M. M. Crane - Bold Fortune

Quinn Fortune is the official protector of all the unspoiled beauty in Lost Lake, Alaska, as the head of the community trust. A rugged frontiersman through and through, he doesn't do soft. But he can't help his fascination with the pink-clad professor who shows up in Lost Lake seeking his approval for her cheerful outsider's proposal about land that isn't hers. Still, he agrees to consider it--if she can handle a month of good old-fashioned Alaska living. He's betting she'll head back to the safety of the Lower 48 within the week.
Violet Parrish is a thinker, not a doer, but desperate times call for extraordinary measures--like taking on the Alaskan wilderness. In January. Off the grid. With a mountain man hot enough to melt a glacier. The frozen Alaskan tundra should be no match for Violet's determination, but the sheer immensity of the Last Frontier takes her by surprise--as does her attraction to gruff, impossibly handsome Quinn, and the unexpected heat that burns between them during the freezing Alaska nights...

Comment: I've seen some positive reviews on this book and that is why I've added it to my list, especially because it would feature opposites attract and, when well done, these types of stories can be really fun to read.

In this story, activist/professor Violet Parrish is determined to work on a deal with Quinn Fortune, the person responsible for the mine rights and the community in Lost Lake, and Alaska region, classified as preserved. Quinn has refused any contact so Violet, after knowing someone she trusted betrayed her, feels he must prove herself and travels all the way to Lost Lake so she can present her case personally.

Quinn knows this Outsider should be treated like all the others, being tested until she cracked, but among all the pink and positivism, he sees someone who entrances him like no woman has done before and day by day she keeps surprising him. When their feelings start to become stronger, can they find a way to be together or the expectations of Violet's institute will prove to be the reason they can't be together?

Oh, I loved this one!

This was such a fun and romantic story and had all the ingredients I tend to like in an "opposites attract" type of story. Violet and Quinn are very different, personality wise, but deep down they see each other as someone special and much worthier of love and consideration than what others might think. It does sound like a cliché but they certainly felt like complementing each other.

First of all, I loved the Alaska setting. I'm not crazy over it because I would love to live in the wilderness but the landscape descriptions and the sort of activities one can do and the so-called communion with nature do seem to have been highlighted here. The fact Alaska as a region was important for the plot was also perfect, since the need to safe keep certain regions should never be questionable if on the other side one only has profit in mind. Still, I think the author used enough amount of information to not make this feel like a moral lesson.

Then, the main characters were really special. Of course they both had their reasons, their POVs, but the fun part of these stories is to see them interact and discuss things in a way that is only challenging because of their differences. Quinn is used to the place and he has had negative experiences when he was studying and in the expectations regarding a woman he cared about but who didn't want to stay in Alaska. This obviously colors his perception of what any one woman might be like, but what fun it was to see him happy when Violet was amazed by everything around them.

Since Violet is the newcomer, "outsider", the fun is to see how she deals with every new thing. I must say I struggled to think of myself as happy as she seemed to be if I had to be in the type of conditions she has, when Quinn is testing her but it was so sweet to read about her thoughts and love for the region anyway. Violet is a naturally bubbly woman, but she also has quite a vulnerable side and, of course, I loved how she got to be herself but still attempting to be a stronger person, doing things she liked and along with someone she felt she could trust.

I liked them both as individuals and as a couple, so many romantic scenes and I loved to know their inner musings, thoughts... these are more than likable characters and it was great to be "in their heads". Obviously, not everything is perfect, each one has doubts and worries and we just know that at some point everything will have to be dealt with and some of that met more cliché situations, but I feel it didn't detract from my enjoyment of the story. The plot isn't complicated and some things were not very original (how Violet feels guilty over the role she is playing after she gets to fall in love with Quinn and with Alaska) but nothing seemed badly done.

Closer to the end, the author used some devices to enhance the drama and while I liked how this made the characters think about their behavior and feelings, it wasn't the best way to bring originality to the story. Again, I can't say it was bad but it could have been better for certain. There some cute scenes and love declarations which I found a bit exaggerated but I was just so happy with how things had evolved, especially on the emotional level for them, that I could just savor the overall story.

I really liked this one and I will read the next one too. Since it seems the stories will be focused on the Fortune siblings, I hope the author won't forget about the ones still single!

Grade: 9/10