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emcgillivray's review against another edition
The fatphobia and weird misogyny got to be. Plus, he's ex military and ACAB.
mvbookreviewer's review against another edition
4.0
On the ice, in the antarctic cold, in the middle of freaking nowhere, his tongue showed her how dirty sex could be, his body made her take it, and that dark, raspy husk of a voice broke in to turn the whole thing up a million degrees.
Whiteout by Adriana Anders is the first book in the Survival Instincts series. I have come across this book multiple times since it was published in 2020. I am glad that I finally gave this book a chance because this tale was all consuming on so many levels, be it the suspense factor, the romance, or the breathtaking landscape upon which the story unfolds.
Whiteout takes place in the South Pole where a scientific expedition is ongoing and 31 year old Angel Smith comes in as a cook as part of summer crew. When the story begins, her period of stay is almost over, with her return journey just a day or two away. Angel had needed the remoteness of the location to heal from the wounds that she guards closely and even though she might yearn for a certain someone to look her way, she is done running after emotionally unavailable men. Her sunny disposition and vibrancy might fool everyone, but inside she is a woman who has lost a lot, but has not given up on the potential that life has to offer.
38 year old Dr. Ford Cooper is a scientist on the expedition, who does not like crowds nor too much interaction with the outside world. From the start, Angel rubs him the wrong way, his perception of her being that she is too loud, too enthusiastic, too everything, which annoys him to no end. He is a loner, which means the job at hand suits him perfectly. The fact that Cooper is looking forward to Angel’s departure from the station is indicative of just how aware he is of her presence even if he gives nothing away, even if he might never have exchanged more than a few syllables with her.
When things go awry on the day of the departure, and Angel witnesses the horrific barbarity of a group of individuals who are working towards their own goal which might end up putting the whole world at risk, it is only Cooper and Angel who are left to put piece it together and identify how to best thwart their attempts from coming to fruition.
And so begins their trek through the unforgiving, icy, and harsh terrain of the South Pole in winter, with. As these two fight for their survival and try to outsmart those in pursuit, the circumstances that brings them together forging a bond that is difficult to overlook. Hearts are thawed and healed, desire blooms, and love emerges into the light, willing to brave it out and provide warmth in the cold and hostile environment that seems all encompassing.
Whiteout was a truly phenomenal read in my opinion, up till its end, when the story ended on a weird cliffhanger that paves the way for the second installment in the series, with two different main protagonists, which is why I found it a tad odd. Ms, Anders could have given a more well rounded ending to Whiteout and still ensured that our interest in the series remained intact without giving us such an unexpected ending.
Even if the ending did get in the way of my enjoyment factor, I still loved a lot of things about this story. I loved the breathtaking landscape upon which the story unfolds, that was so vividly brought to light by Ms. Anders. The prose is as such that I felt like I was transported to the setting, where I was witness and party to all that was taking place.
The suspense factor was also well done, reminding me of movies of the same nature, where through large chunks of what unfolds you are left holding your breath, the wait and see factor not an easy one to get through, but definitely why such thrilling movies are so addictive. Whiteout was similar in many ways, and I loved every exhilarating bit of it.
That brings me to Dr. Cooper who demanded nothing less but total surrender of my heart, body, and soul. He is the kind of hero that many romance readers may not find affinity with, but I adored. He is the true definition of a hero who is a loner, who prefers his own company to everyone else’s, who grew up without much affection in his life, who is practical in his approach to life, and who believes that love has no place in his life under any set of conditions. He is as reluctant a hero you will find in a romance, and that is how I often like them.
I loved how sexy and commanding Cooper was, how readers could see and witness his “downfall” when it came to Angel, and how he tried so valiantly even towards the very end to put up a fight and resist what was inevitable. Cooper does not understand his worth, nor his appeal, and I think that was the charm to his character which might not be so obvious to most.
I also fell wholeheartedly for Angel – the things that she had gone through were harrowing not to say the least, and the damage that it had done to her self confidence as a woman is one that can be felt by the readers. But through it all there shines a light from within, where she the beauty of her soul is evident, and that is the ultimate reason why Cooper fell so hard as he did. Angel knows Cooper well, understands the nuances to his character, and yearns for him with every fiber of her existence. But the respect she shows to her own self by walking away from something destructive made me approve of her wholeheartedly, which also led to the ultimate scene of groveling which was satisfying on many levels.
Recommended for fans of romantic suspense. The push and pull factor between the main protagonists alone was enough to keep me hooked!
Final Verdict: Whiteout is the kind of novel that brings out the adventurer in you that you never knew existed. The excitement of the romance and suspense definitely keeps the pages turning!
Rating = 4.25/5
For more reviews and quotes, please visit A Maldivian's Passion for Romance
Whiteout by Adriana Anders is the first book in the Survival Instincts series. I have come across this book multiple times since it was published in 2020. I am glad that I finally gave this book a chance because this tale was all consuming on so many levels, be it the suspense factor, the romance, or the breathtaking landscape upon which the story unfolds.
Whiteout takes place in the South Pole where a scientific expedition is ongoing and 31 year old Angel Smith comes in as a cook as part of summer crew. When the story begins, her period of stay is almost over, with her return journey just a day or two away. Angel had needed the remoteness of the location to heal from the wounds that she guards closely and even though she might yearn for a certain someone to look her way, she is done running after emotionally unavailable men. Her sunny disposition and vibrancy might fool everyone, but inside she is a woman who has lost a lot, but has not given up on the potential that life has to offer.
38 year old Dr. Ford Cooper is a scientist on the expedition, who does not like crowds nor too much interaction with the outside world. From the start, Angel rubs him the wrong way, his perception of her being that she is too loud, too enthusiastic, too everything, which annoys him to no end. He is a loner, which means the job at hand suits him perfectly. The fact that Cooper is looking forward to Angel’s departure from the station is indicative of just how aware he is of her presence even if he gives nothing away, even if he might never have exchanged more than a few syllables with her.
When things go awry on the day of the departure, and Angel witnesses the horrific barbarity of a group of individuals who are working towards their own goal which might end up putting the whole world at risk, it is only Cooper and Angel who are left to put piece it together and identify how to best thwart their attempts from coming to fruition.
And so begins their trek through the unforgiving, icy, and harsh terrain of the South Pole in winter, with. As these two fight for their survival and try to outsmart those in pursuit, the circumstances that brings them together forging a bond that is difficult to overlook. Hearts are thawed and healed, desire blooms, and love emerges into the light, willing to brave it out and provide warmth in the cold and hostile environment that seems all encompassing.
Whiteout was a truly phenomenal read in my opinion, up till its end, when the story ended on a weird cliffhanger that paves the way for the second installment in the series, with two different main protagonists, which is why I found it a tad odd. Ms, Anders could have given a more well rounded ending to Whiteout and still ensured that our interest in the series remained intact without giving us such an unexpected ending.
Even if the ending did get in the way of my enjoyment factor, I still loved a lot of things about this story. I loved the breathtaking landscape upon which the story unfolds, that was so vividly brought to light by Ms. Anders. The prose is as such that I felt like I was transported to the setting, where I was witness and party to all that was taking place.
The suspense factor was also well done, reminding me of movies of the same nature, where through large chunks of what unfolds you are left holding your breath, the wait and see factor not an easy one to get through, but definitely why such thrilling movies are so addictive. Whiteout was similar in many ways, and I loved every exhilarating bit of it.
That brings me to Dr. Cooper who demanded nothing less but total surrender of my heart, body, and soul. He is the kind of hero that many romance readers may not find affinity with, but I adored. He is the true definition of a hero who is a loner, who prefers his own company to everyone else’s, who grew up without much affection in his life, who is practical in his approach to life, and who believes that love has no place in his life under any set of conditions. He is as reluctant a hero you will find in a romance, and that is how I often like them.
I loved how sexy and commanding Cooper was, how readers could see and witness his “downfall” when it came to Angel, and how he tried so valiantly even towards the very end to put up a fight and resist what was inevitable. Cooper does not understand his worth, nor his appeal, and I think that was the charm to his character which might not be so obvious to most.
I also fell wholeheartedly for Angel – the things that she had gone through were harrowing not to say the least, and the damage that it had done to her self confidence as a woman is one that can be felt by the readers. But through it all there shines a light from within, where she the beauty of her soul is evident, and that is the ultimate reason why Cooper fell so hard as he did. Angel knows Cooper well, understands the nuances to his character, and yearns for him with every fiber of her existence. But the respect she shows to her own self by walking away from something destructive made me approve of her wholeheartedly, which also led to the ultimate scene of groveling which was satisfying on many levels.
Recommended for fans of romantic suspense. The push and pull factor between the main protagonists alone was enough to keep me hooked!
Final Verdict: Whiteout is the kind of novel that brings out the adventurer in you that you never knew existed. The excitement of the romance and suspense definitely keeps the pages turning!
Rating = 4.25/5
For more reviews and quotes, please visit A Maldivian's Passion for Romance
jenndunfee's review against another edition
3.0
I really enjoyed this book for about the first 65% and then honestly started getting confused. I know this book is supposed to be the first in a series but the introduction to the rest of the world and characters made me feel like I missed something? It was enough that I don't think I will check out the second in the series.
Overall enjoyed the romance aspect, I'm still left with a ton of questions even about them. Giving this a 2.5 rounded up to 3.
Overall enjoyed the romance aspect, I'm still left with a ton of questions even about them. Giving this a 2.5 rounded up to 3.
llamallamacallurmama's review against another edition
3.75
**Most of my reviews contain detailed Content Notes (including CW/TW) sections, which may include spoilers and general tags. I have tried to mark them appropriately, but please use caution.**
3.75
Audio (Coleen Marlo)
* Summary: A mildly antagonistic station cook and glacial researcher/former soldier are stuck together traveling desperately through the icy antarctic wilds when bad guys do bad things.
* Stats: CR/Survival/Suspense, M/F, open door, part of a series but the romance stands alone (unfinished suspense plot)
* Notes: I enjoyed most of this - but the ending lost me a bit, felt overcomplicated and utterly out of touch with any residual reality that the first two acts clung on to. I also struggled a bit because this one hit me a bit like a sci-fi which generally isn’t my favourite - it just felt like a “shouldn’t be happening” and I had more trouble suspending disbelief than usual. Still, interesting and enjoyable overall.
OTT and Spoilery Content Notes:
38M/31F, Torture, blood, alcohol, neurodivergent coded mmc with sensory aversions, shooting/gun violence, death, murder, fmc is struck and dragged by the hair, general manhandling, explosion, fire, veteran MMC, hypothermia, caretaking, medical care, mention of death in fire, biological warfare, trauma response (FMC, nightmare), massage, caretaking, minor medical care, near death fall, chronic pain/injury, infidelity in past relationship, FMC was taken advantage of by her previous partner, also a significant age between MC and her, car crash, death of previous partner, drug use (implied, side character), side character punches a wall, side characters are imprisoned, alcoholic parent, FMC has IUD, scarred MMC, mention/description of deaths in mass shooting (school, adults and children), injuries, MCs are held at gunpoint, general manhandling, mmc is beaten, knife violence/stabbing, villain has herpes (described negatively), side character with a severe brain injury, shooting, hospital scenes
3.75
Audio (Coleen Marlo)
* Summary: A mildly antagonistic station cook and glacial researcher/former soldier are stuck together traveling desperately through the icy antarctic wilds when bad guys do bad things.
* Stats: CR/Survival/Suspense, M/F, open door, part of a series but the romance stands alone (unfinished suspense plot)
* Notes: I enjoyed most of this - but the ending lost me a bit, felt overcomplicated and utterly out of touch with any residual reality that the first two acts clung on to. I also struggled a bit because this one hit me a bit like a sci-fi which generally isn’t my favourite - it just felt like a “shouldn’t be happening” and I had more trouble suspending disbelief than usual. Still, interesting and enjoyable overall.
OTT and Spoilery Content Notes:
kenziereadsit's review against another edition
3.0
3.5 ★
i’m somewhat new to reading romantic suspense, but i have to say that i have mixed feelings about this one. the suspense/survival aspect of the book was definitely intriguing — the romance, however, kind of ebbed and flowed. angel and ford’s connection was strong at times and then kind of tapered off. nonetheless, it wasn’t a terrible read and i did enjoy it overall.
i’m somewhat new to reading romantic suspense, but i have to say that i have mixed feelings about this one. the suspense/survival aspect of the book was definitely intriguing — the romance, however, kind of ebbed and flowed. angel and ford’s connection was strong at times and then kind of tapered off. nonetheless, it wasn’t a terrible read and i did enjoy it overall.
kingabee's review against another edition
3.0
The first half of this book was exactly what the doctor ordered. I love a good survival romance, especially if it involves cold and snow. And especially if it involves the enemies-to-lovers trope (enemies is too strong of a word here). The only thing that could make it better would’ve been if I it was also a regency romance, because not only would they have to share their body heat but also agonise over how IMPROPER it is.
Alas, Ford and Angel are a modern couple, they don’t need to worry about that. Though they do need to worry about some baddies chasing them across the Antarctica.
This was all quite delicious and exciting for about 60% when the story really lost its momentum. The sexual and romantic tension was resolved a little too early and we were left with the thriller part of the ‘romance thriller’. And that part was just not strong enough to keep my attention. I was willing to suspend my disbelief of the bizarre plot for the sake of the romance but without that incentive I just couldn’t take it seriously. The villains were cartoonish and laughable and the whole thing just dragged pointlessly. Shame.
Though I'd like to point out I really like that the heroine wasn't dimwitted as it often happens in such scenarios. Yes, she was a chef and not an ex-military, experienced polar scientist, so she had to rely on the hero for things, but she did use common sense, pulled her weight, and listened to the hero when he knew something better than her (rather than act like a rebellious toddler, as is a prevalent plot device in many such books).
Alas, Ford and Angel are a modern couple, they don’t need to worry about that. Though they do need to worry about some baddies chasing them across the Antarctica.
This was all quite delicious and exciting for about 60% when the story really lost its momentum. The sexual and romantic tension was resolved a little too early and we were left with the thriller part of the ‘romance thriller’. And that part was just not strong enough to keep my attention. I was willing to suspend my disbelief of the bizarre plot for the sake of the romance but without that incentive I just couldn’t take it seriously. The villains were cartoonish and laughable and the whole thing just dragged pointlessly. Shame.
Though I'd like to point out I really like that the heroine wasn't dimwitted as it often happens in such scenarios. Yes, she was a chef and not an ex-military, experienced polar scientist, so she had to rely on the hero for things, but she did use common sense, pulled her weight, and listened to the hero when he knew something better than her (rather than act like a rebellious toddler, as is a prevalent plot device in many such books).
girlwithhearteyes's review against another edition
3.5
3.5 stars
It started out strong and very chilling (hee! See what I did there), but I thought the surviving in Antarctica part of the story overpowered the romance.
Angel and Ford went through so much, and although I liked them together, I found myself more invested in them getting a warm meal and a hot shower, and not even the sexy kind. 😕
Because it was also more of a survivalist story, I was also annoyed by thecliffhanger, as non-romance plot does not get resolved in this book.
It started out strong and very chilling (hee! See what I did there), but I thought the surviving in Antarctica part of the story overpowered the romance.
Angel and Ford went through so much, and although I liked them together, I found myself more invested in them getting a warm meal and a hot shower, and not even the sexy kind. 😕
Because it was also more of a survivalist story, I was also annoyed by the
autumnal54's review against another edition
adventurous
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
hil_knecht's review against another edition
2.0
This is ok but i don’t think I’ll continue the series .
peytonm's review against another edition
5.0
I've never read a book set in Antarctica before, and this was a great one! Harrowing and intense, Ford and Angel's love story involves a long trek through the frozen winter, so they can survive the murderous henchmen of someone high up who wants Ford's terrible discovery. In today's quarantine lifestyle, this threat of bioterrorism from the villain of the story really hit home.
I've already recommended this story to a friend!
I've already recommended this story to a friend!