Three Rivers: A Novel

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As a local girl, I was so taken with the descriptive way Ms Barlow has described the city through out the book. It was wonderful to read all the places I am fimiliar with described through out the book. You need not be from here to "enjoy the scenery", it made the story rich with detail any reader can enjoy. Mind you, all of that wouldn't stop me from reading the next book in the series, if I got the chance :) Despite everything, I like these two, and the rest of their team. Other than that she was hyper-focused - on him: his impossible aqua blue eyes (seriously, is that even a real eye color?); his broad shoulders; that delicious mouth; the way his slightly shaggy hair grazed his dark brows. Everything about him was hardwired to excite her on every level. Althea, a young widow, has determined she will never find love again. Her friends and family are the only ones she allows close after the loss of her husband shattered her heart. It starts with a body being found on Crowpoint, which is an eerie bit of beach that points into the torrid Torrent estuary and of course the team have to work out who the murderer is.’

The call them the “Three Rivers” but its really two rivers joining together to form the third. One surrendering to the other to become something bigger and much more important. The rivers are not lesser for moving on and joining together, they are broader stronger, and lead to so many more opportunities—as one. The first and most significant is that Stella just didn’t ring true, and I failed to see the “inner growth and maturity” that the blurb promised. There she meets Griffen. Hot, sexy and she is instantly attracted to him. Griffen is a successful author whose books have been made into movies. Althea doesn’t realize that but decides that yes, he will be her fun night. The attraction between them is immediate. There is a spark between them. Not necessarily love at first sight, but pretty close.So, one night Aubrey and Jenna (whom I absolutely adore), convince Althea to go out, have some drinks and well find a man for some sexual experimentation. Baby steps they call it. Her girls are determined to get Althea to start living again. Tea’s best friends, Jenna and Aubrey are such great secondary characters in this book. They are wonderful, supportive, loving friends and so funny. They are truly what a best friend should be. I loved them. (and Jenna will have her own story!) They are on a mission to get Tea into the dating world. They take Tea to a bar where she crosses paths with Griffin……

He constantly calls her gorgeous... so much so that it became annoying. Just wanted him to stop... she has a name! There's a time to call me gorgeous and a time to call me by my name... this is just a personal pet peeve. :) This may not bother anyone else... Now add in two other male suitors who are interested in the fair Althea as well as some secrets, angst, and a heartbreaking revelation that could turn deadly and you’ve got yourself a story! Althea’s…aka Tea… world was shattered when her husband’s car was found in the river after he was working long hours. She always felt so much guilt that she didn’t push him enough to get him to tell her what was wrong. She was after all supposed to be his best friend, too. I have two Gen Z niblings, and asked them at various points if the language or references that Stella uses are realistic. Even considering her acting-career (and I use ‘career’ loosely – more on that later), she speaks like a millennial. Enter a longtime friend of her husband, Griffin. They meet and sparks fly, but they are both dealing with internal struggles that seemingly can't be overcome.Now turn around and grab the edge of my desk...Well done. Now pull up your skirt for me," he commanded. Liz Isaacson is an American author whose real name is Elana Johnson and focuses more on inspirational romance movies. She has published a number of books, most of them making it to the best selling list. Other than writing, her main hobbies are travelling and watching the sunset. Her love for cowboys, horses, ranches and the mountainside was the inspiration behind some of her books, the rivers ranch series. Being a teacher together with her passion made it easy for her to transition into writing amazing novels. As much as she loves to exceed her readers’ expectations by writing great books, having her teaching profession and being a mother and a wife presents a challenge and makes it hard for her to find time to write. Still, she finds a balance between everything and juggles all of it together. Her love for writing makes it possible for her to write anywhere anytime whether she’s sitting by the pool or lying on a couch. Stella herself is all over the place about her acting success. She, on several occasions, remarks that she's been in the public eye her entire life, but then mentions almost quitting acting because she couldn't break out of commercials. Listen. There isn't a soul in America who can identify some rando kid in a commercial unless you already knew that kid, so it really wasn't until CDS that Stella would have been realistically recognizable. I'm not discounting her four seasons in CDS, but Stella seems to conflate her commercial gigs with her spot on CDS. I also wouldn't say that she stars on the show. She's a side character. I actually laughed out loud when Stella made this ridiculous proclamation: I like that, baby. I want this pussy and I want you to remember that it’s mine, that right here, right now, it’s mine.” He thrust again and Althea felt his possessive words driving her crazy. “You feel incredible my gorgeous good girl,” he whispered and kissed her tenderly, even as he slammed into her again. The author weaves an intriguing story set in Pittsburgh, PA. The beauty of this city intensifies the beauty of Althea and Griffen's story. If Pittsburgh weren't already my favorite city in the USA it would have been by the end of the story.

In later works, please refrain from making fun of actual people. That bit about Jamie Lee Curtis having leathered skin? What was that for? She looks phenomenal especially at her age, AND IS A REAL PERSON. What was gained by shitting on a real person? Everyone fends for themselves at Three Rivers. They pitch their own tents. They manage their own food, a week’s worth at a time, which they have to ration. They earn knives to carve their own eating utensils. Profanity is punished with “time taken off dinner.” Rich-girl-in-the-wild is a well-worn format, but Stusek brightens it up by making Stella likable. Yes, she is rude. Yes, she is entitled. Yes, she is overfond of the F-word. She is also funny and insightful. “I’ve made a career out of being uncomfortable,” she muses. “I have been followed by adult men with enormous cameras when I was just trying to get a meal . . . I’ve been criticized for accidentally agreeing to represent the wrong brand of sparkling water. I’ve been too thin and too fat in the same day.” That last line sums up a celebrity’s world. It also sums up a woman’s world.

Boat Hire

Chloe Barlow has created a touching story in Three Rivers that takes place in Pittsburgh, PA. A loving and loyal to a fault wife, Althea, who loses her husband in a tragic accident. Guilt ridden and completely immersed in her work, she lets years pass without a thought of moving on but rather barely living through each day. Aubrey, Althea and Jenna are three friends who are determined to get through this crazy world with the support from one another. Their bond and relationship is real and relatable. You will want to know these girls and laugh along with their shenanigans. Soul sisters from start to finish, these ladies are exactly the kind of support system Althea and her son need. Loved the mystery behind the death of Althea's husband... I would have liked to have gotten to know him better and maybe spent more time on the events leading up to his death. I absolutely loved the banter between Althea and Griffen. Their conversations made me laugh, cry and experience many "ah" moments. As for the girl talk Althea had with her friends Jenna and Aubrey it was among the best ever. The talks flowed from serious to hysterical to angry to loving and caring and we're written in such a way I truly felt a part of each.

I felt connected to the characters, suffered through Althea's pain at such an immense lose of a loved one. The friendships that Althea has with her 2 BFFs is strong. Their support helps her through one of the most tragic times in her life. Bruised and battered emotionally she goes through life living for her dead husband and their child. He is her life line and her sanity. Jenny is up front in this story and have to say I started to worry about her safety. I was with Tanner on this one and was as frustrated as him at times when she doesn’t listen to sense. It does make for some tense reading in part as this usual happy couple are pushed to the limits with the recent murders, as well as a new member of staff that has jenny feeling threatened in her relationship with Tanner. THREE RIVERS, Sarah Stusek’s debut YA novel, brings a fresh approach to timeless childhood themes of inclusion, forgiveness, and change. Three Rivers captivates from the very beginning. Born and bred a Pittsburgh girl, I was so excited to sit down and enjoy this. A love story set in Pittsburg left me intrigued as soon as I learned of it and read the blurb. Without much expectation, Three Rivers took me on a harrowing journey about love; about learning to let go of holding on; about acceptance and rejuvenation. This tale of strength and undying love, both past and new, represents perfectly the trials we experience when dealing with grief and immense hurt. Chloe Barlow does a great job pulling you into the story. I needed to know what happens next and had a very hard time putting it down. For a freshmen offering, Chloe Barlow has done a wonderful job writing an exciting, heartwarming, and romantic story. It’s full of heartache, surprises, heart melting dialogue, straight talking friends, and one super irresistible smooth talking sexy male.Anyway, there were parts of this book that I loved and parts that I didn't BUT it is well written. And, other people seem to have really liked it... so, please don't take my word for it! Give it a go if it interests you and make up your own mind. :)