A River Enchanted audiobook

what a pretty story! definitely one of those cosy, comfort reads thats perfect for a rainy day spent under a warm duvet.the strength of this story is how atmospheric it is. its very fairytale-esque with the lure of scottish charm. the mysterious island of cadence, the age-old feud between clans, and the magic of impish spirits create a very tangible world. and the characters are just as complex, just as intriguing. i will say that the overall vibe of the story feels YA, even though the characters are older. i do wish the story had felt more mature, but i know this is RRs first venture into adult fiction, so i have no doubt it will improve with the next book in the series. which is an installment i eagerly look forward to!thank you, harper voyager, for the ARC!↠ 4.5 stars

A Scottish-influenced folktale fantasy.

A river enchanted starts out like a quiet calm stream and as you keep reading turns into a strong and constant river of emotions and magic cementing its namesake. This book has become a 2022 and essentially an all time favorite. The beautiful writing, the Scottish inspired atmosphere, and these characters have my heart. If I could find myself more adult fantasy like this I would be one happy camper. It’s one of those books that you step into like a warm flannel. It’s so comfortable, you don’t want to take it off and you know if will be a staple in your reading wardrobe. I won’t go into any specific details because I went in blind and I think you should too. What to expect then? Adventure, beautiful character arcs, unique story telling and romance that is done in such an effortless way if just all feels so right. I will be anxiously anticipating book 2 and running to read anything Rebecca Ross has put her magic pen to.*thank you to Harper Audio for my ALC. the audiobook was fantastic and added an extra element of storytelling to this one.

4.5⭐ Wholesome and sweet, yet with an atmospheric edge that gives the story some bite. Our protagonist returns to the Scottish Isle he was born on after being summoned by his Laird. The Laird's daughter, his old childhood frenemy, asks for his help solving the mystery of the stolen girls. The magic system is gorgeously delicate and immensely steeped in Scottish lore. I loved it.

4.5 Stars ✨ “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.”Jack - a harp player, studying music for 12 years on the mainland, is summoned to come back home to his clan by his laird. They need his help to solve a mystery. Little girls from their clan are starting to go missing and Jack holds the key to helping, but is unaware and never expected to return. When he arrives, he quickly learns of secrets that have been withheld from him for years. While trying to work out his personal situations he is thrown into solving this mystery but wasn’t prepared to work closely with his childhood rival Adaria, the lairds daughter. Get ready to be enchanted. This is the type of book you curl up under a tree to read, with a glass of lemonade- as the breeze hits your face and just get lost in the lyrical tale. Scottish Folklore Fantasy inspired, Ross has woven a beautiful magical story, sure to make you feel every emotion. The magic system felt fresh and different than most fantasies I have read lately. It was clean- full of mystery, with a fairytale type feel and just a touch of romance. This type of writing style isn’t for everyone, but if you appreciate classical prose you will definitely enjoy this. For me it felt like a melody, and I can not wait to see how it all unfolds in the next installment.

Just lovely.

“If we must drown, let us do so entwined”This is the most magical & enchanting book I’ve read thus far. Everything about it was so beautifully descriptive and I felt as though I lived it.Torin was my favourite character by far! His character development was perfectly written and I was routing for him more than I was the main characters.This book is perfect for a rainy day. There was one point that I got chills as I read: “In the distance, thunder rumbled as a storm billowed closer” because from outside my window a storm began at the exact same moment. I’m telling you, this book is magic lol!This wasn’t just your average fantasy book, it was so unique in the way that it pulled from Scottish folklore. I don’t know if I’ll ever read anything like it again - you have to get your hands on this gem!I suppose the only reason I didn’t give this book five stars was because the romance just didn’t quite get there for me. The love between the two main characters didn’t seem real enough. But everything else about this book was flawless.

A River Enchanted is lovely fantasy brimming with Celtic-inspired lore. I felt utterly transported by it. The setting was lush, a balance of both familiar and fresh. The cast was varied, with some very interesting characters; some were even lovable. The magic was wild and enchanting and costly, and fascinatingly different across the island. The plot and the mystery element were intriguing enough to keep me invested while letting the setting and lore and characters be the true stars of the show. And the romance was beautifully balanced, core to the story without ever overwhelming the plot. There were multiple slow-burn relationships in these pages that didn’t capture me at first, but my investment in them grew as the story progressed. While it did take me a while to warm up to various aspects of this book, I grew to love it.Our story follows Jack, a Tamerlaine of Cadence who was sent to the mainland to become a bard. His laird has called him home, in need of his musical talents. But Jack’s parentage, with his single mother and unknown father, made him feel judged and found wanting in the land of his birth, so he is hesitant to return. But the draw of duty is too much to ignore, so he leaves the life he has made for himself for the home where he never felt accepted. Once there, Jack finds himself face to face with the heiress of his side of the divided isle, a woman who, as a girl, was his nemesis. While the two might not see eye to eye, they are bound by a shared purpose: find the girls who are being kidnapped from their homes. It is this mystery, of who is taking the girls and why, that drives the story. But romance and magic, politics and a history fraught with division, are equally important tot the tale being spun.The isle of Cadence is fascinating, with its multi-layered division between the east in the west; politics and ideology and history all divide them, but that division is also seen in tangible, and magical, ways. In the distant past, when a potential alliance between the Tamerlaines (of the east) and the Breccans (of the west) ended in tragedy and war, the island was divided by magic. One side would be lush and fertile, but the cost of magic would be steep. The other side could practice magical crafts with ease, but would strive against the land itself to no avail, never able to grow enough food to feed their people through winter. And the divide between the two is something of a magical leyline; any crossing of it immediately alerts the watchers of the boundary. Both sides have things the other needs, but neither is willing to enact a treaty, as neither feels they can trust the other to honor it. Outside of the division, the half of the Cadence where we spend our story is just exceptionally lovely. I was very much reminded of Scotland. As I was meant to be. The magic was wonderful, if devastating it its cost: enchanted blades whose wounds could inflict fear or truth, and plaids woven with secrets that acted as armor or kept one warmer than it should. Magic here wasn’t a spell, but an enchantment entwined with the very best of a craft. I loved the work and artistry required, and also the passion and talent that made these items their most powerful. But then there was the music, which was absolutely my favorite part. The idea of music calling to the various types of elemental spirits was exceptionally lovely, and I was utterly captivated by both premise and execution.It took a little time for the characters to grow on me, but grow on me they absolutely did. By the end of the novel, I was very fond of captain of the guard Torin, his healer wife Sidra, Jack’s weaver mother Mirin and his little sister Frae. But the obvious stars of the show were future Laird of the East Adaira and our bard main character, Jack. I have a weakness for bards as main characters, especially when their music is a large part of the plot. That’s exactly what was promised here, and Ross delivered on that promise with great aplomb. I thought A River Enchanted was just as enchanting as the title lead me to hope. The balance of cozy vibes and stakes with some weight and resonance was pretty impeccable, and the setting and lore were wonderfully lush. I’m so glad that music was actually a focus here, and I can’t wait to see how the Elements of Cadence duology wraps up in A Fire Endless.You can find this review and more at Novel Notions.

ARC received in exchange for an honest review 🧚🏻‍♂️What an enchanting, surprisingly spell binding read. A River Enchanted tells the story of bard Jack, who has been summoned to the magical island of Cadence at the bequest of his Laird. Jack has spent the last ten years training to be a bard on the mainland, specialising in the harp, and the last thing he wants to do is return to the home island that treated him like an outcast because of his mysterious parentage. However, Jack soon finds himself thrown into a mystery with personal consequences, as girls have started to go missing on Cadence, and the spirits of the isle are reluctant to give away their secrets. Only a song could break their guard, and maybe the help of his former rival, and the Laird's daughter, Adaira. The atmosphere for this was utterly captivating, as the reader is swept along into the ferocious yet wonderful island of Cadence. Here the spirits are tricky and playful, using humans as their playthings and source of entertainment. A whisper on the wind can expose a secret yet also pass on an urgent message, and wild plants can be tamed and used to heal as well as trap you forever in their earthy roots. I loved the nature of the spirits and how they've shaped the island and just how in tune the natives are to the environment around them. The descriptions of the land really allowed the reader to fully immerse themselves in this world. I also really liked our main characters, which could essentially be split into two sets of couples. We have Jack and Adaira, lifelong friends and rivals, who are forced to work together to uncover the truth about what is happening on the island. Jack is incredibly reserved and unyeileding in his return to Cadence, untrusing of everyone, and he has a massive chip on his shoulder that he needs to overcome. Adaira plays a large part in Jack's changing attitudes, showing him that he's valued and worthy of a place on the island. She's also head strong and inquisitive, which lends herself well to Jack's more reserved personality. They work well together. Torin and Sidra are perhaps my favourite couple however. Sidra is Torin's second wife after his first died in childbirth and together they are raising Torin's daughter. Sidra is a strong believer in the good that the spirits of the islae can do and she's a talented healer. However at the story of our story she's trapped in what appears to be a loveless marriage with Torin. They're very unsure of each other and seem to live seperate lives. When tragedy strikes the two are forced to confront these problems and I really enjoyed seeing them explore each other and find love all over again. It was endearing and felt very grounded in compwriosn to all the magical things going on around them. I will say that the world building got a bit muddled in places. We get drips of info on the spirits and elementals of the lands through stories of their deeds in the past, but I always felt this could have gone deeper and in greater depth to add substance to the stories and threats. At the start of the story a lot of the action has already taken place, the island divided, and we never really get to explore the reasonings behind this or what the island is like in the West. I'm hoping the way this concluded that this will be addressed more in the sequel.A perfect read for spring, with enchanting elemental spirits and realistic characters. Thankfully we don't have to wait long for the sequel as I can't wait to dip my toes into the waters of Cadence once again.

Some books really force you to decide what you like more: a fast-paced plot or a slowly-evolving character arc. A River Enchanted gives you enough reasons to go with the latter. Fantasy books, especially when not in the the young adult demographic, are often expected to let a complex plot, an extensively built world, and societal themes to take the centre (and I truly love those) but every once in a while some fantasy books like The Order of the Pure Moon Reflected in Water by Zen Cho truly rely on its characters and they definitely deliver. Rebecca Ross’ adult debut is one such character-driven tale.The people of a Scottish-inspired island, Cadence, have lived under a curse —to be divided, their land literally torn in two— for centuries. The western clan, Breccans, can wield magic but their land isn’t fertile. The eastern clan, Tamerlaine, has a bountiful realm and abundant food but a limited ability to use magic. In this world, elemental spirits exist —who are hostile to the Breccans and (if not kind) at least not often cruel to the Tamerlaines. Having been at odds for hundreds of years, a boundary line exists as an attempt at peace but the hunger in the western land urges Breccans to raid the other side to steal food; and the Tamerlaines fight to hold them off. Consider reading this review over on my blog. After a decade with hardly any contact with his clan while he studied music in the mainland, Jack Tamerlaine is summoned home. He wonders the purpose behind this mysterious call and is surprised to discover the island in a crisis: young girls are going missing and people wonder if the spirits might be taking them away. Adaira Tamerlaine, the young Heir of the East, was the one who secretly summoned Jack, her former childhood rival. She’s devoted to her land and its people, willing to risk everything to find peace, and truly believes that Jack’s musical skills might be the clan’s last hope.“She was adored, and he was reviled. She was the clan’s joy, while he was the nuisance.” Jack’s own words perfectly describe the connection that these two protagonists hold. With a particular sass, especially from Adaira’s side, and a classic banter that often led to those exciting moments of realising one’s growing feelings toward the other, the changing dynamics from their childhood feels natural at times. Certain phrases like Jack saying “Take delight in my surrender” or Adaira calling him “my old menace” will wonderfully give into the trope —not an enemies-to-lovers, though. Still, who impresses the most is the quieter, more nuanced, and highly emotional couple: Torin and Sidra. A warrior, now named the Captain of the East Guard, who lost his wife had decided to marry a local skilled and generous healer for his daughter who needed a mother. This is the start to Torin and Sidra’s relationship, and is also the complex base that allows their individual personalities to shine through with intrigue. Torin is bound to the land by blood but a tragedy tests his duty. Sidra is a dutiful and loving mother but the fear of losing someone demands her deepest secrets.While all four characters play important roles to propel the plot, the women easily win in terms of their arc and presence. Whether it’s Adaira’s unapologetic determination to set things right, lead the possibility of peace, or command those around her —even Jack as a bard who can draw forth the spirits by a song— or Sidra’s benevolent personality as she helps everyone around her while loving Maisie, Torin’s daughter from his first wife, like her own. She has an uncanny ability to mix herbs that reminds of Circe from Madeline Miller’s historical fiction and her unconditional love for Maisie upends the saddening classic trope of an evil stepmother —apologies for interrupting but this recommendation is a must here: Six Crimson Cranes by Elizabeth Lim— evident from this quote: “Even though the lass was not made from her own flesh and blood, Sidra imagined Maisie had been spun from her spirit.”Despite not being too fond of secondary worlds set in and around waters, A River Enchanted pulled me in through the mist, the dark waters, the damp smell, and the unmissable coldness. With a soft magic system evolving mostly around the spirits, the island is allowed to unravel its political, historical, and mystical destinies in all its glory. It’s a little saddening to see this majorly be Jack’s story because of the least interest that he piqued, but the mystery and magic mixes well in this tale. Overall, the themes of family, home, and love were explored well through the music, the spirits, and the myths.Thank you, HarperVoyager, for the review copy!➵ 13.05.2022 finally finished this and i wish it was a torin-sidra story.

this was a fantasy book that just had all the elements i needed in a fantasy book. it was absolutely enchanting (pun intended) in every way possible. there’s a mystery, some nice romantic subplots, found family, there’s magic, there’s political intrigue. it had lovable, relatable, fleshed out characters. they each had their own unique strengths and inner struggles, which i think was so important. i also loved all the different dynamics between the different characters. it had interesting world building that was easy to grasp. i think this concept was also just so unique and interesting to read. the plot was extremely well thought out and i feel like every part of the story felt so intentional. the pacing was also fast enough to where i was never bored, and i didn’t really want to put the book down at all from the moment i started it. i really loved the writing here, there were whole entire passages that i couldn’t help but highlight because it was so beautifully written. all in all, to me this is a must read fantasy book. it’s inspired by scottish folklore, and the inspiration it constantly drew on just continued to amaze me, from beginning to end.

Thank you to Edelweiss and the publishers for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.This book hadn’t been on my radar but people are saying it might be a book that a book box I’m subscribed to will be doing so I wanted to do some reconnaissance, if you know what I mean. I haven’t read anything the author has written before.Also note: the comp to House of Earth and Blood and The Witch’s Heart that I see in the Goodreads synopsis is just WILDLY inaccurate. A River Enchanted is more like Sistersong meets The Bear and the Nightingale, by way of Outlander, maybe.A River Enchanted follows several people who live on the magical isle of Cadence, clearly inspired by Scotland, split in two by warring clans. A bard training on the mainland, the heiress of one clan, the captain of the guard, the captain’s wife, and the bard’s little sister.The bard is summoned back home by the heiress when their clan’s girls start disappearing, the captain of the guard is investigating the disappearances, the heiress is trying to broker peace, the wife is trying to find her place, and the little sister is… there.Jack, the bard, must use his magic to summon the spirits of the isle to uncover where the girls have gone, to determine if the spirits have been taking them, or if the enemy clan has, and it will take all of them working together and finding their places within the clan in order to do so.I think ARE did well balancing all of the perspectives while each character had their own story arcs, except for the little sister, whose perspective added nothing compared to the other four. But I personally prefer single or dual POVs.And as a mythology enthusiast, I did enjoy the overall magic system and religion the clan held, with the spirits of the elements ruling over the island, with a few sporadic Fae creatures sprinkled in. The clan our characters belong to have strong magic and ties to the spirits, however whenever they use magic it makes them sick. From weaving enchanted plaids, to playing enchanted ballads to summon the spirits, to smithing enchanted daggers, everything comes with a cost.I also liked Jack and Adaira’s childhood enemies to lovers relationship arc, however I feel as though it progressed a little too quickly/easily for me to truly love it. But the captain and his wife’s relationship growth was also compelling as it explored an older, more complex marriage.The beginning felt slow despite things happening but after that, I did get pulled into the story and was eager to finish and find out what was happening to the missing girls.The ending was bittersweet, and as of right now I would be curious enough to read the sequel, and overall I say this was a pretty solid adult fantasy book, potentially worthy of spending money for a special edition of it.And, like always, the US cover pales in comparison to the UK cover. Why do they always do this to me?Overall high 3.something or a 4, out of five stars.

4.5 ⭐️Qué lectura tan especial y fantástica (en todos los sentidos). Admito que los primeros capítulos se me hicieron muy introductorios, pero después toda la magia, el misterio, los personajes… ha sido estupendo, y aún me duele ese desenlace!