Tuesday, May 6, 2014

[Double Review]: "Laugh"

Laugh by Mary Ann Rivers
Publisher: Loveswept (May 6, 2014) 
Series: Burnside, 2
Genre: Contemporary Romance



Mary Ann Rivers continues her Burnside family series—perfect for readers of Kristan Higgins, Jill Shalvis, and Ruthie Knox—as two people try to share their hearts without losing their cool.

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

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






Where to Buy*:
 Kindle | NOOK 
More Info:


Reviews of Rivers' Other Books:

The Story Guy -- Kame

Live (#1) -- Pat




Kame's Review:



Sam’s best friend has sent him to volunteer at a city farm to help him concentrate on more than the clinic they are trying to open. He meets Nina and is instantly taken with her love of farming and the spark she has within.


Sam Burnside is a doctor he takes care of people every day. He has been taking care of people a lot longer than he has been a doctor, he is just made that way; he needs to make sure people are happy. He is an oldest child and now that his parents have passed he is obsessed with the welfare of his siblings. He is imperfect and is constantly trying to find a way to live with his ADHD. I loved him as a character, he was just so honest, you knew no matter what he said or did it came from the heart. Nina is a widow who has moved away from her family to try to find her way to happy. She is dedicated to the idea of community farming and surrounds herself with people who have the same passion. Her character was harder for me to embrace, she had some moments I wanted to just sit her down and have a long talk with her. She loved her friends fiercely but somehow could not allow herself to accept romantic love.


How I love Mary Ann Rivers characters. They are not some romanticized character, they swear, they have real life issues, they mess up when trying to impress a girl; and they do this all in a way most of us can relate to. In my inexpert opinion I would classify this plot as a going through life plot. We are with these characters as they are living their lives and it wasn’t obvious as the book progressed what the desired endpoint would be; not a bad thing but sometimes it felt like we were just treading water. There was a lot of internal dialog in this book; and sometime I felt it took away from a scene instead of adding to it. Even with all that dialog I still felt that Nina was not as a developed character as Sam; Sam I would love to see in another book and knowing how involved he is in his siblings lives I can see him making an appearance in future books.



I did not read the first book in this series, but I was not lost. I will definitely put book 1 on my TBR pile and anxiously await book 3.



4 STARS! 




Pat's Review:


My thought at the end of this book was that it was a crazy, mixed-up, aggravating, beautifully romantic love story. I found myself up long after midnight finishing it.


To be honest, I did not like Sam Burnside in the first book in the series, Live. He was judgmental, always angry, and unforgiving. His way of dealing with his siblings was just foul words and sarcasm. So I started Laugh a little wary of this character.


But, before I knew it, I fell in love with him! We learn why he always comes across so disgruntled. He lives with ADHD, and the only one who understood him was his Mom, because she lived with it to. When he lost her he lost a lot of himself. He loved his father, but his Dad didn't understand why it was so important to take medications every day, why he was always so distracted, always worried. But, Sam powered through, and now was an excellent physician. He has partnered with his long time friend Lacey, an amazing nurse and manager to open a clinic in their neighborhood for low income families. The process is overwhelming, especially for his easily distracted mind. Lacey sends him off to help a friend, volunteering him to help with her farm. Her friend is named Nina, and Sam is immediately brought to his knees.



Laugh lives up to it's title! I learned how to check chickens for lice, and the difference between a regular egg, and a free range egg. But the best laugh out loud, had to read twice was their first "Date." There are sad and serious moments in this story, we learn more about the Burnside family and get to know each one a little better. The ending was perfect, and I'm so glad there are more Burnsides to read about. I enjoyed Live, I loved Laugh.


5 STARS!




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Kame and Pat received e-ARCs of this book from the publisher, via NetGalley, in exchange for their honest opinion.

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Thanks for the reviews, Kame and Pat! :) Another author I really must read soon!

Have you read Mary Ann Rivers before? Do you have a favorite book?





Enjoy!


Until Next Time,


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3 comments :

Pat Egan Fordyce said...

Thanks TBQ and Kame! As always lots of fun!

Anna@herding cats&burning soup said...

Wow Pat! Going from not liking him at all to a 5 star. Pretty amazing! Love when an author can really pull that off!

Sophia Rose said...

Enjoyed the dual perspective ladies! It's interesting about the urban farming being the back drop. I hadn't heard of this series so I'll have to check it out.