Deserving Alaska (The Refuge 1) by Susan Stoker-review tour

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ABOUT THE BOOK: Release August 9, 2022

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.

**Deserving Alaska is the 1st book in The Refuge Series. Each book is a stand-alone, with no cliffhanger endings.

••••••••

REVIEW:DESERVING ALASKA is the first instalment in Susan Stoker’s contemporary, adult THE REFUGE erotic, romantic suspense series focusing on seven former military soldiers. This is forty-year old, former US Navy SEAL Drake ‘Brick’ Vandine, and thirty-nine year old, administrative assistant Alaska Stein’s story line.

WARNING: Due to the nature of the storyline premise, there may be triggers for more sensitive readers.

SOME BACKGROUND : Upon his release from the US Navy, Drake ‘Brick’ Vandine, and six other former members of the military (Stone, Owl, Pipe, Tiny, Spike and Tonka) banded together to buy land in the mountains of New Mexico where they would build and create The Refuge, a place of peace and recovery for people struggling with PTSD.

Told from third person perspective DESERVING ALASKA follows the childhood friends to lovers relationship between forty-year old, former US Navy SEAL Drake ‘Brick’ Vandine, and thirty-nine year old, administrative assistant Alaska Stein.

From the time she turned fourteen years old, Alaska Stein has had a crush on her neighbor, friend, and schoolmate Drake Vandine but Drake was going places without our story line heroine-Drake wanted to be a US Navy SEAL, and Alaska was destroyed when he left without saying goodbye. As the years passed, Alaska kept in touch with Drake’s mother but our heroine needed to escape the trailer park in which she was raised, opting to travel and work in Europe as an administrative assistant. The day would come when Alaska got a call from Drake’s mother saying that her son had been injured while on a secret mission as a Navy SEAL, and Alaska knew the only place she wanted to be was by Drake’s side. Four more years would pass before Drake would once again hear from Alaska, this time, Drake would be the one rescuing our story line heroine when she is abducted while touring alone through Russia, and held captive by a human trafficking ring, preparing to ship Alaska overseas. What ensues is the rebuilding friendship, and romance between Drake and Alaska, and the potential fall-out when the $ex trafficker comes looking for the property he owns.

Alaska Stein considers herself plain and unattractive, having felt like the ugly duckling all of her life. With issues of low self esteem, Alaska struggled in the wake of her abduction and capture for a human trafficking ring, a capture wherein she found herself targeted as an American citizen. Drake never expected to receive a call from our story line heroine, a coded call letting him know she was in trouble and needed his help. With the assistance of the men who own and operate The Refuge, Drake would rescue our heroine, and begin a slow seduction of the woman with whom he would fall in love.

The relationship between Drake and Alaska is a friends to lovers relationship in which Alaska struggles with issues of low self esteem, believing she is unworthy of Drake’s attention and love. Having been targeted for who she is, and what she represents, Alaska can’t believe the intended abuser continues to want what he paid for in full. Watching Alaska bloom at The Refuge means protecting our heroine when the past demands her return, a demand Drake is hoping never comes to fruition. The $ex scenes are intimate, erotic and intense, without the use of over the top, sexually graphic language and text.

We are introduced to Brick’s fellow owners at The Refuge: Stone, Owl, Pipe, Tiny, Spike and Tonka, as well as therapist Henley McClure, and in house chef Robert. There may be something developing between Henley and Tonka. The requisite evil has many faces.

DESERVING ALASKA is a story of obsession, power and control; betrayal and vengeance; family, friendships, relationships and love. The fast paced premise is intriguing, engaging and captivating; the romance is seductive and provocative; the characters are broken, struggling but trying to heal.

Copy supplied for review

Reviewed by Sandy

New York Times, USA Today, and Wall Street Journal Bestselling Author, Susan Stoker has a heart as big as the state of Texas where she lives, but this all-American girl has also spent the last fourteen years living in Missouri, California, Colorado, and Indiana. She’s married to a retired Army man who now gets to follow her around the country.

She debuted her first series in 2014 and quickly followed that up with the SEAL of Protection Series, which solidified her love of writing and creating stories readers can get lost in.

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