The River Runs South - by Audrey Ingram (Paperback)

About the Book

When Camille Taylor's husband dies unexpectedly, the carefully constructed life she worked so hard to build in Washington, DC, shatters. After struggling for almost a year, she reaches a breaking point, packs up her daughter, and heads for the Alabama coast where she grew up. The salt air and slow rhythms of the coast soothe Camille's spirit, but when she meets local fisherman Mack Phillips, she learns that things have changed in her hometown. Runoff from an abandoned development site is polluting the water, and Mack has brought a suit against the site's owners--Camille's father among them.

Book Synopsis

This transporting and illuminating debut novel will resonate with readers who have ever felt a little bit lost, perfect for fans of Kristy Woodson Harvey and Linda Holmes.

Exploring love, loss, and the courage of starting over fresh, this novel will appeal to readers on the hunt for emotionally rich fiction.

When Camille Taylor's husband dies unexpectedly, the carefully constructed life she worked so hard to build in Washington, DC, shatters. After struggling for almost a year, she reaches a breaking point, packs up her daughter, and heads for the Alabama coast where she grew up.

The salt air and slow rhythms of the coast soothe Camille's spirit, but when she meets local fisherman Mack Phillips, she learns that things have changed in her hometown. Runoff from an abandoned development site is polluting the water, and Mack has brought a suit against the site's owners--Camille's father among them.

Battling her own fears for the fragile ecosystem of her beloved Mobile Bay, Camille joins her father's defense team, but the more she learns, the more she wonders if she's landed on the right side of the fight. Meanwhile, Camille is slowly drawn to Mack's fearless resolve, his sterling ideals, and finally to the man himself.

Faced with blurred lines between right and wrong, Camille must decide for herself what the next chapter of her life will bring.

With timely commentary on Alabama's fragile ecosystem and exploring themes of grief, love, and community, The River Runs South will appeal to southern fiction readers on the hunt for the nostalgia of Sweet Home Alabama.

Review Quotes

Praise for The River Runs South
"The River Runs South captivated me from page one. I love stories where the location is almost a separate character, and Fairhope, Alabama really shines here. Camille's journey through the grief process after losing her husband never seemed predictable, and I felt a strong connection to Camille's daughter Willa, her parents Marion and Sam, and especially Mack Phillips, the charismatic local fisherman. Layered and nuanced, this is a great Southern tale."
--Tracey Garvis Graves, New York Times bestselling author of Heard It in a Love Song.

"Lovers of luscious prose and fans of ecofiction will flock to Audrey Ingram's moving Alabama-set tale. A story of second chances, motherhood, and the fragility of our environment, The River Runs South is a must read for anyone who has ever needed a fresh start. An unforgettable debut by a standout new voice in southern fiction."
--Kristy Woodson Harvey, New York Times bestselling author of The Summer of Songbirds

"In the great tradition of Southern fiction, Audrey Ingram's The River Runs South captivated me from the first page. Filled with well developed characters and written in lush, poetic prose, it is the story of one woman's journey through grief into finding herself and becoming the woman she wants to be. I read it in two days! An absolute must for lovers of book club fiction."
--Anita Hughes, author of Christmas at the Lake

About the Author

Audrey Ingram is a native of Alabama and a graduate of Middlebury College and Georgetown University Law Center. She practiced law in Washington, DC for fifteen years. When not writing, she can be found digging in her garden or hiking the Blue Ridge mountains. Audrey currently lives in Virginia with her husband and three children.