Review: The River Between Us

The River Between Us by Liz Fenwick
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Theo is in her mid-50s, divorced from a highly successful man she is nevertheless fairly destitute (because she couldn't be bothered to fight for half of what she helped him to build) and has bought a small derelict Boatman's cottage on the banks of the river Tamar, which divides Cornwall and Devon, sight unseen. As she restores the cottage and gardens she discovers a pile of unopened love letters dating from World War 1 from a male servant who was spurned by his lover.

Gradually Theo pieces together the story of forbidden love and secrets of one hundred years earlier, centred on the cottage and the nearby manor house, Abbotswood.

I enjoyed reading this very much, but now I have finished the novel I am struck by the ridiculous number of similarities that link three separate generations and the amazing coincidences necessary to bring it all together it has just kind of fallen apart in my hands. Also the inter-relationships are so convoluted that I am left with the sneaking suspicion that someone might be their own father (well you know what I mean).

Strangely this is the second book in a few weeks which reminds me of those family sagas we used to read in the 1980s, where generation after generation made the same mistakes in love. Maybe its just that this book is set mostly in the present day and in the 1910s but also partially in World War II and the 1980s.

Overall, an enjoyable read, provided you can suspend disbelief.

I received a free copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley in return for an honest review.

View all my reviews