K.A. Tucker

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.

A Novel

Chasing River

Anna Ureta

A suspense-driven New Adult romance novel from the USA TODAY bestselling author ofTen Tiny Breaths.

Sven Test

This review was first published on Latte Nights Reviews.

I keep saying that K. A. Tucker is a fantastic author and it's because she truly is. I always get so into her stories and leave me wanting for more. Seriously, this book needed another epilogue... It needed to be Epilogue part 2. I wanted more to that ending but it still was a great ending—more than I could have asked for.

You guys know that I always like when I can connect to characters and I'm glad to say that I saw myself in Amber in various occasions. Amber has always been the good girl, she has always followed the rules. Now, she goes travelling in Europe, a place where I dream of going and having a road-trip. Amber made a bucket-list with Alex for when she would go to Europe and I have to say, I'm saving that list for when I travel. She is also very driven and she is a stubborn one, for sure.

When River collides with her and saves her life, she can't stop thinking about him and goes in search for him, even if she has to chase him. I honestly had no idea how River would be projected. I wasn't sure how to feel about him in the beginning. I liked him fine but I wasn't completely drawn to him like I was with Luke from Becoming Rain. As the story progresses, I was drawn to him and Amber. I was definitely not expecting him to be the full-on gentleman he is and how caring he is for Amber, especially since he just met her. Their attraction and chemistry was there, for sure.

The supporting characters, I have nothing to argue against them. Rowen is River's brother and is the flirt who's funny and is caring and had me grinning quite a lot. I definitely loved Ivy a lot! She is bad-ass and she deserves her own story because I want more of her. If a story happens there, it will be highly entertaining because she doesn't take shit from anyone. River's parents were a lovely addition to the story, even though we don't read much about them but what we do read, they are fantastic and loving parents. Then there is the Sherriff. He does make appearances in this book, which I'm sure many of you would love. He is still very stubborn but he loves his daughter very much and it shows.

Gabe finally turns and meets my eyes. "You'll never be good enough for my daughter."

I smile. "But I'll never stop trying to be."

As I mentioned earlier, K. A. Tucker always has me submerged into her stories but I didn't realize just how much until River is telling a story one night and I literally forgot where I was. I plunged in head-first into River's story-telling and I was hooked, wanting more and more, which I certainly got—I even want a novella based on this story because it is simply amazing. 

The story had it's intense moments but I will be honest and say, I was expecting more of it—more action, more suspense—since the first two books delivered these two so well and had me on the edge. Still, this story was a marvelous addition to the Burying Water series and will not leave readers disappointed.

Find this review and more at 
  kimberlyfaye reads
.

I settled in for a little K.A. Tucker binge read about a week ago. Somehow, I'd missed reading Becoming Rain, even though I had a review copy. (Major fail on my part.) I devoured it and loved it, so I decided to keep going to and read Chasing River while I was still in that world. I'm glad I did, too. It was an excellent addition to the Burying Water series.

Chasing River starts off with a quite literal bang when Amber happens upon a bomb laid by a radical group while on holiday in Ireland. Fortunately, she's saved just in time by an Irish stranger. What she doesn't know at the time is this stranger's brother is responsible for her near death experience. This truth comes out sooner rather than later, after she goes hunting for the stranger who saved her life. Some other truths, however, take a little longer to do the same.

I was relatively warm to Amber's character after having met her originally in Burying Water. We didn't learn that much about her in that book, but I liked what I knew. I was hoping she would get a book of her own one day. I really liked that the backdrop for her story took her away from Sisters and to where she could be her own woman and find herself away from her parents. She needed that. Over the course of this book, I only grew to like Amber more.

River was an interesting guy to try to wrap my head around. I mean you can't NOT like the guy who saves the heroine – especially when he's a hot Irish bartender. I just had some issues with him not being upfront with Amber about just what she was getting herself into by spending time with him. I mean, I understand why he was trying to protect her, but it doesn't mean I liked it. When it was all said and done though, I really liked River. He was more than his past would lead you to believe. He definitely made me swoon a couple times.

One of my favorite things about this book was how Ireland's history was woven seamlessly into the story. I knew I was getting a bit of a history lesson, but it wasn't anything like reading out of a history book – and I never felt like it was being shoved down my throat. It was a great complement to the romance and even the suspense and action of Chasing River. That said, I also did love the romance. I liked watching Amber and River come together with the knowledge that an ocean would soon keep them apart. Of course, I was hoping they'd find a way to make things a little more permanent, but I won't tell you if they did or not. You'll need to read to find out.

Chasing River was a great follow-up to two amazing stories in Burying Water and Becoming Rain. I liked that we got a few glimpses into the lives of some of the other characters, even with them not being together geographically at the time. I also really enjoyed learning more about Ivy, who will be the heroine in the next novel, Surviving Ice. I kinda fell in love with her spunky self in this book, so I'm even more excited to read her story now.

I received a copy of this book from the publisher, via NetGalley, in exchange for an honest review.

Lisa ✩ @lifeinlit

Jointly reviewed with my co-blogger, Becca!

THE STORY:
Becca: Lisa and I were so excited to be reading Chasing River together! We are both such huge KA Tucker fans and she is definitely a must read Author for both of us! When we participated in the Cover reveal for Chasing River and saw this gorgeous cover and read the synopsis we were both sold!

Chasing River is Amber’s story (Jesse from Burying Water little sister). She has decided to finally follow her dream and travel around the world and there is no better time since she just went through a very difficult break up . Her travels bring her to Ireland where she is immersed in their country and learning the somewhat volatile history of the country. While walking one morning a complete stranger saves her life and Amber makes it her mission to find him.

The story of Amber and River is riveting and exciting! Even more interesting was the History and knowledge of Ireland that Tucker incorporates throughout the novel. I have some knowledge of the country’s history of turmoil but Tucker did an amazing job of including the history, while also making it an interesting part of the story and I really enjoyed it!

Lisa: YES to everything Becca said! I fell in love with Amber in Burying Water, and I was so incredibly happy to find out we would finally get more of her in Chasing River. Amber, who worked as a nurse, was so career-driven and really worked her butt off. I was so happy to see she finally saved enough money up and was able to travel, as she had always dreamed of. (Can you tell how REAL these characters are to us? That’s K.A. Tucker’s amazing talent right there in full swing.) Amber, along with the help of her friend, came up with a Travel Bucket List, things she promised herself she would do. And the number one thing on that list: “1. Have a torrid affair with a foreigner.”

The history included in this book was definitely interesting, I totally agree! It did make Chasing River a bit different than the others in the series, simply because of the amount of background and story building it had. Chasing River was less suspenseful and action-packed than the others, but it was still thoroughly entertaining! Especially the sexy Irish boys!
 

THE CHARACTERS:
Lisa: River, with his accent and standoff demeanor, was nothing like the kind of guy Amber usually falls for. American Princess Amber, with her fancy clothes and successful family, is the farthest thing River would bring home to his parents. But the two are thrown together, a simple case of being at the wrong place at the wrong (or right?) time, and their attraction to each other is undeniable.

“And then I want to come back here, light all these candles…’ He kisses me again. ‘…and tell you a story about a lowly Irish peasant bartender who falls in love with a beautiful American princess.”

I loved the slow burn of this relationship. Both knew it wasn’t right. There was no way a relationship between these two would work. River lived in Ireland and Amber was only visiting for a short time… and they fought their connection tooth and nail. River was so stubborn, yet protective and very family-driven. Amber was naive and came off as weak at times, but her inner strength was admirable. The few months together really changed both of their lives… for the better AND the worse.

Becca: Lisa and I do enjoy a good slow burn romance and this definitely was that! I really liked River... a little too much. I kind of having a thing for cute accents and I could totally hear his voice loud and clear as I read! I need to do this on Audio next to get the full effect! River was such a loyal and loving brother and son. Everything he did was to help his family and be there for him. I loved that about him, and the fact that he widened that circle to include Amber was so sweet :)

Amber: “I haven’t forgotten what you did for me, River. I’ll never forget.”
River: “I’d do it again. A thousand times over.”

I loved getting to see more of Amber, she was somehow a bit spoiled but at the same time completely down to earth and centered. I loved her tenacity and also her ability to let the trip take her where it wanted to and live in the moment… especially with River!

I loved River’s family as well, his brother (I only mention one of them for a reason… read and find out!) and his parents were such a close traditional Irish family. I loved the heritage and history that Tucker brought into their family. For example, their family pub which had been owned buy the Delaney family for hundreds of years and passed to the eldest son from generation to generation.

I also liked getting to know Ivy, she was really cool and I loved how her and Amber overcame a tumultuous past to become friends. I am looking forward to getting to know Ivy better in Surviving Ice!
 

OVERALL:
Becca: Overall, I really enjoyed Chasing River. It was a bit different than the other books in the series in that it was slower paced and had a lot more story building and historical references. However, I still thoroughly enjoyed it! KA Tucker brings some much needed diversity to the NA genre and she does it so well! Nick at Nick’s Book Blog said it best when she said that ‘Every time someone mentions how cliched New Adult is as a genre, I want to shove this series in their faces.” She is so right!!

The Burying Water series has made me an even bigger fan of KA Tucker (which I didn’t think was possible LOL) I cannot wait for Surviving Ice and I am dying to see what she comes up with next. Her stories are unique, suspenseful and also teach you something! Not to mention her character building is so well done that you hold onto them forever like family members or good friends. I will continue to fangirl over Tucker and read absolutely everything that she writes!

Lisa: I LOVE Ivy! I’m so excited to get more of her in Surviving Ice. She’s a spunky tattoo artist with an insanely tough exterior, and a heart of gold. I was drawn to her character instantly, seeing right through all of her snark. I just know I’m going to love Surviving Ice. And that cover… OMG!

And I totally agree with Becca on the accents – I think I need to listen to this audio too. I’m sure Shane East (who also narrated the After Series) must do an awesome job with the Irish accents. All of the adorable Irish lingo was so much fun to read, I can’t imagine hearing it. Love those Irish accents!! 

I digress....

K.A. Tucker has been a favorite author of mine since the first chapter of Ten Tiny Breaths. I just can’t get enough of her books. She’s such an incredible and talented author. I can’t imagine her writing something that I didn’t love. I wholeheartedly agree with Becca and Nick on this one. This series is so unique and unlike any other NA book I’ve read. If you’re looking for something a little different in the New Adult genre, more on the romantic suspense side of an adult read, this is a series that you won’t want to miss out on. I’m so ready to read about Ivy in Surviving Ice!


(Thanks to Atria Books & InkSlingerPR for the review copy!)

Find this review and others like it at Lost in Literature!

Lacey

Originally posted at Booklovers For Life

3.5 STARS

This third novel in the Burying Water series is about Amber Welles, Jesse’s younger sister (from Burying Water). This was a really sweet, heartfelt romance that was easily enjoyable. I liked this book quite a bit – maybe not as much as Burying Water, but Chasing River is definitely a book that fans of the series shouldn’t miss. K.A. Tucker’s writing swept me away to the gorgeous country of Ireland (which I swear I will visit one day!), Amber’s latest stop on her trip around the world.


  1. Have a torrid affair with a foreigner. Country: TBD.


Amber has lived her whole life in the small town of Sisters, Oregon, but after a broken relationship, nothing’s holding her back from traveling the world. Amber has always been the ‘good girl’, the proper daughter of the town sheriff, but her friend Alex, Jesse’s girlfriend, makes Amber a list of things to do while traveling to bring Amber out of her shell and experience a more exciting and fulfilling life. I really enjoyed Amber’s character – she felt real and I easily connected with her character. And I really liked the way K.A. Tucker brought her and River together – River saves Amber’s life from a terrorist organization bomb.

“So . . . Where’d you meet this guy?”
“At the park one day. He kind of . . . ran into me.” I toy with a coaster to avoid her gaze.
“Sounds romantic.”
“It was, in a way.” If pipe bombs could be called romantic.

River Delaney is somewhat of a bad boy, but with a sweet side and a heart that’s loyal to the people he cares about. He saves Amber from a bomb his older brother plants, not expecting to see the pretty American girl again. But when she appears at the bar his family owns, he knows he wants a chance with her, despite believing that he’s not good enough for her. River shows Amber around Ireland, showing her how important his country means to him. I couldn’t help but fall a little in love with River – he’s Amber’s knight in shining armor, and he’s so sweet and tender towards her. The feelings between River and Amber grow slowly but genuinely. But how can they have a life together when Amber is bound to leave, and they live thousands of miles away?

I want to spend tonight with her, and tomorrow. I want to spend every second with Amber until she leaves.
I don’t want her to leave.
Do I tell her that, though?

There is a lot of political mumbo-jumbo going on within Ireland. River’s brother is part of the IRA, an Irish terrorist organization, and Amber, River, and his family unfortunately get pulled into the political drama. The beginning was a bit confusing when the IRA was introduced, but eventually I got the hang of what was going on. K.A. Tucker includes a note in the beginning of the novel that helped understand Ireland’s politics.

As much as I liked both Amber and River, I just wasn’t as invested in their characters as much as I wanted to be. Everything in this book goes by slowly, including their romance, and sometimes I got bored while reading. This doesn’t mean I didn’t like Chasing River, because I did – it’s a sweet read with fantastic storytelling. I’m definitely a fan of K.A. Tucker’s writing. But I just didn’t connect with the story as much as I wanted to. Still, it’s a satisfying, enjoyable read with likable characters and strong writing. Fans of the series won’t be disappointed with River and Amber’s story.

Quotes are taken from the ARC and are subject to change in the final version.

Thanks to the publisher for generously providing me an ARC to review.

Amazon Ebook: http://amzn.to/1waIiLv
Amazon Paperback: http://amzn.to/1wB3SaD

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Gretchen Gomez

I'm still in awe of how beautiful this book is. I cried, I literally laughed out loud, and I loved visiting Ireland in my head.

K.A. Tucker has done it again! Amazing characters, a great storyline, and a BEAUTIFUL SETTING! Because: PLACED IN IRELAND!

I had met Amber Welles in the first book of this series and for some reason I thought I wasn't going to like her much but I LOVED HER! I related to her a lot.

Genesis (@whisperingchapters)

This review was first published on Latte Nights Reviews.

I keep saying that K. A. Tucker is a fantastic author and it's because she truly is. I always get so into her stories and leave me wanting for more. Seriously, this book needed another epilogue... It needed to be Epilogue part 2. I wanted more to that ending but it still was a great ending—more than I could have asked for.

You guys know that I always like when I can connect to characters and I'm glad to say that I saw myself in Amber in various occasions. Amber has always been the good girl, she has always followed the rules. Now, she goes travelling in Europe, a place where I dream of going and having a road-trip. Amber made a bucket-list with Alex for when she would go to Europe and I have to say, I'm saving that list for when I travel. She is also very driven and she is a stubborn one, for sure.

When River collides with her and saves her life, she can't stop thinking about him and goes in search for him, even if she has to chase him. I honestly had no idea how River would be projected. I wasn't sure how to feel about him in the beginning. I liked him fine but I wasn't completely drawn to him like I was with Luke from 
  Becoming Rain
. As the story progresses, I was drawn to him and Amber. I was definitely not expecting him to be the full-on gentleman he is and how caring he is for Amber, especially since he just met her. Their attraction and chemistry was there, for sure.

The supporting characters, I have nothing to argue against them. Rowen is River's brother and is the flirt who's funny and is caring and had me grinning quite a lot. I definitely loved Ivy a lot! She is bad-ass and she deserves her own story because I want more of her. If a story happens there, it will be highly entertaining because she doesn't take shit from anyone. River's parents were a lovely addition to the story, even though we don't read much about them but what we do read, they are fantastic and loving parents. Then there is the Sherriff. He does make appearances in this book, which I'm sure many of you would love. He is still very stubborn but he loves his daughter very much and it shows.

Gabe finally turns and meets my eyes. "You'll never be good enough for my daughter."

I smile. "But I'll never stop trying to be."

As I mentioned earlier, K. A. Tucker always has me submerged into her stories but I didn't realize just how much until River is telling a story one night and I literally forgot where I was. I plunged in head-first into River's story-telling and I was hooked, wanting more and more, which I certainly got—I even want a novella based on this story because it is simply amazing. 

The story had it's intense moments but I will be honest and say, I was expecting more of it—more action, more suspense—since the first two books delivered these two so well and had me on the edge. Still, this story was a marvelous addition to the Burying Water series and will not leave readers disappointed.

Chasing River A Novel

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