A #HarlequinHeartwarming Book Spotlight | “Alaskan Dreams” (Northern Lights: Book Six) by Beth Carpenter

Posted Monday, 11 May, 2020 by jorielov , , , , 0 Comments

Stories in the Spotlight banner created by Jorie in Canva.

Acquired Book By: I started hosting with Prism Book Tours at the end of [2017], having noticed the badge on Tressa’s blog (Wishful Endings) whilst I was visiting as we would partake in the same blog tours and/or book blogosphere memes. I had to put the memes on hold for several months (until I started to resume them (with Top Ten Tuesday) in January 2018). When I enquiried about hosting for Prism, I found I liked the niche of authors and stories they were featuring regularly. This is how I came to love discovering the Harlequin Heartwarming authors & series as much as it has been an honour to regularly request INSPY stories and authors. Whenever I host for Prism, I know I am in for an uplifting read and a journey into the stories which give me a lot of joy to find in my readerly queue of #nextreads. It is an honour to be a part of their team of book bloggers.

I will be receiving a complimentary copy of “Alaskan Dreams” direct from the author Beth Carpenter in exchange for an honest review. I did not receive compensation for my opinions or thoughts shared herein.

Fun Stuff for Your Blog via pureimaginationblog.comWhy I loved the Northern Lights series coming into it at Book Five:

I liked how Carpenter connected a thread of faith into her Contemporary Sweet Romance – not all the authors in the Heartwarming line do this directly, though some I feel imply it which makes my heart happy. I liked how it applied in the context of this story – how being a doctor and/or a medic has a certain measure of faith associated with the careers. You can go only so far on your own merits before you have to recognise there is point where you have to lean on something outside of yourself in order to be the better medical professional. Not everything is understood through medicine and science – yet, how Carpenter broaches these topics within her narrative align well with two characters who haven’t yet decided what their final thoughts are on life, their careers or how they might still be attracted to one another!

When we first see Volta and Scott together – it is like a random snowstorm burrowing people in a house together who would otherwise not expect to be confined in the same place with each other. Volta has mixed feelings – which felt natural given their history and how she has become a widow in his absence and a single Mum. Her responsibilities are different now than they were before they had met even if there is still a bit of an open door to their hearts, it is interesting watching how Carpenter is going to reveal the story as we hug close to both of them as they ride out the volcanic ash which has grounded their plane.

As the ash storm passed over, what hadn’t released the tension of the hour is the friction between Volta and Scott. For her part, I think Volta was running a bit scared – she didn’t share her feelings very well – she came across as being guarded and reserved. I could see why – she had a lot she went through in her life in the short time they had been apart but evenso, when she was round Scott, you could tell she felt an ease about him. I almost thought perhaps she was frustrated with herself to find that she not only still have feelings for Scott but by reuniting with him, she felt a renewal of hope for her future. When it came to Scott, I sensed a lot of personal anguish in him – especially of the guilt of not establishing a life for himself. He had his career but how many people are happy to thrive on a career without a home base and family?

I could understand the angst of Emma (Volta’s daughter) – when you want to ride horses, it is quite amazing how difficult it is to find places that are not just affordable but are of the benefit of the rider not just the horse. Once you’re smitten by a horse, it is rather difficult to stop thinking about them and how companionable they are to be around. I had hoped she might find a way to have either a horse or at least regular lessons before she became an adult.

I loved when Carpenter re-shifted back into the planes and took us into the air to be with the air ambulance crews. It gave more foundation to the roles these people have IRL but also, how their shifts can run longer than your realise as Volta had a 24 hour rotation facing her when she agreed to be Scott’s liaison. This was another smart move I felt in the story itself – how Scott, was wanting to bring changes to the Alaskan methodology of approaching prenatal care in the state, he needed someone who understood how to interact with the locals. Someone who could give them assurances he couldn’t as an outsider and that someone felt perfect to be Volta even for me! I liked how he fuelled his desires to help others into plausible situations where he could yield the most good and be of the most help. This plan had to change the prenatal care of Alaska felt like the kind of forward-thinking leadership needed in rural medical inefficient areas need in order to find a gateway into a future where they are more self-sufficient.

You know when your watching a movie you’ve settled into about two people who can’t quite put their lives together but they seem to be making enroads towards finding common ground? Even though things continue to go astray and their lives seem to be going down different routes and avenues; there is something drawing them back together? This novel is a lot like that kind of movie! The more you dig into their lives – you see how dedicated they are to their jobs but what good is a job if it doesn’t allow you to live?

This is a critical question Carpenter wants her readers to chew on because it is the main thesis behind the story itself. Wells, at least one of them anyway! She wants you to see past their sense of honour and duty; past the point where they were unselfish in serving others who needed them and started to take stock of their own lives for a change. To sort out what Scott and Volta needed most in their lives – whether that meant making changes or being open to the change within themselves, Carpenter lets you see what they decide as you tag along for their journey.

Carpenter puts you front and centre on the action within her medically focused Contemporary (Sweet) Romance wherein you get to see first-hand what first responders go through in Alaska when their patients live rather remotely. Even the first case she presented in the novel wasn’t routine as it was a woman who had hypertension and it was causing issues with her pregnancy – I did give a bit of a pause of thought as to what would have happened if Volta and Scott hadn’t been there at that particular moment in order to intervene on the woman’s behalf. A credit to what Carpenter had already established about how due to how lean the state is on medical facilities and how the support staff in the more rural areas were limited to aides; you can see how Alaska can become a medically adverse state in which to live.

I definitely will be seeking out the rest of this Northern Lights series as I liked the pacing and the presentation of how Carpenter implores us to want to know more about this world she’s created for us to find! She hugs us so close to the hearts of her characters, it is easy to feel what they’re feeling and live a period of time in their shoes rather than our own. In essence, I love that this is another small towne series focused on family, hearth, home and a wicked dollop of romance! Best of all, she gave me a new reason to venture back to Alaska and that was the icing on the cake!

-quoted from my book review for Sweet Home Alaska

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A #HarlequinHeartwarming Book Spotlight | “Alaskan Dreams” (Northern Lights: Book Six) by Beth CarpenterAlaskan Dreams
by Beth Carpenter
Source: Author via Prism Book Tours

The dream she wants

The love she found

Lauren Shepherd has traded her hectic office job for a quiet life working on an elderly friend’s farm. Risking everything to move to Alaska might just be the perfect opportunity for her—if Lauren can convince handsome and fiercely protective Patrick O’Shea that she’s not swindling his grandmother. But when financial troubles threaten her dream, Lauren and Patrick unite in a hunt for a legendary treasure…only to discover something between them more precious than gold.

Genres: Contemporary (Modern) Fiction (post 1945), Contemporary Romance, Romance Fiction



Places to find the book:

Add to LibraryThing

ISBN: 9781335889720

Also by this author: Sweet Home Alaska, An Alaskan Family Christmas, An Alaskan Homecoming

Also in this series: Sweet Home Alaska, An Alaskan Family Christmas


Published by Harlequin Heartwarming

on 1st May, 2020

Format: Trade Paperback

The Northern Lights series:

The Alaskan Catch by Beth CarpenterA Gift for Santa by Beth CarpenterAlaskan Hideaway by Beth CarpenterAn Alaskan Proposal by Beth Carpenter

Sweet Home Alaska by Beth CarpenterAlaskan Dreams by Beth Carpenter

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The Alaskan Catch (book one)

A Gift for Santa (book two)

Alaskan Hideaway (book three)

An Alaskan Proposal (book four)

→ Sweet Home Alaska (book five) ← *where I began the series!

Alaskan Dreams (book six)

Published by: Harlequin Heartwarming (@HarlequinBooks) | imprint of Harlequin Books

Formats Available: Paperback* and Ebook

*Harlequin has the luxury of offering Regular, Large & Larger Print editions which I personally can attest are lovely to be reading! Especially after a migraine or when my eyes are fatigued.

Converse via: #SHATour and #HarlequinHeartwarming

About Beth Carpenter

Beth Carpenter

Once upon a time ...

when Beth Carpenter was a little girl, she read everything she could get her hands on, and entertained herself on the school bus by making up stories in her head. Not a lot has changed. She's still consuming books like M&Ms, and spends her days creating happily-ever-afters for her imaginary friends.

She lives in Alaska and Arizona with her husband and an aggressively affectionate fifty-pound lap dog. She loves to hear from readers.

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Enjoy Reading this Extract from “Alaskan Dreams”:

Bonnie held the dog in her lap while Lauren drove. The dog lay his head across Bonnie’s arm and drew in a breath, as though memorizing her scent. At the shelter, Bonnie carried him to the front desk. “We had a stray show up on the farm today. Has anyone reported a lost dachshund?”

“Let me check.” The friendly woman at the front desk typed something into her computer. “No, no reports yet.” She cast a professional eye. “Looks like he’s been on his own for a while. Let me check for a microchip.”

She took the dog and disappeared for several minutes. When she returned, she shook her head. “No chip. Looks like you’re with us, buddy.”

Bonnie pressed her lips together for a moment. “You know, I was thinking. It’s possible his owner is out of town and doesn’t know he escaped from whoever is supposed to be taking care of him. I could keep the dog for a little while. Like a foster home. And then if someone claims him, you can call me.”

“If you want to become a foster for us, we’d need you to fill out some forms and take some training. In the meantime, we’ll need to log the dog into the system—”

“Or I can just take the dog home. I mean, I haven’t officially surrendered him yet.”

The woman smiled. “That’s true.”

“You can write down my phone number, and if the owner should happen to contact you, you’ll know where to find me.”

“Works for me.” The woman returned the dog to Bonnie. He snuggled against her and wagged his tail.

Lauren scratched behind his ear. “Well, I guess we should be going. I need to stop off at the feed store and pick up a few things.”

“I thought you’d stocked up last week.”

“I did.” Lauren grinned. “But that was before we added our latest staff member.”

“Staff member?”

“Sure. Maybe he can’t herd goats, but he’s good for mental health, and that has to be a plus for the farm, right?”

Bonnie laughed. “Or as Rosemary would say, he puts out good vibes.”

“Exactly.”

Bonnie snapped her fingers. “Wilson.”

“What?’

“We should call him Wilson. After the Wilson brothers in the Beach Boys. They sang ‘Good Vibrations.’”

“Perfect.” Lauren passed a hand over the dog’s head. “Absolutely perfect.”

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I have been waiting for “Alaskan Dreams” to arrive by Post – which is why I had to change how I’m hosting this blog tour this morning. My luck? It will be in Monday’s Post – which of course, is a bit too late to read and offer my ruminations in time to make the post deadline for the blog tour today. All I do know is that for a series I’ve entered into on the fifth installment, I am wicked eager to beginning read the sixth story!

As you know, I have a personal preference of reading series in order of sequence but one thing I have openly talked about on my blog is how the Harlequin Heartwarming series seem to be the rare exception wherein you can literally move in and out of their installments and still find traction and balance within the continuity of the series at hand. I love how you can get a firm grip on the past stories you haven’t yet read and you can carry on reading a series in-progress you’ve just begun. Like I have with the Northern Lights series by Ms Carpenter! The added bonus for me of course is this series is set in a state I dearly wish to travel to one day: Alaska!

I love in this scene I get to share this morning how the person with the dog knows her rights and knows she holds all the cards! Until you surrender an animal you can take care of them until a time arrives where you find out whom they belong too. Also, being a girl who grew up on The Beach Boys and other Contemporary musicians of the same variety, I *loved!* how the dog was renamed! I mean, it just had the right kind of ‘vibe’!!

I sure hope my postmen can get this novel into my hands this week – I definitely want to curl inside it and see what is going on in the fuller scope of how Wilson fits into the overall story! If this is your first time finding Harlequin Heartwarming – you’re in for a special treat as the authors behind the stories are writing realistic Contemporary Romances with characters you can rally behind and get emotionally connected too. I hope you’ve enjoyed this introduction for Northern Lights!

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This blog tour is courtesy of: Prism Book Tours

Prism Book Tours

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Alaskan Dreams by Beth Carpenter

End of the Blog Tour badged provided by Prism Book Tours

By clicking this badge you can find out about the giveaway associated with the tour;
my particular tour stop doesn’t host the giveaway as I’m a spotlight stop, however,
you’ll find many other bloggers who are hosting the information!

Secondary to the blog tour giveaway hosted by PRISM – the author, Ms Carpenter is hosting her own giveaway throughout the blog tour herself. Similar to how I loved hosting Julie E. Czerneda’s scavenger hunts – I am happy to announce I can provide a clue towards those seeking out Ms Carpenter’s hunt. For this stop you need to remember the CLUE: Clue No. 1 The chemical symbol for gold. Enter your response here!

*SPECIAL NOTE* Although, I do not personally host giveaways on Jorie Loves A Story – I do allow my blog will be a ‘stop’ on scavenger hunts – as this is the one exception to my rule about not hosting giveaways (per se) as scavenger hunts encourage readers to re-read all stops along the route of blog tours.

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I look forward to reading your thoughts & commentary!
Especially if you read the book or were thinking you might be inclined to read it.
I appreciate hearing different points of view especially amongst
readers who gravitate towards the same stories to read.
Bookish conversations are always welcome!

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NOTE: Similar to blog tours wherein I feature book reviews, book spotlights (with or without extracts), book announcements (or Cover Reveals) – I may elect to feature an author, editor, narrator, publisher or other creative person connected to the book, audiobook, Indie film project or otherwise creative publishing medium being featured wherein the supplemental content on my blog is never compensated monetarily nor am I ever obligated to feature this kind of content. I provide (98.5%) of all questions and guest topics regularly featured on Jorie Loves A Story. I receive direct responses back to those enquiries by publicists, literary agents, authors, blog tour companies, etc of whom I am working with to bring these supplemental features and showcases to my blog. I am naturally curious about the ‘behind-the-scenes’ of stories and the writers who pen them: I have a heap of joy bringing this content to my readers. Whenever there is a conflict of connection I do disclose those connections per post and disclose the connection as it applies.

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{SOURCES: Cover art of “Alaskan Dreams”, synopsis and biography of the author Beth Carpenter as well as the blog tour banner and The Prism Book Tours badge were all provided by Prism Book Tours and used with permission. Post dividers and My Thoughts badge by Fun Stuff for Your Blog via Pure Imagination. Tweets embedded by codes provided by Twitter. Blog graphics created by Jorie via Canva: Stories in the Spotlight and the Comment Box Banner.}

Copyright © Jorie Loves A Story, 2020.

I’m a social reader | I tweet my reading life

About jorielov

I am self-educated through local libraries and alternative education opportunities. I am a writer by trade and I cured a ten-year writer’s block by the discovery of Nanowrimo in November 2008. The event changed my life by re-establishing my muse and solidifying my path. Five years later whilst exploring the bookish blogosphere I decided to become a book blogger. I am a champion of wordsmiths who evoke a visceral experience in narrative. I write comprehensive book showcases electing to get into the heart of my reading observations. I dance through genres seeking literary enlightenment and enchantment. Starting in Autumn 2013 I became a blog book tour hostess featuring books and authors. I joined The Classics Club in January 2014 to seek out appreciators of the timeless works of literature whose breadth of scope and voice resonate with us all.

"I write my heart out and own my writing after it has spilt out of the pen." - self quote (Jorie of Jorie Loves A Story)

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Posted Monday, 11 May, 2020 by jorielov in Bits & Bobbles of Jorie, Blog Tour Host, Book Spotlight, Contemporary Romance, Prism Book Tours, Romance Fiction




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