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lcmarie19's review against another edition
5.0
**This book was given to me in exchange for my honest review**
WOW. This is the first KA Tucker book that I absolutely LOVED!
Don't get me wrong, I'm a fan of Tucker's books, but THIS one? It's the best I think she's ever written. I've always been very unattached to how Tucker's books started and how they ended. There'd be a lot of good stuff in between, but I always walked away a little unfulfilled. But... not this time! All of my expectations were met. And I couldn't be happier!
CHASING RIVER follows a familiar character, Amber Welles, who you may remember from book one of this series, and her globetrotting adventures. Amber, having been protected and insulated pretty much her whole life, wanted to branch out and experience life on her own. So she planned out a four-month trip of traveling all around the world. While on her trip, she finds herself being rescued in Dublin by mysterious yet flattering River Delaney.
River, the ever charming Irishman, saves Amber from an untimely death that his brother may, or may not, be indirectly connected with. In his rescuing her, this kicks off what promised to be a romantic, suspenseful adventure of staying alive but also fighting off budding feelings between the two characters.
Seriously, I cannot say enough good things. I feel in love with River's character. I already had an idea of what to expect from Amber, but it was really interesting to really get inside her head and learn more about how and why she thought the things that she did. But in addition to that, it was great to see how River's presence affected her thought process and aided in crucial character development. Even though, it felt like Amber would be the one who went through the biggest character growth, it was still very refreshing that Tucker used Amber to aid in River's growth as well.
Now, for the first time in a while, I can say that I actually cared about the plot of the book, as well as the characters. I was really intrigued about how things were going to happened and how they'd get resolved. The balance between the progression of the storyline and the development of the characters were right on par and on pace with one another. Tucker did an awesome job with that.
There were a couple of moments where things felt out of wack. One or two slightly boring instances or the rushed development of feelings -- but it all flowed with the story. And I believed ever moment of it.
The supporting characters?? Ah, probably in my top 3 reasons why I loved this book so much. Rowan, Ivy, the detective? Everyone was just so much fun to read about and experience. Not a single character felt out of place. No one felt unnecessary.
And get this -- even the ENDING was awesome! And you know how I feel about the way that KA Tucker ends her books. I've never been on board with her endings... until now. I seriously just all around loved this book. I had a blast reading it.
Definitely recommend picking this one up!
WOW. This is the first KA Tucker book that I absolutely LOVED!
Don't get me wrong, I'm a fan of Tucker's books, but THIS one? It's the best I think she's ever written. I've always been very unattached to how Tucker's books started and how they ended. There'd be a lot of good stuff in between, but I always walked away a little unfulfilled. But... not this time! All of my expectations were met. And I couldn't be happier!
CHASING RIVER follows a familiar character, Amber Welles, who you may remember from book one of this series, and her globetrotting adventures. Amber, having been protected and insulated pretty much her whole life, wanted to branch out and experience life on her own. So she planned out a four-month trip of traveling all around the world. While on her trip, she finds herself being rescued in Dublin by mysterious yet flattering River Delaney.
River, the ever charming Irishman, saves Amber from an untimely death that his brother may, or may not, be indirectly connected with. In his rescuing her, this kicks off what promised to be a romantic, suspenseful adventure of staying alive but also fighting off budding feelings between the two characters.
Seriously, I cannot say enough good things. I feel in love with River's character. I already had an idea of what to expect from Amber, but it was really interesting to really get inside her head and learn more about how and why she thought the things that she did. But in addition to that, it was great to see how River's presence affected her thought process and aided in crucial character development. Even though, it felt like Amber would be the one who went through the biggest character growth, it was still very refreshing that Tucker used Amber to aid in River's growth as well.
Now, for the first time in a while, I can say that I actually cared about the plot of the book, as well as the characters. I was really intrigued about how things were going to happened and how they'd get resolved. The balance between the progression of the storyline and the development of the characters were right on par and on pace with one another. Tucker did an awesome job with that.
There were a couple of moments where things felt out of wack. One or two slightly boring instances or the rushed development of feelings -- but it all flowed with the story. And I believed ever moment of it.
The supporting characters?? Ah, probably in my top 3 reasons why I loved this book so much. Rowan, Ivy, the detective? Everyone was just so much fun to read about and experience. Not a single character felt out of place. No one felt unnecessary.
And get this -- even the ENDING was awesome! And you know how I feel about the way that KA Tucker ends her books. I've never been on board with her endings... until now. I seriously just all around loved this book. I had a blast reading it.
Definitely recommend picking this one up!
photogcourt's review against another edition
3.0
I was provided a free eARC from the publisher on NetGalley in exchange for an honest review
By now I am well familiar with, and a big fan, of K.A. Tucker's work. I've been really liking her Burying Water series, liking the first and loving the second. For me, Chasing River was just okay. No doubt there are going to be many people who will love this book - and that's okay. I just didn't get pulled in like I did in any of her other books. I liked River and Amber well enough, there was nothing wrong with their overall presentation, the story just didn't speak to me. I didn't think I had even hit a dent in the story yet and low and behold my Kindle informed me I was more than 50% through. That was disappointing.
I guess for me, because Amber and River hit it off so well right off the bat, it seemed like the story moved quickly. I like a big enough build, not so much that it drags on forever, but not instantly almost, either. I also didn't like that it took forever in the beginning to get to the point - there was a lot of background information. While probably vital, it made it to be a semi-boring intro. The IRA bits seemed pretty tame. I thought the danger aspects in Burying Water and Becoming Rain were a lot more realistic, and they felt real. I would actually feel my heart racing at some moments, because in those books everything felt like it was happening right in front of me. On the other hand, in Chasing River, I felt bored by the entire idea of the IRA gang/mob scene.
Plus, the entire book was mostly set in Ireland! Here we are in a gorgeous country, and all we're doing is sitting around in a pub. Or a house. Or a hospital. It just didn't do it for me.
Amber wasn't my favorite female protagonist. She wasn't that interesting to me. Again, I liked her enough, just didn't love her character. I did like River, but I didn't love him either. I may be borderline indifferent on them, and this story.
I wanted to love Chasing River, but I just didn't. Still very much looking forward to Surviving Ice - Ivy's story. Am I the only one hoping Rowen will make an appearance? Or two? or three?
By now I am well familiar with, and a big fan, of K.A. Tucker's work. I've been really liking her Burying Water series, liking the first and loving the second. For me, Chasing River was just okay. No doubt there are going to be many people who will love this book - and that's okay. I just didn't get pulled in like I did in any of her other books. I liked River and Amber well enough, there was nothing wrong with their overall presentation, the story just didn't speak to me. I didn't think I had even hit a dent in the story yet and low and behold my Kindle informed me I was more than 50% through. That was disappointing.
I guess for me, because Amber and River hit it off so well right off the bat, it seemed like the story moved quickly. I like a big enough build, not so much that it drags on forever, but not instantly almost, either. I also didn't like that it took forever in the beginning to get to the point - there was a lot of background information. While probably vital, it made it to be a semi-boring intro. The IRA bits seemed pretty tame. I thought the danger aspects in Burying Water and Becoming Rain were a lot more realistic, and they felt real. I would actually feel my heart racing at some moments, because in those books everything felt like it was happening right in front of me. On the other hand, in Chasing River, I felt bored by the entire idea of the IRA gang/mob scene.
Plus, the entire book was mostly set in Ireland! Here we are in a gorgeous country, and all we're doing is sitting around in a pub. Or a house. Or a hospital. It just didn't do it for me.
Amber wasn't my favorite female protagonist. She wasn't that interesting to me. Again, I liked her enough, just didn't love her character. I did like River, but I didn't love him either. I may be borderline indifferent on them, and this story.
I wanted to love Chasing River, but I just didn't. Still very much looking forward to Surviving Ice - Ivy's story. Am I the only one hoping Rowen will make an appearance? Or two? or three?
bibliophile90's review against another edition
4.0
I love KA Tucker's writing style so much, it really sucks you in. I liked this book, but it isn't my favorite by KA. I loved the way River and Amber met, it was very original. I really liked that they both couldn't stop thinking about the other. I really need to visit Ireland, because I fell in love with the country while reading this book. I wish the epilogue was longer, I want to know what is going to happen with River and Amber.
The reason I didn't give this 5 stars was because I didn't really connect as much with Amber as I did with River. He was the hero for me in this book. However this doesn't mean I didn't like Amber, she did grow as a person in this book, which I enjoyed reading about. I also think the book should've been longer, the ending was a bit rushed for me. I loved the side characters Rowen and Ivy, hopefully both of them will get their own book.
exercise_read_repeat_ali's review against another edition
4.0
4.5 stars. I was looking forward to a story about Jesse’s sister Amber. Ireland as a setting worked really well, and I liked how KA Tucker embedded some Irish history into the plot line. That said, I’m noticing that all of the books in this series follow similar story archs. Maybe I’ll wait a bit before listening to the final book.
jessicasilfenroy's review against another edition
5.0
AH! I think this is my favorite of the series so far. I LOVED the Ireland setting and how KA Tucker incorporated so much history into the story. The premise of this book really reminded me of Sons of Anarchy season 3 with the IRA/RIRA and the political pieces. She clearly did her research as an author! There was also the perfect balance between suspense and romance. I loved Amber and River as a couple. The good girl/ bad boy vibe worked with the premise of the story and while the attraction was instant, nothing felt too quick. The supporting characters were also great!
This can be read as a standalone but I do recommend reading the books in order, so you can understand the characters better.
If you are a fan of the Simple Wild series, I highly recommend checking this out and the Ten Tiny Breaths series.
This can be read as a standalone but I do recommend reading the books in order, so you can understand the characters better.
If you are a fan of the Simple Wild series, I highly recommend checking this out and the Ten Tiny Breaths series.
fictionalkate's review against another edition
4.0
K.A. Tucker is an expert at delivering compelling stories which entwine mystery, drama and romance. Chasing River is a perfect example of that!
Wanting to explore the world and see what life is like outside of her small town, Amber Welles is ready for her European adventure. An adventure she wasn't expecting to cost her her life. When a gorgeous good Samaritan saves her from an explosion and then flees, Amber is determined to track him down. River knows he should distance himself from Amber - for his own sake as well as hers. With their families complicating matters, the police involving themselves and Amber knowing anything between them can only be temporary - she should stay away. But there is just something between them that neither can deny and Amber finds herself chasing River hoping he will let himself get caught...
Chasing River has been one of my favourite new adult reads of this year. The Irish setting was beautiful and added both the scenery as well as a political climate for the novel. I don't know very much at all about Ireland's political history or the IRA but Tucker did an amazing job of delivering the reader enough information to understand the dangers of Amber and River's situation without making it feel like a history lesson.
And then there's the characters. I loved reading Amber and River's love story. They are from completely different worlds but they seemed to fit each other so well. She's the police chief's daughter who dates doctors. He's doing his best to keep on the right side of the law, occasionally stepping over the line of what is legal. They are both three-dimensional characters who have their flaws which just helps make their story seem believable. Their romance gets a bit of a kick start with the drama and life threatening situations but this isn't a story of instalove. Their relationship grows as they get to know each other and there is the sense that they both look beyond the lust and attraction to see the person underneath.
I've not read any of the other books in the Burying Water series but that is not necessary to understand Chasing River. If anything, having now met Amber and River I'm desperate to get my hands on a copy of the other books of the series.
If you enjoy exciting stories full of romance, excitement and realistic characters, look no further than KA Tucker. Her characters are interesting and vivid. The plots in her books are compelling and will have you wanting more. Chasing River is exciting, suspenseful and delivers an amazing love story.
Wanting to explore the world and see what life is like outside of her small town, Amber Welles is ready for her European adventure. An adventure she wasn't expecting to cost her her life. When a gorgeous good Samaritan saves her from an explosion and then flees, Amber is determined to track him down. River knows he should distance himself from Amber - for his own sake as well as hers. With their families complicating matters, the police involving themselves and Amber knowing anything between them can only be temporary - she should stay away. But there is just something between them that neither can deny and Amber finds herself chasing River hoping he will let himself get caught...
Chasing River has been one of my favourite new adult reads of this year. The Irish setting was beautiful and added both the scenery as well as a political climate for the novel. I don't know very much at all about Ireland's political history or the IRA but Tucker did an amazing job of delivering the reader enough information to understand the dangers of Amber and River's situation without making it feel like a history lesson.
And then there's the characters. I loved reading Amber and River's love story. They are from completely different worlds but they seemed to fit each other so well. She's the police chief's daughter who dates doctors. He's doing his best to keep on the right side of the law, occasionally stepping over the line of what is legal. They are both three-dimensional characters who have their flaws which just helps make their story seem believable. Their romance gets a bit of a kick start with the drama and life threatening situations but this isn't a story of instalove. Their relationship grows as they get to know each other and there is the sense that they both look beyond the lust and attraction to see the person underneath.
I've not read any of the other books in the Burying Water series but that is not necessary to understand Chasing River. If anything, having now met Amber and River I'm desperate to get my hands on a copy of the other books of the series.
If you enjoy exciting stories full of romance, excitement and realistic characters, look no further than KA Tucker. Her characters are interesting and vivid. The plots in her books are compelling and will have you wanting more. Chasing River is exciting, suspenseful and delivers an amazing love story.
kalarosereads's review against another edition
4.0
I was excited to read Amber's story because of the glimpses we got of her character from Water's book. The first few chapters gripped me right away but then it became a little slow for me in the middle before picking back up again. However once I finished the entire book I appreciated the "slower" chapters as they gave a lot of insightful context and background to River's character and his family background. I have never read a book based in Ireland before so I really enjoyed learning about the history and the culture.
A huge theme of this book was loyalty, which also ties in to the continuing theme of this entire series where we get glimpses of different scenarios where there really is no black or white for "right" or "wrong". K.A. Tucker really forces the reader to recognize that "grey" moral area in between the traditional society rules.
Amber's character is initially portrayed as the quintessential rule following girl next door, however she has taken this trip to branch out from the stereotypes she has been pegged with her entire life. This book also made me even more excited to read the next book which will be Ivy's, as she served as a major side character in this book and between Amber and Ivy's new friendship they discovered they had both judged each other in very similar ways.
Amber finding out the truth behind her father's involvement in Jesse and Water's story was really well written, I enjoyed how it was intertwined with Amber's dad showing up when she least expecting it, proving that even though his decisions are not as straight and narrow as she always thought, he is still her dad and still has the same morals that he has always had. It gives Amber the courage to make her own decisions when dealing with a similar situation.
River's journey throughout this book is really intriguing to me, we learn about his family background and dynamics and what loyalty truly means to him. Amber helps him discover what is truly important and helps him find the courage to finally make the "right" decision to protect the innocent members of his family who deserve it, even if it means causing someone else he loves pain.
As always, I loved how K.A. Tucker ends her books in this series, there is no perfect wrapped up ending with a bow, it seems realistic and raw. And although I always crave more of the characters, I do prefer these kinds of endings.
A huge theme of this book was loyalty, which also ties in to the continuing theme of this entire series where we get glimpses of different scenarios where there really is no black or white for "right" or "wrong". K.A. Tucker really forces the reader to recognize that "grey" moral area in between the traditional society rules.
Amber's character is initially portrayed as the quintessential rule following girl next door, however she has taken this trip to branch out from the stereotypes she has been pegged with her entire life. This book also made me even more excited to read the next book which will be Ivy's, as she served as a major side character in this book and between Amber and Ivy's new friendship they discovered they had both judged each other in very similar ways.
Amber finding out the truth behind her father's involvement in Jesse and Water's story was really well written, I enjoyed how it was intertwined with Amber's dad showing up when she least expecting it, proving that even though his decisions are not as straight and narrow as she always thought, he is still her dad and still has the same morals that he has always had. It gives Amber the courage to make her own decisions when dealing with a similar situation.
River's journey throughout this book is really intriguing to me, we learn about his family background and dynamics and what loyalty truly means to him. Amber helps him discover what is truly important and helps him find the courage to finally make the "right" decision to protect the innocent members of his family who deserve it, even if it means causing someone else he loves pain.
As always, I loved how K.A. Tucker ends her books in this series, there is no perfect wrapped up ending with a bow, it seems realistic and raw. And although I always crave more of the characters, I do prefer these kinds of endings.
b_tellefsen_rescuesandreads's review against another edition
3.0
Definitely the weakest of the series so far.
This story follows Amber, the sister of Jesse, one of the main characters from book one. She is currently travelling around the world for several months and this particular story is set in Ireland.
While heading out for a touristy excursion, she is unceremoniously pushed the ground by an unknown man, just seconds before a pipe bomb explodes, her life saved in the process.
She ends up tracking down the unknown hero to a pub called Delaney's where she is formally introduced to River, the man who saved her. And from there a relationship develops. But Amber has always been a rule follower, a good girl. And when she finds how River has a criminal past and his older brother has criminal associations with the IRA..she will have to decide whether or not River can fit into her life, or whether she will leave Ireland with a broken heart.....
I will be honest and say that I cannot be certain that this is a book thing and not more of a "Me" thing. I typically really enjoy K.A. Tucker's books and I really liked the first two books in this series, but I mostly was not in the mood for this type of story when I began and the execution just felt a bit lackluster to me.
But, in fairness, this book was insanely insta-lovey. Picture it:
- Girl almost gets blown up but is saved by a Good Samaritan.
- Girl tracks down Good Samaritan, finds out he is a hot Irish bar runner and flirtation ensues.
- After a few days of getting to know him, Girl sleeps with Good Samaritan and contemplates changing her world travels for him
- Girl is thrust into intense situations, because of Good Samaritan's brother and his affiliation with the IRA
- Girl is a rule follower, preppy, never-been-in-trouble-before, and is bothered by Good Samaritan's affiliations, but ends up over-looking it all, even when Good Samaritan himself is almost blown up.
- Ultimately, after just a week, Girl knows that she cannot just walk away from Good Samaritan and basically her whole life is uprooted as she tries to make a relationship with him work.
It was all way too fast for my tastes. So sadly, this was mostly a miss for me.
This story follows Amber, the sister of Jesse, one of the main characters from book one. She is currently travelling around the world for several months and this particular story is set in Ireland.
While heading out for a touristy excursion, she is unceremoniously pushed the ground by an unknown man, just seconds before a pipe bomb explodes, her life saved in the process.
She ends up tracking down the unknown hero to a pub called Delaney's where she is formally introduced to River, the man who saved her. And from there a relationship develops. But Amber has always been a rule follower, a good girl. And when she finds how River has a criminal past and his older brother has criminal associations with the IRA..she will have to decide whether or not River can fit into her life, or whether she will leave Ireland with a broken heart.....
I will be honest and say that I cannot be certain that this is a book thing and not more of a "Me" thing. I typically really enjoy K.A. Tucker's books and I really liked the first two books in this series, but I mostly was not in the mood for this type of story when I began and the execution just felt a bit lackluster to me.
But, in fairness, this book was insanely insta-lovey. Picture it:
- Girl almost gets blown up but is saved by a Good Samaritan.
- Girl tracks down Good Samaritan, finds out he is a hot Irish bar runner and flirtation ensues.
- After a few days of getting to know him, Girl sleeps with Good Samaritan and contemplates changing her world travels for him
- Girl is thrust into intense situations, because of Good Samaritan's brother and his affiliation with the IRA
- Girl is a rule follower, preppy, never-been-in-trouble-before, and is bothered by Good Samaritan's affiliations, but ends up over-looking it all, even when Good Samaritan himself is almost blown up.
- Ultimately, after just a week, Girl knows that she cannot just walk away from Good Samaritan and basically her whole life is uprooted as she tries to make a relationship with him work.
It was all way too fast for my tastes. So sadly, this was mostly a miss for me.
lindaunconventionalbookworms's review against another edition
5.0
*I received a free ARC of Chasing River from Atria Books via Netgalley in exchange of an honest and unbiased review*
Chasing River took me on a beautiful and dangerous trip to Ireland, with good-girl Amber and bad-boy River, filled my heart with adventure, romance and love.
This and all my other reviews are originally posted on my blog (un)Conventional Bookvies
Chasing River took me on a beautiful and dangerous trip to Ireland, with good-girl Amber and bad-boy River, filled my heart with adventure, romance and love.
This and all my other reviews are originally posted on my blog (un)Conventional Bookvies