The Night on the Darling River by Darry Fraser Book Review

Posted by abakersp in Historical, Reviews / Spotlights / 1 Comment

I was in a historical kick in the month of December – not just because of review copies I needed to read, but I was just simply in the mood for them. This month, well not as much lol, but that’s the beauty of being a mood reader. Anyways…I’m glad to share another historical novel for you. Now, I want to note off the bat – there is language in this book. I skipped over the words, and am not allowing that to affect my rating. But I do want to make you aware of it, as I appreciate it when other readers do the same. Trigger warning for spousal abuse as well. Again, just letting you know just in case that’s not for you!

Okay, let’s dive in.

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About the Book

The Night on the Darling River by Darry Fraser Book ReviewThe Night on the Darling River
Author Darry Fraser
on December 1, 2024
Genres: Fiction / Historical / General

Amid the rising flood waters and shearers' strike violence, can one brave woman reclaim her future? From an Australian bestselling author comes a riveting historical adventure about one woman's journey from a life of isolation to one of love and acceptance.

1894, Echuca, Victoria

Tess Hawthorn is a woman on the run from her abusive husband. All she has to do is get on the riverboat Victor and she will be free.

But with tensions at an all-time high between unionist shearers and Scabs, Tess isn't the only person trying to board a boat under the cover of night. When a brawl erupts between the union and non-union men, Tess is mistaken for a fellow Scab and in the chaos pulled aboard the PS Rodney - the same boat heading up the Darling River that her husband was bound for.

The last person Bram Kempster expects to see on board is Tess Hawthorn, the girl he's loved from afar since they were young. But he can't afford to get distracted, not when he's on an urgent trip to Renmark. Tess didn't want him back then and, if her haughty behaviour is anything to go by, she certainly doesn't want him now.

But childhood hurts are the least of their problems. The continent is a tinderbox of violence and bloodshed waiting to ignite, and at home the Murray River is rising fast. Can they overcome their past in time to work together and survive?

Amazon | Goodreads

My Perspective

This was my first time reading a book by Darry Fraser. I appreciated her writing style – it stayed true to history, and easily transported you back in time. The pace of the story was great – I never felt like it was dragging which can sometimes be a problem with historical novels.

The plot was intriguing to me, but moreso was Tess’ journey and character arc. Fraser shows readers that there is hope, redemption, and so much potential for people no matter what they have gone through. Tess had so much to overcome. My heart went out to her as I have seen what abusive relationships can do to a women in modern day, I cannot imagine back in those days. I appreciated the way Fraser handled it.

Though parts of The Night on the Darling River were difficult to read (simply because of content, not the author’s writing ability), I found it to be inspiring and an overall great read. Please note – there is language found in this book that readers want to be aware of. For those that don’t mind strong language, I think you’ll find his a heartfelt and moving story to read.

I received a complimentary copy of this book. I was not required to write a favorable review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Rating: 3.5 out of 5.

About the Author

Darry Fraser lives on the beautiful Fleurieu Peninsula, South Australia, very close to the mighty River Murray.

Currently she writes empowering, feminist adventure fiction set in Australian history including Daughter of the MurrayWhere the Murray River RunsThe Milliner of Bendigo, and her latest release, The Nigh on the Darling River. She has been published annually with HarperCollins Australia since 2016. Visit her at www.darryfraser.com.

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One response to “The Night on the Darling River by Darry Fraser Book Review

  1. Lori Smanski

    thank you for your review. this is a new to me author and I love to read historical authors. would love to give this a good try. quilting dash lady at comcast dot net