Hi there! Today I’m sharing a Throwback Thursday review for a contemporary M/M romance from Annabeth Albert. ARCTIC WILD is the second book in her Frozen Hearts series that feature men in the Alaskan wilderness finding their soulmates.

About the book:
When a plane crashes in the Alaskan wilderness, the best place to land is in the arms of a younger man…

Hotshot attorney Reuben Graham has finally agreed to take a vacation, when his plane suddenly plunges into the Alaskan wilderness.

Just his luck.

But his frustrations have only begun as he finds himself stranded with the injured, and superhot, pilot, a man who’s endearingly sociable—and much too young for Reuben to be wanting him this badly.

As the sole provider for his sisters and ailing father, Tobias Kooly is devastated to learn his injuries will prevent him from working or even making it back home. So when Reuben insists on giving him a place to recover, not even Toby’s pride can make him refuse. He’s never been tempted by a silver fox before, but something about Reuben is impossible to resist.

Recuperating in Reuben’s care is the last thing Toby expected, yet the closer they become, the more incredibly right it feels, prompting workaholic Reuben to question the life he’s been living. But when the pressure Toby’s under starts closing in, both men will have to decide if there’s room in their hearts for a love they never saw coming.

My Review:
Reuben Graham is approaching his 48th birthday–in 2 days!!–and prepping for an Alaskan adventure trip with his friends Craig and Letitia when he gets the news he’s going solo. It’s not ideal, but this bisexual attorney is well-traveled and unwilling to let down Craig, who’s urging him to go despite this unexpected drama.

He meets his guide, Tobias Kooly, in Anchorage, and it’s not a meet-cute, per se. Reuben is recently out of a relationship, and not generally panting after younger men–while Toby isn’t usually drawn toward silver “bears” but he can’t help noticing that Reuben is a big ol’ sexy dude.

Their trip together starts inauspiciously, with Toby and Reuben feeling the tension of being opposites in personality. Reuben is quiet and staid, while Toby is dramatic and personable–which suits him as a tour guide. Reuben’s also a little annoyed with his kinda interest in a younger man who seems to be interested in women, but Toby is bi, too, and they work that business out eventually. In the meantime, just as Reuben is getting used to flying in Toby’s tincan of a seaplane, they run into really treacherous weather and crash. The only reason they aren’t both dead is Toby’s heroic flying, and he’s significantly injured in the landing. Reuben, a total city-slicker, is tasked with keeping Toby alive until help can arrive, and the storm is complicating matters.

They’re rescued, but Reuben feels responsible to continue caring for Toby, who is the main support for his family. And, Reuben’s NYC life is kind of crumbling so he allows himself a time out, renting a house that suits both himself and Toby’s care. And, has enough space to bring his teen daughter, Amelia, out for a summer of unexpected reconnection.

The more Reuben lingers in Alaska, the more he realizes his life was passing him by. His situation with Toby is a huge reset, and it’s more welcome than he could have imagined. The age gap is a bit of a stumbling block, as Toby and Reuben realize this interlude is really developing into something more than a summer fling. There’s steamy sexy moments as well as realistic connection between the MCs, and it’s really endearing how Amelia takes to Toby, and counsels her dad to live his best life, for a change.

I really enjoyed the book, and it’s got me hankering for a vacation to Alaska.

Interested? You can find ARCTIC WILD on Goodreads, Carina Press, Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and Kobo. I read a review copy provided via NetGalley.

About the Author:
Annabeth Albert grew up sneaking romance novels under the bed covers. Now, she devours all subgenres of romance out in the open—no flashlights required! When she’s not adding to her keeper shelf, she’s a multi-published Pacific Northwest romance writer.

Emotionally complex, sexy, and funny stories are her favorites both to read and to write. Annabeth loves finding happy endings for a variety of pairings and is a passionate gay rights supporter. In between searching out dark heroes to redeem, she works a rewarding day job and wrangles two children.

Find Annabeth online on her website, Goodreads, twitter and Facebook.

Thanks for popping in and keep reading my friends!