Just In Time (Alaskan Nights #3) by Addison Fox
Romance Contemporary
August 6, 2013
Signet/Penguin

Reviewed by Tori

Favorite Quote: “Never make your decisions for a man, no matter how stupid over him you are.“

Avery Marks and Roman Forsyth were childhood best friends and sweethearts. When Roman is drafted into the NHL after high school, his only contact with Avery is the expensive guilt gifts he sends home. Avery was heartbroken by his abandonment. She loved him with everything she had and he willingly let her and their love go. When Roman comes home for a rest before the next season opener, he can no longer deny the chemistry that still exists between him and Avery. But Avery isn’t as willing to let bygones be bygones. Roman broke her heart and no matter what the town seems to think, she is not Cinderella, waiting to be swept off her feet by the town’s Prince Charming. Avery is ready to close the book on her past and look towards her future. Can Roman show her that he is ready to be the man Avery fell in love with so many years ago, or has their time for a happily ever after passed them by?

Just In Time is the third book in Addison Fox’s Alaskan Nights series. Fans of the series have been waiting for this installment since first meeting Roman and Avery in book one and getting clues to their broken relationship throughout the series. Though the first two installments were light hearted, this story is definitely emotionally weighted. Our couple has a deep past filled with heartbreak and pain. Add in a small Alaskan town whose prime entertainment is butting into each others business and a pair of grandmothers who have romance on the brain and you have a recipe for disaster as our two protagonists attempt to redefine their relationship.

Avery has spent her whole life in Indigo, Alaska. Having spent a good portion youth caring for her alcoholic mother, Avery now runs the bar in Roman’s mother’s hotel. Having recently returned from Ireland where she studied hospitality, she is seeing her future has more options than she ever imagined. She is a self assured, witty, warm hearted person that takes no crap from anyone. She comfortable in her own skin and it shows when dealing with the town and Roman. What I really liked about Avery is she isn’t into games or deception. She has no issues with telling you exactly how it is.

“I know who you are. I’ve always known who you are. But if you don’t know I can’t fix that for you.”

Roman was harder to pin down. We never really got to know him as well in the series because he isn’t around much. Most of what we do hear is from other points of view. Considered a god on the ice, he has some issues (both professionally and personally) that has him reevaluating his life and future. A life that defines him, or so he thinks. He is angry at the town for the pedestal they have placed him on and the fact that he has to deal with the feelings he has buried for the past fourteen years. Yet, he isn’t a prima donna. He has a large giving heart and does a lot to show his love for the town and residents.

I enjoyed the main element Fox choose to build this story on. Reconnection. Roman and Avery need to reconnect. They need to reacquaint themselves with the adults they have become and learn to let go of the past. That is easier said than done. Avery holds a lot of resentment towards Roman. She has been there, done that, and has the broken heart to prove it. Part of her pain is not only did she lose her lover…but she lost her best friend too. Blaming him for her lack of direction she comes to learn that her choosing to stay in Indigo was not Roman’s fault. She owns up to the fact that her life, such as it is, was by her own decisions. Roman also has to learn that he did in fact abandon Avery to achieve his dreams. The gifts he sent home were nothing more than ways to assuage his guilt. He behaved childishly by staying away from Indigo and Avery and it takes a lot for him to finally realise that. Even once he and Avery seem to overcome the past and look towards the future, Roman’s insecurities reared their ugly head and we see him being an arse again.

The chemistry these two generate is a personable presence in the story. Their anger makes the sexual tension singe the pages. These two weave, bob, and bicker with each other throughout the entire story. There are multiple sub plots that branch out from the main storyline. We see a secondary romance blossom for a special character and we learn that not everyone is happy with the town’s gossipy nature.  Roman’s issues are eventually brought out in the forefront and we begin to understand his fears better.

“I got my dream and gave up every single thing of value in my life to get it.”

The secondary characters continue to amuse and exasperate. Such an eccentric group. This town is a perfect example of small town residents. Nosy, gregarious, and truly caring about everything going on. We see more of Grier and Mick and get to watch Sloan and Walker tie the knot. Their lives are on track and I enjoyed visiting with them again. I especially loved Avery’s and Julia’s relationship. Julia is one of the few people who doesn’t see Roman through rose colored glasses and truly understands Avery’s reluctance to go down this path with him again.

“You can’t erase years of bad behavior and just expect things to go back to the way they were.”

“No, you can’t.”

“You also can’t live your life for other people’s expectations and that’s the biggest reason I wish people knew when to keep their mouths shut.”

A few things that bothered me was the amount of time it took Avery and Roman to finally address their problems. So much rehashing of old resentments and feelings with little advancement and even less honest communication. I felt like we were listening to a broken record that can’t skip to the next song.  The pacing is extremely slow up and doesn’t execute well. I was  ready to slap Roman for not coming clean about his feelings or his problems. He has a bad habit of assuming things and making decisions that affected the both of them. Avery does a much better job of moving forward and I liked that she was willing to fight for what she wanted even if he wasn’t.

“I’ve loved you always. Before I even understood what it was, I loved you. But I love me, too. And I won’t spend my life worrying if I’m enough to make you happy.”

Even with Roman’s stupid moments (and there were quite a lot of them), the story was still a enjoyable to read with plenty of humor and laugh out loud scenes. The ending comes fast; wrapping everything up nice and tight and giving us a sweet HEA and epilogue.

Rating: C+

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