Review: My Only Sunshine by Mary Ann Rivers

Description:

John Lake owes his label an album—and has for months. Alone in his farmhouse studio outside of Lakefield, Ohio, he hears the music, but he won’t write it down. All the songs remind him of her.

Fifteen years ago, Mallory Evans was a fairy-haired warrior-poet. John couldn’t figure out why no one in high school noticed. He noticed, and he came to her window every evening before darkness came and the private violence of her home life threatened. Then, inevitably, one terrifying night broke the sweet spell between them.

John hasn’t seen Mallory since, but he’s looked for her—in his audiences, in his dreams. Now he decides that if he can’t find the inspiration to finish an album, he can at least find Mallory and finish what has always been between them.


My Thoughts:

This is a lovely story. We have John's point of view in the present. We get Mallory's thoughts in the past through her book. It's been 15 years since they've seen each. What happens to first love after being separated for so long? This is short but packed with emotion. It's a novella and the ending leaves enough blank space to fill in on your own. It's undefined but you can feel where it will go without having the whole story told. I loved it and highly recommend.


My Rating: *****
Steam Factor: !!!!
*Notes: Language.

My Source: purchased


Where to get it:

Brain Mill Press


Where to find the author:

Website | Twitter | Facebook  | Goodreads

Review: The Dark Space by Mary Ann Rivers and Ruthie Knox

Description:
College senior Winnie Frederickson has accomplished nothing in four years but summa cum laude and the power of invisibility.

A professor’s kid, carelessly popular Cal Darling feels like he’s been going to college forever. If there’s anything left to learn, he’s not going to find it in the classroom.

The theater department’s “make-out class” is famously hard to get into, and what goes on between the twelve people who take it every spring is an annual topic of speculation. Winnie needs one more arts class to appear well-rounded for fellowships. Cal is just … bored.

The dark space – a class, a place, a state of mind – is ready for them both.

My Thoughts:

This one is a little different. Winnie is the girl who gets good grades that no one notices. Cal is the popular guy. They end up in the same class. Then things take a turn. Things get a little odd. They're in college. They're exploring and figuring out themselves, each other, and the direction they want to take in life. I like the writing, but you do need an open mind for this one. 

My Rating:  ***
Steam Factor: !!!!!
*Notes: Language and some college-age experimentation.

My Source: purchased


Where to get it:

Amazon | B&N


Where to find the authors:

Mary Ann Rivers
Website | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads

Ruthie Knox
Website | Twitter | Facebook  | Goodreads

Brain Mill Press

Review: Laugh (Burnside #2) by Mary Ann Rivers

Description: 
Dr. Sam Burnside is convinced that volunteering at an urban green-space farm in Lakefield, Ohio, is a waste of time—especially with his new health clinic about to open. He only goes to mollify his partner, suspecting she wants him to lighten up. Then Sam catches sight of Nina Paz, a woman who gives off more heat than a scorcher in July. Her easy smile and flirty, sizzling wit has him forgetting his infamous need for control.

Widowed when her husband was killed in Afghanistan, Nina has learned that life exists to take chances. As the daughter of migrant workers turned organic farmers, she’s built an exciting and successful business by valuing new opportunities and working hard to take care of her own. But when Sam pushes for a relationship that goes beyond their hotter-than-fire escapades, Nina ignores her own hard-won wisdom. She isn’t ready for a man who needs saving—even if her heart compels her to take the greatest risk of all: love.

My Thoughts:
This is the second book about the Burnside siblings, although they stand alone just fine. In the first book Sam came off as a bit of a jerk, but in this one we get to understand him better. His behavior is explained in a way that makes sense. I love the banter with his brother P.J. He's an interesting character and I can't wait for his book. 

Sam meets Nina while doing some volunteer work. She is a farmer and a widow. They have an instant, strong attraction, but Nina needs to take it slow while Sam doesn't really know how. What makes this book, and this series, so good is the strong emotions. The characters are so real, with real feelings. A lovely story.

My Rating: *****
Steam Factor: !!!!
*Notes: Language.

My Source: Netgalley

Where to get it:


Where to find the author:
Website
Twitter
Facebook
Goodreads

Review: Live by Mary Ann Rivers

Description: 
If there’s an upside to unemployment, Destiny Burnside may have found it. Job searching at her local library in Lakefield, Ohio, gives her plenty of time to ogle the hottest man she has ever laid eyes on: the sexy wood-carver who’s restoring the building. But as the rejection letters pile up, Destiny finds an unexpected shoulder to cry on. With his rich Welsh accent, Hefin Thomas stirs Destiny so completely that, even though he’s leaving soon, she lets herself believe the memory of his scorching kisses will be enough.

Hefin can’t help but notice the slender, confident woman with ginger hair who returns each day, so hopeful and determined. So when the tears start to fall, his silence—penance for a failed marriage—finally cracks. Once he’s touched her, what Hefin wants is to take her back to Wales and hold her forever. But Destiny’s roots run too deep. What they both need is each other—to learn how to live and love again.

My Thoughts:
I absolutely adored this book. I love the writing, the descriptive language. You can picture Hefin and Des's freckles and how she trips over the trailing ends of her lust. The characters feel so real and the emotions are so raw. I dare you to get through a book by Mary Ann Rivers without tissues. Des and Heffin are just so perfect together. The only problem is geography. Hefin is going back to Wales but Destiny's family is in Ohio. It is difficult to see a solution that works for both of them, without one of them giving up too much. I highly recommend this one, but don't forget the tissues.

My Rating: *****
Steam Factor: !!!!
*Notes: Some strong language.

My Source: NetGalley

Where to get it:


Where to find the author:
Website
Twitter
Facebook
Goodreads

Review: Heating Up the Holidays 3 Story Bundle

Heating Up the Holidays by Lisa Renee Jones, Mary Ann Rivers, and Serena Bell

Description:
As leftover turkey and stuffing give way to stockings and little black dresses, this tantalizingly sexy eBook bundle offers up holiday-themed novellas from a trio of beloved romance authors. Lisa Renee Jones gives a dedicated reporter and a powerful businessman a chance to count their Thanksgiving blessings in Play with Me; Mary Ann Rivers presents Snowfall, the story of a woman who confronts a life-changing event—hopefully with a special man by her side—just in time for Christmas; and in Serena Bell’s After Midnight, an explosive New Year’s kiss leaves two strangers wondering whether they’ll ever see each other again.

PLAY WITH ME by Lisa Renee Jones
Kali Miller has spent three years reporting fluff stories, waiting for the article that will launch her career to new heights. When she suddenly finds herself forced to take a job as an executive secretary at a Vegas casino, Kali meets the subject of what will surely be a shocking exposé: her boss, Damion Ward, the arrogant and undeniably sexy CEO. But after Damion invites her to help him plan a Thanksgiving charity event, Kali begins to see another side of the man. And when she surrenders to the exhilarating tension simmering between them, Kali hopes her story will have a happy ending.

SNOWFALL by Mary Ann Rivers
Jenny Wright can’t get enough of her erotic conversations with someone she knows only as “C.” Flirting online helps Jenny temporarily escape confronting the changes to her life as she slowly loses her vision. Jenny’s occupational therapist, Evan Carlisle-Ford, is helping her prepare for the challenges ahead, but the forthright, trustworthy man can no longer ignore his growing attraction to his fiercely intelligent client. Now Jenny must choose between the safe, anonymous “C”—or the flesh-and-blood Evan, whose heated kisses can melt snow faster than it can fall.

AFTER MIDNIGHT by Serena Bell
The clock is ticking down to midnight on New Year’s Eve, and all Nora Hart and Miles Shephard can think about is kissing each other—even though they met just minutes before. Then, as fast as Miles enters Nora’s life, he’s gone . . . and she never even gets the name of the man she thinks might just be “the one.” One year later, Nora and Miles are reunited. The chemistry between them is just as strong as they remember. But Miles broke her heart once before—and this time around, Nora’s not sure whether she can give love a second chance.

My Thoughts:
I thought this was a wonderful mix of holiday-themed stories. They range from fun to sassy to sad yet hopeful. They are all very different, but of course they are all steamy and they all have very well developed characters for novellas. They feel more like full-length novels. Each is wonderful in its own way. My personal favorite is Snowfall by Mary Ann Rivers. Similar to her novella The Story Guy, it is a lovely, emotional story that tugs at the heart. I just loved it. I highly recommend this little collection.

My Rating: *****
Steam Factor: !!!!
*Notes: Language.

My Source: NetGalley

Where to get it:

Barnes & Noble

Where to find the authors:
Lisa Renee Jones:
Website
Twitter
Facebook
Goodreads

Mary Ann Rivers:
Website
Twitter
Facebook
Goodreads

Serena Bell:
Website
Twitter
Facebook
Goodreads

Review: The Story Guy by Mary Ann Rivers

The Story Guy by Mary Ann Rivers

Description:
I will meet you on Wednesdays at noon in Celebration Park. Kissing only.

Carrie West is happy with her life . . . isn’t she? But when she sees this provocative online ad, the thirtysomething librarian can’t help but be tempted. After all, the photo of the anonymous poster is far too attractive to ignore. And when Wednesday finally arrives, it brings a first kiss that’s hotter than any she’s ever imagined. Brian Newburgh is an attorney, but there’s more to his life . . . that he won't share with Carrie. Determined to have more than just Wednesdays, Carrie embarks on a quest to learn Brian’s story, certain that he will be worth the cost. But is she ready to gamble her heart on a man who just might be The One . . . even though she has no idea how their love story will end?

My Thoughts:
I absolutely adored this novella. I was intrigued by the premise and had to read it right away. I was not disappointed. I actually read it in one sitting, unwilling to go to sleep until I had finished. This little gem packs a big emotional punch. Sparks fly between these two and you can feel the connection from their very first meeting. There is lots of steam, even when they are just kissing in the park or talking on the phone. Carrie is willing to fight when Brian tries to push her away. This story just pulls at your heart. I admit that it made me cry. Mary Ann Rivers is definitely a new author to watch for.

My Rating: *****
Steam Factor: !!!!
*Notes: Some strong language.

My Source: NetGalley

Where to get it:


Where to find the author:
Website
Twitter
Facebook
Goodreads