Red River

by Marie Montine

A woman finds a journal, and it leads her into a lot of trouble...

Maddy Harlow leaves San Fransisco to visit her grandmother in northern Canada in hopes of persuading her to come back with her.
But during her visit to Red River, Maddy finds a journal full of poems that captivates her, and she vows to find the one who penned it.
In between struggling in finding a safe place for her grandmother to live, and finding true love, she has her ex-boyfriend to contend with.
Can Maddy finally find peace and love? Find out in this action romance novelette!

Unknown Binding

Published June 10, 2023

About the author

Marie lives and works in northern Canada with her husband and poet, Alvin, and their dogs, Luna and Mya.

She has loved writing since winning a short story contest way back in grade four and hasn't stopped since.

Her work mainly includes paranormal and horror, but she considers herself a multi-genre author.
Red River is the only story that doesn't include horror, paranormal, sci-fi or fantasy.

On her free time, she enjoys walking the beautiful northern trails, watching a good sci-fi or suspense tv series, and gaming.

Reviews

[Brenda Ridgley · Rating 4 out of 5]

Red River is a fast-paced chick lit novel by Marie Montine. Maddy, the protagonist, juggles a controlling ex, a mysterious new love interest, and a quirky grandmother. The story unfolds in the charming small town of Red River, with vivid descriptions that will make you crave both nature and good food.

While the plot elements of the jealous ex and the surprise secret might feel a bit predictable, the book's strength lies in its lighthearted tone and clever blend of romance and mystery. Add in a touch of suspense and a heartwarming animal companion, and Red River becomes a perfect escape for fans of the genre.

Exes, escapes, and unearthed secrets! Maddy's trip to reconnect with her grandma takes a thrilling turn when a mysterious journal ignites a dangerous chase in the wilds of Canada. Romance blossoms amidst family drama, but can Maddy find love and unravel the truth before it's too late? Dive in for this action-packed romantic adventure!

[Kelly Miller · Rating 4 out of 5]

Red River, by Marie Montine, is an engaging romantic novella that tackles a couple of serious issues. In the introduction, the author explains that the story is inspired by her past visits to Cree land and that the story features poetry written by her husband. (If readers want to read more of her husband’s poetry, he has a poetry collection for sale.) She also alerts readers to scenes of drinking, pot use, and violence.
Maddy Harlow is a 35-year-old artist’s agent living and working in San Francisco. For the past couple of years, she has been in a relationship with Mark, a police officer she met through a friend. Unfortunately, Mark is possessive and increasingly violent. Maddy is set to visit her grandmother who lives in Red River and whose health is in decline.
I thought the method the author used to employ the poetry in the story was clever and effective, and the poetry was very good. The editing, though, was lacking and at times took me out of the story with wrong tense use, incorrect words, or punctuation issues. But aside from these instances, I enjoyed the story and liked the author’s writing style. I would recommend this story as an entertaining read.

[Carmel Audsley · Rating 4 out of 5]

Maddy lives in San Francisco with her over-bearing and controlling boyfriend Mark who is a police officer. She likes her work and life in the city, but hasn’t seen her Granny Beth for some time so she sets off on a short visit to Red River. She is met at the airport by family friend Chuck, and handsome stranger Bill. She intends to break off the relationship with Mark as soon as she returns to San Francisco. Could Bill be the man of her dreams? When she arrives at Granny Beth’s, she sets off for the grocery store to buy a few things for dinner. There she finds an old journal full of poetry. As she leafs through it, she wonders who the author might be and becomes determined to find out. This short novella is a sweet romance that can be read in one sitting. In a sea of books with graphic descriptions, this stands out as a warm romance that envelops the reader in its wholesome embrace. The novella could do with a further editing as there are a few typos, spelling mistakes and words missing from sentences, but that did not detract from the enjoyment of reading this charming story.

[sureshot · Rating 3 out of 5]

This author did some things well in this book. The best of them is probably description. She does a great job placing the reader in the scene. Plotwise, the author uses a common theme. A girl lives in the city and is unlucky in love. She returns to a rural area and discovers a better love and things about herself in the process. It’s okay to rely on common themes, but you have to do something to stand out. Character wise, the characters in this book are rather dry. They didn’t have quirk in their personality that made them interesting. None of the characters were mysterious or interesting enough to carry the story. The worst thing about this book, in my opinion, was that the author attempt at a mysterious component falls flat. I think most adult readers will guess who the journal belongs to right after Maddy finds it. Finaly, there is the ending. I found it almost cartoonish in that it was too good to be true. Overall, I think this author had potential, but I wouldn’t recommend this book to most people.

[Book Muncher · Rating 4 out of 5]

This novella wasn't the best or the worst. It was good for a free read. The descriptions weren't too bad either, and the author can set that, but overall, I felt this was kind of basic. A city girl never has luck in love, she goes to see Grandma, finds love and things about herself. Nothing really popped at me during the story. It was kinda same ole' stuff.
The characters were a bit dull overall too and lacking in anything to make me really care. The ending was kind of lack luster too. It also needed better editing. The poems were okay, but I also didn't get how one got Maddy all hot and bothered. Maybe poetry just doesn't do it for me.
I liked the wolf dog because those are always cool, and it had a HEA, so that was good. I think in the future, this author will expand and get much better at writing stories.

[James Moore · Rating 4 out of 5]

Marie Montine's 'Red River' is a spellbinding tale that weaves together the threads of romance, mystery, and the quest for belonging. Set against the picturesque backdrop of northern Canada, this novella introduces readers to Maddy Harlow, whose journey unveils a tapestry of emotions and discoveries.

[Berry Beresford · Rating 5 out of 5]

very cute short story

There was some violence, but the trigger warning at the front of the book prepared me for that. The authors said it had been re-edited; all I can say is that their editor missed a few. However this does not detract from the quality of the writing and the storyline. Would be great to read more of the story.

[Kathy Acton · Rating 4 out of 5]

I Couldn't Put It Down

This book is engaging from the first paragraph. It is well written, both the prose and the poetry. This novella could be developed into a full length novel. I would definitely buy that. And I recommend this novella to anyone who likes a good, short read.

[Kate Mageau · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a beautiful short story, about a woman fleeing from domestic violence, and going to Alaska to care for her grandmother with dementia. It was clearly written and had beautiful visuals of life and land in Alaska

[Robyn Flint · Rating 5 out of 5]

great quick read

Really enjoyed. Quick but good. Intense story and nice romance. Would recommend if someone is looking for a quick romantic read

[DEBORAH DICKENS · Rating 4 out of 5]

meh