The Lion Women of Tehran was an incredibly emotional read for me. I finished it teary-eyed, and there were several moments throughout the novel that genuinely moved me. At times, I almost forgot I was reading about fictional characters because of how vividly the story is woven into the real history of Iran from the 1950s through the 1980s.

What captivated me most was the relationship between Ellie and Homa. Their friendship is the heart of the novel, spanning years of political upheaval, personal growth, separation, and reunion. It feels authentic in all its complexity. Through them, the novel explores joy, loyalty, jealousy, grief, love and betrayal in ways that feel deeply human. I found myself connecting with both women, even when I didn't always agree with their choices. One of the book's greatest strengths is its willingness to let its characters be imperfect without losing empathy for them.

The historical setting is equally compelling. Rather than feeling like a backdrop, Iran's changing political landscape becomes an active force in the characters' lives, shaping their opportunities, relationships, and futures. I learned a great deal about Iranian history and culture while reading, but never in a way that felt like a history lesson. Instead, these events are experienced through the lives of people you come to care about.

Beyond its historical elements, the novel explores themes of feminism, motherhood, autonomy, sacrifice, and resilience. I particularly appreciated how it portrays different kinds of strength and different ways of being a woman. There is no single path to fulfilment, activism, or courage, and the book allows its characters the space to navigate those questions for themselves.

Beautiful, devastating, hopeful, and heartbreaking, The Lion Women of Tehran is ultimately a story about friendship, about the choices that shape our lives, and about the enduring bonds that connect us to one another.

There are some cool things about this book. The magic is super interesting. One of the characters is a delight. The general atmosphere is enjoyable (enhanced by the audio book narrator being Scottish.)

Sadly, though, this book is entirely too long (or rather, not nearly enough happens to justify the length) and the ending pissed me off so much I got out of bed to come to a computer to make a 100% post with bullet points. My complaints are entirely spoilery so I wont rehash them here, but I hated it and while I was having an okay time until a certain plot point, that plot point & how it unfolds makes me feel like I wasted all the time I spent leading up to it. It wasn't satisfying to me & instead of inspiring me to pick up the next one it's inspired me to not read another Ross.

PLEASE don't make a decision based on my opinion alone, though! A lot of people love this book! The ending did work for a lot of people! It just didn't work for me.

The titular enchanted river doesn't get revealed until over 80% of the way through. Aka in the words of a friend, 'not enough rivers'.

Which in general seems to be a habit of this book - overselling on what it actually delivers.
The romance between Jack and Adaira being rivals to lovers? Much closer to childhood friends to lovers. There's even a marriage of convenience with both sides having requited unrequited feelings about accepting.
The spirits being a major obstacle? They're fairly easily dealt with actually and don't play a terribly large part in the end.
The Gaelic-inspired setting? Feels like it's mostly window dressing and an excuse for everyone to dress in plaid and eat oats a lot. Nary a ken in sight and while women can be lairds and there is some intense clan rivalry going on, it feels less Scottish than David Tennant's accent when he's playing the Doctor in Doctor Who. If this is one of the books Scots were complaining about American authors appropriating their culture, they have a right to be angry. (Though I will note that the audiobook narrator is Scottish, so I presume no pronunciations are butchered.)
The plot is also like a river - slow moving for most of the book until it rushes over rapids in the last fifth. There's a very well sign-posted reveal that I hope gets explored more in the second book, as I felt it didn't quite get the space it deserved in favour of a bigger twist.

That all being said, I did like the secondary romance a lot. There's a fair bit of non-communication between Sidra and Torrin from the start, but they grow beyond that beautifully in an appropriately mature way.

2.5 stars, graciously rounded up because it's fine and I like Frey and Sidra. It wasn't frustrating, just bland.

sighs and adds book to the "too cozy for my taste" list

I've read a few of Rebecca Ross's books in the past, but didn't feel called to read A River Enchanted until it was announced for the Pagebound 2026 Summer Readalong. I was intrigued by the premise (I always love a good fantasy with a mystery plot), and despite my typical aversion to heavier romance in fantasy, I did enjoy the Divine Rivals duology and figured I might enjoy the romance here as well. While this wasn't my favorite of Ross's books, I think it's one of those matters of taste: this is for the readers who want a cozy fantasy setting with a hint of mystery and a strong romantic presence. Unfortunately, that reader isn't me.

Jack Tamerlaine has been away from his home island, Cadence, for ten years when he receives a letter calling for his return. The sender? The heiress of the east, Adaira, Jack's childhood rival. Girls on Cadence are disappearing, and a bard who can communicate with the island's magical spirits may be the only way to find them. The plot mostly follows a mystery structure: Jack and Adaira are trying to uncover the whereabouts of the missing girls by communicating with the various kinds of spirits. However, there are some political and romantic subplots also woven throughout the story. I think the simplicity of the plot was where the book lost me. The "investigations" were spaced out, and in those in-between moments, I didn't feel like much was happening, hence the cozy vibes. Some readers will like this slower pacing and lower-stakes vibes (though the stakes are technically fairly high), but I just wasn't one of them. I liked the ending twists, even if they were somewhat predictable. That being said, I don't know that I'm invested enough in the story to continue to the next book.

Despite my struggles with the plot, I did like the characters and their dynamics. The MMC, Jack, is a soft music boy who probably listens to Hozier. I tend to prefer softer MMCs/love interests, so I really liked his character, and I enjoyed how his passion for music came across on the page. The FMC, Adaira, is a bit fiercer than Jack, which made their dynamics more appealing for me. Her role as an heiress gave her the authority she needed to make an impact on the page, but her kindness and love for her community made her easy to like. Their romance did feel a bit rushed for me, and I don't think it's anywhere close to the "rivals to lovers" arc that the blurb suggested, but I didn't mind it too much. As many other readers have noted, there is a second romantic pairing that felt more developed. Torin is the head of the guard in the east, and Sidra is a healer. They're already married, so their romance is established from the beginning, so the care they demonstrated for each other was much more appealing to me than Jack and Adaira's budding romance.

A River Enchanted is the first book in an NA fantasy duology featuring a rich Scottish setting, fairytale whimsy, and a cozy cast of characters who love their community.

3.5/5