The River Is Waiting Audiobook By Wally Lamb cover art

The River Is Waiting

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The River Is Waiting

By: Wally Lamb
Narrated by: Jeremy Sisto
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AN INSTANT NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER
OPRAH’S BOOK CLUB PICK
A USA TODAY BESTSELLER

#1 New York Times bestselling author Wally Lamb, celebrated for two prior Oprah Book Club selections, returns with an exceptional third pick, a propulsive novel following a young father grappling with unbearable tragedy as he searches for hope, redemption, and the possibility of forgiveness.

Corby Ledbetter is struggling. New fatherhood, the loss of his job, and a growing secret addiction have thrown his marriage to his beloved Emily into a tailspin. And that’s before he causes the tragedy that tears the family apart. Sentenced to prison, Corby struggles to survive life on the inside, where he bears witness to frightful acts of brutality but also experiences small acts of kindness and elemental kinship with a prison librarian who sees his light and some of his fellow offenders, including a tender-hearted cellmate and a troubled teen desperate for a role model. Buoyed by them and by his mother’s enduring faith in him, Corby begins to transcend the boundaries of his confinement, sustained by his hope that mercy and reconciliation might still be possible. Can his crimes ever be forgiven by those he loves?

©2025 Wally Lamb (P)2025 Simon & Schuster Audio Crime Fiction Genre Fiction Literary Fiction Sagas Heartfelt Tearjerking
Emotional Storytelling • Compelling Characters • Raw Authenticity • Beautiful Writing • Engaging Voice • Superb Pacing
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I’ve never NOT loved a book by Wally Lamb and this one is no exception. His characters feel completely real and I feel like I know them. Contains brutal descriptions of prison, a system which continues to fail justice today. It centers on how forgiveness can either be given or taken away, sometimes going back and forth from forgiven/unforgiven several times during a lifetime. This one, along with I Know This Much is True, are my absolute favorites. I look forward to Wally Lamb’s next masterpiece.

Forgiveness

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Beautifully written and narrated. This is a story and characters that I will not forget. Intense, sad and uplifting, highly recommend.

Real

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Absolutely loved this book! Looking forward to reading more by Wally Lamb in the future

Absolutely loved this book!

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WOW..... Where do I begin and then end with my review. All I can say in between is a MUST READ!! I couldn't quit listening. Car, working around the yard, cleaning. The characters are so well written I feel like I know each one personally. Keep your tissues handy. Thank you for such a great book and emotional read.

Couldn't Put Down

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So sad, absolutely heartbreaking but thought provoking. But there for the grace of god go I

Haunting

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Wally Lamb does it again. The story was great. So many detailed descriptions that brought you right into the happenings. The narrator was excellent….not over done which is what I find often and off putting with some. He let the story tell itself which was much appreciated. I would recommend this book for sure.

Wonderful story

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Wally Lamb writes another book that will stay with me for life. So much sorrow in this book, on the verge of tears multiple times

Heart wrenching

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This book was awesome. the narrator was on point. the ending was a tough thing.

Intriguing

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This book left me reeling. It was beautifully written and told but such a painful story.

Painful but beautiful

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I don’t think I’ve finished a book as fast as this one. Yea, it gets a little political towards the end with COVID and Trump but it’s easy to ignore.

Such a great story.

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