This is a complex family drama involving a family that has fallen apart from events of the past--those both shared and kept secret. At the request of the youngest sister who has decided to get married with little notice, they are brought back together, and wounds of the past are pried open. There is a lot going on here, but the plot is metered in small doses that makes it feel a little less overwhelming. These characters are well-develop and relatable. This one tugs at the heartstrings and is a solid read. Thank you NetGalley and publishers for providing a digital ARC for review.

The River Home is about three sisters Eve, Lucy, and Margot who all lead very different lives. They come home for their sister Lucy's very last-minute wedding.

While they are there they each have secrets that come out. With the wedding forcing them to be together (since Margot is estranged) it makes for tension all around.

Will the sisters reconnect to how they were when they were kids. Will they all go their separate ways when the book ends? This story is an emotional one.

Thank you for the opportunity to read this book. I was not able to get into the story so I did not finish.

This is not my normal type of read, but I must admit I found myself emerged. The writing was beautiful, real, heartfelt, and emotional! I felt it was a very realistic story, which had flawlessly developed characters. I’ve not read anything else, by this author, but definitely will! I highly recommend to those who love beautifully written, riveting reads, which really tug on emotions! Lots of secrets keeping the family from being complete, but really true to what many families face! I think because the character development was done so well, I was able to really connect to the story and in a sense become involved! Highly, highly recommend!

Will buzz around platforms, use lower amazon reviewer number on release date!

Summoned to her impulsive sister Lucy's last-minute wedding, Margot is heading home for the first time in eight years. Because it's a wedding, she'll have to deal with the disagreements she has with her father (who left her mother for a younger woman when Margot was 15), her overbearing oldest sister Eve (who is attempting to micromanage the heck out of Lucy's big day), and her mother, bestselling author K.T. Turner, who has been holding a grudge against Margot since she left home at 16 in what K.T. still considers a teenage tantrum. But as the wedding date rapidly arrives, the Turner family's long-buried secrets and resentments bubble up to the surface.

I love reading dysfunctional family stories, and while it's not as funny as many of its counterparts, this one definitely fits the bill. It's a great examination of stale love, miscommunication, and unintentional selfishness, all of which exist in just about every family I've ever encountered. There are some difficult subjects discussed in this book, but it's a wonderful book all the same.

A maddening family romance set in the English countryside. Long, predictable, very middle of the road. I was uncharmed.

The River Home by Hannah Richell is a highly recommended character-driven family drama.

The Sorrell girls are all returning to their mother's Somerset country home called Windfalls for a last-minute wedding. "Lucy, the bride, has begged her loved ones to attend - not telling them that she has some important news to share once they’ve gathered. Her prodigal baby sister, Margot, who left home after a devastating argument with their mother, reluctantly agrees, though their family home is the site of so much pain for her. Meanwhile, their eldest sister, Eve, has thrown herself into a tailspin planning the details of the wedding - anything to distract herself from how her own life is unraveling - and their long-separated artist parents are forced to play the roles of cheerful hosts through gritted teeth." Honestly, with a description like this what could possibly go wrong?

There are several mysteries/questions/secrets that need to be answered in this complex family drama. Exactly what was the horrible event that happened to Margot and why does she need to apologize to her romance-writing mother, Kit? What is Lucy's secret? What is going on in Eve's marriage? How will their parents, Kit and Ted, react? Richell expertly gets all the players and pieces described and in place and then leaves tantalizing clues about what will follow.

Chapters follow the present day preparations and drama while occasional chapters from the past explain the history of Kit and Ted's relationship and the painful secret that is the cause of Margot's estrangement and absence for eight years. There are an abundance of strong emotions and hurt in both mother and daughter that needs to be explained. The chapters from the past clearly show the pain that needs to be healed in all their lives today, but the chapters based on the current day also show relationships that need mending. This is a narrative that focuses on the intense relationships between sisters, mothers, and daughters.

The writing is excellent and the emotional turmoil of all the characters is clearly presented. All of the characters are all well developed and placed amidst the beautifully described, lush setting of Windfalls. The setting is in stark contrast to the secrets, past and present, which will eventually be told. As a mother, I have to admit that Kit was a difficult character for me to like or relate to in any way. It seemed to me that Kit needed to do some introspective thinking and maybe also do some apologizing rather than just expecting an apology form Margot. That aside, I did want to know what happened to this family and was hopeful that there would be some healing between them.

Disclosure: My review copy was courtesy of HarperCollins.
The review will be posted on Amazon and Barnes & Noble.

This is a character driven book featuring a family that has been torn apart by secrets that has come together again for a wedding. The relationships are fragile when coming in for the wedding, with little hope of a happy family reunion. The journeys these characters embark on in their journeys towards forgiveness and healing is realistic and will make you shed some tears as you read.

The River Home is the story of siblings, Eve, Lucy, and Margot and the relationships within their family. Though Margot left their family home as a teenager and hasn’t returned, Lucy is planning a wedding rather quickly and hoping the whole family can be together. The wedding is to be held at the family’s picturesque home near a river and orchard in Somerset, England.

Secrets and hurt feelings are hinted at as they gather and prepare for the wedding. Though the area around the large house is pretty, much of the time attitudes are quite the opposite. They are uncomfortable and even ugly to each other occasionally. Communication is not something these characters excel at, to say the least.

Though I was prepared to love this story, I’m sorry to say that I didn’t. For one thing, the story was far too predictable. With that said, if the story isn’t terribly original, then that’s the time for characters to shine and bring the tale to life. I didn’t feel this happened either.

I found myself wearing down with only hints of secrets to come. It wasn’t until the last 20 percent of the book that secrets started to become known. And in my case, by then, I had guessed what had happened or was to be announced. I felt the first 80 percent of the story was a very long lead up to a rushed 20 percent unraveling and tying things up.

Though Richell’s writing flowed and was easy to read, in this case, the book missed the mark for me. Both the characters and the story lacked believability and originality.

What Concerned Me
The story lacked originality, character development, and in one case believability.

What I Liked
It was obvious from the beginning that Hannah Richell’s sentences flowed and dialog fit beautifully.

My thanks to NetGalley and HarperCollins for the ability to read this ARC and to post my opinion of the story.

This book is a beautiful surprise. I had never read Richell’s earlier novels and I started this during a time when concentrating has been difficult. Yet, I was magnetically drawn into the lives of the 3 sisters who are the heart of the novel.

This is a poignant and lovely story that touches upon so many issues that women face. The author explores sisterly love, sexual exploitation of children, relationships between couples and early death. I loved all the sisters and the way they coped with these life issues.

Of course, I was especially taken by Margot, the youngest sister who was isolated from the others after a horrendous experience with a teacher. The benign neglect of a parent is explored, as well as the toxic results. As someone who has worked in various levels of education, I have often become frustrated with the negligence of parents whose careers and personal problems leave their children raising themselves both physically and emotionally.

I highly recommend this well written novel and I will include it on my reading lists for seminar students and book clubs. Thank you Netgalley for this special experience.

THE RIVER HOME is a strong family drama that sweeps up the reader from page one. I was immersed in the lives - and problems - of the sisters. Each has a secret and while some are more engrossing than others, all are interesting. Richell handles going back and forth in time very well; I never felt like the past portions were less interesting or important because they directly related to what was happening or what the characters were feeling present day. I like the pacing and how everything is leading up to the wedding. Although I guessed Lucy's secret, I thought it was handled beautifully. The setting is also lovely and well-described. I will look for others by this author.

Thank you NetGalley, Harper Collins and Hannah Richell for gifting me an advance copy of this book in exchange for my honest opinion.
When we meet Margot gets a text from her sister saying “Please come home, I need you”, she considers not answering. No matter how badly she didn’t want to return to her childhood home, family is family. It’s been so long since she’s felt like a part of her family. How will they react to seeing her? How will she react?
As a gal with seven siblings, six of them girls, I know how strong those bonds can be, but also how complicated they can be. I really loved each character, which is not something that usually happens. The story was a slower pace but kept me fully invested and overly emotional more than once. This one will break your heart and put it back together again. Five stars!!

I loved this book! Mother and her 3 daughters come together for a wedding after a long misunderstood tragic situation has finally come to light. I will be definitely recommending this to people that enjoy books about tragedies and the reuniting of what's important, family.

Thank you to Hannah Richell, NetGalley and the publisher for an early read for an honest review.

I just have to say READ THIS BOOK!!! Keep the tissues handy, and expect to try to read through the tears, but this book is amazing and shows true depth on families, sisters, secrets and coming together.

I don't want to through in any spoilers, but if you have read anything by Hannah Richell, read this one if you love women's fiction and like emotion that comes through the pages.

I reviewed this for Library Journal please refer to the publishing schedule to see when the review will be available

The River Home by Hannah Richell is a movikng story about a family who comes together for a week of celebration for a wedding. It's a poignant portrait of a family with pain and secrets - and hope.. The characters are vividly written and their stories will stay with me.