Book Review of
Where the Rivers Merge
Lynn's Review
Where the Rivers Merge by Mary Alice Monroe is a literary fiction novel published in 2025.
This multi-generational saga is set in the Low Country of South Carolina. It is a dual timeline book set in 1908 and 1988.
In 1908, it follows Eliza and her family on a grand estate, Mayfield, that her family has held for generations.
In 1988, 88-year-old Eliza had spent her life fighting for Mayfield and its security.
This book has been described as dramatic and sweeping. I would agree with those descriptions. It was sweeping and dramatic.
I loved Mary Alice Monroe’s writing. She took you to the Low Country of South Carolina. Her descriptions of the scenery, the weather, and the people were so well done. You can tell that Mary Alice Monroe is deeply connected to South Carolina.
This book would have been a five-star read for me. It was the ending that made me give it only four stars.
This is book one of two. Book two is planned for 2027. I knew that going in, but I did not expect the ending to be so abrupt. You literally feel like you read half of a book. Or at least I felt that way. I felt like the second half of the book was just cut off.
I listened to an interview where Mary Alice Monroe talked about this. She said it was meant to be one book, but the publisher didn’t think there was a market right now for a 700+ page book. They felt like it would be easier to sell two shorter books instead.
I can see why they might think that. Social media and the online world have shortened our attention span. However, readers want complete stories.
We love sweeping sagas.
Rosamunde Pilcher’s books are long, multi-generational books and she has been loved for years. Loyal, faithful Rosamiund Pilcher fans have been reading and recommending her books for years.
Where the Rivers Merge could have been that type of book, I wish it had been.
I love this book. I loved the writing, the setting, the characters, and the history, but I think publishing it as two books, two years apart, will hurt, not help, the book.
Will I read book two? Yes, I will. I will probably have to revisit book one though before I do that so that the characters are fresh in mind. What I really hope is that when book two comes out, they do a combined version, so that it is sold as one book.
If you love sweeping sagas, I think you will enjoy this one, but you might want to wait to read both books when book two is released in 2027.