Description

The book that has stolen hearts everywhere, the breath-takingly powerful Sunday Times bestseller and Richard & Judy Book Club pick, perfect for fans of Where the Crawdads Sing and Great Circle.

‘A sweeping story of survival and becoming’ Women’s Prize For Fiction

‘Spellbinding’ The Times
‘Tragic, uplifting and completely unforgettable’ Bonnie Garmus, author of Lessons in Chemistry
When a moment changes everything, how do you live the rest of your life?

1940s Colorado: Teenage Victoria Nash is the only woman in a family of troubled men.

When she meets Wilson Moon, a young drifter with a mysterious past, on a street corner, their connection is immediate. And dangerous.

But then tragedy strikes, and Victoria is forced to leave her home and face a decision that will change her life forever.

Loved deeply by readers, this is the epic coming-of-age adventure of Victoria Nash, determined to save her family’s generational peach farm from destruction, as she falls in love, faces devastating tragedy, and finally faces what she must do to survive.

Readers are loving Go as a River:
‘Beautiful’ Daily Mail
‘A powerful love story with an unforgettable heroine at its heart’ Sunday Express
‘A book that will stay with me forever’ ***** Reader review
‘Oh, how I loved this book. Going to be Christmas presents for all my family’ ***** Reader Review
‘A book to be treasured.’ ***** Reader review
‘An incredible read. Emotional heartbreaking, but very ‘real’ ***** Reader Review
‘After reading non-stop all night, I’m feeling very emotional, still’ ***** Reader Review
‘From the moment I started reading, I found it very hard to put down’ ***** Reader Review
‘A beautiful book’ ***** Reader review

Sunday Times bestseller, April 2023
Richard And Judy Book Club Pick, Spring 2024

Publisher Review

A lush tale of female resilience. Evokes the awe-inspiring beauty of the Colorado landscape with affection * SUNDAY TIMES * Spellbinding novel of finding home where you least expect it * THE TIMES * Shelley Read’s lyrical voice is a force of nature and when she lends it to a woman leading a hardscrabble life in rural Colorado, the result is tragic, uplifting and completely unforgettable * BONNIE GARMUS, author of LESSONS IN CHEMISTRY * A key title for 2023. This soaring, compassionate tale of female resilience is set against the breath-taking beauty of the natural world – its trees and mountains and light * INDEPENDENT * Beautiful, lyrical and vivid … Shelley Read’s beautifully drawn characters are brought to life against the backdrop of the Colorado mountains. Full of wisdom and strength … this is a powerful love story with an unforgettable heroine at its heart * SUNDAY EXPRESS * A beautiful, compassion-filled debut – a hymn to the cycles of the natural world and testament to the resilience of the human spirit * DAILY MAIL * A compelling tale of love and a heroine fighting back. She had me racing to bed so I could read another chapter * PATRICK GALE * To be so immersed in a setting is a privilege. A mesmerising coming-of-age story. Simply stunning * WOMAN & HOME * A lush, beautiful, strong book. It took me on a transformative life journey. I could not put it down * CLOVER STROUD * Completely spell-binding, vivid and luminous * JANE GREEN * A young woman broken by circumstances who must find a way to forgive before she can love. Torie Nash is a character for the ages as she navigates loss and despair on the road to redemption. Stunning. * ADRIANA TRIGLIANI * The outer landscape both delicately and unflinchingly traces the inner landscapes of Read’s characters. This is a story full of heartbreak, yet also hope * THE I-PAPER * A powerful love story with an unforgettable heroine * DAILY EXPRESS * Echoes of WHERE THE CRAWDADS SING. Luminous * WATERSTONES * An extraordinary story of fate, determination and love. Gorgeous, and beautifully written, your heart will break for all Victoria has to lose and mend with all that she has to find. Tender and heart-breaking. * MARIANNE CRONIN, author of THE ONE HUNDRED YEARS OF LENNI AND MARGOT * Go As A River swept me away. It is gorgeously written. Longing, passion and heartbreak are all set down with such a beauty and restraint that I had to set the book down, amazed. Every page was a joy to read. Magnificent * SUE FLETCHER * Suffused with wisdom and compassion, this shattering testimony to one woman’s life must be savoured, treasured and shared * MEG WAITE CLAYTON, author of THE POSTMISTRESS OF PARIS * The way in which the rivers flow, the land gives and takes back, and how these things shape Victoria’s life and livelihood are beautiful. It is such a redemptive story, despite the heartache. We should all care for our peach trees with this much tenderness * ANNE YOUNGSON, author of MEET ME AT THE MUSEUM * Tragedy, heartbreaking decisions and strength is found in this mesmerising coming-of-age story. The harsh but magical environment of Iola serves as her guide and you can almost taste the sweet peaches. Simply stunning * WOMAN’S WEEKLY * Heart-wrenching and mesmerising … Combining unforgettable characters and a breath-taking natural setting, it is a sweeping story of survival and becoming * Women’s Prize for Fiction *