Live by Mary Ann Rivers (Burnside #1)
Released: January 21, 2014
Contemporary Romance
Loveswept

Reviewed by Mandi

Reading this book made me think of a cloudy day. The romance in this book is super hot, and the characters and the storyline in general are composed in such a way – a Mary Ann Rivers type way. Such care is taken to craft the characters lives, and the words she uses make me just want to roll around with my Kindle. But this isn’t your normal, small town happy, happy book. It’s a bit gloomy, which is not necessarily a bad thing, there is just a more heavier feel to this book.

Destiny Burnside, known more as Des, has never left her small Ohio hometown. Neither have her siblings. Her mother died when she was eight and her father just recently died. To add to the misery, Des has been unemployed for some time, having to move into a very small rental house owned by a nosy neighbor and she had to sell her car. She now drives her dad’s old limo around, which adds some quirkiness to the story. Right after her father died, her sister Sarah got into a very bad bike accident. She is not healing well – physically or emotionally, and Des spends much energy trying to get Sarah better. Her brother Sam is an overworked doctor who is always yelling and screaming (and his book is next which excites me greatly. He needs love. And some dirty action.) She has another brother PJ who is in an orchestra. Enough about them – let’s talk about Hefin!

Yes, our hero’s name is Hefin. He is from Wales. He met an American and followed her back to the states, then resented her, and resented her some more until they got a divorce. Now, Hefin who is a woodcarver (is that an awesome hero profession or what?) took a job doing some wood carving at the library – the same library that Des is currently working. They notice each other. Oh do they notice each other.

She watched him center his chocolate cream-filled pastry on his own napkin. She wasn’t sure she would survive the tidal wave of lust that would be watching him eat it.

And finally, Hefin makes his move. And there is romance and sadness because Hefin is moving back to Wales. He needs to go back to his roots, see his family, and eventually take up his former engineering job. He craves it. it’s just that he is going to learn he also craves Des.

One thing that stands out in this book is that Des and Hefin know from day one that he is going to leave. They plan for it, they try to accept it as best they can. God the tension and sex between them is hot. Hefin is a muscular yet wiry type guy. He has hairy forearms (this excites me). He blushes. He adores Des’s millions of freckles and her ‘knobby knees.’ His exploration of her is so intense it just makes you shiver. It’s so sexy and romantic and their chemistry is very well done.

As I mentioned earlier, Sarah’s injury plays a very big part in this book. Sarah isn’t really the nicest person – extreme pain will do that to you. She is very sick and puts a lot of darkness on the sibling relationship. It’s not always pretty in this book. It’s sad and angry. It brings forth that dark cloud I mentioned at the beginning of the book. It’s realistic and well done, but it’s a heavy weight, especially for Des’s character. She is the caregiver, the sister, the one people lean on for support – yet drowning herself with no money and the grief over her late father.

But don’t fear. Just when things get really heavy there is naughtiness in a batting cage and sex in a limo. And Hefin, with his stubble and curls about his ears make things very steamy and put a smile on my face. He is such a good guy, and just what Des needed.

Rating: B+

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