Under an Alaskan sky

An excess of angst and insecurity plague the slow-burning second romance in Snow's Wild River series (after An Alaskan Christmas). Cassie Reynolds, an extreme sports enthusiast and the owner of SnowTrek Tours, has been in love with her best friend, Tank Wheeler, for five years, but she's never pushed for a relationship out of respect for his concerns about dating as a single father. Tank, who was orphaned as a young boy and shunted through the foster system, has feelings for Cassie but fears upending their friendship and jeopardizing Cassie's bond with his 10-year-old daughter, Kaia, should things not work out. When Kaia's mother, Montana, returns to Wild River, Alaska, hoping to forge a relationship with her daughter, Cassie worries that Montana has her sights on a romantic reunion with Tank as well. This concern ought to be moot, as Tank has no lingering feelings for Montana, but Tank's inability to communicate this jeopardizes his relationship with Cassie before it can even begin. The plot is dominated by Tank's indecision and Cassie's insecurity, leaving little room for joy and making the abrupt, tidy happy ending unbelievable. Fans of Snow's first trip to Wild River will be disappointed. Agent: Jill Marsal, Marsal Lyon Literary. (May)