Review - - Falling for Alaska

Falling for Alaska

by Belle Calhoune

Publisher: Forever

Release Date: March 26, 2024

Reviewed by PJ

A small-town restaurateur and a big city former football player go head-to-head in this heartfelt enemies-to-lovers romance . . .
 
As the oldest of three brothers, former pro-football player Xavier Stone is no stranger to making tough calls. Like returning to his small hometown of Moose Falls, Alaska to help run his grandmother’s hard cider company and gastro pub. He agrees to keep an open mind, but between working with his estranged father and confronting heavy childhood memories with his brothers, Xavier’s ready to rush back to civilization. Even the stunning woman who runs his grandmother’s restaurant seems to instantly dislike him . . .

True Everett knows better than to let a ridiculously handsome man distract her, especially when it’s the same guy who stands between her and owning Northern Exposure, the tavern she manages. She didn’t pour her soul into the restaurant just for Xavier to swoop in and snatch away her dreams. But amid all the barbs—and, fine . . . all the sparks—flying, True glimpses the man beneath the swagger. That version of Xavier, the real one, might just steal True’s heart.

PJ's Thoughts:

Belle Calhoune is one of my favorite authors writing sweet, small-town romance and Alaska is one of my favorite romance settings. Put the two together and I was more than ready to be swept away by this first book in a new series featuring the three Stone brothers.

Falling for Alaska is a fun, charming read with emotional undertones. Xavier and True have great banter, wonderful chemistry, and a lot of fun. I love how Calhoune grows their relationship over the course of the book in addition to their own individual journeys. True's relationship with her younger brother (I adored him) and Xavier's complicated family ties all play significant roles in the evolution of these characters. I'm eager to discover more about the backstory of the Stone family as well as what happens going forward with Xavier's brothers, their grandmother, and their parents. There are issues still to be addressed. The Alaska setting is an important character as well, immersing me in her majestic, though sometimes dangerous, beauty. 

If you're looking for a sweet romance with plenty of chemistry, banter, meddling family, humor, and emotion, I recommend giving Falling for Alaska by Belle Calhoune a try.