3.75 ⭐️
This was an enjoyable atmospheric story. The story was unique as well strong female characters. Sacrifice and resolve. Survival and love. Dual timelines. 1930s and 1970s.

I struggled with the writing flow which is why it couldn’t be higher rating. It was still an interesting book.

Thanks to both the author and publisher for an advanced copy.

This story was captivating, right from the very first chapter. Sometimes dual timelines can feel choppy, but the author unfolds this emotional story with just the right timing and pace. I stayed up late to finish reading and see how the pieces fell into place. I also really enjoyed the atmospheric setting. Mustian describes the Mississippi River delta in rich detail, and the landscape feels integral to Becca and Nell's stories.

I highly recommend reading this, and the author's debut novel, The Girls in the Stilt House. I think fans of Kristin Hannah and Lisa Wingate's engrossing historical fiction novels will enjoy Mustian's books, too.

The story is written in dual timelines. We learn about Becca, a young widow struggling to survive and raise her daughter during the 1930s Great Depression. Then we shift to the 1970s and hear about Nell who is determined to suss out some of the secrets hiding within her family. On a visit home to the North Carolina mountains, to see her mother and her sister, Evie, she discovers more and more clues but still no answers. Her mother refuses to talk about her past and it is only through snooping that Nell discovers a box of her mother's keepsakes, which raise even more questions. Evie is no help; she only knows she has always lived in Clay Mountain, North Carolina. Nell, on the other hand, remembers a dark rainy night, a man bringing a small child to their house and leaving.

The story, told in alternating chapters, fills us in with the rest of the story. There are a lot of characters, and it was a bit difficult to connect all the characters to the story being told. Overall, a very worthwhile read, and a good look at what women went through in the 1930s to try and keep family together.

This was a very well done historical fiction. I loved the back and forth and thought it was a smooth transition and well done. This was my first historical fiction that also felt very much like a thriller and it may be my new favorite genre. The only criticism I would have is with the amount of characters to keep track of and that it can be confusing and overwhelming at times. Otherwise, I would recommend this read! I gave this a 4.5 stars but chose to go down in my rating because it wasn't quite a 5 for me.

With beautiful storytelling told in a dual timeline between the 1970s and the 1930s, you can’t help but live in the world which Mustian paints with words. “The River Knows your Name” is a testament to the love of a mother and the strength it takes to protect the ones you love.

The love the two young mothers have for their daughters will melt your heart even as you ache when a situation forever alters their lives leaving ripples affecting the lives of others in their wake. As Nell, an adult in the 1970s, works to uncover the answers to the secrets her mom has kept hidden all these years, you’ll worry that any answers will bring more mystery and heartache or will be too difficult to bear. How much does the past shape who we are? Can the secrets buried there bring hope and healing to the present?

Just as the Mississippi winds its way through the south, this story will wind its way around your heart as you slowly peel the layers of the mystery and story behind the pasts of Nell, Evie, Becca, and Hazel.

Mustian’s writing is complex, compelling, richly layered, and nuanced which was even further brought to life in the audiobook. I alternated between audio and ebook, though have to confess I mostly listened to Lisa Larsen expertly narrate the book. While this is the first of Kelly Mustian’s books that I have read, I’ll be reaching for her others very soon. A must read.

This one had a haunting, lyrical quality that made it compelling in parts, especially with its Southern Gothic undertones and dual-timeline storytelling. I liked how the mystery unraveled slowly through Nell's perspective, paired with Becca’s Depression-era storyline—it added depth and atmosphere, and the thread of sisterhood was strong throughout.

That said, the pacing dragged for me at times. The buildup was slow, and while the writing was beautiful, it sometimes leaned too heavily into description and memory, which made it harder to stay engaged. I also found some of the plot turns a little predictable, even though the emotional moments still landed.

Overall, it’s a quiet, reflective novel with an intriguing premise and rich setting, but it didn’t quite leave a lasting impression. Recommend it for readers who enjoy multi-generational mysteries and Southern family sagas with slow-burn revelations.

The River Knows Your Name by Kelly Mustian is a phenomenal read and a book I won’t soon forget! It’s a story that consists of a dual timeline, one taking place in the 1930’s and the other in the 1970’s. It centers around 4 main characters, 2 mothers and 2 daughters. It depicts what it was like back in the days of the depression and the sacrifices that were made just to get by. It’s a story of one mothers love and another mothers sacrifices for a child that isn’t even her own. It’s a very emotional read and I had the utmost respect for both of these mothers for doing what they thought was necessary for the safety and well-being of their daughters. Because of so many secrets, the girls were raised as sisters but after finding a hidden document in a paperback book, they learn that that isn’t the case. Nell, the oldest of the 2 daughters vaguely remembers bits and pieces from their past and because of this she decides it’s her mission to find out the truth. This is a story that captured my full attention and it’s a book I would recommend to all readers who enjoy women’s fiction, southern fiction and historical fiction. I’d like to thank Kate Riley, Marketing and Publicity Assistant @ Sourcebooks Landmark for the invite to read an early copy and NetGalley for the arc. This is a book I highly recommend and hope to get a physical copy of to add to my home library of favorites. I’m giving this book a well deserved 5 star rating!

Sacrifice and resolve are embodied by the different strong female characters in this story. Becca, a struggling mother in the depression alternates POV, with Nell in 1971 searching for truth about her mother and her sister. Both the story and the characters are interesting. My only quibble concerns my confusion between the characters during the first third of the book. An enjoyable story. Thanks to netgalley for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.

A great read, atmospheric, haunting, emotional and so much more. This dual story and timelines this book took me on a journey "From a windswept ghost town long forgotten, to a river house in notorious Natchez Under-the-Hill, to a moody nightclub stage". This is a book that is written in a way that you feel you are there, with characters you fell you know.

Well written and such an easy read yet it had the depth and intrigue of a good story. I loved it.

Thank you NetGalley and SOURCEBOOKS Landmark for giving me the opportunity to read and review this book.

Book review: 3.75/5 ⭐️
Genre: historical fiction/mystery
Themes: family secrets, depression, stolen child
📖 Read if you like: The Four Winds, Surviving Savannah, Five Rivers Met on a Wooded Plain

To the rivers that hold a world’s worth of memories. This is a haunting story of memory in a novel that is somewhere between historical fiction and mystery. While reading I had an unsettling feeling of fear knowing that a most beloved child was stolen, but how she ended up in her new family remains a mystery. In a family full of secrets, it is hard to know who the villain could be. It was slow paced, but the story really drew me in with a lyrical quality of writing and a heartbreaking outcome.

From riverside ghost towns to brothels, post war nightclubs to the Mississippi this is a dual timeline story of loss, hardship and perseverance. In 1971, a forty-two year old Nell can’t let go of the vague memories of childhood she has. Memories which her cagey mother Hazel refuses to acknowledge, let alone discuss. This is on top of a long held secret that Nell’s sister Evie has a different mother, a stranger named Becca Chambers. A childhood promise hidden in the pages of Jane Eyre, but one that Nell can no longer ignore. As she searches to unravel an eerie past shrouded in secrecy, she must confront an uncomfortable possibility that her mother is not quite who she seems to be.

This hunt is told in tandem with a young Becca in the 1930s. This young mother and new widow must navigate the trials of living independently in a depression era landscape where jobs are nearly impossible to find and a woman is ripe to be taken advantage of.

This is my first novel by this author and it certainly won’t be my last. It was beautifully written with complex characters and ended in a graceful way I was not expecting. The lines of blame and betrayal blurred under the true meaning of family and love. Each of the female characters struggles with their own vulnerabilities and truths, and I liked how real and raw they were. It was on the slower side in terms of pace, but it was easy to follow and not overly complicated. I found myself wanting an ending on vindication and healing, which I got, but not in the way I suspected. This story of redemption and resilience had some unexpected twists with a mystery that wove in and out with a messy family discovering how they can navigate their new relationships alongside the truth.

Thank you to Sourcebooks and NetGalley for an advanced copy of this book.

The River Knows Your Name by Kelly Mustian is one of my favorite reads of 2025. I enjoyed Mustian's first novel, The Girls in the Stilt House, and this new book is every bit as powerful. Both have storylines that made me root for the main characters from the first page to the last.

Same as this author's previous novel, the setting is delivered artistically with gentle brushstrokes yet also with authority that makes me feel as though I have been there with the characters.

This novel is a dual-timeline historical novel, one timeline set in the 1930s and the other in the 1970s. I am not always a fan of dual timeline stories, but here it works. I cannot imagine how the story would resolve without the second, later timeline. No spoilers, but the payoff for this happens at the end.

Overall, I would recommend this book to readers of historical fiction, women's fiction, or simply for any readers would would enjoy an escape for a few hours into a story that is told well.

I requested this book in electronic format because I was moderating a discussion of it on BookBrowse.com. While many of our members seemed to love it, I actually thought it was pretty weak. I felt the characters were too similar, too many unanswered questions remained, and I didn't find some of the plot points logical. Several characters weren't well-developed. It just never clicked with me.

I loved The Girls in the Stilt House by this author! This one wasn’t as good for me, but it was still a good story where one daughter’s quest to learn about their mother’s past leads to family secrets revealed. The timelines and POV alternate between 1934 and 1971. The themes most present are about the love between Mothers and Daughters and found family.

Beautifully written novel about women, and family, and memories. The settings were as colorful and distinct as the characters. I found myself lulled by the words, almost becoming numb to the harshness of some of the events and situations.

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

This was an emotional read and I really enjoyed the dual timelines and dual narratives.

The descriptive elements were atmospheric and beautiful.

I liked the sisters and their love and connection.

A little ‘saga’ ish and soap opera in parts but I still enjoyed.

This author is a master at creating a sense of time and place and has the ability to draw you into this story of love and loss . Another winner by an excellent author
Thanks for sharing this story with me Netgalley and the publisher

Thank you so much to Sourcebooks for the gifted book!

This one sounded so good to me and the cover looks right up my alley!

It gave me major Kristin Hannah vibes at times which is a huge compliment!

While it was overall enjoyable, it did seem to drag for me at certain points and struggle to hold my attention.

I still think this will be a huge hit for many!

I really enjoyed this novel, which beautifully captures themes of family, identity, and the secrets that shape us. The setting was one of the standout elements for me it felt so vivid and atmospheric that it almost became a character itself. The plot moved slowly at times, but the emotional depth of the characters kept me hooked.

I found the characters incredibly well-developed, each with their own complexities and struggles. Their relationships felt real and evolved naturally, which made me care about what happened to them. While there were a few moments where the pacing slowed down a bit, the writing was so rich and the emotional payoff so satisfying that it made up for it.

Overall, I’d give it 4 stars moving, immersive, and full of heart.

(Rounded up from 4.5 stars)

A beautifully haunting and emotional story of love, loss and family secrets. I loved this book! The dual timelines and multiple POVs really drew me into the story, and I found myself theorizing throughout about how the characters may be related. Secrets and betrayal are the driving force behind the plot, and they definitely add to the family drama. I’m very impressed with how Mustian was able to navigate fraught relationships and create such an emotional ending. My only gripe, if you can even call it that, is I would have loved to find out what happened to Lucy and Rose.

This is the best book I have read so far this year. I read the author's previous debut book and was so impressed with it I couldn't wait to get my hands on this one and it did not disappoint. There is a lot to keep up with but the story is so intricately woven and the characters so likable I couldn't put it down. I particularly like stories set in the south and I especially like family sagas as well as dual timeliness so this one was perfect. I will be talking about this one for a while. I highly recommend. I don't find many five star stories but this is definitely one!
Thanks to Net Galley for allowing me to read this fabulous ARC.