Thirty-One‑year‑old Talia L’Amore never asked to be chosen by the ancient Murray River, or to inherit the shattered Heart that once kept its magic alive. But when the river begins to fracture, its memories twisting into shadows, Talia is pulled into a world beneath the water where the past breathes, the future bleeds, and nothing stays buried for long. With the fierce river‑guide Nari‑Ka and her chaotic best friend Patrick, Talia journeys through drowned libraries, echoing caverns, and the river’s darkest currents. But the river isn’t the only one keeping secrets. Kael, the quiet young man who has always stood just out of reach, carries a wound the river remembers, and the Hollow, the river’s oldest fear, wants him for itself. As the Heart awakens inside her, Talia faces an impossible truth: to save the river, she may have to lose the boy she loves or To save him, she may have to let the river die. But Talia refuses to repeat the First Guardian’s mistakes. She will not choose fear. She will not choose sacrifice. She will choose a new path, even if it breaks her. A sweeping young adult fantasy set along the Australian River Murray, The Heart of the River is a story of friendship, courage, first love, and the power of choosing who you become.