sex…all the time. Men beating down my door for it…” she mumbled.

That he wouldn’t doubt, except he knew from Cassie that she was a reclusive workaholic and he was willing to bet the only penises she saw were her naked patients.

“And anyway, even if that was the case, you’d be the last guy I’d want to break my dry spell.”

Okay, now he was intrigued. Especially since he’d made no motion to fix his shirt and her eyes were glued on his abs again, betraying her words. He crossed his arms, making sure to flex his biceps for her viewing pleasure, as well. She wasn’t going to get him, but all of a sudden, he wanted her to want him. “Oh yeah, why’s that?”

“Because I don’t think you’d be any good.”

What?

“Hot guys are rarely good in bed. They don’t think they need to be. They are selfish and rarely leave a woman satisfied.”

She’d obviously been with the wrong dudes. “In your expert opinion?”

She nodded. “As a doctor and woman. Yes.”

Damn, he’d like to kiss that smug expression right off her face, but the voice in his head told him to leave her drunk ass alone. “Okay, then. Good night.”

“What? Not even going to try to prove me wrong?”

In two strides, he’d reached her. Pulling back the blanket, he lifted her and, seating himself on the couch, he set her down on his lap. A leg on either side, she straddled him. “You sure you want to eat your words?”

Instead of answering, she gripped his face and kissed him. Hard. His surprise faded fast as his mouth suddenly craved hers. The taste of tequila mingled with her cherry lip gloss and he forgot he was the one teaching her a lesson. Her legs gripped his and she pressed her chest against him, the feel of her breasts beneath the soft cashmere making his heart pound against them.