* I received an e-arc from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review*

A delightful adult debut by Rebecca Ross! A River Enchanted quickly drew me in with its alluring atmosphere and rich prose. A magical and winsome story that I did not want to put down.

Jack Tamerlaine has been on the mainland studying music at the university, and hasn’t set foot on the isle of Cadence in about ten years. When young girls begin disappearing on the isle, Jack is summoned home by the Laird to help the clan find them. Cadence is no ordinary isle, and enchantments run deep. Gossip is carried on the wind, plaid shawls can be as strong as armor, and the smallest cut from a knife can instill unbelievable fear. The spirits that rule the isle are unpredictable and like to meddle in the lives of the humans that live there. Adaira, heiress of the east and Jack’s childhood enemy, hopes that Jack can use his gift of music to call the spirits forth and ask for their help in finding the missing girls.

Jack and Adaira strike a reluctant alliance, but as time passes, they see that they make better allies than rivals as their partnership develops into something more. With each passing song that Jack plays, they find that the trouble with the spirits is far more dire, and that an older and darker secret threatens them all.

This story is told from multiple points of view with Jack and Adaira at the forefront, but Sidra and Torin help bring everything together so beautifully. There’s an unforgettable cast of characters and I felt something for them all.

Please do me a favor and pick up this endearing story which is coming out on Tuesday, February 15th! It will warm your soul on these cold winter days. I can not wait for the sequel, which gives me something to look forward to.

There’s a super mysterious vibe right off the bat that I'm really into. Similar to A Darker Shade of Magic and The Starless Sea. And I loved those books so much that I’ve been chasing that feeling ever since I read them.

The prose of this book is absolutely wonderful. It’s lush and moody, and while some of the phrasing is outdated, it fits so well with the world that Rebecca Ross has built that it doesn’t feel out of place like it does in some books.

The characters are all deliciously fleshed out, charming, flawed, and immediately likeable.. Every single one of them. I especially loved Jack. I absolutely adored that these characters grew individually and together. Also, it’s a treasure when you find an author that can convey the tension in a scene with just small handful of sentences.

The plot is also so beautifully crafted and executed. The pacing is perfect, and I could not put it down. 12/10, would recommend this to everyone.

Thank you Harper Voyager and Netgalley for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I feel somewhere in the middle about A River enchanted. There were story elements I thought were executed really well and then there were some story elements that fell flat for me. Overall, A River Enchanted gets 3.5 stars from me.

What worked well:
- The Scottish-inspired setting was beautifully depicted. The author's writing was atmospheric and full rich descriptions that left me feeling like I could travel to Cadence.
- I enjoyed all of the characters and their individual perspectives. Everyone was decently fleshed out and it's clear there will be more character development in the next book. I particularly loved Torin and Sidra's relationship and how the main conflict affected their marriage.
- How magic was infused into the storyline. The enchanted plaids, weapons, instruments, the folk were really interesting and I also loved how there was a cost to using magic.

What fell flat:
- This book is SLOW. The blurb describes this book as having a fast-paced plot and it's quite the opposite. This is one of the slowest books I've read in a long time and it honestly effected my enjoyment. There was no need for this book to be almost 500 pages based on how the plot played out. This could have been at least 100 pages shorter and the book would have reached the same conclusion.
- The stakes of the main conflict couldn't have been lower. The plot centers around the main characters trying to locate girls that have gone missing on the isle. Finding the missing girls clearly was a big deal to our characters but to me it felt like there was a lack of urgency. The characters spent a lot of time doing other things than finding the missing girls.
- This book is sold as having an enemies to lovers romance between Jack and Adaira. There was no enemy-ing!!! Jack and Adaira simply didn't like each other growing up over dumb, childish reasons but they certainly were never enemies. Marketing dropped the ball on this one. On top of the missing enemies to lovers trope, Jack and Adaira have zero chemistry. I wasn't sold on their romance. There was no tension, no pining, no sparks! I would have taken crumbs but alas, nothing. It was frustrating because I feel like I wasn't given what I was promised based on the synopsis.

Overall, A River Enchanted was pretty good. If you like lower fantasy with an elements of magic, mystery, and whimsy, A River Enchanted might just be for you!
1 like

I LOVED this book. It was slow at first and took a while for all the threads to come together, but the story they wove was stunning. And that ending! I need the next book now.

The writing style was poetic and lyrical and reminded me a lot of Patricia McKillip's works, especially the Riddle-Master of Hed. Since Patricia McKillip has remained my ultimate favorite author for close to two decades now, you can perhaps imagine how much I enjoyed this story. I will be seeking out more by Rebecca Ross immediately. It also reminded me of Erin Morgenstern's Starless Sea and Maggie Steifvater's work.

I loved how music was woven into this story. As Jack is a bard, it felt appropriate, and made for some beautiful metaphors. Weaving is also integral, which again, feels appropriate with the way this story is woven. I was riveted through every revelation, which started coming hard and fast the closer the story drew to its explosive ending. I love that everything isn't tied up neatly and the way it sets up the next book as... well it could be anything.

While it took me a minute to get into each of the varied POVs, they were necessary and added so much to the story. I came to love Jack and Adaira, Torin and Sidra, Mirin and Frae. I also loved the themes covered in this novel. Heartache and grief, loss of faith, parenting, marriage, career... It was beautiful and a lot deeper than I expected.

I would recommend this to anyone who loves a slow, lyrical story, and especially fans of Patricia McKillip, Erin Morgenstern, and Maggie Stiefvater.

*Thanks to Harper Voyager for providing an e-arc for review.

I really hope book 2 continues this story because I need to know what happens next. This is one of my favorites from Rebecca Ross who is amazing at epic world building. This story stokes all my fantasy genre dreams. Set on an enchanted isles, the spirits rule over a divided land where two clans battle it out. Jack has been driven home after a mysterious request where he finds young girls have gone missing. As their whereabouts are unknown the island is turned over and many secrets are revealed. The details of the isle, the powers of the spirits and the intricacies of each character blend into a spellbinding story about family, magic and loss. There’s crazy good character development and a plot that has romance, political intrigue and action. I need more!

If a book has the following things attached to it, I automatically know I need to read it: folklore, mythology, fantasy, and romance. A RIVER ENCHANTED has all of that in more. Inspired by Scottish folklore, Rebecca Ross creates an incredibly enchanting (ha!) world to escape to. The first of a series River Enchanted has left me incredibly excited for what is to come from Ross.

In River Enchanted we follow Jack as he returns home to the island of Cadence after a decade away. It is then that he is thrust into the middle of a search for a spirit who has been kidnapping girls. The book is very character-driven, and that is something I cannot complain about. It is an atmospheric story with a mysterious plot. If I had to pick one thing that I found frustrating with this book it would be how slow it moves. But, I did enjoy it and will be reading the next book that comes out!

The prose is very pretty and the atmosphere of this Scottish-vibe fantasy is beautifully done, but the overall plot absolutely dragged. I liked all the characters individually but didn’t really feel compelled by the mystery or by their relationships with each other (with the exception of Torin and Sidra, who really grew on me as they worked through their issues). I wouldn’t necessarily say no to reading the next book in the series but I also wouldn’t seek it out.

This is a gorgeously written story of a bard who is summoned home to an isle fractured by a clan war and still ruled by the spirit folk, a mystical land in which the wind carries names and the landscape reforms. Young girls have started to go missing, and he must work with his childhood enemy to call the spirits’ aid in finding them. He must come to terms with the insecurities of his past, the uncertainties of his future, and the secrets long buried in blood and earth.

If you are a fan of a slower pace with a focus on folktales as exemplified by Circe or The Witch’s Heart, A River Enchanted is definitely a story you should read. I really shouldn’t use the words “lyrical” or “mystical” again, but they are the words that best describe the manner in which the prose so clearly evokes the tendrils of fog caressing the hills, the thin fingers of water that churn along the tree lines, the whisper of wind in your ear as it murmurs your name.

A River Enchanted thrives in its sense of setting and the mysticism it conjures through music and the healing arts. I adored A River Enchanted and can’t wait for the sequel.

~Thank you Netgalley and Harper Collins for allowing me to receive an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review!~

5💫Stars
•I was excited for this book and was very happy when I received an ARC of it. It met all of my expectations and more and was such a nice read.

PLOT
•I liked the pacing and the plot was well-written with proper twists that tugged at your heartstrings. The way it progressed was interesting and more spaced out but I still enjoyed it despite this. There is not much to say regarding the plot as it's pretty solid.

CHARACTERS
•This is my favorite part of the book. The characters were made with so much love and care. All of them were fleshed out and given deep personalities and conflicts. None of them were bland or without troubles and I felt this added to story overall. It was so hard to pick favorites as each one was so distinct and different. Truly the shining part of this book.

WORLDBUILDING
•The world of Cadence drew me in right away. The spirits and their hierarchies especially captured my interest as well as their descriptions. The lore was full of depth and the intricate magic was thought out and unique. I also loved the give and take system between the east and west regarding enchantments as this set up the plot perfectly.

OVERALL
•This book read like a fresh breath of ocean air and I adored it. Heavily recommend.

"...I once thought home was simply a place. Four walls to hold you at night while you slept. But I was wrong. It’s people. It’s being with the ones that you love, and maybe even the ones that you hate.”

Thank you to #NetGalley & #HarperVoyager for the ARC in exchange for an honest review!

It's been a long time since I've found a fantasy that I have literally zero complaints about. Jack is a grumpy bard, who is summoned home to the mystical island of Cadence after years of being on the mainland. He's never fit in on Cadence, and he is resentful of his clan for sending him away so many years ago; now, Laird Tamerlaine is calling him home for something urgent: young girls are disappearing, and Jack is somehow the missing piece to solving the mystery of who's responsible. Upon his arrival, Jack discovers that his old menace and heiress to the clan's throne, Adaira, is actually the one who called for his help. Shoving away both their pride, they must work together to bring those girls home and exact justice. 

This Scottish folktale is magical in all of the best ways--there's music and magic and warriors. Ross' ability to command the setting and her world-building drew me in immediately and the entire experience was immersive from front to back. The characters are all lovable, flaws and all, and the twists are spectacular. I was surprised to find that this is being advertised as a Crescent City x Witch's Heart hybrid because that just seems... wrong lol nothing against SJM, but this is not an urban fantasy & there is very little ~spice~ involved at all. It's a highly emotional and, I would even go so far as to say, meditative experience as you see the characters constantly connecting to their roots, both phsyical and familial. All the pieces came together in the end and set it up perfectly for the sequel--I can't wait! 

Read if you like:
classical prose
elemental magic
the power of music
Scottish clans

Jack Tamerlaine hasn't returned to his home on the isle of Cadence since he left ten years ago to study at the university on the mainland. He's been unexpectedly called back when girls begin to go missing. Adaira, the heiress of the east, has called Jack back because she thinks he can help find the girls. Magic and enchantments abound on Cadence, and Adaira thinks Jack can call the spirits when he plays his harp. As they search for the missing girls, more and more secrets come to light, ones that will change everything.

A River Enchanted was perfect. It was atmospheric and wild, and Cadence felt like a real place. The magic is very interesting, especially how it works in the east and has a price. I loved Jack, Adaira, Torin, and Sidra, and the journey they all went on. Torin and Sidra especially stole the show. The slow burn romance and arranged marriage aspects were perfectly done and so lovely. The book also had some really good twists, one I suspected but one that totally shocked me. This is a world I will want to revisit often and I can't wait to see what happens in the sequel and how things are resolved.

I received an ARC from the publisher and am voluntarily posting a review.
A River Enchanted is Rebecca Ross’ first adult fantasy, and the transition is a subtle, yet fairly impressive one. Ross is one of those authors I like for her atmospheric writing and stories that tend to stand out, and while she hasn’t fully cemented herself comfortably in adult fantasy territory yet, there is potential to grow.
The world has a similar feel to historic Scotland. There’s political intrigue in the way the isle of Cadence was divided among the warring clans, one of which the major characters come from. The magic and religion being so woven in with the culture, including connection to Fae and the dead, is quite cool.
There are a few major characters in this one, although the bulk of the story focuses on Jack and Adaira. Generally, both are sympathetic and I liked their progression from enmity to forming an alliance to falling in love.
There’s a secondary romance, between an older captain of the guard and his wife, and I liked the way it provided juxtaposition of a more mature and complex relationship.
The plot is intriguing, as the characters spend a lot of time trying to solve the mystery of missing girls from the clan. This is juxtaposed with the slower burn of the interpersonal relationships, and while it is a bit of a tough balancing act, Ross pulls it off.
This is an impressive series starter and first foray into adult fantasy. I am excited how things will proceed going forward, and would recommend it to fantasy fans especially YA readers looking for “crossover” books.

This book had such a musical flow to it. I liked the variety of POVs and the slow unwinding of the story. I liked the world it was set in and the magic that was present. I liked the use of music for magic. I was devastated with the ending when I thought it was a stand alone, but once I found out that there will be a sequel I was excited to continue the story. I liked the history of the main characters and how it shaped their future and I like all the secrets weaved throughout the book.

Definitely the most beautiful I’ve read this year. The story had my full attention form the moment I read the first line. I thought all of the themes were handled excellently, compared to other novels I’ve read. Despite being on a deadline for some uni coursework, I managed to practically inhale this in one sitting. I doubt I’ll stop thinking about this book until I can get my hands on the next! This story was Enchanting!!

4.75 stars
This has beautiful, atmospheric writing. The characters are so well written & I loved the way the different characters’ depth of relationship, complicated, layered emotions towards each other are seen in the quiet, wordless moments. The ending was heartbreaking! I need the second book!

A gripping fantasy brimming with magic, romance and mystery, Ross creates an atmospheric world that is easy to become immersed in. The story is told through multiple POV's, a writing device im not usually fond of, but I found its usage here rather seamless in its ability to keep the at times slow moving plot interesting. While slow moving, the pacing of the story was excellent. The progression of the characters and the revelations of the many secrets and mysteries unravelled gradually like one of Mirins plaids, keeping me on the edge of my seat until the very end. The romance between Torin and Sidra was achingly sweet, and although they were the secondary characters I found their story far more interesting and developed than the main couple. This book definitely toes the line between YA Fantasy and Adult Fantasy, I know the intent is for it to be Adult but I feel like it leans more toward YA.
I was completely captivated by this story and can't wait for the next book in the series!

I really enjoyed this magical book! It was intriguing and fast paced. The writing and prose were beautiful, I could picture everything so vividly! These characters were all interesting and relatable. I really loved Sidra and Torin and seeing their relationship change and grow throughout the story! I can’t wait to read the next book to see where Jack and Adaira’s stories take us!

This is a sweeping and atmospheric tale that is chick full of love, loss and longing. Rebecca Ross wove a beautiful story about a magical island full of secrets. The portrayals of love and vulnerability in this book are so rich and heartfelt, I will absolutely be reading the next book.

📚 𝘽𝙤𝙤𝙠 𝙍𝙚𝙫𝙞𝙚𝙬: A River Enchanted by Rebecca Ross 📚

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 4/5

𝙂𝙚𝙣𝙧𝙚: Adult fantasy
𝙁𝙤𝙧𝙢𝙖𝙩: eARC
𝙂𝙤𝙤𝙙𝙧𝙚𝙖𝙙𝙨 𝙍𝙖𝙩𝙞𝙣𝙜: This is an ARC, I’m sure Goodreads reviews are coming soon!

𝙁𝙖𝙫𝙚 𝙌𝙪𝙤𝙩𝙚: “I am but a verse inspired by your chorus, and I will follow you until the end, when the isle takes my bones and my name is nothing more than a remembrance on a headstone, next to yours.”

“But alas, hearts are made to be broken, aren’t they, bard?”
“If they must break”, Jack said, “then they break and remake themselves into stronger vessels.”

𝙒𝙝𝙖𝙩 𝙄 𝙇𝙤𝙫𝙚𝙙:
Atmospheric storytelling vibe
Scottish inspired setting
Sweet romances (childhood rivals to lovers)
Sinister mystery to solve
Follows the journey of multiple characters
Beautiful writing


𝙍𝙚𝙫𝙞𝙚𝙬:
This is my first Rebecca Ross book, and I thoroughly enjoyed it! With all the talk of lairds and lasses and bairns and plaids, it gave me total Outlander vibes (but with magic). The main romance is very sweet and develops when childhood rivals meet again as adults. There are multiple love stories told throughout the book, and several of these deal with very real and difficult situations (particularly dealing with loss of an immediate family member).

The pacing is great, the writing is beautiful and creates an enchanting storytelling atmosphere, and the end left me extremely excited for the next book in the series.

The author wrote this on her Goodreads and I think it sums it up perfectly: “Within these pages, you'll encounter a grumpy
musician who has been summoned home, an heiress who is striving to solve a sinister mystery, a captain who would do anything to protect his clan, and a devout
healer who must mend that which seems deeply broken.”

Thank you to @harpervoyagerus and @netgalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review ❤️

Former rivals Jack and Adaira are forced to put the past aside to unravel the mystery of kidnapped girls. But what seems like it could be a supernatural mystery takes a sinister turn. In a land of spirits and appeasement, Rebecca Ross weaves a story about community, danger, and family. With a Scottish feel to it, A River Enchanted is blanketed in a misty fog of danger. Of things a shade away from our reality. Ross is an expert, in all of her other books, of bringing the magical to the daily and this magical world is no exception.

Ross manipulates a world of feuds that go back generations. Where stories are woven throughout the book to aid, instill fear, and to provide hope. On one level, I was bewitched by the stories. The ways that there are always two sides. Ones that make us regretful, apologetic, and wary. Additionally, the chemistry and friendship between Adaira and Jack, Sidra and Torin, was fantastic. I love that while it's certainly centers Adaira and Jack, Sidra and Torin ended up being fabulously developed.