This newest story in the ‘States of Love’ series with its stories of romance that span every corner of the United States, is set in Alaska. Right from the start it pulled me in with descriptions of wide open spaces and mountains, small towns where everyone knows everyone else’s business, and distances large enough that an air taxi service is considered the norm if you want to go anywhere beyond your own town. With two men who start off on a less than amiable foot - one a born Alaskan and the other a recent, if temporary, transplant - there are many opportunities to see the kind of life available in the state with the nickname “The Last Frontier”. I have never visited so far, but after reading this story, I am determined to make it happen.

JD is a guy in trouble. He is a young doctor who got caught up in taking care of the wrong patients – drug lords – because he needed money. He decided to turn state’s witness and is now in witness protection under an assumed name, working as a nurse, and living very far from the warmth of California. His surprise at finding a bear searching his garbage for edibles is as entertaining as his observations about the size of the local mosquitos and the lack of heat even though it’s early summer.

Jake is a pretty adventurous type, and his career as a pilot flying medical supplies and passengers around Alaska is a good fit for him. Jake also likes variety in his personal life, hops from one bed to the next, and is pretty indiscriminate in whom he sleeps with. It has earned him a certain reputation, and it’s bound to trip him up if he ever decides to be serious about anyone. Not that he can imagine that will ever happen – but from the first moment he sets eyes on JD, everything changes for him.

With JD not being able to tell Jake the truth about who he is, and Jake fighting his reputation, the road to romance is not an easy one for these two men. I was glad to see that both of them are equally stubborn, and between that and friends who decide to get involved in helping them figure out what’s right for them, it is still a very close call.

If you like stories set in places where the great outdoors plays an active role in everyday life, if two men with lots of baggage sound like an intriguing combination, and if you’re looking for a read with lots of local flavor, two guys who are as stubborn as they are hot, and a love story with obstacles of all types, then you will probably like this novella.


NOTE: This book was provided by Dreamspinner Press for the purpose of a review on Rainbow Book Reviews. ( )