THE BOOK THE RIVER BETWEEN HEARTS

BY HEATHER MATEUS SAPPENFIELD

Review by Lexi Reich

As a lifelong resident of the Rocky Mountains, Heather Mateus Sappenfield loves adventure, but she says her toughest trials arise in the writing of stories. A runner up for the Kraken Book Prize, her newest novel, The River Between Hearts, explores grief, loss, compassion and friendship. The characters in this book are the type that stick with readers for a long time. The heartfelt story takes place at the start of summer break when third-grader Rill Kruse’s dad goes missing in the Colorado River. The journey leads to her befriending a Mexican immigrant named Perla; the two young girls — despite being from different countries and different cultures — explore their similar experience of loss and grief together. In the end, what Rill discovers nudges her and those she loves towards healing.

Targeted to middle-grade readers, The River Between Hearts — the author’s fourth book — was released in 2022. THE heathermateussappenfield.com

Words + Photo by Kim Fuller

Spring in Western Colorado is light and playful like this lovely wine from The Ordinary Fellow. This Palisade-based winery was started by Ben Parsons, the winemaker who opened Denver’s Infinite Monkey Theorem and who is now fully displaying his skill for turning grapes into great wine. The fruit for this Riesling is sourced from their vineyards in Southwest Colorado and is fermented in Palisade. The wine is bright and acidic, balanced with lovely notes of lemon and orange blossom. Enjoy it out in the sun or snuggle up with it to complement a great novel. : theordinaryfellow.com