Wow, I honestly don’t know where to start. I almost didn’t read this book because the first couple chapters were a huge trigger for me. I am not usually triggered by much, but because I’ve lived some of the things in this book, it hit me harder than I anticipated. I almost couldn’t do it. But I’m so very glad I kept going. This is one of those special books that is not easily forgotten. It’s unyieldingly tough to read. I sobbed at the end. All the stars. Absolutely, heart wrenching.

🪨 Oh goodness did this one make me shed all the tears. Thank you (I guess) to @simonbooks for the #gifted sneak peek— this one is out now!

🪨 Wally Lamb writes about the most unimaginable circumstances— and this book is no exception. This novel starts out with the most shocking first chapter that is so incredibly gut-wrenching to read. From there, our MC is sent down a heartbreaking path of incarceration while fighting addiction, loss of family, and all the things that seem to pile-on once you enter the system.

🪨 Through this heartbreaking tragedy Lamb also paints a picture of the mess that has become our justice system and calls out the lack of rehabilitation for those convicted, which I found to be very poignant. I also appreciated the MC’s acknowledgment and awareness of his privilege as a white inmate.

🪨 I was hooked from the moment I started this and I ended it in an absolute puddle. If you’re looking for something that’s going to punch you in the gut- in the best way- this could be it.

Tragically beautiful in a way only Wally Lamb could pull off. The characters are rich in the story is devastating, but ultimately hopeful. Perfect for readers who want to immerse themselves in a story and feel the entire range of human emotion.

This is the most profound, tragic, sad story I have ever read. However, there were also so many moments of hope woven into the story that I could not stop reading. Corby’s journey is unforgettable and evoked many emotions. As difficult as the actual story is, this is a fantastic read. Thank you NetGalley for providing the ARC.

Thank you Marysu Rucci Books and Simon Element for my #gifted physical and audiobook copies of The River is Waiting! #ElementalReaders #SimonElement #MarysueRucciBooks #WallyLamb #WallyLambAuthor #TheRiverIsWaiting #simonaudio

𝐓𝐢𝐭𝐥𝐞: 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐑𝐢𝐯𝐞𝐫 𝐈𝐬 𝐖𝐚𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠
𝐀𝐮𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐫: 𝐖𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐲 𝐋𝐚𝐦𝐛
𝐍𝐚𝐫𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐨𝐫: 𝐉𝐞𝐫𝐞𝐦𝐲 𝐒𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐨
𝐏𝐮𝐛 𝐃𝐚𝐭𝐞: 𝐉𝐮𝐧𝐞 𝟏𝟎, 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟓

𝟱★

There are so many adjectives I could pick to describe this book, but none will do it justice. It’s one of those books you will continue to think about for a very long time. I started it back in May and had to stop reading it because it was too hard for me to read at the time but I knew I couldn’t give up on this book. As a twin parent, it was triggering. I’m glad I picked it back up when I did. This book will break you into a million pieces. It will make you smile. It will make you cry. It will make you angry. It will make you think about a lot of things. It has so many themes about guilt, grief, trauma, forgiveness, family dynamics, and so much more. Corby is a character I will never, ever forget. If you’re looking for an easy read, this is not it. But if you’re looking for an impactful and challenging read, pick this one up.

🎧While I started reading this book with my eyes, I switched to the audio, which was narrated by Jeremy Sisto and I felt like he was perfect for this book. He not only did a good job bringing Corby to life, but he brought the other characters to life in such a profound way. While I switched to the physical book a few times for convenience, I found myself wanting to listen to the audiobook because I enjoyed hearing Sisto breathe life into these characters. His performance was without a doubt a 5★ performance!

Posted on Goodreads on September 4, 2025: https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/144922955?ref=nav_profile_l
**Posted on Instagram - Full Review- on or around September 4, 2025: http://www.instagram.com/nobookmark_noproblem
**Posted on Amazon on September 4, 2025
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This book was incredible. This story made me angry, irritated , anxious, sad, hopeful and grateful. We picked this for our bookclub for July and we had one of our best discussion yet. Everybody had a different point of view and looked at Corby's story from a different perspective

TL;DR: the first chapter is brutal. BRUTALLLLLLL. Was not expecting that. Buyer beware, especially if you're a parent. That being said, it's a beautiful book and if you can get through the beginning, this is definitely worth recommending. I couldn't put it down.

Most of the reviews giving this book less than 3 stars are written by readers who thought the book had too many triggers and was too graphic. Therefore, reader, know thyself and DO NOT pick up this book if you will be disturbed by any triggers, because there are plenty of them, and then feel the need to give this book 1 star.

However, if you are able to read a tough story about a character who is not perfect, who has done unforgivable things, who is sent to prison and is treated kindly by some but inhumanely by others, and yet still tries to be a good person so that he could leave prison to love his family, then pick up this book. At times, it is a difficult reading experience and is definitely not for everyone and yet, by the end of the book, I was glad that it was written and that I read it.

At the end of the book, in the About the Author section, it includes that Wally Lamb has volunteered as a writing workshop instructor at a women's correctional facility in Connecticut. I was not surprised to learn this after reading The River Is Waiting and how Lamb included great details of day-to-day prison life and the lack of respect and compassion that prisoners receive.

I do not want to write too much more about what happens in the book because I went into it knowing almost nothing. However, I will remember this book and the way it made me feel so many different emotions about the characters throughout the entire reading experience.

This is a heavy novel, the sort that actually does deserve trigger warnings- accidental child death, suicide, alcoholism and drug addiction, prison life including abuse and rape- so it may not be great for everyone, but this is a really good book that follows a man with some serious mental health issues and a self-medication habit that leads to something truly awful that changes his life and that of everyone around him. The addiction part reminds me a bit of some of the classic AA novels, and might be a good book for people dealing with similar challenges.

This was a great book. I loved every paragraph, every sentence and every word of this masterpiece! I read it in 12 hours, which is a lot for me to do! It had everything and more laid out in the novel! I sure hope There is more to come from this author! I am totally hooked!

I read this author years ago and remember loving his writing style. His new book did not disappoint!

A father who is lying to everyone, including himself, finds himself center stage in a horrifically tragic event.

It’s hard not to give too much away here. But this is one of those books where a character so easy to despise, is able to redeem himself in the reader’s eyes. There are tough subjects in this one, so be forewarned- but the journey is a beautifully written one.

YES to picking this one up!

Absolutely extraordinary novel. Tube characters were so well fleshed out that they seemed real and I could not put the book down. Will recommend to everyone I know.

I was excited to read my first book by Wally Lamb after hearing so much about the author. The River is Waiting did not disappoint. Keep your tissues ready because this book will shatter you. It starts off with a haunting tragedy where the protagonist, Corby Leddbetter makes the biggest mistake of his life. His family is torn apart and he is sent to prison.

This story is about pain, loss, addiction, grief, redemption and forgiveness. It is about life behind bars and the flaws in the justice system. The heartbreaking ending of this book will stay with you for a long time.

Thank you Net Galley for providing me with an ARC in exchange for my honest review.

The River is Waiting completely wrecked me. I picked it up and put it down multiple times after only reading several pages as the subject matter is heartbreaking. I truly believed i could not continue reading this book. That being said, I’m very glad that after several months I finally pushed through and finished it. It’s outstanding and among my top books of 2025.

It’s heart wrenching, tragic and also, strangely, hopeful. Amidst themes of addiction, grief, loss, abuse and incarceration there are glimpses of compassion, kindness and love. This book showcases the absolute worst of humanity and also how small (and large) acts of kindness can change a person’s life. It’s definitely not a light read and I needed to be in a good headspace to appreciate the story. It will stay with me for quite awhile.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the complimentary copy.

This book crushed my soul - I felt heart-wrenching sadness throughout 95% of this book. And as a parent, it was a very hard read. But I couldn’t stop. The writing was atmospheric.

I can’t put my finger on it, but I felt like the ending was missing something/needed something different. So 4.5 stars from me.

I finished this novel last week, but really needed to sit with it before I felt like I could write a review. It's beautifully written and compelling, but also incredibly tragic, with an unreliable narrator so conflicted that it's hard to empathize with him. This novel has themes of grief, addiction, incarceration; although it's well-written, it's occasionally heavy-handed.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.

I mean, its Wally Lamb! I have been a fan for a long time, and this book is excellent. This was a very emotional story so be ready to feel it. This is a well written book. Thank you once again, Wally Lamb.

I haven't read a Wally Lamb book in ages, but remembered how his writing makes the reader connect to the topic at a very personal level. So when I saw there was a new one coming out, I immediately said yes.
<i>The River Is Waiting</i> was completely unexpected. I went in not knowing much about the content and after finishing the book, I am not sure if that was the best approach or not. This book is dark and handles some very traumatic, sad and deeply painful situations. Things that will sit deep down in your soul for a long time after finishing.
Corby is a stay at home dad of twins. He didn't necessarily choose this path for himself. The timing of his layoff from work and unsuccessful job search allowed him to be home while his wife worked. Until the one day he made the worst decision of his life. The unthinkable thing that all parents are afraid of happens and now he has to live the rest of his life trying to find peace among the heartache. Corby ends up in prison and tries to navigate life under other people's rules all while trying to make things right with his family and other inmates.
This book is not for the faint of heart. Lamb does not hide from the pain and trauma, saying the things that others are afraid to say outloud, the taboo of things that happen in awful places and the things that people have to go through to just get through the day. All of that and it was nearly impossible to put down. The writing is so well done that even the hardest stuff was ok to read and get through. This book definitely did not leave me with warm and fuzzy happy ending feelings. But it gave me the understanding of a man struggling and attempting to get it right in the end.

Wally Lamb has written a powerful novel which is both depressing and uplifting. He has created 2 characters, Corby and Manny, which are real and memorable. In fact everyone in this stirring novel is real and memorable. Nothing strikes me as false. One can envision people actually speaking lines written by Lamb. His depiction of prison life and the good and bad prison officers reminds me of the best Warner Brothers social movies of the 30s and 40s. Need more be said.

Amazing as always, this story is all encompassing. It pulled me in and wrung me out. Just powerful and lovely.