Against the Wild by Kat Martin (Brodies of Alaska #1)

 

 

Alaska: Where the men are as bold and untamed as America's last wilderness...

It's been three years since Lane Bishop tragically lost her fiancé, and she's finally ready to risk her heart on someone else. The hot look in Dylan Brodie's eyes says he's going to be that man.

But when Lane flies to the remote 1930s fishing lodge to help him renovate, she discovers a little girl who won't speak, eerie legends and strange sounds in the night. And when she investigates the history of the lodge, she uncovers a legacy of injustice and murder.

As danger stalks his daughter and the woman he is coming to love, Dylan must risk everything to uncover the shocking truth.

 

 

3 stars***

I'm a fan of Kat Martin's books and usually quite love her leading men.  And, a wild Alaskan man is definitely right up my alley!   But, I'm kind of torn on this one.   I really liked the first half of the book but then felt myself kind of losing interest past that point... and, I wasn't a huge fan of Dylan.  

 Dylan and Lane were characters introduced in previous books so if you are a fan of this author you will already know their history together. They have always been attracted to each other so Dylan uses the opportunity of utilizing Lane's interior design skills to help him renovate his Alaskan lodge while at the same time hoping to get her into his bed. It did kind of bug me that he brought Lane all the way from L.A primarily for a potential booty call... it seemed to be all that was on his mind. I would have liked a more sincere and emotional dialogue between these two and less of him objectifying her with his thoughts. 
I quite liked Lane though... I'm always a fan of smart, independent women who know how to stand on their own two feet. And, considering her back story it was time for her to finally open her heart up to the possibility of love again.  So, that part of the story I loved. 
I am a HUGE fan of ghost stories and that is why I was more engaged in the first half of the book... but, after the mystery of the ghosts was resolved (which was a bit of a let down) the plot changed over to them trying to help get his friend Caleb get cleared for a murder charge of a local woman. I would have preferred that the entire book had been focused solely on the "haunted lodge" storyline. I had no interest really in Dylan playing detective... and it seems like everyone was a little too okay with him sticking his nose into a police investigation where it didn't belong.
All in all this was not my favorite Kat Martin book... but, that doesn't mean I won't pick up the next book in the series. I will... :) The one thing I do like about this author is that each book gives us something completely different.  And, her writing style always appeals to me.   Even though it's better to start from the beginning of the series... it is possible to read her books as stand alones. 

ARC was provided by the publisher via netgalley