I am delighted to share my review today for The River Between Us by Liz Fenwick. I also have an added extra as Liz is sharing her “Top 10 Tips for visiting Cornwall. As I live in the same area as Liz, I couldn’t help but smile and nod knowingly as I read through her tips! Some of these are quite relevant to any where people holiday!

My thanks to Izzie at the HQ PR team at Harper Collins for my spot on the Blog Tour and for my e-copy of this book.

Following the breakdown of her marriage, Theo has bought a tumbledown cottage on the banks of the river Tamar which divides Cornwall and Devon. The peace and tranquillity of Boatman’s Cottage, nestled by the water, is just what she needs to heal.

Yet soon after her arrival, Theo discovers a stash of hidden letters tied with a ribbon, untouched for more than a century. The letters – sent from the battlefields of France during WW1 – tell of a young servant from the nearby manor house, Abbotswood, and his love for a woman he was destined to lose.

As she begins to bring Boatman’s Cottage and its gardens back to life, Theo pieces together a story of star-crossed lovers played out against the river, while finding her own new path to happiness.

The River Between Us beautifully explores the mystery and secrets of a long-forgotten love affair, and will be loved by fans of Kate Morton.

My Review…

What an amazing and beautiful book The River Between Us is. The title is also quite clever as it provides not only a geological divide but also one that shows the divide between the classes.

This is a dual timeline story that is so easy to follow. Theo is the present-day character and it is through her unseen purchase of an old cottage on the River Tamar that gives the introduction to the tale from the past.

Theo discovers old letters that had been hidden, they tell a tale of forbidden love, of sacrifice, and of times just before and through the first world war. This is a time when women’s suffrage is being spoken about more. When the country and the world is changing as are peoples attitudes. Some attitudes can never be changed and when it comes to having the right marriage then that is what matters. This is the case for Lady Alice.

The author uses her knowledge of the South West to create a mesmerising and beautifully written story. It is mainly set in the earlier timeline of Lady Alice, this is something that worked so well as some events of the past become quite relevant to the present day.

I do adore the author’s descriptions and this time gardening, flowers and wildlife play a good part. Using the flora and fauna to great effect in expressing emotions is wonderful. The days Lady Alice spent fishing and her time on and around the river are gorgeous.

The present-day timeline is also quite emotional, but for very different reasons. Theo’s move and purchase of a cottage open up a mystery and one that has many links to the past. So, while this story is very much contemporary fiction it is also a mystery. It delves into family, secrets long forgotten and hidden things.

The author paces this book wonderfully, it makes the reading extremely addictive and so effortless. I found myself transported with her descriptions. It was emotional and heartbreaking with the revealing of the past through the earlier timeline and also through the forgotten letters.

It was a wonderful book to read. Mesmerising, beautiful and I adored it very much. It is one I would definitely recommend. 

Check out the other stops on the tour…

So here are the Top 10 Tips…

Coming to Cornwall this summer especially if you’ve never been before. Here are my top tips for a successful visit!!

1. The roads are more like lanes and in many cases paths or bridleways, but they are two-way for traffic, really.

2. This leads to passing places…yes passing places and not parking spaces.

3. Do not come to Cornwall with a car if you cannot reverse (seriously)… And not just a few feet. It can be necessary in some cases to reverse half a mile, especially if someone has parked in the nearest passing place

4. Locals are mostly friendly…except when you won’t reverse. They know the roads inside out…they know when you’ve just passed a passing place…reverse willingly. Locals love their Cornwall so please leave it as you found it, free of litter. Especially those old single-use barbecues, plastic bags…

5. Be kind to the serving staff…they are locals who are doing the best they can with all the new regulations…your pint, pasty or plaice may take a bit more time. Be patient

6. Walkers on roads…it’s local custom for the walkers to make it easier for vehicles to get past, not the other way round

7. Tractors…be patient. They still have a job to do while you enjoy your holiday. Also note they generally don’t reverse…see above

8. Beaches…be careful. There are rip currents, rapid tides, weaver fish… Always know the tide times…always.

9. If you are on the water in a speed boat…respect others on the beaches and don’t swamp other small boats, kayaks, paddle boards with your wash

10. Sunblock! The sun is strong here even when it isn’t hot, or clear. Don’t be fooled by overcast skies and forget to apply sunblock because of the cooling breeze…

Most important, take the time to enjoy the unique beauty of Cornwall whether on the coast or inland. It is a place of constant contrast especially in variable weather. It offers wonderful people, wild landscape, magical folklore and divine food. 

Many thanks for reading my post, a like or share would be amazing 🙂 xx