"Where the Rivers Merge" by Mary Alice Monroe is a beautifully crafted Southern novel that explores themes of love for the land and the importance of conservation. Through the eyes of Eliza, the narrative unfolds her experiences of profound friendship and portrays her family during some of the most challenging periods in history. The tale emphasizes the significance of family, friendship, and the natural world.

Sitting down to the long awaited adult novel from Mary Alice Monroe was like coming home, comforted by the familiar. Her words solidified why she remains my favorite author. In a surprise twist, she was able to weave her words rich of nature she is so well known for with that of an older main character and historical accounts of South Carolina. What a delight! The dual time line was expertly written, allowing the reader to easily place the moment in time which is usually hard to do. From the very first chapters, I was enthralled with a fight for Mayfield and a curiosity of the childhood friendship with Covey and how that would unfold. The pages turned swiftly, with conscious effort to slow and enjoy the story I had long anticipated. I read the story on my back porch, sharing space with my beloved Carolina Wrens, bull frogs in my pond, and the fragrance of my blooming Jasmine. The fact all of those were highlighted in the book stirred my sense of pride in my small piece of the world that I hold dear. Yes, it was a story and I loved it. Yes, I cannot wait to get a hold of the next story to follow. But when a book can make you shed tears over the love of your own home, that is pretty special. The story will stick with me…

I did a combination of digital and audio for this book. The audiobook was narrated by Jenna Lamia, Cassandra Campbell and Mary Alice Monroe. The narration of the younger and older main character, Eliza, were really good. I loved the countrified accent of the younger version and the more sophisticated voice of the older Eliza. It really brought the story to life.

This historical fiction was a dual timeline of the life of Eliza. It is basically the elderly Eliza telling two female family members the story of her life. All this is going on while her son is trying to get her kicked out of her own company because of her age.

Eliza grows up in the south on an isolated manor. Her best friend is African American at a time when that just could not happen. The story gives insight into that complicated, yet simple relationship. It also deals with gender expectations and family conflict because of it.

I really loved this book and hope the author writes more of this type. Her character development was exceptional and these characters will stay with me for a long time.

Thanks to William Morrow and Harper Audio for the copies. All thoughts are my own.

I didn't know what to expect when I started reading this book. But by the end of the first chapter I was hooked and couldn't put it down. I almost read the whole book on an airplane flight!

Spanning 2 timeframes, starting with 1988 and through story-telling style, the late 1900's forward. This is the story of a strong woman who defied the societal norms of the day many times over, got put down and got right back up again. Eliza was never a girly-girl, much to her mother's despair. Back then, girls were taught to comport themselves in a certain refined manner, but Eliza wanted to be out wandering the property of her beloved home, Mayfield where she was happiest. Mayfield continues to be her happy place and the home she worked her whole life to preserve so that she and the generations after could enjoy it.

From love to loss, family dysfunctional (and 1 possible sociopath), true friendship and plenty of drama, this book has it all. Captivating, heartbreaking and wonderful. Recommend.

Thanks to the author, publisher and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this book, but my opinions are my own.

I received this eBook as an advanced reading copy from NetGalley Books/William Morrow in exchange for an honest review, I would like to thank them for this opportunity.
MAM has never disappointed me with any of her books that I've read. And I think I've read them all. This one was no exception.
All of her fictional books are also educational. This one has a little description of environmental things (flora and fauna) coming in the chapter.
Where the Rivers Merge is a little different than her other stories as this one is a historical fiction novel, one of my favorite genres. Eliza tells her story in 1988 to her granddaughter and her great-niece about her friends, her adventures and her loves on her family's rice plantation, Mayfield, starting in 1908. I've read many dual timelines, and they take a minute to get use to but I always find a favorite time period. The descriptions are very vivid, and they took me to the lowcountry of SC. I will be anxiously waiting for the next book.

Where the Rivers Merge transports readers to the evocative landscape of South Carolina’s Lowcountry, where Eliza, now 88 years old, shares the rich and complex history of her ancestral home, Mayfield, with her granddaughter and a newly discovered grandniece. The narrative unfolds across two distinct time periods—1908 and 1988—seamlessly weaving together past and present.

In the contemporary storyline, Eliza is determined to protect Mayfield, a 1,000-acre estate that she has kept under her name to preserve its legacy. Facing pressure from her son Arthur, who believes she is too old to manage the family company and seeks to replace her as CEO, Eliza demonstrates her enduring business acumen by calling for a formal vote on her successor—surprising the board and Arthur alike by declaring that her successor will not be chosen based on lineage. Following this bold move, and on the occasion of her 88th birthday, Eliza retreats to Mayfield with her granddaughter and grandniece, intent on passing down the stories and traditions rooted in the land she so dearly loves.

The historical narrative begins in 1908, when young Eliza befriends Covey, the daughter of a Mayfield worker. Despite the rigid racial boundaries of the Jim Crow South, the two girls form a deep, unbreakable bond. Alongside Covey, Eliza grows up with her brothers Heyward and Lesesne, neighbor Hugh, and family friend Tripp, navigating life on the plantation and in Charleston. Eliza’s mother, a product of Charleston’s elite society, brings financial support that enables the restoration of Mayfield after her marriage to Eliza’s father.

By 1918, the tides of war and love reshape Eliza’s world. Her beloved Hugh and brother Heyward enlist in the Marines and head to the front lines of World War I. Both are tragically lost at the Battle of Belleau Wood, and Eliza’s grief is compounded by Covey’s revelation that she is carrying Heyward’s child. Initially in disbelief, Eliza is confronted with the truth through letters between Covey and her brother. In a moment of weakness and desperation, Eliza confides in her emotionally distant mother—an act that leads to a painful rupture with Covey, who rightly feels betrayed. The following day, Covey vanishes, leaving behind the only home she has ever known.

As Eliza’s family fractures—her mother and younger brother returning to Charleston, and her father descending into alcoholism—Mayfield’s fate falls into Eliza’s hands. With unwavering determination, she works tirelessly to restore and sustain the estate, only to have her efforts dismissed when the plantation is handed over to Lesesne, who harbors no affection for it. Feeling unmoored and unrecognized, Eliza accepts a marriage proposal from Tripp, seeking solace and a new beginning in Charleston.

A beautifully crafted novel, Where the Rivers Merge explores the intricate dynamics of Southern plantation life, the enduring weight of familial expectations, and the ever-present undercurrent of racial tensions in the early 20th century. It is a poignant tale of perseverance, identity, and the enduring pull of home. Fans of Karen White, Kristin Hannah, and Beatriz Williams will find much to admire in this compelling and emotionally resonant work from a distinguished author.

This was a fabulous book. I read it in record time and did not want to put it down. Now to wait for the continuation in Part 2 that Mary Alice Monroe is currently writing. It is a delightful story that takes you back in time to a true southern lady’s childhood through her memories. It is very educational through all the research of the ACE Basin ( where three southern rivers meet) and many famous Charleston, SC residents and their lives from the past. Don’t let this one get past you. Well worth the read. Congratulations once again to MAM, You NEVER disappoint!

Where The Rivers Merge took a few chapters to engage me, but then the story flowed well and kept me interested. It did seem unlikely that a child growing up then could be as naive about race relations as Eliza was portrayed, but the friendship between she and Covey was wonderful. I’m sorry they never reconciled.

One other thing was a little confusing to me. When Norah introduced herself at the board meeting, Eliza thought “so the rumor was true” but then in flashback it was clear that she knew there was a love child.

Overall, I would have given 3.5 stars, but am rounding down due to the cliffhanger conclusion. Series are fine, but books should be complete. I’m not interested in serials - especially if not advertised as such.

Thank you to NetGalley for an advance e-copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

This book started out a bit slow for me, but as the author weaved her story, it became richer and more engaging. I enjoyed her blend of historical fiction and ecology with the focus on strong Southern women that I've found in Monroe's other works. This book is not billed as a series, but the author's note suggested that the matriarch would continue with her story in a second book. I knew the timeline wasn't keeping up with how much was left in the book, but it was a bit surprising for the book to not be more clearly described that way up front. The story was largely unresolved at the end, but it did make me want to continue to the next book.

Loved this, and immediately wanted more! Mary Alice is the ultimate storyteller. Like her previous books the chapter headings give so much insight into the story. I learned so much about native southern plants, animals, and the ACE basin. Plus the story and history of Southern women coming into their own and recognized as not just brides and wives is one to be told. . The main character Eliza was so ahead of her time and certainly blazed the trail for other women to follow. You will be hooked from page 1, This story needs to be shared!

3.5 ⭐️ I enjoyed this dual timeline story of Eliza Rivers and the grand Mayfield Estate in SC circa early 1900’s and 1988.

Told from Eliza’s POV the book comes to life with all the nature and wildlife featured. I liked that the beginning of each chapter started with some type of facts about local flora and fauna native to SC.

Eliza’s character is a strong voice and a strong woman! Supporting characters are equally as interesting from her parents to her best friend Covey, brothers Heyward and Lesesne, and beaus, Hugh & Tripp and her horse Capitano.

The writing is beautiful and descriptive and covers WWI, Jim Crow South, family drama, love, and loss.
The story didn’t grab me as much as I thought it would, and lagged in the middle. Some loose ends I felt need to be addressed , but it will be a series. I’m interested in reading more. .

Thank you NetGalley and publishers for the eARC in exchange for my honest review.

#WhereTheRiversMerge #NetGalley

There will be a sequel to the book called the rivers edge in 2026
What a great story about Eliza an 88 yr old woman from South Carolina
She owns an estate with much acreage
She has been running this company for many years
Now her son Arthur doesn’t think she is capable of doing it anymore as she is giving a lot of the
Land for conservation
This is a story about several generations and what Eliza has endured to get to
Where she is now
She tells the story to her 18 yr old granddaughter
Can’t wait for the sequel

Where the Rivers Merge by Mary Alice Monroe. I've always enjoyed books by this author. But Where the Rivers Merge wasn't like her usual type of beach reads that I always loved this was historical fiction. Which isn't my usual type of book that I read. I didn't know what to expect going into the story it did take me awhile to get into the book but once I did it was a good book. I look forward to reading more books by Mary Alice Monroe.

This had some beautiful atmospheric writing in it. I felt immersed in the landscape almost as if I was racing the winds on the back of Capitano himself or fishing in the Sweetwater pond.

The characters though.. Eliza is most definitely naive to the point where it's almost unbelievable. It's hard to read about the way her mother treated her when she was younger and then seeing the switch to where they became close. The same issue with seeing her father treat her well enough when she was young and then when she got older and helped him take care of the farm he switches attitudes.

I really did enjoy the characters Heyward, Hugh and Covey. The idyllic childhood between all of them was incredibly well written.

I didn't like how current Eliza didn't have any more thoughts or realizations about telling the secret of a close friend though. Maybe a page of some "hmm I thought at the time I was doing the right thing?" the tiny smidge of remorse shown seems surface level.

The ending also was abrupt? I was preparing myself for more family drama and it just ended? I wanted to know what happens to Mayfield!

This is the story of a courageous woman's battle to preserve her family home and the Lowcountry land that surrounds it. Set against the backdrop of the patriarchal and racist Southern white planter society, the novel takes place in the Lowcountry of South Carolina. It is Southern fiction at its best and beautifully written. I highly recommend this book—five stars.

Thank you to Book Club Girl and William Morrow for the early read in exchange for a fair review. I loved it. Five stars.

I’ve fortunately been on a roll with finding several great books lately, all 5 stars, it’s been a good spring reading for 2025. I’m not exactly sure how to explain how a book is written by a good author, other than when you are in the middle of the book and you just sigh, and say, wow, this is a good one, the sentence structure is good, the storyline flows well, all of it and you hate to put it down. This is a really well told story.

We go on an adventure of a family coming of age in the south, especially Eliza, Tripp, Hugh and Covey. I loved it, we grow up with these young characters and experience the trials in the early 1900’s with the differences of race in the south. This book has love, loss, race challenges, women vs men limitations and the love of the south low country. I highly recommend and look so forward to the next one in the series. She left us hanging and I want to know more. Comes in with 5 stars!!

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

Where the Rivers Merge is a delightful and descriptive story. It’s a soulful tale of a woman filled with courage and determination and the South Carolina low-country property she strives to protect. The narrative includes Eliza’s complex youth at Mayfield starting in 1908, alongside her best friend, cousin, and two brothers. The characters are well-drawn and varied. One of my favorite scenes in the book is when Eliza participates in a horse race as a boy.

The vivid writing encapsulates Eliza’s life in a moving chronicle. In the book, the history of Mayfield is presented through a mural on the Dining Room wall. Eliza uses that mural as the backdrop to narrate the story of Mayfield to a new generation, one that Eliza hopes will protect its legacy as she has done.

Author Mary Alice Monroe illuminates the perils of South Carolina's Low Country in this poignant and thoughtful book. I look forward to the second installment in the series, which continues Eliza’s quest to protect her family’s legacy.

Thanks to Netgalley for an advance reading copy of this book. All opinions expressed here are my own.

Where the Rivers Merge by Mary Alice Monroe is a very highly recommended historical family drama. This is the first book in a planned two book series about a families home in the ACE Basin, an area named for the Ashepoo, Combahee, and Edisto Rivers in the southeastern corner of South Carolina. The second book will be The River's End.

In 1988, 88 year-old Eliza Rivers Chalmers DeLancey has reach a level of success as the CEO of the family business, the DeLancey Group and in charge of the family's traditional plantation home and surrounding land, Mayfield. She has already put conservation easement on four thousand acres of the land and plans to put the last thousand acres, where Mayfield is located, into a conservation plan to protect it from development. Her son, Arthur opposes this and is scheming against her, but Eliza is prepared for his machinations.

After a tense and dramatic board meeting, Eliza sets off to Mayfield, accompanied by her college-age granddaughter, Savannah, and also the granddaughter of her closest childhood friend and grandniece Norah. Once at Mayfield, Eliza shares their family's history with the young women. The novel jumps back in time to 1908, when Eliza is 8 years old and tells her story of growing up at Mayfield and her friendship with Covey, Norah's grandmother.

This well-written historical fiction family saga opens each chapter with an interesting note about the various flora, and fauna found in the area of the ACE Basin. As Eliza grows up with a love for the land, the narrative follows the different expectations and societal norms of those days. This first novel tells Eliza's story and follows historical events up to her first wedding in 1926.

Eliza is a fully realized character full of self confidence and determination which is displayed even when she is young. Her family isn't portrayed as perfect. All the characters have flaws as well as strengths. What the story of her childhood does an excellent job of is showing her love of the land, her deep ties to Mayfield, and her unstoppable spirit to persevere. It establishes the foundation behind why she is determined to protect the land and her heritage as an adult.

Where the Rivers Merge will be relished by those who enjoy historical fiction and family dramas. Thanks to HarperCollins for providing me with an advance reader's copy via NetGalley. My review is voluntary and expresses my honest opinion.

The review will be published on Edelweiss, Barnes & Noble and Amazon.

Where The Rivers Merge is the captivating story of eighty-eight-year-old Eliza and her love of the Rivers family's ancestral home of Mayfield in the Lowcountry of South Carolina. Told with a dual timeline, this historical novel pulled me in from the first page. It is more than just a story. It's a lesson in preserving the land for future generations to come. I love this author's work and look forward to her next book. Thanks to author Mary Alice Monroe, publisher William Morrow, and NetGalley. I received a complimentary copy of this ebook. The opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own.

Eliza is 88 years old and about to retire from the company she built. What will happen to the company and the family land that she owns? This is the story of Eliza's life from the time she is a little girl. It includes family dynamics, racism, and expectations of girls at the time. You will definitely be involved in Eliza's life, both the joys and disappoints. I really enjoyed this book and it ended far to soon. I will definitely be looking forward to book two. I would highly recommend reading this book.

Thank you to #NetGalley, #MaryAliceMonroe, and #WilliamMorrow for a copy of this book.
#WheretheRiversMerge