Scan barcode
meezcarrie's review
5.0
I have loved each book so far in the Northern Lights series by Beth Carpenter, but Alaskan Dreams is hands down my favorite. Funny, charming, sweet, and romantic, it grabs you from the first sentence and doesn’t let you go until the last word. I know this because when I started reading it I was super tired and only intended on reading the first couple of chapters… but I ended up reading the whole thing in one sitting because it was so entertaining.
The goats are hilarious! Their adorable antics had me laughing out loud on several occasions, but I also found them to be sweetly endearing. Mainly Spritz who definitely decided Patrick was her human – and who knew goats did such a thing? So cute.
Also the perfect combination of hilarious & sweetly endearing – Bonnie and her best friends. Don’t let these senior citizen ladies hear you call them elderly; they’re full of life and activity, with big hearts and well-meaning antics. I wanted to hug them all at one point or another during the book, and they kept a smile on my face throughout.
And then Lauren & Patrick… great banter, sweet friendship, and swoony romance. It doesn’t get much better than that. Their interactions were well-written and engaging, and their personalities shine through perfectly. Lauren was my personal favorite between the two – there are a lot of layers to her backstory & she’s just such a genuine character.
Bottom Line: Alaskan Dreams by Beth Carpenter is an absolutely delightful read from start to finish. Charming & amusing characters (including the mischievous goats!) – plus a treasure hunt! – keep you fully engaged in the story, and the sweet romance will have you swooning more than once. Prepare to read this book with a permanent grin on your face, and a few chuckles too. Fabulous addition to this series!
(I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book)
first seen at Reading Is My SuperPower
The goats are hilarious! Their adorable antics had me laughing out loud on several occasions, but I also found them to be sweetly endearing. Mainly Spritz who definitely decided Patrick was her human – and who knew goats did such a thing? So cute.
Also the perfect combination of hilarious & sweetly endearing – Bonnie and her best friends. Don’t let these senior citizen ladies hear you call them elderly; they’re full of life and activity, with big hearts and well-meaning antics. I wanted to hug them all at one point or another during the book, and they kept a smile on my face throughout.
And then Lauren & Patrick… great banter, sweet friendship, and swoony romance. It doesn’t get much better than that. Their interactions were well-written and engaging, and their personalities shine through perfectly. Lauren was my personal favorite between the two – there are a lot of layers to her backstory & she’s just such a genuine character.
Bottom Line: Alaskan Dreams by Beth Carpenter is an absolutely delightful read from start to finish. Charming & amusing characters (including the mischievous goats!) – plus a treasure hunt! – keep you fully engaged in the story, and the sweet romance will have you swooning more than once. Prepare to read this book with a permanent grin on your face, and a few chuckles too. Fabulous addition to this series!
(I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book)
first seen at Reading Is My SuperPower
jen_baroness_mom's review
5.0
I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy from the Prism Book Tours. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.Alaskan Dreams by Beth Carpenter is a darling tale of romance, hard work, and endurance. I loved it.
Lauren has a dream of owning and living on a farm. A goat farm to be precise. She has taken classes, learned to make goat milk soap, goat cheese, and has even volunteered on goat farms. Lauren has researched and saved for this for a long time. Then she meets Bonnie on a "Goat People" forum. After many months of correspondence, Bonnie invites Lauren to move to her farm in Alaska. Lauren could live and use the land with the agreement of splitting the profits with Bonnie. Lauren's dream has come true.
Yet, as we all know, nothing comes that easy. The fences are in disrepair and set up for cattle, not goats. So, Lauren has lots of work to do. She is growing her herd, though. She quickly gets her herd to a little of a dozen. But then the next strike, the laws in Alaska are different from Oregon, and Lauren will need to pasteurize the milk before it can be used in cheese to be sold.
I like Lauren. She is a hard worker, and she's intelligent and frugal. However, Lauren has a heart of gold, which I think is her greatest attribute. She is caring, loving, and with a little self-doubt to round her out.
Bonnie is in her eighties, and she has recently sprained her ankle. She needs someone to live with her to keep her grandson Patrick off her back. Bonnie and her friends, the "Mat Mates," are these wonderful older ladies that stick their nose in and get things done before Lauren has time to think. They are always all-in immediately. I would love to be doing yoga in my eighties with such fabulous friends.
Patrick wants his grandmother to be safe. However, being alone at the farm where the cell reception is spotting worries him. What if she is hurt and can't get to the phone. He doesn't want to lose her. Bonnie loves him too, but she isn't going to let him tell her what to do.
Patrick is suspicious of Lauren's motives at first, but once he gets to know her, he is smitten. Yet, Lauren's heart is fragile, and he finds that he has to take it slow.
I like Patrick and the way he helps his Gram and Lauren. He is a gentleman. Besides, if Spritz (the goat) adores him, what could be wrong?
Bonnie's way to fix Lauren's money issues is to find the gold nugget stolen from the Bradley's and supposedly hidden on her property. The nugget has a reward that should be enough to set up the facilities for the goat cheese. And finding the heart would be Bonnie's way of getting back at a reporter that embarrassed her years ago so, as Bonnie is figuring its a win-win.
A truly marvelous romance isn't easy, but Ms. Carpenter does weave a fabulous one. Her characters are down to earth, with believable issues and remarkably easy resolution once communication is open. I truly enjoyed the story, with a mix of romance, history, genealogy, community, and love. Therefore, I am giving Alaskan Dreams by Beth Carpenter, five stars. If you are looking for a sweet romance with lots of heart, I recommend Alaskan Dreams.
Will Lauren find true love or be doomed to follow in her mother's footsteps?
Lauren
Lauren has a dream of owning and living on a farm. A goat farm to be precise. She has taken classes, learned to make goat milk soap, goat cheese, and has even volunteered on goat farms. Lauren has researched and saved for this for a long time. Then she meets Bonnie on a "Goat People" forum. After many months of correspondence, Bonnie invites Lauren to move to her farm in Alaska. Lauren could live and use the land with the agreement of splitting the profits with Bonnie. Lauren's dream has come true.
Yet, as we all know, nothing comes that easy. The fences are in disrepair and set up for cattle, not goats. So, Lauren has lots of work to do. She is growing her herd, though. She quickly gets her herd to a little of a dozen. But then the next strike, the laws in Alaska are different from Oregon, and Lauren will need to pasteurize the milk before it can be used in cheese to be sold.
I like Lauren. She is a hard worker, and she's intelligent and frugal. However, Lauren has a heart of gold, which I think is her greatest attribute. She is caring, loving, and with a little self-doubt to round her out.
Bonnie
Bonnie is in her eighties, and she has recently sprained her ankle. She needs someone to live with her to keep her grandson Patrick off her back. Bonnie and her friends, the "Mat Mates," are these wonderful older ladies that stick their nose in and get things done before Lauren has time to think. They are always all-in immediately. I would love to be doing yoga in my eighties with such fabulous friends.
Patrick
Patrick wants his grandmother to be safe. However, being alone at the farm where the cell reception is spotting worries him. What if she is hurt and can't get to the phone. He doesn't want to lose her. Bonnie loves him too, but she isn't going to let him tell her what to do.
Patrick is suspicious of Lauren's motives at first, but once he gets to know her, he is smitten. Yet, Lauren's heart is fragile, and he finds that he has to take it slow.
I like Patrick and the way he helps his Gram and Lauren. He is a gentleman. Besides, if Spritz (the goat) adores him, what could be wrong?
Bradley's Heart
Bonnie's way to fix Lauren's money issues is to find the gold nugget stolen from the Bradley's and supposedly hidden on her property. The nugget has a reward that should be enough to set up the facilities for the goat cheese. And finding the heart would be Bonnie's way of getting back at a reporter that embarrassed her years ago so, as Bonnie is figuring its a win-win.
"Don't give up on your dream," Bonnie said. "Sometimes it takes longer than you like, and sometimes the dream changes over time, but if it's what you really want, keep plugging away."
Five Stars
A truly marvelous romance isn't easy, but Ms. Carpenter does weave a fabulous one. Her characters are down to earth, with believable issues and remarkably easy resolution once communication is open. I truly enjoyed the story, with a mix of romance, history, genealogy, community, and love. Therefore, I am giving Alaskan Dreams by Beth Carpenter, five stars. If you are looking for a sweet romance with lots of heart, I recommend Alaskan Dreams.
Other Books in the Series
Giveaways
Tour Giveaway
Prize: signed print copy of An Alaskan Proposal & a $25 Amazon Gift Card (the US only)
Ends: May 20, 2020
Blog Tour Treasure Hunt
Treasure Hunt Clue #8: Official Alaska state sport. Enter HERE.
The prize is a copy of Sweet Home Alaska, and an 18k rose gold-plated locket.
Organized by:
Thank you for dropping by! I hope you enjoyed this review of Alaskan Dreams by Beth Carpenter. Check out the giveaway and the treasure hunt when you can.
Until the next time,
This Guest Review is for Baroness' Book Trove.
This review was originally posted on Baroness' Book Trove
More...