The River Between Us by Liz Fenwick

A forgotten house and a secret hidden for a century…

Following the breakdown of her marriage, Theo has bought a tumbledown cottage on the banks of the river Tamar which divides Cornwall and Devon. The peace and tranquillity of Boatman’s Cottage, nestled by the water, is just what she needs to heal.

Yet soon after her arrival, Theo discovers a stash of hidden letters tied with a ribbon, untouched for more than a century. The letters – sent from the battlefields of France during WW1 – tell of a young servant from the nearby manor house, Abbotswood, and his love for a woman he was destined to lose.

As she begins to bring Boatman’s Cottage and its gardens back to life, Theo pieces together a story of star-crossed lovers played out against the river, while finding her own new path to happiness.

The River Between Us beautifully explores the mystery and secrets of a long-forgotten love affair, and will be loved by fans of Kate Morton.

My Thoughts

⭐⭐⭐⭐

The River Between Us is wonderful, moving love story that follows a dual timeline. First we meet Theo, a recently divorced woman who has moved to a beautiful countryside cottage that is situated on the riverbank that separated Devon and Cornwall. She purchases the cottage on impulse without actually viewing it first, so when she actually begins to move in she discovers that the place is in serious need of some TLC. With no running water or electricity, as well as a building that looks like it could be falling apart, Theo remains positive and focuses on the potential the building has.

As Theo is taking in her new home she decides to take a proper look at each room and assess the work that needs doing. Whilst doing this she comes across a stack of letters that had been hidden underneath the floor in one of the bedrooms, secured neatly with a ribbon. She can’t resist taking a look at the letters, and before long she finds herself immersed in a love story that is over 100 years old.

As the story then alternates between the past and present day, it shows how the cottage has kept its secrets well hidden until now. With each letter that Theo opens, more well kept secrets are surfaced, and the somewhat tragic story of a young couple who were kept apart by war and living across the river from one another, alongside some other well kept secrets. As Theo adjusts to her new life living in the cottage, she begins to forge new friendships whilst she strives to bring the cottage back to its former glory.

Laced with humour and emotion, this book has a lot to offer and is so much more than simply a romantic tale. Each of the characters are brought to life wonderfully by the author, allowing us to see them as close companions, and with each passing chapter we get to know them on a much deeper level, and learn more about their lives and the secrets they harbour. The storyline itself is wonderfully structured and flows effortlessly from the start. I found myself becoming more immersed in the story with every passing chapter. A fantastic read.

About the Author

Liz Fenwicks Top Five… Cornish Bookshops

I can’t do my top five of Cornish things without a list of bookshops. However there are more than five and all are first equal. They all work very beautifully in the communities and meeting tourists needs. So in geographical order starting south…

                Edge of the World Books, Penzance

                St Ives Bookseller

                Waterstones Truro

                Falmouth Bookseller

Shrew Books, Fowey

                Hurley Books, Mevagissey

                Wadebridge Bookshop

                Liskeard Bookshop

                Padstow Bookseller

                Bookshop and Tea Rooms, Saltash

*Thank you to HQ Digital and Liz Fenwick for providing me with a gifted copy of this book in return for my honest review. All thoughts are entirely my own and not influenced in any way.*