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What the River Keeps
In the beautiful Pacific Northwest, a young woman’s discovery of her hidden past illuminates her present in this new novel from the award-winning author of
Sugar Birds
, “an engrossing tale” (
Kirkus Reviews
), and
Leaning on Air
, “an exquisitely nuanced love story” (
BookTrib
).
Hildy Nybo is a successful biologist, her study of the Pacific Northwest’s wild fish both a passion and a career. But behind her professional brilliance, Hildy’s reclusive private life reflects a childhood fraught with uncertainty. Despite her father’s love and her mother’s sympathy, she grew up constantly losing even her most cherished belongings, unable to recall where she misplaced them. Haunted by the confusion of those early years, she now records her life in detailed diaries and clings tightly to memory-prompting keepsakes.
Then her mother’s health fails, and Hildy accepts a job near her childhood home, joining a team of scientists who will help restore her beloved Elwha River after the demolition of two century-old dams. There Hildy settles into one of the cabins on her family’s rustic resort—a place she both loves and dreads, for reasons she can’t fully explain.
When local artist Miranda Rimmer rents an adjacent cabin for her pottery studio, Hildy shrinks from such a close neighbor. But then Miranda’s carpenter brother, Luke, shows up to help with construction and captures Hildy’s attention. Now a few years beyond a tragedy that brought him to his knees, Luke recognizes a kindred soul in Hildy, and they build a relationship that dismantles the walls Hildy’s built to keep people out. As troubling pieces of the past surface, Hildy dares to wonder if she can banish the shadows that have burdened her and follow her river’s course to freedom.
A compelling story of forgiveness, redemption, and overcoming painful secrets that explores the beauty of the natural worldA poignant and emotive contemporary novel perfect for fans of Delia Owens and William Kent KruegerIncludes discussion questions for book clubs
Hildy Nybo is a successful biologist, her study of the Pacific Northwest’s wild fish both a passion and a career. But behind her professional brilliance, Hildy’s reclusive private life reflects a childhood fraught with uncertainty. Despite her father’s love and her mother’s sympathy, she grew up constantly losing even her most cherished belongings, unable to recall where she misplaced them. Haunted by the confusion of those early years, she now records her life in detailed diaries and clings tightly to memory-prompting keepsakes.
Then her mother’s health fails, and Hildy accepts a job near her childhood home, joining a team of scientists who will help restore her beloved Elwha River after the demolition of two century-old dams. There Hildy settles into one of the cabins on her family’s rustic resort—a place she both loves and dreads, for reasons she can’t fully explain.
When local artist Miranda Rimmer rents an adjacent cabin for her pottery studio, Hildy shrinks from such a close neighbor. But then Miranda’s carpenter brother, Luke, shows up to help with construction and captures Hildy’s attention. Now a few years beyond a tragedy that brought him to his knees, Luke recognizes a kindred soul in Hildy, and they build a relationship that dismantles the walls Hildy’s built to keep people out. As troubling pieces of the past surface, Hildy dares to wonder if she can banish the shadows that have burdened her and follow her river’s course to freedom.
A compelling story of forgiveness, redemption, and overcoming painful secrets that explores the beauty of the natural worldA poignant and emotive contemporary novel perfect for fans of Delia Owens and William Kent KruegerIncludes discussion questions for book clubs
357 pages, Kindle Edition
First published August 12, 2025
61 people are currently reading
2611 people want to read
About the author
Cheryl Grey Bostrom
5 books625 followersA keen student of the natural world and the workings of the human heart, Pacific Northwest author Cheryl Grey Bostrom captures the mystery and wonder of both in her lyrical, surprising fiction.
Her market crossover novels Sugar Birds and Leaning on Air have won critical acclaim and more than two dozen fiction awards. What the River Keeps, winner of Christianity Today's 2025 Fiction Award of Merit, was awarded a prized Kirkus Star and named to Kirkus Reviews' Best Indies Book of June 2025.
Her widely published short-form work currently includes her column in the American Scientific Affiliation’s God and Nature Magazine and her Substack: Birds in the Hand. She has also written two non-fiction books.
An avid birder and nature photographer, Cheryl lives in rural Washington State with her husband and three irrepressible Gordon setters.
Her market crossover novels Sugar Birds and Leaning on Air have won critical acclaim and more than two dozen fiction awards. What the River Keeps, winner of Christianity Today's 2025 Fiction Award of Merit, was awarded a prized Kirkus Star and named to Kirkus Reviews' Best Indies Book of June 2025.
Her widely published short-form work currently includes her column in the American Scientific Affiliation’s God and Nature Magazine and her Substack: Birds in the Hand. She has also written two non-fiction books.
An avid birder and nature photographer, Cheryl lives in rural Washington State with her husband and three irrepressible Gordon setters.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 118 reviews
August 20, 2025
"God can wash a person clean, restore hope, but consequences can scar a heart up pretty bad.”
I loved this book!
It was such a compelling book that I binge-read it. We all have scars. It was therapeutic reading about someone who worked through trauma and came out the other side with hope.
I won’t forget Hildy Nybo any time soon. This quirky STEM main character nestled into my heart and wouldn’t leave. I began seeing my days through her eyes. If you enjoy unique characters, ones that take up residence in your mind, and a focus on the worthiness of healing, this book is for you! Hildy is an adjunct professor at the University of Washington’s School of Aquatic and Fishery Sciences and a US Geological Survey biologist, but she’s convinced that she’s losing her mind. To cope, she’s “developed tricks that help store her days and remember her life”. These initiatives worked well until the fateful day when an event happened that caused everything that grounded her and helped her remember, suddenly vanished.
I loved that I questioned everyone in Hildy’s life. It helped me work out what happened in her past to precipitate her record-keeping. Luke Rimmer was a wonderful character and brought out the best in Hildy. There were times when she frustrated me, but I could understand the anxiety that caused her to make irrational decisions and I gave her room to grow. I was rooting for her to experience freedom and hoped it was with Luke. I’m currently experiencing caring for a relative with dementia, so some of the scenes with Hildy’s mom were heartbreaking.
I’ve added this author to my auto-read list.
I was gifted this copy and was under no obligation to provide a review.
I loved this book!
It was such a compelling book that I binge-read it. We all have scars. It was therapeutic reading about someone who worked through trauma and came out the other side with hope.
I won’t forget Hildy Nybo any time soon. This quirky STEM main character nestled into my heart and wouldn’t leave. I began seeing my days through her eyes. If you enjoy unique characters, ones that take up residence in your mind, and a focus on the worthiness of healing, this book is for you! Hildy is an adjunct professor at the University of Washington’s School of Aquatic and Fishery Sciences and a US Geological Survey biologist, but she’s convinced that she’s losing her mind. To cope, she’s “developed tricks that help store her days and remember her life”. These initiatives worked well until the fateful day when an event happened that caused everything that grounded her and helped her remember, suddenly vanished.
I loved that I questioned everyone in Hildy’s life. It helped me work out what happened in her past to precipitate her record-keeping. Luke Rimmer was a wonderful character and brought out the best in Hildy. There were times when she frustrated me, but I could understand the anxiety that caused her to make irrational decisions and I gave her room to grow. I was rooting for her to experience freedom and hoped it was with Luke. I’m currently experiencing caring for a relative with dementia, so some of the scenes with Hildy’s mom were heartbreaking.
I’ve added this author to my auto-read list.
I was gifted this copy and was under no obligation to provide a review.
August 10, 2025
What The River Keeps - Cheryl Grey Bostrom
4.5/5
BLOG POST: https://bookloveramanda.blogspot.com/...
What a powerful story. This is my 3rd Cheryl book and I just love the way she tells layered, in depth stories set in the Pacific Northwest. The setting always comes to life and her characters, while they go through hard things, really tug at your heart strings and you can always see hope between the pages.
Here, we follow Hildy Nybo, a biologist that specializes in Pacific Northwest fish. She has anxiety, memory loss and a traumatic childhood where her father went missing. When her mother's health declines, leading to a dementia diagnosis, Hildy returns to her family resort on the Elwha River to help restore the Elwha River after the demolition of two century-old dams. Side note, I love how in the beginning, we see Hildy as a young child with her father and she told her Dad she met God in fish and nature. It was such a beautiful detail from a child's POV that reminds us to take in all of God's creation and truly see Him in every aspect of everything. There is also a moment where Hildy as a child can "see shadows" among evil and it felt like a tie in to spiritual warfare, reminding us that children have a greater sense of awareness.
When Hildy returns home, she steps out of her isolation and here meets Luke, a compassionate carpenter with his own tragic past and grief, and together they go through healing in this book. They have a passion for nature, animals, the river and they really connect well.
Hard things about the past resurface, she starts to put things together about her father's disappearance and what she finds is not what she expected....
Bottom line, I really enjoyed Luke and Hildy's healing journey, their romance and God's love, redemption - fully weaved into the story throughout. What Luke had been through was SO HARD and he was such an inspiring guy really trying to do the best he could. Seeing their healing was POWERFUL to me. A favorite quote from Luke “I’ve got a long way to go, but I’m all in, Hildy. Not with some God I tap for favors, but with a living Tsunami who raises the dead. Who washed my sorry carcass onto a better road.” Had me TEAR UP!
Along the way though, we see something happen with separation between the characters and the path Hildy goes down is not a good one...yet Luke is there regardless and I love how he stepped in to protect her and take care of her.
Moving to the ending, I loved how the mystery was revealed - did NOT see that coming....it was sad, but real, raw and the start to true healing and forgiveness for Hildy to move on.
Overally, highly recommend. I always say if you liked Delia Owens Where the Crawdads Sing type of story with the nature elements but with a level of faith added, pick up Cheryl's books. I love her stories and looking forward to what she writes next.
*Content warnings: Death of a spouse and children, grief, death of a parent, dementia, attempted sexual assault with details leading up to the abuser's intentions and her trying to escape, domestic violence in that same scene, brief mention of animal abuse/animal death
Thank you to Tyndale House Publishers, Cheryl and TLC Book Tours for a complimentary copy to honestly read and review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
4.5/5
BLOG POST: https://bookloveramanda.blogspot.com/...
What a powerful story. This is my 3rd Cheryl book and I just love the way she tells layered, in depth stories set in the Pacific Northwest. The setting always comes to life and her characters, while they go through hard things, really tug at your heart strings and you can always see hope between the pages.
Here, we follow Hildy Nybo, a biologist that specializes in Pacific Northwest fish. She has anxiety, memory loss and a traumatic childhood where her father went missing. When her mother's health declines, leading to a dementia diagnosis, Hildy returns to her family resort on the Elwha River to help restore the Elwha River after the demolition of two century-old dams. Side note, I love how in the beginning, we see Hildy as a young child with her father and she told her Dad she met God in fish and nature. It was such a beautiful detail from a child's POV that reminds us to take in all of God's creation and truly see Him in every aspect of everything. There is also a moment where Hildy as a child can "see shadows" among evil and it felt like a tie in to spiritual warfare, reminding us that children have a greater sense of awareness.
When Hildy returns home, she steps out of her isolation and here meets Luke, a compassionate carpenter with his own tragic past and grief, and together they go through healing in this book. They have a passion for nature, animals, the river and they really connect well.
Hard things about the past resurface, she starts to put things together about her father's disappearance and what she finds is not what she expected....
Bottom line, I really enjoyed Luke and Hildy's healing journey, their romance and God's love, redemption - fully weaved into the story throughout. What Luke had been through was SO HARD and he was such an inspiring guy really trying to do the best he could. Seeing their healing was POWERFUL to me. A favorite quote from Luke “I’ve got a long way to go, but I’m all in, Hildy. Not with some God I tap for favors, but with a living Tsunami who raises the dead. Who washed my sorry carcass onto a better road.” Had me TEAR UP!
Along the way though, we see something happen with separation between the characters and the path Hildy goes down is not a good one...yet Luke is there regardless and I love how he stepped in to protect her and take care of her.
Moving to the ending, I loved how the mystery was revealed - did NOT see that coming....it was sad, but real, raw and the start to true healing and forgiveness for Hildy to move on.
Overally, highly recommend. I always say if you liked Delia Owens Where the Crawdads Sing type of story with the nature elements but with a level of faith added, pick up Cheryl's books. I love her stories and looking forward to what she writes next.
*Content warnings: Death of a spouse and children, grief, death of a parent, dementia, attempted sexual assault with details leading up to the abuser's intentions and her trying to escape, domestic violence in that same scene, brief mention of animal abuse/animal death
Thank you to Tyndale House Publishers, Cheryl and TLC Book Tours for a complimentary copy to honestly read and review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
September 15, 2025
TITLE:What The River Keeps
AUTHOR: Cheryl Grey Bostrom
PUB DATE: 07.12.2025
What The River Keeps by Cheryl Grey Bostrom isn’t just a story — it’s an experience. From the first page, I felt drawn into the landscape, the characters, and the quiet depth that flows through every chapter like the river itself.
Bostrom writes with such beauty and tenderness that I often found myself pausing, not just to savor a sentence, but to breathe. The way she weaves nature into the emotional lives of her characters is unlike anything I’ve read. It felt so real, so grounded — and at the same time, deeply spiritual.
The characters are flawed and human and trying their best, and I connected with them on such a personal level. There’s pain here, and loss, but also so much quiet hope. Nothing is rushed. The healing comes in layers, and I appreciated how gently Bostrom handled themes of faith, trauma, and reconciliation.
This is one of those rare books that lingers, not just in memory, but in spirit. It reminded me of the power of stillness, of listening, and of the slow, steady way grace can work in our lives.
If you’re someone who loves meaningful fiction, and the kind that stays with you long after you finish, then What The River Keeps is a must-read.
AUTHOR: Cheryl Grey Bostrom
PUB DATE: 07.12.2025
What The River Keeps by Cheryl Grey Bostrom isn’t just a story — it’s an experience. From the first page, I felt drawn into the landscape, the characters, and the quiet depth that flows through every chapter like the river itself.
Bostrom writes with such beauty and tenderness that I often found myself pausing, not just to savor a sentence, but to breathe. The way she weaves nature into the emotional lives of her characters is unlike anything I’ve read. It felt so real, so grounded — and at the same time, deeply spiritual.
The characters are flawed and human and trying their best, and I connected with them on such a personal level. There’s pain here, and loss, but also so much quiet hope. Nothing is rushed. The healing comes in layers, and I appreciated how gently Bostrom handled themes of faith, trauma, and reconciliation.
This is one of those rare books that lingers, not just in memory, but in spirit. It reminded me of the power of stillness, of listening, and of the slow, steady way grace can work in our lives.
If you’re someone who loves meaningful fiction, and the kind that stays with you long after you finish, then What The River Keeps is a must-read.
August 28, 2025
Beautifully written as always, but slow going for me. I'd just driven through the area a few months ago and lived on the other side of the mountains from Elwa when President Bush signed the paperwork to remove the dams.
Maybe I don't care for fish as much as I care for the birds Cheryl's written about in her previous novels?
Anyway, it was interesting, different, and discussed inner trauma in a unique way, while providing us with a happy ending.
A good summer read.
Maybe I don't care for fish as much as I care for the birds Cheryl's written about in her previous novels?
Anyway, it was interesting, different, and discussed inner trauma in a unique way, while providing us with a happy ending.
A good summer read.
August 13, 2025
What the River Keeps is a beautifully written book that will reach you in all the crevices of your heart. I felt every single emotion that Hildy felt; her anguish, her fear, her mistrust, and slowly, eventually, that shimmer of hope. Luke was a perfect counterpart to Hildy, his own grief still raw and tender, but he saw strength and resilience in Hildy that she couldn’t see for herself, and I loved his gentleness, his kindness, and his devotion—even when things looked bleak. This story takes us to the heart of nature and all its beauty, its own resilience when unnatural means try to stop its force and its lifeblood. There is also a perplexity to this story, as Hildy shares moments from her past that are confusing and painful; memories and mysteries that shape her present and her future, as she shields herself from being hurt again. I hope readers will embrace these characters and their stories as I have. I hope readers will hold its wisdom, its love, its redemption, its hope, and its gentleness in their hearts and minds. I received an advance reader copy of this book.
May 14, 2025
A person can pack her bags, shut the doors on her upbringing, and start anew, but, inevitably, her tangled past will cry to be unsnarled. This is certainly true for Hildy, the elusive biologist in What the River Keeps. When she returns to her birthplace to work on the Elwha River restoration project, she meets Luke, whose recovery from his own personal tragedy has enabled him to breach her defensive psyche and dammed-up heart. Together Luke and Hildy’s discoveries of long-buried generational secrets expose an astonishing story. In this contemporary novel, Cheryl Bostrom brings to life a little-known event of history and captures both the redemption of a Pacific Northwest river and the life paths of her characters. I loved this book...the pacing is just right, the dialog is engaging, the characters are unique and memorable, the plot is creative and winsome, and the ending left me with satisfying closure (but wishing for more). This is a five-star book on every level.
Thanks to Tyndale for the advance reader copy.
Thanks to Tyndale for the advance reader copy.
August 21, 2025
" Поколенческият грях вземаше пленници..." - това е фразата, която търсех много време. Тя е в основата на историята, която What the River Keeps представлява по един пленяващ начин.
Какво да кажа за What the River Keeps? Това е интензивна книга! Наситена с емоции, тревожност и с витаещата над река Елва мъгла от странност и загадъчност, породени от човешки мозък. Сенките, които се прокрадват около героите, не са само онези безплътни видения, плашещи Хилди. Те са напълно ужасяващите, прекрачващи границата на шегата и случайността деяния, които бележат като с нож живота и себеуважението на героите. Проследяваме мъките, тъгите и загубите на всеки участник в този злокобен танц на съдби. Някой някога е подтискал нечие съзнание и е тероризирал съществуването на хората около себе си и този ужас е замъглил реалността на поколение след това. Но все пак части от него се вмъкват в нищо неподозиращо дете и резултатът е огромно съмнение в себе си и живот на ръба на страха от целостта на ума. Всяка глава е изпълнена с напрежение, неизвестност и мъка пред онова, на което е способна човешката природа. Различни проявления на понятията внимание, грижа, доверие, симпатия, родителство, отговорност... И емоциите на читателя чертаят крива през цялото време. И състрадание, и възмущение, и симпатия и изумление... и в центъра им са Хилди и Люк. А заедно с тях и всички образи, спомагащи What the River Keeps да се превърне в преживяване сред природата в долината на река Елва. Всеки, който харесва книгите на Кристин Хана, ще остане очаровани от стила на Cheryl Grey Bostrom.
* " No quick fixes for betrayal like this. And no quick understanding of the deep-seated pathology behind it. "
Какво да кажа за What the River Keeps? Това е интензивна книга! Наситена с емоции, тревожност и с витаещата над река Елва мъгла от странност и загадъчност, породени от човешки мозък. Сенките, които се прокрадват около героите, не са само онези безплътни видения, плашещи Хилди. Те са напълно ужасяващите, прекрачващи границата на шегата и случайността деяния, които бележат като с нож живота и себеуважението на героите. Проследяваме мъките, тъгите и загубите на всеки участник в този злокобен танц на съдби. Някой някога е подтискал нечие съзнание и е тероризирал съществуването на хората около себе си и този ужас е замъглил реалността на поколение след това. Но все пак части от него се вмъкват в нищо неподозиращо дете и резултатът е огромно съмнение в себе си и живот на ръба на страха от целостта на ума. Всяка глава е изпълнена с напрежение, неизвестност и мъка пред онова, на което е способна човешката природа. Различни проявления на понятията внимание, грижа, доверие, симпатия, родителство, отговорност... И емоциите на читателя чертаят крива през цялото време. И състрадание, и възмущение, и симпатия и изумление... и в центъра им са Хилди и Люк. А заедно с тях и всички образи, спомагащи What the River Keeps да се превърне в преживяване сред природата в долината на река Елва. Всеки, който харесва книгите на Кристин Хана, ще остане очаровани от стила на Cheryl Grey Bostrom.
* " No quick fixes for betrayal like this. And no quick understanding of the deep-seated pathology behind it. "
August 28, 2025
5 Stars
Completed: Aug. 24/25
Format: e-ARC and audiobook borrow (Everand)
Narrator: Caroline Hewitt - one of the best
Book #107 of 2025: This is my second book by this author. The narrator for the audiobook is a favourite of mine and she did a phenomenal job narrating.
This novel has so many aspects to it without being overwhelming. There is family dysfunction, nature, great loss, some trauma, emotion, rebuilding, mental health issues, mystery, a bit of romance, etc. There is even some suspense. And did I mention that it’s also educational?! There is such a balance and blending that it is effortless to take the journey.
The characters and setting are so clear that there is no confusion at all. There are parts that are mysterious, and maybe even very odd, but all questions are answered. I did suspect some things correctly but I was still surprised by others. I enjoyed every moment immensely. This is a very satisfying novel with all the feels; but, in an organic way. The title has great significance, which I personally appreciate. The ending and epilogue really amplify both the valleys of life AND the beauty, joy, and hope of life. Water (the river) IS life and God describes Himself as such in Scripture. God carries us and gives us life abundantly.
*** Huge appreciation extended to Tyndale Publishing and Net Galley for an advanced e-copy. I have given my own opinion in my words.
Completed: Aug. 24/25
Format: e-ARC and audiobook borrow (Everand)
Narrator: Caroline Hewitt - one of the best
Book #107 of 2025: This is my second book by this author. The narrator for the audiobook is a favourite of mine and she did a phenomenal job narrating.
This novel has so many aspects to it without being overwhelming. There is family dysfunction, nature, great loss, some trauma, emotion, rebuilding, mental health issues, mystery, a bit of romance, etc. There is even some suspense. And did I mention that it’s also educational?! There is such a balance and blending that it is effortless to take the journey.
The characters and setting are so clear that there is no confusion at all. There are parts that are mysterious, and maybe even very odd, but all questions are answered. I did suspect some things correctly but I was still surprised by others. I enjoyed every moment immensely. This is a very satisfying novel with all the feels; but, in an organic way. The title has great significance, which I personally appreciate. The ending and epilogue really amplify both the valleys of life AND the beauty, joy, and hope of life. Water (the river) IS life and God describes Himself as such in Scripture. God carries us and gives us life abundantly.
*** Huge appreciation extended to Tyndale Publishing and Net Galley for an advanced e-copy. I have given my own opinion in my words.
July 9, 2025
What the River Keeps captured my heart from the very first page. Bostrom's ability to write unique, complex, and engaging characters is inspiring, and causes the reader to only want good for them. This book is thoughtful, and beautifully written, and is everything you want from a novel -- intrigue, romance, and mystery. I didn't want it to end!
I received an ARC of this book, but these thoughts are my own.
I received an ARC of this book, but these thoughts are my own.
January 13, 2025
This book made me long for the days at my grandparents’ cabin on Fox Lake. The author painted a place I could see, hear, smell and feel. Although much of the research and technical terms were beyond me, they were still general enough that I could follow the storyline without getting hung up.
Some of the characters were a bit too typical—the overbearing sisters, the good-time, distraction guy, the hero with a heartbreaking backstory, the wise father-figure—but the depth and struggles of Hildy’s story were enough to carry the book and keep me engaged. I saw my own struggles in her self-doubt. I cheered for her when she stepped outside of her comfort zone. I related to her bond with Butterness. My heart broke with hers when she was finally strong enough to take off her protective blinders and see truth.
There were some storylines dropped or grazed over that I wish had been pursued or resolved more fully. One being Hildy seeing shadows. What were they? Did they stop at some point? Was it a gift or burden? The book dipped its toes oh so gently into the realm of spiritual warfare, mainly around the lies we believe, but then seemed to back away and tie it up with a neat bow. I wanted more.
Thank you NetGalley for the ARC!
Some of the characters were a bit too typical—the overbearing sisters, the good-time, distraction guy, the hero with a heartbreaking backstory, the wise father-figure—but the depth and struggles of Hildy’s story were enough to carry the book and keep me engaged. I saw my own struggles in her self-doubt. I cheered for her when she stepped outside of her comfort zone. I related to her bond with Butterness. My heart broke with hers when she was finally strong enough to take off her protective blinders and see truth.
There were some storylines dropped or grazed over that I wish had been pursued or resolved more fully. One being Hildy seeing shadows. What were they? Did they stop at some point? Was it a gift or burden? The book dipped its toes oh so gently into the realm of spiritual warfare, mainly around the lies we believe, but then seemed to back away and tie it up with a neat bow. I wanted more.
Thank you NetGalley for the ARC!
May 28, 2025
Quite possibly my favorite read of the year.
What the River Keeps is a stunning work of fiction. Bostrom’s narrative captured my heart from its first pages.
Hildy, the female main character, has an emotional strength despite layers of trauma that I found especially compelling. And Luke, the male main character is a beautiful picture of love centered on gentle servanthood.
The Pacific Northwest setting and Bostrom's poetic prose only enhanced this lovely story. Readers who enjoy nature writing will be especially drawn to this one.
A novel not to be missed.
What the River Keeps is a stunning work of fiction. Bostrom’s narrative captured my heart from its first pages.
Hildy, the female main character, has an emotional strength despite layers of trauma that I found especially compelling. And Luke, the male main character is a beautiful picture of love centered on gentle servanthood.
The Pacific Northwest setting and Bostrom's poetic prose only enhanced this lovely story. Readers who enjoy nature writing will be especially drawn to this one.
A novel not to be missed.
July 31, 2025
This book is a fictional account of a woman (Hildy Nybo), raised in a dysfunctional family with many “family secrets”. She develops coping mechanisms to deal with those secrets, rooted in a need to survive childhood trauma. Unfortunately, most childhood coping mechanisms do not translate well into healthy adulthood; yet, oftentimes an adult will continue to rely on what is so familiar. And so does Hildy, until both circumstances and sympathetic adults enter her life, compelling her to set aside her assumptions about herself and the lies she has been told.
This story of dysfunction, healing, forgiveness, and redemption, occurs in a setting of magnificent natural beauty, pulsating with life in the verdant forests of the Pacific Northwest. Hildy’s occupation involves removing old dams, reviving a dead river, releasing cleansing water, and providing new life to her beloved fish. All of this is a metaphor for Hildy coming to terms with her old life filled with painful anxiety and personal limitations; and her new life briming with freedom and possibilities.
Hildy’s story is a roadmap to healing for all those who have been wounded by childhood family secrets and the lies they hold. It is a story of hope and the redeeming power of love and forgiveness.
I received an advanced copy of the book and the above is my personal opinion. I also pre-ordered a personal copy upon release August 12, 2025.
This story of dysfunction, healing, forgiveness, and redemption, occurs in a setting of magnificent natural beauty, pulsating with life in the verdant forests of the Pacific Northwest. Hildy’s occupation involves removing old dams, reviving a dead river, releasing cleansing water, and providing new life to her beloved fish. All of this is a metaphor for Hildy coming to terms with her old life filled with painful anxiety and personal limitations; and her new life briming with freedom and possibilities.
Hildy’s story is a roadmap to healing for all those who have been wounded by childhood family secrets and the lies they hold. It is a story of hope and the redeeming power of love and forgiveness.
I received an advanced copy of the book and the above is my personal opinion. I also pre-ordered a personal copy upon release August 12, 2025.
July 12, 2025
What the River Keeps is a beautifully told story about confronting a painful and confusing childhood for one character (Hildy) and overcoming a family tragedy for another (Luke). Set on the stunning Olympic Peninsula in Washington state, Hildy’s healing mirrors that of the long-dammed Elwha River that she participates in restoring as a fisheries biologist. While the story does contain brief relationship violence and childhood psychological abuse, it is truly a story about the resilience and healing power of love of all kinds—spiritual, familial, romantic, and that for the natural world. Vivid, skillful writing and deep emotions kept me up late reading this powerful book. I highly recommend it. I received an advanced reader copy of What the River Keeps to review. All opinions are my own.
August 11, 2025
Thanks to Netgalley and Tyndale Publishing for an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest opinion.
This story hooked me from the first paragraph. A girl quieted by fish. A father that gets her. A mother who doesn’t. The exquisitely drawn picture of the anxiety ridden recluse that Hildy becomes. A dreaded but necessary move back home that ultimately brings healing through people who love her and through the power and beauty of the Elwha Valley. The story has adventure and a mystery to be unraveled all while following characters that grip your heart and move Hildy from confusion to enlightenment, from isolation to community and from fear to faith. Reading this book is time well spent and I highly recommend it.
This story hooked me from the first paragraph. A girl quieted by fish. A father that gets her. A mother who doesn’t. The exquisitely drawn picture of the anxiety ridden recluse that Hildy becomes. A dreaded but necessary move back home that ultimately brings healing through people who love her and through the power and beauty of the Elwha Valley. The story has adventure and a mystery to be unraveled all while following characters that grip your heart and move Hildy from confusion to enlightenment, from isolation to community and from fear to faith. Reading this book is time well spent and I highly recommend it.
May 31, 2025
What the River Keeps by Cheryl Grey Bostrom is one of the most redemptive stories I have read. The characters are complex and believable, tender and strong, honest in their struggles to cope with trauma. The author's delightful prose flows like the River Elwha set free, with flashes of surprising revelations like the glimpses of the glistening fish swimming in its shallows. Here, the natural and the spiritual worlds are woven together like the tresses of Hildy's braid.
December 20, 2025
When I took a sneak peek at the prologue just to dip my toes in, I knew I was going to love this literary masterpiece. Right from the start, the character depth is undeniable.
I loved CGB's two previous books so there's a little apprehension starting this 3rd work because... what if it disappoints? I mean, even a prologue can be misleading.
Y'all. This book does not disappoint.
A few chapters in, my husband asked me what the book is about. Honestly, I couldn't tell him. It's about God songs and fish. How do you tell someone that without sounding crazy?
Oh, it's also about being crazy. And about a river being set free. It's about a daughter being set free. It's about all of us. Being set free. And being a little crazy.
It's about generations.
I read this entire book with my whole heart- hoping, praying, that it hit the mark. It did. It hit every mark I could have hoped for it to hit. I lived in this book while I read it. I didn't want to leave.
Upon completion, I started it anew to read it again with eyes that already knew the end. The beautiful, heart wrenching, wonderful, difficult end. That's all the spoiler I'm willing to give.
Thank you to Netgalley and Tyndale Fiction for providing a free copy in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are my own.
I loved CGB's two previous books so there's a little apprehension starting this 3rd work because... what if it disappoints? I mean, even a prologue can be misleading.
Y'all. This book does not disappoint.
A few chapters in, my husband asked me what the book is about. Honestly, I couldn't tell him. It's about God songs and fish. How do you tell someone that without sounding crazy?
Oh, it's also about being crazy. And about a river being set free. It's about a daughter being set free. It's about all of us. Being set free. And being a little crazy.
It's about generations.
I read this entire book with my whole heart- hoping, praying, that it hit the mark. It did. It hit every mark I could have hoped for it to hit. I lived in this book while I read it. I didn't want to leave.
Upon completion, I started it anew to read it again with eyes that already knew the end. The beautiful, heart wrenching, wonderful, difficult end. That's all the spoiler I'm willing to give.
Thank you to Netgalley and Tyndale Fiction for providing a free copy in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are my own.
May 23, 2025
Thanks to Netgalley and Tyndale publishing for an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest opinion, A beautifully written novel with so much description I felt like I was there with Hildy and Luke. A very unique plotline with such wonderful characters who had to deal with past lost. The ending was so very satisfying. I can highly recommend reading this book.
September 10, 2025
Damaged souls find healing much like the river valley where they live.
What the River Keeps by Cheryl Grey Bostrom is a complex and ultimately satisfying story of two damaged souls whose meeting sets them both on journeys of healing. Biologist Hildy Nybo leaves her life in Seattle and returns to her family’s fishing retreat in the Elwah Valley of the Pacific Northwest when her mother succumbs to early-onset dementia. She intends to oversee her mother’s care while taking a leading role in the ecological research needed prior to the removal of the two dams on the river, an overly ambitious plan from the get-go if you’ve ever been a caretaker for a loved one suffering from this horrible disease.
Hildy is a wonderful underdog, scarred from a childhood of dealing with unexplainable misperceptions of her daily activities, the constant loss of random everyday objects, and later, the disappearance of her beloved father, the parent who had unconditionally accepted who she was and encouraged her love of nature and building things. The disconnect between what she thought she’d done during the day and what she was told she’d done had led her to some compulsive activities intended to ground her in the day and offer physical proof that what she remembered was true. However, these activities filled her small living spaces with collected objects that her older sister described as hoarding, and isolated Hildy from others, preventing her from building meaningful relationships.Luke Rimmer is a kind, nurturing man, recovering from his own tragedy. He sees similarities in his healing journey in Hildy and believes he can help, and soon develops deeper feelings for her. His love is not an easy path, as Hildy is so wounded by her past. His patience and faith are put to the test, but it is exactly what he and Hildy need.
The details of Hildy and her team’s research in preparation for the dams coming down were fascinating and, at times, I just wanted to know more about their activities and observations. Their days in the field are both exciting and frustrating due to the uncooperative weather. The vivid descriptions of the natural areas created almost cinematic visuals and had me wanting to see these places for myself.The storytelling is compelling, and I read this book through in one evening, staying up late for the shocking resolution of the mysteries behind Hildy’s childhood experiences and missing father, with no regrets. I recommend WHAT THE RIVER KEEPS to readers of Christian fiction, domestic drama, and mystery.
I voluntarily reviewed this after receiving an Advance Review Copy through WOW! Women On Writing Book Tours.
July 29, 2025
Why am I fighting tears in this moment? Because I just reviewed all of the passages I highlighted in this magnificent novel. These mementos of some glorious, poignant reading moments stirred up some sediment in my own heart. I feel “seen.”
What the River Keeps is set in the Olympic Peninsula, where the Elwha River was set free when the dam was dismantled. Cheryl Grey Bostrom used this as a backdrop to take the reader to a soul-stirring setting where Hildy’s caged memories are dismantled. Through some Divinely orchestrated events, Hildy reluctantly returns to the birthplace where sadness lived and “shadows ran amok.” In this place, though, the unconditional love and acceptance of some key characters bring light and hope into her world.
Yes, this is a fictional story, but What the River Keeps will dismantle readers’ own dams and lead them to the One who sets us free; to “a living Tsunami who raises the dead” as Luke describes Him. It’s a story that rends the heart. It might even stir up some sediment, but Cheryl Grey Bostrom leaves the reader sitting along the banks of a river where joy runs uninhibited.
I'm very grateful I had the pleasure of reading an advanced copy of this novel (thank you, NetGalley). It’s an extraordinary novel. I’m going to recommend it to all my reading friends.
What the River Keeps is set in the Olympic Peninsula, where the Elwha River was set free when the dam was dismantled. Cheryl Grey Bostrom used this as a backdrop to take the reader to a soul-stirring setting where Hildy’s caged memories are dismantled. Through some Divinely orchestrated events, Hildy reluctantly returns to the birthplace where sadness lived and “shadows ran amok.” In this place, though, the unconditional love and acceptance of some key characters bring light and hope into her world.
Yes, this is a fictional story, but What the River Keeps will dismantle readers’ own dams and lead them to the One who sets us free; to “a living Tsunami who raises the dead” as Luke describes Him. It’s a story that rends the heart. It might even stir up some sediment, but Cheryl Grey Bostrom leaves the reader sitting along the banks of a river where joy runs uninhibited.
I'm very grateful I had the pleasure of reading an advanced copy of this novel (thank you, NetGalley). It’s an extraordinary novel. I’m going to recommend it to all my reading friends.
July 20, 2025
I was looking forward to Cheryl Grey Bostrom’s latest release, WHAT THE RIVER KEEPS. And, goodness, I was not disappointed. With her vivid descriptions and unique plots and characters, I was engaged from the first paragraph. This book had a strong mystery thread that I loved with a surprising ending, and a love story that was romantic and healing. Cheryl digs deep into the human story and mines true treasures.
THE STORY: Hildy Nybo is a successful biologist, her study of the Pacific Northwest’s wild fish both a passion and a career. But behind her professional brilliance, Hildy’s reclusive private life reflects a childhood fraught with uncertainty. Despite her father’s love and her mother’s sympathy, she grew up constantly losing even her most cherished belongings, unable to recall where she misplaced them. Haunted by the confusion of those early years, she now records her life in detailed diaries and clings tightly to memory-prompting keepsakes.
Then her mother’s health fails, and Hildy accepts a job near her childhood home, joining a team of scientists who will help restore her beloved Elwha River after the demolition of two century-old dams. There Hildy settles into one of the cabins on her family’s rustic resort—a place she both loves and dreads, for reasons she can’t fully explain.
When local artist Miranda Rimmer rents an adjacent cabin for her pottery studio, Hildy shrinks from such a close neighbor. But then Miranda’s carpenter brother, Luke, shows up to help with construction and captures Hildy’s attention. Now a few years beyond a tragedy that brought him to his knees, Luke recognizes a kindred soul in Hildy, and they build a relationship that dismantles the walls Hildy’s built to keep people out. As troubling pieces of the past surface, Hildy dares to wonder if she can banish the shadows that have burdened her and follow her river’s course to freedom.
As someone who had a less than “normal” childhood, Hildy’s story was a beautiful albeit difficult journey to healing. Cheryl’s integration of nature’s challenges and need for healing was a profound parable of hope and responsibility and possibilities.
Highly recommended for fans of stories about human frailties and strength and survival, nature’s wildness, beauty, and our God-given responsibility to steward His creation, clean romance, mystery, Christian suspense, and profound faith journeys.
I received an ARC from Tyndale for my honest review.
THE STORY: Hildy Nybo is a successful biologist, her study of the Pacific Northwest’s wild fish both a passion and a career. But behind her professional brilliance, Hildy’s reclusive private life reflects a childhood fraught with uncertainty. Despite her father’s love and her mother’s sympathy, she grew up constantly losing even her most cherished belongings, unable to recall where she misplaced them. Haunted by the confusion of those early years, she now records her life in detailed diaries and clings tightly to memory-prompting keepsakes.
Then her mother’s health fails, and Hildy accepts a job near her childhood home, joining a team of scientists who will help restore her beloved Elwha River after the demolition of two century-old dams. There Hildy settles into one of the cabins on her family’s rustic resort—a place she both loves and dreads, for reasons she can’t fully explain.
When local artist Miranda Rimmer rents an adjacent cabin for her pottery studio, Hildy shrinks from such a close neighbor. But then Miranda’s carpenter brother, Luke, shows up to help with construction and captures Hildy’s attention. Now a few years beyond a tragedy that brought him to his knees, Luke recognizes a kindred soul in Hildy, and they build a relationship that dismantles the walls Hildy’s built to keep people out. As troubling pieces of the past surface, Hildy dares to wonder if she can banish the shadows that have burdened her and follow her river’s course to freedom.
As someone who had a less than “normal” childhood, Hildy’s story was a beautiful albeit difficult journey to healing. Cheryl’s integration of nature’s challenges and need for healing was a profound parable of hope and responsibility and possibilities.
Highly recommended for fans of stories about human frailties and strength and survival, nature’s wildness, beauty, and our God-given responsibility to steward His creation, clean romance, mystery, Christian suspense, and profound faith journeys.
I received an ARC from Tyndale for my honest review.
July 29, 2025
Thank you to Tyndale House Publishers for providing me with a gifted ebook copy of What the River Keeps through NetGalley. All opinions are my own.
What the River Keeps is contemporary fiction, that immerses the reader in the beautiful environment of the Pacific Northwest, while exploring deeper themes of anxiety, complicated relationships, and unraveling past traumas. I enjoyed Bostrom's writing, with her detailed setting descriptions and the mix of complex characters and their relationships, but I did find there were some moments in the book with abrupt time jumps that gave a choppy feel to parts of the story. I also felt like one of the spiritual aspects of the story didn't come to a fulfilling conclusion by the end of book.
The characters were well-written, and I felt like the main character, Hildy, really added an emotional investment to the story. After spending years away from her childhood home, and having to return for family responsibilities, brought great tension to the story. Bostrom delivers a great slow burn revealing the circumstances that have led Hildy to her anxiety and unsolved family secrets from her childhood.
𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐓𝐨 𝐄𝐱𝐩𝐞𝐜𝐭:
* TW: Dementia, Sexual Assault, Animal Death
* Ecosystem Restoration/Environmental Work
* Olympic National Park
* Family Secrets
* Second Chance at Love
* Faith/Spiritual References
* Healing/Letting Go
𝐈𝐬 𝐈𝐭 𝐒𝐩𝐢𝐜𝐲?
🥶 (No)
If you enjoy stories with complex characters, romance, and some mystery, with a stunning natural backdrop, then I would recommend What the River Keeps.
What the River Keeps is contemporary fiction, that immerses the reader in the beautiful environment of the Pacific Northwest, while exploring deeper themes of anxiety, complicated relationships, and unraveling past traumas. I enjoyed Bostrom's writing, with her detailed setting descriptions and the mix of complex characters and their relationships, but I did find there were some moments in the book with abrupt time jumps that gave a choppy feel to parts of the story. I also felt like one of the spiritual aspects of the story didn't come to a fulfilling conclusion by the end of book.
The characters were well-written, and I felt like the main character, Hildy, really added an emotional investment to the story. After spending years away from her childhood home, and having to return for family responsibilities, brought great tension to the story. Bostrom delivers a great slow burn revealing the circumstances that have led Hildy to her anxiety and unsolved family secrets from her childhood.
𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐓𝐨 𝐄𝐱𝐩𝐞𝐜𝐭:
* TW: Dementia, Sexual Assault, Animal Death
* Ecosystem Restoration/Environmental Work
* Olympic National Park
* Family Secrets
* Second Chance at Love
* Faith/Spiritual References
* Healing/Letting Go
𝐈𝐬 𝐈𝐭 𝐒𝐩𝐢𝐜𝐲?
🥶 (No)
If you enjoy stories with complex characters, romance, and some mystery, with a stunning natural backdrop, then I would recommend What the River Keeps.
August 12, 2025
This is Bostrom's third novel. It is a stand alone novel so you don't have to read the other two first... but you should read them sometime. They are all intriguing stories. Her writing and storytelling is so engaging and descriptive. It was as if I was standing on the shores with Hildy as she heard the switches being flipped off at the powerhouse that would change a dammed up lake back into a rushing river again. This was a real historical event along the real Elwha River that turned the river back into a salmon habitat and revitalized the river ecosystem. Bostrom crafted a beautiful story around this event.
This book was so moving! A young biologist had to return home after years away from her family. This was never something she was going to look forward to because of her childhood and loss. She returned home for a new job she was taking to work on the Elwha River restoration project. Her relationship with her mother had scarred her emotionally and the loss of her father hung heavy in her heart years after he went missing. The hardest part was that she didn't know which memories were real and which were not. She did not trust her memory of anything anymore.
Hildy captured my heart right away and I loved being part of her discovery even when it was hard to fathom. So many people live every day with family dysfunction and feelings of hopelessness. Hildy's life was very hard from her earliest childhood memories. Hildy had some very low moments but she kept getting up and moving forward. In the midst of her constant feelings of weakness she proved over and over to be a relentlessly strong woman. Her battle for sanity and a better future was a long hard-fought journey. This is a remarkable story. Hildy is a young woman I will not quickly forget!
This book was so moving! A young biologist had to return home after years away from her family. This was never something she was going to look forward to because of her childhood and loss. She returned home for a new job she was taking to work on the Elwha River restoration project. Her relationship with her mother had scarred her emotionally and the loss of her father hung heavy in her heart years after he went missing. The hardest part was that she didn't know which memories were real and which were not. She did not trust her memory of anything anymore.
Hildy captured my heart right away and I loved being part of her discovery even when it was hard to fathom. So many people live every day with family dysfunction and feelings of hopelessness. Hildy's life was very hard from her earliest childhood memories. Hildy had some very low moments but she kept getting up and moving forward. In the midst of her constant feelings of weakness she proved over and over to be a relentlessly strong woman. Her battle for sanity and a better future was a long hard-fought journey. This is a remarkable story. Hildy is a young woman I will not quickly forget!
August 13, 2025
"What the River Keeps" by Cheryl Grey Bostrom is a hauntingly beautiful story full of emotion. The main character Hildy Nybo questions her sanity and memory. She is a brilliant biologist who keeps to herself and has filled her home with things that help her remember each day. She moves home to take care of her mother who suffers from dementia and to see the Elwah River in Washington restored, close to how it was before the two dams were put up almost a century before. When Hildy meets her neighbor's brother, Luke Rimmer things start to change for her.
This story is very emotional and deals a lot with family trauma and drama. It is a story that will break your heart and put it back together through the words on the pages. It really makes a person think about how a person's formative life can shape them as an adult. The scenery described in this book as well as the real life restoration of the river are a really interesting backdrop.
Just the overall imagery and storytelling is beautiful in this book. This is a Christian faith filled book that deals with overcoming sinful desires and learning to move past the things that try and hold us back. There is love, redemption and a hope that can only be found in Christ in this story. I finished this book over a week ago and it continues to stick with me long past the last page.
Thank you to Tyndale House Publishers and Netgalley for the opportunity to read an ARC of this book. All opinions expressed are my own.
This story is very emotional and deals a lot with family trauma and drama. It is a story that will break your heart and put it back together through the words on the pages. It really makes a person think about how a person's formative life can shape them as an adult. The scenery described in this book as well as the real life restoration of the river are a really interesting backdrop.
Just the overall imagery and storytelling is beautiful in this book. This is a Christian faith filled book that deals with overcoming sinful desires and learning to move past the things that try and hold us back. There is love, redemption and a hope that can only be found in Christ in this story. I finished this book over a week ago and it continues to stick with me long past the last page.
Thank you to Tyndale House Publishers and Netgalley for the opportunity to read an ARC of this book. All opinions expressed are my own.
July 9, 2025
What the River Keeps is a beautiful novel about emotional healing, the power of an accepting and gracious individual, turning from fear and grief to healthy living, and generational family dysfunction.
In summary, it’s a story of the power of faith, hope and love.
Hildy is a biologist who is offered a position to restore a river on the Olympic Peninsula next to the resort where she grew up. She and her pet canary, Butterness, move into a cabin on the premises. Hildy is a woman who is afraid she’s losing her mind, so she does her best to remind herself of every day by keeping mementos of events. But those mementos begin to take over her cabin and crowd out her participation in real life until Miranda and her brother, Luke, come into her life.
What the River Keeps is a compelling story containing rich layers of truth, and I highly recommend this novel. My thanks to the publisher for providing an early electronic copy. All opinions are mine.
In summary, it’s a story of the power of faith, hope and love.
Hildy is a biologist who is offered a position to restore a river on the Olympic Peninsula next to the resort where she grew up. She and her pet canary, Butterness, move into a cabin on the premises. Hildy is a woman who is afraid she’s losing her mind, so she does her best to remind herself of every day by keeping mementos of events. But those mementos begin to take over her cabin and crowd out her participation in real life until Miranda and her brother, Luke, come into her life.
What the River Keeps is a compelling story containing rich layers of truth, and I highly recommend this novel. My thanks to the publisher for providing an early electronic copy. All opinions are mine.
August 11, 2025
What the River Keeps by Cheryl Grey Bostrom is fascinating and beautiful. This is the author's third fiction novel set in the PNW, and her writing immerses me in nature.
Most of the characters aren't lovable, but they're real, and I appreciate it! There are extremely tough situations addressed in What the River Keeps, and the characters' relationships (with family, pets and friends who become family) showcase their compassion and personal growth. And I cried.
Mental illness is woven into the story, and it enhances the mystery, as the reader tries to figure out what's true vs. what's imagined. There's also a speculative aspect in the story that I like and am wondering if the author will include this in future writing.
I was led to research a factual aspect of the story and was amazed by these current plans to destroy damns on the Elwha River and how it will affect the (native) people and the land. Now I want to keep an eye on this!
Again, this was a beautiful and fascinating story, and I highly recommend this novel and this author!
Most of the characters aren't lovable, but they're real, and I appreciate it! There are extremely tough situations addressed in What the River Keeps, and the characters' relationships (with family, pets and friends who become family) showcase their compassion and personal growth. And I cried.
Mental illness is woven into the story, and it enhances the mystery, as the reader tries to figure out what's true vs. what's imagined. There's also a speculative aspect in the story that I like and am wondering if the author will include this in future writing.
I was led to research a factual aspect of the story and was amazed by these current plans to destroy damns on the Elwha River and how it will affect the (native) people and the land. Now I want to keep an eye on this!
Again, this was a beautiful and fascinating story, and I highly recommend this novel and this author!
July 28, 2025
No one writes like Cheryl Bostrom, weaving mystery with poetic beauty, taking readers on a lovely trip through the wilds of the Pacific Northwest. And this story is classically Cheryl Bostrom with her smart, vivid descriptions and sweeping setting, penning lines like “…where the sky had clotted to pewter.”
In What the River Keeps, we meet captivating Hildy with a passion for the Elwha River and its fish, but who’s haunted by her past. The author deftly weaves Hildy’s difficult childhood and its disappearing items—including a disappearing father—into the river’s story, causing the girl to question her sanity even into adulthood. Then the steadiest of men arrives in her life bringing along goodness.
Cheryl Bostrom’s naturalist’s eye introduces readers to a life, setting, occupation, and excursions most of us will never know, including stunning research that informs about the effects of manmade dams on fish and salmon in such detail. Readers will savor this novel.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher.
In What the River Keeps, we meet captivating Hildy with a passion for the Elwha River and its fish, but who’s haunted by her past. The author deftly weaves Hildy’s difficult childhood and its disappearing items—including a disappearing father—into the river’s story, causing the girl to question her sanity even into adulthood. Then the steadiest of men arrives in her life bringing along goodness.
Cheryl Bostrom’s naturalist’s eye introduces readers to a life, setting, occupation, and excursions most of us will never know, including stunning research that informs about the effects of manmade dams on fish and salmon in such detail. Readers will savor this novel.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher.
July 22, 2025
What the River Keeps is a wonderful story that delivers all the great things I've come to hope for in Bostrom's novels: Character struggles that offer a window into difficult experiences. Immersive depictions of nature (and in this story's case--dialect) that transport you to new places. And, authentic depictions of faith that anchor readers through the story. Luke and Hildy's love story was deep thanks to the complex nature of their characters, and I loved learning about the bigger backdrop of the Elwha River and its restoration!!
October 8, 2025
This was a well written and engaging story. There’s an unfolding mystery throughout. A young woman named Hildy is immersed in her work as a biologist studying the Pacific Northwest’s wild fish. She is haunted by childhood memories that leave her insecure and confused. She doesn’t trust her memory and keeps a daily journal to remember. She has a general distrust of men due to a bad relationship and the warnings of her mother. When Luke comes into her life, he captures her attention, although she is still wary. This is a compelling story of forgives, redemption, and overcoming painful pasts. There is a strong element of Christian faith, but it is not at all preachy. The audiobook reader was excellent.
August 11, 2025
“‘There’s Love in that book. It’s a road map out of the dark.’ Out of her anxiety, too?”
What the River Keeps by Cheryl Grey Bostrom is about a brilliant fish/river naturalist in the PNW who, due to childhood issues, could be considered an unreliable narrator. Hiding her true self from most people, Hildy limps solo through life, until the past comes calling and forces a return home. Will this change destroy her, or will she find the strength and courage to overcome fears of the past? Heart-wrenchingly beautiful! This book will tear you up and make you cry before it rebuilds your faith in humanity and God’s ability to take care of his precious chosen ones.
“They hush me, Daddy. Every fish I see.” At 10, Hildy is overwhelmed by the sense of the amazing, the obvious evidence of a great Creator God when she sees fish. Her father, a warm nurturer, encourages her to look for God in nature. However, her mother, quick to correct Hildy and obviously ashamed of what she deems as “quirkiness,” quickly shuts down Hildy’s searching nature.
Years later, we find Hildy as a brilliant fish biologist and river conservationist, but a person who has very few social skills and very definite oddities, stiff-arming most people.
I loved Junie and her hubby Otis who love the family and serve the family business selflessly. While they love unconditionally without judgement, Otis does tell Hildy, “‘You want to get free a those chains a yours? All that anxiety?’ Here we go again. ‘You know I do.’ ‘Then—‘ ’Stop, Otis. You’ve told me fifty times.’ Maybe not fifty, but while Fourth of July campers had settled into the resort’s quiet hours, he’d repeated himself so often she could hear him in her sleep: ‘Do some diggin’. Find the lie.’”
Against incredible odds, when Hildy meets new cabin renter Miranda’s brother, Luke, a gradual rapport develops between the two. Luke’s had losses in the past, but he has learned to turn them over to God, so he can have the strength to move on. Hildy and Luke dance around a relationship, with Hildy’s issues rising up like a monolith dam to separate them. Luke wants to face Hildy’s stunting emotional issues with her- will she allow him that close? Will Hildy be able to accept that someone could love her wholeheartedly, and how will surprising revelations from her past affect or stall her growth?
Bostrom creates Hildy, a character so full of anxiety and fear for her own sanity, that I thought she’d be hard to relate to. Instead, I learned to love her deeply. I wonder how many other people may be out in our world, limping by on their self-made crutches when God wants to heal the source of the problem. One of my top books of 2025!!
I received a copy of the book from the author and Tyndale Publishers. I also bought my own copy. No positive review is required, and all opinions are my own.
Notable Quotables:
“That locust verse I promised to send you, different version: ‘I will give you back what you lost.’” - Luke
“Some lies get handed down, become strongholds kids are raised with.” - Luke
“That cabin’s a big old stove, darlin’, with stories still cookin’ inside…I trust those memories will make sense to you once they’re baked. Some will even be beautiful.”- Junie
“I’ve spent the better part of my life hiding the fact that I’m crazy, Luke. Crazy. If people knew what goes on in my head, I’d lose what little credibility I have.”
What the River Keeps by Cheryl Grey Bostrom is about a brilliant fish/river naturalist in the PNW who, due to childhood issues, could be considered an unreliable narrator. Hiding her true self from most people, Hildy limps solo through life, until the past comes calling and forces a return home. Will this change destroy her, or will she find the strength and courage to overcome fears of the past? Heart-wrenchingly beautiful! This book will tear you up and make you cry before it rebuilds your faith in humanity and God’s ability to take care of his precious chosen ones.
“They hush me, Daddy. Every fish I see.” At 10, Hildy is overwhelmed by the sense of the amazing, the obvious evidence of a great Creator God when she sees fish. Her father, a warm nurturer, encourages her to look for God in nature. However, her mother, quick to correct Hildy and obviously ashamed of what she deems as “quirkiness,” quickly shuts down Hildy’s searching nature.
Years later, we find Hildy as a brilliant fish biologist and river conservationist, but a person who has very few social skills and very definite oddities, stiff-arming most people.
I loved Junie and her hubby Otis who love the family and serve the family business selflessly. While they love unconditionally without judgement, Otis does tell Hildy, “‘You want to get free a those chains a yours? All that anxiety?’ Here we go again. ‘You know I do.’ ‘Then—‘ ’Stop, Otis. You’ve told me fifty times.’ Maybe not fifty, but while Fourth of July campers had settled into the resort’s quiet hours, he’d repeated himself so often she could hear him in her sleep: ‘Do some diggin’. Find the lie.’”
Against incredible odds, when Hildy meets new cabin renter Miranda’s brother, Luke, a gradual rapport develops between the two. Luke’s had losses in the past, but he has learned to turn them over to God, so he can have the strength to move on. Hildy and Luke dance around a relationship, with Hildy’s issues rising up like a monolith dam to separate them. Luke wants to face Hildy’s stunting emotional issues with her- will she allow him that close? Will Hildy be able to accept that someone could love her wholeheartedly, and how will surprising revelations from her past affect or stall her growth?
Bostrom creates Hildy, a character so full of anxiety and fear for her own sanity, that I thought she’d be hard to relate to. Instead, I learned to love her deeply. I wonder how many other people may be out in our world, limping by on their self-made crutches when God wants to heal the source of the problem. One of my top books of 2025!!
I received a copy of the book from the author and Tyndale Publishers. I also bought my own copy. No positive review is required, and all opinions are my own.
Notable Quotables:
“That locust verse I promised to send you, different version: ‘I will give you back what you lost.’” - Luke
“Some lies get handed down, become strongholds kids are raised with.” - Luke
“That cabin’s a big old stove, darlin’, with stories still cookin’ inside…I trust those memories will make sense to you once they’re baked. Some will even be beautiful.”- Junie
“I’ve spent the better part of my life hiding the fact that I’m crazy, Luke. Crazy. If people knew what goes on in my head, I’d lose what little credibility I have.”
August 1, 2025
Cheryl Grey Bostrom has done it again! She weaves a tale with relatable characters who touch the heart--sometimes hurt the heart--in a setting that invites readers to step in to experience the story! This one, with its themes of purpose from pain, beauty even from brokenness, touched my heart personally. I will share this book with others and read it myself more than once. It's a story for all season.
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