The Art of Rivers

JustRead Publicity Tours

I wasn’t sure what to think when I started into this novel, The Art of Rivers.  In the first chapter you get the happiest moment and the saddest worst moment imaginable.  That’s a lot to put within a few paragraphs.  

This is the third in a series, I have not read the first two that come before this one, but I didn’t feel like I missed out on anything by reading this one as a stand-alone title.  

Such a powerful book with a powerful message.  In this book, you’ll find out about loss, grief, substance abuse, counseling, healing, and some major law breaking drug running.  But you also are exposed to healing through art.  This is something I can get behind as I’m already behind healing with animals.  

Rivers lose her fiance to violence.  He was shot and killed beside her.  Rivers herself was also shot.  She bears the scar of this on her shoulder plus internal scars as well.  She vows to never love again.  

But then she finds herself drawn to a guy when she’s cleaning out the house her fiance inherited.  And she’s also faced with addicts and grief and healing and recovery.  Can she trust herself to love again?  More importantly, can she get over her hang-ups about addiction to even consider some of these people her friends?  Will she ever be able to trust?

When circumstances don’t go the way they hope can they hang on?  Will Rivers continue to support substance recovery?  Can she paint again?  But mostly can Rivers heal herself and her new friends family?

Great story.  It’s very moving and I love how all these hard topics are woven together with such grace and care.  They’re tackled and talked about and normalized.  This book is a recommend from me and I’m going to have to check out the first two books in the series now.  A new author for me but I really love her style of writing. 

I have voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book which I received from JustRead Publicity Tours. All views expressed are only my honest opinion.  I was not required to write a positive review nor was I compensated in any other way.  All opinions expressed are my own.  I am disclosing this in accordance with the FTC regulations.