A beautifully written romance with a truly atmospheric setting of the Thames.

Its music theme particulary in the sixties, is incredibily nostalgic and the concept of love accross generations is bittersweet and expertly crafted.

It's perfect for readers who enjoy emotional depth in their narratives and a strong sets of characters to become immersed in.

A book about love throughout the generations, based around the sixties music scene an island ion the Thamesl populated by artists and musicians.

"If time was sending her warnings, she had to listen and stop waiting for the right time to speak. Mary saw then that as long as we were alive, we still had the chance to change our lives, to try for the life we wanted."

Jo Star lives on an island in the Thames River, an artists' commune she grew up on, along with her grandmother, Mary, who raised her. In the 60s, Mary was a backup singer at Walnut Tree Island's famous hotel, hanging out with the beatniks, social justice warriors and musicians. Now, she just wants to see Jo happy and return to making art.

When Oliver Greenwood inherits the island from his father, he wants to be rid of it. Oliver spent a magical summer on Walnut Tree Island as a teenager, whiling away hours with Jo. When Oliver's father rips him away, he promises Jo he'll return, but he breaks his promise. Decades later, Jo is still angry and hurt, furious that he now wants to destroy her home.

What drew me to this book was my interest in Eel Pie Island in Twickenham, London (I haven't been yet – it's only open to visitors twice a year), and the author acknowledges that this place was her inspiration for the novel. I enjoyed learning about the musical history, about the people who loved art and poetry and opposed the Vietnam War. I also loved the descriptions of the island and the people who call it home.

My biggest struggle was connecting with the characters. I felt like Jo was too extreme in her emotional responses – I get why she was angry, but she acts seriously childishly for a 40-year-old woman. Hearing Oliver out would have cost her nothing (and would have given her extra opportunities to yell at him). The constant miscommunication frustrated me. I am also really turned off by the cheating trope that rears its head among some of the side characters, and the story's justifications of it didn't sit well with me.

I wanted to feel the emotion, the angst that both Jo and Oliver must have felt, and I just didn't. I heard this author being described as the British Taylor Jenkins Reid, but I have read nearly all TJR's books, and the one thing she excels at is making you care about her characters deeply, even if they can be unlikeable at times. I also felt like the book skirts around many plot points without enough exposition: I wanted more details about what happened to Ruby, why Mary and Godibe's relationship failed, and why Jo felt it necessary to flee Florence.

I would still recommend this book to anyone interested in a part of London many (including me) know little about. I am eagerly awaiting the next time Eel Pie Island is open to visitors!

River Of Stars by Georgina Moore, a NetGalley review! The story begins on Walnut Tree Island, full of love affairs and secrets. In the 1960’s it was thriving amongst the music scene. Mary fell in love with a musician and this is where the story really begins, where we see Mary and her granddaughter grow on this island. I was really looking forward to this book, as I had read the authors previous book The Garnett Girls and really enjoyed it. However sadly this just missed the mark and I didn’t enjoy it. It was really hard to connect to the story and the characters as a whole. I found it hard trying to figure out who was who, when the story kept flashing back to Mary’s story in the 60’s and it just felt that a book shouldn’t be that hard to figure out and it also made it feel like a slow read. I also didn’t particularly like Jo, Mary’s granddaughter, I know she had her reasons but at times she just annoyed me with her childlike behaviour and the chip she seemed to have on her shoulder. Jo at times came across as defensive, not very nice to people at times, for me her only redeeming feature was her love for her grandmother. I wasn’t a fan either of the love hate relationship between Jo and Oliver, a will they won’t that, they seemed to drag on forever and which I felt took away from other parts of the story. For me the most interesting part of the story was Mary, the recalling of her past, her relationship with her daughter, lost lives and her declining health. Mary’s part of the story had real potential and warmth, it’s just a shame there wasn’t more of that from other characters. Finally the ending felt rushed, all the loose ends of the story trying to be tied up quickly when perhaps certain things would have been better left unsaid. Sadly not the read I was expecting and was very disappointed, so I wouldn’t recommend this book and it’s a ⭐️ from me📚📚

This is set in the 60's and the present day we learn the story through Mary and her granddaughter Jo.
Mary lived on the island and visited the music venue called Treeland in the 60's she was friends with the owner and saw live bands there the descriptions make you feel the atmosphere as if you were there.
In the present Jo and the wider community are concerned that the owners son is coming back to sell the island for development.
This is a story of strong community spirit and warmth. You root for the inhabitants and hope they keep their way of life.
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the arc.

River of stars
Epic tale of 3 generations of women who have lived on Walnut Tree Island, an island community on the Thames.

Georgina Moore brings Walnut Tree island to life with such fabulous description that it seems real, her imagery is so compelling and beautiful.

This is the story of Jo, granddaughter of Mary, who has lived on Walnut Tree Island for her whole life. Jo’s first love was Oliver, whose family owned the island, but deep-rooted resentments and a family tragedy left Jo reeling when Oliver left the island for good.

Now he’s back and the future of the island and its residents is uncertain. All Jo knows is that she really doesn’t want to spend any time in his company.

A beautifully realised community, from its scenery, to the minute detail of its buildings, landscape and people, this is a love-story to past times and two families entwined.

Whilst this is so compelling in its creation of the island and its residents, I do wonder if there was just too much packed in. Some of the story’s arcs seemed less well fleshed out and explored and I was sad about that - I wanted to know more. But I guess that’s a good thing!

Very enjoyable.

This was a nostalgic story of two families, told across the generations in two timelines. Strong women and controlling men, there were a range of interesting characters and a great sense of community throughout. I did feel that there were some parts of the story and dramatic twists that were a bit skipped over and some of the language towards the end felt a very different tone to me and didn’t quite fit with the rest of the book which I had mostly enjoyed.

Have you ever been to Eel Pie Island in the Thames? Well how about visiting the fictional Walnut Tree Island with River of Stars. It was home to an hotel that was home to a flourishing music scene in the 60s. Now the hotel is in ruins and the island is home to artists and boat yards. The new owner is rumoured to be about to visit the island. What will happen to the community? River of Stars takes us back and forward in time to discover a community like no other in London.

Back with a second novel after the wonderful Garnett Girls, Georgina has written a love letter to life on the river Thames, be it in houseboats or the island communities she herself loves. A dual timeline follows the intertwining stories of two families, The Stars and The Greenwoods, taking us on a journey from the heady days of the 60s music scene to the present day. I found that I really enjoyed the backstory of this book, however I felt the present day story just didn’t grab me in the same way and was almost a bit too much of a romance story for my personal taste. That said, it’s a lovely summer read, perfect for packing in your suitcase for a beach read and I’m sure it’s going to be another success.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for a copy in exchange for a review.

iver of Stars is a beautifully written, character-rich romance steeped in music, memory, and the Thames‑side bohemia of Walnut Tree Island. It's perfect for readers who crave lush settings, emotional depth, and a bittersweet exploration of love cut across generations.

A story of Mary and Jo, two generations of the Star family.
A beautifully descriptive story of an island life in London.
The characters are strong women, and it's an enjoyable story about love lost and found again.

This was a totally absorbing story, quite beautifully told – with the most stunning setting, so vividly captured and described. And, a few weeks after reading, it’s a story that really stayed with me, often in my thoughts – and its strong characters very much nestled in my heart.

Walnut Tree Island – in the Thames, with a fascinating history (based on the real-life Eel Pie Island), and an eclectic community who call it home – is as important to this wonderful story as its human characters, richly atmospheric and so vividly described. It’s essentially the story of three women – Mary Star from the mistakes of her youth through to the present day, her daughter Ruby, and her granddaughter Jo. And the Star family history is entwined with that of the Greenwood family, owners of the island – with their grandson Oliver having returned in the present day, with difficult decisions to be made about its future.

While Mary is now very much the matriarch, respected and deferred to, the island has become home to a particularly close-knit artistic community, fiercely defensive of their way of life – Jo herself runs art classes for children, having returned from a stay in Florence that destroyed all confidence in her own artistic ability. And as the book begins, Jo is very difficult to like – she’s lonely and vulnerable, her self-destructive behaviour lessening our sympathy for her, but she’s redeemed to some extent by the relationship with her grandmother. But there’s also the intrigue of her former relationship with Oliver – rekindled by his return, resisted by them both because of their opposing views about the island’s future. But that connection between them – I really ached for them both, hoping there was some possibility of them reconciling their differences and finding each other once more.

Oliver himself is an equally flawed and complex character – making significant errors along the way, striving to be accepted as part of the community his very presence is threatening, conflicted about the depth of his feelings for Jo, as unsure as everyone else about the future. But there are so many wonderfully drawn characters, playing significant parts in the unfolding story, complicating the overall picture, increasing its texture. And then there’s the way the past impacts on the present – the memories, the loves, the losses – unfolding in tandem, not quite as a dual-time story, more dipping into the significant moments that have shaped the various relationships and brought us to the present day.

The writing is stunning, the descriptions of the unique setting transporting, the emotional impact of every action never far from the surface – it’s not a story you simply read, it’s a story you feel, and there are times when it really hurts. But it’s not all emotion – the story itself is absolutely compelling, with moments of particular drama, and with real uncertainty about its outcome. The romantic content is exceptional – a connection shaped by the past, desperately tangled in the present, tinged with acute pain, but with moments of absolute joy and hope for a happier future. But I equally loved the focus on family, those relationships that were so astutely and sensitively handled, and felt so very real in every way – along with the deep hurt their fracture could cause.

This was an enthralling read from beginning to end, all-consuming and completely unforgettable – unlike anything I’ve ever read before, and without question one of my books of the year.

An emotional rollercoaster covering 3 generations of women over several decades . Each in their own way are hugely talented only to make life changing decisions that will continue to haunt them throughout the trajectory of future events. Living on an idyllic island attractive to and reputation for, writers, artists and singers the lifestyle is under threat from property developers. Suddenly the past threatens the present, with circumstances overriding their ability to avoid facing up to the tenuous situation they now find themselves in. Memories flood back, tragedy resurfaces and cohesion and actions must be taken if their island paradise is to be saved. A life affirming story of three women who as young girls under threat made difficult decisions then sought the strength to carry on.with mixed often harrowing results.

I have lived in London, and nearby, all my life and I had never heard of Eel Pie Island!?!?
It is located in the middle of the Thames near Twickenham, accessed by a footbridge, and is known for its Bohemian spirit. In the 1960's, it was a music venue where many of the upcoming stars of the time played at the island hotel.
I loved the story, which is based on true incidents but a lovely work of fiction.

Walnut Tree Island stands in the middle of the River Thames, it is a dual timeline story of a love of music and a love affair in the 1960's. The Star family have lived on the island for generations, Teenaged Mary lives with Jo, her Grandmother. On a Friday night, the Walnut Tree Hotel is the place to be and teenagers from across London flock to hear the live bands. Mary sneaks out to join the fun!

Oliver Greenwood inherited the island when his Grandfather, George died. The residents, and houseboat owners, hear that he wants to sell the island to a developer. This puts the lives and homes of the residents in Jeopardy. The residents fight for their homes, secrets from the past are unveiled and new relationships formed.

This is a real summer read with strong characters and a nostalgic twist. The setting is based on Eel Pie Island, in the middle of the Thames on the outskirts of London - who knew? I really enjoyed this book.

If you are looking for a sunshine day read, then look no further!! This is one of those stories that you lose yourself in from the get go, with fabulous dual timeline storyline and characters that you really take to your heart!

It's a story of young love, music and family. Many characters are struggling to deal with things that happened in the past and it really does shade their current view on life. With the dual timeline, we get to travel back to the 1960's where a young band are starting out on a life of huge success, and the impact that had on people left behind. And in the present day, we see a community come together to stave off the threat of their homes and area they love being sold - Jo being at the heart of the fight as she wants to save the legacy her grandmother left behind.

You really do get a great sense of all the family drama, both past and present, and there's a number of threads running throughout that maintain your interest and keep the emotions running high. There's always that theme of things being left unsaid and then festering to make matters way worse, so you just wonder how the wrongs can be righted, and the author does a fabulous job of making you care about the characters! Highly recommended!!

River of Stars is a touching story set on a fictional island in the River Thames (although inspired by real places). It explores how the past shapes the present and how communities deal with change; it is told through two timelines:

The 1960s where the young Mary Star falls in love with a musician, which changes her life forever and the Present day: where Mary now lives on a houseboat with her granddaughter Jo.

I found this to be a gentle read, one perfect for your next summer read.

This is a great novel and a a lovely read, which had me in tears at the end!

The book begins in the 60s with the character of Mary, who is a 16 year old at the time, visiting a nearby London island to go to gigs, drink with friends and flirt. It takes you straight into the world of teenagers trying to scrape together enough money for beer and having little to worry about beyond that.

Mary falls for Ossie, the lead singer of an up and coming band, and gets pregnant. He appears to care for her. But Mary is aware that he is surrounded by women who want him and she would forever be putting up with wondering if he could resist that. She also doesn't want to hold back his career. So she insists that Ossie go ahead with a planned trip to the US, and resigns to bringing up her baby daughter Ruby alone.

The story flips forward from the 60s to present day, where Mary is a grandmother, and focuses a lot on her granddaughter Jo. Jo and Mary are stalwarts of the island and are involved in everything. Jo seems a little out of sorts - she previously painted but gave it up after a former boyfriend convinced her she was no good, and now she's 40 and wondering about whether she should really be partying and getting drunk into the early hours so many mornings.

When the island's owner dies and his son Oliver takes over, the residents are faced with the prospect that their island may be sold, and the land redeveloped. This brings up all sorts of tensions, but for Jo it's also personal because Oliver is the boy she fell in love with as a teenager.

There is so much to this book. The setting is fascinating - a group of diverse characters living on houseboats and riverside homes, the descriptions of the river and nature very vivid. It really conjures up a vivid picture of life on the water.

There's a lot to the characters, too. Sophie for instance, one of Jo's friends, I found to be very cleverly drawn. She's married to Dave, who is desperate to have kids, but Sophie doesn't really want them. She's torn between wanting to hold onto a good man and security and wanting to be brave enough to follow her real dreams, whatever they may turn out to be.

Her feelings of guilt and selfishness, when actually she's only being true to herself, are very convincing. And while Sophie does do some terrible things, she's still a sympathetic character.

Jo is also a very forceful character, and again it's interesting that she was so influenced by a man in terms of her art when she's very strong in many ways. These complexities of characters, and the unapologetic way that the author writes them, makes this novel feel very true to life, as does the realistic dialogue.

There's a complicated and traumatic family history between Jo and Mary, which Oliver's family is also caught up in. The ending isn't all happy. But it's really lovely to read about how Jo and Oliver's relationship starts to develop again, 25 years after first being together.

I highly, highly recommend this book! And thanks to Netgalley for the access.

From the author of The Garnett Girls, River of Stars is a multi-generational novel about the inhabitants of Walnut Tree Island. The island has always attracted artists and has a special atmosphere beloved of its residents. However, it is ultimately owned by the Greenwood family and the present day inhabitants don’t know what its future holds when Oliver Greenwood inherits it. This is a gentle, atmospheric novel which is quietly moving. Potentially dramatic and tension filled moments sometimes, however, feel quite anti-climatic. Despite this, there are some lovely authentic relationships throughout the story which are a joy to read - particularly that between Mary and her granddaughter Jo. A great option for a holiday read.

River Of Stars evokes the wildness of the 1960s and the bohemian lifestyle that epitomises it. It's a dual-timeline story set on a fictional isle on the River Thames, but inspired by an existing one. It tells the story of two families and a community that spans generations. Art and music define the community portrayed as a sanctuary from everyday life, but the freedom, glamour, and love mask dysfunctional relationships and emotional pain. It explores belonging, family, legacy and love through its complex characters that you invest in. The storytelling is engaging and draws you into community life in the 1960s and the present day. It showcases a unique lifestyle and shows the power of love. The perfect immersive read for a Summer day.
I received a copy of this book from the publisher.