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…
Look for Jennifer’s newest book, Stars Over Alaska!
An Alaskan Christmas
By jennifersnow
Ordered to take time off, Erika Sheraton reluctantly trades in her scrubs for a ski suit and heads to Wild River, Alaska where her friend Cassie owns an adventure tour company, but nothing compares to the adrenaline rush Erika feels on being reunited with Cassie’s brother, Reed. His sister’s best friend has blossomed into a strong, skilled and confident woman and she’s exactly what his search-and-rescue team needs – and everything he didn’t know he craved.
A moving romance that hits readers right in their hearts with strong characters that easily draw readers in and keeps them quite entertained. Erika is a successful young woman but she has her emotions locked down tight which makes her a workaholic and a bit socially awkward. Reed works search-and-rescue and has a mission – find out what happened to his father. The romance between these two is quite possibly fruitless endeavor to begin with but the chemistry sizzles with strong currents which keeps pulling them together and readers can’t help but the relationship amusing and full of emotional turbulence.
The plot is steady to fast paced with the question of whether Erika and Reed can possible find a middle ground and achieve a happily ever after keeping readers in suspense until the very end. There is also the added excitement of a couple of adrenaline pumping search-and-rescues and the friction between Erika and her father which ensures that readers can’t possibly stop reading this delightful and moving holiday read.
Very well written, I got into it right from the start. I felt all the emotion, the conflicting circumstances, the frustrations of both Erika and Reed. Quite realistic with today’s fast paced city living versus the slower pace of smaller communities.
These two had a connection and I thought it a great journey with ups and downs to finally conclude what they had, when true love trumps all. Their heat included, whew!
Loved all the search and rescues included, most definitely added to the adrenaline pumping moments. Life and death always a factor. Excellent descriptive scenarios!
I recommend reading this, and I’m looking forward to more adventures and connections in the Wild River series all based in Alaska.
I received an ARC thru Netgalley, all thoughts and opinions are voluntary and my own.
One of the things I love so much about reading is the fact that the books I read can take me to somewhere different. I can be sitting in my home in Chicago and the next thing you know I’m on a ranch in Texas. Here’s the thing, I’ve been on a lot of ranches and a few small-towns so I wanted to read someplace I haven’t spent a lot of time at.
So when I saw this book was in Alaska I really thought about it. I knew I read one book by this author prior but hadn’t read another and I wasn’t sure why so that made me pause for a second until I was once again offered to review it.
I figured that had to be a sign.
And I was right! An Alaskan Christmas turned out to be a wonderful story that moved surprisingly fast. I read it only in a day which is quick for me. Two days is my usual. It’s not like I can sit around reading all day and night. Boy, that would be fun. I usually read half one day and half the other. But with this one, once I started it I didn’t stop.
I really enjoyed the characters. Reed is more of an open book kind of guy. What you see is what you get. He’s a great guy who loves his family and friends and really loves what he does in life. I’m not saying there isn’t any depth to him, just that he puts it all on the table for you.
Now Erika isn’t as easy or open as a person. In the beginning, I couldn’t believe the heroine I was saddled with. She is a closed-off person who takes the saying ‘keeping to yourself’ to a whole different level.
I wasn’t sure I’d ever like her. Then she started to surprise me. She was able to learn some much about herself by taking a short vacation to a place she once called home.
I think the reason I read this book so fast is because of the characters. You really feel like you got to know them and wanted them to be happy. The author also sucked you into the town with the little bits you learn about the other people and left you wanting more. I’m looking forward to the next book in the series and I’m so happy to have found a new series for me to love.
An Alaskan Christmas is a sweet, fun, romantic holiday read. The chemistry between Reed and Erika was smoking hot and I loved watching these two fall in love. Both have so much baggage from their past that they need to overcome and you can’t help but root for them. And I really loved watching Erika find herself again. She buried so much of herself in school and work after her loss and forgot who she was, so it was heartwarming watching her rediscover herself and realize there is more to life than work.
All in all, I really enjoyed this book and look forward to the next in the series.
ARC received from the publisher and NetGalley in return for an honest review.
I was drawn to this book because of the cover, but the blurb sold me. I’m not gonna lie I was a little iffy of Erika in the very beginning, but once she’s on her forced vacation I was hooked on the book. She really blossomed going back to Wild River. I like to think she found her true self. It was awkward when she first returned and as a reader I could feel and I had had second hand awkwardness. I really love the people of Wild River. The secondary characters were awesome. This book had me gobbling up the pages and once I really got into it was hard to out down. I love a book that set around the holiday season so it’s once I enjoyed. My favorite thing about the book is how much Erika grows through the book and you see the true real Erika shine through.
Sweet, sexy, and heartwarming!
An Alaskan Christmas is an enchanting, passionate tale that features the dependable, handsome Reed who may finally discover his little sister’s best friend has become more than he ever could have imagined, and the driven, hardworking Erika who may finally learn there’s a lot more to life than just work.
The prose is effortless and smooth. The characters are spirited, kindhearted, and amusing. And the plot is an entertaining combination of family, friendship, instant attraction, steamy chemistry, convivial banter, light drama, swoon-worthy romance, and the ins-and-outs of search-and-rescue missions.
Overall, I found An Alaskan Christmas to be a smart, romantic, true wintery treat by Snow that’s a wonderful start to the Wild River series with its unique setting, affable characters, and sliver of danger.
RATING 4.5 STARS
An Alaskan Christmas is book one in Jennifer Snow’s brand new Wild River series. I knew as soon as I heard about this new series that it was going to be something special and it definitely is.
Dr. Erika Sheraton grew up in Wild River with her best friend Cassie. They were inseparable. Erika always wanted to be a doctor like her father, where as Cassie was a free spirit. So when it came time to separate, for Erika to go to college and Cassie to go on an adventure, they swore they would always stay in touch. But Erika’s drive to excel, studying, then med school, then working at the hospital in Anchorage, they lost each other. Now Erika has built her life around her work. She spends every possible hour at the hospital and is in charge of a new clinical drug trial that takes up every extra second she has. She has built walls up and keeps herself separated from any friendships or friendly interactions in general. It’s just work, work, work. Until her father sends her on a two week forced vacation. She actually has no where to go. She hasn’t talked to Cassie in ten years. Since that’s the only thing she can come up with, she reaches out to her and packs her bag, on her way back to Wild River.
Reed Reynolds is Cassie’s older brother. Reed tends bar most evenings but what he lives for is his job as team leader of the Mountain Search and Rescue. He’s known Erika most of his life since she was always with his sister. Mostly, they just argued. But there was one night when Reed kept Erika safe, that a connection was formed. Now, all these years later, he can’t believe the beautiful woman Erika has changed in to. But on the inside, she seems cold as ice. She’s closed off and aloof. Immediately they seem to push each other’s buttons, just like they always did, and argue about everything. But a funny thing begins to happen. The longer Erika is in Wild River, she starts to relax. She smiles more, lets her emotions show. The pull grows between Reed and Erika until neither can deny it any longer.
Erika also goes along with Reed on a couple of rescues. Not only is she challenged physically, she is able to make a difference with her medical skills in a whole new way. She feels a pride she never felt before.
In a very short time, feelings grow from attraction to something much bigger. Erika’s life is in Anchorage and Reed’s is in Wild River. Can they make a long distance relationship work? Because neither wants to lose what they have found. Was this just the Erika that is on vacation? Will she revert back to her emotionless self when she’s back to her busy life in Anchorage?
This book was just so good. There is so much here. Not only the personal grown for both Erika and Reed, but also some nail biting scenes when they are on the mountain. There are so many wonderful secondary characters whose stories I am excited to learn about. I’m not sure how many books Jennifer plans to write in this series but I’m so excited to find out. And to see whose story will come next. Because I will most definitely be wanting to read it.
4 1/2 STARS!
AN ALASKAN CHRISTMAS is the first book in Jennifer Snow’s brand new Wild River series and is sure to delight fans of action packed story lines. It revolves around a surgeon and search and rescue leader, their family drama and and a shot at a happily ever after when they least expect it.
Erika was a tough cookie to get to know. She was a powerful surgeon and get it done type of person, but her softer side was a mystery I enjoyed unraveling as the book developed. She sought acceptance, yet found it hard to let down her guard when the love she had always craved was knocking at her door.
Reed was a fun-loving guy and had me smiling throughout. He’s a powerful force on the mountain, but doesn’t let the job control him. He has quite the interest in Erika, but he’s not so sure he’ll be able to hold her attention once she’s back to work.
I highly recommend this story to anyone looking for a down home type of town to fall in love with. The town is tight and the characters are endearing. There were a few places when the plot could have been filled in a little, but overall it was a great read and I look forward to the next book in the series!
Erika Sheraton’s life revolves around her job, it’s all she thinks about, and every spare minute she has is spent at work ensuring a new drug trial goes off without a hitch. While her drive to be the best in her field is admirable, it has also cost her deeply in her personal life… as in she doesn’t have one. She has submersed herself so deep into her work, that she has forgotten about maintaining friendships, and her love life is non-existent. She doesn’t remember the last time she even went on a date…not that she has time for one anyway!
That is until her father hands her a special Christmas gift… he is forcing her to take a two week vacation, which is devastating to her workaholic soul. She has no idea what to do with herself, or where to spend the next two weeks. The only friend she has, she hasn’t talked to in ten years and she isn’t so sure Cassie would welcome her call. But Cassie surprises her and tells her to pack a bag and head to Wild River… where she finds the adventure of a lifetime awaiting her, and hunky mountain man who likes to push her buttons!
An Alaskan Christmas kicks off an adventurous and steamy new series from Ms. Snow, and it’s pages come brimming with everything necessary to leave your heart happy! The author’s perfectly penned words paint a vivid picture of the small Alaskan community, and it’s residents are quick to make you feel right at home with them. This is a slow burn romance that will require some patience, these two stubborn souls had me dying in anticipation, they fought their feelings every step of the way. But once they finally began to see that they were meant to be together, and they decided to let love in, they had my heart skipping a beat. This was such a wonderful story, it’s Christmas theme and snowy locale is destined to stir up some holiday spirit! Highly recommend!
I requested an advanced copy of this title from the publisher, via NetGalley, and I am voluntarily leaving my honest opinion.
I received this book from NetGalley in exchange for my fair and honest review.
I really enjoyed this story by Jennifer Snow, this was my first book I have read from this author. Overall the book was well written, I loved the sparks between Erika and Reed, and enjoyed watching as Erika realized there is much more to life than only working 24/7. I would certainly recommend this book to others.
This is a fun second chance- best friends sibling years later romance. Alaska setting for this one which is just wonderful with surgeon on vacation- now grown up older brother bartender and search and rescue lead. This one has a bit of adventure with it as well! Loved getting the setting up of the series with side characters – Cassie and Tank, and others.
Can’t wait for more of this series!
4.5 stars
4 steam
Once again, I’m kicking myself for not going to the University of Alaska for my undergrad–all these Alaskan-set romances make it sound amazing 🙂
An Alaskan Christmas is an enemies-to-lovers / best friend’s older brother / holiday romance–so much catnip in there! (Christmas isn’t actually a huge part of the story, though, so be warned. The title makes it sound a lot more Christmas-sy than it actually is. Yes, story events take place during the Christmas season, but the holiday isn’t really a part of the plot at all, which did make me question the choice of title here.)
I enjoyed Erika and Reed’s story, and loved Diva, Cassie’s (Reed’s sister / Erika’s friend) narcoleptic husky puppy, who managed to add a lighthearted note to the story even when the main characters weren’t always putting their best selves forward. Both Erika and Reed had some pretty significant individual work to do before they could get to their HEA–she needed to brush up on people skills and figure out how to work *and* have a life; he also needed to work on prioritizing and they both had family issues–so though they got over the “enemies” portion of their romance rather quickly, getting them all the way to the relationship finish line took some doing and made for a sweet ending.
Reed’s work on the search and rescue teams was a real highlight of the book; I’m hoping that future books will feature his teammates–surely they all deserve HEAs too? 😉
Jennifer Snow was a new-to-me author; I’ll be keeping an eye out for the next book in the series to be released–fingers crossed that it’ll be Cassie’s (and Diva’s!) story!
Rating: 4 stars / B+
I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy of this book
I absolutely loved “An Alaskan Christmas (Wild River #1)” by Jennifer Snow. Erika is obsessed with her career so much so that her father and the staff at the hospital send her on a ‘vacation.’ She decides to go back to Wild River, where she grew up, and reconnect with her best friend Cassie Reynolds.
Reed is Cassie’s brother and he played an important part in Erika’s past. It takes time to come home but eventually Erika slows down and enjoys herself. This book has quite a bit going on with past and present. Lots of excitement and it is a VERY STEAMY novel.
After reading the second book in this series, I knew I had to go back and find out more about Cassie’s brother Reed and her best friend Erika. I sure am glad I did! An Alaskan Christmas was fire! Like, if Reed was a firefighter instead of search and rescue, it would be a four-alarm fire.
Dr. Erika comes off to everyone around her as standoffish, prickly, and way too obsessed with her career. While all of those things may be true, the reader figures out relatively quickly that she’s none of those things. She just needs a good lay and a man to keep her interested in a repeat performance.
Reed Reynolds is that man. He’s better than a good lay, he’s a good man, and while he has issues of his own with his family and his career, unlike Erika, he knows how to separate them to have a work/life balance.
Erika, originally from Wild River, is forced into a vacation by her father, who she works with at the hospital in Anchorage (And frankly, I didn’t like him very much, which was the intent of the author I’m sure). Deciding she wants to reconnect with her best friend from high school, Erika heads to Wild River for two weeks-which to Erika is like a death sentence to be gone from work. When she arrives at Cassie’s she is surprised to see her brother Reed again. He’s no longer the teenage boy she remembers.
I liked the depth to An Alaskan Christmas with all of Erika’s issues being front and center because the reality is, we all have issues and we all have things we need to work on that are difficult. The same can be said for Reed, though you’ll find it easier to overlook his issues what with his hotness and all *laughing*
If you’re looking for a fun new series that has all the steam, all the feels, all the danger of search and rescue in Alaska, all the love, and a sweet doggo who will make you smile, then you want to start the Wild River series today!
I really enjoyed this book! It’s amazing how we can’t see what we have that’s right before our eyes. Sometimes it takes a disaster to open your eyes and make you quite fighting yourself. Great job! Thanks for the great book!
When workaholic doctor Erika Sheraton is forced to take a vacation at Christmas, she doesn’t know what to do with herself. A hasty call to Cassie, her best friend growing up, has her heading back to her hometown of Wild River, Alaska.
When Eirka gets to Wild River, she has absolutely no idea what to do with herself while there. She’s not the same girl she was growing up there. She’s polished and sophisticated and doesn’t fit in that well with the down to earth Cassie and Cassie’s brother Reed. Oh boy does Cassie remember Reed. He was the bane of Erika’s existence growing up, and the one that got lost with her that night in the woods. Now though, Reed’s all grown up and looking very hot. He runs a search and rescue team in Wild River as needed, while also helping his friend Tank run the bar he owns.
That’s where Erika sees him for the first time. Cassie had picked Erika up and had driven her to Tank’s bar for some drinks. Both women were trying adjust to the other as adults, since they hadn’t seen or talked to each other in years, and Cassie thought that a few drinks at the bar might loosen the tension.
The sparks that fly between Reed and Erika are enough to set the Alaskan wilderness on fire, and when they finally connect, it’s HOT!!
Erika’s called back to Washington after the trials she proposed for a new treatment option gets approved and the two try to have a long distance relationship. With all the stress Erika has to deal with from the hospital and the trial, she lets her relationship falter. It’s only when something major happens to Reed, does she realize what’s truly important.
This is such a good book!! The writing, the storyline, the characters. You willingly get taken to cold, snowy Alaska in the winter, but the heat between Erika and Reed will keep you warm. I really can’t wait for Tank and Cassie’s story either!! Definitely one clickable!!
** I received an ARC from Netgalley and HQN and this is my honest and voluntary review.
This is a story about a doctor who falls in love while visiting her friend. It’s a steamy, then a shaky romance with other scenes that involve search and recuse missions, including a pivotal moment in the last quarter of the book. The plot was simple and predictable, the writing could have been more engaging, and the setting too generic to feel like Alaska. The last quarter of the book held the most appeal.
An Alaskan Christmas has left it’s mark embedded in my heart. Reed and Erika are the sweetest example of what Snow does best. The emotion is real enough to swallow you whole. Feelings are deep enough to swim in. With characters that prove themselves as irresistible as they are unpredictable, it’s no wonder I couldn’t help but fall in love. Heartache gives way to second chances with a hand from a hint of Christmas magic.
Erika has been ORDERED to take a vacation. A vacation is what she DOES NOT want. So, she is determined to make the best of a bad situation. She contacts an old friend, Cassie, and heads off for an adventure in Wild River, Alaska. And an adventure is just what she finds, along with something she was not looking for…love.
Reed is Cassie’s brother. He runs a search-and-rescue team. He and Erika knock heads a few times, but it just leads them to discover what they love about each other. I enjoyed Reed. He is tough, smart and HOT! What’s not to love. He and Erika make a great pair!
Give me a book set in Alaska and I am hooked. This is a sweet holiday romance with an edge. Check it out today!
I received this novel from the publisher for a honest review.
Erika and Reed’s love story in An Alaskan Christmas by Jennifer Snow, book 1 in A Wild River series, is a friends to lovers and best friend’s brother trope as well as intriguing, sexy, and an enjoyable tale. Not knowing where to go when forced to take a vacation right before Christmas, workaholic Dr. Erika Sheraton decides to head to Wild River, Alaska where she grew up. Her friend Cassie owns a tour company that offers adventures to fit each visitor, but it’s her brother, Reed, who makes Erika’s heart race. Reed doesn’t remember Erika being so strong, skilled, and confident. She’s exactly what his search-and-rescue team needs and maybe what’s been missing from his life. When Erika returns to her big city hospital she wonders if small town living and being near Reed just might be a better fit for her.
Ms. Snow wrote a fun, flirty, sexy romance that should not be missed. She provided a tale rich with emotions, sexual chemistry, humor, wonderful dialogue, and endearing characters giving Erika and Reed a chance at a forever love. I highly recommend An Alaskan Christmas to other readers and look forward to the next book in this series.
I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book.