“Shelley Read's lyrical voice is a force of nature, and when she lends it to a woman leading a hardscrabble life in rural Colorado, the result is tragic, uplifting–and completely unforgettable.”—Bonnie Garmus, international bestselling author of Lessons in Chemistry

“With delicate precision, Read evokes both Colorado’s rugged wilderness and the landscapes of her characters’ troubled hearts. An auspicious debut.”—Kirkus Reviews, Starred Review

“A key title for 2023…This soaring, compassionate tale of female resilience is set against a breath-taking picture of our natural world– its trees and mountains and light.”—London Independent

“A story of love and independence, sacrifice and one woman’s quest to set the past right, Go as a River flows easily and unforgettably.” —Amazon Editors’ Pick, Top 20 Debuts of 2023

“With gorgeous descriptions of the great outdoors, an illicit love story, and an unforgettable protagonist, Go as a River offers something for everyone.”—Real Simple Magazine

“A striking first novel of love and strength and growth, set against the forests and rivers of Colorado’s high country. Read is a gifted writer, and the book is a literary triumph.”—Denver Post

“Remarkable…a delightful and poignant historical read…poetic and well crafted. A story of love and loss, and the resilience of the human spirit to continue moving forward, just as a river flows.”—Colorado Public Radio, Books We Love 2023 & Turn the Page statewide read

"In this lyrical debut novel, a ‘small fateful twist’ overtakes an isolated young woman seeking the courage and resilience to keep flowing forward, as a river, against all obstacles. Read, a fifth-generation Coloradan, draws characters and settings with period authenticity, stunning imagery, and deft metaphors.”—Booklist

“Shelley Read has written a splendid American Gothic tale of a young woman broken by circumstances who must find a way to forgive before she can love. Victoria Nash is a character for the ages as she navigates loss and despair on the road to redemption… Go as a River is a stunning debut set in the soul of the American dream.”—Adriana Trigiani, international bestselling author of The Good Left Undone

“Shelley Read’s devastatingly beautiful debut, Go as a River, delivers so very much: the tenderness and curiosity of young love, the eternal pangs of loss, the brutality of racism, the sustaining power of nature even in the face of man’s destruction, and the precarious miracle of a mother’s love. Suffused with wisdom and compassion, this shattering testimony to life is one to be savored, treasured, shared.”—Meg Waite Clayton, international bestselling author of The Postmistress of Paris

“Completely spellbinding, vivid, and luminous.”—Jane Green, New York Times bestselling author of Sister Stardust

“A compelling tale of love blighted by bigotry, and a dauntless heroine fighting back against insuperable odds. She had me racing to bed so I could read another chapter.”—Patrick Gale, Sunday Times bestselling author of Take Nothing With You

“A gorgeous debut novel.”—Saturday Evening Post

“Read has a lovely writing style and wields it well…a rich and vivid work of fiction full of deep longing and compelling emotion.”—Book Reporter

“Go as a River is a lyrical debut full of love, loss, and courage that will carve its mark on your heart.”—Barnes & Noble

“A beautiful debut novel…Go as a River is the story of one woman’s strength and resilience.”—5280 Magazine

“Go as a River radiates a calm wonder at the natural world as it explores themes of love, loss and resilience on Colorado’s Western Slope.” —Alta Magazine

“Read makes a dramatic debut with this atmospheric historical fiction… lush detail and lyrical writing transport listeners to the Colorado wilderness. An engaging and emotional listening experience.”—Library Journal, Starred Audio Review

“Evocative…moving…fascinating. Through lush imagery of the natural world, Go as a River shows the possibility of growing in the most challenging circumstances, the power that flows through us, and how the natural world can give us the strength to keep on going.”—The Daily Mail i Newspaper (UK)

“A lush, beautiful, strong book. It took me on such a transformative life journey. I could not put it down.”—Clover Stroud, Sunday Times bestselling author of My Wild and Sleepless Nights

“In Go as a River, Shelley Read delivers a heartbreaking and uplifting tale of a girl becoming a woman in a man’s world. Young Victoria Nash is as tough and resilient as the Colorado mountains where she takes refuge, and as tender as the peaches that are her family legacy. Book clubs will love this redemptive story.”—Tiffany Quay Tyson, author of Colorado Book Award Finalist The Past Is Never

“A terrific debut. We loved this book and we think you will too.”—Charlie and Kate Gibson, ABC News The Bookcase

“A tremendous debut. Lyrically written with an atmospheric sense of time and place.”—Culturefly

“From the first sentence of Go As a River, masterfully-crafted language unfolds into a story of deep love in the midst of prejudice, as it illustrates resilience, friendship and finding a sense of home.”—Aspen Times

“As beautiful as it is devastating.”—Library Journal

“At a time when we’ve become so disconnected to the natural world and, in the process, to ourselves, encountering Go as a River by Shelley Read is a gift…Let us all read Go as a River, let’s intimately learn of Victoria in all her complexity, and let’s all reawaken the kind of empathy that seems to elude so much of our discourse, but which we all yearn for so deeply.”—Mitchell Kaplan, Books & Books

"The way in which the rivers flow, the land gives and takes back, and how these things shape Victoria's life and livelihood are beautiful. It is such a redemptive story, despite the heartache.”—Anne Youngson, author of Costa First Novel finalist Meet at the Museum

“An extraordinary story of fate, determination and love. Gorgeous, and beautifully written, your heart will break for all Victoria has to lose and mend with all that she has to find.” —Marianne Cronin, author of The One Hundred Years of Lenni and Margot

“Filled with lush writing and scenic passages that will transport readers into the landscapes, Shelley Read has written a gorgeous book of historical fiction. It is a love letter to Colorado history and the land we occupy.”—Adam Vitcavage, Tattered Cover Bookstore

“A tender, beautiful, beautiful novel. I loved it.”—Utah Public Radio, Anne Holman of King’s English Bookshop

“A spellbinding and devastatingly beautiful coming-of-age story of a young woman who is broken by tragedy but perseveres, set against the forests and rivers of Colorado.”—Zibby Owens, Moms Don’t Have Time to Read Books podcast

 “This beautiful coming-of-age story will stay with me for a very long time. I loved everything about it and cannot wait for everyone else to read it…A stunning debut…I couldn’t put it down.”—Cindy Burnette, Thoughts From A Page podcast

“Drawing on her family’s history in Colorado, Read crafts a stunning, unique and time period appropriate coming-of-age narrative told in intimate first person…This debut novel is a gem to be enjoyed by anyone interested in Americana, Colorado history and lives that matter.” —Durango Herald

“This is one of the more well-crafted stories I’ve read in ages…everything just fits seamlessly into a meticulously woven river of prose. I am a native of the Gunnison Country, and any writer who sets a novel there has to meet a high bar with me…Shelley Read not only gets it right, she’s dead on…A beautifully written, captivating story.”—Colorado Sun, Marya Johnston of Out West Books

“One of the most anticipated books of the year. Shelley brings so much of what is special about Colorado to this beautiful book…it’s a book that meant so much to me.”—Carol Fitzgerald, Book Reporter Talks To podcast

“Shelley Read is a master at capturing emotion and immersing the reader in the setting and storyline…Instantly relatable and immersive, this is a must read!”—The Gloss Book Club

“A stunning, unforgettable debut…I absolutely love being stunned by an author’s début novel. Shelley Read’s Go as a River did exactly that. I am in awe of her gift with language. My copy will remain on my shelf for future rereads as part of an elite collection.”—Sandy Mahaffey, Fredericksburg Free Lance-Star

“(An) astonishing debut novel. This is a story of loss, and courage. Rather than witnessing the appalling and cruel events that shape the life of the main character, we are carried along as part of her in her journey…In the end, there is solace and comfort that is graciously found.”—Colorado Sun, Jefferey Payne of Poor Richard’s Bookstore

“Beautiful, lyrical, vivid…full of wisdom…a powerful love story with an unforgettable heroine at its heart.”—S Magazine (Canada)