Mary Alice is a longtime favorite author of mine, introduced to me by my be!over Aunt way back when. No one writes about the Lowcountry the way MAM does. I am transported every time. I'm eagerly looking forward to the next installment in this duology!

This was riveting and I couldn't put it down. I always enjoy books that are stories within a story. I grew up in Charleston and always love books set in that area. I was stunned at the abruptness of the ending not realizing it was part of a series. I'll be anxiously awaiting book two. Fans of Dorothea Benton Frank and Anne Rivers Siddons would enjoy this book and others by this author. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an eArc.

Read and liked it so much that I recommended it to my book club, who also loved it. Purchased title for my HS Library (in Charleston, SC). Such lovely descriptive language for the Lowcountry, it will resonate well with my readers here. I was fully invested in every character. Did not realize when I started it that it was book one of a series, so now must anxiously wait for the next one.

A beautiful story of family and friendship set against the backdrop of the natural beauty of coastal South Carolina. It reminds us that the natural beauty of the world we live in and too often take for granted will only last as long as we are willing to do what it takes to preserve the fragility of the natural world.

In the Author's Note at the end of this to-be-continued story, Mary Alice Monroe admits of her great place love for the ACE Basin - the Ashepoo-Combahee-Edisto rivers that with many other wet ecosystems "merge" - I'm always looking for the reason and why of titles. And this has an additional punny aspect: the protagonist family name is Rivers (and families by way of definition are constantly merging. . . ). The most protagonistic of the Rivers family is Eliza. She is the elder version of herself at the beginning and end, but in between we get her life - and love - story. Time is set in South Carolina post-civil war, and by Eliza's maturity she sending boys she's grown up with off to fight in WWI.

Where the Rivers Merge is the first of two books that tell the full story of Eliza Rivers, with the second promised soon, the subtle pun continuing: The Rivers' End . Engaged readers will be looking forward to that, as we were left in a rather awkward spot between Eliza and her best friend.

*A sincere thank you to Mary Alice Monroe, William Morrow, HarperAudio Adult and NetGalley for an ARC to read and review independently.* #WheretheRiversMerge #NetGalley

I have really enjoyed the Beach House series, but this is very slow and boring and, unfortunately, not my cup of tea.

This is a rare choice for me, but I did not finish. I was excited about a family saga spanning decades in the Lowcountry. Unfortunately I found the characters flat and was disappointed by the lack of depth exploring complex topics like racism and sexism. While I think some readers will really appreciate this book the writing style just isn't for me. This coupled with the fact that the book is part 1 of 2 left me choosing to set it aside.

Where the Rivers Merge is a sweeping, multigenerational Southern epic that blends historical fiction, environmental themes, and emotional depth into a truly unforgettable story. The dual timeline structure works beautifully, following Eliza from childhood to her senior years. This novel honors the past while also reminding us of the need to protect the future.

I don't often think of Mary Alice Monroe as an historical fiction writer, but I really enjoyed this book. I love coastal South Carolina so I really enjoyed the setting and history of the area. The characters were well developed and I was engrossed by Eliza's childhood reflections. I can't wait to read the next book!!

Such a powerful and insightful read! I absolutely loved the characters, the storyline and the underlying message about the urgent need for all of us to be aware of when it comes to taking care of our planet is very poignant. I will warn you - you will easily get hooked into the storytelling presentation of the narrator and like me, be disappointed at the end of the last chapter, so definitely read the Author's notes (*spoiler alert, a second book follows to complete the tale!)!
Eliza tells a story of love, loss and change throughout the first 80 years of the 1900's and brings the reader along on a journey to fully appreciate the importance that being connected to not only history, but the land around us brings. Highly recommend - 5 stars! Thank you NetGalley for the opportunity to read this gem!

Thank you to the book’s publisher and NetGalley for the ARC digital copy. I was not compensated for this review and all opinions are my own.

Grateful to have been a part of the Rivers’ family while reading this audiobook! Thoroughly enjoyed the characters and descriptive setting. I did not know this was the first installment of a series and felt a bit let down at the end because the resolution was left incomplete. I will definitely be checking out the second book when it becomes available!!

4 out of 5 stars and my respect to the author.

Eliza Rivers looks back on the story of her life in the place she loves the most: her estate, Mayfield, in South Carolina's low country. It's a family saga and an eco-novel. I enjoyed the prose, but beware it's part one of a duology and doesn't wrap up neatly..

Thank you to NetGalley for this e-copy of Where the Rivers Merge by Mary Alice Monroe in exchange for a honest review.This is a wonderful, well-written piece of historical fiction set in the Low Country of South Carolina in different time periods between 1908-1988 when the main character Eliza ages between 8 and 88. Eliza is a strong female born at a time where women were supposed to be seen and not heard.She lives her life at Mayfield with her best friend Covey who is black.Eliza faces many challenges throughout her life from trying to be accepted by her parents for the person she is, to dealing with tragedy when her love is killed in the war and she is shunned by her best friend to finally trying to save the land she loves for future generations.Truly a story of a strong, courageous woman who faces many trials and tribulations in her life only to emerge as a force of nature.

Really nice beginning to a two part series. It works as a read-alone, but will do much better with the second half of the story. It is a dual timeline story of Eliza’s life, starting near the end but picking back up the thread of her childhood and young adulthood. Eliza is a fascinating character, a strong woman who has controlled her destiny for a good part of her life and is fighting to pass on a legacy to the younger generation of her granddaughter and niece. It is an extremely well-written and engaging story, and I enjoyed it even without the culmination.

Thanks to Netgalley and William Morrow for an ARC in exchange for a fair review.

I loved Where the Rivers Merge! It’s a wonderful Southern story with a setting that feels alive and a strong female lead you can’t help but root for. Mary Alice Monroe does such a great job weaving together family, nature, and resilience.

The only downside? Now I have to wait for the next book to find out what happens to the property! Already looking forward to the next installment.

Where the Rivers Merge is Historical Fiction at it's finest! Monroe is a beautiful storyteller, describing the Southern way of life on a South Carolina plantation in the early 1900's. The novel begins in 1988 with Eliza, the matriarch of the family, and the CEO of the family company. She is in her 80's and contemplating retirement. However, her greedy son wants to sell the family land, Mayfield. Eliza is attached to the land, and for good reason, is trying to set it up in a conservation so that the land cannot be developed.

The bulk of the novel takes place in the early 1900's into the 1920's where young Eliza Rivers, the middle child and only daughter of the Rivers family, roams the family farm without a care in the world, other than the fact that she wasn't born a boy. She is a free spirit- she loves adventure, all things nature, and her horse, Capitano. This part of the novel is where 1988 Eliza is telling her story and the importance of Mayfield to her granddaughter and great niece.

I quickly grew attached to Eliza and Covey, her best friend at Mayfield. I loved the relationship the two shared. Monroe did a great job of navigating the racism at the time and how naive young Eliza was to it all. There were so many heart breaking moments throughout the novel, I cried at a point. As an avid reader, I could deduct what was going to happen, but it still hurt nonetheless as Monroe made you attached to the characters. One thing that I did not see coming that I think should be told from the beginning is that this is book one in a series. It does not have a resolution and it ends on a cliffhanger. I was a bit disappointed that this was not disclosed from the beginning, but with only a few chapters to go, I knew the author wasn't going to be able to wrap it up neatly and figured something was up. I am looking forward to a continuation and having these characters back, but I am not looking forward to having to wait for book two!

Thank you to NetGalley and William Morrow for the ARC!

I really enjoyed this richly layered Southern historical novel—its vivid setting and compelling characters drew me in from the start. However, the ending felt a bit rushed but learning it's to be part of a series would explain that.

📚 Title: Where the Rivers Merge
Author: Mary Alice Monroe
Genre: Historical Fiction / Environmental Saga

Atmospheric and sweeping — a multigenerational tale rooted in land, legacy, and the resilience of one remarkable woman. Set between 1908 and 1988, the novel follows Eliza Rivers as she fights to preserve her family’s Mayfield estate in South Carolina’s Lowcountry. Through wars, storms, and generational strife, Eliza's fierce connection to the land defines her life and the legacy she leaves behind.

Mood: 🌿🏡🌊🕰️
🌿: The rich Lowcountry flora and wildlife
🏡: A family estate passed through generations
🌊: Storms, rivers, and nature’s ever-present influence
🕰️: A story woven across decades

Lush, heartfelt, and deeply restorative — this saga masterfully blends environmental care with a matriarch’s love for land and family. It’s perfect for readers who treasure nature-driven historical fiction.

This novel spans multiple generations and features a dual timeline from 1908 to 1988, centering on Eliza Rivers and her cherished home, Mayfield.
Eliza shares her stories, as well as those of her family and her childhood friend, Covey, to her granddaughter Savannah and great-niece Norah.
It’s a remarkable tale of strength, friendship, love, and sadness, all while providing rich details about animals, nature and land conservation. Discussions of war and racism are also prevalent in this narrative.
For me, the ending was unexpectedly abrupt since I was unaware of the sequel and I am now eagerly anticipating The Rivers End.
Mary Alice Monroe's role as one of the narrators added depth to my listening experience, creating a stronger connection to the story.
Thank you to the publisher/author for the opportunity to listen to this complimentary advanced copy. Opinions expressed in this review are my own.

This book is set in two different time periods, the early 1900's and the 1980's. Eliza is a precocious young girl growing up in the South Carolina low country with her brothers and best friend. In the 1980's she is slowly rolling her story of love and loss out for her granddaughter. I couldn't put the book down and was so disappointed to find out I had to wait for another book for her story to finish, but that just means I get a whole other book to read!