Alaska Twilight Book

2.5 stars
Haley Walsh has returned to remote Alaska to come to terms with her past. Twenty years ago a tragedy occurred, and Haley has been living with her grandmother in Phoenix ever since. Haley's parents stayed behind to work on an archeological dig, and with their recent deaths, Haley has decided to face her troubles head-on. She joins Kipp Nowak, a television wildlife star, and his crew, who are making a documentary about bears. Their group is also accompanied by Tank Lassiter, a biologist who is less than thrilled with Kipp's easygoing approach to the dangerous bears.

As Haley begins to delve into the circumstances surrounding her parents' deaths, she uncovers evidence that the fire that killed them might not have been an accident. Tank, although fighting a battle of his own to retain custody of his daughter after his wife's suspicious death, joins forces with her to uncover an evil force at work in the Alaskan wilderness.

Colleen Coble writes interesting and moving romantic suspense. However, Alaska Twilight doesn't really seem to flow cohesively. There are too many storylines all trying to battle for the forefront: Kipp versus Tank with the bear issue, Tank's loss of his wife and custody battle, Haley's past tragedy, and her parents' possible murders. Intertwined with this is a faith message about God's sovereignty. There are also other storylines that are presented but never fully developed.

I had a very difficult time with the plot involving Haley's parents. It is a stretch to believe that two people could hold an eight-year-old child responsible for a tragic accident, ship her away, and never speak to her again for twenty years. That entire concept is so absolutely unbelievable that it makes it difficult to focus on the rest of the story.

The family relationships are beautifully portrayed and realistic. The storyline featuring Kipp eerily mirrors the tragic true story of Timothy Treadwell, a bear activist who lost his life while living among the bears in Alaska. Coble obviously did a tremendous amount of research into bears and the wilds of Alaska.

The take-away faith message is heartfelt. Haley learns to trust in God, learns to let go of her fear and her blame. This idea brings meaning to the story and can help the reader to see God's hand in their own life. Alaska Twilight is decent read despite its faults, and readers will enjoy the unusual, beautiful setting.