David Burnett will always be on my reading pile, I connect so easily with his writing with every book I read. There's a natural flow to his writing, I don't know how he manages it, but his varied stories always feel so realistic, I understand and bond with the characters, which all makes for an enjoyable and satisfying read.

This story centers around FBI agent Nicole Beaumont and the traumatic times she had from her childhood that have managed to shape her young adult life. As she buys a beautiful home near a river it brings back those bad memories which had hardened her young heart and left her feeling unable to rely on others or ever love again. The story skips from past to present times filling the reader in with all the events, and follows her career as past and present finally meet creating a dangerous path for Nicole to follow.

Although we have suspense, there is also time for some romance that Nicole definitely deserves, although she may try to fight it love is very patient and persistent! ( )

This book was difficult to put down.
So, I didn’t.
Until I finished it.
In one day.
In one sitting.

House Beside the River is riveting, emotional, nicely paced, and oh so memorable. The book houses well-developed characters, loads of action, and an extraordinary southern setting, making it one of my 2022 favorites!

Okay, this might not be a popular thing to say, but I rarely read books by male authors. I love to read stories with a female main character, and I’ve found that male authors oftentimes portray female perspectives in a fantastical way. Not always, but often. David Burnett doesn’t fit in that category. He creates delightfully realistic characters—young, old, female, male, good, bad—and makes them unforgettable. This is my first Burnett book, and I’ve enjoyed it tremendously. Learning Nicole Beaumont’s story, and observing her growth put me through so many heart-racing, heartbreaking, and heartwarming moments that I feel as if I’ve spent a lifetime with her rather than one day!

I didn’t know what to expect from this story, but it certainly wasn’t as much as I got: A heartbreaking coming-of-age story. A story of intrigue, danger, deception, and betrayal. A story of love, growth, change, and healing. And all these things are interwoven to form a stunning, page-turning tale. I’ve enjoyed getting to know Nicole, Chris, Richard, and others. And I’m kind of sad the story has come to an end. Perhaps the author will write about them again one day…

Disclosure: #CoverLoverBookReview received a complimentary copy of this book. ( )