S. F. Prescott

A moving story about family, love, and loss.

JESSICA BRYANT KLAGMANN studied writing in Fairbanks, Alaska. Every good idea she’s ever had came while running, so she tries to stay within sight of a mountain or canyon trail at all times. She lives with her husband and two kids in northern New Mexico.

Jessica’s work has been published in environmental journals like Whitefish Review, Terrain.org, and others. Her debut novel, THIS IMPOSSIBLE BRIGHTNESS, was published in 2024.

NORTH OF THE SUNLIT RIVER will be out 9/9/2025.

This isn’t my usual genre, but once I started reading North of the Sunlit River by Jessica Bryant Klagmann, the characters pulled me in immediately. I loved getting to know each one, and understanding how their relationships intertwined. The scenes were thoughtful and smart, the relationships moving, tugging on every emotion. The most surprising one being between Vern and his estranged family. I must admit, learning his story made me so angry toward the end of the book, but I was saved by one of the other central relationships. (Thank you, Jessica!)

The setting was one of my favorite details and I found myself rereading passages describing the beautiful landscape and wildlife. The descriptions were vivid and made the overall experience enjoyable in a way I don’t normally get to appreciate in other genres. The pace was steady, Klagmann’s voice strong, and I loved the multi-POVs. It created a lot more depth between the characters and kept me turning the pages. Specific moments I remember (besides Vern’s confession to Sadie) were Eila’s memories of Jackson by the river at the beginning of the book, the kaleidoscopic of color made by the bees, and the moment in the river when Eila and one of the caribou locked eyes. This is such a wonderful book and I can’t wait to read This Impossible Brightness.

For readers who enjoy stories about complex relationships, gorgeous settings, and endings that inspire hope.

Synopsis:

Eila Jacobsen is adrift, reeling from her father’s recent death and still suffering from the loss of her best friend. When invited to join a research trip to a remote part of Alaska, she takes the chance to refocus her life and perhaps unravel the mystery behind the dwindling caribou population.

But as Eila buries herself in data, she stumbles across something remarkable. Concealed in the pages of her father’s journal is a discovery with life-changing possibilities. So why was it abandoned?

Unable to ignore its potential, Eila ventures deeper into the Alaskan tundra in search of healing and answers. But she’s not the only one in need of a new beginning, and she’s not the only one looking.

Pursued across the landscape and haunted by secrets, Eila presses on, unearthing the regrets of those closest to her, and revealing the joy and forgiveness that bind them together.