Beth Carpenter

I could see this being a cozy choice for the right reader, unfortunately this wasn’t the best fit for me right now.

I liked Sunny and Adam well enough, they’re genuinely kind people, but when characters have few apparent flaws to overcome, when they’re understanding to the point where it circumvents pretty much every possible conflict, there isn’t much of a character arc to invest in and really drive things forward.

I felt similarily about the romance, these are two nice people, they share some meals together, they work together, he’s great with her daughter, but I never felt that engaged with their developing relationship. Like Sunny and Adam themselves, I guess everything was all a little too nice and easy, he is from another state, so there was potential for that to be an issue but that barely materialized nor did any other reason for them to resist each other, and I like some resistance, some tension in my romance, whereas this one would work best for those craving almost no angst or hurdles for the couple.

There is a slim plot here, everyone working towards saving a senior living complex, an important goal yes, but since it’s a shared goal and Sunny and Adam are on the same page at every turn, it left me feeling like there wasn’t enough to the story.

It felt like this book focused more on minutia than anything else, detailed accounts of every photo taken, details on various craft projects, details about a wedding, a tour of the area, a craft fair, etc., these are not uninteresting things, but for me these details would have been more interesting had they been sparingly woven into a propulsive plot rather than seeming like filler for a book that didn’t have quite enough plot or character development. But if you’re in the mood for a quieter novel with an emphasis on extraneous stuff, this might be more up your alley than it was mine.… (más)

Some of my favorite characters in Beth Carpenter’s previous Alaskan series books are back in An Alaskan Homecoming. Yep, those adorable and hilarious goats make a return appearance and they are just as charming and whimsical as they were the first time around.

But Carpenter takes it up a notch by adding a couple of little girls to the mix as Rowan and Zack agree to help each other with a fake marriage. We get a good sense of the need for the ruse with the first half of the book leading up to it. Rowan feels unheard and Zack wants to protect his little sister.

If all of that doesn’t convince you, there’s some delicious food, wild animals, gorgeous settings, and Gran and her gal pals are back too. Carpenter makes each book fresh and engaging even when we’ve visited before, and that’s why she’s an author I keep coming back to.

Disclosure statement: I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book and was not required to write a positive review. All opinions are my own.… (más)

Beth Carpenter’s An Alaskan Family Christmas combines a cozy Alaskan setting with an abundance of holiday cheer, and I am here for it!

A case of mistaken identity and impulsive decision-making leaves Natalie Weiss stranded in rural Alaskan. When Tanner Rockford invites her to join his family for the holiday, she just might realize that she is exactly where she needs to be this Christmas.

With plenty of romance and humor (as readers of Carpenter’s Northern Lights series can expect), An Alaskan Family Christmas proves to be heartwarming and fun. I can easily recommend it to readers looking for a contemporary Christmas read.

I received a complimentary copy of this book and the opportunity to provide an honest review. I was not required to write a positive review, and all the opinions I have expressed are my own.… (más)

I received a complimentary copy of “An Alaskan Family Christmas” direct from the author Beth Carpenter in exchange for an honest review. I did not receive compensation for my opinions or thoughts shared herein.

I fell hard for this family and for the warmth Carpenter brought into how she told this story - reading it was such a refreshing balm to my soul after such a long hard fight to get my health realigned recently. Curling inside the beauty of how Carpenter took two strangers and a Wintry backdrop situated in a state I have held such a fond affection for from afar is what I loved most about reading An Alaskan Family Christmas. In the end, all that matters is the family we love, the memories we create and the willingness to be open to the unexpected - to fully embrace life in whichever way it alights in our lives and to give ourselves the chance to welcome into our lives a relationship we never expected would arrive the day we were thinking about everything else but our own dreams for the future. This is the kind of heart-lifting romance to give yourself a treat during the holiday season - fully enraptured in the mirth of how serendipity and a bit of Christmas magic can sometimes give you the present you need at a time where you felt you couldn't be surprised anymore!

What I love most about travelling to such an wicked adventurous state like Alaska through the series I am reading by Heartwarming novelists like Carpenter are the awesome depictions of the wild Alaska residents and the impressively majestic observations you can get from just 'being still' somewhere in the natural world therein. Carpenter treats us straight-off the bat with a moose sighting as Natalie takes the train to Anchorage - which next to their ferry system, the trains I felt would provide the most wonderment of JOY to a visitor or local resident because of what can be seen ashore and just outside the windows. I know one day I'll get to visit and adventure in and out of the cities, townes and villages of our most northern state one day but for now, I am happily content in 'being there' rapt in the same joy of mirth these lovely authors are giving me through their stories!!

The kind of synthesis of plotting Carpenter used is one that I personally love - because it enables you to see the plot from different perspectives not merely limited to the two key characters you might presume are at the forefront of the novel! This allows for heartier depth, keen observation of the evolving threads of underlying suspense (as this refers to the twist) and a lovely bounce and volley watching the characters react and respond to everything in their purview! Honestly - it is a seriously awesome installment for this series because it tackles a story from a different starting point than the others in the series yet gives you the added benefit of having four characters to chase after into the thickening plot than merely two! And, that dear hearts is all I'll say as it sneaks close enough to a spoiler and its too much of an enjoyable novel to even nibble off a telling hint about the overall plot for you!

If Ms Carpenter is on the fence about writing more installments for this series - I hope she extends it out to a rounded eight, ten or twelve novels all told because she could seriously keep penning these lovelies as I wickedly keep devouring them! Time to see if my favourite used book shoppe which carries Harlequin Heartwarming novels has the first four which I never had the pleasure of reading before arriving inside the fifth!

// This is a quotation of my full review originally shared via jorielovesastory.com… (más)