Rating: 4 stars
Buy Link: Amazon | iBooks | Amazon UK
Length: Novel

Holden Prescott is sent to the wilderness of Alaska for one reason only: to bring Dr. Gage Emerson back into the fold. The fold in question is Westworld, a research hospital with its fingers in many pies and run by Holden’s father, Phillip. Not only has Holden spent his entire life trying to garner some small acceptance and praise from his father, he has done it all on his own—well, if you can call owing one’s father for student loans and living in the Westworld-owned condos doing it all alone. Admittedly, Holden had been spoiled, yet his love for medicine and the surgical trials he is performing outweigh everything. So in order to keep all that, he bows to his father’s tyranny and is on a plane to Sawyer’s Ferry to sweet talk his dad’s ex-partner into coming back to New York.

Gage Emerson spends most of his time alone when he isn’t at the tiny hospital that serves the Alaskan territory and he prefers it that way. With his close friend Logan, well his only friend, really, Gage is fairly content in the wilderness. The absolute last person he ever wants to see again is his former partner and mentor, Phillip Prescott. Imagine his joy when the devil’s own son walks into his life, begging him to come back to the place that nearly destroyed him. After several attempts, Gage thinks he has scared off Holden only to realize that the man has gotten under his skin. What proceeds is supposed to be a brief affair with lots of hot sex, at the end of which Holden is to board a plane and never be seen or heard from again. Karma has a different idea and soon Gage is in way over his head—much to the delight of his libido.

Author Cate Ashwood begins a new series with her latest release, Alaska. It’s a sweet, low angst romance that supported not one, but two fascinating characters who will definitely pluck the heart strings of any true romantic. With an obvious nod at establishing two other side characters for the future, the novel took no time in setting up some rather sexy and heated scenes that fit well into the narrative. There was one particular encounter at the hospital after Holden performs a surgery under Gage’s watchful eye that I felt was a bit too much for this steamy plotline, but regardless of that, most of the novel was a good blend of story and sex. The obvious molten chemistry between Gage and Holden was undeniable and even though it seemed rather sudden, I could definitely believe their attraction as it grew beyond the bedroom. The story itself was all about their developing affections. Told in alternating points of view, there was never a time when I didn’t recognize who was narrating the story—the characters were that well developed from the onset. I loved the slow thaw in Gage and the self-realization for Holden. Each man found their place in this novel and in the quaint town of Sawyer’s Ferry.

While there was an element of insta-love at the beginning of the book, the author allowed for circumstances to slow down the romance and gave her men time to establish just what they wanted from life and love. Yes, I felt there were a few rather forced scenarios that made their affair rather convenient and the ending of the novel, prior to the epilogue, was a trifle tidy, but overall this story will hit all the romantic markers for those looking for a bit of escapism via two lovely men who found each other at just the right time.