Alaskan Holiday

<b>4 quaint and cozy stars to Alaskan Holiday!</b> ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ <br /><br />Sometimes you just need an easy, cozy story and an inviting setting is a bonus!<br /><br />My husband and I honeymooned in Alaska. If you’ve been there, too, you know why I’m drawn to anything that brings back a memory of it. Macomber’s Alaskan Holiday takes place in a remote and rustic lodge on a lake. <br /><br />Josie Avery is a sous chef, and she’s been hired to work at a fancy Seattle restaurant, but just before she starts, she decides to spend a summer cooking at a lodge in Alaska. There she makes friends with two men, Jack Corcoran and Palmer Saxon. <br /><br />She and Palmer grow especially close, but Josie keeps in the back of her mind she’ll be leaving soon. Palmer has other plans and wants to marry her. <br /><br />Josie is not able to return to Seattle because of poor timing for the last boat out before winter, and she may lose her dream job. <br /><br />The holidays are extra magical in this small Alaskan town and a sweet story evolves for Josie and Palmer. <br /><br />Easy, breezy writing, a cozy and warm setting, the magical time of Christmas, and a couple looking to find love; Alaskan Holiday is a charming story from one of the most reliable authors out there, and this was just the type of palate cleanser I needed before I jump back in to some heavier reads. <br /><br />Thanks to Random House/Ballantine for the complimentary ARC. All opinions are my own.

Josie takes a temporary job position in Ponder, Alaska, with plans to return home to Seattle in six months once fall returns. She’s returning home and looks forward to starting a new job at a fancy restaurant while working alongside a renowned chef. It’s a huge opportunity and Josie can’t wait. The issue is that since she's been in Ponder, she’s grown quite fond of the place. She’s also been spending time with a local man named Palmer and she really cares for him. She doesn’t want to leave him and he’s ready to marry her, but Josie can’t just pass up this job opportunity of a lifetime. She looks forward to heading back home where her mom is, but she’s torn between two worlds. Josie isn’t positive if living a remote life in Ponder will be fulfilling enough for her, while Palmer knows that Ponder is where his life is, and it’s where he wants to stay. Time passes quickly and Josie misses her chance to leave on the last ferry before traveling stops for the winter. Will she find a way back to Seattle, or will Palmer find a way to coax her to stay in Ponder so they can start a life together?<br /><br /><i>I’d excepted early on that a long-term relationship with him would be problematic. Repeatedly I’d told myself that once I was back in Seattle, I’d be able to forget him. Now I wasn’t so sure I could make that happen. </i><br /><br />I really enjoy reading Debbie Macomber books, especially her Christmas stories. Although this one isn’t as Christmassy as I expected, it’s still a perfect holiday read for this time of year. I fell in love with the cold and snowy setting as they’re just heading into the winter season in Alaska. Plus, all the talk about food made me hungry for a hot meal on a cold day!<br /><br /><i>“You baked bread today?” he asked, sitting on a stool inside the lodge kitchen while I browned the meat and sautéed the onions for his dinner. <br /><br />“I baked bread yesterday,” I reminded him.<br /><br />“It’s gone.”<br /><br />“Two loaves?” The man ate more than anyone I’d ever known.<br /><br />“I gave one loaf to Palmer,” he told me. “He was glad to get it, too.”</i><br /><br />I thought the plot and characters were both interesting. I fell in love with Palmer’s character and appreciated all of his patience and perseverance with their relationship. He’s willing to give Josie the time that she needs while still hoping to make things work no matter what, but he was never overbearing. I thought Jack was a nice additional character. He was funny and someone I think I would enjoy sitting down and having a meal with. I loved the support he offered Palmer too. I was a little confused with Josie at times because it didn’t seem like she was willing to give her all toward the relationship, but obviously her focus was starting her new career.<br /><br />I didn’t find the story too predictable and it was quite twisty. The book didn’t end how I expected it to either, which was nice. Overall, this is a heartwarming, short and sweet read for the holidays.<br /><br />4****<br /><br /> You can see my review @<a target="_blank" rel="noopener nofollow" href="https://readrantrockandroll.com/2018/11/27/book-review-alaskan-holiday-by-debbie-macomber-bookreview-alaskanholiday-debbiemacomber-christmas/">https://readrantrockandroll.com/2018/...</a>

A quick and amusing read perfect for this busy time of year. The winter setting paired with it actually being winter here had me snuggled up with a blanket and cup of tea as I settled in for an easy and fun read. <br /><br />With her beautiful descriptions of the Alaskan wilderness Debbie Macomber somehow manages to make living in a small and remote Alaskan town sound so appealing. The town residents all look out for each other and you really feel the sense of community. I wouldn’t mind reading more books with these characters. <br /><br />One of my favorite characters in this community is Jack; he’s quirky and self-assured, kindhearted, and a true friend. Some of his ideas may be a little off-the-wall, but he definitely means well and is just trying to help those around him find happiness. I thought we might be in for a sequel after Jack’s infatuation, so I was a bit disappointed to learn I wouldn’t get to giggle at Jack’s antics as he tried to woo his love interest. That would have been a fun read! <br /><br />If you’re looking to take a break from preparing for the upcoming holidays, this cozy and light romance is the perfect book to relax and unwind with.

Josie Avery has always wanted nothing other than to become a chef and after a summer cooking at a remote lodge in Alaska Josie is ready to head to her dream opportunity. An offer from a famous chef had come in for Josie to study under him in his restaurant in Seattle and with her bags packed and ready Josie never expected to be on the receiving end of the world’s most awkward proposal.<br /><br />Palmer Saxon had fallen in love with Josie over the summer with her working at the lodge and knows he needs to act fast before she leaves the remote town. Josie however wasn’t prepared for Palmer’s proposal and knows she can’t pass up the opportunity in Seattle. But will Josie’s dream job live up to her expectations or is her future really back in Alaska with Palmer?<br /><br />Alaskan Holiday by Debbie Macomber is another wonderful contemporary romance set over the Thanksgiving and Christmas holidays. It took a minute to warm up to Palmer in this one but soon I found myself enjoying all of the characters including those surrounding Josie and Palmer. With a few laughs and some heartfelt moments the story quickly reminded me of why I became a fan of the author and I’d definitely recommend checking it out.<br /><br />I received an advance copy from the publisher via NetGalley.<br /><br />For more reviews please visit <a target="_blank" rel="noopener nofollow" href="https://carriesbookreviews.com/">https://carriesbookreviews.com/</a>

I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review.<br /><br />I enjoyed this story. It was a quick, easy, breezy read and sweet, too.<br /><br />Josie has finished culinary school and her dream job is in her future with a top chef, but that is six months away, so she accepts a job as a chef in small town in Ponder, AK. She enjoys her time there and will miss all of her new friends, especially Palmer, but is intent to leave to start her new career at the end of 6 months.<br /><br />Palmer is in love, he knows he needs to tell Josie how he feels before she leaves, but manages to overwhelm her with a marriage proposal. While josie has strong feelings for Palmer, she is focused on her career and needs to follow through with her plan. <br /><br />The two try to manage their relationship long distance, but the distance is is too much and Palmer is feeling like he is losing Josie. The story comes together because this author had added comical supporting characters that give the story the right balance of humor and requited feelings to make the story sweet. This was an enjoyable read and I look forward to more from this author.

Alaskan Holiday was a sweet, quirky Alaskan romance with two interesting characters who took a little while to figure each other out! Palmer knew he liked Josie from the start, but being an Alaskan man raised far away from other people, expressing that wasn’t his forte. Josie’s dream was to put her culinary degree to work, and she wasn’t sure she could do that cooking up moose stew forever. So what are these two to do?<br /><br />I always love sweet Debbie Macomber romances around the holidays. This one won 5 cold Alaskan husky bonus points for the cold setting and quirky moose-meat factor! Plus, I really liked Jack as a side character. He was a hoot! In terms of the romance, we were also at 5 peppermint lattes. These two were just so sweet. I would say in terms of a holiday book… probably two snowmen, simply because compared to previous offerings like “Merry and Bright” this one isn’t super-Christmas-y, however, it’s got great foodie- and cool setting vibes, both in Seattle and Alaska, and is a great read all its own. Very much enjoyed. <br /><br />Please excuse typos/name misspellings. Entered on screen reader.

I've only read one other title from Debbie Macomber which I didn't really care for either. I think it's a compatibility issue on my end...a bit too superficial for my personal taste but I can appreciate that other readers may have more positive experiences which I genuinely hope for anyone reading this review. It's a short love story with some sweet moments. The audiobook narration felt a bit slapstick which may add some humor for readers who are enjoying the story but for me it was a bit annoying. <br /><br />Note: 2 stars means I thought it was just OK. Doesn't mean that I hated it. <br /><br /><b>My favorite quote:</b><br />N/A

This is a Christmas Romance/Chick-lit. Debbie Macomber is know for her Christmas book. I love books by Debbie Macomber, but this one was not one of my favorites. I liked it, but I did not love it. I have read so much better Christmas story she has written. (*)

I have read and enjoyed many of Debbie Macomber's books, but "Alaskan Holiday" wasn't one of my favorites. I appreciated the book's message regarding the necessity of compromise in building a successful relationship, but that was one of the only aspects of the story that really resonated with me. For a couple of reasons, I had a hard time connecting with the main characters, Palmer and Josie. First, it felt as if I was starting in the middle of their story because by the time the book begins, Josie and Palmer have already known each other for six months and are supposed to be in love. However, it's hard to get a sense of their connection when we don't get to see their relationship develop from the start. They really didn't seem to have much in common, and it was hard for me to figure out what they saw in each other. Second, I just couldn't relate to their desire to live in the middle of nowhere, Alaska. That isn't the author's fault, and she did a good job in the second half of the book showing the positives of Ponder's way of life. It's not a place I could ever imagine myself living, though, which made the whole idea of Josie's potentially settling there hard for me to swallow.<br /><br />I also found a lot of the secondary characters to be annoying and overly pushy. Jack, in particular, bothered me. All he seemed to do was demand that Josie cook for him, until he basically lost his mind and "fell in love" with Josie's mom at first sight. (Thank goodness that went nowhere.) He acted more like a spoiled 5-year-old boy than a 50-year-old man. If I were Josie, I would have told Jack to take a hike long before he ever came to visit her in Seattle. (What was up with Jack tagging along on that trip, anyway? Who wants a third wheel on a trip to visit their girlfriend, whom they haven't seen in weeks?)<br /><br />Overall, this wasn't a terrible book, but it wasn't great, either. Given a choice between "Alaskan Holiday" and one of Macomber's Cedar Cove novels, I'd choose Cedar Cove without hesitation.<br /><br />*ARC provided by the publisher via Net Galley in exchange for an honest review.

You'd think a story about a swordsmith and a sous chef in Alaska would be captivating, but this book was rather cringe-worthy. It's listed as a romance, but starting out, the characters are supposedly already in "love," and Palmer is ready to propose just to keep Josie from getting back to her life in Seattle, and it only gets worse from there.<br /><br /><blockquote> <b> <i>"You're beautiful," he read. "I want you to know when I look at you all I see is beauty."<br /><br />Well, that was nice, although unexpected. "Thank you, Palmer."<br /><br />He looked down at his list a second time. "I like that your teeth are white and straight, too."<br /><br />Teeth? He liked my teeth? "Ah thanks. I wore braces for almost two years..."</i> </b> </blockquote><br />That is how awkward and cringey the "proposal" is. And there was not one single page throughout the book where I believed for a second that these two characters were in love or even had any chemistry.<br /><br />So Josie heads back to Seattle, but because she's meant to live her life in a tiny town in Alaska with a man who ~needs~ her because she cooks well, her new job with Chef Anton goes cartoonishly bad, and she ends up quitting and decides she all of a sudden doesn't like city life and wants to go back to Palmer. Eye. Roll.<br /><br />Also, there was barely any description of Alaska. The author just tells you about it, just as she tells you about the events in the book rather than showing you. (It doesn't help that I couldn't stop comparing this to The Simple Wild.)<br /><br />If you're looking for a book where all an old man does is pine after a girl wanting her to cook for him, the main love interest is cringey and not willing to fight for or re-locate for the girl but expects her to do the same for him, then this is the book for you.<br /><br /><b>Also, beware of the 4 and 5 star reviews because so many of this received the book for free.</b>