Review - - Forever in Alaska

Forever in Alaska

by Belle Calhoune

Moose Falls, Alaska - Book 3

Publisher: Forever

Release Date: October 28, 2025

Reviewed by PJ

 

The youngest of three brothers, Landon Stone would do anything for his grandmother, Hattie—even return to his hometown of Moose Falls. Hattie’s heart is set on her grandsons taking over the family business—and finding their happily-ever-afters in Alaska. When Hattie gets the idea that Landon is romantically entangled with his gorgeous colleague, Bailey Daniels, Landon doesn’t just go along with it—he asks Bailey to join the ruse.

Bailey isn’t sure if she agrees because she adores Hattie for helping her family through their darkest times . . . or because she finds the charmingly nerdy Landon completely irresistible. Either way, it’s extremely easy to appear totally into him. But as they collaborate at work—and after hours—to make Hattie’s Christmas extra special, Bailey and Landon’s relationship starts to feel all too real. What if the only people Landon and Bailey are fooling this season . . . are themselves?

PJ's Thoughts:

Belle Calhoune brings her Moose Falls, Alaska trilogy to a conclusion with another heartwarming story of family, friendship, and love. 

Landon is charming, nerdy, and an absolute sweetheart. My heart hurt for the betrayal he suffered before returning to Alaska. I understood why he, a scientist at heart, was so conflicted about staying to run the family business with his brothers versus returning to California to clear his name. With his huge heart, it was also understandable that he would enter into a fake relationship with Bailey to make his ailing grandmother happy. What fun watching that relationship blossom into something real.

Bailey has her own share of emotional baggage along with complicated dynamics within her own family. I enjoyed her journey, with Landon, with her mother and sisters, and with Hattie. It was fun to watch those relationships evolve over time as characters opened up and confronted painful memories in organic ways. Calhoune always brings me characters and events that feel realistic and relatable. 

Each of the books in this series tugged at my heartstrings but this third and final one really amps up the emotions. By this time, the Stone brothers and their grandmother, Hattie all feel like family which makes the emotional heft of the events in this book all the more powerful. Hattie is a larger than life character who I absolutely adored. I love her humor, her loving meddling, her strength, and her determination to live each day to the fullest in spite of the hand she's been dealt. We should all be fortunate enough to have a Hattie in our lives.  

If you're looking for a heartfelt journey with terrific sibling dynamics, reunited family, and endearing romance, I recommend all three books in this series: Falling for Alaska, Flirting with Alaska, and Forever in Alaska. The books can be read as standalones though, for me, they are much more enjoyable if read in order. 

CW: family death  

Review & Giveaway - - Flirting with Alaska

Flirting with Alaska

by Belle Calhoune

Moose Falls, Alaska - Book 2

Publisher: Forever

Release Date: December 10, 2024

Reviewed by PJ

Caleb Stone isn’t ready to give up his Hollywood dreams. But after a disastrous run on a reality dating show paints him as an unapologetic player, Caleb needs a little time and space to regroup. Luckily, his hometown of Moose Falls, Alaska has both, plus a job helping his brothers run Yukon Cider. Even dialed down, Caleb’s flirtatious vibes are a hit at work, except for one woman who seems completely, totally, frustratingly immune to his charms–—the gorgeous new photographer for Yukon Cider’s upcoming ad campaign.

Single mom Sophia Brand isn’t made of ice—resisting Caleb’s devilishly sexy grin is hard, especially when it’s so often directed her way. It’s just that she’s been burned by handsome smiles before. Now, she’s focused on setting a good example for her daughter, and that means not getting sidetracked by Caleb’s dazzling charisma.

But as they work together on the campaign, Caleb and Sophia begin to let their guard down. Can he prove that beneath his playboy persona, Caleb is a leading man worthy of a starring role in Sophia’s heart?

PJ's Thoughts:

I am thoroughly enjoying the Stone brothers, each different but equally compelling. When I began this second book in the trilogy, I fully expected gorgeous, charming, middle brother Caleb to be my least favorite of the three but this hero has layers I had yet to discover. Much like Sophia does throughout the course of their journey.

Sophia and Caleb both carry emotional baggage from past relationships that continue to intrude on their present lives. In Sophia's case, it's the father of her daughter who suddenly decides he wants to be a part of his child's life after ignoring her since birth while for Caleb it's not only the unresolved issues with his estranged father that have significantly impacted his life choices but also a highly edited reality television show that painted him in the worst possible light, a light that Sophia, along with most of the country, believes is true. I enjoyed watching the layers slowly peel away and reveal truths about both of them. I especially enjoyed watching the endearing relationship between Caleb and Sophia's young daughter evolve. Nothing tests the true measure of a man, nor exposes his flaws, like babysitting an active four-year-old. In young Lily's eyes, Caleb is more than worthy but what will Sophia think?

If you enjoy sweet romance set in small-town Alaska with complicated family dynamics, a close-knit community, well-developed characters, and an elderly grandmother set on bringing her grandsons home and seeing them happily settled, give Flirting with Alaska a try. It will stand on its own but I think you'll enjoy it even more if you read Falling for Alaska first. (Click to read my review)

Have you read any of Belle Calhoune's books?

Have you ever visited Alaska?

What reality TV shows (if any) do you enjoy watching?

One randomly chosen person who posts a comment before 11:00 PM, December 20 will receive a print copy of Flirting with Alaska.

*U.S. only

*Must be 18

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. 

Review - - Falling in Love on Sweetwater Lane

Falling in Love on Sweetwater Lane

by Belle Calhoune

Mistletoe, Maine - Book 3

Publisher: Forever

Release Date: February 21, 2023

Reviewed by PJ

 

Will a big-city veterinarian give this small town—and the single dad who’s caught her heart—a chance?
 
Veterinarian Harlow Jones knew returning to small-town life, even temporarily, would be a disaster. She just never guessed it would start that way—with her car skidding off the road outside Mistletoe, Maine. And while her rescuer is both charming and handsome, Harlow isn’t about to get involved with a local. She’s in town for one reason only—to pay off her vet school bills—and then she’s back to her real life in Seattle.

Nick Keegan knows all about unexpected, life-altering detours. He lost his wife in the blink of an eye, and he’s spent the years since being the best single dad he can be. He’s also learned not to take anything for granted, so when sparks start to fly with Harlow, Nick is all in. He senses Harlow feels it too, but she insists romance isn’t on her agenda. He’ll have to pull out all the stops to show her that love is worth changing the best-laid plans.

PJ's Thoughts:

I've fallen hard for Belle Calhoune's small town of Mistletoe, Maine and the people who call it home. Nick Keegan (and his young son, Miles) have been begging for a story and I'm happy to say that their book, Falling in Love on Sweetwater Lane, is all I had hoped for. 

Leave it to Calhoune to pair single dad, Nick, a man with both feet firmly planted in Mistletoe with a woman who loathes small towns, is only there to eliminate her student loan debt, and is determined to not stay one day longer than she is contractually obligated. This big city woman had enough of small towns as a child and has no desire to relive the horror of that time. She may be game for some fun but relationships and friendships are not for her. Of course, Mistletoe, with her pups and people, may have something to say about that. 

I enjoy how real Calhoune keeps her stories. Her characters are well developed with layers of complex emotions and relatable back stories creating obstacles to love. She infuses their journeys with plenty of humor and charm but doesn't hold back from honest, heart-wrenching emotion. Harlow's struggles with her mother's illness and Nick's anger over an unexpected curveball related to his late wife's death are good examples. I appreciate that she doesn't give them easy solutions to their issues but confronts them head on. Once her couples work through the emotional turmoil of what life has dealt them, and choose to be happy together, I'm confident in the staying power of their love and life together.

This is the third book in Calhoune's Mistletoe Maine series and from what I've read, this concludes the series (though I'm holding out hope for a story for Harlow's twin brother, Malcom). Falling in Love on Sweetwater Lane can be enjoyed as a standalone, although main couples and secondary characters from the first two books are prominent in this third book as well. For that reason, you may want to start with book one, No Ordinary Christmas (Lucy and Dante), followed by book two, Summer on Blackberry Beach (Luke and Stella). All three books have my enthusiastic recommendation.

 

Review - - No Ordinary Christmas

No Ordinary Christmas

by Belle Calhoune 

Publisher: Forever

Release Date: September 28, 2021

Reviewed by PJ

 

Mistletoe, Maine, is buzzing and not just because Christmas is around the corner! Dante West, local cutie-turned-Hollywood hunk, is returning home to make his next movie. Everyone in town is excited . . . except librarian Lucy Marshall. When Dante took off for LA without warning—or even a goodbye—he broke Lucy’s heart. She swore not to spend one more minute thinking about her ex, but Dante makes an offer Lucy’s struggling library can’t refuse: a major donation to film on-site.

Dante is thrilled to help boost his hometown’s economy and finally begin making amends to the people he hurt years ago when he left, starting with Lucy. But seeing his former best friend on set every day feels a lot less like closure and more like a fresh start. It’s one thing for Dante to fall for Lucy all over again, quite another for a famous movie star and a small-town librarian to find lasting romance. Can the magic of the holiday season give Lucy and Dante’s first love a second chance?

PJ's Thoughts:

I feel like I should be sipping hot chocolate and listening to Christmas carols while writing this review. Belle Calhoune's No Ordinary Christmas immersed me in all the holiday cheer and tradition of the small Maine town of Mistletoe and the second-chance story of town librarian, Lucy and hometown boy made good, Dante. You all know by now that I enjoy a second-chance romance and this one comes with all kinds of delicious complications to keep me engaged in the story and invested in the potential of a happily ever after. Though, I do have to say, I had no idea how Calhoune was going to pull it off considering the lingering hurt and mistrust from Lucy and Dante's past, not to mention the logistics of the present. But she did, and in a realistic, heartwarming fashion that had me cheering for the happy couple and shedding more than a few tears of joy. 

What she has created is a sweet, thoughtful, and deeply emotional story that played out across my mind like one of my favorite Hallmark holiday movies. Her descriptions brought Mistletoe to life, with it's festive town square, Christmas tree farms, beloved library, and holiday fair. Then there are the citizens of Mistletoe. She's created a diverse community of intriguing characters with interesting back stories who are all but begging for books of their own. I enjoyed the various threads that wove in and out of Lucy and Dante's story, the family dynamics, life-long friendships, and romantic entanglements that added a richness to the overall story. I especially enjoyed Tess, Lucy's 10-year-old sister. I do hope we'll be seeing more of her as the series continues. She's a sweetheart of a scene stealer and I adored her.

This was my first book by Belle Calhoune. It sure won't be the last. If you're a fan of upbeat (closed-door) Christmas romances with humor, heart, diverse characters, and hard-won happy endings, give No Ordinary Christmas a try. I enthusiastically recommend it.