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Lakefield novellas
The Story Guy
In this eBook original novella, Mary Ann Rivers introduces a soulful and sexy tale of courage, sacrifice, and love.
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?
Includes a special message from the editor, as well as an excerpt from the Loveswept title Flirting with Disaster.
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?
Includes a special message from the editor, as well as an excerpt from the Loveswept title Flirting with Disaster.
174 pages, Kindle Edition
First published July 8, 2013
About the author
Mary Ann Rivers
10 books203 followersMary Ann Rivers has been wearing a groove in her library card since she was old enough for story time. She’s been writing almost as long—her first publication credit was in Highlights magazine. She started writing and reading romance in the fifth grade once she stumbled on the rainbow of romance novel book spines in the library’s fiction stacks.
She was an English and music major and went on to earn her MFA in creative writing, publishing poetry in journals, and leading creative writing workshops for at-risk youth. With Ruthie Knox, she is the co-founder of Brain Mill Press.
She loves to hear from readers and you can sign up for her newsletter, contact her by email, follow her blog, or check her out on social media.
She was an English and music major and went on to earn her MFA in creative writing, publishing poetry in journals, and leading creative writing workshops for at-risk youth. With Ruthie Knox, she is the co-founder of Brain Mill Press.
She loves to hear from readers and you can sign up for her newsletter, contact her by email, follow her blog, or check her out on social media.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 465 reviews
August 15, 2017
★★★★ ½! The Story Guy (stand-alone novella). A poignant, sweet & beautifully told tale about Brian & Carrie who set out to meet for kissing sessions in the park on Wednesdays!
“Story guys are like life highlighters. Your life is all these big blocks of gray text, and then a story guy comes in with a big ol’ paragraph of neon pink so that when you flip back through your life, you can stop and remember all the important and interesting places.”
The Story Guy is the poignant and sweet tale of Carrie West, a corky librarian and Brian Newburgh, an attorney, who at first glance comes across as enigmatic and peculiar. But he is so much more than that! In fact he wrapped himself around my heart and moved me to tears. His secret will unfold with their story.
“I will meet you on Wednesdays at noon in Celebration Park. Kissing only. I won’t touch you below the shoulders. You can touch me anywhere. No dating, no hookups. I will meet with you for as long as you meet me, so if you miss a Wednesday we part as strangers…”
That is the ad that Brian posted and Carrie answered. And so their story begins. They meet in the park at noon on a Wednesday and they kiss. Kissing Brian is an experience; a combination of tantalizing passion, captivating skill and erotic abandon! Though Carrie can touch him everywhere it quickly becomes clear that the one place she wants to affect, his heart, is untouchable. Follow them as Carrie sets out to learn Brian’s story…
“It’s so easy to be consumed by this shamelessness with him. The way he kisses, let alone the way he touches me, is so sharply present that it is impossible to think about anything other than the one single second in front of me. With Brian, maybe all that we have is this single second in front of us.”
Brian Newburgh: attorney (BRFCA)/30’s/dark brown hair/green eyes/glasses.
Five words to describe Brian: Unforgettable, noble, sexy, sweet and enigmatic.
Carrie West: Librarian/30’s/brown hair/glasses.
Four words to describe Carrie; Quirky, endearing, loyal and safe.
The Story Guy is a novella, beautifully told from Carrie’s POV. Profound, poignant, captivating and heart-wrenching! Brian and Carrie will wrap themselves around your heart. Though their story left them in a good place I very much wish it would continue. Excellent job Ms. Rivers! I highly recommend!
“If I’m broken, the break will be clean and easily mended. If he breaks, I’m not sure if there will be enough pieces to approximate. I can afford to go along with what he thinks will protect him. I can have this, and I can give him what he thinks he needs, even if he may deserve better.”
***
Hero rating: 4.5 stars
Heroine rating: 4.5 stars
Sex scenes rating: 4.5 stars
Storyline concept rating: 4.5 stars
Storytelling skills rating: 5 stars
Story ending rating: 4 stars
************************************************
Overall rating: 4.5 stars
Would I re-read this book: Yes!!!
Would I read future books by this author: Yes.
My sincerest thanks to Baba for introducing me to this story: Her review.
July 14, 2013
4.5 beautiful, different and inspirational stars.****Review completed July 14, 2013
I know the man in this gif is too old to be the hero of The Story Guy, but please leave a girl her little fantasy.
Brian hardly ever sleeps.
We need glitter and sparkle in our lives…you just need to meet the right person.
That's so true…
Two strangers--a librarian and an attorney--meet on Wednesdays at noon in Celebration Park at the shelter very close to a bank of water fountains. Kissing only. Due to very specific circumstances Brian is not available for dating and hookups, let alone a true commitment and love. So, this is how Carrie meets Brian, her story guy. Though it's a story guy with certain development potentialities. The ending is happy.
"A story guy?"
My review will be rather short yet sweet.
Baba expels a whisper of breath…beautiful. Once in a while you pick up a little gem, and there is no denying it, I was very pleasantly surprised by The Story Guy. It was an almost perfect little read and most certainly a breath of fresh air. The author made the inconspicuous tangible. Wonderful.
35,000 inspirational words
Written in first person POV present tense, the most outstanding feature about The Story Guy is the author's voice. It reads like poesy at times and I know it's not everybody's cup of tea but it clearly worked for me. I absolutely love that. Granted, the premise and execution of the plot is different too and I enjoyed it very much. Hence, the novella was on its way to a most remarkable five-star rating when the somewhat excessive weeping as well as the heroine's liability to being a bit melodramatic during the second half of the story made me downgrade it to 4/4.5 stars. Besides, I could have done without the ILYs. They did not have to be voiced. Yet.
The Story Guy is about two individuals wearing glasses. And let me tell you glasses are sexy.
Also, a bike plays a major role in this little story.
Overall I really loved The Story Guy. The MCs are interesting, the plot is good and the writing is stellar. Plus, the deliciously good and I enjoyed the whole atmosphere of the story as well as the touch of humor that the author staged skillfully. Mary Ann Rivers clearly delivered an entirely satisfying debut. More please.
And here is a little explanation by author Mary Ann Rivers about librarians who dewey it better.
So yes, the Dewey Decimal system would be one Carrie was very familiar with as a librarian. In the US, too, the most common way for "librarian" to be mispronounced is "lie-berry-an." Also, in the US, there is a kind of joke about your profession "doing" things better. Like, "nurses do it better," just meaning that of all the things anyone could do, your people will do it better. SO, Carrie's IM name is a joke about all of these things. "Lieberrians dewey it better."
I know the man in this gif is too old to be the hero of The Story Guy, but please leave a girl her little fantasy.
I will meet you on Wednesdays at noon in Celebration Park. Kissing only. I won't touch you below the shoulders. You can touch me anywhere. No dating, no hookups. I will meet with you for as long as you meet me, so if you miss a Wednesday we part as strangers. No picture necessary, we can settle details via IM. Reply back with "Wednesdays Only" in the subject line.
'There is always this moment, when you take a woman home just to take a woman home, some moment right before it could get awesome but you don't know yet if it will, that you, or maybe not you, but me, gets all still inside. Quiet. And for me, that moment always seems like it lasts forever. And it's enough time for me to live some kind of life from that moment to the end of time and back again. With this woman I've taken home or gone home with, with my one-night stand, someone who isn't mine, but for that one crazy long heartbeat, I want to be mine.'
Brian hardly ever sleeps.
We need glitter and sparkle in our lives…you just need to meet the right person.
That's so true…
Two strangers--a librarian and an attorney--meet on Wednesdays at noon in Celebration Park at the shelter very close to a bank of water fountains. Kissing only. Due to very specific circumstances Brian is not available for dating and hookups, let alone a true commitment and love. So, this is how Carrie meets Brian, her story guy. Though it's a story guy with certain development potentialities. The ending is happy.
"A story guy?"
"You were the first thing I had asked for, just for me, in a long, long time."
My review will be rather short yet sweet.
Baba expels a whisper of breath…beautiful. Once in a while you pick up a little gem, and there is no denying it, I was very pleasantly surprised by The Story Guy. It was an almost perfect little read and most certainly a breath of fresh air. The author made the inconspicuous tangible. Wonderful.
35,000 inspirational words
Written in first person POV present tense, the most outstanding feature about The Story Guy is the author's voice. It reads like poesy at times and I know it's not everybody's cup of tea but it clearly worked for me. I absolutely love that. Granted, the premise and execution of the plot is different too and I enjoyed it very much. Hence, the novella was on its way to a most remarkable five-star rating when the somewhat excessive weeping as well as the heroine's liability to being a bit melodramatic during the second half of the story made me downgrade it to 4/4.5 stars. Besides, I could have done without the ILYs. They did not have to be voiced. Yet.
'I think it's…rare, to get exactly what it is you ask for. I haven't dated, seriously dated, in a long time because I felt like without even meaning to, I was making some kind of request for some specific kind of love, and instead of that love, the love I needed, I would get another kind. Like, I would need…daisy love, you know, pretty love, sweet love that nonetheless was ubiquitous in roadside ditches in the summertime, and instead I would get orchid love. Love that needed misting and replanting and pruning and fertilizing and died anyway. So I stopped asking, and it was okay, except I've been feeling like I don't have enough…of something. I don't know. And I found your ad. And you put it right there in black and white what you were asking for. But it occurs to me, I don't know if I am what you were asking for. And I haven't been asking for anything.'
The Story Guy is about two individuals wearing glasses. And let me tell you glasses are sexy.
Also, a bike plays a major role in this little story.
Overall I really loved The Story Guy. The MCs are interesting, the plot is good and the writing is stellar. Plus, the deliciously good and I enjoyed the whole atmosphere of the story as well as the touch of humor that the author staged skillfully. Mary Ann Rivers clearly delivered an entirely satisfying debut. More please.
He clears his throat. "Carrie?"
"Yeah, Brian?"
"Librarians totally dewey it better."
And here is a little explanation by author Mary Ann Rivers about librarians who dewey it better.
So yes, the Dewey Decimal system would be one Carrie was very familiar with as a librarian. In the US, too, the most common way for "librarian" to be mispronounced is "lie-berry-an." Also, in the US, there is a kind of joke about your profession "doing" things better. Like, "nurses do it better," just meaning that of all the things anyone could do, your people will do it better. SO, Carrie's IM name is a joke about all of these things. "Lieberrians dewey it better."
October 24, 2019
Re read October 2019
**4.5 stars**
**4.5 stars**
July 16, 2013
"'Story guys are like life highlighters. Your life is all these big blocks of gray text, and then a story guy comes in with a big ol’ paragraph of neon pink so that when you flip back through your life, you can stop and remember all the important and interesting places.'"
This was such a sweet, beautiful, enjoyable book. I almost never read contemporary chick lit of this sort, but I've heard a lot of good things about this little book and I was drawn in. It is a novella, in any case, roughly 100 pages, not a significant investment of time.
Usually in the contemporary women's lit I've read, the main character's life is pretty shitty. The main character is pretty SOL when it comes to career, life, love, and is dissatisfied with every aspect of her life. This is not the case with our main character. Carrie is best described as normal with a normal life. She is a librarian probably in her late 30s, with a nerdy, bookish sense of humor (her email address is librariansdeweyitbetter@villagemail.com, and her IM handle is lieberries). Oh, and she has a tattoo.
"'It's PS3568.A854 W4837 2003. The Library of Congress call number for Wilson Rawls's book Where the Red Fern Grows.'"
I loved the shit out of that book as a child. Marry me, Carrie.
She is in her late 30s, has a satisfying job at the library where she reigns over her kingdom of teen collections, has a satisfying relationship with her friends and loved ones. She dates around, but nothing too seriously. Carrie enjoys her life, it's a good life...but suddenly, she feels a sense of restlessness. You could call it a mid-life crisis of some sort, but it's nothing so drastic. Carrie just needs something a little different, a little routine to break the monotony of her day.
"When it comes to sex, I admit to feeling empty.
The feeling is like those shiny gourds they sell this time of year that look so fat and heavy but are actually paper light, with seeds and strings rattling around inside. My life is cozy, but I’m starting to let myself think I want something wet and aching stabbed through it. I want something substantial. I want to gorge myself. Excess."
Enter MetroLink, the book's version of Craigslist. One of her guilty pleasures (actually, one of mine too, sometimes) is to browse through the men's personals. She reads through them, savors them like a candy bar. Carrie's description of the ads, are dead-on, from the frat bros seeking a one-night stand, to the painful poseurs, to the men seeking BBWs, to the seniors.
"I usually skip those of the seniors, who seem to mainly post long and unparagraphed essays filled with ellipses and metaphors about spoiling a mistreated and much younger woman. Even worse are the painfully short single-sentence pleas that manage to cut open the loneliness of widowerhood or divorce after a long life with one woman."
Then, she comes upon Brian's ad. Kissing only. No touching her below the shoulders. Wednesdays. Nothing more. His photo draws her in, he is a handsome man, and there's something about him that intrigues her. She replies. They meet for a steamy encounter that leaves her wanting more, but he backs away, just as promised in the ad. They exchange IMs, they talk, they share their story, their innermost emotions and thoughts. Carrie even asks Brian about why he doesn't want anymore than "just Wednesdays," and he answers truthfully, but always holds something back.
Usually, this is the point in the book where a guy is holding off on commitment and I slam my hands down to internally screech at the main character "GET THE FUCK OUT OF THIS, GIRL, THIS MAN IS NOT WORTH IT." But you know what? I didn't. The way Brian is portrayed, all the injured, hurting, holding-back parts of him, seems absolutely sincere, even before we get to a reason. I like Brian. Before we know anything more about him, I just really liked him through their conversations, his sincerity, his honest desire for Carrie, all that makes me feel like I'm rooting for a guy who is not your typical asshole looking for a reason not to commit. He is a complicated, sweet, loveable man, and I loved both of them so much. His story is heartbreaking, and their love is complicated and well-earned.
Highly recommended for a quick, light read to brighten your day.
This was such a sweet, beautiful, enjoyable book. I almost never read contemporary chick lit of this sort, but I've heard a lot of good things about this little book and I was drawn in. It is a novella, in any case, roughly 100 pages, not a significant investment of time.
Usually in the contemporary women's lit I've read, the main character's life is pretty shitty. The main character is pretty SOL when it comes to career, life, love, and is dissatisfied with every aspect of her life. This is not the case with our main character. Carrie is best described as normal with a normal life. She is a librarian probably in her late 30s, with a nerdy, bookish sense of humor (her email address is librariansdeweyitbetter@villagemail.com, and her IM handle is lieberries). Oh, and she has a tattoo.
"'It's PS3568.A854 W4837 2003. The Library of Congress call number for Wilson Rawls's book Where the Red Fern Grows.'"
I loved the shit out of that book as a child. Marry me, Carrie.
She is in her late 30s, has a satisfying job at the library where she reigns over her kingdom of teen collections, has a satisfying relationship with her friends and loved ones. She dates around, but nothing too seriously. Carrie enjoys her life, it's a good life...but suddenly, she feels a sense of restlessness. You could call it a mid-life crisis of some sort, but it's nothing so drastic. Carrie just needs something a little different, a little routine to break the monotony of her day.
"When it comes to sex, I admit to feeling empty.
The feeling is like those shiny gourds they sell this time of year that look so fat and heavy but are actually paper light, with seeds and strings rattling around inside. My life is cozy, but I’m starting to let myself think I want something wet and aching stabbed through it. I want something substantial. I want to gorge myself. Excess."
Enter MetroLink, the book's version of Craigslist. One of her guilty pleasures (actually, one of mine too, sometimes) is to browse through the men's personals. She reads through them, savors them like a candy bar. Carrie's description of the ads, are dead-on, from the frat bros seeking a one-night stand, to the painful poseurs, to the men seeking BBWs, to the seniors.
"I usually skip those of the seniors, who seem to mainly post long and unparagraphed essays filled with ellipses and metaphors about spoiling a mistreated and much younger woman. Even worse are the painfully short single-sentence pleas that manage to cut open the loneliness of widowerhood or divorce after a long life with one woman."
Then, she comes upon Brian's ad. Kissing only. No touching her below the shoulders. Wednesdays. Nothing more. His photo draws her in, he is a handsome man, and there's something about him that intrigues her. She replies. They meet for a steamy encounter that leaves her wanting more, but he backs away, just as promised in the ad. They exchange IMs, they talk, they share their story, their innermost emotions and thoughts. Carrie even asks Brian about why he doesn't want anymore than "just Wednesdays," and he answers truthfully, but always holds something back.
Usually, this is the point in the book where a guy is holding off on commitment and I slam my hands down to internally screech at the main character "GET THE FUCK OUT OF THIS, GIRL, THIS MAN IS NOT WORTH IT." But you know what? I didn't. The way Brian is portrayed, all the injured, hurting, holding-back parts of him, seems absolutely sincere, even before we get to a reason. I like Brian. Before we know anything more about him, I just really liked him through their conversations, his sincerity, his honest desire for Carrie, all that makes me feel like I'm rooting for a guy who is not your typical asshole looking for a reason not to commit. He is a complicated, sweet, loveable man, and I loved both of them so much. His story is heartbreaking, and their love is complicated and well-earned.
Highly recommended for a quick, light read to brighten your day.
June 19, 2013
At an emotional low ebb in her usually pleasant life, librarian Carrie comes across an intriguing personal ad: one lunchtime meeting a week for kissing only, no dating, no hookups. Carrie is as struck with the man's photo as his ad -- handsome, dimpled, yet curiously self-protective -- and starts to weave a fantasy around him:
"Of course, maybe it isn't just Wednesdays. I have the sudden fanciful notion that maybe on Mondays he meets a stranger to just chat. Tuesdays, he meets another for hand-holding, then Wednesday he meets one for kissing, and so on, until Saturday. Saturdays he meets a woman for fucking only, completing the entire mating dance with six different women, with an excruciatingly prolonged bout of foreplay. Sundays, of course, are his day of rest."
(This is completely wrong, of course, yet there's a small element of truth to it. The writer of the ad, Carrie will discover, has had to compartmentalize his life very strictly.)
Carrie answers the ad, and her first kissing date with Brian confirms her strong attraction to him. (And I have to say, he worked just fine for me, as well):
"'You have a librarian fetish?' I don't mind. Not at all.
'Who doesn't?' He laughs again, and for the first time, there's a little blush, right under where his eyeglasses kiss his cheekbones."
[Swoon.]
But Carrie is startled to discover just how firm Brian is about holding onto his rules, despite how well they hit it off. Her friend Justin suggests that he sounds like "a story guy" -- "a good guy with a bad story doing something stupid." He doesn't see that as a negative thing though: "Story guys are like life highlighters. Your life is all these big blocks of gray text, and then a story guy comes in with a big ol' paragraph of neon pink so that when you flip back through your life, you can stop and remember all the important and interesting places."
Brian is a good guy and he does have a bad story. But what he's doing is wrenching and painful and beautiful. Or as Justin puts it, "When I said you should go for Story Boy I didn't realize he was a Russian novel."
I was happy that Carrie puts a lot of thought into this complex, messed up relationship. She decides at the beginning that because her life is so good, it's a risk she can afford to take: "If I'm broken, the break will be clean and easily mended. If he breaks, I'm not sure if there will be enough pieces to approximate. I can afford to go along with what he thinks will protect him." But it's harder than she expected. After a kissing date, her small apartment seems lonely instead of cozy. "No real food, no wine. No cats. No plants. No good music, no housekeeping. It's like the saddest version of Goodnight Moon ever." And no matter how hard she tries to stick to the rules, she keeps asking for more.
And when Carries realize how truly difficult maintaining a relationship with Brian will be, she ponders again, and once more gets advice from Justin: "Carrie, would you like to know this part of yourself? … The part that opens herself up to a man based on nothing but a little intuition… Because you don't have to. Your life is a nice one -- there are no guarantees, but it's on the right path to stay a nice one. Brian is not on this path." A nice path indeed, Carrie realizes, a path that "will never lead to a man whose hands shake when he holds my face for a kiss that feels like falling."
The plot of The Story Guy allows -- demands -- a slow physical build-up with delicious anticipation, making it an incredibly sexy read. The love scenes are fresh and exciting and intensely emotional.
This was an intensely emotional read all around, for me. It probably won't make every reader burst into tears, but it has a lot to offer anyone.
"Of course, maybe it isn't just Wednesdays. I have the sudden fanciful notion that maybe on Mondays he meets a stranger to just chat. Tuesdays, he meets another for hand-holding, then Wednesday he meets one for kissing, and so on, until Saturday. Saturdays he meets a woman for fucking only, completing the entire mating dance with six different women, with an excruciatingly prolonged bout of foreplay. Sundays, of course, are his day of rest."
(This is completely wrong, of course, yet there's a small element of truth to it. The writer of the ad, Carrie will discover, has had to compartmentalize his life very strictly.)
Carrie answers the ad, and her first kissing date with Brian confirms her strong attraction to him. (And I have to say, he worked just fine for me, as well):
"'You have a librarian fetish?' I don't mind. Not at all.
'Who doesn't?' He laughs again, and for the first time, there's a little blush, right under where his eyeglasses kiss his cheekbones."
[Swoon.]
But Carrie is startled to discover just how firm Brian is about holding onto his rules, despite how well they hit it off. Her friend Justin suggests that he sounds like "a story guy" -- "a good guy with a bad story doing something stupid." He doesn't see that as a negative thing though: "Story guys are like life highlighters. Your life is all these big blocks of gray text, and then a story guy comes in with a big ol' paragraph of neon pink so that when you flip back through your life, you can stop and remember all the important and interesting places."
Brian is a good guy and he does have a bad story. But what he's doing is wrenching and painful and beautiful. Or as Justin puts it, "When I said you should go for Story Boy I didn't realize he was a Russian novel."
I was happy that Carrie puts a lot of thought into this complex, messed up relationship. She decides at the beginning that because her life is so good, it's a risk she can afford to take: "If I'm broken, the break will be clean and easily mended. If he breaks, I'm not sure if there will be enough pieces to approximate. I can afford to go along with what he thinks will protect him." But it's harder than she expected. After a kissing date, her small apartment seems lonely instead of cozy. "No real food, no wine. No cats. No plants. No good music, no housekeeping. It's like the saddest version of Goodnight Moon ever." And no matter how hard she tries to stick to the rules, she keeps asking for more.
And when Carries realize how truly difficult maintaining a relationship with Brian will be, she ponders again, and once more gets advice from Justin: "Carrie, would you like to know this part of yourself? … The part that opens herself up to a man based on nothing but a little intuition… Because you don't have to. Your life is a nice one -- there are no guarantees, but it's on the right path to stay a nice one. Brian is not on this path." A nice path indeed, Carrie realizes, a path that "will never lead to a man whose hands shake when he holds my face for a kiss that feels like falling."
The plot of The Story Guy allows -- demands -- a slow physical build-up with delicious anticipation, making it an incredibly sexy read. The love scenes are fresh and exciting and intensely emotional.
This was an intensely emotional read all around, for me. It probably won't make every reader burst into tears, but it has a lot to offer anyone.
November 11, 2015
4 Stars! Unique lovely story!
I would have liked it to go on for just a little bit more, not only because the story was so unusual, beautiful and heartwarming, but Brian and Carrie were the best kind of hero and heroine. Two inherently good people with huge hearts! They made each other stronger, and accepted what the other brought to the table, despite the impact it might ultimately have on their relationship.
The HEA is left to the imagination, but you know it is meant to be. Oh yeah... and I cried, the so-glad-they-found-each-other cry!
July 8, 2013
The first person to recommend this book to me was Claudia, but since then I’ve seen a lot of buzz about this book and for good reason. Mary Ann Rivers gives us an emotional, moving, sometimes funny, sometimes sad book about two strangers who start with a simple kiss and end with much, much more.
Carrie West is a librarian who is just plain lonely. She has friends, she has great parents and a good job. But after a few years of not dating she is in a funk. Her loved apartment feels too small and she finds herself breaking down in tears in random places. She enjoys reading the personal ads on MetroLink, a website where you can pretty much post anything. They are usually a bit more seedy than a normal dating site and Carrie often finds them amusing and more honest. One catches her eye:
I will meet you on Wednesdays at noon in Celebration Park. Kissing only. I won’t touch you below the shoulders. You can touch me anywhere. No dating, no hookups. I will meet with you for as long as you meet me, so if you miss a Wednesday we part as strangers. No picture necessary, we can settle details via IM. Replay back with “Wednesdays Only” in the subject line.
And in a rush of craziness, Carrie emails him, and he responds. With much anticipation, nervousness and fear, Carrie meets him at the park for an hour of kissing. It changes her life.
Brian is an attorney who craves and needs human contact. He has a big thing going on in his life, that doesn’t’ give him much time for anything fun or relaxing. But he can steal away an hour from his lunch to indulge. I’m not going to tell you what is going on with him, as Carrie is left in the dark for a lot of the book as well. But it’s quite impactful and when you learn it you will go, ahhhh. I understand now. Brian and Carrie have this instant chemistry, one that Carrie yearns to pursue, but Brian just can’t. He can’t do more than just kissing her above the shoulders because he knows what will happen if he lets his heart fall for her. But that darn heart has a mind of its own.
This story features two mature, responsible people who both realize that even though you are falling in love, it’s not simple. It’s not always filled with rainbows and happiness. Carrie realizes something big is going on with Brian, and she wants to convey to him so much that she can wait or do whatever it takes to make his life easier
If I’m broken, the break will be clean and easily mended. If he breaks, I’m not sure if there will be enough pieces to approximate. I can afford to go along with what he thinks will protect him. I can have this, and I can give him what he thinks he needs, even if he may deserve better, Even if I don’t know if he actually does.
That statement says so much. For a man she only meets to kiss on a bench, she is ready to give so much to him. I found there are so many powerful moments in this book like this.
For all the seriousness this book is so damn sexy. There is kissing on a bench and phone sex and real sex. It’s really hot. And parts made me giggle too. Carrie has friends who help her navigate through this ordeal and they are fun and supportive. Carrie herself is a hoot as we get this only in her point of view. Her internal monologue can be very entertaining.
In 120 pages, Mary Ann Rivers writes a powerful love story. I immediately went to download her back list and then realized this was her debut. I can’t wait to see what she does next.
Rating: A
Carrie West is a librarian who is just plain lonely. She has friends, she has great parents and a good job. But after a few years of not dating she is in a funk. Her loved apartment feels too small and she finds herself breaking down in tears in random places. She enjoys reading the personal ads on MetroLink, a website where you can pretty much post anything. They are usually a bit more seedy than a normal dating site and Carrie often finds them amusing and more honest. One catches her eye:
I will meet you on Wednesdays at noon in Celebration Park. Kissing only. I won’t touch you below the shoulders. You can touch me anywhere. No dating, no hookups. I will meet with you for as long as you meet me, so if you miss a Wednesday we part as strangers. No picture necessary, we can settle details via IM. Replay back with “Wednesdays Only” in the subject line.
And in a rush of craziness, Carrie emails him, and he responds. With much anticipation, nervousness and fear, Carrie meets him at the park for an hour of kissing. It changes her life.
Brian is an attorney who craves and needs human contact. He has a big thing going on in his life, that doesn’t’ give him much time for anything fun or relaxing. But he can steal away an hour from his lunch to indulge. I’m not going to tell you what is going on with him, as Carrie is left in the dark for a lot of the book as well. But it’s quite impactful and when you learn it you will go, ahhhh. I understand now. Brian and Carrie have this instant chemistry, one that Carrie yearns to pursue, but Brian just can’t. He can’t do more than just kissing her above the shoulders because he knows what will happen if he lets his heart fall for her. But that darn heart has a mind of its own.
This story features two mature, responsible people who both realize that even though you are falling in love, it’s not simple. It’s not always filled with rainbows and happiness. Carrie realizes something big is going on with Brian, and she wants to convey to him so much that she can wait or do whatever it takes to make his life easier
If I’m broken, the break will be clean and easily mended. If he breaks, I’m not sure if there will be enough pieces to approximate. I can afford to go along with what he thinks will protect him. I can have this, and I can give him what he thinks he needs, even if he may deserve better, Even if I don’t know if he actually does.
That statement says so much. For a man she only meets to kiss on a bench, she is ready to give so much to him. I found there are so many powerful moments in this book like this.
For all the seriousness this book is so damn sexy. There is kissing on a bench and phone sex and real sex. It’s really hot. And parts made me giggle too. Carrie has friends who help her navigate through this ordeal and they are fun and supportive. Carrie herself is a hoot as we get this only in her point of view. Her internal monologue can be very entertaining.
In 120 pages, Mary Ann Rivers writes a powerful love story. I immediately went to download her back list and then realized this was her debut. I can’t wait to see what she does next.
Rating: A
July 17, 2013
Well, here I am on my lonely island of unpopular opinion yet again. It seems everyone adores this novella and I was left unfulfilled and somewhat irritated by the experience.
I loved the premise of the story. It was unique, certainly nothing I've ever read before. The fact this story starts with nothing but kissing and not straight to sex with a stranger excited me to no end. I knew when I heard that was the case that I had to read this. Unfortunately, I think that created an expectation for the story in my mind that wasn't met. The story was not as sweetly innocent as I had hoped it would be. It sort of skipped over the build up that could have been amazing between the two of them and almost straight to Carrie wanting to "fuck" (her words) Brian and trying to force a situation that could have evolved naturally and been more satisfying. I really think this needed to be a full length novel so that it might have realized that potential.
I really hope this trend of first person adult books, especially romance, dies a swift death. And soon. Especially first person present, which is just the worst narrative form. It's extremely limiting and I don't buy into the fallacy that the reader gets a more intimate view of the character. I don't think we gain anything being in a character's head. In fact, I end up more annoyed when something incongruous runs through the character's mind. The writing in this novella could be overwrought at times where it attempted to be lyrical and insightful but only fell flat for me. Here we were trapped inside Carrie's mind and I found myself asking, "Who thinks like this?" several times. There were a few instances where she or other characters attempted profundity but it just didn't make a lot of sense to me. Even the explanation of what a "story guy" is was toeing the line of ridiculous.
Then there are first person sex scenes, which I generally find awkward. I just don't want to be in someone's head for that. Especially with the use of some euphemisms. Those of you who have been reading my reviews know the one about which I'm going to complain. Yep, the dreaded "sex" as a euphemism. Feel free to weigh in here but has anyone ever actually referred to their vagina as "my sex"? Ever? It's bad enough reading that in third person but when it's the character talking it's even worse. Particularly when she is saying "clit" and "cock" all around that other term. Why can't she use a word people actually say? I know people think "vagina" sounds too clinical, but she used "penis" almost as much as "cock", if not more. Then there was a paragraph that not only used that term but where she also said "cum". It was like the paragraph from hell. Really, the sex scene in this book was needlessly explicit. It tempered the potential sweetness of the story. Instead of being loving and romantic, it kind of long-jumped into somewhat brash erotica. And, of course, the more explicit the more potential there is for cringe inducing word use that ruins the scene for some people. It was also way too long for a novella. I don't know how long it actually was but it felt like it went on and on. I remember saying, "Why is this sex scene 32 pages long in a hundred-something page novella?" That was obviously hyperbolic but exactly what I was thinking.
I'm not sure how I feel about Carrie. She wasn't awful, I got her, but she was a fairly flat character. She had very little conflict. I think she was driven by loneliness, which is something with which I can easily relate, but I still didn't feel much for her. The thing that really irritated me about her was the fact that she pushed Brian for what she wanted between them. He was very clear from the beginning about what the relationship was and where it was going yet Carrie kept pushing then acted like he owed her something and was refusing to give it to her. She at least had some self awareness and referred to her behavior with him as bullying. But why, recognizing that, did she continue to push instead of understanding that he was trying his damnedest to move past his limitations for her? To try and give the connection and chemistry they had together a chance. It was obvious he was suffering some secret pain. Her selfishness only served to make her unsympathetic. She had an attitude like he was leading her on when in reality he was explicitly clear with her from the start. I think eventually she was going to have to push some because he was stalled in his life and couldn't see the potential for change, but it could have waited beyond a whole two Wednesdays. That was too fast for her to think that he should give her all of himself because of some great kissing. This issue might have been created, in part, by keeping this to novella length instead of a full novel.
The worst part of this being in first person is not getting any of the story from Brian's perspective. He was very sweet and so tortured. His conflict was really interesting and deserved to be explored. Leaving it to fester in the periphery did a disservice to the character and the reader. I truly wanted him to have his say. Brian had lived his life a certain way for a long time for a very good reason and never thought he could have more, didn't really believe he deserved more. He had to work through the issues and repercussions of changing his version of normal. Traveling with him through that journey would have been far more interesting to me than Carrie's one dimensional whining. Reading this story from both of their perspectives would have made this a much more enjoyable and emotional read for me.
2.5 stars. I was looking for a sweet, romantic story and I didn't feel like I really got that but for some parts where the potential shone through.I am tempted to round my rating down, but rounded up for the great premise and for Brian even though he didn't get his say. Though don't be surprised if I do change it. I'm still not sold on leaving three stars up there. Yes, I changed it. I was bothered by giving it three stars and usually my mind comes up with reasons why I should leave it but I could only think of reasons why I should round down, that's when I know I should go ahead and do so.
I was provided an ARC of this book through NetGalley.
*I lost the entire first draft of this review after the first two paragraphs, so this is not as complete or as good as it was initially. I hate everything.
I loved the premise of the story. It was unique, certainly nothing I've ever read before. The fact this story starts with nothing but kissing and not straight to sex with a stranger excited me to no end. I knew when I heard that was the case that I had to read this. Unfortunately, I think that created an expectation for the story in my mind that wasn't met. The story was not as sweetly innocent as I had hoped it would be. It sort of skipped over the build up that could have been amazing between the two of them and almost straight to Carrie wanting to "fuck" (her words) Brian and trying to force a situation that could have evolved naturally and been more satisfying. I really think this needed to be a full length novel so that it might have realized that potential.
I really hope this trend of first person adult books, especially romance, dies a swift death. And soon. Especially first person present, which is just the worst narrative form. It's extremely limiting and I don't buy into the fallacy that the reader gets a more intimate view of the character. I don't think we gain anything being in a character's head. In fact, I end up more annoyed when something incongruous runs through the character's mind. The writing in this novella could be overwrought at times where it attempted to be lyrical and insightful but only fell flat for me. Here we were trapped inside Carrie's mind and I found myself asking, "Who thinks like this?" several times. There were a few instances where she or other characters attempted profundity but it just didn't make a lot of sense to me. Even the explanation of what a "story guy" is was toeing the line of ridiculous.
Then there are first person sex scenes, which I generally find awkward. I just don't want to be in someone's head for that. Especially with the use of some euphemisms. Those of you who have been reading my reviews know the one about which I'm going to complain. Yep, the dreaded "sex" as a euphemism. Feel free to weigh in here but has anyone ever actually referred to their vagina as "my sex"? Ever? It's bad enough reading that in third person but when it's the character talking it's even worse. Particularly when she is saying "clit" and "cock" all around that other term. Why can't she use a word people actually say? I know people think "vagina" sounds too clinical, but she used "penis" almost as much as "cock", if not more. Then there was a paragraph that not only used that term but where she also said "cum". It was like the paragraph from hell. Really, the sex scene in this book was needlessly explicit. It tempered the potential sweetness of the story. Instead of being loving and romantic, it kind of long-jumped into somewhat brash erotica. And, of course, the more explicit the more potential there is for cringe inducing word use that ruins the scene for some people. It was also way too long for a novella. I don't know how long it actually was but it felt like it went on and on. I remember saying, "Why is this sex scene 32 pages long in a hundred-something page novella?" That was obviously hyperbolic but exactly what I was thinking.
I'm not sure how I feel about Carrie. She wasn't awful, I got her, but she was a fairly flat character. She had very little conflict. I think she was driven by loneliness, which is something with which I can easily relate, but I still didn't feel much for her. The thing that really irritated me about her was the fact that she pushed Brian for what she wanted between them. He was very clear from the beginning about what the relationship was and where it was going yet Carrie kept pushing then acted like he owed her something and was refusing to give it to her. She at least had some self awareness and referred to her behavior with him as bullying. But why, recognizing that, did she continue to push instead of understanding that he was trying his damnedest to move past his limitations for her? To try and give the connection and chemistry they had together a chance. It was obvious he was suffering some secret pain. Her selfishness only served to make her unsympathetic. She had an attitude like he was leading her on when in reality he was explicitly clear with her from the start. I think eventually she was going to have to push some because he was stalled in his life and couldn't see the potential for change, but it could have waited beyond a whole two Wednesdays. That was too fast for her to think that he should give her all of himself because of some great kissing. This issue might have been created, in part, by keeping this to novella length instead of a full novel.
The worst part of this being in first person is not getting any of the story from Brian's perspective. He was very sweet and so tortured. His conflict was really interesting and deserved to be explored. Leaving it to fester in the periphery did a disservice to the character and the reader. I truly wanted him to have his say. Brian had lived his life a certain way for a long time for a very good reason and never thought he could have more, didn't really believe he deserved more. He had to work through the issues and repercussions of changing his version of normal. Traveling with him through that journey would have been far more interesting to me than Carrie's one dimensional whining. Reading this story from both of their perspectives would have made this a much more enjoyable and emotional read for me.
2.5 stars. I was looking for a sweet, romantic story and I didn't feel like I really got that but for some parts where the potential shone through.
I was provided an ARC of this book through NetGalley.
*I lost the entire first draft of this review after the first two paragraphs, so this is not as complete or as good as it was initially. I hate everything.
August 12, 2013
I will meet you on Wednesdays at noon in Celebration Park. Kissing only.
This isn't the kind of story I'd normally pick up, but there was something about the idea of two lonely souls meeting once a week to share stolen kisses in the park that sent my imagination flying. I couldn't stop wondering what would compel Carrie and Brian to enter into such an arrangement. It sounded so tawdry, so shallow, and yet, so heartfelt and hopeful, and honestly, I simply couldn't resist finding out what brought them to this point in their lives.
My Thoughts -
It doesn't often happen that a book takes me completely by surprise, but The Story Guy is one that did. I had no idea where this relationship between Brian and Carrie was going - if it was going anywhere at all - but what starts out as a sexy, intriguing, quirky tale, soon becomes a poignant, impassioned, sensual love story that I couldn't put down. It's a fairly short read but what it lacks in page count it more than makes up for with complex characters, a deeply moving story, and the promise of a beautiful, destined, happily ever after.
I wish we had been given an epilogue of some sort, something to show us where Carrie and Brian will be 5, 10, 20 years down the road. And believe me, this not a criticism, but a testament to how much I came to care about them both.
I'm looking forward to reading more by Mary Ann Rivers, a truly gifted writer.
My thanks to Random House/Loveswept and Netgalley for granting me a copy of this story in exchange for an honest review.
July 11, 2013
I went back and forth between a 2 and 3 with this one. Ultimately, lovely writing and an enjoyable premise couldn't make up for the plot and what I felt were weak character motivations. The more I thought about the story, the more those things bothered me.
Carrie is a 30-something single woman who's feeling a bit low emotionally at the start of the story. She has a good life--loving parents, friends, nothing really to complain about, but loneliness has started to set in. One night as she was perusing the personal ads on a craig's list-like site for laughs, she came across an ad by a man looking for someone for kissing only on Wednesday afternoons. Intrigued, she answers the ad, and after an IM conversation she and Brian decide to meet. The attraction is instant an mutual, the kissing fantastic, and Carrie almost immediately decides she want more.
And that's where the story starts to lose me. After two make out sessions, a few flirty IM conversations, and seriously hot phone sex, Carrie feels entitled to Brian's emotions. She insists on crossing boundaries that he very clearly delineated from the start. I couldn't get past this, and it colored how I viewed every one of their interactions from then on.
Brian is a lawyer in a job he hates. He's been his sister's sole caretaker since he finished law school. Stacy suffered severe brain damage when she was 17 due to a car accident. Their mother couldn't/wouldn't care for Stacey well, and left the state as soon as Brian took over her care. Having no one other than home health aides and an adult day care facility to help him, he's completely consumed by his caretaker role, and doesn't see room in his life for anything else. Every decision he's made in his adult life has been based on how best to accommodate his sister's need, and his Wednesday kissing sessions is a way for him to find some relief without risking emotional involvement. He's so attracted to Carrie that he goes ahead and makes the leap, but I never really believed that he was ready to do that.
The first person POV does Brian a huge disservice. Because while he tells Carrie about his negative feelings about his life, she has such a romanticized view of his caretaker role that we never see him being anything less than perfect. The writing gets a bit overwrought and frankly sappy at this point of the story. Stacey is used as a tool to show us how great Brian is, and because Carrie is so smitten we never see the reality of how difficult things can be. Carrie tells us, sure, but because she sees it all as evidence of what a wonderful man Brian is, I don't get the sense that she really sees Brian and Stacey is actual, complex individuals that exist outside of her feelings for him. Like when Carrie gives Stacey a bed bath:
And when :
And this:
And that completely unsubtle language makes up the entire final third of the story. It felt very melodramatic in some points.
In the end, I was unsure of Brian and Carrie's feelings for each other. Did Carrie cling to the first good man she lusted over to end her loneliness? After the all-consuming role of sole caretaker, could Brian really be able to adjust to an equal partnership so easily? I can't tell.
Carrie is a 30-something single woman who's feeling a bit low emotionally at the start of the story. She has a good life--loving parents, friends, nothing really to complain about, but loneliness has started to set in. One night as she was perusing the personal ads on a craig's list-like site for laughs, she came across an ad by a man looking for someone for kissing only on Wednesday afternoons. Intrigued, she answers the ad, and after an IM conversation she and Brian decide to meet. The attraction is instant an mutual, the kissing fantastic, and Carrie almost immediately decides she want more.
And that's where the story starts to lose me. After two make out sessions, a few flirty IM conversations, and seriously hot phone sex, Carrie feels entitled to Brian's emotions. She insists on crossing boundaries that he very clearly delineated from the start. I couldn't get past this, and it colored how I viewed every one of their interactions from then on.
Brian is a lawyer in a job he hates. He's been his sister's sole caretaker since he finished law school. Stacy suffered severe brain damage when she was 17 due to a car accident. Their mother couldn't/wouldn't care for Stacey well, and left the state as soon as Brian took over her care. Having no one other than home health aides and an adult day care facility to help him, he's completely consumed by his caretaker role, and doesn't see room in his life for anything else. Every decision he's made in his adult life has been based on how best to accommodate his sister's need, and his Wednesday kissing sessions is a way for him to find some relief without risking emotional involvement. He's so attracted to Carrie that he goes ahead and makes the leap, but I never really believed that he was ready to do that.
The first person POV does Brian a huge disservice. Because while he tells Carrie about his negative feelings about his life, she has such a romanticized view of his caretaker role that we never see him being anything less than perfect. The writing gets a bit overwrought and frankly sappy at this point of the story. Stacey is used as a tool to show us how great Brian is, and because Carrie is so smitten we never see the reality of how difficult things can be. Carrie tells us, sure, but because she sees it all as evidence of what a wonderful man Brian is, I don't get the sense that she really sees Brian and Stacey is actual, complex individuals that exist outside of her feelings for him. Like when Carrie gives Stacey a bed bath:
I whisper to Stacy all the things I loved about her brother, and asked if it would be okay if we shared him. I told her she would always be his little sister, but that I'd like to hang out with him too.
And when :
This is, of course, the privilege of love, to bear witness to a strong man's grief over the little sister he could never save, as much as he tried to, with every moment of life.
And this:
To live with that fear, and never have any confirmation that anything you did was the right thing? It's astonishing, every kiss he's ever given me.
And that completely unsubtle language makes up the entire final third of the story. It felt very melodramatic in some points.
In the end, I was unsure of Brian and Carrie's feelings for each other. Did Carrie cling to the first good man she lusted over to end her loneliness? After the all-consuming role of sole caretaker, could Brian really be able to adjust to an equal partnership so easily? I can't tell.
March 9, 2016
Came up in friend discussions. Leery because a) tearjerker and b) I've absolutely no tolerance for the US-dating-stuff
--------- there be spoilers below ------------
Oookay. The tearjerking jerked no tears at all, instead I was middling-to-majorly exasperated with this book and the concepts behind it.
First off, the formatting is really off, and the proofreader needs glasses. At times my kindle version was barely readable. Authors: don't get inventive with typesetting and formatting. Just stay with the norms, okay?
Then...
My distaste for melodrama in romance fiction has risen exponentially multiplied by the time I have been reading it.
I. Do. Not. Care. For. Overblown. Drama.
Especially such which is crammed into a tiny booklet sideways for the fun of it. I don't get "teh feelz", I get book-hate instead practically immediately. If an author so very clumsily, and so very OBVIOUSLY tries to manipulate my emotions they lose my every respect. I don't read to have that done to me. I do not enjoy it. If the story itself can't engender emotions in me, the story and characters are lacking something which no amount of artificial infusion of drama will cure.
Then, something which by now seriously astounds me. I mean, I read reviews before I bought this book. And these reviews state how nice a girl Carrie is, how wonderful the love for Brian and his for her, yada yada.
Fact is, it is lust, not at all love which is described here. It can't be love, not even falling in love (until the last quarter of the book), because those two barely know each other. Have people ceased to be able to tell what is what? How come?
Next, why do authors portray every single woman roughly within reach of their 30th birthday, or even past it, as wannabe mothers keening for babies and hearing their biological clock tick loudly? Not only that marriage as an institution is on a steep and steady decline these days, no, there are also a lot of women who don't want children, as in never ever. I'm so dead tired of the super-reactionary m/f romance ideal for women I could puke. Are these suckers exclusively written for women who marry and henceforth are interested only in church, cooking and children? Authors: look up REACTIONARY SHICE. And while we're at it, all serious reviewers should also look it up. Good grief!
The sex wasn't erotic. I expected whatnot after reading reviews, but the sex itself was nothing to write home about, the typical frumpy clit-oriented stuff you get to read in erotic romances where authors want to show readers they know what for a clitoris is. Sorry again: not every woman works like that. Anyone who wants to know how phone sex scenes can be interesting better watch the movie with David Duchovny. This one was boring instead.
I don't know either how much respect I should have for a man who
I did like the basic idea though. One might have achieved something brilliant with it. Alas, not in this case.
Last but not least, I wish authors would get over this present tense fad, especially present tense 1st POV. It grates like chalk on a board.
--------- there be spoilers below ------------
Oookay. The tearjerking jerked no tears at all, instead I was middling-to-majorly exasperated with this book and the concepts behind it.
First off, the formatting is really off, and the proofreader needs glasses. At times my kindle version was barely readable. Authors: don't get inventive with typesetting and formatting. Just stay with the norms, okay?
Then...
My distaste for melodrama in romance fiction has risen exponentially multiplied by the time I have been reading it.
I. Do. Not. Care. For. Overblown. Drama.
Especially such which is crammed into a tiny booklet sideways for the fun of it. I don't get "teh feelz", I get book-hate instead practically immediately. If an author so very clumsily, and so very OBVIOUSLY tries to manipulate my emotions they lose my every respect. I don't read to have that done to me. I do not enjoy it. If the story itself can't engender emotions in me, the story and characters are lacking something which no amount of artificial infusion of drama will cure.
Then, something which by now seriously astounds me. I mean, I read reviews before I bought this book. And these reviews state how nice a girl Carrie is, how wonderful the love for Brian and his for her, yada yada.
Fact is, it is lust, not at all love which is described here. It can't be love, not even falling in love (until the last quarter of the book), because those two barely know each other. Have people ceased to be able to tell what is what? How come?
Next, why do authors portray every single woman roughly within reach of their 30th birthday, or even past it, as wannabe mothers keening for babies and hearing their biological clock tick loudly? Not only that marriage as an institution is on a steep and steady decline these days, no, there are also a lot of women who don't want children, as in never ever. I'm so dead tired of the super-reactionary m/f romance ideal for women I could puke. Are these suckers exclusively written for women who marry and henceforth are interested only in church, cooking and children? Authors: look up REACTIONARY SHICE. And while we're at it, all serious reviewers should also look it up. Good grief!
The sex wasn't erotic. I expected whatnot after reading reviews, but the sex itself was nothing to write home about, the typical frumpy clit-oriented stuff you get to read in erotic romances where authors want to show readers they know what for a clitoris is. Sorry again: not every woman works like that. Anyone who wants to know how phone sex scenes can be interesting better watch the movie with David Duchovny. This one was boring instead.
I don't know either how much respect I should have for a man who
I did like the basic idea though. One might have achieved something brilliant with it. Alas, not in this case.
Last but not least, I wish authors would get over this present tense fad, especially present tense 1st POV. It grates like chalk on a board.
Read
May 10, 2015I can't believe I haven't written a thing about this. It's one of my favourite stories ever. Fragile and intense and sexy and beautiful. Enchanting heroine, vulnerable hero-who-is-a-person (which needs to be a trope, why can't this be a trope?). Also kissing.
Wonderful kissing.
Wonderful kissing.
August 17, 2013
Originally posted on Love in the Margins.
Carrie West, city librarian, has hit a bit of a rut in her life. She’s just canceled an Alaskan cruise after breaking down in tears (at work!) at the idea of playing the thirty-something year old third wheel to her very happily married parents. She swears to herself and her friends that she’s content in her singlehood, but she can’t resist reading the personals section of a local want ad website. As she’s reading through the listings early one morning, an ad simply titled “Wednesdays” catches her eye:
The novelty and intrigue of this unusual listing, as well as the picture of a thoroughly handsome man about her age, has her responding to his ad before she can talk herself out out of it. An email and some chat messages later, she’s on her way to finding out what sort of man likes kissing so much that he’d put out an ad for it.
This is a difficult review for me to write. I follow the author on Twitter and had high hopes for this book. It got great press with not one, but two glowing reviews at Dear Author. Everyone in my circle of reader friends was reading it, and after each of these friends read it, they turned to me and said “I wonder what you’ll think about this one,” which was code for “this book contains disability.” I wanted very much to love The Story Guy, but unfortunately for everyone involved, I didn’t enjoy the book very much.
To begin with, the author’s voice and style failed to draw me in. It’s written in first-person present, but doing a find-and-replace on the pronouns to replace all the I’s with “she” wouldn’t have changed much at all. Instead of using this voice to get deep inside Carrie’s psyche and personality, the author pretty much only uses it to shroud Brian in mystery and create some suspense by withholding his story and motivation from the reader. I never felt immersed in Carrie’s thoughts and feelings. I felt as though I was meant to picture myself in her place, which makes some later parts of the book fairly problematic. Also, I found the author’s language a bit too flowery and melodramatic, especially where dialog is concerned. Here’s a bit from a phone conversation between Carrie and Brian:
This is not how phone sex sounds in real life. Phone sex is awkward and impulsive and silly and intense. If they’re speaking in polished romance novel language, where’s the charming vulnerability that creates intimacy?
Perhaps because I wasn’t transported by the author’s voice I found a number of plot elements off-putting. The “insta-lust” when their lips first meet and their claims that it was the best kiss either’s ever had felt like a romance cliche. Carrie’s lack of respect for his boundaries - getting him to break his “no touching” rule, taking his phone and adding herself without his permission, pressing for a date - made little sense with how barely acquainted they were and her self-assurances that she was complete as a single woman. Additionally, the co-worker who dispenses sage relationship advice felt like a token gay guy, and Brian’s recounting of the time a man responded to his ad then showed up at the park seemed to be played for laughs.
But, of course, the thing that troubled me the most was the role Brian’s sister Stacy played.
Final assessment: If you can read this with your heart and turn off your shame detectors, this is probably a great melodramatic sort of read. Unfortunately, the magic dust didn’t work on me and the component parts were deeply troubling. D.
Carrie West, city librarian, has hit a bit of a rut in her life. She’s just canceled an Alaskan cruise after breaking down in tears (at work!) at the idea of playing the thirty-something year old third wheel to her very happily married parents. She swears to herself and her friends that she’s content in her singlehood, but she can’t resist reading the personals section of a local want ad website. As she’s reading through the listings early one morning, an ad simply titled “Wednesdays” catches her eye:
I will meet you on Wednesdays at noon in Celebration Park. Kissing only. I won’t touch you below the shoulders. You can touch me anywhere. No dating, no hookups. I will meet with you for as long as you meet me, so if you miss a Wednesday we part as strangers. No picture necessary, we can settle details via IM. Reply back with “Wednesdays Only” in the subject line.
The novelty and intrigue of this unusual listing, as well as the picture of a thoroughly handsome man about her age, has her responding to his ad before she can talk herself out out of it. An email and some chat messages later, she’s on her way to finding out what sort of man likes kissing so much that he’d put out an ad for it.
This is a difficult review for me to write. I follow the author on Twitter and had high hopes for this book. It got great press with not one, but two glowing reviews at Dear Author. Everyone in my circle of reader friends was reading it, and after each of these friends read it, they turned to me and said “I wonder what you’ll think about this one,” which was code for “this book contains disability.” I wanted very much to love The Story Guy, but unfortunately for everyone involved, I didn’t enjoy the book very much.
To begin with, the author’s voice and style failed to draw me in. It’s written in first-person present, but doing a find-and-replace on the pronouns to replace all the I’s with “she” wouldn’t have changed much at all. Instead of using this voice to get deep inside Carrie’s psyche and personality, the author pretty much only uses it to shroud Brian in mystery and create some suspense by withholding his story and motivation from the reader. I never felt immersed in Carrie’s thoughts and feelings. I felt as though I was meant to picture myself in her place, which makes some later parts of the book fairly problematic. Also, I found the author’s language a bit too flowery and melodramatic, especially where dialog is concerned. Here’s a bit from a phone conversation between Carrie and Brian:
“I would slide my hands around to your front, once it came apart, and at first, I would just hold your breasts in my hands, barely touching with my fingertips where the fullness of them spills over your bra.”
This is not how phone sex sounds in real life. Phone sex is awkward and impulsive and silly and intense. If they’re speaking in polished romance novel language, where’s the charming vulnerability that creates intimacy?
Perhaps because I wasn’t transported by the author’s voice I found a number of plot elements off-putting. The “insta-lust” when their lips first meet and their claims that it was the best kiss either’s ever had felt like a romance cliche. Carrie’s lack of respect for his boundaries - getting him to break his “no touching” rule, taking his phone and adding herself without his permission, pressing for a date - made little sense with how barely acquainted they were and her self-assurances that she was complete as a single woman. Additionally, the co-worker who dispenses sage relationship advice felt like a token gay guy, and Brian’s recounting of the time a man responded to his ad then showed up at the park seemed to be played for laughs.
But, of course, the thing that troubled me the most was the role Brian’s sister Stacy played.
Final assessment: If you can read this with your heart and turn off your shame detectors, this is probably a great melodramatic sort of read. Unfortunately, the magic dust didn’t work on me and the component parts were deeply troubling. D.
June 11, 2020
5 Short But Powerful Stars
* * * * * Spoiler Free
Where to start? The novella had more depth and real-life lessons than a 1000 page ode. To express and show what being alone and wanting more- but not really figuring out how to get it was so sweetly expressed. The frustration one can feel of knowing there is more out there but sometimes letting fear stop you from trying to get it was perfectly expressed.
But the sensual nature of the connection between Carrie and Brian rang so true for me... understanding that need to have the lips touching, holding and feeling passion... that is what gets you. The wanting...
Then to add the other layers and Carrie breaking through to Brian... just the best. True beauty. Thank you, Ms. Rivers, you really understand love and life.
For more Reviews, Free E-books and Giveaways
* * * * * Spoiler Free
Where to start? The novella had more depth and real-life lessons than a 1000 page ode. To express and show what being alone and wanting more- but not really figuring out how to get it was so sweetly expressed. The frustration one can feel of knowing there is more out there but sometimes letting fear stop you from trying to get it was perfectly expressed.
But the sensual nature of the connection between Carrie and Brian rang so true for me... understanding that need to have the lips touching, holding and feeling passion... that is what gets you. The wanting...
Then to add the other layers and Carrie breaking through to Brian... just the best. True beauty. Thank you, Ms. Rivers, you really understand love and life.
For more Reviews, Free E-books and Giveaways
August 1, 2015
Sweet, romantic, poignant and beautifully written, I adored this novella.
Carrie, a lonely librarian is intrigued by an ad she sees in the lonely hearts column. A man wants to meet a woman every Wednesday lunchtime to kiss. The woman can touch him anywhere, but he promises only to touch her above the shoulders. She's attracted by the photo he posts and decides to give it a go.
Well...I can't ever recall reading a more erotic account of a kiss. Well, lots of kisses actually. The writing was exceptional, so sensual and intense,with lots of breathy whispers and soft moans without being explicit about rude body parts. Not that I mind rude body parts getting a mention, but it's just such a pleasant change to find a writer who can create those feels and make me think without resorting to the same old stock phrases.
Highly recommended.
But why oh why oh why did the guy have to be called Brian...
Carrie, a lonely librarian is intrigued by an ad she sees in the lonely hearts column. A man wants to meet a woman every Wednesday lunchtime to kiss. The woman can touch him anywhere, but he promises only to touch her above the shoulders. She's attracted by the photo he posts and decides to give it a go.
Well...I can't ever recall reading a more erotic account of a kiss. Well, lots of kisses actually. The writing was exceptional, so sensual and intense,with lots of breathy whispers and soft moans without being explicit about rude body parts. Not that I mind rude body parts getting a mention, but it's just such a pleasant change to find a writer who can create those feels and make me think without resorting to the same old stock phrases.
Highly recommended.
But why oh why oh why did the guy have to be called Brian...
March 2, 2017
I've owned this book for so long, and I've out off reading it for almost as long - about 2 years !
Lots of reasons why not, all related to the time this was recommended to me, not the book itself ! But last night I was flicking through my TBR and opened it.
I read this in one go, hooked from the beginning by the combination of the writing, characters who read like actual people, and the lovely lovely love story.
Carrie meets Brian via an interesting ad - meet on Wednesdays, he will touch you only above the shoulders, you can touch him anywhere. Carrie is a librarian, and Brian has a secret.
Of course it becomes more than kisses in the park on Wednesday, as Carrie takes a risk and Brian lets go, and its tender and warm and funny.
Loved it
Lots of reasons why not, all related to the time this was recommended to me, not the book itself ! But last night I was flicking through my TBR and opened it.
I read this in one go, hooked from the beginning by the combination of the writing, characters who read like actual people, and the lovely lovely love story.
Carrie meets Brian via an interesting ad - meet on Wednesdays, he will touch you only above the shoulders, you can touch him anywhere. Carrie is a librarian, and Brian has a secret.
Of course it becomes more than kisses in the park on Wednesday, as Carrie takes a risk and Brian lets go, and its tender and warm and funny.
Loved it
January 4, 2015
There are some romances that make a reader smile. There are some romance novels that steam up glasses. And there are romances that make a reader cry from joy and again from sadness and then again from joy. The Story Guyis all of these and more. I could not put this book (or my kindle ..) down. There are are some romances where everything is too easy. There are some romance novels that end almost too perfectly happy and the problems just disappear. And then there are some romance novels that purposely break your heart. The Story Guy is none of of these. It is an emotional ride, it is beautiful and it is rewarding - but never easy or convenient.
Novellas do not often completely suck me in, but The Story Guy did. From the first page I was in this world; I was invested and I could not (and did not want to) let go. In her guest blog post at Badass Book Reviews, author Mary Ann Rivers discusses the challenges and benefits of writing a novella compared with a full length novel. She admits it is challenging but in a novella she can take risks as a writer. Those risks paid off in The Story Guy.
The set up is not entirely new and but yet it is completely unique. The main character Carrie is a working woman with strong friendships but not in a romantic relationship. She is stuck in a rut and cannot seem to get out. To pass her insomnia, late at night she reads personal ads online, one night -- one of these ads catches her eye. This is where the unique begins.The dialogue in The Story Guy is smart, intellectual and witty. I want Carrie and her friends to be my friends. The importance of a strong backdrop to the romance means that the story was so much richer and more complex. While the romance was the focus, the story was rich because of the characters beyond just the hero and heroine.
Read The Story Guy. You will not be disappointed.
For a chance to win an ebook copy of this novella, come play Badass Book Reviews
To read this review and others like it, check out Badass Book Reviews
Novellas do not often completely suck me in, but The Story Guy did. From the first page I was in this world; I was invested and I could not (and did not want to) let go. In her guest blog post at Badass Book Reviews, author Mary Ann Rivers discusses the challenges and benefits of writing a novella compared with a full length novel. She admits it is challenging but in a novella she can take risks as a writer. Those risks paid off in The Story Guy.
The set up is not entirely new and but yet it is completely unique. The main character Carrie is a working woman with strong friendships but not in a romantic relationship. She is stuck in a rut and cannot seem to get out. To pass her insomnia, late at night she reads personal ads online, one night -- one of these ads catches her eye. This is where the unique begins.The dialogue in The Story Guy is smart, intellectual and witty. I want Carrie and her friends to be my friends. The importance of a strong backdrop to the romance means that the story was so much richer and more complex. While the romance was the focus, the story was rich because of the characters beyond just the hero and heroine.
Read The Story Guy. You will not be disappointed.
For a chance to win an ebook copy of this novella, come play Badass Book Reviews
To read this review and others like it, check out Badass Book Reviews
December 7, 2014
This is a very special book. Poignant, beautifully written, crafted, and sizzling hot. The wonder of this book is that is not fantasy really as so many romance novels (rightfully so) are. The author says she writes about the people standing in line in front of her for coffee and she does. There is no escapism in this book except for the escape into possibility and choice. Grand romantic stuff.
Written in the first person from the view of our awesome librarian heroine, the love story is tender, emotional, and sexy as hell. The hero is complex, conflicted, gorgeous inside and out, hot and real. The heroine is funny, self reflective, and emotionally brave. They are the best kind of people with the best kind of love--ordinary and extraordinary the way most people are.
This book has something for every romance fan angst, dirty talk, instant messaging, making out, wit, romantic gestures, and more.
The writing itself is so very, very good. The pacing is excellent, descriptions absorbing, character development round, lush, and gripping, the use of metaphor perfectly sets an exact world, worldview, and moment. Clearly, I will be stalking this writer's future work.
I do think that this book mirrors Ruthie Knox's Big Boy a bit in its basic premise but I prefer to think of these likelinesses as the characteristics of the personal ad meeting theme more than anything else and as both books are so very good there is no harm.
This book would have been perfect with an epilogue. I know that this is a short novella but a juicy ripe epilogue would have made this story a rereading favorite for sure. Maybe on the writer's website...hint, hint. hint..
I am thrilled to have found this new writer. I can't wait to see what she writes next. I highly recommend this book and will be singing its praises most loudly.
I was given this book for my honest review. So, there you have it.
Written in the first person from the view of our awesome librarian heroine, the love story is tender, emotional, and sexy as hell. The hero is complex, conflicted, gorgeous inside and out, hot and real. The heroine is funny, self reflective, and emotionally brave. They are the best kind of people with the best kind of love--ordinary and extraordinary the way most people are.
This book has something for every romance fan angst, dirty talk, instant messaging, making out, wit, romantic gestures, and more.
The writing itself is so very, very good. The pacing is excellent, descriptions absorbing, character development round, lush, and gripping, the use of metaphor perfectly sets an exact world, worldview, and moment. Clearly, I will be stalking this writer's future work.
I do think that this book mirrors Ruthie Knox's Big Boy a bit in its basic premise but I prefer to think of these likelinesses as the characteristics of the personal ad meeting theme more than anything else and as both books are so very good there is no harm.
This book would have been perfect with an epilogue. I know that this is a short novella but a juicy ripe epilogue would have made this story a rereading favorite for sure. Maybe on the writer's website...hint, hint. hint..
I am thrilled to have found this new writer. I can't wait to see what she writes next. I highly recommend this book and will be singing its praises most loudly.
I was given this book for my honest review. So, there you have it.
November 26, 2014
Lovely. That's the one word that sums up this book.
It's lovely, sweet, romantic and hot.
The writing is intelligent, the kissing is the hottest kissing I've ever read, the lead male is an incredibly good guy, lead female is sweet and geeky and the story is very romantic.
Wonderful short read.
It's lovely, sweet, romantic and hot.
The writing is intelligent, the kissing is the hottest kissing I've ever read, the lead male is an incredibly good guy, lead female is sweet and geeky and the story is very romantic.
Wonderful short read.
April 17, 2020
I had this story for a longest time...
read it now bc a;it is short and b; I needed it for a challenge prompt...
otherwise, I think I would dnf it...pretty messy
read it now bc a;it is short and b; I needed it for a challenge prompt...
otherwise, I think I would dnf it...pretty messy
July 2, 2013
Originally reviewed here @ Angieville
I can thank the ever-reliable Carolyn Crane for inspiring me to track down an advanced copy of this one. I read her mini-review and was seriously sold. She said it was romantic, smart, and full of "character mysteries," a term I had never even really thought of before but that I instantly got and loved. So it was Carolyn's review and the following little teaser line from the novella that piqued my interest:
Um, yes. Yes, please. Shades of Ruthie Knox's Big Boy began to drift over me (Knox actually blurbed this one). And we all know how I felt about that little bit of perfection. So basically at that point nothing--but nothing--was keeping me from giving Mary Ann Rivers' debut novella a shot.
Carrie had a minor existential meltdown at work. Just a minor one. It involved her supervisor (and friend) at the library offhandedly remarking that an Alaskan cruise with Carrie's parents was a totally valid vacation for a thirty-something single woman to take. The conversation devolved from there, and Carrie wound up surfing the web at three in the morning picking out used furniture she doesn't need and questioning the series of life choices that brought her to that point. Then, in need of the kind of comfort only browsing the singles ads on Metrolink can provide, she ran across one that stood out from all the others. Kissing only, it said. He would be there every Wednesday without fail. Either party is free to back out at any time. Simply don't show up, and the other will understand it's over and they will part as indifferent strangers. And so just for a lark, just because she's alone and not actually interested in going on that Alaskan cruise with her folks anymore, Carrie answers the post. And so she meets Brian. And so she is soon on the receiving end of the kiss to end all kisses. And so begins a non-relationship that she might never want to let go. If she can only figure out how to be more than just Wednesdays.
THE STORY GUY is singularly addicting. The protagonist is a teen services librarian, for crying out loud. So obviously, she and I were like this from page one. Then she had to go and be all philosophical and perceptive about singles ads online and it was like my eyes had fastened on her plight and nothing could tear them away. It helps that I resonated with the way she narrates her life and, most of all, with the way she calmly assesses the rabbit hole she's gone down and goes about doing what she needs to in order to hold onto the wonder she finds there. For example:
It was that resolute calm that really got to me. Well, that and the kissing. Naturally. And, yes, in case you were wondering, this is a book where she saves him. She so saves him, you guys. And does he ever need it. The thing is, they're both just right down in the trenches of life. Right down in them. The loneliness and the doggedness and the relentlessness of every one of their days stole my breath they were so close to the surface. The similarities to Knox's Big Boy did hover around the edges of my mind as I read, although THE STORY GUY has a sweeter overall tone, flirting near the edges of precious particularly near the end. Gratefully, Rivers' sure way with words saves it from irrevocably crossing that line. So if you like quietly beating stories about girls who save their guys and guys who are actually so very nice but have convinced themselves they're not nice at all, then this book is undoubtedly for you. Lastly, just for you guys, my favorite passage:
I rest my case.
I can thank the ever-reliable Carolyn Crane for inspiring me to track down an advanced copy of this one. I read her mini-review and was seriously sold. She said it was romantic, smart, and full of "character mysteries," a term I had never even really thought of before but that I instantly got and loved. So it was Carolyn's review and the following little teaser line from the novella that piqued my interest:
I will meet you on Wednesdays at noon in Celebration Park. Kissing only.
Um, yes. Yes, please. Shades of Ruthie Knox's Big Boy began to drift over me (Knox actually blurbed this one). And we all know how I felt about that little bit of perfection. So basically at that point nothing--but nothing--was keeping me from giving Mary Ann Rivers' debut novella a shot.
Carrie had a minor existential meltdown at work. Just a minor one. It involved her supervisor (and friend) at the library offhandedly remarking that an Alaskan cruise with Carrie's parents was a totally valid vacation for a thirty-something single woman to take. The conversation devolved from there, and Carrie wound up surfing the web at three in the morning picking out used furniture she doesn't need and questioning the series of life choices that brought her to that point. Then, in need of the kind of comfort only browsing the singles ads on Metrolink can provide, she ran across one that stood out from all the others. Kissing only, it said. He would be there every Wednesday without fail. Either party is free to back out at any time. Simply don't show up, and the other will understand it's over and they will part as indifferent strangers. And so just for a lark, just because she's alone and not actually interested in going on that Alaskan cruise with her folks anymore, Carrie answers the post. And so she meets Brian. And so she is soon on the receiving end of the kiss to end all kisses. And so begins a non-relationship that she might never want to let go. If she can only figure out how to be more than just Wednesdays.
THE STORY GUY is singularly addicting. The protagonist is a teen services librarian, for crying out loud. So obviously, she and I were like this from page one. Then she had to go and be all philosophical and perceptive about singles ads online and it was like my eyes had fastened on her plight and nothing could tear them away. It helps that I resonated with the way she narrates her life and, most of all, with the way she calmly assesses the rabbit hole she's gone down and goes about doing what she needs to in order to hold onto the wonder she finds there. For example:
I should take his kisses with me and go. But with a seeping, resolute calm, I decide to keep him. I am not losing these Wednesdays, even if I can't have anything else. "Stop. It's okay. Don't explain--I swear it's fine."
"It doesn't have to be." His flush is draining, his eyes clearing. The tendrils of heat between us lose their moorings in the breeze. I shiver.
"But it is." I straighten up. Fix my own glasses. He is looking at me with doubt. "It is." And as soon as I say it, it's true. I go back to feeling tender, but the feeling is overlaid with a new trust, which when I examine that trust later may feel misplaced, but I am fine to act on that trust now.
I have never been gladder for my own uncomplicated life, the simple love I've had from my family and friends, for my interesting daily work and the unencumbered lifestyle I created for myself. I have room for this.
It was that resolute calm that really got to me. Well, that and the kissing. Naturally. And, yes, in case you were wondering, this is a book where she saves him. She so saves him, you guys. And does he ever need it. The thing is, they're both just right down in the trenches of life. Right down in them. The loneliness and the doggedness and the relentlessness of every one of their days stole my breath they were so close to the surface. The similarities to Knox's Big Boy did hover around the edges of my mind as I read, although THE STORY GUY has a sweeter overall tone, flirting near the edges of precious particularly near the end. Gratefully, Rivers' sure way with words saves it from irrevocably crossing that line. So if you like quietly beating stories about girls who save their guys and guys who are actually so very nice but have convinced themselves they're not nice at all, then this book is undoubtedly for you. Lastly, just for you guys, my favorite passage:
My path is the nice one. The one filled with friends who will smile when I buy their children books for their birthdays. Who will take me out, sometimes, when I call on a random night because I can't settle down. The path with peaceful holidays with my parents, and reasonable work promotions at reasonable times.
The path with nice men, who take me on nice dates where I learn their last names the minute we shake hands at the bar.
A path clear of a man with eyes that drift into some private sorrow. A path that will never lead to a man whose hands shake when he holds my face for a kiss that feels like falling.
I rest my case.
July 23, 2013
"The only thing worse than smug married couple;In some ways, reading this novella reminded me of the dinner party scene in the film Bridget Jones's Diary. Bridget Jones attends a dinner party hosted and filled with seemingly happy (and color-coordinated) married couples, then spends an uncomfortable evening fielding questions and comments about her love life: "You really ought to hurry up and get sprugged up, you know, old girl. Time’s running out. Tick Tock.”; “Seriously now, the office is filled with single girls in their thirties. Fine physical specimens, but they just can’t seem to hold down a chap.”; “Yes, why is it that there are so many unmarried women in their thirties these days, Bridget?”
lots of smug married couples."
-Bridget Jones's Diary
Helen Fielding
Uncomfortable silence.
And this is how the heroine comes across. There was a near constant emphasis on, and by, the heroine on being thirty-something and alone. She even refers to herself as a spinster. And everyone is worried.
Perhaps it was an unintentional result of clumsy storytelling, but I couldn’t help feeling unease at what seemed to be an underlying message that if you are thirty-something, or "a woman of a certain age" as the heroine kept referring to herself and other women like her, that your life is not fulfilled, and you are doomed to a lonely existence, unless you are in a committed romantic relationship.
"There isn't even a woman-of-a-certain-age cat to slide out of a windowsill and greet me. Not even a goldfish to swish its tail and surface for flakes. There isn't even a fucking plant. Why don't I own a fucking plant?"
I shake my head at you, "woman-of-a-certain-age cat" phrase.
Perhaps when you place all of this in context, since finding love is the initial premise of the story, it all seems benign. But, when juxtaposed with other things, I felt a disturbing theme emerge. Every single character that is involved with Carrie in some way is in a relationship and is exuberantly, deliriously happy, and because of it, leading happy, fulfilled lives. And having babies. Carrie's best friend is considering having a child, and the only other woman who makes a brief appearance in the story is pregnant.
Hey, there is absolutely nothing wrong with wanting to find love, and wanting to fill that need. And I commend the heroine for unabashedly admitting to herself that love is an important piece of the puzzle of her life. The problem is that for Carrie, it seems to be the only piece worth having. And her life seems to fall apart from the lack of it.
And I think this is part of the reason the romance did not work for me. Both Carrie and Brian come across as two very lonely, needy, sometimes desperate, lost people seeking comfort, solace and meaning in the arms of another person. Their love just wasn't believable.
Other thoughts:
❖I didn't feel any chemistry between Carrie and Brian. They were just so bland. Even their dialogue was bland and boring.
❖The sexy times were unsexy. They were written in a sometimes awkward and slightly cringeworthy way. It wasn't purple prose, but just certain words and phrasing used that seemed sort of odd and unsexy.
❖The writing itself is lovely, but at times felt overdone. The poetic language sometimes bled into the dialogue, making it seem unrealistic. In truth, everything seemed a bit unnatural. The writing seemed to be trying very hard to elicit emotions from the reader--I could feel the author's intent bleeding through the story. There is even the inclusion of a very contrived scene
❖Brian's reasoning for not getting involved wasn't persuasive enough for me. He also comes across as somewhat whiney, and a little pathetic.
❖All is resolved too quickly and easily. In fact, the resolution at the end makes Brian's initial angst and reasoning seem even less persuasive, and even more manufactured.
In the end, I decided on a rating of 3 stars. While I didn't love this story, I didn't necessarily hate it either. It was beautifully written, and I can also appreciate what it was trying to accomplish.
Final Rating: 3 stars
July 30, 2013
Some of you are probably thinking "Rose, woman, why are you only giving this three stars?" I did like it, but not as much as I hoped. Many measures were missing from this story to me and it just didn't connect as well when considering it in the aftermath.
In truth, I probably would've loved this if were given the full novel treatment - given more of a chance of fleshing out and more on the side of the emotional intimacy to details pertinent within the story and the characters. I'll admit I wanted to spend a little more time watching Brian and Carrie's relationship grow - that part of the narrative had potential and strength from what I saw in this. Their chat sessions in the beginning of the novella were very sweet. I liked the idea of Carrie meeting him on Wednesdays to engage in "kissing" sessions, with no purported ties in their relationship at first. But as Carrie yearns for more, Brian's reluctant to dive more into their relationship because of circumstances she has yet to uncover in his "story."
One major issue I can name off the bat was on the awkwardness of the writing. I actually don't mind the style, but this is one of those times where I felt instead of giving a more intimate view of the character (Carrie), it just put a distance between me and the unfolding characters and situations with some of the random turns - it didn't mesh as even as I hoped. I normally like slice of life stories and getting into a character's head, but Carrie's account didn't pull me completely in, even as I went the full length of the novella. I kept asking myself what the problem was and I figured it out only close to when the novella was winding down and coming to its respective conclusion.
Another issue: I felt shortchanged on the note of the emotional intimacy and vetting of the respective revelations surrounding Brian's character (whom I liked). It was kind of dumped, to be honest. I think his sister deserved more time, respect, and attention than she received in this novella - it didn't mesh right with me given the gravity of what happened with her and the role he took on - somehow I was expecting more development and felt cheated by that. There were some details in this that could've been skipped over in Carrie's perspective, and substituted with development on Brian's behalf and his respective life because his "side" of the story had more stakes to consider, and as readers, we don't see the rounding of those weights to consider it with his respective narrative. Carrie's companions were okay, but I still didn't feel like I really connected with them.
I also didn't expect Brian and Carrie's relationship to get steamy so soon (not complaining on the steam factor, just the immediacy of it). I felt like it was one moment they were kissing and flirty and the next it was "almost anonymous phone sex" and then after some tough reveals - BOOM. Sexy times. It didn't hit me with the full satisfaction or rounding out that I've read in other novellas or stories of its type for the relationship presented.
I'd read more from Mary Ann Rivers though, just to have an idea of where she could take her ideas and characters in a full narrative. This had some sweet moments, but not the kind of punch-gut resonance that I was hoping to have with it.
Overall score: 3/5
Note: I received this as an ARC from NetGalley, from the publisher Random House/Loveswept.
In truth, I probably would've loved this if were given the full novel treatment - given more of a chance of fleshing out and more on the side of the emotional intimacy to details pertinent within the story and the characters. I'll admit I wanted to spend a little more time watching Brian and Carrie's relationship grow - that part of the narrative had potential and strength from what I saw in this. Their chat sessions in the beginning of the novella were very sweet. I liked the idea of Carrie meeting him on Wednesdays to engage in "kissing" sessions, with no purported ties in their relationship at first. But as Carrie yearns for more, Brian's reluctant to dive more into their relationship because of circumstances she has yet to uncover in his "story."
One major issue I can name off the bat was on the awkwardness of the writing. I actually don't mind the style, but this is one of those times where I felt instead of giving a more intimate view of the character (Carrie), it just put a distance between me and the unfolding characters and situations with some of the random turns - it didn't mesh as even as I hoped. I normally like slice of life stories and getting into a character's head, but Carrie's account didn't pull me completely in, even as I went the full length of the novella. I kept asking myself what the problem was and I figured it out only close to when the novella was winding down and coming to its respective conclusion.
Another issue: I felt shortchanged on the note of the emotional intimacy and vetting of the respective revelations surrounding Brian's character (whom I liked). It was kind of dumped, to be honest. I think his sister deserved more time, respect, and attention than she received in this novella - it didn't mesh right with me given the gravity of what happened with her and the role he took on - somehow I was expecting more development and felt cheated by that. There were some details in this that could've been skipped over in Carrie's perspective, and substituted with development on Brian's behalf and his respective life because his "side" of the story had more stakes to consider, and as readers, we don't see the rounding of those weights to consider it with his respective narrative. Carrie's companions were okay, but I still didn't feel like I really connected with them.
I also didn't expect Brian and Carrie's relationship to get steamy so soon (not complaining on the steam factor, just the immediacy of it). I felt like it was one moment they were kissing and flirty and the next it was "almost anonymous phone sex" and then after some tough reveals - BOOM. Sexy times. It didn't hit me with the full satisfaction or rounding out that I've read in other novellas or stories of its type for the relationship presented.
I'd read more from Mary Ann Rivers though, just to have an idea of where she could take her ideas and characters in a full narrative. This had some sweet moments, but not the kind of punch-gut resonance that I was hoping to have with it.
Overall score: 3/5
Note: I received this as an ARC from NetGalley, from the publisher Random House/Loveswept.
July 11, 2013
Amazing, breathtaking, sexy, exquisitely beautiful. Probably the best debut romance novella I've ever read. No words to express how gorgeous this story is. This book is the best $.99 you will spend this year. Every romance reader should experience the voice of Mary Ann Rivers. I'm now sobbing because she has no backlist but with this one inspiring story, she now has a permanent place on my bookshelf.
"You're my story guy...I sort of told you about it once. Some idea Justin has about somebody that makes a big bookmark in your life. But I think, maybe, I won't look back at what you highlighted because I won't need to. I want to read all the way to the end with you."
"All the way, even if you cry at the end?"
I smile. "Didn't I tell you? My favorite stories have crying at the end."
June 23, 2013
This book is gorgeous, romantic, and smart, and full of the kind of character mysteries that I love. The story itself is quite simple, but full of complexity and richness, nuanced little tweaks of thinking and some very hot scenes, including a phone sex scene that rather delighted me. Plus, I really enjoy reading about librarians, and this book delivered on the librarian thing. I can't believe it's just a novella, actually. Yum!!
June 4, 2014
3.5 Stars
The Story Guy was a beautifully written, wistful romance in 120 short pages.
Carrie is in her middle thirties and mostly happy with her life with nice parents and friends and a job at the library she loves, but she’s a little lonely. Carrie’s struck out with the professional dating websites that matched her up men that seem more like stylized versions of real people. But she hasn’t been actively looking for a relationship. Surfing the MetroLink personals is an late night addiction full of a wide range of very different ads, nothing like you would see on a professional dating site, more gritty, honest, what “men might really be thinking and never say” and this is where she’s sees Brian’s ad and photo. She���s immediately intrigued:
“I will meet you on Wednesdays at noon in Celebration Park. Kissing only. I won’t touch you below the shoulders. You can touch me anywhere. No dating, no hookups.”
Carrie meets up with Brian and has the most incredible, passionate, lusty kisses she has ever had, and they get along well, too. They seem to just click, but anytime Carrie tries dig or ask for more, Brian immediately shuts down.
As a reader I had a pretty good general idea of what was going on with Brian and when I found out the story, I couldn’t really blame him for trying to keeping things simple and unattached. Still, Carrie is in a tricky situation, because if you really care about someone how can you stand it if they won’t let you in? Not to worry though, this is a romance after all.
This story was emotional and moving with a dose of sad reality, but it was also very steamy. Mary Ann Rivers’ writing was sensual and beautiful, and I look forward to picking up more of her work soon.
A copy was provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
You can read this review and more at The Readers Den.
The Story Guy was a beautifully written, wistful romance in 120 short pages.
Carrie is in her middle thirties and mostly happy with her life with nice parents and friends and a job at the library she loves, but she’s a little lonely. Carrie’s struck out with the professional dating websites that matched her up men that seem more like stylized versions of real people. But she hasn’t been actively looking for a relationship. Surfing the MetroLink personals is an late night addiction full of a wide range of very different ads, nothing like you would see on a professional dating site, more gritty, honest, what “men might really be thinking and never say” and this is where she’s sees Brian’s ad and photo. She���s immediately intrigued:
“I will meet you on Wednesdays at noon in Celebration Park. Kissing only. I won’t touch you below the shoulders. You can touch me anywhere. No dating, no hookups.”
Carrie meets up with Brian and has the most incredible, passionate, lusty kisses she has ever had, and they get along well, too. They seem to just click, but anytime Carrie tries dig or ask for more, Brian immediately shuts down.
As a reader I had a pretty good general idea of what was going on with Brian and when I found out the story, I couldn’t really blame him for trying to keeping things simple and unattached. Still, Carrie is in a tricky situation, because if you really care about someone how can you stand it if they won’t let you in? Not to worry though, this is a romance after all.
This story was emotional and moving with a dose of sad reality, but it was also very steamy. Mary Ann Rivers’ writing was sensual and beautiful, and I look forward to picking up more of her work soon.
A copy was provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
You can read this review and more at The Readers Den.
June 20, 2013
3.5 stars
Well, color me surprised. Another beautiful, poetic voice in the world of erotic romance. They are so few and far between, I, for one, am thrilled that Ms. Rivers is finally on the scene.
The set-up of this novella is unique and intriguing and...okay, a little weird. It was a little weird when Carrie and Brian first met, too, and I was thinking there was no way there was going to be chemistry between these two characters. And then the kiss happened. And wow.
I really felt the struggles of the characters, the push and pull and the wondering, but at times I was frustrated with how Carrie handled some of the situations. I won't say much more than that, so as not to spoil for potential readers, but a few things she did just didn't sit well with me. I wanted--I expected--more from her.
The only other issue I had with the book was one of the sex scenes--the sex scene. The language, the flow, the situation...none of it worked for me, but that is totally a me thing. My personal preference, and I don't want to dissuade anyone from reading based on that and that alone.
If you're looking for a fresh, poetic voice in erotic romance, Ms. Rivers fits the bill.
Well, color me surprised. Another beautiful, poetic voice in the world of erotic romance. They are so few and far between, I, for one, am thrilled that Ms. Rivers is finally on the scene.
The set-up of this novella is unique and intriguing and...okay, a little weird. It was a little weird when Carrie and Brian first met, too, and I was thinking there was no way there was going to be chemistry between these two characters. And then the kiss happened. And wow.
I really felt the struggles of the characters, the push and pull and the wondering, but at times I was frustrated with how Carrie handled some of the situations. I won't say much more than that, so as not to spoil for potential readers, but a few things she did just didn't sit well with me. I wanted--I expected--more from her.
The only other issue I had with the book was one of the sex scenes--the sex scene. The language, the flow, the situation...none of it worked for me, but that is totally a me thing. My personal preference, and I don't want to dissuade anyone from reading based on that and that alone.
If you're looking for a fresh, poetic voice in erotic romance, Ms. Rivers fits the bill.
January 6, 2014
The Story Guy is a quick and short read that never comes across that way. It is multi-layered, unique, and memorable.
Brian Newburgh and Carrie West meet online after Carrie answers a personal add. The add states that Brian is looking for a Wednesday afternoon weekly meeting that will consist of "kissing only". The add clearly states that this meeting will not result in a relationship or anything further sexual. Kissing only.
This is of course a romance novel, so the rules set up in the personal add were meant to be broken:)
Although this relationship starts out "playing by the rules", as the chemistry heats up between Brian and Carrie, things quickly progress beyond the Wednesday kissing date.
This novella has lots of unexpected depth. I loved Brian and his commitment to those he loves. Carrie, a librarian, came off as a bit desperate (which was unfortunate), but I still liked her character. I got a chuckle out of her love of books, and her email address: librariansdeweyitbetter@villagemail.com.
This is a fabulous book to choose when you are in need of something quick yet still quality.
Brian Newburgh and Carrie West meet online after Carrie answers a personal add. The add states that Brian is looking for a Wednesday afternoon weekly meeting that will consist of "kissing only". The add clearly states that this meeting will not result in a relationship or anything further sexual. Kissing only.
This is of course a romance novel, so the rules set up in the personal add were meant to be broken:)
Although this relationship starts out "playing by the rules", as the chemistry heats up between Brian and Carrie, things quickly progress beyond the Wednesday kissing date.
This novella has lots of unexpected depth. I loved Brian and his commitment to those he loves. Carrie, a librarian, came off as a bit desperate (which was unfortunate), but I still liked her character. I got a chuckle out of her love of books, and her email address: librariansdeweyitbetter@villagemail.com.
This is a fabulous book to choose when you are in need of something quick yet still quality.
December 3, 2013
READ THIS.
NOW.
SO amazingly good. So gorgeously written. The language is lush and emotional. This novella is a luxury goose down comforter, so wonderful to sink into and wrap up in, for readers who think literary romance is not and never should be an oxymoron.
The set up is so original and yet heartbreaking realistic. The characters are real, three dimensional, living people. The secondary characters scarcely appear on the page, yet still have distinct personalities. The writing is clever and real and breaks your heart on one page while making you smile with delight on the next.
It's a sweet-salty bonbon of a story, with some truly sizzling - and oh so well written - sex scenes. I normally skip over love scenes after the first few paragraphs because, truthfully, there are only so many ways to describe tab A sliding into slot B and most of them are just eye-rollingly bad. But these were a joy to read (and did I mention sizzling?)
Can't wait to read more from this author!
NOW.
SO amazingly good. So gorgeously written. The language is lush and emotional. This novella is a luxury goose down comforter, so wonderful to sink into and wrap up in, for readers who think literary romance is not and never should be an oxymoron.
The set up is so original and yet heartbreaking realistic. The characters are real, three dimensional, living people. The secondary characters scarcely appear on the page, yet still have distinct personalities. The writing is clever and real and breaks your heart on one page while making you smile with delight on the next.
It's a sweet-salty bonbon of a story, with some truly sizzling - and oh so well written - sex scenes. I normally skip over love scenes after the first few paragraphs because, truthfully, there are only so many ways to describe tab A sliding into slot B and most of them are just eye-rollingly bad. But these were a joy to read (and did I mention sizzling?)
Can't wait to read more from this author!
April 10, 2017
Book-wise I'm apparently having an off year.
Lately everything I read rubs me the wrong way or just feels off to me... I can't connect with either the characters, the story (plot), or the writing and sometimes with neither of those three things.
And here, I don't know what bothered me the most:
- The stuffy prose. The thing is I actually used to enjoy certain lyricism in writing. When I'm into it, I love it. When I find it slightly overdone, it annoys the fuck out of me. Here it crossed the line into "too much" and I was never able to take certain sentences seriously or without rolling my eyes.
- Both the main characters that I find to be insufferable. Carrie, who one chapter is "I am woman, I am strong" and the next seems to be dropping out of the deep end of depression or some sort of middle life crisis. I never warmed up to her. I found her to be pushy to the extreme, specially when it came to previously agreed boundaries for hers and Brian's interactions. She disrespected every single limit set out beforehand for the "relationship" and that's unforgivable to me. No matter how much of a "it's for your own good" thing the author tried to excuse her actions with. And Brian, man... Brian. I get the feeling that Rivers was trying to go for a hopelessly romantic vibe for the character here, but I basically just found him to be hopeless.
- The plot. Take my every comment with a salt of grain, because I seem to be the only one to find the set up to be farcical. A part of me even feels a bit emotionally manipulated. After so much mystery shrouded in pretty words and over the top physical chemistry, I was expecting way more than the old and fucking weary routine of "I'm not good enough for you. I'm not a good man." Shoot me. And when I found the exact reason for the secrecy I was baffled. I didn't even had time to feel angry about it because then the novella ends. Ok, not so abruptly, but almost so.
Finally, did a grope-in-the-office-scene had to happen? I despair for the future of romance (both real and fictional) if I can't find one that doesn't depict grossly unprofessional people and that necessitates a horny tryst in your place of work. It seems that lately every contemporary romance I read has some of that and then more.
There's authors that can write and project intimacy perfectly and I get that's what Rivers was trying to go for. I get the motives behind such a story. I also do get and understand quick connections, both physical and emotional. But Rivers didn't manage to convey any of that for me here. Still, I read this in one sitting. And I might give a Rivers another chance in the future. There are a lot of great reviews for her work and a lot of people whose opinion I value recommend her. So, we'll see.
Lately everything I read rubs me the wrong way or just feels off to me... I can't connect with either the characters, the story (plot), or the writing and sometimes with neither of those three things.
And here, I don't know what bothered me the most:
- The stuffy prose. The thing is I actually used to enjoy certain lyricism in writing. When I'm into it, I love it. When I find it slightly overdone, it annoys the fuck out of me. Here it crossed the line into "too much" and I was never able to take certain sentences seriously or without rolling my eyes.
- Both the main characters that I find to be insufferable. Carrie, who one chapter is "I am woman, I am strong" and the next seems to be dropping out of the deep end of depression or some sort of middle life crisis. I never warmed up to her. I found her to be pushy to the extreme, specially when it came to previously agreed boundaries for hers and Brian's interactions. She disrespected every single limit set out beforehand for the "relationship" and that's unforgivable to me. No matter how much of a "it's for your own good" thing the author tried to excuse her actions with. And Brian, man... Brian. I get the feeling that Rivers was trying to go for a hopelessly romantic vibe for the character here, but I basically just found him to be hopeless.
- The plot. Take my every comment with a salt of grain, because I seem to be the only one to find the set up to be farcical. A part of me even feels a bit emotionally manipulated. After so much mystery shrouded in pretty words and over the top physical chemistry, I was expecting way more than the old and fucking weary routine of "I'm not good enough for you. I'm not a good man." Shoot me. And when I found the exact reason for the secrecy I was baffled. I didn't even had time to feel angry about it because then the novella ends. Ok, not so abruptly, but almost so.
Finally, did a grope-in-the-office-scene had to happen? I despair for the future of romance (both real and fictional) if I can't find one that doesn't depict grossly unprofessional people and that necessitates a horny tryst in your place of work. It seems that lately every contemporary romance I read has some of that and then more.
There's authors that can write and project intimacy perfectly and I get that's what Rivers was trying to go for. I get the motives behind such a story. I also do get and understand quick connections, both physical and emotional. But Rivers didn't manage to convey any of that for me here. Still, I read this in one sitting. And I might give a Rivers another chance in the future. There are a lot of great reviews for her work and a lot of people whose opinion I value recommend her. So, we'll see.
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