Release Date: January 21, 2014
Publisher: Loveswept
Pages: 352
Series: Burnside #1
Review Source: Netgalley
Synopsis: (from Goodreads)
Mary Ann Rivers kicks off a new contemporary romance series—sure to please readers of Ruthie Knox, Kristan Higgins, and Jill Shalvis—where love can be found unexpectedly.
If there’s an upside to unemployment, Destiny Burnside may have found it. Job searching at her local library in Lakefield, Ohio, gives her plenty of time to ogle the hottest man she has ever laid eyes on: the sexy wood-carver who’s restoring the building. But as the rejection letters pile up, Destiny finds an unexpected shoulder to cry on. With his rich Welsh accent, Hefin Thomas stirs Destiny so completely that, even though he’s leaving soon, she lets herself believe the memory of his scorching kisses will be enough.
Hefin can’t help but notice the slender, confident woman with ginger hair who returns each day, so hopeful and determined. So when the tears start to fall, his silence—penance for a failed marriage—finally cracks. Once he’s touched her, what Hefin wants is to take her back to Wales and hold her forever. But Destiny’s roots run too deep. What they both need is each other—to learn how to live and love again.
Live is a very emotional story, one with evocative language that pulls you in a la Laura Florand. It’s a book about the connection between two people: the little things that make them right, that make them fit together. It explores how finding a partner can be worth sacrificing other aspects of your life. It’s also about the things that can build you up when you're in a time of mourning, and just how much it can mean to have someone truly see you and love you.
I fell deeply in love with Mary Ann’s first published work, The Story Guy. I thought it was gorgeous and practically the most beautiful romance ever. So, in retrospect, I think I had a bit too high of expectations going into Live. The thing is, I definitely liked this one, but I thought it was too meandering and too introspective. The main character, Destiny, was all about being selfless, and yet the book is full of ruminations on love, community, and family. What worked in novella format (flowery language, something a bit offbeat) became a tad too much in this full length book. I would have preferred more dialogue and more action.
If you’re looking for a slower paced romance, one that’s more about concepts and ideals of romance than a busy plot, then perhaps you’ll enjoy Live even more than I did.
The Cover:
Okay, but kind of boring.
Rating:
[3.5/5]Purchase Links:
Kobo | Amazon.ca | Amazon.com | Barnes & Noble
I loved The Story Guy too so I've been eager to check this one out. I get a better feeling about Live now and can see how the language and style of a novella is not necessarily more of a good thing in a full-length novel. I am planning to read this one soon though and will know to expect a quieter sort of read.
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