Review: Chasing River by K.A. Tucker

Chasing River
(Burying Water, #3)
By: K.A. Tucker
Publisher: Atria Books
Published: July 7, 2015
Genre: New Adult Romance
Rating:

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.

While on a vacation in Ireland, Amber unknowingly gets mixed up with the IRA. You see, while running late for a tour she had her sights set on attending, she walks right into a bombs path set by an IRA member. River just so happens to be at the right place at the right time and saves her life at the last second. However, instead of hanging around for the paramedics or police, River runs off promising that he wasn’t the one who set the bomb. There’s something about River that makes Amber believe him, but at the same time he’s definitely hiding something. That same something could cost them both their life.

I am a big fan of this author’s work. I loved her Ten Tiny Breaths series. She’s able to write a great romance while also adding in deeper issues. In this case you have the IRA, as well as touch base about the Great Famine of Ireland and how much they still suffer from their struggles against the British. Right before the story even starts, the author takes the time to fill us in on Ireland’s history. Then, we learn even more as Amber goes to museums. I enjoyed getting to learn a little bit more about my heritage.

I have not read the previous two books from this series though. So, I had no idea about Amber’s character prior to reading Chasing River. However, you get a good idea about how much of a goody-two-shoes she is. She always does the right thing, doesn’t think twice before reporting any wrong-doing, and probably would have gotten on my nerves in the previous books. There would have been a good chance that I’d have not read this one because of that. However, in Chasing River, Amber seems to let loose and isn’t quite so quick to judge. Plus, she made a check list of things to do during her European travels. One of which being “have a torrid affair with a foreigner”. So, I’d have to say her character lets loose in this book.

River was an interesting character. Due to the loyalty he has for his brother, he protects him even though in doing so he puts himself and their family in danger. There were times when I wanted to yell at River to just move on with his life. However, he’d just keep on protecting his brother and pretending like his brother wasn’t one of the bad guys. When everything is brought to life though, I could see why River looked out for his brother as best as he could. It definitely makes sense.

Chasing River is another amazing book my K.A. Tucker. There’s that sweet building romance that will have you rooting for the two love-birds, there’s suspense that will surprise you with its outcome, there’s real-life problems that will leave your reeling, and she weaves it all in one awesome story that will keep you from putting the book down. Do I plan to go back an read the previous books? You betcha! Not to mention that we meet a fiery take-no-b.s chick who will be starring in her own book next. This sounds like a series that I will devour every book of.

“I want you to look at me the way you used to. I want you to think that I’m good. I want you to still want me.”