Alaskan Dreams by Beth Carpenter


Alaskan Dreams by Beth Carpenter
A Northern Lights Novel Book 6
Publisher: Harlequin Heartwarming
Genre: Contemporary, Romance
Rating: 5 Stars
Reviewed by Xeranthemum

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.

After reading this novel, now I want to do yoga with goats!!! Alaskan Dreams is a delightful, engaging and fun romance loaded with heartwarming moments, adorable goat antics and a hero and heroine perfect for each other. Patrick’s grandmother is a spunky sweetheart and her yoga ladies are amazing secondary characters that add to the warmth and community within the book’s pages. The hunt for a lost chunk of gold adds to the mystery as all parties pitch in to discover the clues and search for what many have written off as a fanciful story from days gone by. That might have stayed the case if not for a teeny tiny key found by both Lauren and Patrick. The wondering if there really was a treasure to find was a compelling thread woven throughout the story. As a hook, it was effective, but what really grabbed my attention and kept it was watching Patrick and Lauren fall in love. It was wonderful.

Ms. Carpenter wrote this sweet/sensual story with a skill at storytelling that impressed me. I liked the attention to detail when it came to the personalities of Lauren’s goats and learning a little bit about their care, feeding and the challenges that accompany critters who love to climb high and jump for fun. It came in handy during yoga, but poor Patrick’s Jeep didn’t fare so well. I thought Spritz the goat was hilarious, especially when she took a shine to Patrick. I think the doe had good taste.

If anyone raises an eyeball regarding yoga with goats, please don’t scoff too loud. There’s a farm not too far from me that hosts Cow Yoga, sometimes called Farmhouse Yoga, but the cows are the draw. It’s quite popular so I totally believe Yoga with Goats would be just as popular for real. I think it’s an awesome idea.

The character with the most emotional growth is the heroine, Lauren. Her only example of relationships and love came from her mother. Believe me when I tell you that the heroine doesn’t have a clue about how true love and a healthy solid relationship works. She is skittish because she wants to avoid anything that smacks of the path her mother took. Fortunately, Bonnie, Patrick’s grandmother, is wise as she is loving and adventurous. She’s the perfect secondary character to help guide her grandson and Lauren to believe in what could be. They just have to learn how to do one important thing – trust. I think readers are going to get the happy feels when things come to fruition.

The only downside of the book was that one scene that made me sad and gave me the sniffles. I felt so bad but I also appreciated the reality. Such a thing can happen to farmers and often does so I could really relate to Lauren’s emotions. It leads to a few powerful scenes that end up being pivotal in the novel.

Alaskan Dreams is a truly wonderful read. The focus is on what it should be – two strangers coming together, learning about each other and joining forces to follow the dream of someone they both love, Bonnie, Patrick’s grandma. Her dream eventually leads Lauren to realize her own, and Patrick comes to respect and love the woman who took a chance and moved all the way from Oregon because of goats. The love of family, the love of the land, the love that Patrick and Lauren eventually have for each other, all of it is what makes Alaskan Dreams such an amazing read and one I heartily recommend for readers looking for a feel-good story.

Comments

  1. SARAH TAYLOR says

    Love Beth’s Books and Love this cover!

  2. Roberta Peden says

    I love every book Beth writes, they are awesome!

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