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Melt

by Natalie Anderson (Goodreads Author)

3.52 of 5 stars 3.52 · rating details · 92 ratings · 35 reviews

When two frozen hearts collide…

Emma Reed closed her heart to love years ago after a lifetime spent getting kicked around foster homes and bad relationships. Now she’s on a mission to prove she deserves her recent award to paint a mural for a research base in Antarctica. Nothing and no one is going to get in her way.

After months working in recovery zones around the world, H...more

Kindle Edition, 85 pages

Published December 6th 2011 by Entangled Publishing

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May 28, 2012 Tiff rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: romance

I loved this book so much, but I don't think this book would be for everyone. I found that the courtship between this two was surprisingly reflective of a real life couple and I really loved it.

This is a pretty subtle romance. There's not a lot of dramatic conflict, yelling, challenging followed by make-up sex and tender moments and them more drama. This book is subtle to the point that I think some readers might feel nothing is happening. I wouldn't recommend this for people who love a bit more...more I loved this book so much, but I don't think this book would be for everyone. I found that the courtship between this two was surprisingly reflective of a real life couple and I really loved it.

This is a pretty subtle romance. There's not a lot of dramatic conflict, yelling, challenging followed by make-up sex and tender moments and them more drama. This book is subtle to the point that I think some readers might feel nothing is happening. I wouldn't recommend this for people who love a bit more passion and drama in their stories.

This book is short so I was initially worried that the jump from first meeting to love would be somewhat improbable, but Natalie Anderson had a really good set up to get around this. Firstly, the book's focus is solely on the hero and heroine without many other characters involved. Secondly, since from the get-go Hunter knew that his time with Emma is limited, he really made every moment count while she was there. I loved most of the ending too - since the book was short I felt that the ending was not implausib-ly I LOVE YOOOOOU!!!! but rather it was a 'hey we are really damn attracted to each other, let's give this a chance yeah?' and it was extremely sweet. In fact there are a lot of subtle sweet moments in this book that I loved for more what those moments implied than what was said and done.

Even though there's some tormented background stuff going on with both Emma and Hunter I did like how I felt neither character was defined by their torment (*cough* Fifty Shades - Christian i'm looking at you and your jerk-ass ways!). Both Hunter and Emma are super reluctant to get into any sort of relationship but I thought that Natalie Anderson did a really good job of making them seem like they ended up together via some inevitable attraction between them. Unlike other books (i'm thinking of Bared to You, I might as well say it) where I felt that the relationship just bought out the worst in both the hero and the heroine with some heartwarming moments thrown here and there to make the reader go 'aww look at that, he cares', I felt that in this book the relationship actually bought out the best of both Emma and Hunter's characters to the point that they realised they actually make each other better people. I think that's just a more realistic and optimistic approach to love, and it was refreshing to read a book that approached a tormented past that way.

I did hate the jumps between sexy flirty banter and serious talk though. It wasn't awkward, I was just more interested in these two growing in love than their sexual attraction towards each other. I felt that Emma and Hunter were not really casual sex type people so I was a bit let down to find that they tried to casual sex route first before trying to forge a real relationship. With that said, the way the plot is set out they kind of had to go down the casual sex route first so that's not why I took off a star.

No I took off a star for the stupid ending scene involving the cliched

(view spoiler)

So overall, I give Melt 4 stars. 5 if it involved hot choccy at the end, but unfortunately it didn't. Boooo. (less)

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Jan 27, 2012 Barbara ~*Lindt Ninja*~ rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: contemporary, arc, gray-covers, lady-bits-on-fire, sexy-stuff

I haven’t read that many adult contemporary romance titles over the last year after an unbroken string of not good put me off for the most part. I’ve read a title here and there from familiar authors that I trust but it’s been hard to seek out anything. When I saw Melt, it caught my interest for a couple of reasons – Natalie Anderson’s always been one of my favorite authors from the Harlequin Presents line and I have some affection for those “trapped in remote locations” storylines. Happily, thi...more I haven’t read that many adult contemporary romance titles over the last year after an unbroken string of not good put me off for the most part. I’ve read a title here and there from familiar authors that I trust but it’s been hard to seek out anything. When I saw Melt, it caught my interest for a couple of reasons – Natalie Anderson’s always been one of my favorite authors from the Harlequin Presents line and I have some affection for those “trapped in remote locations” storylines. Happily, this ended up being a winner for me and is totally recommend-worthy.

Quiet, hardworking Emma Reed is stunned and slightly intimidated to be the recipient of a grant to paint a mural at a remote base in Antarctica. Her resolve that her very short trip will be all business and no play is tested before she even makes it to the base when she meets Hunter Wilson, a charming American who’s a constant distraction. Hunter teases Emma with flirty innuendos, thrills her with tours outside and around the base so she can see the beauty of the landscape and the creatures that live there and takes her breath away when he makes it clear he wants more than friendship from her.

Emma’s been hurt by people who’ve loved and left her before and she’s not willing to go down that road with Hunter. He has his own issues with creating ties that’s the polar opposite of Emma’s. He’s all about the short-term hook-up away from home and then he’s out of the picture for good. In spite of their chemistry, they’re at a stalemate.

Because this is a novella, there isn’t a lot of space to devote to Emma or Hunter’s backstories but the author gave it a good shot through some conversations they had with each other. Emma explained why she had issues with vacation romances, but for some reason, I didn’t really feel any great understanding about why Emma was so gun-shy of relationships still – I felt a little disconnected from her. When Hunter told his story, I really felt his pain about his family’s breakup. His reasons for being Mr. No Commitment made perfect sense to me.

I really just liked Emma and Hunter and that’s likely what made this so enjoyable for me. They both were interesting in their own ways with little bits of their pasts coming out throughout the story. Hunter was funny and sexy without being all over Emma – in spite of some naughty thoughts, he was a nice guy who wasn’t pressuring her every five minutes. Emma was obviously someone who loved deeply – and she had an ereader, some stories that made her blush on it and a zebra cover for it! She's one of us! Bonus! This was was a sexy enough story to fog my glasses up just a little but it was also very sweet and tender - I definitely would call this a romance.

This may have been mostly a character-driven story, but that’s not to say there wasn’t any plot at all or that nothing else was going on. I especially loved the touches of what life on the base was like, the little nicknames and shorthand that the people there had developed for each other and some of the details of things like the plane ride in and out – which you won’t ever catch me on.

When I’m reading a novella, I don’t lower my standards for quality but I do have a slightly different set of expectations. I go into the book knowing there will be some things that will be lost because of the limited space – while I can’t get a full-fledged plot and characters with big backstories, I want a story that engages me and characters I like and want to know more about. When I finish the novella, I want to be able to say that if the book were double in length, I would still want to read it.

Melt met every single one of those expectations – I liked the characters and would have loved to have gotten to know them better, maybe before they met. I’d like more time spent at the base in Antarctica, I loved the idea that they were trapped there and there was potential for exploration and I really, really wanted an epilogue. I wanted more of Emma and Hunter beyond the end of this story which makes this a recommended novella.
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Jan 26, 2012 Kim rated it 5 of 5 stars

Melt is the latest from author Natalie Anderson, a preview to a new imprint being offered by Entangled Publishing, Ever After. Novella length, it lacks nothing in plot, steaminess, romance, and great characters! Hunter Wilson is everything I could want as my romance hero,... big, strong, and gorgeous with an off-color sense of humor. Emma Reed looks sweet and innocent, but she is not a shrinking violet but a girl with a tough past. I hate romance novels in which the big man has to protect and ta...more

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Jan 21, 2012 Alexia Chantel rated it 4 of 5 stars

A world of frozen white in the middle of nowhere seems like a safe place for a girl with a guarded heart to do her dream job. Safe until she runs into a man that has the potential to break through her guards and melt her heart.

Emma is a girl very easy to relate to. She is experiencing an emotional rush of being able to venture to an exotic locale and paint her heart out. But what fun would a once in a lifetime chance be if there wasn’t a chance at love too? At least that is what Hunter thinks.

H...more

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Dec 26, 2011 Nas Dean rated it 5 of 5 stars

MELT by Natalie Anderson is a December 2011 release from Entangled Publishing.

To escape family during holidays, Hunter Wilson goes to Antarctica to work. He’s looking forward to isolation intimacy is the last thing on his list. Then he meets Emma Reed, who is headed there as well to work on an art project. Hunter flirts with Emma outrageously but steps back from getting too serious. Still he can’t deny the spark he feels for her. He is determined to show Emma what they can do to have fun in a pl...more

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Jan 21, 2012 Leeann rated it 4 of 5 stars Recommends it for: Adult Readers

Recommended to Leeann by: AprilR

Shelves: contemp-romance, laughs, rockin-alpha-male, read-in-2012, reviewed, my-book-addiction-reviews

I review for
MyBookAddictionReviews~ Reviews of Great and Not so Great Books. http://mybookaddictionreviews.wordpre...

When I first read the info about this book, I thought to myself “Antarctica? Really?” Author Natalie Anderson has created character depth, titillating dialogue and a fun adventure in the land of endless day.

Emma Reed has won the opportunity to travel to desolate Antarctica to paint, her life’s love. On her way, she meets Hunter Wilson, he is heading to the frozen land both to wo...more

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Jan 18, 2012 Christi Snow rated it 4 of 5 stars

My Review:

This is the second book that I have read recently based in Antarctica. Who knew that frozen wasteland provided such an amazing backdrop for romance? And romance there is. I like the way that Natalie Anderson built up the romance in this book. Emma is only on the base for eleven days. She's there as an artist in residence, creating a mural based upon a competition that she won. She is not a professional artist. She's really just a receptionist, so this is a HUGE opportunity for her to a...more My Review:

This is the second book that I have read recently based in Antarctica. Who knew that frozen wasteland provided such an amazing backdrop for romance? And romance there is. I like the way that Natalie Anderson built up the romance in this book. Emma is only on the base for eleven days. She's there as an artist in residence, creating a mural based upon a competition that she won. She is not a professional artist. She's really just a receptionist, so this is a HUGE opportunity for her to achieve some notoriety in the artistic world. She doesn't want to blow it and is working in a very short time-frame so there is lots of pressure on her. There's definitely no time for romance.

She actually meets Hunter the day before they both leave to go down to Antarctica. He feels an immediate draw to her but, regardless of his flirtatious manner, he doesn't want to get involved either. Both of these characters had horrible childhoods, and their scars from those childhoods can be traced back to the holiday season, so neither of them have great feelings about this time of year. Hunter is upfront about the fact that he is there to avoid the holiday season and his family.

Quite honestly, both of them had such dysfunctional childhoods, that they don't even know how to be in a real relationship. It was interesting to watch them develop a friendship which then led them into a more serious place that neither one of them could escape, no matter how much they tried to tell themselves that they could. Those feelings can't just be wished away. Like I said, I really like how the author developed this story. It worked!

There were really some fascinating aspects to this story. First, Antarctica is such a different locale for a romance novel. I like how the art that Emma was creating brought out all the aspects of the completely different environment. Her art has to reflect the station so it is interesting to see the things that she picks up on as an artist to focus on....I really LOVED the black and white aspect of it.

Overall this was a great read and a very sweet romantic story.
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Jan 07, 2012 Julie-ann rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2011, bild-group, contemporary, natalie-anderson, nz-australian-authors

I loved the book Melt, and not only because of the awesome tag line. Natalie had me at the mention of Antartica. What could be more romantic than getting all hot, sexy and sweaty in one of the coldest places on earth?

Hunter Wilson is a man who avoids the holiday season, intimacy, and his family by working in Antartica over Christmas. He wants isolation, but when he meets self-taught artist Emma Reed, all he can think about is seducing the young woman who entrances him.

Emma Reed goes to Antarti...more

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Jan 20, 2013 Bianca rated it 4 of 5 stars

I was thinking of giving it a 3 star or 4 so it is somewhere in between those numbers.

Melt was an easy laid-back read considering its number of pages(also expect that it was fast paced but nonetheless it was adventure packed). It was not that bad, seeing as there were transient moments when the book was able to provide an astounding ice world as a setting. I was about to give the book up when it all started with a love at first sight with a guy-to-swoon-for named Hunter?? and oftentimes this sto...more

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Jan 04, 2012 Guilty Pleasures rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: publishersent, didi-reviews

3.75 Stars

Hunter and Emma meet on the way to work on projects in Antarctica. There is an instant attraction on the plane, which Emma refuses to acknowledge and Hunter wants to explore.

Even though they want totally different things out of life, Hunter and Emma are perfect for each other. It was refreshing to read a story where the H/h fought their attraction and actually became friends first. During their friendship there was flirting and chemistry that had me rooting for them to get together. I...more

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May 06, 2012 Ally Blake rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: contemporary, reading-romance-2012, romance

MELT

Natalie Anderson is a perennial reader favourite who writes for RIVA and Harlequin Presents Extra, like me! She’s also written a novella called MELT.

For a girl who always writes long and has to cut back a ridiculous amount – me! - to see a story with half the amount of words I usually write, written so tight, so rich, so full of context and romance, and heat was amazing. I love love loved this story.

The setting, a base in Antarctica, was a third hero for me. The detail Nat invoked was phenom...more

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Jun 08, 2012 thuy rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: e-arc, netgalley, romance, review-written, short-story

Melt, by Natalie Anderson, is a short and fun read about to solitary people who find more than they were looking for in the stark but magical setting of Antarctica.

Emma Reed is embarking on the trip of a lifetime. The winner of an art competition, she is chosen to paint a mural in a facility in Antarctica. Determined to prove herself as an artist, she has no time for romance or the distraction that is Hunter Wilson. Hunter has come to Antarctica to escape his family for the holidays and isn’t lo...more

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Aug 12, 2012 Amanda Grooms rated it 5 of 5 stars

Another great story from Natalie Anderson. Her most valuable quality as a contemporary romance author (besides the oh so easy task of creating relatable, complex characters) is her ease at helping the reader experience the vulnerability of her main characters. Her stories never seem to disappoint, even when a bit more brief. I loved Emma and Hunter, and their story. It made me want to go to Antarctica! I eagerly await Natalie's next story, whether it's a Harlequin Presents novel or not.

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Apr 24, 2012 LaVerne Clark rated it 4 of 5 stars

A good solid read with some great emotional scenes as I would expect from this talented writer.

I felt the hero, Hunter's journey was a little rushed near the end and was also a little disappointed that Emma, the heroine could leave things as they were without trying to make things happens for a future together. Instead, the happy-ever-after came about because of Hunter not letting things stand.

If you've never read anything by Natalie Anderson, this story is a great appetiser for one of her long...more

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Jan 15, 2012 Beverly rated it 4 of 5 stars

My thoughts:
This was my first Natalie Anderson read and I loved it! Hunter and Emma are wonderfully created characters. They interact from the start with fun, flirty personalities.
An entertaining, fun, fast read. I enjoyed the characters, the setting, and the story. The ending was exactly what I was hoping for. I only wish it had been longer. I look forward to reading many more stories by Natalie Anderson!

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Oct 29, 2012 Annika rated it 5 of 5 stars

Although it was short, it was one heck of a read. The writing was perfect. I appreciate the wordplay even though certain play of words have been done before. The chemistry was just so right and perfect. The conflict was also so perfect (I can't think of any other word, seriously) in composition and wasn't a letdown. It was a gentle kind of heartbreaking and sad and that's what I like best about this book. It's also very wealthy in details albeit the conciseness of the novel. It's just a really f...more

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Nov 14, 2012 Ari J Bookzilla rated it 4 of 5 stars

Melt is a sweet story, maybe not for everyone since it's not your typical romance, but definitely worth a shot. The romance maybe a bit rushed, but this time it makes sense - Emma and Hunter were spending a lot of time together. The chemistry between them is great from their first encounter. The evolution of their relationship seemed realistic to me.

Set in Antartica, the descriptions of the place are beautiful, and Natalie Anderson paints a beautiful scene and you feel like you're right there wi...more

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Jun 28, 2012 Running Scared rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: sexiness

It was ok...

I wanted more. It was a short read, but I found myself putting it down as I just didn't care enough about the characters in the beginning. There seemed a lot of focus on what was happening around them, rather than building the tension between them.

However, I did like the authors voice and when I eventually did start to get more involved in the story, the writing flowed nicely.

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Mar 07, 2012 Joanne rated it 4 of 5 stars

I am a fan of Natalie Andersons and bought Melt on auto-buy.

I really enjoyed the banter between the hero and heroine. I also loved the setting in Antartica - who knew such a desolate place could be so romantic?

This is a fab read and I really enjoyed the ending. Perfect summer reading :)

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Apr 08, 2012 Sara HarlequinJunkie rated it 3 of 5 stars

You can read my full review on my Blog HarlequinJunkie

Being a huge fan of Natalie's work, I’m not sure which side of the fence I stand with this book and that’s pretty unusual for someone as opinionated as me. Perhaps it was a little too short of a read for me. I would have liked to have read more about Emma's and Hunter's life together; maybe an Epilogue would have helped.

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Feb 05, 2013 Tracey rated it 5 of 5 stars

Antartica sexy? It absolutely is! Another fabulous book from one of my favourite authors Natalie Anderson. Both Hunter and Emma are so likeable and the sexy flirting between them is a delight.

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Jan 03, 2012 Alessia rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: letti-nel-2011

Melt è un bel racconto dedicato a chi vuole leggere di una storia d'amore ambientata in un posto decisamente insolito. Una delle cose che ho preferito nel libro...

Recensione completa su http://librilibrilibri.blogspot.com/2...

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Dec 23, 2011 Julie (Manga Maniac Cafe) rated it 4 of 5 stars

Quick, heartwarming read with two very likeable protagonists. This is the first title that I have read the author - it won't be the last.

Full review soon at www.mangamaniaccafe.om

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Dec 25, 2011 Serenity Woods rated it 5 of 5 stars

This is a little gem of a story, romantic, sexy, and funny, with a fascinating setting and warm and humorous characters. Highly recommended for a Christmassy read!

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Mar 18, 2012 Jolene Perry rated it 4 of 5 stars

I was curious to read something fun from Entangled, and heard about this one.

Cool setting, fun characters, I devoured it in one night and thoroughly enjoyed :-D

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Dec 10, 2012 Britt Marczak rated it 5 of 5 stars

Absolutely loved this novella. The pace is perfect, not rushed in the least (hard to accomplish in a novella!), and the emotions are hit wonderfully.

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Feb 28, 2012 Margherita rated it 4 of 5 stars

Quanto vorrei vivere la stessa storia...quanto.

Datemi un Hunter ( il nome del protagonista maschile. Poche parole per descriverlo: UN FIGO DA PAURA), un uomo che ti dice "you could bring me beauty" e un viaggio in Antartide, il tutto condito con il periodo natalizio e mi fate felice, molto felice.

Se siete della mia stessa idea non lasciatevi perdere questo libro....davvero.

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Dec 29, 2011 Marie Nicolson rated it 5 of 5 stars

Totally loved it! fell in love with Hunter! Natalie's writing brings you into the story and you feel you are apart of it!

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Dec 22, 2011 Jacquie rated it 3 of 5 stars

Another Hot read from a terrific author. I loved the storyline and learning a little about life in the antarctic.

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Nov 27, 2012 PBnJ rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: 3rd-person, contemporary, fiction, romance

The blurb made this book sound more engaging than it really was.

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About Natalie Anderson

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USA TODAY bestseller Natalie Anderson writes fun, frisky, feels-good contemporary romance for Harlequin Mills & Boon and Entangled Publishing. With over twenty books published, she's also been a Romantic Times Award nominee & a finalist for the R*BY (Romantic Book o...more

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