Wow what a riveting book , full of secrets twists and turns. A great story of historical love stories intertwined with modern day. I really loved this book and could not put it down. I highly recommend it.

I very quickly got caught up in this book.
The writing was exquisite and flowed so well which is something I notice with this author. I enjoy her books. Class distinction, love, romance and all in reflection too. I found that a superb touch which I thoroughly enjoyed.

Theo’s marriage has come to an end. So she moved into a quaint cottage on the banks of the river Tamar. Cornwall and Devon is such a lovely area so it was easy to imagine her living there.

I loved how all that surrounded her and her trying to now live an independent life was making good progress for her.

She finds letters in the cottage that turn out to be such an exciting, sometimes tragic part of a love lost. I was so taken into these letters the story of the past being peeled away bit by bit.

These letters have never been open. They’ve also been sent from a Battlefield. Love letters?
A love lived and lost?

She just had to read them. Wouldn’t you?

It’s such a great story that I was drawn in hook, line and sinker.

If you like stories of love and lost. Intense reads. A well written and well thought out book, starting over, finding happiness, then this is your book.

A compelling story of forbidden love, secrets, and new beginnings told over a dual timeline between 1914 and 2019. All the elements required for a fantastic story and Liz does not disappoint!

When Theo and her husband divorce she moves to a little cottage by a river which separates Devon and Cornwall. She has bought it without viewing so is a little disappointed when she arrives to find it so run down she has to sleep in her car the first night. She soon becomes friendly with the local hotel manager and his acquaintances who help get the run down cottage habitable. Whilst cleaning, Theo finds a box in a hidden compartment in the bedroom containing letters dating back to the great war. She sends them to an archivist to help uncover the identities and the stories of the addressee and the writer - ‘Z’

We also have the earlier storyline in which Lady Alice is being prepared for her first debutant ball. Her aunt is desperate to find her a husband but Alice is not interested in marriage. She is too focused on being an independent woman and votes for women. When she speaks up to the King and Queen about women’s votes, she is quickly sent away to Abbotswood with her nanny and cousin under a cloud of shame. She surprisingly falls head over heels for a young gillie, Zach, who is teaching her fly fishing, but they would never be allowed to marry. Alice is expected to marry at her own level or above if possible.

When war breaks out, Zach goes to enlist along with all the other men, not knowing Alice is expecting his child.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book, and as usual with dual timeline books I preferred the ‘past’ story as the history is so interesting. There are many secrets to be uncovered and surprises along the way which will keep you turning those pages!

I highly recommend this book and will be reading more from this author.

Thank you to NetGalley and HQ for an advance copy of the book for an honest review.

What an amazing book. I chose this as it is based in Cornwall and Devon, and I am Cornish so iI love Cornish reads. It was creepy in parts, but was so interesting. Very atmospheric and definitely intriguing. I loved the characters as well.

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.

This was another new author for me, although I had seen her books around and always wanted to read one. This book didn’t disappoint it had all the elements I enjoy in a book. It was set in the South West of England as I gather lot of her books are which is a plus for me. This book was sometimes creepy but also very interesting and throughly readable. Having read her book I’m certainly going to read her others. My thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for giving me the opportunity to read this book in return for an honest review.

Theo has bought unseen a small cottage on the banks of the River Tamar following her divorce. When she arrives there in the middle of a storm things look bleak with no electricity or hot water, but as she transforms the cottage into a home she also heals herself. Finding some old letters hidden in the hearth brings to life stories from the past and reveals some well hidden secrets.
#NetGalley #TheRiverBetweenUs #LizFenwick

3.5 stars rounded up to4

Following the breakdown of her marriage, Tess 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. Theo soon discovers a stash of hidden letters tied up with a ribbon, untouched for more than a century. The letters have been 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 loose.

This is a descriptively written book that i got quickly caught in Theo, Alice and Claire's lives. A story of forbidden love set in Cornwall and Devon. Alice and Zach's story was heart-breaking. Written the present day and 1914. both parts if the story were intriguing but there was a lot of characters/relationships to keep up with. A story of love and loss that will mess with your emotions.

I would like to thank #NetGalley #HQ and the author #LizFenwick for my ARC of #TheRiverBetweenUs in exchange for an honest review

I’ve read a few of Liz Fenwick’s books and enjoy her style of storytelling. I really liked how The River Between Us is split between modern day and goes back to a historical love affair set around the time of WW1. Reading the book it often felt as much a mystery as a romance. Both timelines are captured beautifully on the page. I found myself drawn to the modern day heroine, Theo, and the characters from the past. It was so interesting to unravel the story and see how people and events have some bearing on Theo’s life.

At times it did feel strange that the love element was firmly in the past. However, Theo has plenty going on in her life including a horrible ex and a mystery love affair in her own distant past.

This was a very enjoyable read. I recommend this book to those who’ve enjoyed Liz Fenwick’s unique storytelling style of mixing past and present, and those who love to unravel a mystery or two alongside their romance.

I received an ARC from netgalley.

Absolutely loved this book from the first page to the last. The minds eye pictured Boatmans Cottage as a beautiful place to live full of memories and history. Lady Alice was blessed with her choice of men in her life. From Zach to Edmund and then Arthur.
Theo bought into history when she purchased the cottage but never did she imagine what would come from it .from Cornwall to Devon with their magical atmosphere and to London, Paris and finally to Bruge where answers await.
Thank you to NetGalley and HQ for the early read, I loved it and didn’t want it to end

The River Between Us by Liz Fenwick is a powerful dual timeline novel about life, love and loss. The love found within its pages radiates outwards to encompass the reader.
The novel is set in present day and mainly in 1914 and up to 1921. As the dates suggest, this is a time of loss. A whole generation of young men were lost as cannon fodder to the battle fields of France.
Love is the main theme. There are many different sorts of love – that of a mother, of children towards their parents, of a nanny towards her charges and between couples. In 1914 some of this love was forbidden.
This links to the theme of identity. Some characters had to hide who they were for fear of judgment and/or incarceration.
1914 was a frustrating time for women. They were seeking the vote, marriage alliances were for wealth and power and not for love, love matches between the different social classes were a no-no.
It is against this background that the leading lady tries to break free from all constraints. She is brave, gutsy and forward thinking but then war intervenes and all she can do is to pray for her loved ones at the Front.
The two time periods are linked by the Cornish setting where a discovery of a century old pile of letters prompts those in present day to learn the stories of the past.
There are the themes of truth and secrets. Some secrets needed to be kept in 1914 for fear of what others said or worse. In present day secrets are unearthed and the truth is revealed.
I could not get enough of The River Between Us and greedily devoured it on an otherwise gloomy afternoon. It brightened my day as I learned about lives, losses and deep love. True love does not die but remains down the years. It was a powerful, beautiful book.
I received a free copy from Harper Collins via Net Galley. A favourable review was not required. All opinions are my own.

An atmospheric and intriguing book, all about secrets and renovation set in the cornish countryside. Well written with rounded characters keeping you gripped till the end.

Set over 2 time periods this is a lovely story about the history of a house, or rather its inhabitants!

I did get slightly confused in parts, I wished that a little recap of who people were in each timeline was given when you switched stories. Other than that though it was a beautiful read set in a gorgeous location with just the right amount of humour, suspense and sadness!

This wonderful atmospheric read had me engrossed from page one. The story is set over two timelines which merge together seamlessly. It’s 2019 and Theo has bought an evocative cottage on the banks of the river Tamar. She finds a bundle of letters from WW1 and along with her new friends and neighbours the story of Lady Alice, from 1914, is unravelled and a tangle of secrets is revealed. As the story unfolds it becomes apparent that both women, and their families, are linked and their histories are shared. I loved the characters, the setting, the emotion and the storyline and shall be reading more from this author.

This is a book to savour, It is beautifully written, with such vivid descriptions of the river and estate that it almost becomes a character in itself. As a genealogist myself, I was hooked from the very first page and was utterly captivated by the parallels between Alice, Claire and Theo’s lives. Without a doubt this is the most emotional book I have read in years and I was in tears several times. The themes of love, loss and how the impact of one’s choices can resonate for generations to come really resonated with me and I know these characters will be in my thoughts for a long time.

Sorry but this was not my cup of tea I couldn’t keep up with everything it was too involved I’m sure a lot of people would like it as very well written thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for an early copy

An interesting book by Liz Fenwick which I loved. Starting in 1914 the storyline is then split between that era with Lady Alice and 2019 with Theo. The story inter links these characters and their families with WW1 occurring so where in the middle. Although fiction this book does make you think of different eras and what women went through. Thanks to Liz, her publisher and NetGalley.

An absolute joy to read. We meet two families, one at the outbreak of WWI and the other in our time. Lady

Alice has to contend with the social norms in 1914 that apply to her station in life, as does Theo in a modern

setting.

When Theo purchases Boatman's Cottage along the River Tamar on the Devon/Cornwall border, different

pieces of the historical puzzle gradually fall into place. With letters, places, a host of marvelous friends

and time itself, She solves a very old mystery involving loyalty, betrayal, romance, and doomed love affairs,

This is a wonderful tale full of richly detailed, writing. It is atmospheric and hopeful .

This book has it all..

Really enjoyed this book, my first by this author.

Set in two different times, it explores a lot about families and reflecting back in time. Really enjoyed the Cornwall and Devon setting, somewhere that I love visiting!

Thank you Netgalley for an early ARC of this book.

The river in the title is the Tamar, which forms part of the boundary between Devon and Cornwall, and also separates two estates in this story. There is a very tangled web of family secrets, and misunderstandings, and connections at the heart of this novel. There is an ongoing investigation to discover the identities of some skeletons unearthed in France from WW1. There is also a hidden box of letters, a home in need of restoration and a dysfunctional family. All these ingredients are skillfully woven together to create a wonderfully rich narrative that leads to a satisfying conclusion.