Time Is a River
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4.2 • 5 Ratings
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- $11.99
Publisher Description
“Every book that Mary Alice Monroe has written has felt like a homecoming to me.” —Pat Conroy, bestselling author of The Prince of Tides
With the warmth of the South and the insight of a seasoned storyteller, Mary Alice Monroe delivers a moving tale of healing, friendship, and the powerful bonds that tie us to each other and the natural world.
Recovering from breast cancer and reeling from her husband's infidelity, Mia Landan flees her Charleston home for the mountains near Asheville, North Carolina, and takes refuge in a neglected cabin recently inherited by her fly-fishing instructor, Belle Carson.
The cabin once belonged to Belle’s grandmother—the legendary fly fisher and journalist of the 1920s, Kate Watkins, whose life fell into ruins after she was accused of murdering her lover, a scandal that plagued Belle’s family for generations. But Mia is compelled to find out more about Kate…especially when she discovers Kate's journal.
The inspiring words of the remarkable woman echo across the years. Mia has been finding new strength and profound challenges in fly-fishing, and Kate's wise words comparing life to a river resonate deeply. As she separates the truth from the lies behind Kate’s fall from grace, Mia feels a strange kinship with Kate, who suffered fears, betrayal, and heartwrenching loss—yet found strength, compassion and, ultimately, forgiveness. A story timeless in its appeal emerges, with a power that brings a transforming healing for Mia, for Kate's descendants, and for all those in Mia's new community.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
Monroe delivers another novel of strong Southern women, and though this one has its share of weak moments, the author's love for her characters is palpable throughout. Mia Landan, a cancer survivor, returns to Charleston after a fly-fishing retreat and finds her husband in bed with another woman. Shocked, Mia rushes back to the mountains where she'd been fishing and seeks the help of fly fisherman Belle Carson, who offers her the use of a ramshackle cabin for the summer. Upon Mia's first trip into town, she learns why the cabin looks like it hasn't been opened in years it's where Kate Watkins, Belle's grandmother, allegedly murdered her lover. But after Mia conveniently finds Kate's diary tucked away in the cabin, she becomes determined to get to the bottom of things, despite Belle's warnings not to stir up the mud. Through a series of occasionally contrived diary entries, flashbacks and folksy recollections from locals, the narrative juxtaposes Kate's story with Mia's self-discovery, and while the predictable ending results from implausibly convenient plot twists, Monroe's fans will still enjoy the author's spin on love, mystery and the power of self-determination.
