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River Wild
A new town. A new identity. Pregnant and alone.
And far away from a past that can never find me.
River Wild.
Moody. Sullen. Jerk.
And my new neighbor.
I have no interest in befriending River. And he definitely doesn’t want to be befriended by me.
Then, he helps me rescue an abandoned dog. And, that day, I see something in his eyes that reflects back in my own. Sadness. Pain. Loneliness.
I know all of those things well.
An unwanted and unexpected friendship that somehow works. Then, without warning, it turns into something more.
River and I both have our secrets, and that’s okay. Because I understand him. And he understands me.
For the first time in my life, I have something I never thought I would have—happiness.
But happiness isn’t forever. Not for people like me.
Especially not when my past is waiting just around the corner, ready to come and take it all away.
And far away from a past that can never find me.
River Wild.
Moody. Sullen. Jerk.
And my new neighbor.
I have no interest in befriending River. And he definitely doesn’t want to be befriended by me.
Then, he helps me rescue an abandoned dog. And, that day, I see something in his eyes that reflects back in my own. Sadness. Pain. Loneliness.
I know all of those things well.
An unwanted and unexpected friendship that somehow works. Then, without warning, it turns into something more.
River and I both have our secrets, and that’s okay. Because I understand him. And he understands me.
For the first time in my life, I have something I never thought I would have—happiness.
But happiness isn’t forever. Not for people like me.
Especially not when my past is waiting just around the corner, ready to come and take it all away.
301 pages, ebook
First published January 12, 2019
About the author
Samantha Towle
35 books11.7k followersSamantha Towle is a New York Times, USA Today, and Wall Street Journal bestselling author.
A native of Hull, she lives in East Yorkshire with her husband, their son and daughter, and three large furbabies.
She is the author of contemporary romances, The Storm Series, The Revved Series, The Wardrobe Series, The Gods Series, and standalones, Trouble, When I Was Yours, The Ending I Want, Unsuitable, Under Her, River Wild, Dead Pretty, The Two Week Stand and Sacking the Quarterback which was written with James Patterson. She has also written paranormal romances, The Bringer and The Alexandra Jones Series. With over a million books sold, her titles have appeared in countless bestseller lists, and are currently translated into ten languages.
To receive an email when Samantha releases a new book, sign up for her newsletter - http://samanthatowle.co.uk/newsletter...
You can also find Samantha at -
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Samantha-Tow...
Twitter: https://twitter.com/samtowlewrites
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/samtowlewri...
BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/profile/saman...
A native of Hull, she lives in East Yorkshire with her husband, their son and daughter, and three large furbabies.
She is the author of contemporary romances, The Storm Series, The Revved Series, The Wardrobe Series, The Gods Series, and standalones, Trouble, When I Was Yours, The Ending I Want, Unsuitable, Under Her, River Wild, Dead Pretty, The Two Week Stand and Sacking the Quarterback which was written with James Patterson. She has also written paranormal romances, The Bringer and The Alexandra Jones Series. With over a million books sold, her titles have appeared in countless bestseller lists, and are currently translated into ten languages.
To receive an email when Samantha releases a new book, sign up for her newsletter - http://samanthatowle.co.uk/newsletter...
You can also find Samantha at -
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Samantha-Tow...
Twitter: https://twitter.com/samtowlewrites
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/samtowlewri...
BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/profile/saman...
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 2,356 reviews
January 20, 2019
4 stars!
River Wild was a quick read for me, but it wasn’t an easy one. From the very start, both of these main characters stories broke my heart. It’s one of those books that you won’t want to put down. All I wanted for these two is to find the love and happiness they both deserved.
Carrie Ford is new in town. She’s pregnant, alone, and finally away from her abusive husband that she worked so hard to escape. She gets a place to stay, a job, and everything is going good. All but her neighbor, River Wild. River is a bit of a jerk. He’s never in a good mood and doesn’t really speak to anyone. But with time, he grows on Carrie and she starts to befriend him.
River can seem like a real ass, but you get all these glimpses into his past and you realize exactly why he is the way he is. Both he and Carrie deserve so much more than they were given. They are two broken souls who find healing in one another, and it’s a beautiful thing.
I loved watching the friendship between River and Carrie develop. You can tell River hasn’t had many friends. It was endearing. I also really loved watching it turn into more. No one deserved a beautiful love story more than these two. And watching how River cared for Carrie when she was pregnant and after the baby was born, sigh. It was so sweet.
Of course, there was a bit of drama and angst towards the end that had me on the edge of my seat, but overall I was very happy with the way it turned out. This definitely has some more serious themes/subjects but was well worth the read.
River Wild was a quick read for me, but it wasn’t an easy one. From the very start, both of these main characters stories broke my heart. It’s one of those books that you won’t want to put down. All I wanted for these two is to find the love and happiness they both deserved.
Carrie Ford is new in town. She’s pregnant, alone, and finally away from her abusive husband that she worked so hard to escape. She gets a place to stay, a job, and everything is going good. All but her neighbor, River Wild. River is a bit of a jerk. He’s never in a good mood and doesn’t really speak to anyone. But with time, he grows on Carrie and she starts to befriend him.
River can seem like a real ass, but you get all these glimpses into his past and you realize exactly why he is the way he is. Both he and Carrie deserve so much more than they were given. They are two broken souls who find healing in one another, and it’s a beautiful thing.
Sometimes, I feel like he's the other half of my soul. The part I was missing but didn't realise until the day when I looked into his eyes and saw him. The real him.
I loved watching the friendship between River and Carrie develop. You can tell River hasn’t had many friends. It was endearing. I also really loved watching it turn into more. No one deserved a beautiful love story more than these two. And watching how River cared for Carrie when she was pregnant and after the baby was born, sigh. It was so sweet.
Of course, there was a bit of drama and angst towards the end that had me on the edge of my seat, but overall I was very happy with the way it turned out. This definitely has some more serious themes/subjects but was well worth the read.
“You’re brave, Red. And you make me want to be brave, too.”
January 23, 2019
This book is going down as my first favourite read of 2019! I was so touched by River and Carrie’s friendship... and then slowly their romance! There is a warning at the start of the book for triggers, and I would absolutely take them seriously. What both River and Carrie have lived through isn’t pretty at all. My heart bled for them... but to see them take their lives back... it was inspiring!!!
If you love a slow burn romance, this story will fill your need for that! I also adored the way these two spoke to one another! So many times I just smiled like crazy! Carrie’s replacement words for cussing words were hilarious! I just loved her as a heroine!!!
This book comes highly recommended by me and I can tell that Samantha Towle put her heart and soul into every word on every page!❤️
If you love a slow burn romance, this story will fill your need for that! I also adored the way these two spoke to one another! So many times I just smiled like crazy! Carrie’s replacement words for cussing words were hilarious! I just loved her as a heroine!!!
This book comes highly recommended by me and I can tell that Samantha Towle put her heart and soul into every word on every page!❤️
May 7, 2021
⭐ 5 stars ⭐
♫ S o n g s ♫:
Hurricane - Luke Combs
Nothing's Gonna Hurt You Baby - Cigarettes After Sex
Give - You Me At Six
This time I don't know what to say because this book was ✨amazing✨ in every way.
River Wild was a beautiful and heartbreaking story that shows how two people (no matter how damaged and broken they are) can fall in love. As we know, life is not easy, but for Carrie and Wild? Damn, life has been horrible with more lows than highs until they meet.
Is it possible to be so broken but at the same time full of love to give to a special person? Yes it is, and this book proves it.
☆|☆ Characters ☆|☆
➽ Carrie: She has been through so much throughout her life🥺 my heart was broken with everything that had happened to her and I just wanted to wrap her in a blanket and give her a big hug because she really deserved it. Even though life has been painful for her, she shows how capable she is of making decisions with a positive mind just to try and make her life a little easier. And when she found her way, no one could stop her.
Carrie was an amazing character😍 full of love to give. This woman was sooo strong, determined and brave.
➽ River: Man, there aren't enough words to describe him. I can't, he was damn perfect!! 😭
He's also been through A LOT of things throughout his life and I don't know how he's been able to live after all that shit, but I'm glad he never gave up and he really thought "you now? Even though life It's tough, I won't let it disappoint me"
River was really amazing. Although he was a grouch most of the time (and I mean it because he was mean to everyone for most of the book, hahaha), he had a big heart of pure gold behind that facade.
Oh my dear River, I just wanted to hug you and tell you that everything was fine! A great character❤️
This story was the perfect example of the grumpy + sunshine trope🤩
These two were PERFECT together, there's not enough words to describe how beautiful their relationship was. I guess you just have to see for yourself.
☆|☆ What I like? ☆|☆
Obviously everything, lol. It's been a while since I've read a book this fast. I just couldn't put it down. This was the first time I read a book by this author and it won't be the last. The writing style was great for me and the fact that the chapters were short really helped me get more involved in the story.
☆|☆ What I didn't like? ☆|☆
I know, i know...I gave it five stars🙈 but there were little things I didn't like. They gladly didn't lower the rating.
1. The ending felt a bit rushed to me and I was wondering if that thing was going to happen (those who have read the book know what I mean), but I didn't expect it to happen in the last 90%. Like why? That was weird.
2. I also would have wanted more depth in their traumas, mainly those of River. Tbh I felt that the author did not want to explain a little more about them, and I don't know why. It would have helped to empathize more with his character and to know why he was acting like that.
Anyway, ignoring those aspects, this book was everything and more!
Carrie and River, my babies, I love you both sooo much. They both deserve the best in the world🥰💖
I highly recommend this book!
"Love is like a river, never ending as it flows but gets greater with time."
♫ S o n g s ♫:
Hurricane - Luke Combs
Nothing's Gonna Hurt You Baby - Cigarettes After Sex
Give - You Me At Six
This time I don't know what to say because this book was ✨amazing✨ in every way.
River Wild was a beautiful and heartbreaking story that shows how two people (no matter how damaged and broken they are) can fall in love. As we know, life is not easy, but for Carrie and Wild? Damn, life has been horrible with more lows than highs until they meet.
Is it possible to be so broken but at the same time full of love to give to a special person? Yes it is, and this book proves it.
☆|☆ Characters ☆|☆
➽ Carrie: She has been through so much throughout her life🥺 my heart was broken with everything that had happened to her and I just wanted to wrap her in a blanket and give her a big hug because she really deserved it. Even though life has been painful for her, she shows how capable she is of making decisions with a positive mind just to try and make her life a little easier. And when she found her way, no one could stop her.
Carrie was an amazing character😍 full of love to give. This woman was sooo strong, determined and brave.
"Because happiness doesn't come around often for people like me. So, I'm going to grab it with both hands when it does."
➽ River: Man, there aren't enough words to describe him. I can't, he was damn perfect!! 😭
He's also been through A LOT of things throughout his life and I don't know how he's been able to live after all that shit, but I'm glad he never gave up and he really thought "you now? Even though life It's tough, I won't let it disappoint me"
River was really amazing. Although he was a grouch most of the time (and I mean it because he was mean to everyone for most of the book, hahaha), he had a big heart of pure gold behind that facade.
Oh my dear River, I just wanted to hug you and tell you that everything was fine! A great character❤️
"As strange as this might sound," he says, "sometimes, the devil you know is better than the devil you don't."
This story was the perfect example of the grumpy + sunshine trope🤩
These two were PERFECT together, there's not enough words to describe how beautiful their relationship was. I guess you just have to see for yourself.
"She moves close to me, aligning her body with me. We fit together so fucking perfectly. We always have."
☆|☆ What I like? ☆|☆
Obviously everything, lol. It's been a while since I've read a book this fast. I just couldn't put it down. This was the first time I read a book by this author and it won't be the last. The writing style was great for me and the fact that the chapters were short really helped me get more involved in the story.
"How did I get so lucky to have you?"
"You didn't get lucky, River. We just found each other. Like we were always meant to."
I kiss her with all the love I feel for her.
☆|☆ What I didn't like? ☆|☆
I know, i know...I gave it five stars🙈 but there were little things I didn't like. They gladly didn't lower the rating.
1. The ending felt a bit rushed to me and I was wondering if that thing was going to happen (those who have read the book know what I mean), but I didn't expect it to happen in the last 90%. Like why? That was weird.
2. I also would have wanted more depth in their traumas, mainly those of River. Tbh I felt that the author did not want to explain a little more about them, and I don't know why. It would have helped to empathize more with his character and to know why he was acting like that.
Anyway, ignoring those aspects, this book was everything and more!
Carrie and River, my babies, I love you both sooo much. They both deserve the best in the world🥰💖
I highly recommend this book!
January 14, 2019
*****FIVE STARS*****
{ARC Generously Provided by Author}
Love is like a river, never ending as it flows but gets greater with time.
Once I picked this book up, there was no putting it down until I got to the end. RIVER WILD starts off with some very painful subject matter, and the author does add a note at the beginning of the book, warning that the situations in her story can be triggers for some readers. Know this going in! But, I have to say this story was beautiful and it would be a shame for anyone to miss out on it. Samantha Towle has knocked it out of the park with this one!
Carrie Ford has just moved to a small town in Texas under a new identity. She had to in order to provide her unborn child with a better life. Staying with her abusive husband was not an option. She’s been to hell and back and yet there is still so much purity & sweetness in her. She tries to make friends with her next-door neighbor, but he is one hell of a prickly bastard who is obnoxious and rude to her every chance he gets.
But River’s cold exterior is no match for the sweet and endearing Carrie. These two may seem as different as night and day, however, they’re kindred spirits in their horrifying pasts that still haunt them. River has only ever loved two people in his life, his mother and grandmother. They’re the only people who ever showed him true love and compassion. Ugly rumors about his family have spread throughout town, and he’s learned to keep his distance from the outside world until Carrie moves next door to him. River and Carrie are inexplicably drawn to each other and it’s through their special bond that they’re able to start on the path to healing.
You can't help but fall in love with these characters and hope for a beautiful ending for them!
Here are my overall ratings:
Hero: 5
Heroine: 5
Plot: 5
Angst: 4.5
Steam: 4
Chemistry Between Hero & Heroine: 5
RIVER WILD is currently available and is on sale for 99 cents today only! Make sure you one-click!!
Amazon: mybook.to/RiverWild
{ARC Generously Provided by Author}
Love is like a river, never ending as it flows but gets greater with time.
Once I picked this book up, there was no putting it down until I got to the end. RIVER WILD starts off with some very painful subject matter, and the author does add a note at the beginning of the book, warning that the situations in her story can be triggers for some readers. Know this going in! But, I have to say this story was beautiful and it would be a shame for anyone to miss out on it. Samantha Towle has knocked it out of the park with this one!
Carrie Ford has just moved to a small town in Texas under a new identity. She had to in order to provide her unborn child with a better life. Staying with her abusive husband was not an option. She’s been to hell and back and yet there is still so much purity & sweetness in her. She tries to make friends with her next-door neighbor, but he is one hell of a prickly bastard who is obnoxious and rude to her every chance he gets.
But River’s cold exterior is no match for the sweet and endearing Carrie. These two may seem as different as night and day, however, they’re kindred spirits in their horrifying pasts that still haunt them. River has only ever loved two people in his life, his mother and grandmother. They’re the only people who ever showed him true love and compassion. Ugly rumors about his family have spread throughout town, and he’s learned to keep his distance from the outside world until Carrie moves next door to him. River and Carrie are inexplicably drawn to each other and it’s through their special bond that they’re able to start on the path to healing.
You can't help but fall in love with these characters and hope for a beautiful ending for them!
Here are my overall ratings:
Hero: 5
Heroine: 5
Plot: 5
Angst: 4.5
Steam: 4
Chemistry Between Hero & Heroine: 5
RIVER WILD is currently available and is on sale for 99 cents today only! Make sure you one-click!!
Amazon: mybook.to/RiverWild
June 7, 2021
3.75 stars
Despite the dark themes in the book, this was really sweet?
I really liked both Carrie and River’s relationship and how it developed from enemies to friends to lovers. I loved watching them grow to love each other. I loved how despite his rough exterior, River was actually really sweet and caring. I loved how he would do things for Carrie and help her and just being there for her. Carrie was such a sweet strong woman. Those two were just so good for each other. Despite their traumatic past, they still bring out the best in each other.
My only complaint is that at times the book felt like it’s too chill? That’s not a bad thing, sometimes I really enjoy those chill books. But the fact that even the main conflict happened in the last chapter? I almost though the book would end without her husband finding her and I was like wait what? the ending was just kinda rushed, I think. But overall it was really sweet, I finished it in one setting. sometimes we just need those sweet chill enjoyable books.
Song recommendation:
River by Leon Bridges
Simple love by Lindsey Lomis
Why by Skinny Living
Despite the dark themes in the book, this was really sweet?
I really liked both Carrie and River’s relationship and how it developed from enemies to friends to lovers. I loved watching them grow to love each other. I loved how despite his rough exterior, River was actually really sweet and caring. I loved how he would do things for Carrie and help her and just being there for her. Carrie was such a sweet strong woman. Those two were just so good for each other. Despite their traumatic past, they still bring out the best in each other.
My only complaint is that at times the book felt like it’s too chill? That’s not a bad thing, sometimes I really enjoy those chill books. But the fact that even the main conflict happened in the last chapter? I almost though the book would end without her husband finding her and I was like wait what? the ending was just kinda rushed, I think. But overall it was really sweet, I finished it in one setting. sometimes we just need those sweet chill enjoyable books.
Song recommendation:
River by Leon Bridges
Simple love by Lindsey Lomis
Why by Skinny Living
January 16, 2019
❝ Sometimes, I feel like he's the other half of my soul. The part I was missing but didn't realise until the day when I looked into his eyes and saw him. The real him.❞
Amazon ➼ https://amzn.to/2RFlvcv
’RIVER WILD’ Is a full length ‘romance’ novel by author ‘Samantha Towle’ Spoken in Dual Perspectives.
The ’Prologue’ had my attention from the get go, it literally started off with a bang, my heart stopped, it cracked in half, as we meet a wee boy named River at the age of eight who took matters into his own hands to save his mama and to put a stop to the games he didn’t like playing.
Then the next chapter hooked me even further as we meet Annie, an abused victim married to a highly respected detective. For seven years she’s been at the end of his fists, finding out that she’s pregnant got the ball rolling and she finally gathers the strength to leave him. Changing her name, her identity, and making her way to Canyon Lake, a place he will never think to hunt for her knowing how much she despises the humidity.
❝I walk out the front door, leaving Annie Coombs behind, and become Carrie Ford. ❞
A new life, a safe place to lay her head down at nights and to raise her child when it finally arrives, a new job, things are slowly looking up, the only downside is her rude arrogant neighbour River Wild.
River's Grandmother raised him and taught him her trade of 'Glass Blowing' in the hopes that it would help ease the demons waring within him, his mother serving time in prison but when she gets killed River blames himself.
Years later River still lives in the place that became his safe haven, he keeps to himself, a semi recluse, and the town's outcast, he still creates beautiful objects with his own hands.
❝There is nothing good inside me. Just blackness and broken parts that can never be repaired.❞
This had so many moments, Heartbreaking Moments, Swoon Worthy Moments, Sweet Moments, Laugh Out Loud Moments C-U-Next-Tuesdays , Tie all these moments up and it made for an unforgettably beautiful story about finding love when you least expected it.
* Teasers used are off the authors facebook page *
January 17, 2019
★ 3 STARS ★
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Eu gostei dos personagens, consegui de certa forma me conectar com ambos. Porém, acho que devido ao passado de cada um, eu esperava mais deles. Não que tenham sido personagens ruins, mas pra mim ficou faltando algo a mais...
Senti isso também com o desenrolar da trama, esta história traz a tona assuntos delicados e pelo menos pra mim, não acho que foi abordado e desenvolvido de maneira apropriada. Ficou faltando um aprofundamento maior, não somente a superfície e sim explorar mais a fundo o tema em si e tudo o que o envolve.
Enfim, embora não tenha me emocionado ou tocado como esperava, no geral, este livro foi uma boa leitura. Tinha tudo para ser maravilhoso, porém não alcançou o seu potencial.
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“Sometimes, I feel like he’s the other half of my soul. The part I was missing but didn’t realize until that day when I looked into his eyes and saw him. The real him.”
Eu gostei dos personagens, consegui de certa forma me conectar com ambos. Porém, acho que devido ao passado de cada um, eu esperava mais deles. Não que tenham sido personagens ruins, mas pra mim ficou faltando algo a mais...
Senti isso também com o desenrolar da trama, esta história traz a tona assuntos delicados e pelo menos pra mim, não acho que foi abordado e desenvolvido de maneira apropriada. Ficou faltando um aprofundamento maior, não somente a superfície e sim explorar mais a fundo o tema em si e tudo o que o envolve.
Enfim, embora não tenha me emocionado ou tocado como esperava, no geral, este livro foi uma boa leitura. Tinha tudo para ser maravilhoso, porém não alcançou o seu potencial.
November 5, 2021
Sometimes, I feel like he's the other half of my soul. The part I was missing but I didn't realize until that day when I looked into this eyes and saw him. The real him.
River Wild was my fourth Samantha Towle book and I’m happy to say that I've enjoyed most of her books so far. For some reason, I'm always drawn to books about women being on the run from an abusive ex, so I knew I had to read this one! And I’m so glad I did because this was everything I was in the mood for! It had many of my favorite tropes in it: slow burn, friends to lovers and small-town romance with a grumpy hero!
☁️ Characters ☁️
The main characters, River Wild and Carrie Ford have both been to hell and back. My heart wept for them because these two characters did not deserve the cards that life had dealt them. I admired their courage so much, because they both chose to live on despite the scars in their hearts and the weight of their secrets. River, despite all his flaws, was such a sweetheart! And Carrie – I don’t know where to start with her because I was in awe of her resilience. Starting a new life as a pregnant woman in a new town was not easy but she managed to do it!
☁️ The Romance ☁️
“Say this saltshaker is me.” He picks up the pepper with his other hand. “And the pepper is you. To the outside world and even to us at first, we don’t seem like we should go together. I’m brash and hard. You’re the soft and beautiful. But we do go together, Red.” He presses the shakers together. “We go together perfectly.”
The slow burn romance was just wonderful! Even though River and Carrie had a very rocky start, I loved seeing them become friends and spending time with each other. The moments they spent together getting ready for the baby and the way River took care of Carrie, made my heart swell with joy. I loved the way his ears would turn red whenever he did something cute and wholesome! Even though River had the tendency to act brash and cold, he was such a softie on the inside! I especially loved the way he teased Carrie about her aversion to cussing, it was a very endearing running joke!
He doesn’t offer sweet words often, but when he does, they mother-fudging slay me.
The epilogue was SO CUTE! It was toothachingly sweet and so wholesome! Even though they both have baggage to carry, you know they’re going to be there for each other every step of the way.
☁️ Other thoughts / Criticisms ☁️
♦︎ There was one ‘reveal’ that (in my humble opinion) didn’t fit in with the story and sort of disrupted the flow of book. .
♦︎ The book was too short!! Carrie and River were so cute, I would have loved to have seem MORE moments together!
♦︎ The ramification of their trauma wasn't really addressed. Aside from their nightmares, there wasn’t much else. Again, this book was too short!
♦︎ Finally, the resolution to Carrie’s problem was wrapped up a bit too perfectly at the end…
Overall, River Wild was a great second chance in life romance! It’s definitely not as angsty as the cover would lead you to believe, but there were some very intense moments. The author does have trigger warnings in the beginning of the book but here they are, if you need them: .
Rating: 3.75/5
December 16, 2022
3.75 stars
this was suuwweetttt and pretty straightforward. the hero was one of those who appeared cold, was the towns recluse and rough around the edges, but he did stuff for the heroine that made the butterflies in your stomach singgg and did a jiggle dance.
witnessing their relationship bloom was like watching the turning of the seasons lol. things outside the romance were contrived, but who cares i liked this. pregnant h, rude grumpy H, slow burn, next door neighbor to friends to lovers goodness. its Arini approved.
this was suuwweetttt and pretty straightforward. the hero was one of those who appeared cold, was the towns recluse and rough around the edges, but he did stuff for the heroine that made the butterflies in your stomach singgg and did a jiggle dance.
witnessing their relationship bloom was like watching the turning of the seasons lol. things outside the romance were contrived, but who cares i liked this. pregnant h, rude grumpy H, slow burn, next door neighbor to friends to lovers goodness. its Arini approved.
January 19, 2019
4.5 Stars!
(ARC provided by author)
Carrie Ford is a 25 yr. old woman who grew up in foster care, and has spent the last seven years living in what felt like a nightmare. Pregnant and alone she’s running to freedom and from a past she hopes never finds her. She hops on a bus and walks away leaving her old self behind for a fresh start. She changes her name and disappears. She now has a new identity, and lives in a new town, in a new home. This includes a rude, grumpy new neighbor named River Wild. He’s absolutely beautiful, but she has zero interest in men. Her focus needs to be on her baby, and building them a great life. She plans to stay as far away from River as possible, but then he helps her rescue an abandoned dog and they begin an unexpected friendship.
River & Carrie both have secrets they hold close. She recognizes the look in his eyes. It’s the same one she used to see in her own every time she looked in the mirror. She realizes he has his own pain and demons. Even though he continually tries to push her away, a strong connection forms between them. In a short amount of time he’s become incredibly important to her. He’s her closest friend, but things are shifting between them as their attraction becomes undeniable. Neither wants to risk their friendship, but it’s getting harder to deny what their feeling. Carrie has finally found happiness, but will her past catch up with her and take it all away?
-I think you’re beautiful. The most beautiful woman I’ve ever seen.
-I want this man more than the next breath in my lungs. I’m starved for him.
-Sometimes, I feel like he’s the other half of my soul. The part I was missing but didn’t realize until that day when I looked into his eyes and saw him. The real him.
I really enjoyed River Wild. It’s something new and different from Samantha Towle. It’s a little darker, and has some serious subject matter, but it’s full of emotion and love. It’s a fabulous story about survival, redemption, healing, inner strength, and second chances. I really loved it! ❤️
***NOW AVAILABLE***
https://amzn.to/2SWEpsq
(ARC provided by author)
Carrie Ford is a 25 yr. old woman who grew up in foster care, and has spent the last seven years living in what felt like a nightmare. Pregnant and alone she’s running to freedom and from a past she hopes never finds her. She hops on a bus and walks away leaving her old self behind for a fresh start. She changes her name and disappears. She now has a new identity, and lives in a new town, in a new home. This includes a rude, grumpy new neighbor named River Wild. He’s absolutely beautiful, but she has zero interest in men. Her focus needs to be on her baby, and building them a great life. She plans to stay as far away from River as possible, but then he helps her rescue an abandoned dog and they begin an unexpected friendship.
River & Carrie both have secrets they hold close. She recognizes the look in his eyes. It’s the same one she used to see in her own every time she looked in the mirror. She realizes he has his own pain and demons. Even though he continually tries to push her away, a strong connection forms between them. In a short amount of time he’s become incredibly important to her. He’s her closest friend, but things are shifting between them as their attraction becomes undeniable. Neither wants to risk their friendship, but it’s getting harder to deny what their feeling. Carrie has finally found happiness, but will her past catch up with her and take it all away?
-I think you’re beautiful. The most beautiful woman I’ve ever seen.
-I want this man more than the next breath in my lungs. I’m starved for him.
-Sometimes, I feel like he’s the other half of my soul. The part I was missing but didn’t realize until that day when I looked into his eyes and saw him. The real him.
I really enjoyed River Wild. It’s something new and different from Samantha Towle. It’s a little darker, and has some serious subject matter, but it’s full of emotion and love. It’s a fabulous story about survival, redemption, healing, inner strength, and second chances. I really loved it! ❤️
***NOW AVAILABLE***
https://amzn.to/2SWEpsq
January 15, 2019
DNF @70%
Sadly River Wild wasn’t the book for me. The blurb looked promising so I’m disappointed I had to DNF. I tried so hard but there’s a disconnect between me and the characters. Carrie and River slowly becomes friends and even still I felt a lack of chemistry. They were just neighbors who chatted when they met. Maybe it has something to do with the writing. I felt that a lot of Carrie’s chapters were spent inside of her head so I didn’t get that connection I wanted her to have with River and vice versa. I needed more dialogue than description.
Don’t let my thoughts deter you from reading River Wild. I’m clearly the odd man out.
Sadly River Wild wasn’t the book for me. The blurb looked promising so I’m disappointed I had to DNF. I tried so hard but there’s a disconnect between me and the characters. Carrie and River slowly becomes friends and even still I felt a lack of chemistry. They were just neighbors who chatted when they met. Maybe it has something to do with the writing. I felt that a lot of Carrie’s chapters were spent inside of her head so I didn’t get that connection I wanted her to have with River and vice versa. I needed more dialogue than description.
Don’t let my thoughts deter you from reading River Wild. I’m clearly the odd man out.
Currently reading
April 7, 2021Amazon Worldwide: http://mybook.to/RiverWild
FREE in KU.
FREE in KU.
January 21, 2019
3 Stars
Overall Opinion: I'm strangely drawn to stories about hs that are in the run from abusive relationships, so when I saw this one I felt like I had to jump in (and if anyone has any recommendations for those type of stories -- I'm all ears!). Overall, I think it was an enjoyable read about two severely damaged characters that find peace and live in each other. I had major issues with the pacing though. The big conflict was presented super late and then (kind of) resolved super quick . I didn't feel like it was addressed nearly enough and was just thrown in for the sake of some drama. I also didn't like how they had such little time as an actual couple! They go on their first date and the H decides to declare the h "his girl" way too late for my liking !! I appreciated their friendship but I wanted more, and don't get me started on that epilogue! I needed more from the ending to feel satisfied. Oh well, I'd say this was "just okay" 3 Stars.
Brief Summary of the Storyline: This is Carrie and River's story. Carrie finds out she is pregnant and that is her last straw to convince herself to run away from her abusive husband. She ends up being neighbors with the grumpy jerk River. After more and more encounters, Carrie sees something in River and they form an unlikely friendship. There are some big secrets from both of their pasts that gets revealed, some sweet moments, and a few suspenseful scenes...and they get a HFN ending.
POV: This alternated between Carrie and River's POV. There are some sections that are flashbacks to River's past. I think the author did this well and didn't use this too much.
Overall Pace of Story: I had some major issues with the pacing. Even though I wouldn't necessarily say it was slow paced, I did feel like the ending was too rushed and we didn't get enough of them as a couple. The conflict being thrown in so late (and barely addressed) also bothered me. I never skimmed.
Instalove: No, they take a while to develop stronger feelings.
H rating: 3.5 stars. River. I liked him for the most part. I liked how he cared for the h even though he had a hard exterior, but he could be a jerk at times.
h rating: 4 stars. Carrie. I liked her. I appreciated her strength and how she worked towards finding her happy.
Sadness level: Low, no tissues needed
Push/Pull: Yes
Heat level: Low. They have some tension, chemistry, and a few scenes. This was definitely a "slow burn" as they don't kiss until 65% and aren't intimate until 91%.
Descriptive sex: Yes
OW/OM drama: Yes, but mild
Sex scene with OW or OM: Yes .
Cheating: Technically, yes.
Separation: No, I didn't consider them "together" at the times apart to be considered a "separation".
Possible Triggers: Yes
Closure: This had some closure but not nearly enough for me. I feel like they weren't "together" enough! I would call this a HFN ending, because we don't get the concrete commitments that I look for in an ending.
Safety: This one should be either Safe with exception or Not Safe for most safety gang readers depending on personal preferences.
Overall Opinion: I'm strangely drawn to stories about hs that are in the run from abusive relationships, so when I saw this one I felt like I had to jump in (and if anyone has any recommendations for those type of stories -- I'm all ears!). Overall, I think it was an enjoyable read about two severely damaged characters that find peace and live in each other. I had major issues with the pacing though. The big conflict was presented super late and then (kind of) resolved super quick . I didn't feel like it was addressed nearly enough and was just thrown in for the sake of some drama. I also didn't like how they had such little time as an actual couple! They go on their first date and the H decides to declare the h "his girl" way too late for my liking !! I appreciated their friendship but I wanted more, and don't get me started on that epilogue! I needed more from the ending to feel satisfied. Oh well, I'd say this was "just okay" 3 Stars.
Brief Summary of the Storyline: This is Carrie and River's story. Carrie finds out she is pregnant and that is her last straw to convince herself to run away from her abusive husband. She ends up being neighbors with the grumpy jerk River. After more and more encounters, Carrie sees something in River and they form an unlikely friendship. There are some big secrets from both of their pasts that gets revealed, some sweet moments, and a few suspenseful scenes...and they get a HFN ending.
POV: This alternated between Carrie and River's POV. There are some sections that are flashbacks to River's past. I think the author did this well and didn't use this too much.
Overall Pace of Story: I had some major issues with the pacing. Even though I wouldn't necessarily say it was slow paced, I did feel like the ending was too rushed and we didn't get enough of them as a couple. The conflict being thrown in so late (and barely addressed) also bothered me. I never skimmed.
Instalove: No, they take a while to develop stronger feelings.
H rating: 3.5 stars. River. I liked him for the most part. I liked how he cared for the h even though he had a hard exterior, but he could be a jerk at times.
h rating: 4 stars. Carrie. I liked her. I appreciated her strength and how she worked towards finding her happy.
Sadness level: Low, no tissues needed
Push/Pull: Yes
Heat level: Low. They have some tension, chemistry, and a few scenes. This was definitely a "slow burn" as they don't kiss until 65% and aren't intimate until 91%.
Descriptive sex: Yes
OW/OM drama: Yes, but mild
Sex scene with OW or OM: Yes .
Cheating: Technically, yes.
Separation: No, I didn't consider them "together" at the times apart to be considered a "separation".
Possible Triggers: Yes
Closure: This had some closure but not nearly enough for me. I feel like they weren't "together" enough! I would call this a HFN ending, because we don't get the concrete commitments that I look for in an ending.
Safety: This one should be either Safe with exception or Not Safe for most safety gang readers depending on personal preferences.
January 18, 2019
3.75 stars
Both MCs were survivors and I liked this side of the story.
Their pasts were tragic and I respected them for fighting back.
However and IMO the romance between them was slightly underdeveloped. He behaved like an ass for the most time and she killed him with her kindness.
The dog Buddy was adorable!
The subplot with group of vigilantes was brilliant; I wish they told us more.
What about Sadie and Marcus as the next couple? ;-)
Both MCs were survivors and I liked this side of the story.
Their pasts were tragic and I respected them for fighting back.
However and IMO the romance between them was slightly underdeveloped. He behaved like an ass for the most time and she killed him with her kindness.
The dog Buddy was adorable!
The subplot with group of vigilantes was brilliant; I wish they told us more.
What about Sadie and Marcus as the next couple? ;-)
April 4, 2021
Safety:
- Both faithful after meeting each other
- She had two previous partners, one guy who she lost her virginity at 16 and her ex husband who after six months together started abusing her (triggers: rape)
- Hero is not whoring around, I don’t really think he had many partners, there is a descriptive scene of him losing his virginity at 16, he was very aroused and though the girl was pretty and was about to cum by looking at her lying in bed, he was being filmed without his consent and he orgasmed fast so he was humiliated by the girl and her asshole ex boyfriend. It was a set up. I understand he was a horny sixteen but whatever I don’t like that many details about the hero with anyone else.
- Its pretty obvious to me he was not with a lot of woman, before the girls he lost this virginity with he had only messed around until second base with a few tourists.
- People in town doesn’t like him so it’s clear he was never with a woman from town besides the v card girl. He is not a horny teen anymore and he doesn’t trust anyone including girls so I think if he was with anyone again it was a very very rare occasion.
Slow burn
He is a jerky to her and I wouldn’t tolerate that behavior, she is too nice sometimes but he truly has a good heart. Also, do you know those asshole heroes who are assholes without any reason? This one has reasons, the town treated him like shit all his life, people gossip about his mom and him and he doesn’t have any friends and since he was eight he never had one again. He was humiliated at school everyday, he was filmed without permission while losing his virginity and the video was spread around, he endured so much. Heroine also suffered a lot, she was in an abusive relationship for seven years and before that she was in foster care but she chooses to be happy now.
He redeemed himself.
Triggers: rape, pedophilia, verbal abuse, physical violence.
- Both faithful after meeting each other
- She had two previous partners, one guy who she lost her virginity at 16 and her ex husband who after six months together started abusing her (triggers: rape)
- Hero is not whoring around, I don’t really think he had many partners, there is a descriptive scene of him losing his virginity at 16, he was very aroused and though the girl was pretty and was about to cum by looking at her lying in bed, he was being filmed without his consent and he orgasmed fast so he was humiliated by the girl and her asshole ex boyfriend. It was a set up. I understand he was a horny sixteen but whatever I don’t like that many details about the hero with anyone else.
- Its pretty obvious to me he was not with a lot of woman, before the girls he lost this virginity with he had only messed around until second base with a few tourists.
- People in town doesn’t like him so it’s clear he was never with a woman from town besides the v card girl. He is not a horny teen anymore and he doesn’t trust anyone including girls so I think if he was with anyone again it was a very very rare occasion.
Slow burn
He is a jerky to her and I wouldn’t tolerate that behavior, she is too nice sometimes but he truly has a good heart. Also, do you know those asshole heroes who are assholes without any reason? This one has reasons, the town treated him like shit all his life, people gossip about his mom and him and he doesn’t have any friends and since he was eight he never had one again. He was humiliated at school everyday, he was filmed without permission while losing his virginity and the video was spread around, he endured so much. Heroine also suffered a lot, she was in an abusive relationship for seven years and before that she was in foster care but she chooses to be happy now.
He redeemed himself.
Triggers: rape, pedophilia, verbal abuse, physical violence.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
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September 10, 2021(2.5) eh
June 9, 2021
~ 𝟯 ✧
𝗦𝗢𝗡𝗚 𝗥𝗘𝗖 ♫ - To Find You (SING STREET)
✒ 𝗔 𝗕𝗥𝗜𝗘𝗙 𝗡𝗢𝗧𝗘
✒ 𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝗕𝗥𝗘𝗔𝗞𝗗𝗢𝗪𝗡 - 𝗥𝗜𝗩𝗘𝗥 𝗪𝗜𝗟𝗗 𝗘𝗗𝗜𝗧𝗜𝗢𝗡
➷ 𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝗣𝗟𝗢𝗧 ➷
✔ 𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝗠𝗔𝗜𝗡 𝗖𝗛𝗔𝗥𝗔𝗖𝗧𝗘𝗥𝗦 𝗪𝗘𝗥𝗘 𝗡𝗜𝗖𝗘. . . but i kinda sorta don't really remember them, whoops. so, yeah, i'd say that while i liked RIVER WILD and its characters, they weren't particularly memorable. put it this way, i remember some of the f*cked up shit River went through during his childhood, and i know the basics about Carrie, but other than that? Zip, zilch, negative, nada, nothing. however, i'm gonna attempt to remember, okay, so. . .
~✨𝙍𝙄𝙑𝙀𝙍✨~
~✨𝘾𝘼𝙍𝙍𝙄𝙀✨~
🅾🅺🅰🆈 𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝗥𝗢𝗠𝗔𝗡𝗖𝗘 𝗪𝗔𝗦 𝗙𝗜𝗡𝗘, 𝗕𝗨𝗧 𝗔𝗚𝗔𝗜𝗡. . . not all together memorable. i think, no i know, i enjoyed the romance, however, there were things that frustrated me. for example, we see River and Carrie becoming good friends. they keep having cute bantery moments, and seem to be steadily progressing into love territory.
BUT THEN, the 𝓭𝓻𝓪𝓶𝓪 𝓵𝓵𝓪𝓶𝓪 enters the chat, and i just - *sigh* i don't know. like, i get why he defriended her, but i also don't. and then when they do start being 'friends' again things progressed wayyyy too fast, in my opinion. the tonal shift was a bit jarring, and i think my brain was having trouble catching up. moreover, i just wanted more from the romance. idk, again, we're working with limited memory here, but i do remember being dissatisfied with the romance. i think the romance needed a bit more time to breathe, especially with the multitude of serious issues both MCs were dealing with.
✘. 𝗪𝗔𝗜𝗧. . . 𝗪𝗛𝗔𝗧? 𝗥𝗜𝗩𝗘𝗥'𝗦 𝗔. . . and this is a whole. . . thing? ummmmmm. . . what?! i don't - i don't understand.
hm. so, like, um, well, yeah. that whole out of nowhere plot point was weird, felt very jarring, and didn't make a whole lotta sense. personally, i did not think it fit with the tone of the story, it really pulled me out of the book, and its never fully utilized in the first place. therefore i ask, why was it included? for real, why? someone, please, explain, thank you.
✘. 𝗗𝗥𝗔𝗠𝗔, 𝗗𝗥𝗔𝗠𝗔, 𝗣𝗟𝗘𝗔𝗦𝗘 𝗘𝗡𝗧𝗘𝗥 𝗦𝗧𝗔𝗚𝗘 𝗟𝗘𝗙𝗧! hey, hey, you guys!! remember Carrie's abusive ex-husband? remember how horrible and terrible he was? oh, you don't? ohhhh, that's right, because he was barely mentioned at all, and the only time we really saw Carrie deal with that trauma was in this scene -
and other than that. . . Carrie's pretty much fine. also, based off of this scene i just assumed that. . . ex-abusive d-bag wasn't coming back. or, if he was coming back he'd appear, i don't know, sometime before ninety-percent mark. HA. HA. HA. silly me. he finds Carrie because he reads the newspaper, like an old man, and then tries to murder himself // her. luckily, good ole' River has his skills, so he takes care of limp-dick-asshole-abusive-ex no problem. i - i don't know. i felt like the ending drama was way to shoehorned in, and again, it was very jarring and somewhat predictable. eh, idk, at least the asshole-ex was killed. that was fun.
✒ 𝗜𝗡 𝗖𝗢𝗡𝗖𝗟𝗨𝗦𝗜𝗢𝗡 - 𝗠𝗬 𝗙𝗜𝗡𝗔𝗟 𝗧𝗛𝗢𝗨𝗚𝗛𝗧𝗦
🄽🄸🄲🄴 𝗢𝗩𝗘𝗥𝗔𝗟𝗟, 𝗜 𝗧𝗛𝗢𝗨𝗚𝗛𝗧 𝗥𝗜𝗩𝗘𝗥 𝗪𝗜𝗟𝗗 𝗪𝗔𝗦. . . 𝗡𝗜𝗖𝗘. . . but, it was definitely missing something. on the surface, RIVER WILD has all the ingredients of a five star book. however, i think the reason it missed the mark, at least for me, was because all of those key elements had no time to breathe.
𝐹𝑜𝓇 𝐸𝓍𝒶𝓂𝓅𝓁𝑒, the past trauma of both characters. both River and Carrie went through some heavy shit. yet, despite those heavy themes, this book was very light. and look, do i want a doom and gloom story straight through? no, of course not. but again, lets allow said heavy topics to breathe a bit. i want to see Carrie dealing with her ex, and the psychological damage that does to a person. i want to witness River actually going to therapy and dealing with the abuse he suffered. idk, i wanted something more.
𝓣𝓱𝓪𝓽 𝓢𝓪𝓲𝓭, this book was fun, i read it in one day, and when it was good, it was good. thus, take my review with a grain of salt. a lot of people liked this one, see here // here , and i can see why. therefore i say, check RIVER WILD out for yourself!! who knows, you may love it!!
❝Yeah, River Wild. Your new neighbor. Hot as Hades. Crazy as Kanye. And as mean as Regina.❞
❝Regina?❞
❝George.❞
𝗦𝗢𝗡𝗚 𝗥𝗘𝗖 ♫ - To Find You (SING STREET)
✒ 𝗔 𝗕𝗥𝗜𝗘𝗙 𝗡𝗢𝗧𝗘
𝒟𝐼𝒮𝒞𝐿𝒜𝐼𝑀𝐸𝑅 ▸//▸ i'm going to be honest with you guys. . . i don't - well. . . i don't fully remember this book. and what i mean by that is, i read this book in May, moved on, and haven't thought much about it since.
that said, i wrote ReviewToCome, and gosh darn it, a review shall appear. so, please bare with me if my review of River Wild is a bit meandering // vague.
✒ 𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝗕𝗥𝗘𝗔𝗞𝗗𝗢𝗪𝗡 - 𝗥𝗜𝗩𝗘𝗥 𝗪𝗜𝗟𝗗 𝗘𝗗𝗜𝗧𝗜𝗢𝗡
❝How did I get so lucky to have you?❞
❝You didn’t get lucky, River. We just found each other. Like we were always meant to.❞
➷ 𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝗣𝗟𝗢𝗧 ➷
. . . *sigh* . . . ummmm. let me attempt to access the recesses of my mind. . . *begins system reboot*
the heroine, whose name is escaping me right now, leaves her abusive husband. she's changed her name, hair color, and zip code. oh, and she's pregnant. *looks at someone else's reivew* CARRIE, her name is Carrie. Carrie does all of the above stuff.
River Wild. brooding, reclusive, kinda an asshole, and 1000% has a horrific backstory. he encounters Carrie when she moves in next door. predictably, mr. reclusive dislikes her on sight. . . or does he?
after helping Carrie with an unexpected drowning dog (yeah. . . it was a time) they become unlikely friends.
over time, they begin to steadily connect, and maybe, just maybe, become something more?
✔ 𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝗠𝗔𝗜𝗡 𝗖𝗛𝗔𝗥𝗔𝗖𝗧𝗘𝗥𝗦 𝗪𝗘𝗥𝗘 𝗡𝗜𝗖𝗘. . . but i kinda sorta don't really remember them, whoops. so, yeah, i'd say that while i liked RIVER WILD and its characters, they weren't particularly memorable. put it this way, i remember some of the f*cked up shit River went through during his childhood, and i know the basics about Carrie, but other than that? Zip, zilch, negative, nada, nothing. however, i'm gonna attempt to remember, okay, so. . .
~✨𝙍𝙄𝙑𝙀𝙍✨~
❝Why would anyone do that? Put a sweet, defenseless, little dog out onto the streets, all alone.❞River was a broody asshole, but also a sweet broody asshole. his backstory was extremely depressing, and due to that, i understand why he had so many walls up. he had his moments - both good and annoying - but overall i liked him. he had some really sweet moments, and when he finally pulled his head out of his ass, i was pleasantly surprised. he won't be entering my 'husband material' shelf, but he definitely holds his own.
❝Because people are selfish cunts.❞
~✨𝘾𝘼𝙍𝙍𝙄𝙀✨~
I broke into his house with a garden fork in my hand. Scared the bejesus out of him and myself. Then, stared at his penis for a longer period of time than considered acceptable.Carrie was fine, but also, in my opinion, was served the short end of the story stick, if you will. what i mean is, i don't think author Samantha Towle was as interested in Carrie's story as she was with Rivers. a big indicator, IMO, is the way the aftermath of her marriage was handled. long story short, Carrie escaped a seven year abusive relationship. that's huge, and well, she's kinda just. . . fine. like, sure, she's a bit scarred from the marriage, but overall she seems. . . surprisingly okay. which, idk, rang a bit false. i wanted more from her character, because honestly, i really liked her. i mean sure, the whole saying 'fudge' instead of 'fuck' was a bit annoying, but other than that, i liked her!! so, it kinda made me sad to see her sidelined in her own story.
🅾🅺🅰🆈 𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝗥𝗢𝗠𝗔𝗡𝗖𝗘 𝗪𝗔𝗦 𝗙𝗜𝗡𝗘, 𝗕𝗨𝗧 𝗔𝗚𝗔𝗜𝗡. . . not all together memorable. i think, no i know, i enjoyed the romance, however, there were things that frustrated me. for example, we see River and Carrie becoming good friends. they keep having cute bantery moments, and seem to be steadily progressing into love territory.
❝News flash: I’m not nice. And I don’t want to be nice. Some people like being assholes. I’m one of those people.❞
❝The man doth protest too much, methinks.❞ I tap my chin with my index finger. ❝You’re nice, River. Deal with it.❞
BUT THEN, the 𝓭𝓻𝓪𝓶𝓪 𝓵𝓵𝓪𝓶𝓪 enters the chat, and i just - *sigh* i don't know. like, i get why he defriended her, but i also don't. and then when they do start being 'friends' again things progressed wayyyy too fast, in my opinion. the tonal shift was a bit jarring, and i think my brain was having trouble catching up. moreover, i just wanted more from the romance. idk, again, we're working with limited memory here, but i do remember being dissatisfied with the romance. i think the romance needed a bit more time to breathe, especially with the multitude of serious issues both MCs were dealing with.
✘. 𝗪𝗔𝗜𝗧. . . 𝗪𝗛𝗔𝗧? 𝗥𝗜𝗩𝗘𝗥'𝗦 𝗔. . . and this is a whole. . . thing? ummmmmm. . . what?! i don't - i don't understand.
hm. so, like, um, well, yeah. that whole out of nowhere plot point was weird, felt very jarring, and didn't make a whole lotta sense. personally, i did not think it fit with the tone of the story, it really pulled me out of the book, and its never fully utilized in the first place. therefore i ask, why was it included? for real, why? someone, please, explain, thank you.
✘. 𝗗𝗥𝗔𝗠𝗔, 𝗗𝗥𝗔𝗠𝗔, 𝗣𝗟𝗘𝗔𝗦𝗘 𝗘𝗡𝗧𝗘𝗥 𝗦𝗧𝗔𝗚𝗘 𝗟𝗘𝗙𝗧! hey, hey, you guys!! remember Carrie's abusive ex-husband? remember how horrible and terrible he was? oh, you don't? ohhhh, that's right, because he was barely mentioned at all, and the only time we really saw Carrie deal with that trauma was in this scene -
❝Carrie,❞ she softly calls my name, and I stop and turn around. She takes a step toward me, her voice lowering. ❝I just want to say … I’m really glad you got away from … the door.❞
***
❝Can I ask you something?❞
❝Sure.❞ She smiles.
❝Did the, um … did the … door you ran from, did it ever find you?❞
❝No,❞ she confidently tells me. ❝My door never found me.”
and other than that. . . Carrie's pretty much fine. also, based off of this scene i just assumed that. . . ex-abusive d-bag wasn't coming back. or, if he was coming back he'd appear, i don't know, sometime before ninety-percent mark. HA. HA. HA. silly me. he finds Carrie because he reads the newspaper, like an old man, and then tries to murder himself // her. luckily, good ole' River has his skills, so he takes care of limp-dick-asshole-abusive-ex no problem. i - i don't know. i felt like the ending drama was way to shoehorned in, and again, it was very jarring and somewhat predictable. eh, idk, at least the asshole-ex was killed. that was fun.
✒ 𝗜𝗡 𝗖𝗢𝗡𝗖𝗟𝗨𝗦𝗜𝗢𝗡 - 𝗠𝗬 𝗙𝗜𝗡𝗔𝗟 𝗧𝗛𝗢𝗨𝗚𝗛𝗧𝗦
❝I brought you a tomato.❞ He shoves his hand into his jacket pocket and pulls out a large tomato, holding it in his outstretched palm to me.
❝A tomato?❞ I slowly say the words to make sure I got that right. I see the tips of his ears redden.
❝An heirloom tomato. That’s how big the fruit baby is now, right? The size of an heirloom tomato.❞
🄽🄸🄲🄴 𝗢𝗩𝗘𝗥𝗔𝗟𝗟, 𝗜 𝗧𝗛𝗢𝗨𝗚𝗛𝗧 𝗥𝗜𝗩𝗘𝗥 𝗪𝗜𝗟𝗗 𝗪𝗔𝗦. . . 𝗡𝗜𝗖𝗘. . . but, it was definitely missing something. on the surface, RIVER WILD has all the ingredients of a five star book. however, i think the reason it missed the mark, at least for me, was because all of those key elements had no time to breathe.
𝐹𝑜𝓇 𝐸𝓍𝒶𝓂𝓅𝓁𝑒, the past trauma of both characters. both River and Carrie went through some heavy shit. yet, despite those heavy themes, this book was very light. and look, do i want a doom and gloom story straight through? no, of course not. but again, lets allow said heavy topics to breathe a bit. i want to see Carrie dealing with her ex, and the psychological damage that does to a person. i want to witness River actually going to therapy and dealing with the abuse he suffered. idk, i wanted something more.
𝓣𝓱𝓪𝓽 𝓢𝓪𝓲𝓭, this book was fun, i read it in one day, and when it was good, it was good. thus, take my review with a grain of salt. a lot of people liked this one, see here // here , and i can see why. therefore i say, check RIVER WILD out for yourself!! who knows, you may love it!!
January 18, 2019
3.5 Stars
Domestic abuse and child abuse are not easy topics. When both are combined in a story, emotions run deep and heavy.
Carrie had to escape her life from an abusive husband when she finds herself pregnant. She assumes a new name and ends up in Texas. Her neighbor is cranky, rude and just so happens to be very handsome. But he has a secret too, River Wild is a survivor of child abuse except he’s not really surviving, he’s drowning. They are complete opposites, she is sweet and kind and he is antagonistic and reserved. But their secrets and their quick and spirited banter draw them to one other.
River and Carrie go from enemies to friends to lovers. What I found lacking in this story was River’s POV in the present. We had his POV from the past but I wanted to know what he was feeling during the story. His story was very troubling and I needed to be in his thoughts to understand how he transitioned from enemies to friends to lovers. It all seemed too easy and too perfect. I needed to feel how Carrie was affecting his mind and his heart.
I also had a few issues with the wording. I know the author is British and I found that there were several words that were definitely British and didn’t fit the dialect of the characters. Did it detract from the story, absolutely not, it just made me think of my friend from England talking.
In all, I enjoyed the story. I felt that some parts of both River and Carrie’s past were swept under the carpet and not developed like they should have been. In tackling a heavy subject of abuse, I wanted more depth. But I will say that I enjoyed the ending. It was not surprising but I liked how the author crafted the scene and outcome. A lovely second chance romance about survival and hope and eventually love.
*advanced copy provided by author in exchange for an honest review*
Domestic abuse and child abuse are not easy topics. When both are combined in a story, emotions run deep and heavy.
Carrie had to escape her life from an abusive husband when she finds herself pregnant. She assumes a new name and ends up in Texas. Her neighbor is cranky, rude and just so happens to be very handsome. But he has a secret too, River Wild is a survivor of child abuse except he’s not really surviving, he’s drowning. They are complete opposites, she is sweet and kind and he is antagonistic and reserved. But their secrets and their quick and spirited banter draw them to one other.
River and Carrie go from enemies to friends to lovers. What I found lacking in this story was River’s POV in the present. We had his POV from the past but I wanted to know what he was feeling during the story. His story was very troubling and I needed to be in his thoughts to understand how he transitioned from enemies to friends to lovers. It all seemed too easy and too perfect. I needed to feel how Carrie was affecting his mind and his heart.
I also had a few issues with the wording. I know the author is British and I found that there were several words that were definitely British and didn’t fit the dialect of the characters. Did it detract from the story, absolutely not, it just made me think of my friend from England talking.
In all, I enjoyed the story. I felt that some parts of both River and Carrie’s past were swept under the carpet and not developed like they should have been. In tackling a heavy subject of abuse, I wanted more depth. But I will say that I enjoyed the ending. It was not surprising but I liked how the author crafted the scene and outcome. A lovely second chance romance about survival and hope and eventually love.
*advanced copy provided by author in exchange for an honest review*
May 2, 2021
I don’t like it when I’m average and give books the same rating as everyone but what can I say, this book was good and people liked this one for a reason.
Both the H and h had a tough background but them coming together was a sweet story. I won’t give it 5 stars because I think the author could have gone deeper in their feelings and darker in the situations and sometimes I felt like she tiptoed around some situations, but that might be because I’m starting to like dark novels and this one didn’t feel as deep and troubled as many others.
But yes, overall the characters and the story delivered for me, the pace was good, and nothing felt rushed except for the ending a little bit.
Both the H and h had a tough background but them coming together was a sweet story. I won’t give it 5 stars because I think the author could have gone deeper in their feelings and darker in the situations and sometimes I felt like she tiptoed around some situations, but that might be because I’m starting to like dark novels and this one didn’t feel as deep and troubled as many others.
But yes, overall the characters and the story delivered for me, the pace was good, and nothing felt rushed except for the ending a little bit.
January 28, 2019
It was an ok read. MCs were good people, they respect and support each other. But there was no spark, no chemistry and except for the few angsty moments their interactions felt childish, specially when they were trying to be playful.
November 15, 2019
Audio...5 stars
Story...4 stars
If not for the rushed and anticlimactic ending, this would have been a 5 star read. But the book still gets a spot in my favorites. 😍
Story...4 stars
If not for the rushed and anticlimactic ending, this would have been a 5 star read. But the book still gets a spot in my favorites. 😍
January 20, 2019
***5 “You mother-fudging son of a C-U-Next-Tuesday!!!” stars***
Monsters lurk in plain sight.
They wear ordinary clothes.
Have ordinary faces.
Work ordinary jobs.
Live ordinary lives.
But the monster is always there.
Lying in wait, beneath its ordinary skin.
Waiting for its moment.
And when its moment comes.
And it breaks free.
You won't see it coming.
But I will.
And I'll be ready. {River Wild}
WOW!!!! Just WOW!!!! What a book!!!
I went into this one blinly and it blew my mind with the angst and so many feelings that created for me!!!
This was a tough book about survivors of life!!!
A book that you can find love in the most unexpected places with a person that you never could imagine to be the one for you!!!!
The scars of our heroes were running very deep inside of them, but together they could heal from the ugly past....
"He's felt pain. He knows what it's like.
He's like me."
Well, this wasn't my first book by this author, but i have to admit that i had a very long time to read something from her and this story was the right choice!!!
Yep, it was breaking my heart over and over again, but at the same time, Mrs. Towle was giving me hope to love, to humanity!!!!
My heart was squeezed from all these feelings that were running inside of me.... But I loved every single moment in it!!!
"Love is like a river, never ending as it flows but gets greater with time."
Annie found the courage to make the impossible....
After seven years of abuse by her husband, she is finally leaving him... But with him, she is living everything else behind, even her own identity....
Now, in a new town, with a new name, pregnant and alone, Carrie, is starting over and she couldn't been more happier about that...
Even though the scars are still there, under the surface, she is trying to live everyday with happiness and she is praying for her ex never to find her again....
"I walk out the front door, leaving Annie Coombs behind, and become Carrie Ford."
In the house next door from hers is living River Wild...
A survivor of life himself... A survivor that nobody really knows or appreciate...
River is kind of an asshole, abrupt and moody, and brutally honest...
He doesn't like anyone and especially Carrie... and Carrie is feeling the same... Or not????
"I'm not worthy of anyone's love. There is nothing good inside me. Just blackness and broken parts that can never be repaired."
After many "not good" encounters and after a dog rescuing, River and Carrie are coming a little bit closer.... They are becoming, in a way, friends...
But there are too many secrets lying between them...
Will their relationship in every form will survive the ugly truth???
Will they be able to heal each others scars???
"You'd be surprised at what I'm capable of."
I think his words are meant to scare me, but they don't.
This guy is all bark and no bite.
Well, damn and hell, i loved both Carrie and River...
I admired Carrie's strength and that she was so optimist even though she had gone through hell...
I loved how she was trying to avoid all the bad words that her neighbor was using all the time...
I loved how kind and pure was and how much love had inside of her for River...
I also loved that her soul was recognizing his soul and she was there for him, no matter what...
"Sometimes, I feel like he's the other half of my soul. The part I was missing but didn't realise until the day when I looked into his eyes and saw him. The real him."
As for River??? God, my heart was aching for him... Not only for the past that was holding him a prisoner, but also for the isolation that he was forced to live... I hated all the people that made him like this... because he wasn't deserving all these shits that they were throwing his way...
Yep, his attitude was bad, but it was his shield and then, Carrie got in his way and he shined once again... He was the best man!!!! Pure and perfect and i loved him for that!!!!
"She's a balm to the open wounds I have.
Something I didn't even know I needed.
Just being around her brings a calming peace to me."
In this point, i have to say that i hated so much this awful man, Neil and almost all the people in this town that our heroes were leaving... They were hypocrites and judgemental assholes and i hated them...
But there was also in this shit, some diamonds who were hiding in the mud and i liked them for their behavior...
"I'm not good, Carrie... There's a darkness inside of me."
"No. There's a survivor inside of you, doing what he needs to. You're a good person, River. In here, where it counts." I press my hand to his chest, over his heart. "You can tell me what you want, but I know what I see. And I see a good man."
As i told you above, this was an intense reading and it spoke directly into my heart.... There were two POVs in here... Carrie's of course and River's... But River's chapters were less, but more intense and more essential...
I have to admit that during most of the book, i was feeling unsettled because i was afraid what will happen when the past will catch up with the future and yes, near to the end, i lost my shit with the development of the story, but i didn't expecting how the things would turn out and i loved the solution that Samantha gave us!!!! it gave me relief!!!
Also, i enjoyed very much the realistic pace that the author put in the relationship between Carrie and River... It was the rightest thing she could do!!!!
Well, i loved this book!!! And I loved River Wild, Carrie, Hope and Buddy very much!!!! Period.
"You will always be safe with me. You and Olive. I will never let anyone hurt either of you.
"I know. I trust you, River Wild."
"I trust you, too, Red."
Monsters lurk in plain sight.
They wear ordinary clothes.
Have ordinary faces.
Work ordinary jobs.
Live ordinary lives.
But the monster is always there.
Lying in wait, beneath its ordinary skin.
Waiting for its moment.
And when its moment comes.
And it breaks free.
You won't see it coming.
But I will.
And I'll be ready. {River Wild}
WOW!!!! Just WOW!!!! What a book!!!
I went into this one blinly and it blew my mind with the angst and so many feelings that created for me!!!
This was a tough book about survivors of life!!!
A book that you can find love in the most unexpected places with a person that you never could imagine to be the one for you!!!!
The scars of our heroes were running very deep inside of them, but together they could heal from the ugly past....
"He's felt pain. He knows what it's like.
He's like me."
Well, this wasn't my first book by this author, but i have to admit that i had a very long time to read something from her and this story was the right choice!!!
Yep, it was breaking my heart over and over again, but at the same time, Mrs. Towle was giving me hope to love, to humanity!!!!
My heart was squeezed from all these feelings that were running inside of me.... But I loved every single moment in it!!!
"Love is like a river, never ending as it flows but gets greater with time."
Annie found the courage to make the impossible....
After seven years of abuse by her husband, she is finally leaving him... But with him, she is living everything else behind, even her own identity....
Now, in a new town, with a new name, pregnant and alone, Carrie, is starting over and she couldn't been more happier about that...
Even though the scars are still there, under the surface, she is trying to live everyday with happiness and she is praying for her ex never to find her again....
"I walk out the front door, leaving Annie Coombs behind, and become Carrie Ford."
In the house next door from hers is living River Wild...
A survivor of life himself... A survivor that nobody really knows or appreciate...
River is kind of an asshole, abrupt and moody, and brutally honest...
He doesn't like anyone and especially Carrie... and Carrie is feeling the same... Or not????
"I'm not worthy of anyone's love. There is nothing good inside me. Just blackness and broken parts that can never be repaired."
After many "not good" encounters and after a dog rescuing, River and Carrie are coming a little bit closer.... They are becoming, in a way, friends...
But there are too many secrets lying between them...
Will their relationship in every form will survive the ugly truth???
Will they be able to heal each others scars???
"You'd be surprised at what I'm capable of."
I think his words are meant to scare me, but they don't.
This guy is all bark and no bite.
Well, damn and hell, i loved both Carrie and River...
I admired Carrie's strength and that she was so optimist even though she had gone through hell...
I loved how she was trying to avoid all the bad words that her neighbor was using all the time...
I loved how kind and pure was and how much love had inside of her for River...
I also loved that her soul was recognizing his soul and she was there for him, no matter what...
"Sometimes, I feel like he's the other half of my soul. The part I was missing but didn't realise until the day when I looked into his eyes and saw him. The real him."
As for River??? God, my heart was aching for him... Not only for the past that was holding him a prisoner, but also for the isolation that he was forced to live... I hated all the people that made him like this... because he wasn't deserving all these shits that they were throwing his way...
Yep, his attitude was bad, but it was his shield and then, Carrie got in his way and he shined once again... He was the best man!!!! Pure and perfect and i loved him for that!!!!
"She's a balm to the open wounds I have.
Something I didn't even know I needed.
Just being around her brings a calming peace to me."
In this point, i have to say that i hated so much this awful man, Neil and almost all the people in this town that our heroes were leaving... They were hypocrites and judgemental assholes and i hated them...
But there was also in this shit, some diamonds who were hiding in the mud and i liked them for their behavior...
"I'm not good, Carrie... There's a darkness inside of me."
"No. There's a survivor inside of you, doing what he needs to. You're a good person, River. In here, where it counts." I press my hand to his chest, over his heart. "You can tell me what you want, but I know what I see. And I see a good man."
As i told you above, this was an intense reading and it spoke directly into my heart.... There were two POVs in here... Carrie's of course and River's... But River's chapters were less, but more intense and more essential...
I have to admit that during most of the book, i was feeling unsettled because i was afraid what will happen when the past will catch up with the future and yes, near to the end, i lost my shit with the development of the story, but i didn't expecting how the things would turn out and i loved the solution that Samantha gave us!!!! it gave me relief!!!
Also, i enjoyed very much the realistic pace that the author put in the relationship between Carrie and River... It was the rightest thing she could do!!!!
Well, i loved this book!!! And I loved River Wild, Carrie, Hope and Buddy very much!!!! Period.
"You will always be safe with me. You and Olive. I will never let anyone hurt either of you.
"I know. I trust you, River Wild."
"I trust you, too, Red."
January 14, 2019
Wow what a book!!
This was amazing. I couldn't put down I read it in one sitting. I'm not a quick reader but I was hooked from the start I just had to know what was goin to happen. It started of with a bang literally. The story was so good it's a lil different to the stories this author normally does but god it was brilliant and written so well. The characters are amazing both River and Carrie's story are the same but so different at the same time. They have both had to deal with crappy situations that they shouldnt of had to deal with.
Carrie story is heart breaking but I luv her strength and reason for that. After goin through hell she picked herself up and tried to make a new life for herself. She deserved to be happy. The one thing that I did luv about her character is that she wasn't bitter or mean. She was so sweet and caring and still looked out for others. Even when she had to deal with her very grumpy new neighbour.
River wow this guy is amazing I luvd him from the start. His story like Carrie's is heart breaking to. From the start to the end I felt protective of him. He never got a break until the gorgeous Carrie came storming into his life. The things that happened to River are just horrible he should of never had to deal with that and I totally get why he is the brash sad grumpy guy who swears in every sentence. Life has been easy for him and it never will be but being around Carrie makes it a lil bearable.
River and Carrie make such a cute couple. They bring out the best in each other. Even though they are totally different it just works. I luvd them both together. I was dying to see how things were goin to go. Things were never goin to go smooth for them. They had to fight for everything and each other. But I did like seeing River become more softer around the edge and Carrie become more stronger and sassy. The story was just brilliant I would highly recommend it. Everything about this book I luvd from the cover to the characters and the story it was perfect.
This was amazing. I couldn't put down I read it in one sitting. I'm not a quick reader but I was hooked from the start I just had to know what was goin to happen. It started of with a bang literally. The story was so good it's a lil different to the stories this author normally does but god it was brilliant and written so well. The characters are amazing both River and Carrie's story are the same but so different at the same time. They have both had to deal with crappy situations that they shouldnt of had to deal with.
Carrie story is heart breaking but I luv her strength and reason for that. After goin through hell she picked herself up and tried to make a new life for herself. She deserved to be happy. The one thing that I did luv about her character is that she wasn't bitter or mean. She was so sweet and caring and still looked out for others. Even when she had to deal with her very grumpy new neighbour.
River wow this guy is amazing I luvd him from the start. His story like Carrie's is heart breaking to. From the start to the end I felt protective of him. He never got a break until the gorgeous Carrie came storming into his life. The things that happened to River are just horrible he should of never had to deal with that and I totally get why he is the brash sad grumpy guy who swears in every sentence. Life has been easy for him and it never will be but being around Carrie makes it a lil bearable.
River and Carrie make such a cute couple. They bring out the best in each other. Even though they are totally different it just works. I luvd them both together. I was dying to see how things were goin to go. Things were never goin to go smooth for them. They had to fight for everything and each other. But I did like seeing River become more softer around the edge and Carrie become more stronger and sassy. The story was just brilliant I would highly recommend it. Everything about this book I luvd from the cover to the characters and the story it was perfect.
May 19, 2019
I am not a stranger to miss Towle works. She is one of my favorite author. When i read the blurp for River Wild, i am expecting a dark gritty, full of angst that kind of story.
However i found it short of my expectatation. The beginning of the book is promising. All of that heart breaking past for both characters. Then 30% toward the book, it becomes downhill.
The abuse topic is kept minimum and when the relationship between River and Carrie progress into romance, it was short and rush. No romantic feeling whatsoever. I do not even feel any romantic connection between River and Carrie.
I am bit disappointing.
3 stars
However i found it short of my expectatation. The beginning of the book is promising. All of that heart breaking past for both characters. Then 30% toward the book, it becomes downhill.
The abuse topic is kept minimum and when the relationship between River and Carrie progress into romance, it was short and rush. No romantic feeling whatsoever. I do not even feel any romantic connection between River and Carrie.
I am bit disappointing.
3 stars
July 24, 2021
Es de esas que se te van en un suspiro de lo bien que lo estás pasando leyendo.
Me encantó, me enamoré y sufrí con ellos! Casi me da un paro cardíaco con el epílogo pero logré superarlo y estoy francamente sin palabras.
Léanlo porque vale la pena.
Son dos almas perdidas y torturadas que están destinadas a conocerse. Comienzan cayéndose mal pero poco a poco se van abriendo y la amistad que forman da paso a algo mucho más significativo.
Es una historia fuerte donde ambos han sufrido demasiado pero de verdad me encantó.
En serio que desde el prólogo no pude dejarlo!
Me encantó, me enamoré y sufrí con ellos! Casi me da un paro cardíaco con el epílogo pero logré superarlo y estoy francamente sin palabras.
Léanlo porque vale la pena.
Son dos almas perdidas y torturadas que están destinadas a conocerse. Comienzan cayéndose mal pero poco a poco se van abriendo y la amistad que forman da paso a algo mucho más significativo.
Es una historia fuerte donde ambos han sufrido demasiado pero de verdad me encantó.
En serio que desde el prólogo no pude dejarlo!
May 2, 2022
I really gotta stop with these tiktok recommendations
April 7, 2021
Carrie used to be Annie. She changed her name after she finally left her abusive husband and fled to Texas.
Pregnant and alone, but finally happy and safe, she's starting a new life.
But there's her annoying new neighbor River. Grrrr. He's so rude and unkind and ... sexy as hell.
But she's not just escaped from one horrible relationship to start another one with this guy.
But he's so ... sexy and ... ☺ Turns out he can be nice too .....
River is still living in his hometown. He hates everyone. People weren't very nice to him when he was only eight years old and shot his sexually abusive stepfather in self defense! His mom told everybody that she killed him and went to prison.
River is living his life the way he wants to - happily alone in his big house.
And then this sexy girl moves in next door and changes everything with her smiles and her dog and her questions ....
What will happen with Carrie & River?
Will there be a HEA???
READ THE BOOK TO FIND OUT! ☺
═════════════════════
Awww. That was so heartbreaking and adorable and sweet and sad and ugh. I loved reading it!
I already started crying in the prologue. This book is written in Carrie's POV, but we get a few of River's POVs in back-in-time chapters - back when he was a kid. Heartbreaking!
The whole background of the story is so sad and moving - both their lives haven't been easy up until now. But the book, the story, the romance is not sad at all. It's such an adorable love story. Their bickering and River's grumpiness and Carrie's non-grumpy new happiness. The dog, the preparing for the baby. It's really sweet. But of course we also know that Carrie doesn't yet know about River's past and we're mega afraid of Carrie's husband finding her. There are going to be some exciting moments yet to survive until we can get that happy end!
GREAT ROMANCE with some very heartbreaking but also some very adorable and fun moments. I loved reading it!
If I had to complain about a few things? First of all - Sam used an amazing editor this time - probably an american - because there were almost no british expressions to find! Which is something I hate - british expressions in american stories! A few too many AS's were still in there - 9 to be exact, but pfff - I'm the only one who hates those. But I really loved reading the book - it was really sweet. Almost too sweet and fun, considering what both went through. I loved that especially Carrie wasn't broken all too much by what happened. She decided to start a new life and she did it.
I might have wanted a few more pages of .. depth? Of just .. more! No idea what I mean - maybe more romance or sexy time? More sad moments or more dangerous moments. But pffft - the book was amazing just the way it was. I really loved it! Even if I complain a lot! ☺ READ IT!
♡
♡
January 17, 2019
Uhmmm.. WHAT KIND OF WRITING IS THIS? I know I’ve read some of this author’s books before and it’s either she changed her writing style or I just didn’t notice it before. I just couldn’t continue reading this. The writing was very detailed and not in a good way. The h describes unnecessary things, talks like a robot and almost every sentence starts with “I”. Let me give you one example:
“I turn the shower off. I go to the store. I dry off and brush my hair, leaving it down. I dress in jeans and a T-shirt. I go into the kitchen and make myself herbal tea, using a tea sachet that I got at one of the rest stops. I fill the kettle with water and turn it on, and then I locate the cups while it boils.
I make my tea, and carrying it out back, I stand on the porch. I rest my elbows on the railing.”
WHAT. THE. F. 😳😳😳 I just couldn’t read this type of amateur writing no matter how good the story is. And for this one, it’s not even good. The plot is something I’ve read a thousand times before. No thank you. NEXT!
“I turn the shower off. I go to the store. I dry off and brush my hair, leaving it down. I dress in jeans and a T-shirt. I go into the kitchen and make myself herbal tea, using a tea sachet that I got at one of the rest stops. I fill the kettle with water and turn it on, and then I locate the cups while it boils.
I make my tea, and carrying it out back, I stand on the porch. I rest my elbows on the railing.”
WHAT. THE. F. 😳😳😳 I just couldn’t read this type of amateur writing no matter how good the story is. And for this one, it’s not even good. The plot is something I’ve read a thousand times before. No thank you. NEXT!
March 17, 2022
4.5 stars
WOAH THIS BOOK WAS EVERYTHING.
It's been a long time since a book made me cry. The things that Carrie and River went through were horrendous. The strength they showed was truly amazing.
I just love the Grumpy/Sunshine trope.
Highly recommend this book.
WOAH THIS BOOK WAS EVERYTHING.
It's been a long time since a book made me cry. The things that Carrie and River went through were horrendous. The strength they showed was truly amazing.
I just love the Grumpy/Sunshine trope.
Highly recommend this book.
October 13, 2023
Two damaged people become friends and fall in love.
The following ratings are out of 5:
Romance: 💙💚❤️💜
Steam: 🔥🔥
Story/Plot: 📕📗📙📘
World building: 🌏🌍🌏🌎
Character development: ☹️☺️😒😍🥰
Narration: 🎙🎙🎙🎙🎙
Narration Type: Dual Narration
The heroine: Carrie Ford - she is young, pregnant and recently ran from her abusive husband Neil, who was a police officer who won a medal of valor. She once tried to call the cops, but they wouldn’t do anything. Neil isn’t just a cop, he is a dirty cop. He keeps his dirty money in a safe at home that he doesn’t think Carrie knows about. She stole the money, moved to Texas, changed her name and is starting a whole new life.
The Hero: River Wild - he grew up in an abusive household. His stepfather was a policeman and when his mother wasn’t around, he always hurt River and made him do things he didn’t want to do. He threatened to put River in jail and hurt his mom if River told her. Until one day when River can’t take it anymore and uses his stepfather’s gun against him.
The Story: Carrie lives in the small house next door to the big house with a pool where River lives, he is a loner who has been bullied and isolated from most of the town since he was a young boy, and his mother went to prison for killing his stepfather. He is a prickly jerk and ignores her at first, but gradually they get to know each other since they are neighbors and circumstances keep throwing them together.
I loved how Carrie and River slowly get to know each other and become best friends. They have so much in common and both of them have been through hell in their lives. They are both damaged and they help each other heal. The story was great, and Carrie’s pregnancy progresses slowly throughout the story. I wish this one was longer. Other than that, I really liked this book.
This audiobook was told in dual points of view via dual narration. It was narrated by Savannah Peachwood and Sebastian York. These are two of the best narrators for romance. Savannah has a soft, feminine voice and Sebastian has a deep, gravelly voice. They are both great at doing multiple voices for different characters and I really enjoyed listening to them.
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The following ratings are out of 5:
Romance: 💙💚❤️💜
Steam: 🔥🔥
Story/Plot: 📕📗📙📘
World building: 🌏🌍🌏🌎
Character development: ☹️☺️😒😍🥰
Narration: 🎙🎙🎙🎙🎙
Narration Type: Dual Narration
The heroine: Carrie Ford - she is young, pregnant and recently ran from her abusive husband Neil, who was a police officer who won a medal of valor. She once tried to call the cops, but they wouldn’t do anything. Neil isn’t just a cop, he is a dirty cop. He keeps his dirty money in a safe at home that he doesn’t think Carrie knows about. She stole the money, moved to Texas, changed her name and is starting a whole new life.
The Hero: River Wild - he grew up in an abusive household. His stepfather was a policeman and when his mother wasn’t around, he always hurt River and made him do things he didn’t want to do. He threatened to put River in jail and hurt his mom if River told her. Until one day when River can’t take it anymore and uses his stepfather’s gun against him.
The Story: Carrie lives in the small house next door to the big house with a pool where River lives, he is a loner who has been bullied and isolated from most of the town since he was a young boy, and his mother went to prison for killing his stepfather. He is a prickly jerk and ignores her at first, but gradually they get to know each other since they are neighbors and circumstances keep throwing them together.
I loved how Carrie and River slowly get to know each other and become best friends. They have so much in common and both of them have been through hell in their lives. They are both damaged and they help each other heal. The story was great, and Carrie’s pregnancy progresses slowly throughout the story. I wish this one was longer. Other than that, I really liked this book.
“I know that look. I used to see it in my own eyes every time I could bear to look in the mirror. I still see it now.
Like your soul is empty. Hollow.
The anger and pain and hurt have swallowed you up completely, and there’s nothing left but emptiness.
He’s felt pain. He knows what it’s like.
He’s like me.”
This audiobook was told in dual points of view via dual narration. It was narrated by Savannah Peachwood and Sebastian York. These are two of the best narrators for romance. Savannah has a soft, feminine voice and Sebastian has a deep, gravelly voice. They are both great at doing multiple voices for different characters and I really enjoyed listening to them.
Blog|Goodreads|Facebook|Instagram|Twitter|BookBub
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