Book Description 

Navy chief Calder Euler loves to win big. His latest score? A remote mountain cabin. Checking it out is supposed to be a quick trip, but Calder’s luck abruptly turns when a freak injury and a freakier snowstorm leave him stranded.

Oh, and the cabin isn’t empty. A silver fox caring for two young girls claims that the property is his, but Calder’s paperwork says otherwise.

Felix Sigurd is on a losing streak, and his ex-husband risking the cabin in a reckless bet is only the latest in a series of misfortunes. He’ll tolerate the handsome stranger for a couple nights–even care for his injuries—but that’s it.

Calder doesn’t know a damn thing about kids, but making pancakes for Felix’s girls is a surprising delight. Trapped in the cabin, the four of them slip easily into the rhythms of a family. But when the ice melts, they’ll have to decide if a future together is in the cards.

  

My Review 

I’ve enjoyed many of Albert’s previous books—including  the first book in the Shore Leave series—so I was looking forward to this one. 

The premise is fun: Calder thinks he’s won a cabin, but the property actually belongs to Felix. They get snowed in together, struggle (and fail) to resist their mutual attraction, and then continue hanging out together even after the roads are cleared. 

There’s not even a lot of conflict, other than Felix thinking that prioritising his nieces means that he can never do anything for himself and the possibility that Calder’s next duty station will take him away from the area. 

Speaking of which, the two girls stole the show at every possible opportunity. They were precocious, but in a very realistic way. Kids are 100% weird and say the most random things and have obscure interests and all of that tracked in the characterization. 

I also loved the representation. Without going into too much detail, Calder divulges that he has trouble…finishing. Not only does Felix accept Calder’s circumstances, but he makes sure that Calder’s needs are met without frustration or judgement. 

I would absolutely recommend Sink or Swim. Readers can jump right into this book without reading the first book in the series (which featured Calder’s brother and best friend). If you’re looking for a lovely low-stakes romance, then this is a good one. 

I received a digital ARC of this book from Carina Press/NetGalley.