I found the characters of this story to be varied and as delightful as the location, a small island on the river Thames. The islanders lives are laid back and slow paced with community central.
The chapters are divided between main character Jo and her Grandmother, along with timelines from past and present. The close knit residents lives are thrown into turmoil when Landlord Oliver returns from USA with the intention of selling Walnut Tree Island. Jo is especially nervous about his arrival as she recalls their secret past and the hurt when Oliver was forced to leave with his family.
My thanks to Net Galley and publishers HQ for the advanced copy of this book.

A slow burning type of saga telling the story in two timeframes . There were a lot of plot lines to follow and keep the characters in perspective. The idea I found good but it did not keep me enthralled

Back in its '60s heyday, Walnut Tree Island was the place to be for musicians, singers and music lovers. Now it's home to a strong artistic community including Mary, a beloved Walnut Tree performer, and her granddaughter, Jo. When the new landlord, Oliver Greenwood, returns to the island with the aim of selling it, the islanders are rightly worried. But that isn't all Jo is concerned about because Oliver is also Jo's first love, the one love she never got over.

Oh, this book! I haven't read anything this immersive and beautiful in a long time. I really looked forward to picking it up and getting transported back to Walnut Tree. I completely fell in love with the island, as well as the sometimes flawed but relatable characters.

Stories of Mary's turbulent teenage years on the island are skillfully intertwined with modern-day island life and the threat surrounding Oliver's return. Mary, now in her seventies, is facing a diagnosis that is jeopardising her cherished memories. Jo is struggling in her career as an artist and Oliver is forced to confront more that he planned to now he's back on Walnut Tree.

There are historical family feuds, secrets, enemies-to-lovers romance and strong female relationships. Even though some of the book was set in winter, it all felt like the last sultry, lazy, hazy days of summer. I know that this book and the enchanting characters will stay with me for a very long time.

If you're looking for a book you can really escape in, River of Stars is it!!

Thank you to HQ and Netgalley for the ARC.

I enjoyed this book about life in a fictional island community in the Thames. Walnut Tree Island is based on Eel Pie Island and its history as a place for making music in the 60s. Mary Star is an older lady who was once a singer, who got pregnant with a rock singer on the rise to fame. She lives on the island with her granddaughter, Jo, and they work to retain the community spirit and artistic vibe of the island. Back into their lives, comes Oliver, grandson of one of Mary’s oldest friends, who now owns the island. Its fate, and that of the families, rests in Oliver’s hands. And he and Jo have some unfinished romantic history.
Well-written and evocative, this has made me want to buy a houseboat and make some art. A lovely summer read. Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC.

I was captivated by this beautiful story.

River of Stars is set on the fictional Walnut Tree Island, it has a history of musical legends and a community of artists.

The story is told across multiple timelines, starting in the 1960’s where we meet Mary Star and George Greenwood. Mary finds herself pregnant by musical star Ossie, who is about to go on tour. George (landlord) looks out for Mary, offering her work, safety and accommodation on the island.

We arrive in the present, where Mary and granddaughter Jo still live on the island. However, Oliver, George’s grandson is now the landlord and there is speculation he wants to sell…

The story is just beautiful. There is a real sense of community on the island. I loved how close knit the islanders were. I also enjoyed seeing how the story unfolded. There was a clear history between the Stars and the Greenwood’s, that over time had become twisted.

I loved seeing Jo change as the story unfolded. Rediscovering her love of painting, and taking chances, and finding love.

The pace of the story is quite slow, but it fits with the story and I just didn’t want it to end!

Thank you so much to the author, HQ publishers and Netgalley for the advanced read. Opinions expressed here are my own.

Jo Star has lived on Walnut Tree Island with her grandmother Mary her whole life. A former artist, Jo stopped painting or drawing when her work was put down by someone important to her. But the arrival of Oliver, a childhood friend, and new landlord of the island throws Jo’s life into chaos and brings back many memories she has long suppressed. Mary is also a lifelong islander from back in the day when it was a hub for up and coming musicians. Oliver’s grandfather, George, owned the island then and looked after Mary when she most needed it. So Oliver’s reemergence has consequences for her too, not least on whether she’ll be able to continue to live on her beloved island.

I really wanted to love this book. The description sounded right up my street and it started promisingly. But I never really connected with the characters or the story. I think there were too many perspectives and some of the relationships just didn’t feel genuine or believable, But there were some positives. The descriptions of the island made it sound so magical and I would love to visit somewhere like it! I also thought the way that something to do with Mary was handled throughout the book but particularly towards the end was done accurately and sympathetically but I can’t say what or it would give some of the story away.

While I did like the book, I just didn’t love it as much as I had hoped. Other reviewers seem to have made positive reviews so I’m sure readers will enjoy it if they choose it.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read this book.

I live a few miles from Eel Pie Island which inspired Walnut Tree Island in River of Stars. I've never visited though I've passed on a boat - it looks magical and this book makes me determined to go there one day.
It's a love letter to the island now and it's amazing musical history, Georgina Moore makes the island as important as the characters which is only right as it shapes them, their relationships and their hopes and fears.
I love a multigenerational story and as we follow the Stars and the Greenwoods from the 1960s to the present day there is a real sense of time moving on yet the island anchoring the Star women in a world that bears little resemblance to the Greenwoods. The music aspect is brilliant wrought and you can almost smell the sweaty mouldy hotel ballroom as the rock stars of tomorrow perform. I also loved the artists colony, what a fascinating place.
The central love story is clever, Jo and Oliver are older and neither is perfect - it's wonderful to follow them as they finally recognise what they need to change for themselves before they can be happy together.
All in all another hit for Georgina Moore, I predict it will be on all the Summer must read lists. And I will be going to the next Artist's Open Day on Eel Pie Island!

River of Stars by Georgina Moore is a beautifully written and emotionally resonant story set along a river. Nature and memory intertwine to shape the characters’ lives, guiding them through love, loss, and change. The river flows quietly in the background, a constant presence that adds to the book’s peaceful atmosphere. Moore’s calm and poetic writing creates a sense of tranquility, even in the face of challenging moments.

The characters feel real and relatable, while the timeless setting adds a comforting aura to the story. It’s a gentle and heartfelt read that reminds us of the profound significance found in even the smallest choices and quietest moments. River of Stars is a lovely book for anyone who appreciates thoughtful and emotionally resonant stories.

River of Stars by Georgina Moore

This book has the magical ability to captivate the reader. I found myself a fishing widow one night last week so I went to bed early and started reading. When I woke up the next morning I picked it straight back and read through to the end. I hadn’t even removed my glasses to sleep. The author has managed to make this feel like an escape, as well as heart-achingly romantic and with a bohemian setting that appealed to the creative in me. Walnut Tree Island is in a tributary of the Thames and back in the 1960s the owner, George, managed to turn a part derelict hotel into a sought after music venue. Based on Eel Pie Island, Walnut Tree is a harmonious combination of up and coming musicians, artists and picturesque riverboats and in 1965 is a weekly Mecca for young people. One of them is Mary Star, a young girl with a beautiful voice and a head full of dreams. It’s there one night when musician and up and coming front man Ossie Clark notices Mary in the crowd as she’s hoisted up on someone’s shoulders. Ossie is about to hit the big time, but he’s captivated by Mary and when he meets her he encourages her to sing with him. They are so in love and lay down in the grasses by the Wilderness - the most beautiful part of the island. When reality hits Mary knows she has to make a choice for both of them, although Ossie doesn’t reject the idea of becoming a father. He asks her to go to America with him, but the adults in her life, including George, make her realise how difficult that’s going to be. There will be compromises and although Ossie can’t see it now, what if he resents her and their baby? She’s left with her baby Ruby and a broken heart, but also a place to live on the island gifted by George.

Years later her granddaughter Jo experiences first love on the island. Used to running wild between Mary’s cottage Willows and houseboats, she meets George’s grandson Oliver when he visits the island. He’s the island’s heir, but such things don’t matter to young people and they have a magical summer thinking their love is all they need to sustain them.
Now Oliver has returned from NYC as the new owner of Walnut Tree Island which has become a thriving community of musicians and artists all supported by Mary who is the mother of the community. The whispers over what might happen to the island start fairly quickly, not least the ownership of Willows that has always been a verbal agreement with George. Jo now teaches art to children in one of the houseboats. Once an incredible artist she seems to lose her confidence in creating and her career never fully got off the ground. How will she cope with Oliver back on the island, as handsome as ever, but with a touch of New York sophistication. More to the point, how will Oliver feel seeing Jo again? It’s not long before the red-headed firebrand is at his door, fighting on behalf of Mary and the rest of the community. But does she really know what his plans are? Changes are coming to the island, but some things are as constant as the river flows. Could their love be one of them?

As in her debut novel The Garnett Girls, Georgina has created a family of very strong women and allows them to tell their own tale. We also have the narrative of one of Jo’s closest friends, Sophie, who is another stalwart of the island community along with her husband Dave who runs the boatyard. I found Mary’s story so sad because she doesn’t get to fulfil her dreams of being a singer and loses the love of her life in Ossie. After that she has friends and protectors. Firstly there’s Oliver’s grandfather George who makes sure Mary and her baby have a roof over their head because he feels responsible for her and Ruby. Yet there’s no romance on her part and she still loves Ossie. I thought she made a huge sacrifice not going with him, but she doesn’t want to hold him back and as George points out he needs to be available to his adoring fan base. She never hears from him, until he makes the call no mother wants to receive. Then there’s Gotlibe, whose mixed-race relationship with Mary did raise eyebrows in the 1970s. She can’t remember when their relationship became more friends than lovers. Is now too late to change things? She is the undisputed Mother of the island, the first one called when something goes wrong or a resident needs advice, she’s the chair of the resident’s association and the first to volunteer for any of the island’s celebrations. I loved the island’s sense of community and their shared philosophy of finding joy in the small things and celebrating life whenever they get the opportunity.

I thought Sophie’s husband Dave was a lovely man, happy with his lot in life and not really needing anything accept his boatyard, friends, a cold beer and Sophie. He was Oliver’s best friend that summer so it’s not long before they’re catching up. Sophie knows that her best friend Jo is struggling with his presence after all this time. She has a city job as a West End Theatres PR, a job that she loves despite it being stressful at times. She’s fascinated with Oliver, who has travelled, lived and worked in Manhattan. So when he calls and asks her for a drink in London after work she is tempted. Dave seems destined to settle even further into island life. Nearing 40 he wants to start a family but Sophie doesn’t want a baby and has secretly continued to take the pill. She’s drawn to Oliver, but is it really him or the sense of freedom he represents?

It’s Jo you will root for throughout the novel, because despite her tendency to self-sabotage and fly off the handle she’s a truly lovely person and a loyal friend. I think I felt an affinity for her because I have a tendency to self-sabotage my writing. I start full of hope, then read it back and think ‘who would want to read this?’ Jo went to study in Florence, but ended up in a relationship with someone who derided her talent and put doubts in her mind. When they broke up she flew straight home without finishing her course and has never painted again. After Oliver’s return something clicks and she feels an urge to paint, including an abstract of her mother, Ruby. Gotlibe is hoping she’ll exhibit them when they open for the public in the summer. I loved Jo’s return to Italy because it elevated the novel beyond the romance and into the tough part of working on one’s self. Watching characters bloom is my favourite thing and Jo’s eyes are opened to her part in how her life has turned out. The realisation that other people might have had similar setbacks, but stayed and carried on is huge. She chose to believe the criticism and allowed it to affect half of her life. When she meets up with old friend Claudia it encourages her to take some risks, to settle into herself, wear some colour and own it. Is Oliver also a risk worth taking?

Oliver and Jo originally bonded over a shared trauma, the loss of someone close. I was unsure whether the romance could or even should rekindle. The romantic in me wanted it, but he’s made choices that could derail their reunion. Jo doesn’t know if he’s still the Oliver she knows, or is he just playing at island life? He could turn round and evict them all tomorrow. I felt that Jo needed to see that Oliver knew the value of what he’d inherited, both it’s history and the unique community that now live there. If he commits to the island could they have a future? The island is magical, completely encapsulating the Japanese concept of ‘wabi-sabi’ with the beauty of it’s imperfections. The part derelict hotel was a perfect venue with it’s fairy lights and candles, giving off a nostalgic 1960’s boho that I loved and I know my mum will too. I was thinking of her throughout reading this book because in the early 1970s my mum travelled to London for a Neil Diamond concert with an invitation to meet him beforehand. My Grandad insisted on going with her, but waited outside when she went to meet him backstage. My mum said ‘if I don’t come back he’s asked me to run away with him and I’m going.’ I loved her innocence in thinking this and her guts for saying it to my rather anxious grandad. It was a time that was less cynical, where teenage girls did think dreams might come true and that love would conquer anything and it’s that spirit that this novel evokes. Of course Mum didn’t run off with Neil, affectionately called ‘Dima’ in our family because I couldn’t say his name properly, but they did correspond and she ran his UK fan club too. I hope there’s an alternate universe where my mum did get to run off with Neil. Just as I hope for one where Mary agreed to go on tour with Ossie and their daughter, living happily ever after. This is a gorgeous bitter sweet novel that will remind you of the posters you had on your bedroom wall, of those pangs of first love, of roads not taken. It also made me fall in love with the resilient and rebellious Star women and the community they called home. I’m happy to say this is the perfect summer read.

River of Stars follows an island community in a dual timeline - past and present. The writing is beautiful and evocative and you really feel transported to this island with the cast of characters. The romance is also very lifelike and draws you into their story straight away. Overall a great read.

Beautiful and enchanting gorgeous new novel from Georgina Moore. Transport yourself to a wonderful magical time in the 1960’s through to today, with music art and love. Full of warmth and brilliant characters!! I was enthralled from the first page to the last!!
Mary Star is a talented singer and wants to spend all her free time on the island in the Thames that is full of hope, music and soul mates. Her home life with her parents is stifling and restrictive, she finds love on the island and makes her life there.
Jo Star is an artist who lives and runs workshops for children on the island where she has spent her whole life. When her childhood sweetheart Oliver returns to the island for his inheritance all sorts of mixed emotions and frustrations come to the surface, along with the unfolding of a fascinating history.
What a fabulous story based on local history and legends. Gorgeous escapism and nostalgia, with amazing characters this is one of my favourite books this year!!
Love, friendship, history, nostalgia, art and music, what a fantastic mix. Totally recommended for an awesome read this summer. This is both enthralling and fascinating!
Thank you to NetGalley and HQ for the early read of another absolutely epic brilliant story!!

Set on an island with a bohemian community, this book travels to the past and back to present day and I loved the comparisons. Oliver has come to the island following his father's death and the community are worried he's going to sell their beloved place.

This was a new author for me and I was drawn in by the description. The story was beautifully written, in particular I found the descriptions of Florence very evocative. Fully rounded characters and a great story. Recommended.

The book has many things to recommend it: it is well written, the elements of the story and relationships are woven together to draw you in, the characters are painted with skill, descriptions of the place draw you in and you really wish you could go to Walnut Tree Island. However, for me, there was too much unhappiness and heartbreak, too many missed opportunities and wrong decisions. For those who like to read about the messy realities of life this would probably be a good read. If you want happy escapism, this is not for you.

The book takes the reader from the music scene of the 1960s, where Walnut Island was the venue for up and coming musicians and a young Mary Star can lose herself in the music and romance, to the present day where the island is under threat and Mary's grand-daughter Jo is forced to confront her past and everything which has happened since.

Multi generation story linked to the arts. Island life in the Thames.
Fame, love and lives entwined.
Great for anyone who loves multiple stories within one book.

I did enjoy this one in the end, though it took me a bit of time to properly get into it. There are quite a few characters thrown in early on, and I found it tricky to keep track of everyone at first. But once I’d got a handle on who was who, I really warmed to the island setting – Walnut Tree Island has this charming, close-knit vibe and ends up feeling like a character in its own right.

There’s a dual timeline, but the past sections are fairly short and mainly serve to add context to what's going on in the present. It’s all about how the events of the 60s still echo through the characters’ lives now – old mistakes, long-held grudges, that sort of thing. The history of the place definitely shapes how people behave and relate to each other.

The relationship between Jo and her grandmother Mary is lovely, and I enjoyed their bond. Some of the other characters didn’t grab me quite as much – a few felt a bit flat or self-involved – but I suppose that adds a bit of realism. The dynamics between the Greenwood and Star families are interesting, especially with the past and present so tangled up.

I found parts of the plot a little muddled, so it didn’t hold my attention in the same way as The Garnett Girls. That said, the atmosphere and setting are strong enough to carry it, and it makes a solid pick if you’re after a slow-burn read with themes of community, love, betrayal and the weight of the past.

Also – the cover is absolutely beautiful and really captures the feel of the book.

Thanks to HQ and NetGalley for the early copy.

3 stars

Well Georgina Moore has done it again. A novel, shimmering with emotion, characters that draw you in and occupy your heart, and an astounding, captivating sense of place. After her fabulous debut, The Garnett Girls, she has come up with this beautiful book, which elegantly and successfully dispels the age old "tricky second novel" trope. Thank you, Harper Collins, for access to the Netgalley so that I could read it ahead of publication on 3rd July. It's a gorgeous read!
If you enjoy a dual timeline story with well developed, fully rounded characters who drive it along, this one is definitely for you. It's a bittersweet blend of art, music, love, unhappiness, bitterness, missed opportunities, and mistakes repeated down the generations, all playing out on Walnut Tree Island on the Thames, which is based on the real life Eel Pie Island.
Mary is the island's matriarch, and the thread that weaves together both of the novel's timelines. The way the reader gets to know her so well as a teenager with an incredible singing voice, then later as a single mother to Ruby and grandmother to Jo, and ultimately, as an older woman, adds extra layers of poignancy to this already emotional story. She has loved, lost, and sacrificed, and is now sustained by her memories, and a full life in the island community she loves.
Jo, an artist, is very much her own woman. She's strong, independent, fierce, passionate, impulsive and hedonistic, firmly at the heart of the island's social life. Her sometimes brash, abrasive, one-of-the-boys persona, masks a big caring heart when it comes to Mary and the Island, as well as enormous insecurities, and a soul damaged by abandonment and a harmful relationship.
Oliver too carries emotional and psychological scars from always having to prove himself to his difficult father, and from the loss of his beloved mother whilst he was still a child.
A trinity of damaged people held in thrall by a past they must reconcile with, whose stories explore themes of love and loss, secrets, hope, and the importance of community.
The big take away from this novel has to be, "carpe diem": seize the day, don't leave things too late, and grasp every opportunity.
I absolutely loved it, and know that these characters, the island that means so much to them, and the novel's themes, will live in my head and heart for a long time to come. Highly recommended!

Well written and a delightful read. Set on an island populated with houseboats, Jo runs the bookshop and helps her grandmother Mary, a stalwart of the island. When Oliver Greenwood returns to take up his inheritance, she must fight to protect all she holds dear. A beautiful story that is easy to read and one you cannot put down.

Thank you to NetGalley, the author and publishers for access to this ARC 📚.

🔥Quick Fire Review🔥

Genre/Themes: ⛴️🛶🎨🌻🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿🎸🎤🏡
Tropes: Orphan, Not Like the Other Girls, All Grown Up, Love/Hate Relationship, The One That Got Away, Reunion Romance, Second Chance Romance, Can’t Spit It Out, Everyone Can See It, Accidental Pregnancy, Marriage in Trouble, One Night Stand, Misunderstanding, Set in a Closed Community
Positives: quirky and interesting setting, romance plot about protagonists aged 30-40+ which is a rarity!
<b>Room for Improvement 🔎 :</b> unlikeable characters, romances felt very lacklustre, flashback scenes underutilised, sub-plots that added little to the story with missed opportunities, several typos
Rating: 🌕🌕🌖

✍🏻Full Review - RISK OF SPOILERS 🛑

I was really looking forward to this based on the reviews and ratings but sadly I just struggled to enjoy it. I think this was largely down to the fact that I didn’t find any of the characters relatable in the slightest, with the majority of them being privileged middle-aged people living on a private island on the Thames able to make their living from art alone. This privilege made them all act like impulsive, immature teenagers. The nostalgic elements weren’t enough to raise the stakes of the plot and I found myself skimming the second half waiting to reach the conclusion, which in the end was disappointingly anti-climatic anyway.

Characterisation:
Jo was the most interesting, nuanced character of the book. She started out as a feminist icon to be honest. A 40-something singleton, a party animal doing shots most nights then having casual sex, getting annoyed at people’s hypocrisy over her drunken antics versus her male counterparts doing the exact same things. From a child she had been seen as the ‘leader’ on the island amongst her peers. She was a loud, assertive, self-proclaimed ‘tomboy’. She was basically written to throw out the idea of female stereotypes and traditional ideas about femininity. But then it turns out she gave up her art career because a male teacher-turned-lover in Florence told her she wasn’t good enough. She’d actually been single all this time because she’d never gotten over the guy she knew as a teenager, not because she enjoyed the single life. In fact as soon as they got back together, she got pregnant and engaged. So to be honest I felt like the message of her character was ‘people who act like they don’t want a traditional female life are lying’. That was a bummer. I also found her very hypocritical. The aggression she showed over her neighbours buddying up with her ‘enemy’, the anger she showed towards Oliver for ‘betraying her’ suggested that loyalty and honesty were very important to her… but then she just completely overlooked the fact that her best friend CHEATED ON HER HUSBAND WITH THE GUY SHE WAS STILL IN LOVE WITH? In fact she HELPED HER COVER IT UP? What on earth was that? And why did she find it so easy to overlook that the guy she ends up with also fucked her best friend and another of her neighbours, all in the space of a few weeks while he was still married to a woman in America? Apparently she likes to pick and choose when loyalty and honesty are her values. Her ‘redemption’ arc of going to Florence and officially deciding she wants to paint again was also disappointing, because she basically only decided to let go of her exes’ opinion when she saw him again and felt he’d turned ugly? Apparently letting an attractive guy change the course of your life is fine but if they’re ugly you can let it go… So I can’t help but feel that Jo’s happiness was too reliant on men. I get that she had abandonment issues, after her mum leaving her as a toddler and having an absentee dad. Oliver leaving without a trace just added to these issues and she was desperate for validation. But get some therapy, girl. She was also aggravatingly immature, too. She never once let Oliver explain himself, instead having constant digs at him and starting arguments. The book could have been over in a couple of chapters if she’d actually just let him talk. So all in all she felt like a 40-something year old stuck at the mental age of a teenager because she didn’t have any reliant male figures in her life.
Oliver was such a boring love interest. I honestly didn’t understand everyone’s fascination with him other than being tall, attractive and rich. He was an anxious avoidant type with serious daddy issues. He would escalate fights with Jo then storm out, and he’d only come back to the island to escape his failing marriage under the guise of ridding himself of it. He shagged two women in the space of a few weeks because he was so in love with Jo and wanted to get back at her. What a catch! And his excuses about never coming back to Jo were so pathetic. ‘My dad made me do this’, ‘my dad told me that’. You are in your FORTIES AND RICH. Get over yourself. His mum dying on the island would have been a more understandable reason, but even that he blames on his dad and his neglect of his family so that was a shit excuse as well. The build up of their relationship was so lacklustre to me. The turning point was supposed to be the Christmas they spent together, but the fun they apparently had was so glossed over it felt like there was next to no development of their romance at all. When they finally got together I felt nothing. Yay, two immature and emotionally stunted individuals got back together after not sorting themselves out over the past twenty years! Yippee!
Mary was Jo’s grandmother and the matriarchal figure of the island. She was a nice old lady and unfortunately developing Alzheimer’s. She was guilty of coddling Jo, feeling responsible for the death of Jo’s mother because she didn’t follow her lover Ossie to LA to keep the family unit together. This coddling resulted in an unexplainable distance between her and Jo because they had never properly discussed Ruby leaving, even after all this time. Mary seemed unable to open her heart fully to men after Ossie, hence why her and Golibe break up even after 20 years. I found it sad that, like Jo, Mary holds herself back from love because she cannot let go of the past. I cannot help but feel Mary took advantage of Golibe and his kindness. It felt like a lot of take and not an awful lot of give. She was also accused of this with George, Oliver’s grandfather, who gave her the house and looked after her and Ruby. She did try and help earn her keep by working at the hotel and working multiple jobs as a single mother/grandmother, but I felt she knew damn well that George was in love with her but was afraid to officially tell him nothing was ever going to happen between them in case she lost his support. That’s George’s fault for exerting power over her through money, and trying to buy her affection, but I felt there was no reason for her to do the same to Golibe.
Sophie enraged me in this book. I felt she was an absolutely pointless character and was just there as plot fodder. As a friend she seemed to be the jealous and semi-resentful type towards Jo, more of a frenemy than a genuine friend. She goes for Oliver the moment he arrives, even though she knows about Jo’s issues with him. Oh, and that whole BEING MARRIED THING. A marriage she makes very clear throughout that she feels was the result of rebounding. SHE LIES ABOUT BEING ON THE PILL! Instead of being honest with her husband that she doesn’t want children. She spends the whole story trying to get her husband off the island and escaping to London, where her work was and where she truly wanted to be. She literally had no redeeming qualities, she was the worst. So we had Jo, who lived a non-traditional life that honestly sounded awesome but actually desperately craved a traditional one. Then we had Sophie who lived that traditional life but didn’t want it, and decided the only way she could go about it was by being a deceitful betrayer. What lovely messages about womanhood this book depicted.
Side characters were hit and miss. Dave, Sophie’s husband, was a pushy, manipulative busybody seemingly incapable of compromise. No, I don’t believe Sophie was right to lie about trying for a baby with him, and I don’t think he deserved ending up in a marriage doomed to fail. But the guy wouldn’t even get off the island to take his new wife on a honeymoon. He didn’t even recognise his wife’s discomfort when they talked about children. So, he was a total dick too.
Golibe was great but so underutilised. He was the one realist in Mary’s life, telling her straight that her granddaughter and her coddling of her was a problem and the reason they broke up. But Golibe was an African man moving to a closed white community in the 60s. Where was his story? So much could have been done with that. Their relationship of 20 years is completely glossed over, just showing how Mary seemed completely indifferent towards it in comparison to Ossie in the 60s. I’m glad Golibe found someone new because Mary didn’t deserve him, to be honest.
We only meet Ruby in flashbacks, but I felt she was a reckless coward if I’m being blunt. Want to travel the world and find fame? Don’t want to be trapped as a teenage mum? Use some protection then when you have sex, idiot. Take responsibility for your actions and look after your damn baby? I felt no sympathy when she died, which is another glossed over thing. No idea how or why she died and I couldn’t care less with how shitty I thought she was. Ossie, Ruby’s dad, turned out to actually be a nice guy. That was a shame. Because George, the big manipulator, had convinced Mary not to go with him to be a family and had hidden letters from Ossie begging to be together. Ossie died too, but we don’t know when, how or why. Jack was Oliver’s father and is spoken about a lot, but we rarely hear him actually speak or have any flashbacks or scenes with him so it was a very biased depiction.

World-Building:
The story is set on a fictional Thames island inspired by Eel Pie Island and Eel Pie Island Hotel. I enjoyed the setting a lot, with its enchanting feel and being so intertwined with nature. The descriptions of the island were beautiful, it’s just a shame the romance of the wilderness didn’t match the romance of the story. They even hold an open studio art festival, which actually happens in real life on Eel Pie Island. The closed community made the characters seem very sheltered from the outside world. The flashbacks of the hotel gave a nostalgic feel for the music scene in the 60s/70s, inspired by the real Eel Pie Island Hotel and the artists that played there. But it showed the lows too, such as the misogyny and sexual assault and a LOT of drugs. My issue was the vague mentions of ‘social justice’ that Mary and Ruby were passionate about. What social justice? It would have been better to delve into this, into what everybody was fighting for, because there was too much focus on the sex and rock ‘n’ roll side making the ‘social justice’ feel tagged on and downplayed. There was no mention in fact of how wrong it was that Mary and Ruby were both impregnated as teenagers, and at one point Mary remembers the sounds of a girl being raped upstairs in the hotel. For people wanting social justice where was the commentary and reflection from the characters on this? All of these issues contributed to the privileged, ignorant and isolated feel of the people living on the island. This was worsened by the classism some of the characters showed, with the people who moored illegally on the island being described as ‘tramps’ and ‘scruffy’ and there was a LOT of use of the word ‘gypsy’. So sounds like there wasn’t enough social justice going on at all.

Prose\Plot:
I didn’t mind the prose on the whole, aside from the dialogue in critical moments. When Mary finds out Ruby had died it was honestly a bit cringeworthy, with her anguish being reduced to what felt like a paragraph of non-punctuated repeated words. Not realistic sounding when said out loud, either. There were also multiple typos throughout the book. The romance writing was far too closed-door for a book advertised as ‘sexy’. Any intense or passionate moments were very rushed, which is why I found myself not feeling anything about their love story whatsoever.
Pacing was another big issue. This story is SLOW, and that’s coming from me who loves a slow burn. It got to a point where I was skimming the flashbacks or certain characters’ storylines, like Sophie, because they just weren’t interesting enough and delayed the main plot.
Plot wise the overarching theme just felt very low stakes. We all know Oliver isn’t going to sell the island, we all know he won’t take Willows away from Mary. So you’re left feeling… what was the point in all of that? It could have just been a story about Oliver and Jo rekindling their romance, and Jo rediscovering her love for art. Her jaunt in Florence was way too rushed, especially as it’s meant to completely change Jo’s life. Oliver’s discussion with his wife was too. She said a few lines and that was it, over. Seemingly no repercussions. That’s his whole life in New York, his whole family legacy, ditched so he can go and live on a Thames island. Jo and Oliver decide not to tell Mary about Ossie actually wanting to make life work with her, that he actually did love her, because they felt it would upset her due to her Alzheimer’s. So poor Mary got no closure on that either.
Overall, I wouldn’t recommend this book which is a real shame.

I really enjoyed this dual timeline story set on the fictional Walnut Tree Island, inspired by Eel Pie Island on the Thames.
It’s the 1960’s and sixteen year old Mary, unknown to her parents, escapes from her suburban neighbourhood to meet her school friends to go to concerts given by up and coming musicians on Walnut Tree Island. George Greenwood, runs the venue in an old hotel there and as the story progresses it becomes clear that George thinks a good deal of Mary and looks out for her. When Mary falls under the spell of Ossie Jones, the lead singer in The Demons it is clearly going to end badly and she is left holding baby Ruby and thrown out by her parents. Of course, because he has feelings for her, George comes to the rescue.
Running parallel to this story the book fast forwards to the present day. Mary, now in her seventies still lives on the island in the cottage given to her by George. Her granddaughter Jo has a houseboat on the island though Mary feels comforted by the fact that Jo will have the cottage when she dies. George’s son, Jack has just died and there is talk on the island of Oliver Greenwood, Jack’s son, and his plans for the island now that he has inherited it. Jo and Oliver have a past connection and Dave, who is married to Sophie, Jo’s best friend is hopeful that Oliver will not sell the island. He and Oliver were good friends when Oliver lived on the island as a teenager.
There are lots of characters to get to know in the book but once I got into the story I really enjoyed going back in time to the 1960’s and finding out more about the history of the island. As the story unfolds there are some unexpected revelations and it was interesting to see things from Jo and Mary’s perspective. The story of Ruby and what happened to her is so poignant and it becomes clear that Jo still feels the loss of her mother even though she loves Mary very much. Thank you to NetGalley for an advanced reading copy in return for an unbiased review.