Thursday, August 27, 2015

Review: Chasing River by K.A. Tucker

Book Blurb:

A suspense-driven New Adult romance novel from the USA TODAY bestselling author of Ten Tiny Breaths and Burying Water.

Armed with two years’ worth of savings and the need to experience life outside the bubble of her Oregon small town, twenty-five-year old Amber Welles is prepared for anything. Except dying in Dublin. Had it not been for the bravery of a stranger, she might have. But he takes off before she has the chance to offer her gratitude.

Twenty-four-year-old River Delaney is rattled. No one was supposed to get hurt. But then that American tourist showed up. He couldn’t let her die, but he also can’t be identified at the scene—so, he fled. Back to his everyday life of running his family’s pub. Only, everyday life is getting more and more complicated, thanks to his brother, Aengus, and his criminal associations. When the American girl tracks River down, he quickly realizes how much he likes her, how wrong she is for him. And how dangerous it is to have her around. Pushing her away would be the smart move.

Maybe it’s because he saved her life, or maybe it’s because he’s completely different from everything she’s left behind, but Amber finds herself chasing after River Delaney. Amber isn’t the kind of girl to chase after anyone.

And River isn’t the kind of guy she’d want to catch.

My Review:

4 Out Of 5 Stars

Genre: New-Adult--

Amber has planned the ultimate trip, spending 4 month traveling all over Europe while she re-groups her life. Her first day in Ireland though was not what she was expecting- being saved by an attractive, mysterious man from an explosion in a park. Amber does not know why she chooses to tell the police she can't remember the mystery man, but she can't get him out of her head and is determined to track him down to say thank you, regardless if the police think he is involved. River always tries to do the right thing and when he sees his ex-convict brother drop a bomb in the park, he knows he has to save the innocent bystander in the way. He has no idea that he will see her again.

I was a huge fan of KA's 10 Tiny Breaths series and could not wait to read this new series. Unfortunately, I was let down by becoming Rain so my interest waned a bit. I figured I would give it a go and read Chasing River, and let me tell you it far surpassed my expectations. This book is why I love KA Tucker. There was relatable realistic characters with depth, an intense chemistry and a twisty plot of secrets in the background. I found myself engaged right from the get go and the more I read the more invested I became. The book was roughly 300 pages and I could have easily flew through it in one sitting if life hadn't interfered.

Amber was an idealist who only saw in black and white, right and wrong. River on the other hand saw where gray was, and that good people could make bad choices. Amber was a year older than River and was currently on her way to traveling all over the world compared to River who never left Ireland, yet he seemed so much older and wiser than she was. I guess she lived a sheltered life, where the harsh realities of the world were kept away from her where River was thrown right into them the moment he was born based on his family background. The two of them were such opposites but I think that helped them to balance the other out- each was exactly what the other needed. I absolutely adored the two of them together and the moment that Amber decided to trust River regardless of what she had been told, I wanted to do a happy dance! The list was great, and the fact that River held it hostage and even added to it was cute. Let me just mention here how little angst the story had and how happy that makes me. I hate when angst and miscommunication is used as a plot device in romance books. Sure there was a moment of miscommunication, but it was quickly rectified, and a hint of angst as "where can this doomed relationship lead" kind of thing, but there were other issues at play in the book to keep the plot going and I love Tucker even more for it.

I loved Ivy! I thought it was super messed up of Amber to seek her out when she so obviously didn't like her just to use her as a wing-man. I enjoyed how Amber and Ivy's relationship turned from hostility and awkwardness to an actual friendship with loyalty. I really want to read a book about Ivy because I loved her attitude and spunk and I so want her to have a happy ending.

I really enjoyed this book and it reaffirmed for me how much I enjoy Tucker's writing style and well developed, likable yet flawed characters. I look forward to more in this series as well as anything else she wants to write.

I received this title from the publisher in exchange for my honest review.

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