Release date: October 1, 2026
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A near-tragic accident. A life-changing phenomenon. A calling she couldn’t foresee.
Toronto, 1914. Avery Conlon’s world turns upside down in an instant. Overhearing a comment that casts doubt on her blood ties with the mother raising her, the despairing twelve-year-old runs away—but ends up falling through a river of ice. Dragged out and on the edge of death, she awakens with secret, heightened powers of perception… and a vision of a strange woman.
Learning to navigate her new abilities to sense what others cannot, and dreaming repeatedly of a mysterious silvery boy, Avery vows to track down the truth of her past. As a young adult in the 1920s, she becomes a nurse at a hospital for the insane where her gift for healing leads to possible answers about her mother, Avery’s second sight, and whether her uncertain future can include real love.
Will Avery step into her greatest destiny?
In this enthralling narrative of one woman’s journey, author Robin Blackburn McBride explores the power of intuition and giving voice to the silenced. And as the character grows from a vulnerable young girl to a strong person seeking to take charge of her fate, readers will delight in this suspenseful tale of self-discovery and romance.
River of Dreams is a captivating work of metaphysical fiction. If you like feminist themes, historical settings, and elements of the supernatural, then you’ll treasure Robin Blackburn McBride’s enchanting story.
Advance Praise for River of Dreams
River of Dreams is a richly woven tale of a woman caught between her calling and society’s expectations. A story of family legacy, resilience, and self-discovery, it is a haunting exploration of the fine line between genius and madness, and the courage it takes to embrace the extraordinary—exceptional writing, and brilliant characterization. River of Dreams is a masterful blend of historical fiction and the supernatural that will linger in your heart long after the final page.
—Susan Doherty, award-winning author of The Ghost Garden and Monday Rent Boy
Robin Blackburn McBride’s writing possesses an exquisite blend of descriptive power and psychological insight. Her main character’s acute sensibility guides us through a riveting tale of kindred connection and an unrelenting excavation of self. Poignant and intimate, River of Dreams is a novel that makes another life as believable as your own.
—Sara Power, award-winning author of Art of Camouflage
When only a child, Annabelle Avery Conlon discovers that she has the gift of intuition when it comes to reading people’s true selves. And if that isn’t enough, she also receives visions about their past, present, and the future. She can see into a person’s heart with uncanny precision—a talent that leads her to a nursing career and a job in an asylum, where she uses her unique gifts.
A timely story for a troubled world, River of Dreams is a beautifully crafted journey of a young woman dedicated to healing minds.
—Simon Choa-Johnston, award-winning author of The House of Daughters
An enchanting and riveting read, River of Dreams tells the story of Avery, a young girl who—through a near-catastrophic accident—unlocks a mysterious gift. A powerful commentary on the systemic subjugation of women in institutionalized mental health settings, this novel is a delightfully surprising and thoroughly absorbing mash up of Call the Midwife and Medium.
—Hollay Ghadery, award-winning author of Widow Fantasies
River of Dreams is an immersive and mysterious story that follows a young woman from bafflement and longing toward a complex and wonder-filled journey of self-discovery. As she examines illusion in the mundane and seeks answers from the magical, she comes closer to fully uncovering generational gifts that threaten her sense of normalcy and, at the same time, set her free. I found so much to love in these pages.
—Jen Knox, author of Chaos Magic
River of Dreams is a beautifully rendered piece of early twentieth-century magic that leads us into the world of orphanages and sanitoriums, complex family dynamics and a slow-burning romance, clairvoyance and the rare unspoken connections between people that linger eternally. Robin Blackburn McBride has created a world so seamlessly extraordinary, readers don’t even need to suspend their disbelief. Fans of Alice Hoffman and Heather O’Neill’s The Lonely Hearts Hotel will devour her unique insights as quickly and enthusiastically as I did.
—Danila Botha, award-winning author of Things that Cause Inappropriate Happiness and A Place for People Like Us