Brace Yourself, I'm Probably Gonna Gush

TITLE: The Tourist Attraction (Moose Springs, Alaska #1)
AUTHOR: Sarah Morgenthaler
PUBLISHER: Sourcebooks Casablanca
PUBLISHING DATE: May 5 2020

FROM GOODREADS: 

When Graham Barnett named his diner The Tourist Trap, he meant it as a joke. Now he's stuck slinging reindeer dogs to an endless string of resort visitors who couldn't interest him less. Not even the sweet, enthusiastic tourist in the corner who blushes every time he looks her way…

Two weeks in Alaska isn't just the top item on Zoey Caldwell's bucket list. It's the whole bucket. One look at the mountain town of Moose Springs and she's smitten. But when an act of kindness brings Zoey into Graham's world, she may just find there's more to the man than meets the eye…and more to love in Moose Springs than just the Alaskan wilderness.

MY THOUGHTS: So I don't read a lot of contemporary romance but I do enjoy it as a palette cleanser.  Knowing I'd be reading a lot of horror and thrillers in September and October, I wanted to work this one in while I can.  My hold came in on Tuesday, I started it on Thursday and I finished it a few minutes ago.  I loved it so much that I put other things aside to read it.  I can honestly say that it will almost certainly be in my top ten reads of the year.  Now here's why.

Zoey is a waitress who has saved years for her two-week vacation in Alaska.  She ends up going with her best friend, who is much more financially secure than she is because it allows her to stay in the famous Moose Springs Lodge.  On her first night there, they go to the Tourist Trap.  A local diner who is owned and run by a grumpy man named Graham who can't stand tourists.  In fact, he absolutely hates what they are doing to his small Alaskan town.  Zoey and Graham have a few more run-ins, some quite hilarious, and eventually they both realize they are starting to have feeling for each other.  However, Graham vows not to get involved with a tourist EVER and as much as Zoey loves Alaska, she sees no way to stay there past her vacation.

So Graham is awesome.  If you are a Gilmore Girls fan, he's like Luke except he serves beer and other drinks instead of coffee.  He even has rules for his diner.  He closes for four hours each day even if there are people in line, he refuses to hire any help because then he would feel more obligated to keep the diner afloat, and people are only allowed one of his signature drinks, the Growly Bear, each evening and then he cuts them off.  And on top of all that, he has a blind rescue dog named Jake.  He makes sure Jake has plenty of people to spend time with him and he dresses him up in scarves, hats and pajamas.  Oh and I almost forgot, one of his best friends is a moose named Ulysses who is in love with Graham's truck.

Now Zoey is great too.  She's kinds of nerdy and adventurous and doesn't take herself too seriously.  She also falls hard to Jake and is eager to see all Alaska has to offer.  However, her outing end up in disasters and often Graham has to save the day.  So this book does have another plot.  It ends up the lodge is in trouble and may need someone to bail it out financially.  This causes the town to get VERY upset because it means even more tourists. 

So I know I don't have to say it but I LOVED this book.  Zoey and Graham are the cutest non-couple ever and for those who might be concerned, there is no insta-love or love triangles here.  Zoey clearly does not NEED a man in her life, but she discovers she may WANT one.

I'm so glad I have an arc of the companion book as I think it will be a perfect Christmastime read.  If you love romance at all, then this is the book you need to read!

RATING: 5 PAWS and 2 MOOSE ANTLERS