🐉RATING: 🔥🔥🔥🔥/5 Have you ever participated in a read-along with the book’s author? What a treat! I read A River Enchanted over the course of three weeks, and each Saturday I was able to tune in for IG Live sessions with Rebecca Ross. For each of the three book sections, Ross answered questions and shared about her experience writing the book. A River Enchanted is set on the magical isle of Cadence. This Scottish-inspired world is strictly divided between the Tamerlaines in the East and the Breccans in the West. And both clans are susceptible to the whims of the folk - spirits of fire, water, earth, and wind. I loved everything about this story. The spirits are both whimsical and terrifying. The romance is swoon-worthy. Every character is fully developed and the relationships (between husband and wife, mother and son, brother and sister) are well written and realistic. The book also includes one of my favorite tropes: estranged adult child returns home. If you read my last review, you know I enjoyed Spells for Forgetting by Adrienne Young. The most common criticism I heard of that book was that readers wanted more magic. As I read A River Enchanted, I kept thinking that *this* is the book those readers wanted. The two books have much in common - disgruntled son returns after long absence, magical island, and a mystery to solve. But Spells is at its heart a small-town murder mystery while River is a rich fantasy with intricate world-building. After finishing A River Enchanted, I was able to dive right into the sequel, A Fire Endless. The first book focuses primarily on the Tamerlaines in the East, while the second fully reveals Breccan life in the West. I’m more than half way through and loving the contrast between the two societies. Hope to share a full review soon! ❓Do you like to read duologies and trilogies back to back? Or do you take a break in between? #ariverenchanted #rebeccaross #fantasybooks #fantasyreader #fantasyduology #bookreview #bookrecommendations #bookstagram https://www.instagram.com/p/Cl6j1jDLUjx/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=