Review: Kodiak Lumberjack by Katy Regnery (Odds-Are-Good #7)

November 29, 2023

Note: An advance reader copy (ARC) was provided by the author.

I wasn't looking for anyone, but...

...then I found you.

There's something about Katy Regnery's books, particularly numerous series she's penned, that make you want to keep coming back for more. Latest case in point: the Odds-Are-Good series. Set in Alaska, each book follows couples whose paths cross courtesy of an ad placed in a magazine called, you guessed it, Odds Are Good. Regnery has delivered fantastic romance after fantastic romance in each of the books I've read in this series, the last of which was the 2021 novella, Dr. Dan in Ketchikan. So, when I learned that she had two full-length novels set for release in late 2023, I was understandably thrilled by the news. Kodiak Lumberjack is the second of those two books, and it tells the uniquely wonderful romance between two people who were either seen as less than or flawed by some who were closest to them, but turned out to be absolutely perfect for each other. This is a standalone, so if you're either new to the series specifically or to the author's writing in general, this is as great a book as any to dive straight into.

When twenty-eight-year-old Sören Haugen learns of his older brother's plan to find a wife, he's surprised; when he reads the actual ad, he's aghast. As hesitant as he may be, he agrees to help Magnus filter through the responses and pick the best ones. That's when Sören comes across a reply from a woman in Savannah, Georgia. Twenty-six-year-old Penelope Magnolia Weaver is an influencer with a continually increasing following, but Nola's hiding one physical facet of hers from her social media--her face. She knows she's not going to find someone special if she sticks to her hometown--a fact reiterated by her family--so when she reads Magnus Haugen's ad in Odds-Are-Good, she wonders if this is her shot at a possible kinda-sorta-maybe happily-ever-after. It's not Magnus who writes back, though; It's Sören, the younger brother who's always felt like he doesn't quite measure up to his older brother. But Sören and Nola share a connection, one that they're feeling hopeful about. Will it transcend all challenges before it?

I love how Katy Regnery took the mistaken identity trope, and not only made it her own, but crafted a story that allowed it to seamlessly become part of such a fantastic series. Nola and Sören's story is relatively lighthearted fare, with a smattering of angst due to familial issues. Don't mistake "angst" for "drama" because there isn't any sort of the latter thrown in unnecessarily just to stir up you-know-what. There's a purpose to every element Regnery adds to the story, especially since I'm able to witness the growth that goes on with the main characters. There's no one that's an outright villain, more of some supporting characters who are ill-informed or hold on to their own "truths" due to ill-conceived notions and insecurities. And as for Nola and Sören, well, I simply adored these two as they found their way towards each other and the truest, most well-loved versions of themselves. I fell in love right alongside them. Kodiak Lumberjack is a five-plus-starred reminder of why I adore Regnery's writing and this series.

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Read my reviews for the Odds-Are-Good series: