From the number one New York Times bestselling author of the Thoughtless series comes a sweet, thoughtful romance set high in the Alaskan wilderness.Mallory Reynolds is a driven woman fueled by her passion for photographing wild animals in remote locations. Every year she makes a trek deep into Alaska, but this time the unthinkable happens: she crash-lands after her plane stalls out in a storm. … stalls out in a storm. Injured, vulnerable, and threatened by the very creatures she loves, Mallory fears the worst—until she’s rescued by Michael Bradley, a mysterious mountain man living in self-imposed exile.
Mallory is grateful for Michael’s help but desperate to return home to let her family know she’s alive. Unfortunately, neither of them can leave Michael’s secluded cabin until spring. Mallory’s stuck with a stranger for months.
As Mallory recovers, a deep bond begins to form between the pair. Mallory is convinced that fate brought them together, but Michael is buried in his past, unable to move forward. Undaunted, Mallory tends to Michael’s heart as tenderly as he cared for her wounds—but will her love be enough to heal him?
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3.5 stars for me
This one is a definite slow burn and very different to her other stories. Not that that’s a bad thing at all.
Michael the broken recluse rescues Mallory from the Alaskan wilds. They are then forced together until it’s safe to leave in the Spring. The book felt a little slow to start and it took me a little to get into it. BUT when I did, when I found my connection with the characters I really enjoyed it. There were moments when I loved these characters and moments when I wanted to slap them. Any book that gets a big reaction is a good read in my books.
I’m not going to say much because I think this one is best if you go in blind and have some patience until they find their voice.
I received an ARC of this book.
I will say the biggest draw for me to Under the Northern Lights was that it was written by SC Stephens. After Kellan Kyle, I think many people gravitate toward her books. I think that has a backlash, though, too because many of her books are very different than Thoughtless.
Under the Northern Lights was a good book. Many people had problems with the religious aspects thrown in, but I will say that was not a problem at all for me. SC Stephens did a great job making Mallory and Michael both feel real; I understood their emotions and what they were going through. I did like that it was a slow burn throughout, but did feel as if the ending could have had a little more to it (once they meet up).
I look forward to more books by SC Stephens!
A sweet and endearing love story that takes place in the heart of the Alaskan wilderness. Slightly terrifying at times, heartbreaking at others, this story talks of loss, loss of a loved one, loss of faith in humanity, loss of faith in a higher power and how one person has dealt with his grief. Alone, Mallory makes her annual trip to photograph Alaskan wildlife. It’s her passion. Her calling. Until the unthinkable happens and her world is turned up side down. Surviving is the only option. It’s the only thing that matters. And that’s what she does. Until another harrowing experience leaves her at the mercy of the very animals she adores. Her savior comes in the form of a harsh looking man that helps her and takes her to his cabin. Where she will be stuck all winter long. Other than her family thinking she is dead, she may as well make the most of it. Slowly they begin to form a friendship. That for her blooms into more. But is he evne capable, or willing to open himself up to her? Or anyone? Deeply passionate and terrifying in equal measure, this story will leave you satisfied and the vivid way Alaska and it’s beauty are painted it certainly makes for some pleasant images. A well written and beautiful tale that deserves all the stars.
I did see, prior to picking up this book to read, reviews saying there was lot of religious aspects to this story – usually an insta-NO for me.
However, as this was a SC Stephens book, I decided to read this one.
And whilst I kind of liked it, it was also kind of meh for me. Not just for the religious overtones either.
I think the main thing that didn’t do it for me was Mallory.
I liked Michael, I loved how he stuck by his thoughts and what he wanted to do. I hated that Mallory pushed him to do things different, didn’t take no for an answer, then when he asked er to do something, she was like nope, not happening. Pot, meet kettle.
The whole story just felt a little light on… everything. I don’t know, this one just wasn’t for me (and I hate saying that, because this is Kellan Kyle’s mum).
I know I am probably one of the rare readers in this community that hasn’t read the Thoughtless series. Oh, I am well aware of who Kellan Kyle is and the enormous love readers have for him, but the trope in his storyline is one I don’t like reading about, so I’ve always had this awkward, uncomfortable feeling, because I want in on the S.C. Stephens lovefest, but how do I do that when I haven’t read any of her books yet? When this book was announced, I was so excited because the premise of a wilderness photographer crash landing her plane and trying to survive a winter in Alaska while injured was so fascinating to me. I couldn’t wait to get started reading this!
Mallory was a huge inspiration to me. She was someone who was living her dream of one day becoming a huge success at being a wildlife photographer. She knew what she wanted and went after it, even when everyone around her was trying to hold her back. Not because they didn’t want her to succeed, but because they always feared for her safety when she would take off in her little plane. And I guess this time around, they were right to worry!
Having Michael find her in the woods was purely a Godsend. And while I’m on that train of thought, I will address all the reviews I read where people complained and had less than nice things to say about the fact that Mallory’s religious beliefs were a huge part of her life. Yes, she prayed a lot and had a steadfast belief in God, but that is just how her character was. It wasn’t overbearing and the story didn’t get overrun with preaching or proselytizing, it was merely a vehicle to show who she was, and in effect, how different she was from Michael in that respect. So if religion is not your thing, that is no reason to cut down the author or give the book a one star rating. That would be like me getting angry at an author who created a character who smoked, for example. It is not something I like, but that is what the character does, so who am I to bitch and gripe about it?
Michael was a character who really cemented a place in my heart. He suffered through a horrific tragedy that in effect drove him far away from God and put him at odds with Mallory when it came to having faith or believing in a higher power. It truly drove him away from everyone and everything, living out his life in a secluded cabin for the past five years. Having Mallory crash land practically in his back yard was the last thing he could have ever expected to happen. And then over time, for him to develop feelings for her? That was truly not something he though would ever happen again, or anything he felt he was capable of doing.
This was a slow burn romance that at times, proceeded at a pace that was a little too slow for me, but then again I am impatient when it comes to the Hero and heroine figuring out their feelings for one another. S.C. does an amazing job of detailing what life is like out in the middle of nowhere, with no modern conveniences to get you through each day, just what nature provides you with. I would love to try living like that, but probably for just a few weeks. I don’t think I would make a very good mountain woman.
My heart was in my throat as the time that Mallory and Michael were spending together was coming to an end. Now that Mallory is heading home after a long winter stuck in the wilderness, will these two succumb to the feelings that have been building between them? How do they overcome the insurmountable obstacles that stand in their way of being together?
I am so happy that I read this story! Wilderness survival stories always fascinate me, and S.C. really knocked this one out of the park! I’m excited for everyone to experience Mallory and Michael’s story!
I received an advance review copy of this book from Netgalley in exchange for my honest review.
This is my first SC Stephens ARC. I requested to read it on Net Galley and was lucky enough to be granted the chance. I was practically happy dancing. The Thoughtless Series was one of my fave series, and I have every paperback. Kellan Kyle was one of my fave book boyfriends!
Oh man… Where do I even begin? I love the story…. I admit, it was a slow burn for me but its part of what makes this story great. I’ve never been on a plane crash and I have never been lost in the cold wilderness of Alaska— I can only imagine almost every part that was described…. but I have been in a relationship and I have experienced tremendous loss… and while people deal with grief differently, I understand their love-story has to be written this way.
I can relate about Michael’s resentment towards God but at the same time I can also relate to Mallory’s gratefulness towards God. I’m Catholic and while I’m far from being called religious, I do try to make time to pray and go to church. I think it’s awesome to point out about the little things we tend to take for granted… like waking up alive, or thankful for our eyesight… or limbs. Or knowing our family is still around…
I felt every emotion—the frustration, the anger… the helplessness… and I also felt the grief… the wariness and the love… This story will surely pull on your heartstrings. I never thought this one will be an emotional read, but it is—well at least to me.
Michael’s stubbornness and resistance was exasperating and Mallory was almost pathetic waiting for a scrap of affection, but it made for a great build-up… for the thrill… like you’re climbing up and waiting whether to jump over the precipice or not… and when they finally did, it was such a relief but still painful at the same time.
While I was reading, I kept on thinking… this would make an awesome movie. There’s action, there’s drama and romance…
I think this is the best book the author has ever written… my only complain is that the ending seemed hanging. I wish there was an epilogue of them starting a family. The romantic sap in me needs it, lol But who knows, maybe they will have a novella.
Like I said I love this book. It’s not a quick and easy read but I finished it overnight. It was too captivating to put down. This story will teach you to have faith in God and to have faith in the goodness of others… it also teaches you to be brave and to take risks…
If you love Devney Perry, A.L Jackson and Kennedy Ryan, or if you’re simply looking for something heartwarming to read, then this is the book to pick up next!
There are a couple of things I hate and DNFing a book is one of them.
Rarely I came across a book that just doesn’t suit me but when I do, it’s really hard to end it especially if I already read more than half of the book.
While once I finished it no matter what, lately I stopped doing that because there are just too many good books out there to spent my time on the ones I don’t like.
First thing I don’t really like is that the MCs met at around 20 %. That’s one fifth of the book. It’s waaay too late for me.
But you know, I thought ”Eh, maybe it will get better”.
Ha, not really.
In the fifth chapter (after they already met) I came across a moment where they were talking and the whole conversation turned religious. Now, I am Christian but I really don’t like to read about religious aspects in the books. They are not my cup of tea. I like my books simple, deep with emotions and yes, with heat between characters. When I got to this conversation, I was like ”Please, don’t let it be like Return of the Song” (book I once also requested on NetGalley and it turned out to be a Christian romance with no emotions, no heat, anything I liked in book – you can see the review here). Because if there’s religion mentioned in a conversation there’s a mild possibility that there will be no passion in the book, not the one I would like.
But as I did before, I continued reading because maybe it will happen just this once and not anymore.
One thing that also bothered me was too detailed descriptions of animal killing and preparing for food. I have a ”slight” idea where food came from, I really don’t need the details. It was just so hard to read about it…
Sometimes I thought that while the author mentioned a lot of things, she forgot to include the basics. For example, when she crashed and rescued herself from the plane in the forest, she mentioned that her fingers are so cold and she needs to warm them otherwise she’ll need to cut them or something. But then a couple of pages later she wore warm gloves. Umm, what? Maybe she got them from her first-aid kit but it wasn’t mentioned and it left me confused. Another example: In another chapter, they were making pancakes. He goes to civilization twice a year. Where does he get eggs? How did they make the pancakes if not with eggs? Why is this not mentioned if the author goes in details with animal cutting?
Her injuries were mentioned also in details, yet when they both came to his cabin, she was already up and running in a couple of days. With her injuries, I thought she would need more than a week to recover! (not an expert here though)
At around 60 % they had a big conversation about why he chose a cabin away from people. He said some things that made me think that he will not be persuaded otherwise, that the heroine can’t change his opinion, can’t change him no matter what she tried. His beliefs were strong, it was like watching two very different people, each on a different path, leading the different way, never coming across. I didn’t see the connection between them anymore.
She realised she can’t fix him (her words) and a couple pages later she thought she can. Such a contradiction.
Because I didn’t see the passion between them anymore I stopped there. I can’t bring myself to continue reading it.
I was curious though what other readers thought of this book and if the talk about religion continued. Apparently, it does and it goes beyond that and I was also right that there are no hot moments between them (except some kissing).
Even though I didn’t finish this book, I’m gonna rate it. I’m giving it two stars. Not because I want to lower the average ratings, but because this rating is more for me. So that I know what bothered me. I know many people would say why rate it if I didn’t finish it. I’ll tell you why. I think it’s important to have arguments on why rate it the way you rate it. I think that if I’d continue reading my rating wouldn’t change. Because no matter the ending, my opinion wouldn’t change. I came across so many things in this book that bothered me that those last 40 % for sure couldn’t make the book better. And because also, I’m over half of the book. I already have a clue what’s the author’s writing style, how the characters act and such. Nothing could make my rating better, not even a HEA.
This was my first book by this author, by the way.
ARC provided via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
Slovenian review and full post here: https://slovenianbookworm.wordpress.com/
Forced to live with a stranger, scared for her life and missing her family Mallory is awakened by the fact that she survived a plane crash. The burly mountain stranger lived in a remote isolated part of Alaska. Mallory learned to live a simpler life without the common luxuries.
This story was a pleasant change of pace from SC Stephens other books. I’m familiar with the Thoughtless series, the Conversion series, and the Furious Rush books. This book is nothing like those. This is a breathe of fresh air. It’s unique and doesn’t fit the typical formulaic writing of a romance.
SC Stephens wrote a beautiful story depicted with illustrious words. I felt the snow, I felt the danger, I felt the pain, and I felt the passion. She had me enveloped in her words hugging me tightly within the pages.
This was a book about two characters surviving the harsh winter storm in Alaska. While stranded for months in a cabin the chemistry between them blossomed. The subtle innuendos of desire reminds me of simpler times when people had very little distractions. Living off the land with the basics and no outside influences helped enhance the mood.
They built a solid foundation of friendship trusting in each other. They worked together as a well oiled machine. They developed a partnership of shared roles and chores.
I enjoyed the balance of surviving and bonding. The transitions were smooth. While this was written from Mallory’s perspective I felt Michael expressed himself well. I liked that this story had no supporting characters it simply focused on these two individuals with no outside disturbances or drama. Focusing on two characters in an isolated environment allowed the reader an in-depth access to reach inside their souls. Removing all outside influences and focusing on the basics stripped these characters to their rawest form.
I love the slow steady pace of the story. The dangerous activities that they encountered was typical for those living in an isolated area populated by wild animals. I love everything about this story.
I received a copy of this story from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Looking at the cover and reading the description, I thought I’d really enjoy this. Unfortunately, that wasn’t the case at all. The writing felt amateurish, the relationship seemed to develop out of nowhere, Mallory was fairly annoying as main characters go, and the “scary moments” didn’t pack any kind of punch. I was thoroughly let down on all counts. I just kept thinking to myself, “I’ve read fan fiction very, very similar to this,” and I wanted to put the book down and go read that fan fiction again.
This was a big swing and a miss for me.
This was the reclusive hero story that I’ve been wanting. Finally a hero that is reclusive not because he has a disability or is misunderstood by his community but a hero who has lived through a tragedy and gave up on humanity. Decided to leave civilization to live off the grid and survive off the land. This was actually a really refreshing read. Michael’s past still haunts him but living alone only having to be accountable for himself is what he needed to survive. Going to a crash site to scavenge for plane parts he never imagined there would be a survivor. And if Mallory is anything it’s a survivor. What I loved about this story was the survival aspect. It wasn’t just over once these two get together. No there are many occurrences while living in the wilderness that these two come to grips with their immortality even then that’s still not enough to make Michael ever want to leave the seclusion for the hustle and bustle of civilization even if it means letting Mallory go. This is definitely slow burn and slightly angsty. The bond that grows between these two is really organic and not forced. I enjoyed this story and was thrilled with how it all came together.
This had some seriously scary moments. Mallory is a wildlife photographer and she spends a couple weeks every year in the Alaskan wild lands trying to capture pictures of as many animals she can. Just the idea that she pilots a plane all by herself is scary enough. I can’t imagine then spending weeks in a tent and risking her life with all the wildlife that surrounds her for pictures. It’s pretty fascinating. Then the unthinkable happens. Her plane crashes.
5 years ago Michael left New York to live off the land in Alaska. He’s running from something from his past, lost his faith and wants nothing to do with civilization. When Mallory’s plane crashes near his cabin, he is forced to spend time with her until she is able to return back home. He must protect her form the elements and wildlife.
There’s no way you won’t be completely drawn into Mallory and Michael’s story. There were so many moments that I was hanging onto the edge of my seat. It was exciting and adventurous. I have to admit, I would love to live in the wild like this, just once. I probably wouldn’t last a month but it’s something I’ve always thought I would want to do. Second best thing is reading about it.
The only thing I didn’t exactly love about the book was the reason for why Michael chose this life. It’s a trope that isn’t a favorite of mine only because that usually means their some pushing away between the main characters. And there is. This is a slow burn and appropriate for this couple. The good thing is there was plenty of other exciting things going on besides their relationship.