Page Princess: ALASKAN HEARTS SERIES #1 by Melissa Storm

Title: ALASKAN HEARTS SERIES #1

Series: The Alaskan Hearts #1 - #3

Author: Melissa Storm

Publisher: Sweet Promise Press

Publish Date: 04.25.2018

Category /Genre: Contemporary Romance

Recommended for: 14+ due to adult content

Grammar/editing: book received as an unedited ARC / errors excused

Received from: Melissa Storm

Goodreads link: Alaskan Hearts Box Set #1

Date completed: 07.02.2018

Description from the publisher:

This USA Today bestselling series is now available in a special boxed collection for the first time ever. In the Sled Dog Series, three friends explore the world of dog-sledding and find themselves falling in love with the last men they ever expected to win their hearts.

Don't miss the chance to lose your heart to a courageous team of sled dogs and the humans that love them in this set of tales set against the breathtaking backdrop of the Alaskan wilderness.

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LET THERE BE LOVE is the first book in the Sled Dog series. Each stands on their own. In fact, I read the second book first.

What a cute way to retell Beauty and the Beast in modern times. Our beast is an Alaskan musher who has been injured in training and Beauty is an optimistic orphan looking for information about her father’s past as a musher!

I loved that this was a clean romance. I read a lot of racy romance and love it too, but every once in a while it is refreshing to enjoy the purity of clean romance. That’s not to say that there isn’t conflict. Shane is over-the-top grumpy, and Lauren has to deal with mourning the loss of her father and the secrets she is uncovering about his past in Alaska.

I loved the slowly building relationship, friendship, and finally love between Shane and Lauren. I also loved the dogs. It made me giggle when they were referred to as “husky pucks” when they curled up after the first race.

One key to this book (and the series) is that the author’s husband was a trainer and musher at one time and has shared his knowledge with her to add as much realism as possible to her stories. There is nothing to compare to ready access to anecdotes and experience.

I’ve already read the second book, so I’ll be reading the third book next! I’ll start as soon as I finish writing this up.

LET THERE BE LIGHT is the second in the Sled Dogs series. Each stands on their own, but with heavy involvement with the characters from the other stories. I have not read the first book in this series and had no problem understanding who was whom and how they related to one another.

I love Scarlett. She is braver than I could ever be. She is taking a huge chance and going for it to be a musher – her big dream. She’s sweetness and fierceness. A firecracker wrapped in cotton candy. Then there is her rival – Henry – does she trust him or the rumors. Is he like his grandfather?

Then there are the real villains of the story – Mrs. Caputo and Vanessa Price. I have a few like that in my office – the ones who will stab you while pretending to assist – you can only hope that karma visits at a time when you are there to witness the results.

Besides the wonderful people in this story, there are the fur babies… including rescues from the Sled Dog Rescue Organization, along with Lolly Winston and Dr. Oscar Rockwell. Fred, Fantine, Cosette, and the others are just as necessary to the story. Where would a musher be without her dogs?!

The story is sweet and thoughtful. It brought sun and warmth to a cold day. I couldn’t put it down and read it in one day.

Note: while I was given this book as a gifted ARC, my opinions are my own and are given freely.

LET THERE BE LIFE is the third in the Sled Dogs series. Each stands on their own, but with heavy involvement with the characters from the other stories.

Liz’s story starts out as Cinderella, complete with a wicked stepmother and two horrible stepsisters. Then it becomes more Nancy Drew mystery.

I read this cover to cover in one day. I just could not put it down. I love mysteries and I needed to find out the answers to the questions Liz and Dorian were asking.

Though this book doesn’t have as much to do with the sled dogs, Liz does have her own Samson who loves and protects her. Instead, this book is about family and the real meaning of family.

Melissa Storm is a wonderful storyteller with a quick wit, but keeps it clean. These are stories you could share with your daughter and not cringe. I’m looking forward to reading more of this series!

Note: While I received these books and the box set as gifted ARCs, my opinions are my own and are given freely.

Sled Dog Series:

1. Let There Be Love

2. Let There Be Light

3. Let There Be Life

4. Season of Mercy

5. Season of Majesty (coming soon)

6. Season of Mirth (coming soon)

Also from Melissa Storm:

· A Colorful Life

· Flirting with the Fashionista (Celebrity Corgi #1)

· Saving Sarah (Gold Coast Retrievers #1)