Below Zero

Savannah Peachwood narrates the last book of Hazelwood’s “The STEMinist” novella trilogy. Set in the Arctic in February, NASA aerospace engineer Hannah is injured and stuck in subzero temperatures in the Norwegian Svalbard archipelago. When Ian, a fellow NASA engineer and the same person who denied her project’s funding, comes to her rescue, she can’t help but wonder why. Despite their recent professional clashing, Hannah and Ian’s attraction to each another has only grown more heated. Hannah’s tough exterior, and the vulnerability hidden beneath it, clearly comes through this narration. Her portrayal of Ian captures both his shy uncertainty during the couple’s first meeting years earlier and his confidence in his professional capabilities. Her even pacing keeps the story moving. Though the scenes between Hannah and her two best friends, the protagonists of the previous novellas in this series, are few, the trio’s close relationship shines through the narration.