This book was a treasure trove of emotion, raw energy, love lost, hope gone, trying to be someone else, and how things were in the past.

It was beautiful. Incredibly well crafted. Just enough emotion, hope, drama, missed opportunities to keep you interested and excited to read more.

I loved this tale based on a magical island so near to where I live.

I got totally lost in this book and only put it down when I had to. It started strong and finished stronger. I would love to read more by this author.

Oh wow what a book! i’ve just finished River of Stars and I’m full of emotions , this book really touched me and made me appreciate my childhood and the love that was shown to me by my family.

The story begins in the 60s where the Star and Greenwood family are linked through time on Thames Walnut Island . Mary Star is just 16, full of dreams and hopes of becoming a famous singer at the local Treeland venue, when fate interjects and she finds herself in love and expecting a baby. Her boyfriend is also an aspiring singer and leaves Mary behind to fulfil his dream. The owner of Treeland , George Greenwood steps in, looking after heart broken, Mary and her newborn daughter.

In the present day, Mary is now a grandmother to Jo. She has brought her up on the island which is now under threat from Oliver Greenwood, George’s grandson who has inherited it but is unsure of its future. Jo and Oliver were first loves but circumstances have gotten in the way of their chance of happiness. Can they find their way back to happiness or has too many things ruined that happening?

This book felt so personal to me , my own grandmother (also called Mary) brought up my two cousins, having lost both their parents. Along with my own parents we lived together, and the unselfish love myself , my sister and cousins had was something we took for granted at the time but now feels such a blessing. Feeling loved and protected as a child is so paramount in your life, those who do not have it have many more obstacles to overcome.

This story revolves around family and community. How our past defines our future and how staying true to ourselves, and having the courage to change and not bury our feelings is so important. I can’t recommend this book enough . It’s wonderful characters, beautiful setting and exploration of relationships and families resounded with me. Finishing it with a huge lump in my throat, I loved getting to know the Greenwood and Star families and how their density will evolve and continue for years to come.

4* River of Stars by Georgina Moore is a fantastic book about bonds, community and family.

Jo and her grandmother Mary live on Walnut Tree Island, a small community close to London. Immortalised by the bands that played at the local hotel in the 1960s, the residents live a idealistic life save for the ongoing concern that the family that own the island will return to claim their stake. When a former resident returns, it upends the lives of almost everyone and secrets start to spill out.

This is Georgina Moore’s second novel, after the utterly superb Garnett Girls. She again shows an incredible touch for building characters, family and community into a cohesive whole that the reader really care about. Each of the protagonists brings something to the story and the plot is wrought with intrigue, making this a real page turner.

I initially wasn’t sure about the island community which, even if fairly true to life, had a feel of Enid Blyton meets Woodstock. But once I was in, I was in - the island becoming a central character on its own. I hugely enjoyed this book, reading it across 2 days!

Thanks to HQ and NetGalley for an ARC

A brilliant story, dual timeline set in the 1960's. I enjoyed this one immensely. The story just flowed along and before I knew it I'd finished it. My thanks to netgalley and the publishers for giving me the opportunity to read this book in return for an honest review.

This is the first Georgina Moore book that I’ve read and I was swept away by this entertaining and engaging story.

The story begins in 1964 where the Star and Greenwood families become inextricably linked through time on Thames Walnut Island.
Mary Star is 16 and enjoying the hedonistic culture of the 60’s to the max, mixing with her friends and the bands that come to play at the famous island venue, Treeland. George Greenwood, hotelier and owner of Treeland, becomes a father figure to Mary and takes her under his wing when she needs it most.

Fast forward to the present day and we meet Mary again, now an elderly woman, still living on the island, alongside her strong willed and fiercely independent granddaughter, Jo Star. Jo was brought up by Mary on the island and is working tirelessly to preserve their way of life there when this is under serious threat.

Other notable characters in the book are handsome business man, Oliver Greenwood, grandson of George. He comes back to the island years after leaving with ideas that could be deemed as extremely controversial.
Dave is a life long island resident and has recently brought his new theatre PR wife Sophie to live there but maybe she prefers the bright lights of the West End to sedate island life?

This is a story about community, betrayal, love and loss and how mistakes made in previous generations can and do reverberate through time.

I really enjoyed reading this seductive book where the island is the focal
point. The author’s gorgeous descriptions of the island and obvious knowledge of river life, and its flora and fauna, sings on every page.

Thank you to @hqstories for sending me this digital copy to review.

Absolutely loved it! Sort of reminded me of 'Daisy Jones and the Six' a little...

An island with a history. Three generations of Star women and how their lives are intertwined with the Greenwood men. A story of family, relationships and loss. But it is also a story about getting to know yourself, to go after what you want and ultimately: hope.

Interesting characters and an engaging plot.

Looking forward to the Waterstones event with Georgina Moore and Fran Littlrwood at the end of April too.

Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with an ARC.

River of Stars is a beautifully written love story that captivates you from the outset and pulls you into the lives and the dramas of a group of people who live in an island community. The plot interweaves the lives of three strong women from the same family and examines how the past informs their lives and impacts on their relationships . Jo the youngest of these women is at the heart of the story and you find yourself frustrated by her and sympathetic to her in equal parts . It is clear she has history with Oliver who arrives as a threat to the idyllic lifestyles of the Islanders and their relationship is explored brilliantly through a seies of present day and historical events and through their interactions with friends and family.
The characters in the book are so well developed and the scenes so vividly described you are pulled from the heady world of rock music in the 60s to the modern day chaos of the London social scene to a thriving riverside community with ease .
This is a story you can truly lose yourself in and allow you just for a short time to become part of a truly magical Island home. A thoroughly enjoyable read I fully recommend.

I was looking forward to reading this, I love books set around the 1960s and 1970s music scene, and was expecting a treat.
I was sorely disappointed, the early days of the island were skimmed over, and only used as a backdrop to the present day story.
I wanted Ruby’s story. Ossie’s story. George’s story. Even Mary’s story which was again glossed over.
What I got was Jo, with a sad start to life, has a bad affair in Florence, and was then stuck in a vacuum for around 20 years, not doing what she loved. And of course Oliver, her lost love. Her friend Sophie was another more interesting character.
I guessed the outcome very quickly and only read on in the hope of characters being developed, which didn’t happen.

Thanks to Netgalley and HQ for the opportunity to read this book.

River of Stars by Georgina Moore

Three generations of Star women - Mary, Ruby and Jo - have lived on Walnut Tree Island, a community of houseboats on the River Thames and home to artists and in the 1960s a wild music scene. But times change and the island is now owned by Oliver Greenwood, following the death of his father. What this means for the island and his one-time love Jo is uncertain.

What a brilliant book, I absolutely loved it! Fantastic stories in all timelines - Mary in the 1960s/present day and Jo in the 2000s/present day - and fantastic characters. Also a wonderful setting - I can't be alone in Googling houseboats and islands on the Thames! I loved the author's previous book and this one is every bit as brilliant - I can't wait to read what she writes next. Very VERY highly recommended.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC of this book.

I enjoyed this book and the story it told, I personally preferred the author first book to this one but that's just my personal choice I struggle to connect at times with this story

I wish the author all the best with this book
Many thanks to the publisher & netgalley for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for this review

Brilliant escapism & beautifully written, transporting you to Walnut Tree island, a unique and intriguing world. Set against the atmospheric backdrop of an island in the Thames, which serves as a character in itself.

The novel delves into the lives and secrets of its eclectic residents, inspired by the legendary Eel Pie Island and its colourful history.

The descriptions evoke a sense of a unique and close-knit community, where artists, dreamers, and lovers reside.

The story explores themes of love, loss, secrets, and the complexities of community. It delves into the impact of the past on the present, and the ways in which old relationships can resurface.

A captivating and immersive read, which draws you in and keeps you hooked until the very end, I loved it!

Incredibly beautiful writing and a slowly unfolding story with a few different strands but mostly centred on the Star family: Mary, Ruby and Jo. The parts describing Mary's early experiences of the island during its era as a famous rock venue were the most enjoyable and the past really came alive. The characters of the tightly-knit island community are well-developed and really draw the reader in.

Spoilers

A very enjoyable book. The sense of community was so heartwarming, and the view of what boat living is like.
I could picture myself so easily falling in with these characters, they were so well written.
I liked the back history of the island, its music scene, and how now, everything is slowly falling apart.
The plot is predictable, but I can't be cross about that, as I don't know I'd have wanted it to end any other way.
Some great characters, I think I'll remember Mary, Jo and Dave (lovely Dave) for a while yet.