Review: Northern Lights in his Eyes

NORTHERN LIGHTS IN HIS EYES by Andrew Grey

Fiction, Contemporary Romance, Gay, Steamy Heat

5*****

Blurb: When Garvin Haverton lost his husband, he lost himself. Unable to bear the reminders of their love, he left his friends in Los Angeles for the remote Alaskan wilderness, cut ties with his old life, and started over. Model William Moreau has let Garvin hide for long enough. He misses his friendship, and he has to know if the spark he felt between them could ignite the love of a lifetime. So he packs a bag, books a flight, rents a car… and almost gets himself killed in a blizzard. When William shows up half-frozen, Garvin is furious. Unlike William, he doesn’t need to be rescued. He has a life in new friends, a dog, a job. But he can’t kick William out into the cold, and it doesn’t take many long, cold Alaskan nights before he realizes that he may have a life, but he hasn’t moved on. He could do that with William. The chemistry between them could heat his little cabin all on its own. But William’s life is in LA, and Garvin can’t go back. Is their unlooked-for romance doomed from the start?

Thoughts: It’s rare that a setting is so well done that it comes across almost as a character in and of itself. This story is one of those rare occurrences. Set in a small village in the Alaskan wilderness, the descriptions are so vivid that you can really picture it. Especially when the artist friend Devon describes the way the light plays off the snow and how it’s not all white. I don’t believe I’ve ever read a description so beautifully done. Kudos to the author for this.

Then there’s the bits about the cold and how dangerous it is and how dehydrating. I actually laughed at the one point where Garvin wants to go out the next day because it might actually get up to freezing and be nice for an outing.

Finally, there are the characters. Garvin is perfectly flawed in that he buried himself in his grief and hid away from those who cared about him. Enter William, a friend who wants to be more, but he has to track down Garvin and convince him to join the living. Then there are the friends at the general store and how everyone helps everyone. And there’s a little bit of danger with the explosion, the avalanche, the miners… and it’s amazing how William jumps in to help. The pull between the two men is well-done and their issues give them conflict. And the HEA ending satisfied.

Recommended.

Disclosure of Material: I received a final and/or advanced reader copy of this book with the hope that I will leave my unbiased opinion. I was not required to leave a review, positive or otherwise, and my opinions are just that… My Opinions. I am posting this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising”