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River Trash
Singer-songwriter Whitney Thorn is a 50-year-old recovered crystal meth addict and the well-known son of country music royalty. Struggling comedian and former nurse Graham Morrow is down and out at 35, living back home with his mother. They meet at an unauthorized, socially distanced show in a Louisiana field and take a chance on shacking up together.
At first, their bubble is untouched by tragedy. They create art at leisure and explore each other with curiosity and wonder. Friends from Whitney’s checkered past check in with him regularly, worried he could relapse. Graham watches his mother, aunt, and cousin Sage struggle in isolation while he escapes into Whitney’s world. But with hurricanes ravaging other parts of the South and death tolls rising due to COVID-19, eventually trouble finds them. An unexpected surgery poses a serious risk. The presence of pain meds strains sobriety. Hospitalizations end in sudden losses. Homes are lost and must be rebuilt.
River Trash is a slice of Americana, a love story, and a bottle novel that takes place mainly indoors. Two men seek to know one another while a chaotic world swirls around them.
At first, their bubble is untouched by tragedy. They create art at leisure and explore each other with curiosity and wonder. Friends from Whitney’s checkered past check in with him regularly, worried he could relapse. Graham watches his mother, aunt, and cousin Sage struggle in isolation while he escapes into Whitney’s world. But with hurricanes ravaging other parts of the South and death tolls rising due to COVID-19, eventually trouble finds them. An unexpected surgery poses a serious risk. The presence of pain meds strains sobriety. Hospitalizations end in sudden losses. Homes are lost and must be rebuilt.
River Trash is a slice of Americana, a love story, and a bottle novel that takes place mainly indoors. Two men seek to know one another while a chaotic world swirls around them.
258 pages, Kindle Edition
Published February 9, 2025
1 person is currently reading
10 people want to read
About the author
L.A. Fields
32 books23 followersCat person, MFA, author of The Disorder Series (Rebel Satori Press), the Lambda Literary Award finalists My Dear Watson and Homo Superiors (Lethe Press), as well as works of scholarship, short fiction, and erotica.
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Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
March 18, 2025
Set against the raw, turbulent backdrop of the American South during the COVID-19 pandemic, L.A. Fields’ River Trash explores the weight of familial loss, the scars of addiction, and the fierce realities that emerge when life demands more than we are ready to give.
In this gripping novel, Fields strips away the honeymoon of early love to confront the chaotic aftermath of grief, natural disasters, and the isolation of a world gripped by the Covid-19 pandemic. Her characters must learn to weather the storm together, learning that love, in all its forms, is tested most deeply in times of survival.
River Trash is a story that blends tenderness with turmoil, humor with heartbreak. Fields’ unapologetically political voice and masterful pacing make this an unforgettable, emotionally charged read. With sharp insight and raw emotion, this is a book that leaves you questioning what it truly means to survive—and to love—in the face of everything falling apart.
In this gripping novel, Fields strips away the honeymoon of early love to confront the chaotic aftermath of grief, natural disasters, and the isolation of a world gripped by the Covid-19 pandemic. Her characters must learn to weather the storm together, learning that love, in all its forms, is tested most deeply in times of survival.
River Trash is a story that blends tenderness with turmoil, humor with heartbreak. Fields’ unapologetically political voice and masterful pacing make this an unforgettable, emotionally charged read. With sharp insight and raw emotion, this is a book that leaves you questioning what it truly means to survive—and to love—in the face of everything falling apart.
June 23, 2025
An incredibly timely book for today. It seems a great part of the world is being reflective about five years ago. This book fits in so well with its look at the uncertain days of global upheaval in 2020.
You find two souls on the road of life. Neither is where they thought they would be and neither sees a clear path to any sort of successful future. The pandemic has an impact on a relationship. For many, this period led to changes in relationships. Some were torn asunder, some found strength in numbers and thrived. Some started because many were, in fact, lonely at this time.
The detailed plot description puts the reader front and center in the Bayou area and you can really feel the atmosphere. Each major character is believable and likable. You almost are urging these two to get together. It seems like this is their last chance for a bit of happiness.
Many new relationships had to take on the world five years ago with a brave face. Some crashed and burned as they were formed when the world was out of sorts. Some excelled and soared as the world returned to normal quickly. What happens in this incredibly detailed romance for this couple, you must read this book to find out. It will be worth your effort.
My rating: 5 stars
Reviewed by: Mr. N
This review first appeared: https://www.nnlightsbookheaven.com/po...
You find two souls on the road of life. Neither is where they thought they would be and neither sees a clear path to any sort of successful future. The pandemic has an impact on a relationship. For many, this period led to changes in relationships. Some were torn asunder, some found strength in numbers and thrived. Some started because many were, in fact, lonely at this time.
The detailed plot description puts the reader front and center in the Bayou area and you can really feel the atmosphere. Each major character is believable and likable. You almost are urging these two to get together. It seems like this is their last chance for a bit of happiness.
Many new relationships had to take on the world five years ago with a brave face. Some crashed and burned as they were formed when the world was out of sorts. Some excelled and soared as the world returned to normal quickly. What happens in this incredibly detailed romance for this couple, you must read this book to find out. It will be worth your effort.
My rating: 5 stars
Reviewed by: Mr. N
This review first appeared: https://www.nnlightsbookheaven.com/po...
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews