This was a beautiful book, I read this on a long car journey and it was such an escape from the rainy M6.
The vibe of the island reminded me of festivals and Glastonbury at night. Full of fire and fairylights.
The story of the Greenwoods and Stars are linked through time and a place - Walnut Island. Set over decades, between 1964 and present day it's a beautiful love story of community, betrayal and above all love and music.

I really enjoyed this book. It was well written and well structured with lovely snippets of the past woven into the narrative of today. At times it was difficult to follow when the chapters jumped between different people or times within the same chapter, but attentive reading solves that.

I loved the characters and the way their stories are written make you feel for them in emotive ways. I found myself rooting for them, feeling sorry for them, and feeling angry for them. There were some parts of the story that I feel looking back felt a little unnecessary, there are lots of themes covered loosely and I feel that fewer themes could have been covered maybe in a little more detail to do them a little more justice.

You’ll fall in love with this little island and the sense of community for how it’s written. A lovely easy read that feels cosy. I would definitely recommend and will definitely look for more books by Georgina Moore in future.

3.5 rounded up

This is a love letter to Eel Pie Island, here it’s the fictional Walnut Tree Island, as well as as to the River Thames, by the best selling author of The Garnett Girls. It’s a lovely story, set in the 1960s through the eyes of teenager Mary Star and in the present day by her granddaughter, Jo. In the 1960s Mary goes to Walnut Tree Island for the music scene at its iconic venue, Treeland, owned and run by George Greenwood. This would change Mary’s life. In the present day, Mary and Jo’s life on the island, in the cottage they have long called home, is seriously under threat when George’s grandson, the devilishly handsome Oliver, wants to sell the island, inevitably impacting its residents and the owners of houseboats. What will the future hold? Many of them are in fear of their previous way of life changing and not necessarily for the better.

The lovely cover really encapsulates the contents and the stunning setting which is absolutely terrific. Walnut Tree Island is a character in its own right and this and the river carries the book in my opinion. I love the strong sense of community on the island especially when their way of life appears to be under threat and of course, there’s the added attraction of the “romance” of living on a houseboat. In addition, from the 1960s, there’s the lure of Treeland and the music scene and art in the later timeline.

Like The Garnett Girls this novel is character driven and is quite the saga spanning several decades. Many of the characters are likeable, especially Mary and Jo and their strong bond is a wonderful element in the book. Some characters however, feel a bit self-centred and are clearly less likable although it’s good to have a mixture because it makes it more real. The dynamics are interesting especially between the Greenwood and Star families, then and now, and this fluctuates and changes throughout the three generations. Their interactions and connections define both the past and the present with plenty of animosity in the present day.

Despite the wonderful setting and some lovely characters, it’s a bit too long for me and gets somewhat convoluted and so it doesn’t grab me in quite the same way as the authors previous book. Having said that, the atmospheric setting is sufficient for me to raise the book to 4 stars and I reckon this is a perfect holiday read.

With thanks to NetGalley and especially to HQ for the much appreciated early copy and return for an honest review.

*Eel Pie Island is located in the Thames near Twickenham and is known for its Bohemian spirit. In the 1960s, it was indeed a music venue with bands like The Rolling Stones and individuals like Eric Clapton appearing there at the Eel Pie Island Hotel which closed in 1967.

I found this book to be a slow burner - I did eventually become absorbed but it did take a while.

I did enjoy the setting - an island community on the Thames - where live for the inhabitants is slow, communal and intense at times.

Two families dominate - the Stars and the Greenwoods and the story is set in both the 1960s and the present day. Three generations of the families have loved and been in conflict. The last Jo and Oliver need to find their own way separate from the family history.

Both have allowed their pasts to dominate them and now need to decide who they are and what motivates them.

Interesting if a little predictable.

I loved the blurb of this book and it didn’t disappoint. The story stems many generations and the lives of many but concentrates on two of the Star women, Mary and her granddaughter Jo. The story jumps from different points in time, back to the early 1960’s and Mary’s life which took her to Walnut Tree Island and the thriving music scene with up and coming musicians through to Jo’s teenage years and meeting her first love on the island.

It is a lovely story although there are several heart wrenching moments. The author manages to marry all the stories and timelines into a coherent and enjoyable, if slightly predictable, novel.

A thoroughly enjoyable book. I previously read the Garnett Girls by this author, which I loved. So I was happy to see she had written another book.

This one is just as good, maybe even slightly better than her first one.

Some of the characters are quite unlikeable, but that totally adds to the story. I felt there are so many openings in this book for it to go on and be a series of books. I would love to read more from some of their other perspectives. Especially Sophie as I did actually feel a bit sorry for her. She clearly had some issues. Also it would be good to read about Ruby too.

Jo and Oliver had a lovely woven tale that started decades before. As for Mary - what a lovely person she was.

I loved the idea of them all living in houseboats, as does the author. I'm sure it's not the same as that now!

Thank you very much for allowing me to read this book.

I really enjoyed this story and the journey it took you on, for both the characters and the island!

The different stories of the 3 generations of Star woman was great.

Having really enjoyed The Garnett Girls I was eager to read Georgina Moore's latest book.
There are similarities in style in that there's a group of strong women each going through their own dramas and struggles, and flashbacks to the hedonism of the 60s "free love" and music, all set on Walnut Tree Island, a close community of artisans and hippies that live in river boats surrounding a dilapidated hotel. This island may be past it's heyday of the place to go on the 60s music scene, but to the locals it is paradise, with parties, classes and also secrets that run deep.
Discovering the soul of each islander and becoming invested in the future of the island was my favourite part of this story. I struggled sometimes to feel a connection to some of the characters, but others such as Mary I loved. The sadness, secrets and precarious truths do pull you in and weave a spellbinding narrative.

A beautiful story.Growing up on Walnut tree island was a magical time for Mary where music and love were everything to her but when she is left with a baby by a young musician about to make the big time she makes the heartbreaking decision to stay and raise he daughter and subsequently her Granddaughter Jo. Its a story of two generations of of women who found and lost love on the island but is it to late for Jo when Oliver her first love returns as the new owner. Some fantastic characters,beautiful settings and fantastic writing that will make you feel like you are living the dream and it's also very emotional I loved it

A deeply emotional, moving, romantic and hopeful read. The history between the characters was so compelling and twisty..I particularly enjoyed the friendship between Sophie and Jo, Jo’s relationship with her grandmother Mary, and the exploration of the past. Jo and Oliver were also fantastic. Five stars.

Thank you to the author, publisher and NetGalley for the opportunity to read an ARC.

I lived in Twickenham in the 1980s and often looked across to Eel Pie Island and wondered what stories it could tell. The River of Stars has given me some ideas. Although the book is set on the fictional island in the Thames of Walnut Tree Island, I think it may have been based on my old neighbour.
I really enjoyed learning more about the Star women and their connection to the Island. Both octogenarian Mary (who we first meet as a teenager) and her granddaughter Jo were likeable and well portrayed. I cared about them and wanted to know what would happen to them.
I think this is the type of book that would suit most ages of reader. It would appeal to those who like character driven novels, different timelines to provide the needed reveals, with a golden thread of friendship, family and love running through it. I enjoyed it.

4.5 ⭐. I really enjoyed this book. It’s set on the fictional Walnut Tree Island (based on Eel Pie Island) in the Thames, famed for its musical past. It follows the stories of Mary Star and her granddaughter Jo, along with the Greenwood family who own the island and the community around them. It’s set in the present day, intertwined with Mary and Jo’s history from the 1960s to now.

It’s well written and captures the community and spirit of the island perfectly. It was very atmospheric, I could really imagine that I was there living in a houseboat along the Thames. It covers themes of love, loss, abandonment, following your dreams, heartbreak, family and friendship. The characters are complex and make (plenty of!) mistakes. At times I positively disliked some of the characters, finding them completely self obsessed and unnecessarily hurtful towards each other. But in the end the love they have for each other and the Island shines through, and the story comes to a satisfying conclusion.

I would have liked for there to have been a bit more ‘history’ as I felt like I had a few unanswered questions at the end. And a map would have been helpful as I got a bit lost with all the different houseboat names and where they were all located (hoping there is one in the final published copy).

But I whizzed through the book, reading it in a couple of days as I wanted to find out what happened. I would definitely recommend this book and look forward to more by this author.

Thanks to NetGalley for an advanced copy of this story in exchange for an honest review (all opinions are my own).

Oh wow! This is a great book! Jo and Mary both stole me heart away! Seriously strong characters and I felt everyone of their emotions. This is a book about island communities and relationships at its best.
I’d throughly recommend this book.

This was an enjoyable read with good characters and a well-structured storyline. Set on an island in the Thames, the story follows the lives of the Star women and their connection with the island and its inhabitants. A community of artists started in the 1960s is very Bohemian, and their lives and are wound up with their music and art.

The characters are well developed, I quickly became engrossed in their story. I think some of the characters could have been more developed, Dave and Gotlibe in particular, but overall they were all very engaging. I certainly got a feel for the community life of the island.

The story was engaging and entertaining, and I really engaged with the characters and their lives. It is worth reading and I will look out for other books by Georgina Moore.

I wasn’t quite sure about this book when I first started reading it but I am so glad that I persevered with it, what an awesome story. Some of the characters were challenging but overall a good read.

Unfortunately I was not able to finish this book. I painstakingly trudged through the first 30% of the book, hoping it would get better but just found that even this far into the book, I didn’t care what happened to the characters. I’m sure this would be someone else’s cup of tea, but it wasn’t mine.

4.5 🌟
As soon as I read the blurb for this book I knew it would be the kind of storyline I love to get sucked in to and it didn't dissapoint!

River of Stars was beautiful.
The description of the Island was so rich in detail that I felt like I was there. I loved the past and present timelines and I particularly loved going back in time through Mary's life.

For older characters, I did find some of them quite childish at times but I suppose even as adults we make lots of mistakes, so I guess you could say they were also relatable?! I'm also a sucker for a second chance romance so I had a little swoon at the end when Oliver bared his soul 😍

I really hope this will be a big hit over the summer months! I'm looking forward to re reading this to dicuss with my friends!

This is a love story about Walnut Tree Island loosely based on Eel Pie Island.. There are stories of unrequited love for Isle residents Maggie and her granddaughter Jo. The imminent arrival of Oliver the young inherited new owner of the island unsettles the residents Jo and Oliver have a past relationship and they circle each other making you wonder if they will eventually reconnect.

A really lovely book, I would just have liked to I see the “past” developed a bit more. Thank you to the writer, publisher, and NetGalley for allowing me to read this book.

I so wanted to like this, having heard great things about The Garnett Girls. And the title is just so dreamily romantic.
In this novel, through a dual timeline, the reader is taken to the fictional Walnut Tree Island in the Thames, based on the real Eel Pie Island. In the past, 17-year-old Mary has a passionate relationship with an up-and-coming rock star and becomes pregnant. In the present, Mary is now an old woman and her granddaughter, Jo, is the key driver, an artist riddled with self-doubt and obstinacy.
When the new owner, the dishy Oliver, returns to the island following the death of his father, what will happen to Walnut Tree and its assorted residents?
I thought the setting was fabulous and such a great premise for a novel, but the sum of its parts did not make for a satisfactory read.
I found the main characters self-absorbed, privileged, shallow and selfish, their worlds fuelled by alcohol and hedonism . As protagonists, they had no redeeming features and I didn't care enough about them to be much interested in what was going to happen, although it was obvious at the outset where the story was heading.
I thought some of the peripheral characters and settings, such as Dave and the boatyard, and Golibe and his connection to place, could have been developed more to give the novel more depth and nuance.
Sorry, but this novel was not for me.
Thank you NetGalley and the publishers for an advance review copy of River of Stars.