Mistletow in Juneau, by Dahlia Rose (audio version)

 

Thank you to #NetGalley and #DreamscapeMedia, a #HallmarkPublishing release, for the copy.

"Mistletoe in Juneau", by Dahlia Rose

I think I suffered from flashbacks as I listened to this book. You see, although I now live in Alaska myself, I felt myself reliving the experience of "first time Alaska" with main character Danni. Just like Danni, I brushed aside an instinctive trepidation at boarding my first small plane for a flight over Alaska. As with Danni, that trepidation was soon replaced by a captivated sense of wonder. How could such beauty, such unspoiled beauty exist. The mountains, so massive and almost overwhelming from the land seemed small from the plane, even Denali as we flew past. I also laughed as I recalled all too well the gasp Danni gave when she stepped from the plane and took a deep breathe. The cold air instantly makes your lungs hurt, eyes water, and a sort of brain freeze sets in. There are whale viewings, caribou, and Northern Lights viewing scattered throughout the book, all making for the ideal, almost overwhelming Alaskan experience for city girl Danni. Having visited Juneau myself, albeit in the summer, I felt like I knew the place.

The wonders of Alaska aside, "Mistletoe in Juneau" pretty much checks of the classic Hallmark features. Let's face it, you either love Hallmark's holiday stories or avoid them. I tend to fall somewhat into the last category, hence my surprise at how much I enjoyed "Mistletoe in Juneau" as a holiday read or, in this case, listen since I had the audio version. Kudos to the narrator, by the way. She was excellent, making me almost sure at times there were more than one narrator reading the story. She differentiated each character beautifully, from Danni's more sophisticated New York rhythm to the usually spontaneous utterances of young Peter. I would definitely listen to anything else she narrates. 

The romance is typical Hallmark, of course. Two people from different places with different lifestyles meet and, I don't think I'm spoiling anything given the Hallmark mode, after initial friction, fall in love. That said, the road to romance isn't smooth in real life and definitely isn't here. Danni is talkative, ambitious, and her life centers around big city life and opportunities. Love interest Declan is, well, the bruised soul. A wounded vet with PTSD who has sworn off romance after being dumped after his girlfriend discovered he hadn't just been wounded in battle but lost part of a leg. That and his own doubts  about worthiness make him wary of letting down his guard with Danni. 

How it all works out amidst the magic of an almost perfectly mythical Alaska winter is half the fun. The other half is getting a chance to see Alaska though another person's eyes as you get to know Danni and her friends, even George, dubbed the attack turkey. Definitely worth a listen this holiday season.