The River Between

Southern belle Lily Edwards is torn between her family's plans for her life and her love for a dashing steamboat captain. This fairly predictable plot would be fine for a romance novel if the writing and characterization were strong. Unfortunately, in this case, they are not. The author is overfond of adjectives and purple prose -- stripped down, this would have made a 50-page novella. The author has obviously done her homework researching the setting, but her skill at inserting those bits of trivia she has unearthed is lacking, and the trivia draws attention to itself and away from the story. The characterization is inconsistent, and readers are told, not shown, what the characters are thinking and feeling. The result is overblown show more reactions, with the female lead either laughing or weeping every few minutes (sometimes both within the space of a few sentences). Readers who do not care for inspirational romance will also be put off by the preachy tone of several sections of the book, especially when a sentiment embraced by the main character feels inconsistent with the period and setting of the novel. On the other hand, readers of inspirational romance who know their Bible stories may find themselves questioning some of the creative interpretations that the main character takes with her scriptures. All of these factors combined make me hesitant to recommend this book, even to hardcore fans of the genre. show less

"The River Between", by Jacquelyn Cook, is a well-written, richly-detailed historical romance. The "river" not only refers to a body of water, but also to matters of class and social standing. It's scope as well encompasses faith and personal religious convictions. Lily Seymour is a well-to-do young woman who remains unmarried at the age of eighteen. Her parents are eager to see her well-settled, which will raise even further the level of social acceptance her family maintains. When the family sends for her socially prominent cousin Green Bethune, he seems the perfect suitor for Lily. However, Lily's heart and mind have been captured by the kind and handsome Harrison Wingate, a riverboat captain acquainted with Lily's cousin, Green. show more This is a very romantic tale, so descriptively written that you will smell the fragrant gardens, hear the swish of the hoop skirts, and feel the breeze from the riverfront. The pressure for Lily to marry well and to obey her parents is strongly felt. As she is caught between being a dutiful daughter and obeying her heart, she experiences great personal growth and a renewal of an already strong faith. Harrison is a worthy and devoted match for Lily. Their love and faith in each other, and also their spiritual faith, add depth to their struggles against the class-consciousness of the era. I very much enjoyed this story, and I would love to read the continuing entries in the series.

Review Copy Gratis Belle Books show less

Although I'm not generally a romance reader, I did find this book easy to read and that it kept my interest. Lily, a young lady, struggles between following her conscience - the ideals of her Christian upbringing and obeying the wishes of her parents. The internal conflict she faces in trying to resolve these moves the story along. This is the first in a series I believe and I would read the next books in the series.

I found this book to be predictable and overly feminine. The ending is exactly as you would expect it to be; everyone lives happily ever after. The female characters burst into tears at every setback, and the male characters are strong, handsome, and the perfect heartthrobs for their female counterparts. Absolutely no surprises and little character development take place. I am also bothered when Christian fiction writers promote the philosophy that if you only believe in God’s good plan for your life, you will get exactly what you want, and everything will turn out happily ever after. This view is incorrect and not at all biblical.

I really have a hard time enjoying Christian romance novels for these reasons. However, I am almost show more ashamed to say that I enjoyed this book! The inner turmoil that Lily faces is very well written, and the use of Scripture is well-thought-out. Jacquelyn Cook deftly portrays how Scripture can convict one person and then another in ever spiraling outward circles. Her choice and use of Scripture verses was poignant and satisfying.

In summary, if you’re looking for a somewhat fluffy, feel-good Christian romance read, then this is the book you’re looking for. show less

While I don't typically review books that I don't read fully, I'll make an exception with Cook's The River Between. It's bad, and it's a book that so bad I really can't continue reading it and pretending that it's something I'm enjoying. Originally published in the eighties, this book reads more like it should have been published in the forties or fifties. Lily, the book's protagonist (and generally a pretty name) is infuriating; sure she will pray to God about her awful marriage, but she does very little to try and change her situation.

Part of the challenge of making historical fiction relevant as a modern novel should be the idea that there is something within the text that sets it apart; after reading over 80 pages of The River show more Between, I can tell you that there's nothing unique about it. If I could say one positive thing about it, the descriptions are wonderful and well-written. You just need more to a story than that. Like, perhaps a relatable character... or even one you could just plain like. The book also has a very overt pro-Christian agenda which should not be present in works of fiction. Excuse me, good works of fiction. This is supposed to be number 17 in a saga? If it’s part of a series, it didn’t read as such. Don’t pick this one up off the bookshelf. It’s totally and completely not worth it. show less

The River Between is a historical fiction novel set in the pre-civil war south. It is also a light, fluffy, formulaic romance with a slightly over-used plot, and a few problems. I like the historical aspect and the setting; however, these lead to problem #1. There was not enough history and description to make for a really nice setting. The historical information becomes a backdrop in this situation; not entirely bad, but it does not add much to the story.

Eighteen-year-old Lily Edwards is likeable, as are several other characters in the story, but she is far too docile, which leads to the story having less action and therefore less appeal; which becomes problem #2. There is no clear villain in the story. The conflict between Lily and show more her parents does not stand out enough to move the story along quickly; problem #3. Resolution for problems two and three would be to provide more action and more conflict, and perhaps a bit of drama. These would have made the story much more appealing.

Problem #4. Lily's strong Christian faith seems to be off-putting to some reviewers who were probably, like myself, attracted to the historical aspects of the story. This is a lot for such a short novel, especially since the last half comes on stronger than the first half; perhaps moderating the preachiness would have been helpful.

Despite these problems, however, The River Between does raise a few points that would be good for discussion in a reading group or classroom situation. Arranged marriage vs. marriage for love; the concepts of social equality (and the assumption that some are more socially equal than others); the attitudes of Lily's parents, especially the mother; and Lily's own statement of realization that she cannot be both her mother's baby and an adult at the same time. I was glad to see that Lily's mother finally realized that's what she was expecting Lily to do, yet I would liked to have seen this be more of a conflict.

Given the above, and recognizing that The River Between is but one third of a trilogy, I'd say this book would appeal mostly to those readers who like the light and fluffy romances. Readers looking for something with historical content should probably pass this by in favor of something longer and more detailed. The River Between is a sweet, likeable story but just doesn't constitute the detailed historical novel that many readers appreciate.

The River Between was provided to me free by the publisher in PDF galley format for review. This review was simultaneously published on LibraryThing, and Dragon Views. show less

This story would have been extremely enjoyable for me had it not been the extremely Christian overtones running through it. Yes, I understand that it is a period novel, and religion was more of a prominent discussion then, but there is a point where religion becomes preaching. I don't like my books to preach to me. The characters were interesting, although I found the main character somewhat of a user, leading on the men she was involved with and then crying when something went wrong. It is only remotely historical, with snippets here and there mentioning the Civil War. It was an all right read, but it was very slow to get into, and I almost gave up, but kept reading. Read this novel carefully.