River Of Stars by Georgina Moore

 

Jo Star's heart was broken over twenty years ago when her first true love, Oliver, disappeared from Walnut Tree Island. His sudden return not only stirs up old memories but also brings unrest to the residents of the island as he is determined to sell the land.

River Of Stars by Georgina Moore really surprised me when I started reading it. The beautifully dreamy cover and the accompanying blurb had me picturing something set in the American South. As I read I discovered that the fictional Walnut Tree Island is based on Eel Pie Island in the Thames. The author's description of the island is wonderful, it comes across as idyllic, almost otherworldly - not in a supernatural way but just a different way of life, verging on magical.

The story is told through a dual timeline, alongside Jo's story we also learn of her grandmother, Mary, the first of the Star women to live on the island. We meet Mary as a teenager in 1964 who is entranced by the music scene on Walnut Tree Island, falls in love with a musician on the cusp of fame and is then abandoned. Finding herself pregnant and disowned by her own family, George Greenwood, the owner of the island, takes pity on her and gives her a place to live. The story regularly revisits Mary as she raises her daughter and granddaughter on the island. I was fascinated by Mary's story, from the hedonistic days of the 1960s through to the current day and her role as matriarch of the community who call Walnut Tree Island home.

Jo's story begins in a similar way, discovering young love on the island with Oliver Greenwood, grandson of George. Unfortunately, Oliver's father is domineering and wants nothing to do with the island, forcing the young lovers apart and controlling the rest of Oliver's life. Despite Jo's tragic backstory and heartbreak I really couldn't warm to her, I found her demanding, stubborn, jealous and petulant, to the point where I was more invested in Mary's story than Jo's.

Alongside the Star women are a host of supporting characters who add depth to the novel and the descriptions of life on the island are riveting and seductive. The community atmosphere is the sort of thing that people dream of finding.

The conclusion isn't a surprise, although there is a mixture of joy and sadness for various residents.

River Of Stars by Georgina Moore will be published on 3rd July 2025 in hardback, ebook and audio format. My thanks to NetGalley and HQ for a review copy.

Author Details

Georgina Moore grew up in London and lives on a houseboat on the River Thames with her partner, two children and Bomber, the Border Terrier.   The Garnett Girls was her debut novel and is set on the Isle of Wight, where Georgina and her family have a holiday houseboat called Sturdy. Georgina's new novel River of Stars is published is inspired by the legendary Eel Pie Island and its colourful history as a rock and roll haven in the 1960s, and by her own life on the river.