A River Enchanted
A River Enchanted is the first novel in Rebecca Ross's adult fantasy duology Elements of Cadence, published in 2022 after a successful young-adult career. The book is set on the small fictional Scottish-flavored island of Cadence, divided down its central river between two clans: the Tamerlaine of the east and the Breccan of the west. Magic on Cadence is older than the clans, lived as a constant low conversation between humans and the four elemental spirits of earth, water, air, and fire. Jack Tamerlaine has been studying music on the mainland for ten years when his clan summons him home. Young girls from the eastern clan have begun to disappear from coastal villages and only a bard with the harp gift can sing the spirits a question they will answer. The unwilling diplomat sent to greet him at the harbor is Adaira Tamerlaine, the heiress, his oldest rival, and one of the very few people on either side of the island able to keep up with him. Ross writes a slow, wintry, dual-perspective fantasy of folk magic and homecoming.
Where A River Enchanted keeps showing up
One of our editors' lists features this novel.
What you might want to know about A River Enchanted
The questions readers send us most often, answered without spoilers.
A young bard returns to her windswept home isle to investigate a string of disappearances among the clan's daughters. Her childhood rival, now laird, is the one who summoned her back.
A River Enchanted was written by Rebecca Ross and published in 2022 by HarperVoyager. It is the first book in her Elements of Cadence duology, followed by A Fire Endless.
A River Enchanted is closer to romantic fantasy than romantasy, with slow-burn romance and minimal explicit content. Most readers rate the spice 1 to 2 out of 5.
A River Enchanted is closer to romantic fantasy than romantasy, with slow-burn romance and minimal explicit content. Most readers rate the spice 1 to 2 out of 5.
A River Enchanted is 244 pages in standard print editions, though page counts vary slightly between hardcover, paperback, and large-print formats.
At an average reading pace of about 250 words per minute, A River Enchanted takes most readers 4 to 5 hours to finish.
A River Enchanted is a standalone novel by Alban Bacon, not part of a series.
A River Enchanted is available in hardcover, paperback, ebook, and audiobook formats from Amazon, Bookshop.org, ThriftBooks, and most major bookstores.
