In this contemporary women’s fiction novel, thirty-four-year-old Hildy is a wildlife biologist in the state of Washington. She knows a lot about rivers and trees and fish, especially fish. When Hildy was little, she told her dad she had met God in fish.

This is also a missing-person cold case story. Hildy’s dad went missing when she was a teenager.

There’s something “off” about Hildy. For some reason, she doesn’t trust her memory. Someone has messed with this woman’s head. Is it simply that her dad went missing on one of his hikes through the forest, which would traumatize anyone, or is there something more sinister at play?

When the bad guy was revealed bit by bit, it was frightening because of how another person can be so manipulative, so skillful at gaslighting, so sneaky.

On a different note, I loved the research-driven details in this story. Hildy has a geeky job, and I learned a lot about the ecology of a river, the Pacific Northwest weather, even the life cycles of fish.

The only con for me is I didn’t need the epilogue. I was happy with the way the last chapter ended. I didn’t want a peek into the future. However, I know some readers do like to know for sure what eventually happens, so I’m only taking off half a star.

A well-written, seriously good book, 4.5 stars!

I read What the River Keeps through NetGalley.

I was quite excited to read this novel because I had really enjoyed her earlier book, Leaning on Air. I've attempted multiple times to read beyond the 30% mark. I couldn't identify with the characters or their situation. This work is about loss and healing, specifically a father who's gone missing and a mother suffering from dementia. Hilda has developed a habit of writing everything down so she doesn't forget. She is tasked with caring for her mother and the resort and has a job dealing with wildlife. I will attempt to read this another time, but right now I’m not connected with this story. If my opinion changes, I will update my review at NetGalley.

What the River Keeps is contemporary fiction, that immerses the reader in the beautiful environment of the Pacific Northwest, while exploring deeper themes of anxiety, complicated relationships, and unraveling past traumas. I enjoyed Bostrom's writing, with her detailed setting descriptions and the mix of complex characters and their relationships, but I did find there were some moments in the book with abrupt time jumps that gave a choppy feel to parts of the story. I also felt like one of the spiritual aspects of the story didn't come to a fulfilling conclusion by the end of book.

The characters were well-written, and I felt like the main character, Hildy, really added an emotional investment to the story. After spending years away from her childhood home, and having to return for family responsibilities, brought great tension to the story. Bostrom delivers a great slow burn revealing the circumstances that have led Hildy to her anxiety and unsolved family secrets from her childhood.

𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐓𝐨 𝐄𝐱𝐩𝐞𝐜𝐭:
* TW: Dementia, Sexual Assault, Animal Death
* Ecosystem Restoration/Environmental Work
* Olympic National Park
* Family Secrets
* Second Chance at Love
* Faith/Spiritual References
* Healing/Letting Go

𝐈𝐬 𝐈𝐭 𝐒𝐩𝐢𝐜𝐲?
🥶 (No)

If you enjoy stories with complex characters, romance, and some mystery, with a stunning natural backdrop, then I would recommend What the River Keeps.

Cheryl excels at crafting multi-dimensional characters, whose hope and anxieties resonate long after reading. Hildy is relatable and flawed, navigating the world with a mix of courage and vulnerability. Her hope, fears and triumphs become you own.

Why am I fighting tears in this moment? Because I just reviewed all of the passages I highlighted in this magnificent novel. These mementos of some glorious, poignant reading moments stirred up some sediment in my own heart. I feel “seen.”

What the River Keeps is set in the Olympic Peninsula, where the Elwha River was set free when the dam was dismantled. Cheryl Grey Bostrom used this as a backdrop to take the reader to a soul-stirring setting where Hildy’s caged memories are dismantled. Through some divinely-orchestrated events, Hildy reluctantly returns to the birthplace where sadness lived and “shadows ran amok.” In this place, though, the unconditional love and acceptance of some key characters bring light and hope into her world.

Yes, this is a fictional story, but What the River Keeps will dismantle readers’ own dams and lead them to the One who sets us free; to “a living Tsunami who raises the dead” as Luke describes Him. It’s a story that rends the heart. It might even stir up some sediment, but Cheryl Grey Bostrom leaves the reader sitting along the banks of a river where joy runs uninhibited.

I’m very grateful I had the pleasure of reading an advanced copy of this novel (thank you, Net Galley). It’s an extraordinary novel. I’m going to recommend it to all my reading friends.

What the River Keeps by Cheryl Grey Bostrom is a beautifully written story about healing that I really enjoyed. The topic about generational family trauma and redemption is one that is close to my heart.

I really loved the character of Hildy who is a biologist. Her canary Butterness is a great addition to the story.

What a great story of faith and hope and honesty and what one must overcome to move past those hurts of the past.

Very compelling!

What the River Keeps is a wonderful story that delivers all the great things I've come to hope for in Bostrom's novels: Character struggles that offer a window into difficult experiences. Immersive depictions of nature (and in this story's case--dialect) that transport you to new places. And, authentic depictions of faith that anchor readers through the story. Luke and Hildy's love story was deep thanks to the complex nature of their characters, and I loved learning about the bigger backdrop of the Elwha River and its restoration!!

Maybe more of 3.5 stars. I had a hard time getting into the book and had to stop and come back to it several times. It may have been just me, but it was really hard to connect, mainly because the story jumped around too quickly. I did enjoy the ending much better and I appreciated the faith elements.

I was given a complimentary copy of the book but was not required to leave a positive review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

What the River Keeps
Cheryl Grey Bostrom
August 12, 2025

Hildy Nybo and her sister Tess grew up by the river in a small town in the Pacific Northwest. Her dad worked on the river, her mother at home with the girls. Dad was gone when he was on ship detail. Mother was there for the girls but she often became lonely and at night took off in her canoe to find peace and breathe. Tess was easy with her mom but Hildy was a constant challenge. She was brilliant and continued on to become a marine biologist studying the salmon growth in the area. She lived alone in her small apartment, then a small cabin. Many thought she hoarded but in reality her finds were catalogued in daily journals. Everything from rocks, feathers, and assorted interesting parts of nature were numbered and written down. Sights from walks, conversations with friends and family, all were transcribed in her dairies. After college and the start of her career many found her to be a recluse. She taught her classes, worked with her river teams but no discussions beyond that.
What the River Keeps will be published by Tyndale Fiction on August 12, 2025. I was able to read Bostrom’s latest title via NetGalley. What the River Keeps is a first by her for me. I found Hildy’s journey to become a welcoming story to read. I was absorbed by her life and that of her profession. I must find her other novels. This particular adventure was extremely well written and a joy to read. I encourage book-lovers to pick this one up.

July 17, 2025
Review of Cheryl Grey Bostrom’s, What the River Keeps
By Robin Walter

What the River Keeps is a wonderful and thoughtful literary gift that award-winning author Cheryl Grey Bostrom gives to us. Set in the majestic Pacific Northwest amongst the ocean, mountains, rivers, forest and wildlife, Cheryl’s informed, lyrical, and thoughtful voice is present on every page.

Her clearly defined characters, Hildy and Luke, recognize each other as kindred spirits. In this page-turning novel, readers will discover all the “nuggets” that Cheryl embeds in her work. The nuggets surprise you as you read; and are key to inviting you to read and reread What the River Keeps.

Enjoy your journey with Hidy and Luke as they discover their second chances to glean the understandings of their troubled and misunderstood pasts. They search for truth, restoration, clarity, love, and forgiveness as they follow their path to their future. In nature’s beauty, they parallel their lives with the renewal and restoration of the Elwha River and its historical past.

This is a beautifully written story, and one you do not want to miss. Cheryl’s first two novels – Sugar Birds and Leaning on Air – are also amazing. All three novels are award winners and a treasure to experience. Enjoy!

What the River Keeps is a beautifully told story about confronting a painful and confusing childhood for one character (Hildy) and overcoming a family tragedy for another (Luke). Set on the stunning Olympic Peninsula in Washington state, Hildy’s healing mirrors that of the long-dammed Elwha River that she participates in restoring as a fisheries biologist. While the story does contain brief relationship violence and childhood psychological abuse, it is truly a story about the resilience and healing power of love of all kinds—spiritual, familial, romantic, and that for the natural world. Vivid, skillful writing and deep emotions kept me up late reading this powerful book. I highly recommend it. I received an advanced reader copy of What the River Keeps to review. All opinions are my own.

Bostrom has done it again! What the River Keeps delivers all of what I’ve come to expect from Bostrom, and so much more: lyrical writing that slowly drew me into the story, deeply nuanced and authentic characters that kept me there, and a plot with more twists and turns than the Elwha River. This redemption story is all about healing—healing nature and healing hearts. A must-read!

As an avid reader, I’ve read countless books, but What the River Keeps truly stood out as a story of redemption, depth, and surprises. I thoroughly enjoyed this novel—not only for its engaging plot but also for its ability to genuinely surprise me. Despite my experience with many storylines, I found myself guessing incorrectly more than once, which made the twists all the more enjoyable. I love a well-crafted surprise, and this book delivered.

One of the most personal moments for me came during the chapter involving packing animals into the mountains. Having done that with my family as a child, I was struck by the author’s accuracy in describing the experience. It brought back vivid memories and added another layer of connection to the story.

But this novel is more than just scenic accuracy or plot twists. The characters are fully developed and authentic, and the emotional undercurrents run deep. It’s a thoughtful, engaging read from start to finish.

I would highly recommend What the River Keeps to anyone who appreciates a compelling story with heart, surprises, and beautifully drawn characters.

What the River Keeps is a beautifully written book that will affect you deep in your bones. I felt every single emotion that Hildy felt; her anguish, her fear, her mistrust, and slowly, eventually, that shimmer of hope. Luke was a perfect counterpart to Hildy, his own grief still raw and tender, but he saw strength and resilience in Hildy that she couldn’t see for herself, and I loved his gentleness, his kindness, and his devotion—even when things looked bleak. This story takes us to the heart of nature and all its beauty, its own resilience when unnatural means try to stop its force and its lifeblood. There is also a mysteriousness to this story, as Hildy shares moments from her past that are confusing and painful; memories and mysteries that shape her present and her future, as she shields herself from being hurt again. I hope readers will embrace these characters and their stories as I have. I hope readers will hold its wisdom, its love, its redemption, its hope, and its gentleness in their hearts and minds. I received an advance reader copy of this book.

I went into What the River Keeps with great expectation having read Cheryl Bostrom’s other recent books, Sugar Birds and Leaning on Air. I was not disappointed! From the first page, Bostrom had me hooked. Her writing is beautiful, evocative, believable. Her characters are real and her knowledge and experience of the location add a depth and authenticity that put me smack dab in the scenes. Hildy is a complex protagonist I truly came to love. I have already recommended What the River Keeps to a young-adult fiction aficionado who wants faith-based stories that are not preachy. All of Bostrom’s fiction does that bill.

Hildy Nybo guards her privacy as tightly as she guards her fear of forgetting. From the continual disappearance of meaningful things in her childhood, Hildy’s obsession with collecting, preserving, numbering and documenting the details of each waking moment presents itself as systematic and obsessive behavior. Her attention to detail serves her well in her professional life, but Hildy must find a way to dismantle the mental and spiritual dams created by the trauma of loss in her younger years.

Hildy journeys through faith-finding, doubting and gifting in an unglossed manner. Her detour from developing authentic relationships reflects a common phenomenon of “settling for less,” when that which is genuine seemingly costs too much.

Supporting characters include the vibrant waters that wash and flow through Hildy’s story, where both humans and nature twist through their own tumultuous meanderings. The journey to redemption of the Elwha river provides a companion protagonist as Hildy unwittingly confronts her own blockades. Their paths interweave and intersect to unfold the truths necessary to set free and redeem that which was lost.

What the River Keeps is a story well worth a slow read. I’m typically a fast reader, always hungry to know the next turn in the plot, but this book required a second, slower read for me to soak in the details and the characters that bring depth, color and movement to the rhythm of the story. As in Sugar Birds and Leaning on Air, Cheryl Bostrom has crafted a novel rich in descriptive artistry and the continual intrigue of the human spirit. What the River Keeps now sits on top my recommended reading list for book-loving friends and family.

Oh my -- this is an amazing book! I loved the flawed characters. Dysfunctional family. Gaslighting. Broken people who find love. Highly recommend!

Secrets. Lost history. A missing past. The river keeps many things from the main character, biologist, Hildy. I found myself hoping she would find all that matters on the banks of that same river as I turned the pages. Beautiful Story.

WHAT THE RIVER KEEPS – Book Review Colleen Evans
This book is a fictional account of a woman (Hildy Nybo), raised in a dysfunctional family with many “family secrets”. She develops coping mechanisms to deal with those secrets, rooted in a need to survive childhood trauma. Unfortunately, most childhood coping mechanisms do not translate well into healthy adulthood; yet, oftentimes an adult will continue to rely on what is so familiar. And so does Hildy, until both circumstances and sympathetic adults enter her life, compelling her to set aside her assumptions about herself and the lies she has been told.
This story of dysfunction, healing, forgiveness, and redemption, occurs in a setting of magnificent natural beauty, pulsating with life in the verdant forests of the Pacific Northwest. Hildy’s occupation involves removing old dams, reviving a dead river, releasing cleansing water, and providing new life to her beloved fish. All of this is a metaphor for Hildy coming to terms with her old life filled with painful anxiety and personal limitations; and her new life briming with freedom and possibilities.
Hildy’s story is a roadmap to healing for all those who have been wounded by childhood family secrets and the lies they hold. It is a story of hope and the redeeming power of love and forgiveness.
I received an advanced copy of the book and the above is my personal opinion. I also pre-ordered a personal copy to be released August, 2025.

I going to be honest and say that I really don't like sad books. I almost decided not to finish and review it because it talks about hard subjects and in all honesty it scares me.
This is a subject that I don't like to think about losing one's mind and not remembering anything. To me, it's a slow and painful death.
I do feel sorry for Hildy. In my opinion she comes out the true heroine of this story.
June and Otis are cool characters too. I love June's support of Hildy.
I love her saying; "Many hands make light work."
I feel that this is a healing story for Hildy because family secrets do come out eventually. No matter how hard you try.
This story also talks about Forgiveness and Redemption along with healing.
I loved the many biblical verses scattered throughout the book. They are gentle reminders that God is always near that He does answer prayers just not the way we want sometimes.
4 stars for how this book made feel and the slow p
I had a hard time getting into this one but as I kept reading it finally turned out ok. Just not my favorite
My thanks for a copy of this book from Interviews and Reviews via Netgalley from Tyndale publishers