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?
more
I truly enjoyed this one. It has a unique storyline and some very intriguing characters. The story pulled all sorts of emotion from me. There are some scary parts, some humorous, and some heartwarming. Mallory and Michael have each faced life’s disappointments and pain very differently. This story is their journey to understanding and accepting each other just as they are. This was a very easy read and definitely a book I’d recommend.
Mallory is on her way to the Alaskan wild. She does that every year. She goes up there to take pictures of wild animals. That’s her job and her passion.
But this year the weather is not on her side – an unforseen storm makes her crash the plane.
She has to fight injuries, bears, wolves, and the horrible cold for a very dangerous while. But then she’s saved by Michael. He heard the plane go down and made his way through the snow to see what’s what.
He’s been living out here for five years.
But why?
Mallory is fascinated by the man. She doesn’t want to ask him, but since they have to stay in his cabin until spring, she might get him to talk about his life …. and she might fall for him – but he’s never going to leave this place – or can she convince him to start living again?
WHAT WiLL HAPPEN TO MALLORY & MICHAEL?
WILL THERE BE A HEA?
I’m such a huge #KellanKyle fan – he’s still my number one book boyfriend of all time – so anything that follows in his footsteps will have a hard time with me … But I will definitely try … almost anything.
I’m the biggest hater of anything to do with religion! And since I unfortunately read some reviews of this book on goodreads, I was pretty sure I was going to hate this story.
And yeah, the praying and touching-her-cross-necklace starts pretty early into the story and it pretty much never stops – it only gets worse once she tries to find out how Michael lost his faith …. I didn’t like it. Not one bit.
BUT – I also really wanted to keep on reading because I wanted to know why Michael checked out of his old life and what happened to him and how they would fall for each other and how the story would end.
It was hard – there was a lot of praying and faith talk. It would’ve been too much for me with almost any author, but it’s a book by Kellan’s mom and it was somewhat exciting here and there, so I didn’t want to stop reading. But I constantly felt like some missionary wanted to recruit me for their cult. Ewww.
But when we look past the whole faith sh*t. The story wasn’t really all that amazing either. Nothing I haven’t read in dozens of wilderness/snowed-in romance books before. Yes, it definitely had its exciting and suspensy and dangerous and romantic and heartbreaking and adorable and fun moments. But I was expecting so much more. So much more emotion and love and surprise. There’s almost nothing here. No real sexiness, just some church-camp kind of tame kissing. The whole quiet and serene atmosphere has this ‘holy’ kind of feel to it. Ugh.
The end was better – once Mallory finally leaves, it got a bit better. I even cried some tears.
If I had to say anything about how this book would be sold/marketed, I would either sell it exclusively as a Christian Romance (ewww). Or have a very atheist editor go through it again and remove most of that praying and god stuff and add a bit more excitement and love and chemistry, maybe even a few chapters from Michael’s POV.
OK. I don’t want to make future readers run away screaming. Please read this book. It’s a pretty ok snow adventure romance thingy. There were definitely good moments. But for me, today, there was just not enough to fall in love with this book and the people in it. Sorry.
UNDER THE NORTHERN LIGHTS was a sweet & exciting Alaska snow romance! Run to your nearest amazon for your own Michael!
… another thing that bothered me – and it’s just me being weird again, I know that …
Some authors use expressions that they learned back home, from grandma etc. and it’s totally ok to use them in your books, BUT if you do, I think only one character should use them, not all of them. Especially when they’re strangers from different parts of the country and haven’t grown up together!
In this case (like in all of her books) it was EVEN STILL & SO LONG AS. Ugh, I hate these two expressions!
“We needed to be extremely cautious with each other, because despite everything out there that might hurt us—being mauled by a bear, frozen in a river, impaled by a felled tree, or lost for all eternity in the woods—losing our hearts to each other might be the deadliest of all.”
Yes, I’m one of the millions of readers who enjoyed the author’s Thoughtless series. So, of course, I was excited to get my hands on another of her stories. Though I must say, this is very very different, in every way.
What started my nailbiting was knowing in advance that Mallory’s plane was going to crash. I had already read it in the synopsis, so it was just a matter of surviving the experience since I knew she would survive the crash. But I wasn’t sure I would, that was scary as shit!
And then, once she made it through that harrowing ordeal, I was back to gnawing on my nubs as she faced the elements. Alone. In the wilderness. Injured. With hungry animals. Even though I knew she was going to be rescued—that was in the synopsis too—I was still on the edge of my seat worried for her as she fought to stay conscious and safe from attack. Because… she wasn’t safe!
For those of you that follow my reviews, this is not what I usually read. It’s more of a PG-rated slow burn rather than a turbo boosted steamy romance. What made it interesting for me was the close look at what it takes to live in a remote location without any of the modern conveniences. The dangers that I never considered and the work required to just eat or bathe. This experience takes ‘outhouse’ to a whole nother level. It really made me appreciate my toilet, bathtub, and refrigerator. I thought being at a location without WiFi was roughing it. Even though I’d been a big fan of Little House on the Prairie back in the day, I didn’t have a clue what ‘off the grid’ meant until I experienced it through Mallory’s eyes.
Michael is beyond broken. He’s living in the wild by choice. He’s doing without when he doesn’t have to. It’s more about giving up people than material things. Are you as curious as I was to find out why? That really kept me intrigued for a long time before I finally learned the reason for his self-isolation. “He was too broken for me to fix. The two of us falling into a passionate relationship…it wouldn’t just be a bad idea. It would be catastrophic.
The author’s writing is very smooth and her words made me feel like I was right there, feeling the cold of the snow and the fear of all the dangers that they faced. It was a thought-provoking tale that gave me a new respect for those that live in the wilderness.
Characters = 3/5
Plot = 3/5
Romance = 2/5
Mystery = 1/5
Action = 4/5
Darkness = 2/5
Humor = 0/5
Stars = 3
Would I read future books by this author = Yes
Completely different feel than other books I’ve read by this author. I almost thought it was completely different author.
Loved the blurb but when it came down to reading the book it wasn’t for me. It was too slow. Maybe too clean. The danger was good though.
The characters were just okay. I didn’t have a huge connection to them.
-Mallory was pushy, forgetful, and sometimes too sweet. Always thought of her feelings before anything else.
-Michael was a recluse and very closed off. Past trauma damaged him for sure.
Both are unsure what is right. Does one leave or does the other stay?!?
The ending was sweet. Well deserved HEA.
90% of book took place in a one bedroom cabin—pretty darn boring and predictable.
This story is an emotional slow burning romance and it take place in cold, desolate Alaska. Two people are brought together through a chance of fate and it changes their lives forever. They weren’t looking for love but find it in the most unusual way when they are thrown together. This is a sweet and tender love story filled with emotion. The characters are flawed and unforgettable and the story is intricately weaved.
Mallory, a pilot and a photographer takes her annual trip to Alaska. She pilots her small plane to do what she loves, photograph animals in the wild. After the plane Mallory is piloting crashes in the wilderness, she is stuck in a cabin with Michael, a reclusive man with secrets. Even though he is aloof, an attraction slowly grows between them.
Michael, a big brooding mountain man with a lot of baggage rescues Mallory. Michael, hurt and grief stricken, left his life behind and now is living in isolation in Alaska. Michael lives in Alaska by himself because he is running away from demons he refuses to share with with anyone, including Mallory. Michael and Mallory slowly get to know each other when they are stuck together for months with no way to get to the nearest city. Life in Alaska is not easy and totally different from anything Mallory has ever known. Mallory is good for Michael. She has a big heart, but is it big enough to get Michael to open up and live again. This is an intriguing story by S. C. Stephens.
S.C. Stephens is a new to me author and since I started reading this novel at 1:00 a.m., couldn’t put it down, and it’s now 6:00 a.m., and when I’m reading a story that draws me in so completely that sleep becomes irrelevant, where the characters have substance and depth, that’s a 5-star romance novel to me, and Under the Northern Lights certainly deserves those 5 stars.
Mallory Reynolds is an accomplished wildlife photographer, finally earning a living doing what she loves although her parents, who own and operate a diner have tried to convince her to get a real 9 to 5 job, photographing wildlife in distant and remote locations is what she loves, and when she flies her Piper Cub solo into one of her favorite locations, the Alaskan wilderness, where she’ll camp for several weeks, and hopefully manage to take some fabulous photographs of the native wildlife that will forward her career, she’s pumped and excited. Although the weather reports have told her that she’ll be flying in good, clear weather, storm clouds are descending on her small aircraft, and she decides to try to find a flat place to land until the storm passes, but then it starts sleeting, and visibility is so poor she can’t see the ground, and she’s flying into mountainous terrain. She’s flown this route before and knows there is a good, flat landing spot on the other side of two mountains, gets a break in the clouds that allows her to fly between them and thinks she’s home free, but then her engine stalls, she can’t restart it, her plane dropping so low that she can’t help crashing into the the forested area below, eventually hitting the ground, her plane a total wreck. When she regains consciousness, she realizes that she’s badly injured, alone in the middle of the Alaskan wilderness which is teeming with wildlife, like grizzly bears, moose, and packs of wolves, and she slowly and painfully extricates herself from the twisted wreckage of her plane and tries to gather what few supplies remain on board, and search for her necessities survival pack, knowing that she must find shelter before nightfall, find the rifle she always keeps on board when heading off into the wilderness, start a fire to keep warm, and stop herself from bleeding out from her leg injury, knowing that she also has broken ribs, can barely breathe because of them, and can only hobble along on one leg. She manages to get it done despite being in shock and in excruciating pain. This is one determined and resourceful heroine, and she manages to keep herself alive for a couple of days, wondering how she’ll ever get out of this terrifying situation, which becomes even more terrifying when, smelling blood, she’s surrounded by a pack of hungry wolves. She manages to shoot a couple of them, and the rest keep coming closer when suddenly someone out of nowhere shoots the wolf ready to attack her and scares away the rest of the pack.
Mallory’s surprise rescuer is Michael Bradley, who she learns has been living alone in the Alaskan wilderness for the past 5 years. Michael manages to get Mallory to his cabin, it was a one day walk for him to get to her, but 4-day trek back to his cabin towing Mallory there on an improvised travois, fashioned out of some the plane wreckage and branches. While stitching up her leg, she learns that he was a doctor, but he’s a man of very few words, with a past he’s more than a little reluctant to discuss, and Mallory is intrigued by his reasons for living in total isolation.
Since there is no way to communicate with her family to let them know she’s alive, no way to call for a rescue, and no way Michael can fly her out because his own small plane is out of commission, Mallory learns that she’ll be spending the winter in Michael’s cabin, and does her best to help with the many labor-intensive chores required to assure their survival as soon as she’s healed enough to help. She’s intrigued by this handsome though wild haired and scraggly bearded mystery man, impressed by his excellent care of her, impressed by his survival skills and surprised by his generosity toward her, her presence requiring him to double their supply of food to make it through the long and brutal Alaskan winter.
If you’re looking for some wild and wicked sexy stuff between these two characters, you won’t soon find it. Instead, Ms. Stephens has written a poignant, touching tale of a broken man, still in love with his wife who was murdered 5 years earlier. The fact that she didn’t have to die has made him bitter and made him lose faith in God and in humans, who heard her screams for help but didn’t want to get involved. What begins as a slowly building friendship between Mallory and Michael simmers as their forced proximity gives them time to learn more about each other, although it takes Mallory’s interest and questions that finally get Michael to open up to her, and he fights opening up tooth and nail. Mallory finds herself slowly falling for a man who says he has no heart, no love to give, and who plans to stay in his cabin in the middle of nowhere forever. Michael can’t help but feel attracted to Mallory, but says he has nothing to give her. Once the engine part he needs to fix his plane arrives, he plans to fly her back to civilization, but he also plans to head right back to his cabin in the wilderness.
The long winter is not without its perils either, a hungry wolf tearing up the cabin and eating their supplies, a sudden whiteout blizzard while out checking Michael’s trap line, leaving them blind with no way to get back to the safety of the the cabin, and even a grizzly bear attack, and through it all, Michael and Mallory manage to work through it together, each incident drawing them closer together–but only as far as Michael will allow.
Mallory knows she’s falling in love with a man who says he can offer her no future, and who she knows she’ll have to leave as soon as spring arrives. There’s plenty of angst and heartache along the way as these two try to come to terms with their growing feelings for one another and the impossibility of them ever having a long-term relationship since the reality is that they choose to live in two different worlds. As their feelings for one another grow, they both sense the futility they are facing and the decision they will each have to make. It all made for a deeply felt, deeply moving and highly emotional read, one that had me in tears more than once, and I absolutely loved every minute of it. While I was shocked to see some of the negative reviews of this novel, I can only say that it worked just fine for me, and I cannot wait to read more from this author.
I voluntarily read an advance reader copy of this novel. The opinions expressed are my own.
1 like
Every once in awhile I need a “ I wonder what would happen if……” book to enchant me , and this one did. Snowbound in Alaska, nobody for miles, 2 people hurting for 2 very different reasons, must work both separately and together to survive. At times I felt the time seemed to drag, but that’s what the author was trying to convey, right? So, all-in-all, I enjoyed the journey the protagonists shared, both singularly and dually . A warm and fuzzy read, which I needed and enjoyed. Thanks, Author !
I was pleasantly surprised especially after reading the mixed reviews. Hence why I rarely read reviews. I prefer to make up my own mind. Ms. Stephens wastes no time jumping right into the action. UTNL was a heartbreaking love story born of the harshest conditions. I was glad to see the author have her characters “stick to their guns” when it would’ve been much easier to give most of the readers what they wanted. I was amazed that I was so enthralled in a story that 99% of the time only revolved around two characters. The author does an amazing job immersing her readers in the remote Alaskan wilderness.
I selected this book based on the theme of surviving a plane crash in the brutal, remote Alaskan wilderness. With a romantic title like “Under the Northern Lights,” I should have guess it would involve romance. What I didn’t expect was the tender, emotional, bittersweet romance described in the story. A win win! Not only did I enjoy an atmospheric Alaskan experience, with bits of adventure and survival, but I also got caught up in the moving and beautifully descriptive relationship between the protagonist and her rescuer during their months in an isolated cabin. I love when a book makes me feel as though I’m there. This book transported me atmospherically and emotionally. Well done!
I prefer books that are go by the saying “show don’t tell”. This book was predictable but romantic. Not for me.
Not what I was looking for.
If you’re looking for bodice ripping, man comes and saves her, well you will love this book. Lots of touching emotional moments alone and together. A bit too cliche for me.
4 Stars
Review by Lisa
Late Night Reviewer
Up All Night w/ Books Blog
This book starts off with such a bang I was glued from there on out!!!! Under the Northern Lights by S. C. Stephens is a wonderful story about keeping your faith, your will to survive, forgiveness, coming home and so much more. Oh, don’t forget a bit of drama!! Ms. Stephens takes us in a different direction from your normal writing and hits it out of the ballpark with this one.
The depth of writing shows such powerful emotions that you feel what they are going through and want to believe in them. Some might say the religious aspects hurts the book, but I feel that it is part of the book and you need it to understand the story as a whole. Everyone believes in different things or forces and that’s ok. Don’t let that stop you from reading this wonderful story.
Mallory escapes to Alaska on yearly trips to photograph the untouched wilderness. When a storm takes her and her plain down, things do not look good until Micheal finds her. From then on out, it is a slow recovery and living in the winter in Alaska with nothing around for miles and miles. What could go wrong? Could they go right?
We are taken on a journey with these two souls, one lost and one found to the spring thaw. What a remarkable journey they take.
Overall a powerful story. Well written. Can’t wait to see what this author comes up with next.
***3 Stars***
The cover was what had me taking a closer look at this book and between the blurb peaking my interest ~ the whole falling in love with your rescuer thing did it for me ~ and the fact that the author was one who I’d wanted to read for awhile, I figured I’d give it a go and overall it was a good read, but not an amazing read like I’d hoped it would be. Between the pacing tending to drag and my conflicting feelings over the actions of one of the MC’s (Mallory) I had a hard time getting fully invested in the story and feeling like I needed more out of the romance, especially at the end.
I really wish I liked this one more than I did because while the attention to detail did slow things down, it still showed me how much time she put in to researching the Alaskan wild and all the dangerous beauty that resides in it and I totally appreciated that aspect of things. But despite my tepid feelings towards this book, I still want to read some of the authors previous books and will hopefully get to them one day.
Mallory is a wildlife photographer facing one of my own biggest fears…Every year she travels through Alaska to take pictures of the animals. This year though, the plane she is flying herself (how kickass is that !!) goes down. Damn I hate flying !!!
Thankfully she lives, and is saved by a mountain man 😛
Michael has been running from his past and living a secluded life in Alaska for the last 5 years. Mallory (literally) crashing into his life forces him to change his ways. She is depending on him to keep her safe…
This was definitely an adventurous read and there were times I was sitting at the edge of my seat. The romance part was a bit too slow burn for me though… It wasn’t anything like the “Thoughtless” series. That’s not to say that it wasn’t good…just very different.
I also wasn’t a huge Mallory fan. She came off as a bit pushy and I really don’t like that trade in my heroines… It reeks of desperation. Also the religion parts…not a huge fan.
Michael was a great guy, though he had his own hang-ups to deal with. All in all, I enjoyed this story but it didn’t blow me away like I hoped it would.
Reviews by the Wicked Reads Review Team
Veronica –
Under the Northern Lights has life threatening moments that had my heart in my mouth. From Mallory’s plane crashing at the start of the book, to encounters with wild animals, and other incidents that could easily lead to death in the wilderness of Alaska in the middle of winter, the danger is ever present. These times had me on the edge of my seat, frantically reading to see what would happen, hoping and praying that Mallory and Michael would be safe. Other parts of the story are taken up with the mundane of life and the story slowed right down.
The relationship between Michael and Mallory is a very slow burn and at times I was frustrated with Michael and it had me worried I wasn’t invested enough in the outcome of their relationship. Turns out I was I was way more invested than I realised because the closer I got to the end, the more this couple made heart bleed until I was eventually a great big sobbing mess.
Under the Northern Lights is a wonderful, emotion-filled romance dealing with issues around grief, hope, and faith. I loved it. It gets a solid four stars from me.
Mary –
Mallory is a nature and wildlife photographer and she takes a trip to Alaska once a year for a few weeks. On her own and in her own plane, and she comes home with some great photos. But this year she has a problem, her plane stalls and she crash lands in who-knows-where Alaska. She is hurt, her plane is in pieces, and her stuff is scattered for what looks like miles. She has to get her tent up so she can protect herself from the frigid cold of overnight.
Michael has been alone in Alaska for five years and he likes it that way. After a terrible event in the city, Michael has moved to the wilds because he doesn’t like being around humans anymore. When he heard the plane crash, he thought no one could have survived and he would make his way to it and see if he could salvage parts for his own plane. He was not expecting to find Mallory alive.
As Mallory heals and begins to trust Michael, feelings begin to grow between them both. There have been sparks between them from the beginning, but this sizzle lives just under the surface. As they grow closer, Michael seems to pull back because he is still living in parts of his past and he cannot let it go. He feels guilty for what they are feeling towards each other because he knows when it is time for Mallory to leave, they both will get hurt.
Can Mallory move on with her live when she leaves Michael? Will Michael be able to forget what started with Mallory? Will there ever be a chance for Mallory and Michael?
I was glued to this story from the beginning, it was intense and scary, but I found I couldn’t put it down. I had to know what happened next in the wilds of Alaska. The only thing I wanted more of was the ending, but I guess it ended the way it should have.
Yes, this is the same author who wrote the Thoughtless series with Kellan Kyle but there is no Kellan here. It is a different story and Mallory is a religious person and she prays to God to keep her safe from being eaten by wolves and bears. And her faith is what helps her survive. I don’t think it takes away from the story at all. So don’t let that keep you from reading this great story about Mallory and Michael.
Avid Reader –
M/F Romance
Mallory is a photographer who loves nature. While her family doesn’t quite understand why she loves it, she is done explaining her job and her love of it to her family. When she’s flying to her next destination, she runs into trouble. While she doesn’t know her next steps, she knows that she wants to live.
Michael is living off the grid. After a traumatic experience, this ex-doctor decided that people were not to be trusted. When he finds Mallory, he knows that he can help. Michael is a tricky character to get to know. He’s incredibly closed off and at times, I wanted to scream at him. He was so infuriating.
Overall, this was not like the other S.C. Stephens books that I’ve read. This was much more dialogue than romance. They were forced friends who became real friends. However, they lacked chemistry for me. Also, both were so timid in how they approached their relationship that it kind of dragged on.
While it was a well-developed story, it missed the mark for me. I wanted a more involved relationship between these two. More than the push and pull of what could have been, might have been, or might be.
Mary Jo –
Mallory’s a freelance photographer who spends a few weeks every winter at her remote Alaskan cabin. Only this year, the weather doesn’t cooperate, and she crashes her small plane in the wilderness. Surviving the crash, now Mallory must survive the elements, which includes wolves and bears.
Michael finds Mallory and takes her back to his cabin. During the course of the winter, Michael and Mallory forge an uneasy friendship, then a true friendship. Michael can’t let go of his wife’s death and can’t commit to anything long-term with Mallory.
Mallory knows that Michael is the one for her, but she respects his decision to live his life in seclusion while she returns to her life.
The real question is, does absence make the heart grow fonder? Or is it just something people say when they don’t know what to say?
Reviewers received a free copy of this book to read and review for Wicked Reads.
Check out our Under the Northern Lights post on Wicked Reads at http://bit.ly/WRUndrNrthrnLts
Kind of long and drawn out, boring at times.
What a journey this book was.
Mallory is such a strong woman to have her passion and be willing to put herself out there for that passion. Not many women would take themselves out to the wilderness alone. The passion for her photography her leading force. When forced with disaster she was determined to do what was needed for survival.
Michael has been living this life of solitude and survival for too long. Giving up on humanity after his tragic loss. Holding on to the grief and using it to push him through the days.
When he finds Mallory alive in the woods, he is determined to help her heal and get her home. He never expected her to participate in the day to day or the benefits of company in his quiet solitude. They say time will heal all wounds but is it possible that a certain person or situation can do the healing.
I loved these characters and the transformation that they go through. A wonderful book.
Under the Northern Lights by S.C. Stephens was such a surprisingly sweet story. Every year Mallory Reynolds travels to Alaska to photograph in remote locations. But this time she crashes into the wilderness she loves. Afraid for her life, she is surprised to be a rescued by a man living in the mountains. Michael Bradley has chosen to live outside the world by choice and Mallory entering his life changes everything. Because of his choices, they could not get help until the Spring and now they were stuck together.
Mallory and Michael begin to get to know each other and feelings emerged, even as he tries to keep her at arm’s length. His life is in the mountain, their situation only temporary. But Mallory wants more. Under the Northern Lights by S.C. Stephens was a slow burning romance that will charm you.
Happy reading.
Under the Northern Lights is the first book I’ve read by this author. It was certainly unique and well thought out. While I’m no means any sort of wilderness expert, I do however feel that Mallory was reckless by trekking into the Alaskan wilderness alone. Of course, the worst happens when she crashes her plane and then has a few harrowing interactions with wildlife.
The romance in this story was definitely a very slow burn with some random religious phrases that seemed a bit out of place but overall this was an entertaining story that kept me engaged right from the start.