A picture paints a thousand words and the gorgeous cover and title of Emily Kerr’s seasonal novel set in the winter wonderland of Finland certainly does that. It suggests that between these pages lies a romantic heartfelt plea from one star crossed lover to another to meet on some predetermined date in the future but that could be wishful thinking on my part. You’ll have to read this novel to find out! Images of cold snowy days and even colder nights in this wilderness provide an idyllic backdrop for a smouldering hot romance to ignite. With promises of magic, sparkle and fireworks to look forward to there’s every reason to believe this is a romance novel with the potential to sweep you off your feet, leaving you all dreamy and starry eyed. Such were the thoughts running through my mind as I prepared to escape reality and enter the world of (fingers crossed!) happy ever afters. It’s fair to say my hopes of falling in love with both the storyline and its characters were high!

Lucy Fairweather is a breakfast show radio presenter at Star FM who’s currently in a bit of a pickle, both personally and professionally. Fond of a drink and used to being the life and soul of the party means Lucy is something of a liability, much to the disgust of her grumpy producer Mike. So it’s hardly surprising when Lucy finds herself at the centre of a media frenzy after leaked footage of her and fellow presenter Jonno partying and looking rather too close for comfort goes viral. Suddenly the focus of a social media backlash, Lucy turns to friend Skye to help her escape the torrent of abuse and hatred coming her way. Tommi, Skye’s brother in law owns Wild Zone, an outdoor retreat near the Arctic Circle and extends an invitation to Lucy to stay in return for help with the guests. How could a girl refuse such a kind offer? In a storyline with an emphasis on personal development and transformation Lucy learns that you can run but you can’t hide from your problems. Left with ample time on her hands for some much needed soul searching will her Finnish getaway be the wake up call she desperately needs?

Where better to set a winter’s romance than in the depths of the lapland region of Finland, home to Santa Claus, reindeer, huskies and of course the northern lights. You can’t possibly go wrong! Think snow (and lots of it) frozen lakes, quinzees, vast open spaces and sub zero temperatures. Emily Kerr’s vivid descriptions of a hostile but beautiful environment ideally suited as a place to escape all the stresses and strains of modern day living, a place to take stock, reassess, recharge and possibly reinvent oneself puts you in the right frame of mind for some snow fuelled fun and flirtation. If visiting the Arctic circle and experiencing the wonders of the northern lights didn’t already feature on my bucket list then it does now. Emily Kerr sold me the dream, lock stock and barrel. Add in a tall dark Finnish hunk with piercing blue eyes and you’d be forgiven for thinking you’d died and gone to heaven. Can you feel a BUT coming on??…

I’m afraid I felt no affinity towards Lucy despite her being a victim of so much vile abuse. I tried to empathise with her situation recognising a troubled soul beneath her cheery outward persona but couldn’t warm to her at all. Character wise there’s the usual mix of friends and foes with one or two deserving their comeuppance but in truth none of them are particularly inspiring; they’re all relatively beige. Even Tommi fails to win any brownie points in the romantic hero stakes.

Considering this is lighthearted escapist fiction the central themes of this novel are fairly serious. The problem of online trolling, excessive drinking and coping with grief are all handled well. The author attempts to inject some comedy into the scenes at Wild Zone with Lucy who for all her good intentions severely tests Tommi’s patience. Lucy’s desperate attempts to bring the party atmosphere to the outdoor centre leads to some hair raising moments, her foolishness and irresponsibility simply reinforcing the image of her as a bit of a loose cannon which doesn’t endear you to her in the slightest. However my biggest issue with the storyline is the romantic element which takes forever to get going. It’s not until you’re at least three quarters of the way through the novel that things start hotting up by which point you’ve kind of lost interest. Unfortunately this romance just didn’t set my pulse racing nor my temperature soaring. It lacks oomph, passion and any real spark. I wanted fireworks, some sizzling sexual chemistry, some tension and some drama and whilst these elements do exist they quickly fizzle out like a damp squib. It’s cute and sweet in places but blink and you’ll easily miss the moments that change Lucy’s life for the better. Overall I think all the ingredients for a good romance are present bar one and that’s the alchemy which transforms an ordinary romantic relationship into an extraordinary one.

Meet Me Under The Northern Lights is an okay read but with plenty of other seasonal novels to choose from this one doesn’t possess the wow factor necessary to make it onto my list of top romantic reads for 2021.

My thanks as always to the publisher OMC and Netgalley for giving me the opportunity to read in exchange for an honest review.

Lucy was a morning talk show host until some unfavorable videos appeared on social media and she was late to work 2 days in a row. It hurt to lose her job but the reaction from comments on social media made her want to hide. Her friend Henri had a brother, Tommi, who was starting Wild Zone, a chance for tourists to experience the Northern Lights in Finland. He needed help with the guests and she needed a place to go. Perky Lucy meets serious Tommi. It was fun going along with Lucy as she learned how to use the snowshoes, build an ice house, maneuver the dog sled, and adjust to the freezing cold. Somewhere between Lucy’s haphazard, free spirit personality and Tommi’s seriousness the two learned to care for each other. Great book and I felt like I had taken the trip with Lucy to experience Finland.

❄️ Meet Me Under The Northern Lights ❄️
By Emily Kerr
Publisher: One More Chapter (Dec 3, 2021)

Morning radio host Lucy seems to be falling apart as she is blindsided by the cattiness of a bad night out that results in her termination from the radio. Add in social media tormenting and Lucy finds herself on a place to Finland to help out a friend’s brother-in-law.

The wilderness, fresh air, Arctic Circle… and a cute guy to make her re evaluate her life. Who would have guessed that a city gal would find a lot more in a new country.

Reminded me a bit of The Simple Wild in the sense of the city girl goes rural (and the grumpy guy) but the story was totally difft and I was all here for it. Cheesy, cozy and made me want to do a yoga retreat there… perfect quick November read. Thanks @onemorechapter for the gifted copy in return for an honest review! It’s out in a couple weeks all!

Thank you to Netgalley and publisher for this ARC!

First of all, I loved the way the author was able to transport the reader to Finland (and definitely gave me a bite from the travel bug!)

I also wanted to love the characters, but I found Tommi and Lucy a little too rough around the edges to fall for. I didn’t find myself rooting for them as much as I had hoped.

I liked that the author touched on some serious mental health and addiction issues in the context of the romance. I felt that Lucy’s steps to self discovery were reasonable but I just wanted a bit more.

Lucy is a radio presenter, with a tough, demanding boss. A video of her with some brutal editing becomes viral, and she becomes harassed on social media, and hunted by the Paparazzi. She needs to get away from it all, and is helped by her best friends.
When Lucy escapes to an outlying snowbound village in Finland, with a stern, arrogant boss called Tommi, she wonders whether she has made the right decision. With temperatures well below zero, she realises how difficult it’s going to be. Written in a humorous, light hearted style, the author explores how a famous radio presenter learns to cope with tough, basic living in demanding conditions, especially as Tommi seems determined to make things worse.
The story started quite slowly, and, I didn’t feel much empathy for Lucy, who seemed bent on self destruction. However, as the story unfolds and you learn more about the secrets which have defined her, I began to understand her circumstances, and wanted her to succeed.
This is quite a long story, exploring beautiful outlying areas in Finland, with realistic, friendly characters, filled with humour but also despair. Definitely recommended.

Lucy is the victim of cruel video which has gone viral. she has been suspended from her job as breakfast presenter on a radio station.
Her best friend's brother is opening an adventure centre on the Artic Circle and she escapes there to help with the guests. She soon wonders if she is cut out for the job!!
Will the northern lights work its magic and will she finally clear her name and reputation?

Thank you to Netgally fprnthis copy in exchange for an honest review. This book was a nice feelgood story with the added bonus of being set in magical Finland. The story follows Lucy a successful radio DJ who is the subject of a viral video which means she receives a lot of hate. To escape she flees to a wilderness camp in Finland where she discovers how tough she is and enjoys the escapism whilst finding herself and tackling her demons. Along the way she makes some true friends and meets Tommi who supports her on her journey. The story was fairly predictable and at times rushed but overall I enjoyed it as a bit of escapaim.

Thank you to Netgalley and HarperCollins UK, One More Chapter for a copy of this book I exchange for an honest review. All thought and opinions are my own.

Let me start by saying as soon as I see the mention of the Northern Lights, I am drawn in, they have been on my bucket list for years, and any book that takes me that little bit closer to them, I am reading it. The title and cover of this book led me to believe, I would be reading a light holiday romance, set in an amazing location but this book is so much more and the tone is quite dark in places, When a drunken video of our MC radio host Lucy Fairweather goes viral, both her career and her moral character come into question, to escape the trolls and some horrible work colleagues, she needs to get away and escapes to Artic Circle. We quickly realise that Lucy is definitely dealing with lots of demons and is about to embark on a journey of self discovery.

I didn't love this book, it is not what I thought it was going to be. I wanted a light easy read. I couldn't connect with Lucy at all, and for me this made the book drag somewhat. However, I would read other books by the author as I enjoyed her writing style and the description of Finland and the Artic Circle were amazing. Making me want to visit that much more.

Expected publication date: 3rd December 2021.

"That is one thing which this part of the world five you; plenty of time to think without distractions"

I was expecting a light-hearted and fun-filled romance novel, with Lucy being shunned to the arctic circle from her hip city lifestyle as a radio host giving plenty of fodder for miscommunication, banter and irritation between her and Tommi (and other inhabitants of the Wild Zone). And while to a certain extent those elements were indeed part of the story, what I found was a much deeper, more involved story of personal growth on Lucy's behalf.

While of course I was cursing the characters for their miscommunication at times, I enjoyed how each character was well-rounded and flawed. Making them real and easy to identify with. But, what I absolutely loved about this book were the descriptions of the (arctic) surroundings. and the associated activities. I could easily imagine myself as part of the little troupe taking part in learning how to snow shoe or ride a sled, or enjoying the beauty of the Northern Lights surrounded by the beautiful silence that snow brings about. In all honesty Emily Kerr has me looking at vacations of a similar type... what a way to be transported.

5 *stars*

Easiest 5 stars I have ever given!
Thanks to Netgalley, One More Chapter and HarperCollins for providing and ARC copy for my honest review!

Okay, I really liked this book, in fact, I loved it! I wasn't expecting it to be not as romantic for almost 70% of the book. But ,oh my, it was well written. I enjoyed the transitions throughout the book.
I sensed the self-help vibe a bit, I'm not a fan of that kind of content, but it in this book it didn't bother me much.

Brief synopsis:
Radio host Lucy Fairweather has gone viral all over social media because of a video she was in. She wants to escape and preferably far far away. Luckily, she gets a chance to go to the Wilde Zone hotel somewhere in Finland in exchange for helping out gorgeous Tommi. Will Lucy find the one who is behind the viral video? Will she find herself and fall in love under the Northern lights?

What a ride!
Thank you!

#NetGalley

When her job and life implodes Lucy escapes to the wilderness of Finland to hide and lick her wounds. She didn’t expect to be freezing her buns off near the Arctic circle nor did she expect to enjoy herself.

The characters are easy to like and the location of the book sounds breathtakingly beautiful. The plot flows smoothly with the ending expected but well planned.

If you are looking for a quick read that will be entertaining and enjoyable than this is the right book for you. Great for a day curled up with a cup of tea or for a vacation.

Thank you to One More Chapter, Harper Collins via NetGalley for inviting me to read this ARC.

This book was marketed as a seasonal romance and unfortunately, it was far too slow and bland for for me. While I appreciate character development and setting the scene and establishing backstory (our main character is dealing with her fathers recent death the wrong way, recklessly indulging in booze, and gets suspended from her job) it took 7 chapters before we even met the love interest, and it wasn’t until 70% of the way through we had any hint of him even being interested in our main character. After making us wait 150ish pages, the first intimate moment between them is some mild kissing and then ends with a “and he grabbed my hand and pulled me into his bedroom…” kinda vibe - no details at AT ALL. I get that not everyone likes the spice and steam, but I’ve gotten more intimacy from YA books before.

I wouldn’t have minded the slow burn as much if I had liked the main character, a self sabotager with a drinking problem, but I didn’t connect with her at all (I actually found her intolerable) and considering the length of this book and the time we spent with the supporting cast, I sadly found them to be one dimensional stereotypes (the vegan hippie, the tattooed rebel, the grumpy old man etc).

I went into this book wanting a holiday / winter themed rom com of sorts and while I really enjoyed reading about the Finnish lifestyle and the Wild Zone, overall I just think this book was marketed wrong: this is more a tale of a self discovery and self realization set in the Arctic circle than a seasonal romance, and ultimately, being mislead is what fuelled my disappointment in the book.

While this one wasn’t for me, this book would be perfect for someone who loves a really slow burn with a flawed main character, who’s self discovery and growth is the main focus, and the innocent / chaste romance is an added bonus.

Many thanks to Netgalley/Publisher for an advance copy of this book!

The main reason to be drawn in by this book is 100% the cover.. however, that's only the beginning!

This is a wonderful, fun winter read and I thoroughly enjoyed it!

The characters (most of them) are charming and relatable!

The setting for the book really caught me in, I really wanted to be snuggled up, drinking tea while watching the snow fall while reading this!

Would definitely recommend it..

3.5/5⭐️

Lucy is a popular morning radio personality who is placed on suspension when a questionable video surfaces. She becomes a public pariah on social media and contends with threats. At the urging of a friend, she journeys to an Outbound vacation spot in Finland as a volunteer. Tommi, as the owner of Wild Zone, is striving to get his dream job off to a good start.

While a decent story, my main issues here were: first, I did not feel close or connected to the characters; second, even though I sympathized that Lucy had some issues of her own (no spoilers here), I found her annoying most of the time…making bad choices and not learning from them; and third, the romance felt rushed up and out-of-the-blue to me. So not stellar but an OK read.

My thanks to #NetGalley and #OneMoreChapter for providing me the free early arc for review. My opinions are strictly my own.

I loved the cover of this book and was looking forward to a easy relaxing read.
Lucy is a radio host. When a contrived video of her comes to light she is in danger of losing her job. But why and who would do this to Lucy. When Lucy is harassed and threatened online and my mail she decides to go off to Finland.
What I liked:
The setting: I was cold just reading it. Enjoyed learning about what it takes to live in such a cold climate. The snow shoeing, dog sledding etc.
The premise.
The character:. Loved some and loved to hate others.
What I didn't like:
The very slow pace. It dragged in several places.
I felt very little chemistry between the two main characters.
Not a bad book, just not what I was expecting.

Thanks to netgalley and One More Chapter for the arc.

Lucy Fairweather is a successful radio presenter on Star FM when everything starts to go pearshaped.. Someone

puts a very nasty video about her online, she receives vicious troll insults, her manager is really out to get her,

and her drinking is rather out of control. Fortunately, her friend suggests a change of scene in Finland, to

recover and get her life back on track. This is a positive read as Lucy battles her demons, engages with the

the white wilderness of the Arctic Circle and restarts afresh. I enjoyed this story. a lot.

Meet me under the northern lights was just a three star rating.

It started off strong but then right around the middle I started to lose interest and it ended up not working for me. It did have potential and I love the cover and idea.

Thank you Netgalley and publishers for allowing me the chance to read and review.

I enjoyed the premise of this book and really felt like it had great potential to be a very heartwarming romcom. The MC was very relatable and realistic and so were her predicaments and relationship with our main man. I did feel like there could have been more romance and was expecting much more to happen between them. Over all I thought it was a cute little book but wish it leaned a little more on the rom and the com. It was heavier than I anticipated with its themes. I give it 2.5 stars rounded up to 3.

Thanks Netgalley for allowing me to read this book. Lucy needs to escape from her job on the radio. She decides to ho to the artic and work for the hotel that she is staying at. The last thing on her mind is romance but it happens when you least expect it. I liked this book.

This isn't a Christmas themed book, although it will definitely get you in the mood for all things wintery.

Set predominantly in Finland, the author describes the landscape, the cold, and the winter activities with enthusiasm, knowledge and love. She brings the location to life and makes me add it to my bucket list of places to visit.

The characters are an interesting bunch and it took me a while to grow to like Lucy. Initially she is portrayed as an immature, thoughtless, irresponsible party girl, and I didn't feel a great deal of empathy for her. This began to change when she suffered such horrific online abuse and as the story moved from the UK to Finland, I gradually came to like her - although she still had some annoyingly thoughtless moments when I wanted to give her a good shake.

But when I got to know her even better, it became apparent that Lucy had a few demons to slay and I seriously started to root for her.

This is a story about coming to terms with oneself, and about taking responsibility. It's also about romance, too, and that's the best part.