The River

September 15, 2012

As a young boy, Gabriel Clarke saw his father drown while trying to rescue a kayaker. Following the accident, Gabriel is raised by his mother in Kansas. When he turns 20, Gabriel is invited by his friend Jimmy to go camping at the river where his father died. Though initially reluctant, he agrees. Once they're there, Gabriel makes peace with the river, meets a girl, and gets a job for the summer. Eventually, he meets the man his father died trying to save. VERDICT Thomas Nelson is marketing this self-published title by a songwriter and worship leader as their big book this fall, so demand may be high. That being said, Neale tries too hard to make parallels between the river and God. The characters were likable, but readers may have trouble feeling truly invested in them.

Copyright 2012 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.