Book Review and GIVEAWAY: Chasing River, by K.A. Tucker (Burying Water #3) ~ Books I Think You Should Read

Saturday, July 4, 2015

Book Review and GIVEAWAY: Chasing River, by K.A. Tucker (Burying Water #3)

I wander over to the rail and gaze out on the stretch of water that cuts through the heart of Dublin, watching the tiny ripples dance along the surface, and consider my next move. This is, after all, part of why I took this trip in the first place. To experience life while I'm young and unattached. To make memories that will last me a lifetime. To find out if the Amber I've known all these years - with an overprotective sheriff father and a practical surgeon mother looking over my shoulder - would make the same choices as the one who is free of scrutiny. Do I abide by the black-and-white limits I've set for myself because that's who I truly am or because that's who I am while being judged? And how far into that gray area might I venture before I go running back to my familiar boundaries?

This is the third novel in the Burying Water series, which includes a book of the same name (#1) and Becoming Rain (#2). All of the characters pop up (even if just by reference) in all three books, which is fun, but each one focuses on a different character. Chasing River focuses on Amber, the sister of Jesse (who was featured in Burying Water, and whose friend Luke was featured in Becoming Rain). Amber is taking a trip to Ireland, but what she finds there may surprise herself.

Official synopsis:

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.

This story was more political in a way than the last two, as a big part of Ireland's history is the IRA. I found myself fascinated with all things Irish in this novel, as Ireland has been on my travel "bucket list" for a while now; I got into my university's summer study abroad program there, but unfortunately had to decline because it was too expensive.

I forgot when I first started this book that Amber is Jesse's sister, from the first book (and he has cameos in the second book, as well) but Jesse and Alex, his girlfriend, are mentioned multiple times here, and their father, the Sheriff Welles, also makes an appearance.

You don't have to have read the previous two books in the series to enjoy this one as a stand-alone novel, but it's helpful for backstory. The next book in the Burying Water series will be Surviving Ice, which focuses on Ivy, a friend of Amber's who we meet for the first time in this novel.

I definitely enjoyed this book (I'm a huge K.A. Tucker fan in general - check out her Ten Tiny Breaths series too) and would recommend it as a fast read.

4 stars out of 5.

*Disclosure: I received an e-book ARC of this novel in exchange for this review. All opinions expressed here, however, are my own.

Other books by K.A. Tucker:
{Burying Water series}
1. Burying Water (review, buy)
2. Becoming Rain (review, buy)
3. Chasing River (buy)
4. Surviving Ice (pre-order; out on 10/13/15)

{Ten Tiny Breaths series}
1. Ten Tiny Breaths (review, buy)
2. One Tiny Lie (review, buy)
3. Four Seconds to Lose (review, buy)
4. Five Ways to Fall (review, buy)

GIVEAWAY:

You can win a FULL SIGNED SET of K.A. Tucker's books! This giveaway is hosted by the other bloggers and I who are on this book tour.