Rivers Sullivan bears both visible and invisible scars—those on her shoulder from a bullet wound and those on her heart from the loss of her fiancé during the same brutal attack. Not even her background as an art therapist can help her regain her faith in humanity. Still, she scrapes together the courage to travel to St. Simons Island to see the beach cottage and art gallery she’s inherited from … from her fiancé. When she stumbles upon recovering addicts running her gallery, she’s forced to reckon with her own healing.
After the tragic drowning of his cousin, James Cooper Knight spends his days trying to make up for his past mistakes. He not only dedicates his life to addiction counseling, but guilt drives him to the water, searching for others who’ve been caught unaware of the quickly rising tides of St. Simons. When he rescues a peculiar blond woman and her sketch pad from a sandbar, then delivers this same woman to his deceased grandmother’s properties, he knows things are about to get even more complicated.
Tragic circumstances draw Cooper and Rivers closer, but they fight their growing feelings. Though Cooper’s been sober for years, Rivers can’t imagine trusting her heart to someone in recovery, and he knows a relationship with her will only rip his family further apart. Distrust and guilt are only the first roadblocks they must overcome if they take a chance on love.
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The Art of Rivers
A story of hope, and starting over. Rivers ( love her name) is engaged but her fiancé gets killed in the first chapter. She inherited a beach cottage and art gallery in St. Simons Island. After traveling there she meets Cooper. He does addiction counseling.
This is a wonderful story. Love how Cooper is determined to help others. Also how Rivers wants to help but her and Cooper still has so much to deal with.
I definitely recommend reading this book.
I received a complimentary copy of the book from the author through Prism book tours. This book review is my own opinion.
I love reading Christian fiction that conveys the power of grace and forgiveness. Rarely do I read such a book that deals with as heavy topics as drug abuse and recovery. This issue is prevalent in today’s society and is dealt with realistically and empathetically in this book.
This is my first experience with Ms. Ferguson’s work. Even if not for the title, The Art of Rivers, it would be evident that she’s a lover of art by her flowery writing and word choices. Her writing style is abundant with colors, textures, and vivid descriptions. Although this is a plus, to some extent, I found the descriptions a little much at times.
Both of the main characters, Rivers Sullivan and Cooper Knight, are reeling from tragic and painful pasts (some not so distant) and must learn to navigate life through a new lens. With themes of loss, grief, faith, trust, and redemption, this story covers a gambit of important issues and takes the reader through as many emotions. Overall, I feel the heavy topics were balanced with love, humor, and a lovely spiritual thread throughout.
Source: I received a complimentary copy of this book as part of Prism Book Tours. Opinions expressed are completely my own.
The Art of Rivers by Janet Ferguson is the third book in her A Coastal Hearts series. Each book in the series is centered around the life struggles that so many contend with in today’s world. Big struggles like failing relationships, estrangement, and in The Art of Rivers, the devastating rip-tide like currents of addiction.
When Rivers Sullivan finds herself with a healing bullet wound in her shoulder, and a dead fiancé she is crushed, and despite her occupation as a therapist she is still struggling with soul-crushing grief over a year later. With their wedding only weeks away, Rivers fiancé had already designated her his sole beneficiary, leaving her with a beach cottage and art gallery in St. Simons Island. Hoping to move forward in healing, Rivers travels to St. Simons to clear out the old beach cottage, selling it and the art gallery.
Struggling with any desire to draw, Rivers wandered out on the beach with her tablet, a gift from her fiancé. Seeing a sandbar offshore, she decides to take her tablet and just sit there, hoping she could draw something, that the beauty of the ocean would spark something in her deadened heart. Deep in contemplation, Rivers does not notice the tide is coming in, the sandbar slowly disappearing in each wave.
When James Cooper Knight sees the woman dangerously stranded on a diminishing sandbar, he heads out on a boat to rescue her. He’s intrigued by the beautiful, but sad young woman; the two embark on a slow friendship undergirded by distrust and pain. “Cooper” is a recovering addict, 5 years; the estrangement from his family seems insurmountable.
Together, Rivers and Cooper, begin to learn to trust someone else, to trust God with grace. Healing came come in some of the most amazing ways.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher via Just Read Tours and am not required to write a positive review. All thoughts and opinions therein are solely my own, and freely given.
Ms. Ferguson begins this story with sweet romantic scene—and then brutally jars the reader with the deadly zing of bullets rather than wedding bells.
I love the name, Rivers, and even more, I can identify with the characters in many ways. As an artist I know the value of expressing myself through my art and my words. And though I have no physical scars, I do bear—as all of us do—heart scars. Too, this reviewer’s life has been deeply impacted by addiction.
I bristled when Rivers was thrust in the midst of recovering addicts, felt her unease, her need to be anywhere else. Don’t get me wrong—I applaud their effort and cheer their accomplishments. That’s huge. Recovery is also something I’ve witnessed firsthand.
Oh, how I longed to pull Rivers into a great hug and squeeze away her pain. To urge her to paint again. To heal. To come out from the protective layer she was hiding under, and live.
And Cooper. What a cruel burden guilt is to bear. And such a difficult thing to let go of.
Ms. Ferguson has created wonderful authentic characters, with depth and emotion, who react to circumstances and situations in such a real and raw way—how can we criticize when we know we’d do the same? Characters who endure—and survive—horrors most of us will never know.
A powerful story that kept this reviewer reading.
ROBIN’S FEATHERS
FOUR FEATHERS!
I received a complimentary copy of this book, but was under no obligation to read the book or to post a review. I offer my review of my own free will. The opinions expressed in my review are my honest thoughts and reaction to this book.
#Blogwords, Tuesday Reviews-Day-on-Wednesday, #TRD, Book Review, The Art of Rivers, Janet W. Ferguson
I wasn’t sure what to think when I started into this novel, The Art of Rivers. In the first chapter you get the happiest moment and the saddest worst moment imaginable. That’s a lot to put within a few paragraphs.
This is the third in a series, I have not read the first two that come before this one, but I didn’t feel like I missed out on anything by reading this one as a stand-alone title.
Such a powerful book with a powerful message. In this book, you’ll find out about loss, grief, substance abuse, counseling, healing, and some major law breaking drug running. But you also are exposed to healing through art. This is something I can get behind as I’m already behind healing with animals.
Rivers lose her fiance to violence. He was shot and killed beside her. Rivers herself was also shot. She bears the scar of this on her shoulder plus internal scars as well. She vows to never love again.
But then she finds herself drawn to a guy when she’s cleaning out the house her fiance inherited. And she’s also faced with addicts and grief and healing and recovery. Can she trust herself to love again? More importantly, can she get over her hang-ups about addiction to even consider some of these people her friends? Will she ever be able to trust?
When circumstances don’t go the way they hope can they hang on? Will Rivers continue to support substance recovery? Can she paint again? But mostly can Rivers heal herself and her new friends family?
Great story. It’s very moving and I love how all these hard topics are woven together with such grace and care. They’re tackled and talked about and normalized. This book is a recommend from me and I’m going to have to check out the first two books in the series now. A new author for me but I really love her style of writing.
I have voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book which I received from JustRead Publicity Tours. All views expressed are only my honest opinion. I was not required to write a positive review nor was I compensated in any other way. All opinions expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the FTC regulations.
*SPOILER ALERT IN THE LAST PARAGRAPH.
I received a complimentary copy of this book in an exchange for posting an honest review. All thoughts are my own and I was not required to post a positive review.
The Art of Rivers is an excellent story that deals with the harsh realities of overcoming addiction, social stigmas surrounding them, forgiveness, fear and trauma. I truly loved this book, it tugged on all my heart strings! Author Janet Ferguson opens with a chapter that is tender yet shocking then continues to weave a story that is both entertaining and touching.
The novel is well written, endearing and even cute! I devoured it; a definite page turner. The main and sub characters are charming, witty and relatable. I loved the occasional banter between Rivers and Cooper, was enamored with how their love story unfolds and enjoyed how Ferguson used their relationship to bring about healing in a family. Readers will find it hard not to “feel” along with Rivers and Cooper. They’re so lifelike and the things they struggle with are very real. Through them, Ferguson gives readers a look at life after trauma and addiction. She doesn’t sugarcoat it, but uses faith as a basis for recovery and depicts the redemption found only in Christ. It’s truly beautiful.
The faith based elements of this book are strong, but do not overpower the story in my opinion. I do enjoy books with a Christian viewpoint however and realize that some people may feel this book comes on a little strong. Nevertheless, I encourage readers to read between the lines and see the power that comes from overcoming addiction, helping others and allowing struggles to make us stronger.
This book is a SOLID FOUR STARS and was VERY GOOD! I highly recommend it to readers who enjoy a cozy romance, comtemporary fiction and faith based fiction. I believe the story would be suitable for teenagers 16+ as it is clean. Please be aware the story does contain triggers and mentions of things such as a shooting, addiction, teenage death, drinking, drugs, loss and drug trafficking.
The only thing that kept this novel from tipping over into five stars for me, was simply a personal preference. The ending wrapped up beautifully but the last chapter made me cringe. Throughout the story, I had imagined and felt Rivers as a whimsical romantic with a playful side. The fact that she proposed to Cooper, who supposedly couldn’t get enough of her, detracted from their romance. I’m not against women proposing, it just didn’t feel right for this couple. I also wasn’t a fan of the fact that Ferguson included the song Jesus Freak in their wedding music and used the phrase “I’m always willing to let my freak flag fly.” (this was also alluded to earlier in the book). As a Christian, I don’t enjoy being stigmatized as a freak and don’t think anyone should be categorized that way under any circumstance. Between those two things, I ended the book with distaste but felt it didn’t really detract from the story I had enjoyed so immensely up until those last closing lines.
Fans of beauty from ashes stories, this book is for you! From tragedy to triumph, Cooper and Rivers navigate turbulent waters of regret and grief in a challenging and inspiring tribute to second chances. Ferguson delivers a complex and faith-filled plot with raw and authentically flawed characters.
In addition to featuring a hefty dose of grief, The Art of Rivers also touches on the issues of addiction, family dynamics, and legacy. As always, Janet W. Ferguson crafts a story with honesty, healing, and hope. I recommend this book as well as the previous installments of the Coastal Hearts series.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher and was under no obligation to post a review. The opinions expressed are my own.
Thoroughly enjoyed this book! The characters pulled me into the story making me fill as if I was part of their world. I found myself rooting for Cooper and for him to know he mattered. There are many unexpected twist and turns in the story that will keep you in aww. Upon reading I was starting to get wore down by the never ending problems that came up against Cooper, isn’t life like that though. Seems when your going through a storm and about to have a break through it just pours and pours. I found this to be realistic and thought the author did a great job of showing the reader how the devil works trying to destroy lives. River had to go through some rough times to be sympathetic to those she feared. The fact that the characters turned to God to overcome gave me such a feeling of praise for our Heavenly Father. This book will take you on a journey that will make you laugh, cry and just praise God!
Was given a complimentary copy. All opinions are my own.
A wonderful book to read with well developed characters. A book that makes you think more about the addiction epidemic – this has touched all of us today. Well worth the time to read!
“How does a woman anchor her faith when she has experienced so much pain?”
That’s my favorite quote from the book. I love the story of pain, redemption, forgiveness and reconciliation.
Rivers had gone through too much of pain and disappointment in her life and at a particular point, I was wondering how much more she could take.
Cooper, had carried the guilt of being a source of pain and disappointment all his life to those he loves and he sort to make it right by giving his life to help people caught in the same grips he was caught in.
I love how their paths crossed, the hurdles they had to pass through and the decisions they made. I love that the need for prayers, the Word of God and Godly friends were illustrated beautifully in this book. After all we can’t fight the devil alone.
I love the setting of the book, it is somewhere I’d love to visit.
I’d recommend this book to anyone who is looking for a beautiful read on moving on after disappointing the people they love, to anyone who needs to forgive and move on from the past. God is good and he works and fights for those who love him and are called according to his purpose.
I received a copy of this book for my honest review
Thoroughly enjoyed! Great beach read!
The Art of Rivers by Janet W. Ferguson
A Coastal Hearts Novel
Rivers Sullivan had found happiness. True love. And then, it was all taken away. A year later, she travels to St. Simons to tie up the ends of her past. Get some properties ready to sell. Still raw and sore from her pain. And surprisingly, God starts a new work in her life in a way she never expected.
Cooper Knight was living one day at a time. His past always taunting him. His family had disowned him. Thankfully he had God and his sober living family. Even knowing God had forgiven him, Cooper continued to carry his guilt around.
I love Janet’s writing. Real life situations that can make you laugh and cry. Like a certain adorable pet in this story. And she writes an excellent view of what it could be like to be a recovering addict. Each day a new day to live and not fall back. Loved it.
**Tissue alert
https://justjudysjumbles.blogspot.com/2016/04/book-list-for-janet-ferguson.html
I admire Janet Ferguson’s courage in tackling the heart-wrenching subject of addiction and the struggle of those battling it to overcome its chains and break free. It’s such a timely subject, as it’s so prevalent in our society today. It crosses all classes of society and no one is totally immune to its grasp. While it’s not easy to read about the struggles of addiction, and I’m sure it wasn’t easy for Ferguson to write about it, she has crafted a poignant and powerful story that is honest, yet hopeful. The emotions and feelings of the addicts, their families, and those involved in fighting for their recovery are vividly and masterfully portrayed.
It was easy for me to connect to Rivers and Cooper and hope for healing and a future for them, and the stellar supporting cast is colorful and realistic. With an obvious depth of research into the subject, the author has penned a story that comes alive on the page. Themes of forgiveness, redemption, hope, grace, and mercy run through it, and add a strong positive message. Janet Ferguson is a gifted writer whose stories I’ve enjoyed in the past, but I think this is her best one yet. 4.5 stars
Artist Rivers Sullivan has the almost-perfect life … Until her fiancé is gunned down by a drug addict just ten days before their wedding. A year later, she’s on St. Simons Island, Georgia, preparing to pack up and sell the Barlow family cottage and art gallery, which she inherited from Jordan.
Here she meets Jordan’s cousin, an ex-addict who tore Jordan’s family apart when Jordan’s younger sister died in Cooper’s care. Jordan’s family still blames Cooper for Susannah’s death, although Jordan had been trying to reconcile with Cooper before his death. Rivers meets Cooper and finds he works in the gallery and runs a ministry for addicts, Re-Claimed.
Rivers doesn’t want to have anything to do with addicts, past or present. Jordan was murdered by an addict. His sister lost her life due to an addict’s carelessness. Her mother is an alcoholic. Addicts can’t be trusted. Yet she’s attracted to Cooper, to his faith, to his passion for art. Almost against her will, Rivers finds herself getting involved in the gallery, in Re-Claimed, and with Cooper. But someone seems to want Re-Claimed closed, and is prepared to go to great lengths to make that happen …
The Art of Rivers is an excellent example of self-published Christian fiction. The writing is top quality—as good as any Christian novel I’ve read. The characters feel real, and their conflicts a natural outworking of their personalities. There was no feeling that the conflict was contrived, or that the author had manipulated the characters to build the required tension. Some novels I read have an almost paint-by-numbers approach to the plot and characters, which doesn’t make for an engaging read. The Art of Rivers had none of that, which was excellent.
The real strength is that The Art of Rivers is a novel with Christian characters doing their best to live a Christian life in a world full of sin. This is something that’s often missing from the novels from the large mainstream Christian publishers (many of which are owned by non-Christian multinational media conglomerates). While I’m happy to read these “Christian-lite” novels that have good stories and none of the content I’d rather not fill my mind with, it’s great to have more serious Christian fiction that deals with real-world issues from a Christian perspective. Recommended.
Thanks to the author for providing a free ebook for review.
Once again, Ferguson takes two stories of brokenness and weaves the beauty of hope and redemption between them. This book is for anyone who is longing for a reason to grip hope a little more, to keep looking up, and to keep believing in what seems impossible.
Thank you, Janet Ferguson for tackling such a difficult subject as addiction. It’s an epidemic in our society that has touch too many people, ruined too many lives, and continues to hurt those addicted and those who love the addict. Ferguson delves into the hardships, the cravings, and the brokenness that result when one is an addict. There’s not glossing over the truth in this book, which only makes it a more powerful read.
In The Art of Rivers, readers get all sides of the story. From Rivers Sullivan, whose life has been completely shattered by an addict, to Cooper Knight, who struggles every day, sometimes minute by minute to maintain his sobriety, and everything in between.
I loved that Rivers has a soft heart toward the people she meets at Re-Claimed and that, in the face of her fear, she had the courage to befriend some of them. Cooper is a good guy who doesn’t see himself that way, and I was pleased that he got some reconciliation near the end.
Now I want to know what’s happening with the rest of the group I met through Re-Claimed. And isn’t that the hallmark of a great book? That the characters become so real, you want to spend more time with them?
Disclosure statement:
I receive complimentary books from publishers, publicists, and/or authors, including NetGalley. I am not required to write positive reviews. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255.
Janet Ferguson never fails to amaze in each of her books. The Art of Rivers is poignant, full of truth about Christ, and gives us a look at substance abuse/addiction in a realistic light. To be honest, substance abuse whether alcohol or drugs has overtaken our world regardless of age groups, part of the world, etc. It has devastated so many lives and families so this book is so apropos for the contemporary world. The beach backdrop is so well done and stunning (one of Janet’s many strengths in all her books), and the characters are all so well developed and so down to earth. The challenges they face and the emotion attached comes through clearly. The romance that blossoms is sweet, honest, and worthwhile to watch unfold. The pace is steady and I promise you, you won’t be able to put it down. I recommend this one for the romance fiction reader, but also for any Christian fiction reader that enjoys a well-rounded quality book that centers around real issues for today.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from the author, and all opinions given are entirely my own.
I enjoyed this book. I have been affected by addiction in the family so I found the situation relatable. Janet Ferguson does an incredible job of weaving different characters, each with their own complications into a messy yet encouraging story. Would recommend!
I was blessed to be an early reviewer for Janet Ferguson’s The Art of Rivers. I have always enjoyed her books but this one touched me in ways the others haven’t. I have experienced the effects of addiction up close and personal with a family member who was thankfully able to break free and remain that way for over fifteen years so far. I also have friends who have lost children to its evil grasp. I so appreciate the way the author managed to depict this subject realistically yet with compassion.
The characters were skillfully portrayed, each with events from their past that impinge on their present lives and make it difficult to trust themselves as well as others. The setting of St. Simons Island is so beautifully described that I would love to see it for myself.
I loved reading Cooper and Rivers’ story complete with each and every obstacle they encountered. At times it was heart-rending but yet was filled with faith, hope, second chances, and romance. Janet Ferguson has a masterful way with words and keen insight into what makes humans tick. I look forward to each and every novel she cares to write in the future.
I voluntarily reviewed a digital copy of this book provided by the author. A favorable review was not required. All views expressed are my own.
I enjoyed this book, It showed how anyone can and deserves a second chance.