Can the damage of the past ever be healed?
Synopsis
From beloved international bestselling author Hannah Richell comes a spellbinding novel about the secrets brought to the surface when a large family gathers for a wedding.
In their ramshackle Somerset home, with its lush gardens running down to the river, the Sorrells have gathered for a last-minute wedding—an occasion that is met with trepidation by each member of the family.
Lucy, the bride, has begged her loved ones to attend—not telling them that she has some important news to share once they’ve gathered. Her prodigal baby sister, Margot, who left home after a devastating argument with their mother, reluctantly agrees, though their family home is the site of so much pain for her. Meanwhile, their eldest sister, Eve, has thrown herself into a tailspin planning the details of the wedding—anything to distract herself from how her own life is unraveling—and their long-separated artist parents are forced to play the roles of cheerful hosts through gritted teeth.
As the Sorrells come together for a week of celebration and confrontation, their painful memories are revisited and their relationships stretched to the breaking point.
Moving, poignant, and unforgettable, The River Home showcases once again Hannah Richell’s talent for creating characters readers can relate to—and telling stories that linger in the mind long after the final page.
Details
- Title: The River Home A Novel
- Author: Hannah Richell Website
- Publisher: HarperCollins Publishers
- Publication Date: August 4, 2020
- Page Count: 368
- Discussion Questions
My Thoughts
The River Home is the story of siblings, Eve, Lucy, and Margot and the relationships within their family.
Though Margot left their family home as a teenager and hasn’t returned, Lucy is planning a wedding rather quickly and hoping the whole family can be together. The wedding is to be held at the family’s picturesque home near a river and orchard in Somerset, England.
Secrets and hurt feelings are hinted at as they gather and prepare for the wedding. Though the area around the large house is pretty, much of the time attitudes are quite the opposite. They are uncomfortable and even ugly to each other occasionally. Communication is not something these characters excel at, to say the least.
Though I was prepared to love this story, I’m sorry to say that I didn’t. For one thing, the story was far too predictable. With that said, if the story isn’t terribly original, then that’s the time for characters to shine and bring the tale to life. I didn’t feel this happened either.
I found myself wearing down with only hints of secrets to come. It wasn’t until the last 20 percent of the book that secrets started to become known. And in my case, by then, I had guessed what had happened or was to be announced. I felt the first 80 percent of the story was a very long lead up to a rushed 20 percent unraveling and tying things up.
Though Richell’s writing flowed and was easy to read, in this case, the book missed the mark for me. Both the characters and the story lacked believability and originality.
What Concerned Me
The story lacked originality, character development, and in one case believability.
What I Liked
It was obvious from the beginning that Hannah Richell’s sentences flowed and dialog fit beautifully.
My thanks to NetGalley and HarperCollins for the ability to read this ARC and to post my opinion of the story.
Ratings
About the Author
Hannah Richell is a dual citizen of Great Britain and Australia, and lives in the South West of England with her family. She is the author of Secrets of the Tides (published in the US as The House of Tides), The Shadow Year, and The Peacock Summer. Her books have been translated into seventeen languages.
