THE STORY GUY BY MARY ANN RIVERS

My rating: <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/666157162">4 of 5 stars
The Story Guy is a novella by Mary Ann Rivers and published by Kensington/Loveswept. This was a July 2013 release. Carrie, a librarian, tries to convince herself she's content with her life. While her friends and family are mostly married or in relationships and have started families, Carrie hasn't dated anyone seriously for a long while. When she reads through the personals on Metrolink, a sort of guilty pleasure, she comes across a profile that she can't pass up.  Brian wants to meet on Wednesday for just kissing. When Carrie responds to the ad and meets Brian, the kissing turns out to be of the mind blowing variety. There is an emotional connection between them, but Brian makes it clear he is unable to commit to a real relationship. So, they continue to meet on Wednesdays. It's obvious that Brian desperately wants to be more involved, but something has a strong hold on him and he just can not go further. In the meantime, Carrie and Brian engage in some pretty hot kissing. But, eventually Brian reaches out for more. But, alas, something happens that reminds him of why he can't pursue the  relationship. For Carrie, her loneliness is more profound than she wanted to admit. She knows that something really serious is keeping Brian from moving forward in the relationship and contents herself with their Wednesday meetings. When Carrie learns the truth, her feelings for Brian intensify. The love that grows between Brian and Carrie is not the traditional set up. Both are mature adults with more than the usual hardships in life. They can't traditionally date and do the things that lovers do. The love that develops between them is much deeper. It's steamy hot and the two are really into each other, but this situation calls for a lot of patience, caring and sacrifice. I liked the way Carrie stuck with Brian and helped him to move forward in his life, even though it was really scary for him to do so. True love takes work. Not everyone would be able to emotionally commit to someone in these circumstances. Often our own needs and desires would win out. These two people were meant for each other. While I admired Carrie's tenacity, my heart broke for Brian. I really did feel how conflicted he was. Thankfully, Carrie and Brian found each other. Although their lives will continue to be a challenge, they will be there for each other. Overall a B+

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