Review: Liberty River Rivals by Cora Mabry

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Book Overview

Nestled in rural western Virginia, the towns of Freedom and Independence are separated by more than just the Liberty River. There's a rivalry between them that stretches back over a hundred years. This summer it's stronger than ever as Addison O'Malley finds himself butting heads with Freedom's public event coordinator, Sutton Granger, in regards to the towns' overlapping Fourth of July parades.

A case of mistaken identity quickly leads to a closer relationship with Sutton than Addison ever imagined. Underneath her professional personality and borderline fanatical dedication to her hometown, Addison senses there's something she isn't telling him - something she isn't telling anyone. Will he be able to discover what's behind the walls of Sutton's heart before their time as coworkers comes to an end?

Content Review

Romance

A squeaky clean slow-burn romance with a bit of non-detailed kissing at the end.

Negative Elements

Death and grief- 2

As a central theme to the book, a character loses her mother and grieves her death.

Positive Elements

Both characters have a strong faith that helps them overcome their differences. There are elements of overcoming grief and forgiveness.

Tropes/Themes

• Enemies to lovers

• Small town romance

• Fourth of July

Conclusion ⭐️⭐️⭐️

Liberty River Rivals was a short but sweet novella. I typically don't like novellas because they either feel rushed, unfinished, or I just don't get attached to the characters. As far as novellas go, this one was pretty solid! I gave it three stars and would definitely read some of the author's other novellas as well.