Review: The Perfect Novella!
Rating: 4 out of 5
Date: 08 29, 2013
REVIEWED BY SUNNYCarrie West is tired of being a single woman in her thirties. The book opens with her having a breakdown of sorts and it is at this crossroad that her desperation leads her to do something she otherwise wouldn't--she checks out the personals. One in particular leads this librarian, who doesn't take many risks, into wanting to know more about "Kissing Wednesdays." She is immediately flushed and giggles as she wonders what the other days of the week may look like. I enjoyed getting to know Carrie and her adventures into a world unknown.Brian Newburgh is also at a crossroads in THE STORY GUY and is trying to find a balance between his commitments and his desire to have more in his life. It is when he puts out an ad in the personals that it all comes to a head.I love how Mary Ann Rivers finds a way to bring quirky librarian Carrie and a very secretive Brian together. The story is written from Carrie's point of view, which I found to be very effective. Carrie and Brian's early instant messaging was laugh-out-loud funny, including the librarian jokes I know Kindle Gal will love! When their chemistry about makes them explode, it becomes a struggle to carry on with the original "Kissing Wednesdays" agreement. I love how the writing in this novella beautifully reconciles this issue. It leads to some very unconventional sexy time that is super hot. The wonderful plot also forces the characters to bring out elements in the other that no one has challenged before.I typically can find fault in a novella. I am rarely satisfied and find myself always wanting more. Their inability to dig deep into the characters and plots is a frequent frustration of mine. However, THE STORY GUY wasn't like this at all! Rivers does an amazing job of giving me all the details I need when developing the characters, then her well-plotted story gets tied up with a nice bow. Impressive for a new author! She even throws in a couple of secondary characters that I loved. Shelley, a co-worker of Carrie's, is a giddy goat milking girl in love that brought a carefree element to the story. Justin, an intern at the library, is always keeping it real for Carrie. He provides refreshing advice and encouragement regarding "the story guy," which he aptly defines for us in this well-written novella.The only beef I can come up with is Rivers's use of acronyms in the story, some of which I didn't know. That was frustrating at times, yet if that is the only issue I had, I probably don't have to tell you that I will be looking forward to more books by this author!BOTTOM LINEIf you are looking for a quick sexy read, THE STORY GUY is a perfect choice. If you are looking for a story with challenges that force characters to get out of their comfort zones, this won't disappoint. If you are typically dissatisfied with novellas, don't hesitate to pick this one up, as it is well developed in characters and plot even with its shorter length.RATING: A- (4 stars)Note: I received a digital copy of this title courtesy of the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review