Let me start off by saying (sorry, single ladies!) that I’m SO glad I’m not in the dating world. I kissed that life goodbye the moment I met my drunken sailor boy on that fateful night in Tijuana—long before everyone became so transfixed with selfies and Facebook. Yes, that’s right, I came from the prehistoric age when boys used to pick up the phone to ask girls out.

Unfortunately for Kari Covington, this technology-enhanced dating scene is a part of her reality. To make matters worse, she lives in Alaska where it’s practically impossible to dress cute without catching hypothermia. Oh but don’t fret, this sassy girl is very strategic about swapping out her Eskimo clothes for frilly outfits and couture heels. Another added bonus—the frigid weather tames her naturally curly hair, which would otherwise be a hot mess in her hometown of Charleston, South Carolina.

So you see, this little lady has it going on, and the boys always come back calling for a second date. Everything is all fine and dandy until the other shoe drops and she’s back to square one. Good thing she has her work buddy and fellow foodie pal, Jack, to lean on when her princes turn back into frogs.

Remember screaming at Alicia Silverstone to finally make a move on Paul Rudd in Clueless? Well that pretty much sums up my frustration with Kari since chapter one. Are you blind, woman?! He’s hot, he’s totally into her, they’re both raging foodies (a hobby I will never understand), and he’s single! HELLO!  Is it terrible that I rather enjoyed Kari’s discomfort when Jack got scooped up by a long-legged red-head? She kind of deserved that, right?

Since I normally read mystery novels, I have to resign myself to the fact that this is not a guessing game. Anyone who’s familiar with the tropes of the romance genre is aware that this story is really more about the slow-motion journey through the field of daisies, with a few detours here and there. But I have to say that this is a pretty fun journey. I enjoyed all the little outings to pub trivia nights, cooking classes and singles bars. It was also fun guessing how all her seemingly perfect dates would end in disaster. I sure felt for her when she was trapped in a restaurant with a hard-core political journalist. Check, please!

What really set this book apart from your typical girl-in-the-city romance is the Alaska setting. It’s the perfect place for snuggling up with a hot man by a roaring fire. I’m also pleased that Kari is a normal size-12 lady, not a tall, willowy supermodel look-a-like. We need more of that in genre fiction! Despite her naivety, she’s a great friend and an excellent cook. I would gladly accept an invite to one of her dinner parties! Warning: this book will make you hungry. All the descriptions of Kari’s culinary creations had me drooling like a Saint Bernard on a hot summer’s day.

If you love a fun, light-hearted romance, pick this one up. I know it can be rather iffy trying out a new author, but I promise that this is quality stuff!