Author: Susan Stoker
Series: The Refuge Series Book #1
Category: Romantic Suspense
Rating: ⭐⭐⭐
Spice: 🌶️🌶️🌶️
This was such a sugary love story, sandwiched between some life-changing challenges for both our FMC and MMC.
I loved Alaska’s quiet strength and her determination to help the boy-turned-man she has loved her whole life. She is honest, direct, and unassuming but loyal to a fault and above all else, so kind. Always an NPC (non-player character) in her own life, Drake saw her and made her feel important and she never forgot his impact on her childhood, even after they lost touch.
"Her mom always said she should've named her Jane...as in plain Jane. She claimed her daughter could blend in with the walls. Being invisible has never bothered Alaska though. She was shy and didn't like when people stared at her."
Drake's life took off after high school, and though he casually thought of Alaska, he was focused on his military career. It wasn't until her loyalty was put on display even decades later that he realized just how much he had missed her in his life. As adults, he finally saw how well they fit together and once he did, he decided he was never letting her go.
Despite some very heavy topics around sexual assault, the slave trade, and PTSD, the romance aspect of this book was as wholesome and sweet as it gets. Long lost friends reuniting when the other needs them the most, and then supporting each other through the healing process...yeah both Alaska and Drake are unrealistically awesome. Which is okay! The low drama of their relationship was certainly balanced with the horrible events both characters go through.
"'It might've taken me twenty-two years to see what was in front of me all along, but I see you now, Al. And I might be slow, but I'm not dumb.'" - Drake
The villain in this story was more comical than not. We were privy to their thoughts and actions which decreased the suspense overall. I would have liked more mystery to keep me guessing at the third act danger rather than anticipating it.
One random hiccup I found myself coming back to was the inconsistency in the character's ages compared to the storyline. Both Drake and Alaska are in their early forties, yet she was targeted to be sold as a sex slave, and according to the timeline he was in active combat as a Navy Seal at 35. While technically both were possible, it felt a little off to me. While I'm 100% for middle-aged romances, the plot would have suited characters in their 30s better.
I simply adore interconnected friend group romance series and while 'Deserving Alaska' wasn't a five-star book review for me, I still plan on continuing the series to learn more about The Refuge and the men who built it from the ground up.
"The Refuge was a place people could find the peace and quiet they needed to continue their healing journey. Being here wouldn't cure anyone of their demons...but it was a place where they could shove those demons aside for a short while and just breathe."
Tropes and Themes: Friends to Lovers, Second Chance Romance, Military, Veteran, PTSD, Romantic Suspense, Small Town.
Blurb
The Refuge is a place to heal. Where those who have experienced traumatic events can go to heal. It’s run by seven former military men who’ve seen more than their fair share of the ugliness in the world.
Friend-zoned since childhood by the most amazing man she’s ever known, that doesn’t stop Alaska Stein from doing whatever’s necessary—including lying to the military—to be by his side when Drake ends up in a German hospital after a mission gone wrong. The broken man in the bed is not the boy she once knew. Despite that, and despite years apart, when Drake turns his gaze to Alaska, he sees her. Looks beyond the plain-Jane exterior to his childhood friend beneath. He may never be anything more than a friend, but putting her needs aside to see him whole is a sacrifice she’s willing to make.
Drake “Brick” Vandine walks away from the SEALs after his recovery, building a life around helping others struggling with PTSD. But he can’t walk away from Alaska. She was there for him in his darkest moment and her spine of steel saw him through one of the biggest challenges of his career. And now, although she lives half a world away, she’s still his anchor, his daily dose of support as he and several friends build The Refuge. A place of peace, a place of healing. But, for Drake, also a place of loneliness.
When the unthinkable befalls Alaska during a trip to Russia, it’s Drake’s turn to drop everything and race to her aid. Safely back at The Refuge, he just as quickly realizes what he’s failed to see for two decades—his oldest, dearest friend is the love of his life.
A revelation that may be too little, too late. Because Drake’s brought the enemy right to their door.
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