Between the Rivers. Carolyn R. Booth

Between the Rivers is a novel that follows 20 years of the life of Maggie Lorena Corbinn, starting in 1905 when she leaves Onslow County North Carolina to go to college in Raleigh. She is high-strung and self-absorbed, and doesn't always make the best choices. Yet the story is quite captivating. I really enjoyed the author's historical research which brought early 20th century North Carolina to life for me. One of the male love interests seems straight out of the Romance genre with his demanding ways and her weak-kneed infatuation for him, but the rest of the characters were more three-dimensional.

Ms. Booth states that many of the events portrayed in the novel are true with names changed and facts rearranged, and begs local readers not to take offense. This adds a sense of mystery which may intrigue local readers. I feel the book will be a good read for anyone from coastal Carolina who wants insight into local life a century ago. Although my grandparents aren't from North Carolina, I enjoyed reading this historic novel of romance and coming-of-age. It took me back to a much simpler time and made it compellingly real.