This book is a must-read! Mary Alice Monroe does such a beautiful job bringing the story to life—I could see the scenes unfolding as I read. The dual timeline worked really well and added so much depth to the story.

What stood out most to me was the strong female lead. Set in a time when women weren’t often seen as leaders, she truly broke the mold. The characters felt real, and the writing was so vivid and emotionally rich.

If you love well-written historical fiction with strong women and immersive storytelling, definitely add this one to your list!

This was a lovely story about a strong women growing up in the South Carolina at the turn of the previous century. It explores themes like love, friendship, family, and racism.

Eliza is the middle child in a well-to-do family, intelligent and headstrong. She befriends Covey, the black daughter of the estate caretaker. Along with her brothers and some of their friends, they form the nucleus of a group, growing up together amid changing times.

It's told in a dual timeline as today, Eliza heads a large company, and as she plans to retire, she is figuring out how to hand over her land.

As usual, the older timeline is much more interesting than the present one.

3.5 stars

Thank you to NetGalley, William Morrow, and Mary Alice Monroe for the opportunity to review an advanced copy.

I knew this book is the first half of the story, but darn! That ending came too soon. Not a cllffhanger, but I wanted to keep reading this fascinating saga of a South Carolina woman and her family. Mesmerizing, heartbreaking, joyful. The story jumps between present day 1988 and the past, beginning around 1906. There are hints of how things are but the big question is how did they come to pass? How long do I have to wait for the concluding book?

I would like to thank NetGalley and the publisher for providing me a galley in exchange for an honest review of Where the Rivers Merge by Mary Alice Monroe. This is a wonderful novel on so many levels. It is the family saga of the Rivers family of the low country of South Carolina through the generations told through the eyes of their daughter Eliza as she comes of age. Through Eliza’s voice, the reader becomes immersed in the times, starting with the years before WW I and extending into the 1980’s. We see Eliza chafe and rebel at the perceived role of women, causing discord within the family, especially with her mother. The rivalry between brothers is exposed by observing the differences between first and second born sons caused largely by their birth order. The ugly underbelly of southern racism is also revealed, first in subtle ways, but later in more profound ways that can strain and permanently fracture a friendship. Eliza, her best friend Covey, her brothers Heyward and Lesesne, and later Heyward’s friend Hugh are strong characters that fill out a plot that hooks the reader from the beginning. The author masterfully weaves facts about the plants, animals and environment that make up the ACE Basin where the story takes place, adding to the interest. There also is a second timeline, where Eliza has aged. She has the opportunity to forge new relationships with her granddaughter Savannah and her great niece Norah, relationships that never formed earlier due to Eliza’s preoccupation with preserving her plantation home at Mayfield and decisions Covey made earlier. Now, Savannah and Norah are needed, and the reader is left wondering if they will deliver, as this is to be a two book series, due to the length and breadth of the story. Despite knowing this, the novel ended rather abruptly, but it only serves to whet my appetite for the second and concluding book. This is the author’s first adult book in awhile, and it serves to remind me how much I have missed her.

As an avid reader of Mary Alice Monroe, I was very excited to ready Where The Rivers Merge. Once again, she has told a lovely tale of love, loss and family wrapped up in beautiful scenery set around the water. Unlike the Beach House series which focused on sea turtles, this book is focused more on conservation of our natural world. The main character, Eliza Pinckney Rivers Delaney is someone with whom I would like to spend a day. She is 88 years young and the CEO of her family corporation when we first meet her. This multigenerational story goes back and forth in time, weaving the complex story of her life beginning in childhood. She is an incredible woman who started breaking down barriers even as a child. Her love for her family and her land serves as the basis for this incredible story. Too large to fit into one book, this is the first in a two part series. It was a wonderful read and I look forward with anticipation to the second book.

ELIZA RIVERS OF MAYFIELD!

In her newest release, “Where the Rivers Merge”, Mary Alice Monroe has crafted an evocative and moving narrative centered around Eliza of Mayfield. This novel unfolds as a multigenerational family drama, beginning with Eliza's childhood in 1908. Eliza always marched to the beat of her own drum and felt more at home in the natural world. She had a deep connection to the beautiful lands of Mayfield, as if they were a part of her very being, despite societal expectations of women during that time.

The story also explores the theme of deep, lifelong friendships—relationships that can sometimes resemble family, or even surpass familial bonds. Additionally, it delves into forbidden love and the complexities of a secret child, as well as the challenges of misplaced love and devotion throughout generations.

By 1988, Eliza realizes she must make difficult decisions to save her beloved Mayfield and ensure it thrives for future generations. Her greatest challenge comes in the form of her greedy son, but fortunately, Eliza gains two new allies to support her mission to protect Mayfield.

I can hardly wait for the next installment of this novel to be released so I can discover what happens next!

I received a complimentary copy of this book from William Morrow and NetGalley. The opinions expressed here are entirely my own and without outside influence.

A great book. An accomplished woman recounts the story of her life for young relatives. Great characters and interesting plot line. I hope book two comes out soon.

Thank you, Netgalley and the publisher for allowing me access to this absolutely wonderful book.
This book was glorious.
I laughed , I cried, sometimes both at the same time.
I will definitely be recommending to everyone.

Where the Rivers Merge is a heartfelt story of home, friendship, love, and betrayal, set in the Deep South during the WWI era. Against the backdrop of a racially divided society, the novel explores the powerful bond between Eliza, the daughter of a white plantation owner, and Covey, the Black daughter of the hired help—an unlikely and forbidden friendship during that time.

I really enjoyed this book. The story was compelling and held my interest from start to finish, especially with its rich portrayal of South Carolina's history. The characters were well-drawn—Covey was a standout for me—and I admired Eliza’s determination to stand up against the racism deeply ingrained in her community.

I gave this one 3.5 stars, rounded up. My only real critique is that the ending felt too abrupt. Key plot points were left unresolved—what happened to Mayfield? A few more pages to tie up those loose ends would’ve made for a more satisfying conclusion.

A big thank you to NetGalley and William Morrow Publishing for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

Mary Alice Monroe always writes wonderful stories that include the need to help animals in the wild. My favorite series centered on sea turtles. In this novel she looks at a much larger picture that involves the need for conservationship of land as a way to protect the land as well as plants and animals in it. Of course, there’s a great story with memorable characters too! The best part is the story was too long for one book so we can look forward to another one, hopefully next year.

Thank you to William Morrow and NetGalley for the ARC!

Where the Rivers Merge was an absolutely stunning book of incredible detail, beautiful landscapes, character development, and riveting dialogue.

I loved Where the Rivers Merge- Eliza is 88 and wants to preserve her family land. Her son has other ideas and Eliza isn’t happy about what he wants to do with the land once he’s gotten control.
Eliza skips her birthday lunch and flees to Mayfield and begins to tell the story of her life- what a life she endured!
Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC of this wonderful story!
I can’t wait to read the continuing story in the future.

Mary Alice Monroe’s beautifully written and magnificent saga of life on a LowCountry plantation, Where The Rivers Merge, will tug at your heartstrings. It’s the first half of a two-part series.

It is told through the eyes of an 88-year-old matriarch Eliza in a dual time line as she looks back on her life growing up at Mayfield and in Charleston. She tells stories about things that happened to her and her brothers and friends from the time she was eight years old in 1908 until her wedding 20 years later. Eliza tells the stories to her granddaughter and her late brother’s granddaughter, her grandniece. The reader learns about World War I and how it affected her, what life was like with Jim Crow laws in Charleston, and many other historically significant issues.

It’s also relevant she’s the 88-year-old C.E.O of the company she heads and, concerned about climate change, wants to put the land the company and she owns into a conservation easement.

Eliza is an intelligent independent feisty loving woman I’d definitely want to know.

This is one of Mary Alice Monroe’s best books, in my opinion, and one you won’t want to miss.

Where the Rivers Merge by Mary Alice Monroe was fabulous! Eliza is an 88 year old dynamo that retells her story growing up to her great niece and granddaughter. You get lost in her story that leads you back in history. You develop strong feelings about her family and friends. I just couldn’t get enough of it! Unfortunately, it ends on a cliff hanger. I hope the sequel comes out soon. If I knew this in advance, I wouldn’t have been so disappointed. Loved the story, but feel incomplete. Hurry and release the next book, please!!

This is a wonderful family saga set in the Lowcountry of South Carolina. Eliza Rivers Delancy the matriarch of the Rivers family, now elderly, tells the remarkable story of her life to her grand daughter and niece after a tumultuous board meeting of the family business. The novel dives into the evolving south including loss during WWI, the treatment of women and people of color. The book is full of well-developed complicated characters.. The description of the Lowcountry flora and fauna is beautifully written and very educational. Since this is Part I of a two part story, my only issue is the wait for part two. So much to discuss in a book group.

Thanks to Netgally and the publisher for an advanced copy of the book in exchange for an honest review! Where the Rivers Merge was a wonderful, lighthearted and nostalgic. The author tells her story in two timelines, one based in the more recent past; recounting her experiences to two family members. The story unfolds naturally and takes the reader back in time to the early 1900's in South Carolina. and the more current timeline of 1988. The story developed and became more engaging as it went on. This is book one of a two part series, so it did leave much to be desired in terms of resolution as we await part two. I liked the story overall, felt it was a little dry at points but overall, enjoyed being transported back in time through the author's writing. I am looking forward to book two to see how her sharing of her history will impact the next phase of both the land and the storyline. Thank you again for the ARC and the opportunity to review this title!

5.0 stars
HIGHLY recommend

This family saga is told in two timelines primarily about Eliza Rivers and her family. I love the two timelines of the early 1900s and 1988. These were two varied and unique times for women.

The strong character development, powerful storyline, and beautiful writing make this a powerful family saga. This historical fiction novel has it all! Eliza is a great heroine and a powerful female character. I wish I was listening to her stories like her granddaughter and great-niece (I know this is fictional, but STILL!)

Read. This. Book!

The author has indicated this will be the first book in a two-book series. Yeah, another Rivers family saga novel!

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/7476971092 - posted 4/12/2025
The StoryGraph: https://app.thestorygraph.com/reviews/eb4f7fac-2da5-4f47-bfc2-e89346c270ef?redirect=true - posted 4/12/2025
booksbydorothea Blog: https://booksbydorothea.blogspot.com/2025/04/review-where-rivers-merge.html - posted 4/12/2025

In the first of two planned novels about the history of a plantation in the Lowcountry of South Carolina and its family, Mary Alice Monroe writes in the voice of an adult Eliza Rivers as she recalls her early years in Where the Rivers Merge being published May 13. The present is June 17, 1988, when Eliza, now Mrs. DeLancey, plans to protect Mayfield by putting 1,000 acres surrounding the farm into a conservation plan, a move her son Arthur protests as he tries to push her out of the DeLancey Group.

Eliza’s life as a young girl in the early 1900s consisted of plenty of chores but also time to explore the land, the pond, the forests, the birds, and other creatures. A horse lover, Eliza recounts a bit of history about the Marsh Tacky as she recollects her father’s purchase of the stallion Capitan. However, life on Mayfield was not all rosy as the Rivers family was “land rich and money poor” causing some of the strife in the often-dysfunctional family with a city mother and a country father.

Over the years, Eliza has been able to turn things around on Mayfield, creating a profitable truck market business, and she is developing the Mayfield Wildlife Foundation to preserve the land. With her second marriage, she gained a “collection of businesses into a conglomerate of corporations and subsidiaries” that became the DeLancey Group.

With her son’s limited vision for Mayfield and the company, Eliza seeks out her niece Savannah and grandniece Norah to visit Mayfield so she can share the story of her family’s history with them. A mural in the dining room of the house serves to prod Eliza to tell the stories that go with the scenes starting in the 1700s with construction of the fields for the farm’s original crop, rice.

This initial book in the series takes the reader up to Eliza’s first wedding in 1926 as she ends the telling with “This story is far from over.” Mary Alice Monroe, the Queen of Low Country Fiction and a go-to author of beach reads, has turned her hand to historical fiction, leaving this reader eager for the next book, to be called The Rivers’ End, to learn about all the tales remaining in the mural and the questions left unanswered.

Monroe is at her best when dealing with complex family situations and relationships. She lives on the Isle of Palms, a small barrier island just outside of Charleston, and has a mountain hideaway in North Carolina.

My review will be posted on Goodreads starting April 12, 2025.

I would like to thank William Morrow, an imprint of Harper/Collins Publishers, and NetGalley for providing me with an Advanced Readers’ Copy in return for an objective review.

If you are a fan of Mary Alice Monroe, books about the Low Country or stories about strong female Southern women, you will enjoy the latest novel from this author. The story begins in 1988 with the protagonist reflecting on her life with flashback scenes starting in the early 1900’s in South Carolina. Reading this book, I felt a great comfort, similar to talking with an old dear friend, however the story was not just a rehash of one of her older books. The novel had me interested all the way to the end and I am definitely will be looking for the sequel. The only negative I have is that I wanted to see how it ends but I am glad that I will have something to look forward to! This would be a good book for a book club read, a lot of different relationships to explore in this novel.


Thank you to NetGalley for an advanced copy of this novel as well as William Morrow and of course Mary Alice for another interesting story from the Low Country!

A saga that stretches over several decades in South Carolina. The story of Eliza Rivers the daughter of owners of the Estate of Mayfield. The many changes in the world she lives in told in a dual timeline. Touching many topics and events going on during her 88 years. From segregation, WWI, love and loss, friendships and the everlasting love of Mayfield. I missed that fact that this is book one and looking forward to the next book. This would be a wonderful mini-series! The audiobook was excellent, I didn’t realize that Mary Alice Monroe was so multitalented. Thank you #NetGalley for this ARC. I truly enjoyed reading and listening to this book. All opinions expressed are solely my own. #WheretheRiversMerge