Thank you @RBmedia & @ NetGalley for the opportunity to listen to this audio book.
This was an interesting listen of a dual timeline. They did a nice job transitioning from one timeline to the other. It was always clear. There were a couple of names very close in pronunciation though.

I don't want to give any spoilers, but this is a book about sacrifice, love, strength and making the best with the hand dealt.

I also liked both historical timelines and the stories were weaved together very nicely.

Characters were well developed and interesting.
I liked it above average, but not quite a 5 star listen for me.
The performance was excellent.

Sisters Nell and Evie were brought up in North Carolina by a taciturn, enigmatic, and reclusive woman named Hazel. One day the inquisitive girls find an old copy of “Jane Eyre” with a paper tucked inside. The paper is Evie’s birth certificate – stating that she has another mother named Becca…

This moving novel brought the depression-era South vividly to life. Times were very hard, and for a young widow, with a small child, they were even harder…

It is 1934 and Becca has recently lost her husband in an accident. Her domineering, malicious, and wealthy mother-in-law wants to take Becca’s year old daughter and raise her in the house where Becca’s father was raised. Becca, desperate to keep her daughter Evie, flees with her. Thereafter the mother and daughter encounter many hardships. Jobs for a woman were even harder to find than usual because there were so many able men looking for work. Becca ends up in Natchez, Mississippi. She learns of a nursing course available, the only problem is they only accept single women without children. Becca makes the difficult decision to board Evie and take the course. She travels every weekend to see her beloved daughter, looking forward to the day she graduates and can take Evie home for good. However, one day, when Becca goes to visit her daughter – she finds that her daughter is gone…

“You don’t give up on a dream all at once. First you pare it down. . . . Work it in around everything else.”

In 1971, Nell now in her forties, wants to discover the secrets of her past. She takes on work as a house-sitter in Mississippi. Since her mother Hazel is unwilling to explain her childhood memories, she wants to find out about Hazel’s life through her own investigations. What she discovers sheds a whole new light on her own family, her mother Hazel, and her younger ‘sister‘ Evie.

“As she drove, time seemed a fluid thing, prone to slipping out of sequence in this state where her life had begun. She was a woman and a little girl, was forging her own path and being taking along for a ride, uncertain of where she was going or where she had been.”

The prose in this novel is beautifully rendered. The pacing and characterization is well executed, and the descriptions of places and people make for vivid imagery. If I had one quibble, it was that at times, I found myself getting lost in the beautiful prose and myriad peripheral characters, rather than focusing on the story in hand.

The two timelines are presented alternately and the reader has little clue as to how they might converge, but they do, in a satisfying, and ultimately heartwarming conclusion.

The narrator of this audiobook has a melodious voice that is both clear and easy to understand. However, I did find the narrator’s reading to be a bit ‘off’ in her timing/pacing, which was at times grating enough to somewhat mar my listening pleasure.

With overall themes of loss, sacrifice, regret, and chosen family, I imagine that this novel will be greatly enjoyed by many readers.

The River Knows Your Name
Author Kelly Mustian
Narrated by Lisa Larsen

Published April 1, 2025

This was my first book by Kelly Mustian and it did not disappoint. Lisa Larsen the narrator’s performance was amazing, and narrator can make or break a book.

The character development was wonderful in this book. I am really starting to enjoy books with these dual POV. Becca in the 1930s, a young mother doing what she had to get out of a bad situation. Then in the 1970s you have Nell and Evie who are sisters trying to figure out their family secrets.


Thank you NetGalley and Publisher for the ALC audiobook. All opinions are my own.

A multigenerational mystery with all of the emotions!

This was such an enjoyable story, although it feels odd to say that because you go on a huge emotional rollercoaster across the time. The 2 main characters were incredibly easy to sympathize with, and you felt bonded to them in many ways. The absolute rage and sadness I felt were breathtaking.

This is more of a moody mystery, so if you are into mysteries for the action or huge reveals, then this might not be the story for you. Also, please check the trigger warnings on this one, it covers a wide-range of highly emotional topics.

Overall, I really enjoyed this one and the way it made me feel. I credit it this to the narrator because I was sucked into the story immediately. I will be recommending the audiobook of this to all of my contemporary and mystery lovers, and now have a new to me author on my radar.

With beautiful storytelling told in a dual timeline between the 1970s and the 1930s, you can’t help but live in the world which Mustian paints with words. “The River Knows your Name” is a testament to the love of a mother and the strength it takes to protect the ones you love.

The love the two young mothers have for their daughters will melt your heart even as you ache when a situation forever alters their lives leaving ripples affecting the lives of others in their wake. As Nell, an adult in the 1970s, works to uncover the answers to the secrets her mom has kept hidden all these years, you’ll worry that any answers will bring more mystery and heartache or will be too difficult to bear. How much does the past shape who we are? Can the secrets buried there bring hope and healing to the present?

Just as the Mississippi winds its way through the south, this story will wind its way around your heart as you slowly peel the layers of the mystery and story behind the pasts of Nell, Evie, Becca, and Hazel.

Mustian’s writing is complex, compelling, richly layered, and nuanced which was even further brought to life in the audiobook. I alternated between audio and ebook, though have to confess I mostly listened to Lisa Larsen expertly narrate the book. While this is the first of Kelly Mustian’s books that I have read, I’ll be reaching for her others very soon. A must read.

Nell and Evie have always known that Evie was adopted, but never knew the details. Now that they are grown the secrets about Evie's life before and the secrets about their mother Hazel's past are beginning to nag at Nell. Told in alternating chapters -- a young mother (Maggie) in Depression era Mississippi and Nell's search for truth in the 1971 -- we learn both Evie's and Hazel's stories.

This is a heartwarming and heartbreaking story of a mother's love and all that goes into keeping her child safe. I admit I was a bit confused at first. It's more difficult for me to follow audiobooks that switch back and forth in time and switch characters every chapter. In a print book, it's easy to take a quick look back at the chapter title to straighten out any confusion. With an audiobook, it's easy to miss the chapter changes. Eventually, though, I was caught up in the stories and found the transitions easier. Nell is a strong character dealing with her own issues as well as those created by her concern for her mother and sister. Maggie is also a strong character caught in a difficult situation and has to make some difficult choices to keep her daughter and herself safe. This is a very emotional book and I really liked it. The narrator brought an additional element to the emotion of the story. Is this the best book I've read or listened to, no, but it's certainly worth the time.

This one had a haunting, lyrical quality that made it compelling in parts, especially with its Southern Gothic undertones and dual-timeline storytelling. I liked how the mystery unraveled slowly through Nell's perspective, paired with Becca’s Depression-era storyline—it added depth and atmosphere, and the thread of sisterhood was strong throughout.

That said, the pacing dragged for me at times. The buildup was slow, and while the writing was beautiful, it sometimes leaned too heavily into description and memory, which made it harder to stay engaged. I also found some of the plot turns a little predictable, even though the emotional moments still landed.

Overall, it’s a quiet, reflective novel with an intriguing premise and rich setting, but it didn’t quite leave a lasting impression. Recommend it for readers who enjoy multi-generational mysteries and Southern family sagas with slow-burn revelations.

I liked the narrator but found the food to be a bit boring for my taste. I had a hard time getting into it so I did not finish it.

4 stars – A beautifully written, atmospheric read

I really enjoyed The River Knows Your Name—it’s one of those books that pulls you in with its rich storytelling and emotional depth. The dual timelines, moving between the Depression-era South and the 1970s, made the story feel both timeless and intimate. Kelly Mustian does an amazing job weaving together family secrets, identity, and history.

Lisa Larsen’s narration was spot-on, adding an extra layer of emotion to the characters’ experiences. While the pacing was a bit slow at times, I was hooked enough to keep going. It’s a book that made me think about family and the ties that bind us long after I finished it. Highly recommend if you enjoy poignant, character-driven stories.

Listening to this story while visiting the area was a perfect connection for my vacation. There are parts to the story that take time to connect, but they are worth the wait. I am still a little confused how they became sisters, so that might cloud my review slightly. The neighborliness of the characters speaks both to the time and place. History was shared that might not be known by many like only childless women could become nurses and this led to many children being left with orphanages. Readers who enjoy historical fiction, unraveling of identity, and multiple POV time period novels will find much to enjoy with this one. Thanks to NetGalley for the ALC. All opinions are my own.

Really great book told in two timelines. Fairly easy to follow and the timelines merge together perfectly. Great narration.

SO good! I was totally invested in this book from the very beginning. Easy to follow the back and forth between 1933 and 1971. Kept me in suspense to find out the next piece of the puzzle. This is the first book I’ve read by this author and can’t wait to read more!

A great saga dipping into different times and different characters with a neat but not unrealistic tying together of the strands. I loved it and enjoyed all my walks listening to the excellent narrator tell the tale.

While the audiobook narration was manageable, this book was not meant for me.
Initially, I was invested in this story and the alternating timelines of Nell and Evie. But at some point, maybe around the 40% mark, I just lost interest. Things did pick up in the latter half of the book, but at that point, I was just ready to be done and sped my way through it.

This was my first time reading anything by the author, and this experience won't deter me from picking anything else up from her.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the advanced listener copy.

A Captivating Story

The River Knows Your Name is one of those books that pulls you in and stays with you. Kelly Mustian does an amazing job bringing to life the characters of Becca and Nell with a story that moves between the 30s and 70s. It follows these two women as they uncover deep family secrets and find their own paths to healing.

The writing is interesting and involving without being overdone, and the characters feel real and layered. If there is a negative, it is that the momentum slows at times and can bog down but this also contributes to the cadence of the read.  Overall, a worthy read.

**I received an advanced listening copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review**

This beautifully crafted novel features a dual timeline and reflects on life's choices, family, survival, hope, and living with regrets. A slow-building story takes readers through 1934 and 1971--Becca in 1934 faces one an incredibly horrible villain, and Nell in 1971, whose discovery of a photograph of her mother prompts her to learn more about her mother's past and her adopted sister's early life. Mustian's writing style paints a descriptive scene of luxury and poverty as the characters navigate their world. There's an underlying tone of sorrow and loss throughout the novel, with glimpses of hope, happiness, and discovery. The ending may wrap up a little too nicely, but after the trials and tribulations endured by the characters throughout the novel, it is rewarding.

The audio version of this novel is performed expertly and engagingly by Lisa Larsen. Larsen's conveyance of the characters' emotions adds layers to the storyline and makes the story come to life. Recommended.

#TheRiverKnowsYourName #NetGalley

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC opportunity!

This was a good story. I enjoyed all of the main characters, and the flow of the story.

It did get a little difficult to follow at times, but you were able to connect back to the story fairly quickly. The ending was satisfying and it wrapped up well.

Thank you Tantor Audio for the gifted audiobook!

This one sounded so good to me and the cover looks right up my alley!

It gave me major Kristin Hannah vibes at times which is a huge compliment!

While it was overall enjoyable, it did seem to drag for me at certain points and struggle to hold my attention.

I still think this will be a huge hit for many!

As far as the narration, she had a very easy to listen to voice, but the pacing and pauses seemed a little disjointed for me at times. Overall, very well done.

With thanks to NetGalley & Tantor Audio for this ELC in return for an honest review.

This was a dual timeline story which I generally always enjoy and from this perspective this didn’t let me down either listening to the different timelines and how they merged into the characters lives was definitely something that kept me interested. The characters themselves all were unique however for me the greatest interest was definitely with Nell and Evie their relationship was something that just seemed to encompass the heart and what someone may go through when they made the discovery in the Jane Eyre novel of the birth certificate leading them on their quest to discover who and what had happened within their family.

I found at times my mind drifting and wandering when we were in Beccas timeline for some reason it just didn’t seem to grasp my attention quite as much although I can’t put my finger on the reason so this just may have been a me issue not a reflection of the story itself or the authors writing.

I have to be totally honest and say I didn’t gel with this narrator as much as I do others which may also reflect the distraction I felt listening to this audiobook, I had to play around with the speed a few times to try find a decent speed to listen and even then something just felt slightly off with tone and pitch for me.

It is the first I have listened to this author and although I was maybe on the fence a little at times with this one it definitely hasn’t put me off reading more from this author in the future as I did enjoy this to some degree just not maybe as much as I’d hoped!

Best wishes for continued success in the publication of this book 📚🎧🙏🏼❤️

Thank you to NetGalley and Tantor Audio for the opportunity to listen to this audiobook.

This one was just OK..... I found myself drifting and not really caring at points. Other times it was engaging.
Although I enjoyed her other book Girls in the Silt House.... but this one was "missing" something. I may have voted up- BUT would not discourage someone from trying it for themselves.

For nearly thirty years, Nell has kept a childhood promise to never reveal what she and Evie found tucked inside a copy of Jane Eyre in their mother's bookcase—a record of Evie's birth naming a stranger as her mother. But lately, Nell has been haunted by hazy memories of their early life in Mississippi, years their reclusive mother, Hazel, has kept shrouded in secrecy. Evie recalls nothing before their house on Clay Mountain in North Carolina, but Nell remembers abrupt moves, odd accommodations, and the rainy night a man in a dark coat and a hat pulled low climbed their porch steps with a very little girl—Evie—then left without her.

In dual storylines, Nell, forty-two in 1971, reaches into the past to uncover dangerous, long-buried secrets, and Becca, a young mother in the early 1930s, presses ahead, each moving toward 1934, the catastrophic year that would forever link them.

From a windswept ghost town long forgotten, to a river house in notorious Natchez Under-the-Hill, to a moody nightclub stage, Evie's other mother emerges from the shadows of Depression-era Mississippi in a story of hardship and perseverance, of betrayal and trust, and of unexpected redemption in a world in which the lines between heroes and culprits are not always clearly drawn.