Wow.

I mean, Wow.

The River is Waiting is my pick for my top read of 2024. I expect fully that this will be a runaway hit of 2025 when it is published.

From page one, Wally Lamb drew me in. I could not put this book down and I've had a slump of a reading year.

I devoured this book in two days. At times, I had to set it down for a moment and just absorb. At times my heart was just breaking.

I'm not really sure how I feel about the last chapters, I'll need some time to dwell on that. But man oh man, this is not a book I will be forgetting any time soon. I highly, highly recommend.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.

Wow. This book contained so many important topics that it's hard to include everything. Among these are:addiction, prison conditions and racism. Sometimes when an author covers so many areas it can feel forced, like they had a checklist of areas to include. Wally Lamb expertly crafts his way through it all. So well written and thought provoking. Is there any act so horrible that a person can not be forgiven? I found myself going back and forth with feeling angry and sympathetic with Corby, the main character. A perfect choice for book clubs. This one will stay with me for awhile.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC.

Wally Lamb is back! Compelling, engaging, could not put this down. A must-read, though at times difficult to swallow, this will be a perfect addition to book club discussions.

Thank you NetGalley and Simon Element for the opportunity to read The River is Waiting in exchange for my honest review.

This is a tragic, heartwrenching story that is written so beautifully by Wally Lamb. I am a very slow reader, but when I wasn't reading this book, I was thinking about it and what was going to happen next. The story is told mostly from Corby's perspective as he goes through life and the trials of love, marriage, family, addiction, and a tragedy that ultimately leads Corby to prison. I found myself in tears a few times as the characters in this story were very relatable.

The River is Waiting is one that I will stick with me for a long time. I give this all five stars and would give more if I could.

This story took me on a roller coaster of emotions. These emotions did not allow me to put the book down. Corby Ledbetter engaged in actions that resulted in the death of his son which landed him in prison. He lost his job, and his wife. While in prison he experienced acts of kindness from his cellmate and the prison librarian. This was a great reminder that although men/ women are in prison they are human and worthy of kindness

#AMustRead #TheRiverIsWaiting

I love Wally Lamb’s writing and was thrilled to receive this arc. I was not disappointed! This is a heartbreaking tale of a father who accidentally runs over and kills his young son while under the influence. It is so tragic for everyone involved. The father goes to prison as punishment and the story details the ups and downs of his time there. The characters are authentic and well/drawn. The writing is phenomenal and the story very difficult but also mesmerizing. This was a joy to read from start to finish and will be a huge hit with book clubs next year.

Man, this one was a tour de force. I will be thinking about this novel for a long time. Though some of the subject matters were difficult, this will bring out the most empathic emotions in us all.

Absolutely gripping story written in a way that instills instant empathy for the characters. Left me crying for hours after the last page.

Another heart wrenching, emotionally charged Wally Lamb novel! A father accidentally kills his baby son and the family must now deal with the fallout. It was difficult reading at times due to the subject matter, but overall a good book. Thanks for the advance read.

This was a tough read for me. The subject matter was extremely difficult to imagine (a tragedy beyond words) and the remaining topics of drug/alcohol dependency struggles, prison inadequacies, and tracing of patterns all the way back to the founding of our nation showing the consistency of mans inhumanity to man-made it really tough! I'm glad I stuck it out as Wally Lamb is an excellent writer and the characters were amazing. Being able to connect with each character, their experiences and their resulting reactions carried the reader through a very deep and emotional storyline, allowing the ability to see different viewpoints and better understand experiences most of us likely already have opinions about which may surprise many to be completely off track until we have the ability to "walk in the shoes of another" as this story allowed. I honestly almost stopped reading it several times, but I'm glad I finished it, as it gave me a lot to consider regarding our society.

(4.5 stars) Another memorable book from Wally Lamb. This time, he has used his familiarity with correctional institutions to write a wholly believable book about prison and the human experience. Lamb remains a very good writer. This is an very readable book that takes readers’ emotions for a ride…mostly an enjoyable ride, although it often lands in dark places. When I tried to pass this book along to my husband, he said he wasn’t interested because Wally Lamb’s books are “too depressing”. Thinking on this, I find I have to agree, although this didn’t (and won’t) keep me from reading Lamb’s books. It’s the curse of literary fiction – real life is often messy and, yes, depressing, and it doesn’t end well…for anyone. A bad ending doesn’t keep us from striving everyday to enjoy life, however, and it won’t keep me from enjoying Wally Lamb’s books.

The River is Waiting is a good old-fashioned novel, featuring memorable characters, a compelling storyline and an emotional ending. It will appeal to a wide range of readers and will challenge those readers’ opinions of prisons and the people in them, many of whom are, if not innocent, are at deserving of our sympathies. Literature that generates empathy towards others holds the potential to change lives, and this is one such work. Highly recommended.

Thanks to NetGalley and Simon Element for providing this eARC in exchange for my opinion.

Wow! Heartbreaking story but like all other Wally Lamb's book - fantastic! So well-written and thought out. Great characters - you really feel for them and what they are going through. It's like you are right there with them experiencing it all.

I couldn't put this one down until I finished it - seriously, I stayed up until 3:00 am. I've seen this word used so often to describe books, "unputdownable" and have never used it in a review. This book was UNPUTDOWNABLE!

A must read for 2025.

Thank you #netgalley and #Simon Element | S&S/ Marysue Rucci Book for the eARC.

Thank you to Netgalley and to the publisher for this free eARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

The River is Waiting is the story of Corby Ledbetter, a father who makes a life-altering mistake that consequently sends him to prison. While pining for his wife and child waiting for him on the outside, Corby meets people in prison who will teach him things that completely change his outlook on life.

While the premise of the book was intriguing to me, especially Corby as a morally gray character, I had a bit of an issue with the writing style. especially the dialogue. It didn’t read as a natural speaking style to me. Also, this was my first Wally Lamb book but for all the praise I’ve seen for this book and his other books, I expected a little more nuance and depth overall.

Corby does experience a lot of growth throughout the book. If you like slice-of-life literary fiction, and/or reading about prison life, I would recommend this to you. It wasn’t a great book for me personally but I seem to be in the minority on that opinion.

really good story of a man who made a wrong choice and killed his son. He was addicted to alcohol and pills when it happened. This is his journey in jaill and his experiences with the people in the prison. Good story It was good to remember and know that people are human in the jail system.

This was one of the best books I have read. Heart wrenching, powerful. Not even sure what to say. I could not put this book down. This author has outdone himself with this story. Be prepared to cry and have your heart broken.

Wally Lamb is a master story teller. After a family tragedy that he caused, Corby tries to survive sobriety and life inside prison. A tale of love and redemption that will move the reader.

Oh, this novel! Heavy, tragic, complex and honest, as only Wally Lamb can deliver. "The River Is Waiting" was so profound and memorable, felt like an important read. Tackling serious topics (which I won't mention, so not to spoil some very unimaginable events). Thank you to the author, publisher and NetGalley for the advance reader copy. All opinions are my own.

I'm not surprised that this new book from Wally Lamb gutted me. Corby's story is one every parent can relate to in many ways. Lamb does an amazing job capturing so many emotions and fears from the very start.

The author takes you through a rollercoaster of emotions and while your gut anticipates a sickening revelation you instead are sucker punched and left flailing in disarray. You vacillate between empathy, sorrow, anger, disbelief, and despair. Coming to terms with taking responsibility for your in/action while also battling external forces you cannot control or get the upper hand with. Thought-provoking and intense.

The River is Waiting is a testament to Wally Lamb’s ability to draw readers into the intimate struggles of his characters while offering a quiet meditation on life’s passage.