Go As A River by Shelley Read

Go As A River by Shelley Read
UK Publication: April 2023
Reviewed by: Book Worm
Rating: [★★★★★]

This ARC was provided by Random House UK (via NetGalley) in exchange for an honest review.

I’m not crying, you’re crying…

Synopsis from Goodreads: On a cool autumn day in 1948, Victoria Nash delivers late-season peaches from her family’s farm set amid the wild beauty of Colorado. As she heads into her village, a dishevelled stranger stops to ask her the way. How she chooses to answer will unknowingly alter the course of both their young lives.

So begins the mesmerising story of split-second choices and courageous acts that propel Victoria away from the only home she has ever known and towards a reckoning with loss, hope and her own untapped strength.

Gathering all the pieces of her small and extraordinary existence, spinning through the eddies of desire, heartbreak and betrayal, she will arrive at a single rocky decision that will change her life for ever.

GO AS A RIVER is a heart-wrenching coming-of-age story and a drama of enthralling power. Combining unforgettable characters and a breathtaking natural setting, it is a sweeping story of survival and becoming, of the deepest mysteries of love, truth and fate.

My Thoughts: I cannot disagree with one word that the GR description has said about this book and I have very little to add that wouldn’t spoil the story. All I can say is this is a beautiful coming of age story, a quiet and contemplative story with a heartbreaking tragedy at its centre. I loved the strong female characters whose strength is shown solely through their silent determination to carry on no matter what the cost and boy are there some heavy bills to pay.

Who would like this? I would recommend this to those who appreciate the subtle beauty of nature and the quiet determination of women and those who can cope with having their hearts put through the ringer and then hung out to dry. Keep those tissues handy.

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