Thursday, January 24, 2019

Under The Northern Lights by SC Stephens....... 4.5 Star Review



Mallory Reynolds is a driven woman fueled by her passion for photographing wild animals in remote locations. Every year she makes a trek deep into Alaska, but this time the unthinkable happens: she crash-lands after her plane stalls out in a storm. Injured, vulnerable, and threatened by the very creatures she loves, Mallory fears the worst—until she’s rescued by Michael Bradley, a mysterious mountain man living in self-imposed exile.
Mallory is grateful for Michael’s help but desperate to return home to let her family know she’s alive. Unfortunately, neither of them can leave Michael’s secluded cabin until spring. Mallory’s stuck with a stranger for months.
As Mallory recovers, a deep bond begins to form between the pair. Mallory is convinced that fate brought them together, but Michael is buried in his past, unable to move forward. Undaunted, Mallory tends to Michael’s heart as tenderly as he cared for her wounds—but will her love be enough to heal him?





Dawn's Review


SC Stephens, is a go to author for me, so naturally I went into this not knowing what to expect.  First thing, I went to Colorado over Christmas and I am so glad that I did not read this before my flights.   As a wildlife photographer, one has to go to where the wildlife is and for Mal, that was Alaska. Alone and with a plan she sets out to capture these creatures in their natural habitat. Danger is waiting an unsuspecting Mallory, but she forges on, into the sky.
The plane crash was told in vivid detail and you really were afraid for Mallory. But yet I applauded her spirit to go and live her dream. Facing death with little more than her backpack, gun and her faith, Mal, has to survive one night and then go in search of help.
Michael, is a social recluse and all alone in his Alaskan wilderness. Tired of the world and it's people constantly letting him down Michael, leaves a career as a physician and the streets of New York. He is on a mission to have little to no contact with people again.  His reasoning is solid, in his mind and he believes he is far enough out to accomplish just this. Until, one day he sees smoke rising into the Alaska wilderness . He sets out to see what has interrupted his exile. Finding Mallory, hurt and in danger, he rescues her from the very wilderness that they both love so much.
I would classify this story as NA to YA story more along the action and adventure line. There is innuendo, but nothing graphic. This is a beautiful story of two people in dire circumstances that lean on each other as a way to survive. Both Michael and Mallory, are injured in different ways. Michael, is broken by a single  traumatic event in his life 5 years ago.  And Mallory, her body is beaten and she is away from everyone she loves and is worried about her family thinking she is dead. Her spirits are low but her faith never weavers.
This story for me, was about finding your courage and strength you didn't know you had. It's about overcoming things keeping you from your happiness. Choosing to live when it would be easy to just lay down and die. Faith, plays a big role in this story and it was quite refreshing to see a book with a clear message, that was not beating it down your throat.


Under The Northern Lights
by 
SC Stephens
4.5 Clocks




Honest review based on 
book provided by NetGalley

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