Time is a River - Mary Alice Monroe

This is the second book I’ve read from All You’s Book Club. Once again, it was a winner!

Time is a River is about a woman named Mia and her life as a breast cancer survivor, newly divorced woman, persistent fly fisher-woman, and investigator of sorts. Mia is from Charleston, SC. After she was diagnosed with cancer, her marriage with her husband fizzled – he couldn’t deal with her disease and the hardships that went along with the treatment. Mia was convinced that because she was no longer his ‘trophy wife’ once the cancer came, this spawned his cheating. What a weak, sad jerk!

Fortunately, Mia had a loving sister who sent her away on a trip for survivors of cancer called Casting For Recovery. This was a group about teaching women how to fly fish. There she met her fishing guide, Belle Carson. After Mia discovered her husband was cheating on her, it was Belle who reached out to give Mia a hand. Belle offered Mia the chance to stay at her fishing cabin near a small town called Watkins Cove. Mia arrived at the fishing cabin as a disheveled and fragile woman – a fresh cancer survivor, but also a wounded woman after the discovery of her husband’s infidelity. It was in this cabin that Mia’s outlook on life completely changed, thanks to a town’s legacy of an independent woman named Kate Watkins. The cabin Mia was staying in needed a thorough cleaning, and during that process she came across some diaries written by Kate and her father. It turns out that the cabin was owned by Kate, who ended up being Belle’s grandmother! Through the stories in these diaries Mia finds comfort, strength and perseverance to turn her life around. Additionally, Mia learns that Kate’s life holds such a strong legacy in Watkins Cove because Kate was the center of a murder investigation. The majority of the book focuses on Mia’s investigation of Kate’s life to find out what really happened in this alleged murder case.

And what story wouldn’t be complete without some romance? As Mia spends her summer in Watkins Cove, she meets Stuart MacDougal – a construction worker/engineer/architect who is working in the area. They share a love of fly fishing and the relationship blossoms from there.

I liked this book because it talked about fishing, which made me think of Joel who LOVES fishing, so anything that makes me think of him makes me happy! I also liked the storyline – circumstances that are sadly true to life in today’s world, and also how this woman picked herself back up and overcame it all. While at most times I did not find the book a page turner per se, it was still well written.

I give it a 3.5 out of 5.

In other book news, for those Twilight fans out there, Stephanie Meyer’s famous book will be available in a graphic form. While I love Twilight, I will not be buying in to this latest Twi-craze.

Did you read Atonement? I did, last year I believe, and while it graced Hollywood recently, it will now be gracing opera houses near you. It appears that England, Germany and the US are all considering co-producing it, and it could be out as early as 2013.

Next up on the book list is Three Cups of Tea! Happy Reading!