ABOUT CHASING RIVER 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 couldn’t risk being identified at the scene—so, he ran. 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. Chasing her off 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.
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MY REVIEW
KA Tucker’s exceptional storytelling comes alive in Chasing River, book three in her romantic suspense series Burying Water. Amber Welles is on a four month trek of self-discovery abroad. Her journey is halted in Dublin when Irish bartender River Delaney comes to her rescue one morning, as he shields her from the brutal attack of a pipe bomb set by his brother. While brief, their first meeting leaves each of them unable to remove the other from their most immediate thoughts. Amber is determined to find River and thank him for risking his life to save hers, and she finds herself mesmerized by him as he pours pints at his family’s pub. What follows is a whirlwind romance set against the rich and diverse cultural background of Ireland, intermingled with the looming threat targeted towards River and Amber and their involvement in the bombing that one fateful morning.
We first met Amber in Burying Water book one in KA Tucker’s Burying Water series. She is the antithesis to her bad-boy twin brother Jesse – two time rodeo queen, the popular girl in high school, beautiful, smart and always abides by her sheriff father’s rules. Now, at 25 and a successful nurse, Amber’s life in Sisters, Oregon is seemingly put together and orderly. The grief of her recent breakup sets her long-time dream of world travel into motion. What Amber wasn’t expecting was finding someone like River Delaney as he effortlessly interrupts that neat and tidy with his lively, sweet and charming personality. As their initial attraction blooms into an undeniable connection, Amber’s curiosity is sparked as she begins to question the permanence of their seemingly impossible relationship. Amber cannot deny the fact that while the type of man River is goes against the grain of her usual type, she is unwilling to give him up, finally feeling for the first time that where she is, who she is with is where she is meant to be and what she wants out of life.
I loved getting to know this part of Amber. Her determination and curiosity is unwavering as she finally gives pause to what she really wants from of life. Her relationship with River is fun and flirty and I loved watching them succumb to their connection despite the obstacles of geography and violence that threatens their bond.
River is as equally enthralled by Amber as she is by him. His thoughts and curiosity mirror those of Amber's as they spend time together, discovering in one another an unexpected connection of opposites on their journey of finding love with the most unexpected of people. I loved River’s connection and loyalty to his heritage and family. It spoke volumes to the kind of man he is despite his past and the negative reputation that follows him. I especially loved the part of tour guide that River played. Both Amber and the reader were able to experience Ireland through the smallest of engagements with River – his dialect, his family, his history and involvement with the IRA, and his storytelling (my favorite part). It was easy to fall in love with him from the beginning and, like Amber, it was easier to nurture those feelings even after darkness from his past is revealed.
One thing I loved most about this story is the newfound friendship between Amber and Ivy. Ivy is introduced to us in book one of the Burying Water series, and though we don’t get to know much of her character, she slowly comes to life in Chasing River. She and Amber, despite their “rivalry” in high school and Ivy’s connection to Amber’s brother, are able to put those misunderstandings behind them and begin again. Despite Ivy’s initial broody and aloof reaction to Amber’s interest in friendship, it’s their newfound companionship that is the catalyst to Amber’s willingness to take a chance on the new and delicate feelings she discovers for River. Once Ivy comes out of her shell we find an enigmatic and sensitive young woman that I can’t wait to read more about.
Unfortunately the only disconnect I had with the story was the suspense aspect. I never found myself sitting on edge or fearful for Amber or River. While the details of Ireland and the culture was strong and well researched, for me it overshadowed the threat of danger aimed at Amber, River and his family. The events in the story that were meant to thrill and excite the reader felt predictable and not as organic as others in the series.
I love KA Tuckers writing style. While Chasing River isn’t heavy on dialogue, which normally captures my attention and entertains me, I never felt bored and disengaged from the story. The pace was steady and pleasing and I thought the story was unique and compliments the series well.
GIVEAWAY
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ADDITIONAL TITLES IN THE BURYING WATER SERIES
BURYING WATER
Amazon | Barnes & Noble | iBooks | Kobo | IndieBound
BECOMING RAIN Amazon | Barnes & Noble | iBooks | Kobo | IndieBound
ABOUT KA TUCKER
Born in small-town Ontario, K.A. Tucker published her first book at the age of six with the help of her elementary school librarian and a box of crayons. She currently resides in a quaint town outside of Toronto with her husband, two beautiful girls, and an exhausting brood of four-legged creatures Website | Twitter | Facebook | Novel Goodreads | Author Goodreads | YouTube | Pinterest | Instagram