What can I say about this book? I am so emotionally spent after reading this story. When tragedy comes upon Corey (a new father!) his family is torn apart.

This books touches upon so many heavy issues from addiction to forgiveness. It will gut punch you and make you cry for sure! Learning to live with consequences (fair or unfair) can be such a challenging thing that we all struggle with. This book reminds me to love well, extend grace and offer forgiveness.

I was given this book by NetGalley for an honest review-
This was an excellent book. Corby lost his job and is taking care of their twins while his wife works. With the stress of looking for work and taking care of children he uses his anti anxiety meds and alcohol - a combination that seems to be increasing until it leads to tragedy sending him to jail for three years. The struggle is real for the three years with brutality and abuse, thankfully a librarian , his cellmate, and a troubled teen help make life more bearable. Can he survive three years? Can he forgive himself? Can his wife forgive him? Will their marriage survive?

This is a masterpiece. The subject of forgiveness is the epicenter of this book and how do you forgive the unforgivable. This book tackles probably the most difficult subjects imaginable-death of a child, addiction, complicated marriage, prison and does so in a way it takes you by surprise. You feel such deep sorrow and empathy for the main character and at the same time deep rage for his actions. It makes you think about the broken justice system but also what would bring justice for taking a life. I cannot recommend this book enough. It’s a tough read in terms of subject matter but I couldn’t put it down.

Oh how do I even begin with this book?
There's little I can say without spoiling it and I absolutely would not want to do that. Just know that I doubt I will ever forget this book or Corby. It's tough for me to describe just how tragic this story is but how deeply I loved it. I do kinda want to have some words with you, Mr. Lamb. I was NOT ready to feel this broken over a book but damn, you sure are good at beautiful tragedy. Wow. How do I recover?? I think I need to go lay down and sob!

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read this in exchange for my honest review. And thank you to you, Mr. Lamb for never failing to crush me under the weight of a tragic character. I'll put Corby Ledbetter up on the shelf with Dolores Price where I will protect them both forever.

Now I have to go try to read a different book?!?! How on earth can I move on from this??? 😭

Wally Lamb has just written one emotional roller coaster of a story that I could not put down. This story will make you feel all the emotions for Corby. As a father this story just really hits you and makes you feel for Corby and what he’s going through. A man that has an accident that he will carry with him and his struggle to keep everything together while trying to keep his family together and heal himself. This is a must read.

I'm a fan of Wally Lamb's, and was so excited about this book. He is an excellent writer, and any book from him will be something to dive into. I was very invested in the first half. Although I knew this was a book about imprisonment, I felt somewhat bogged down in the details. Just a lot about prison life! I would have loved back and forth chapters detailing how his wife, and maybe his mother, even his mother-in-law were handling the days when Corby was serving his sentence. Thank you NetGalley for this ARC.

For the week that I read this, I updated my husband daily on Corby’s life. I called Corby my friend and at night before reading a few chapters I would say, “I need to check in on my friend.” He is unlike any friend I have or anyone I know but this week I couldn’t stop thinking about him. That is the sign of a great writer.

I have read other Wally Lamb books and remember really liking them, but I can’t remember a single character’s name. I’m certain I will remember Corby and his story without needing to read the Goodreads summary to refresh my memory.

Lamb’s main character development is second to none. The other character’s may be written a little more flat, but it doesn’t really matter. His dialogue may be a little unnatural but that doesn’t matter either. What matters is creating a three-dimensional character with words that show you, rather than tell you.

Thank you to NetGalley for the sneak peak.

Long but very very good. Covers multiple cogent topics-addiction, love,crushing guilt, friendship under unimaginable circumstances, courage to “do what is right” despite the consequences , and maybe most importantly an, indictment of our prison/ incarceration system . It flows readily from one chapter to the next, and the finale is a true emotional heartbreaker. A very very good read. Highly recommend it.

I was thrilled to find out that Wally Lamb is releasing his first novel since 2016. If you're familiar with his work, this book will not disappoint. If you aren't, "The River Is Waiting" is a beautiful place to start.

Lamb tackles a cacophony of social and political matters with this book. He tenderly handles subjects like racial inequality, drug and alcohol addiction and prisoner's rights, yet he also doesn't pull any punches when he addresses these matters. In beautiful language, he is able to lay these issues bare faced on the table in front of his reader and say "Here, experience this, feel this. Work it through your mind and heart and grab onto it." This book made me step outside of my preconceived opinions and put myself in the character's shoes. It was an amazing experience to go on this journey with them.

The book is primarily told through the POV of Corby, a middle aged father of twins with a spiraling drug addiction. When his addiction leads to a horrifying event that lands him in prison, Corby battles with himself to seek atonement for what he has done. Corby, for all his faults, is a fascinating character that you can't help but cheer for. I read every page waiting for the blessed moment when his life is his own again. While TRIW is not an "easy read" it is beautiful and haunting. Thank you Mr. Lamb for another beautiful story and NetGalley for the ARC.

“The River is Waiting” by Wally Lamb is an absolutely incredible book on every level! Every one of this author's books has been stunning but this one rises to the top, it’s a book that will stay with me forever!
It revolves around a couple with two year old twins that face an unfathomable tragedy which tears their family apart. The story deals with the important societal issues of depression, addiction, abuse and dehumanizing incarceration. It is a hard and challenging read with flawed characters who could be people we all know. These characters so real and so relatable I found myself in tears several times. It is a lesson on how not to lose hope even in the toughest of situations and ultimately forgiveness in every sense of the word.

I could not put this book down and will never forget it, a must read for everyone!

Thank you NetGalley and Simon Element for the ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.

Wally Lamb did it again with this beautifully written novel. I couldn’t put this book down. I experienced a wide range of emotions while reading this heartbreaking story. Corby’s story is tragic and revolves around a drug and alcohol addiction, a heart wrenching accident, and his life after tragedy as well as his family’s. This is a poignant story that will be remembered.

This is the 2nd book I have read by this author and I didn't know quite what to expect. The River is Waiting is a story that includes many hard topics (drinking, drug addiction, prison life, race wars, COVID, etc) but it does so in the most heartfelt ways. There were parts where I laughed and parts where I shed some tears. It's an easy, quick read and I recommend it if you're looking for a contemporary fiction novel.

Wally Lamb is one heck of a storyteller.

I have loved all of his books and was excited to read this one - it's been a while. At the start, I wasn't sure I could continue. A devastating tragedy in the first chapter and a lead character that wasn't very likable in the early going got me wondering what I had gotten myself into. I needn't have worried. All of this was absolutely necessary to set up the conditions under which we watch Corby go through what comes next.

It's not a spoiler to say that the bulk of this book takes place while Corby is incarcerated for the crime he committed in the first chapter - all of this is in the publisher's description. Lamb resists the easy route of painting Corby as a stereotypical middle class man who ends up in prison and becomes our window into all of the harshness, lack of freedom and brutality on the inside. All of that is there, but the focus is on Corby, who accepts his fate and spends every minute working to deserve his family after he is released.

The question of how this is going to come about becomes the main focus of the final chapters, which were so tense I had to go to another room and shut the door so I wouldn't be disturbed. I'm still thinking about Corby and I imagine I will for some time. Many thanks to Wally Lamb, S&S/Marysue Rucci Books and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this eARC in exchange for my honest review.

Wally Lamb is a master storyteller. This is another five star book from him.

The story is about Corby and mostly from his point of view. After he loses his job and becomes the caretaker of his twins, he turns to drugs and alcohol as his coping mechanisms. His wife,Emily, is a school teacher and becomes the breadwinner.
After a tragedy, Corby is sentenced to prison. His life in prison isn’t easy especially after he tries to stand up to bullies. He reluctantly takes a young teen under his wing who should never have been sent to this men’s prison.

This story is gut wrenching at times but it is a story that will stay with you.
Thank you to NetGalley and Simon and Schutter for the arc of this masterpiece of a novel.

I have loved everything I've read by Wally Lamb, and this book was no exception. The opening chapter stunned and haunted me, and the ending was equally jarring. This river takes some steep turns along the way.

Corby spirals into a mess of drugs and alcohol, and the story focuses on his time in prison as he learns to live with himself after a terrible accident of his own doing. I felt a deep connection to every character—Lamb's writing brings them to life in such a vivid way. I especially loved the prison librarian and his cellmate, Manny.

Since finishing the book, I haven't stopped thinking about it, and I know it will stay with me for a long time.

Thank you Netgalley for this ARC of The River is Waiting by Wally Lamb. It’s been a while since I’ve read something by Lamb, so I was pleasantly surprised to see he had a new book. His writing is still superb. This book follows the story of the couple, Corby and Emily and their twins, Maisie and Niko. A tragedy happens early on landing serious repercussions for Colby, and ultimately their fractured family. That’s the gist of the story without giving away particulars. His writing is like I’ve always remembered- just easy to fall into and the pages seem to turn on their own. Excellent book, I highly recommend this as well as anything else Lamb has written.

I'm still thinking about this book 2 days after I read it. You will laugh, cry emotions all over the place.
How one turn of events cannot only change your life but the life of others.

Thank you Simon Element and NetGalley for my advanced copy.

It's not often that I cry when I read a book. I may feel some emotion while reading but it's not often that I actually cry. But this, this broke me. I felt so much of this story. It was as if I knew these people, I felt what every one of them felt. I will say I wasn't always a fan of the main character Corby, there were times when I thought man, get over yourself but oh my gosh there were also times when my heart broke for this man. There are several characters that I just loved and some that I just loathed. It's a story that will open your eyes to many things. It forces us to look at difficult situations in a way of compassion and understanding. It's about love, hate, forgiveness, kindness, anger, sadness - so much is told in this story. If you don't read this, you will be missing out on something really great.

I had a hard time starting this book because of the subject matter. I was so angry with the attitude of the main character I almost stopped reading twice.
Im glad i continued reading and really got interested in the other book characters. I think the book showed the character’s remorse though I stayed more sympathetic with his wife throughout.
I think this was a fair rendition of actions and consequences and the penal system. Nobody is just good or bad. We are all so imperfect. Life just keeps going.

I could not put this down. It will be troubling for some people to read and I understand that, but I could empathize with all the characters. I wanted to "fix" them all and hoped for the best for each of them. Though, you mostly know it might not all be OK. I have not read such a strong story in a very long time and just could not believe where the author took us on this journey.