FALLING FOR ALASKA - Belle Calhoune
Hachette Book Group/Forever
BUY
Brenda Larnell (A)
CONTEMPORARY ROMANCE
REVIEW: Prolific author, Belle Calhoune invites readers to travel to Moose Falls, Alaska, the fictional setting for this story, where we are introduced to the Stone family headed by the beloved matriarch, Hattie Stone. Along with Hattie, we meet her wayward son, Paul “Red” Stone, and her grandsons, Xavier, Landon, and Caleb. Xavier, Landon and Caleb left Moose Falls at an early age and lived in Arizona with their mother due to domestic violence. Miss Calhoune skillfully frameworks the turbulent childhood of the Stone brothers in the Prologue. Now, the brothers, who are adults, are back in their early childhood hometown after being summoned by Hattie, who is dying.
There are multi layers to this story that Miss Calhoune creatively blends together to produce an intriguing story. The storyline revolves around Xavier, an ex-football star and True Everett, the manager of Northern Exposure, a popular bar in Moose Falls, that happens to be owned by Hattie. Xavier and True’s romantic relationship is a “slow burn” as they both have issues that prevent them from revealing their feelings for each other. One issue is tied to the Northern Exposure. True has high hopes of owning the bar, but with the arrival of Xavier and his brothers to Moose Falls, she is not sure if her dream of ownership will be possible. Everything revolves around Hattie, and her final wishes for the brothers and their father, Paul, to continue the family’s legacy, which she lays out in a legal document. I’ll allow you to discover what all that encompasses when you read the story.
I like the Stone brothers. They are extremely close, but at the same time, different in their personalities as you will discover. I look forward to reading Landon’s and Caleb’s stories. I’m not sure how I feel about Paul, their father. The jury is still out on him although he did step up at the end of the story. Jaylen, True’s little brother, is so much wiser than any ten-year-old should be, and his role as a minor character adds to the storyline. I liked the ending of the story. The Epilogue presents a hopeful and bright HFN for True and Xavier.
FALLING FOR ALASKA is an entertaining and enjoyable story that is a strong and promising beginning to a new series. I recommend it for your reading pleasure.
24 March 2024 | romcol@gmail.com
There are multi layers to this story that Miss Calhoune creatively blends together to produce an intriguing story. The storyline revolves around Xavier, an ex-football star and True Everett, the manager of Northern Exposure, a popular bar in Moose Falls, that happens to be owned by Hattie. Xavier and True’s romantic relationship is a “slow burn” as they both have issues that prevent them from revealing their feelings for each other. One issue is tied to the Northern Exposure. True has high hopes of owning the bar, but with the arrival of Xavier and his brothers to Moose Falls, she is not sure if her dream of ownership will be possible. Everything revolves around Hattie, and her final wishes for the brothers and their father, Paul, to continue the family’s legacy, which she lays out in a legal document. I’ll allow you to discover what all that encompasses when you read the story.
I like the Stone brothers. They are extremely close, but at the same time, different in their personalities as you will discover. I look forward to reading Landon’s and Caleb’s stories. I’m not sure how I feel about Paul, their father. The jury is still out on him although he did step up at the end of the story. Jaylen, True’s little brother, is so much wiser than any ten-year-old should be, and his role as a minor character adds to the storyline. I liked the ending of the story. The Epilogue presents a hopeful and bright HFN for True and Xavier.
FALLING FOR ALASKA is an entertaining and enjoyable story that is a strong and promising beginning to a new series. I recommend it for your reading pleasure.
24 March 2024 | romcol@gmail.com
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