The River Muse

A French chateau.

A forest with secrets.

A magical spring.

Welcome to La Chanson, where lost souls are found again…

From the author of The Alchemy of Flowers comes a tale of lost selves, ages-old secrets, and how we can reclaim our truest voices through love, music, and a touch of magic.

When singer-songwriter Callie Byrd escapes her ex-partner and takes refuge with her young daughter in small-town France, she reclaims her voice, power, and second chances at friendship and love.

Coming on May 12, 2026 with Harper Muse/HarperCollins, in paperback original, ebook, and audiobook.

More about The River Muse

At the brink of summer, Callie arrives in a secluded village in the South of France with her young daughter, after barely escaping her menacing ex-partner. Desperate to hide, she rents a cottage on the grounds of the Chateau of the Lost. Her new home sings with flowing water, rustling olive trees, and whispering poppies—an otherworldly nook of hidden magic. Little by little, she warms to her quirky neighbors—a witchy landlady, an acclaimed truffle hunter, his kind veterinarian son, and their lovable dogs. Oh, and a mischievous ghost boy.

Slowly but surely, her new friends help her discover herself again. Years earlier, she gave up music at the insistence of her ex, but as she reclaims her voice, everyone finds that her songs open hearts and heal old wounds. When her ex tracks her down, the stakes grow deadly, and she must tap into her most powerful self to protect her newfound family.

Whimsical and atmospheric, The River Muse will enchant readers with its myth and music—showing how we can find friendship, love, and our truest selves in the most unexpected places.

Coming on May 12, 2026 with Harper Muse | HarperCollins

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Praise for The River Muse

“Fans of Sarah Addison Allen’s magical novels will rejoice over Laura Resau’s The River Muse. This fanciful tale unfolds in the South of France as a woman escapes a dangerous relationship, intending to hide away in a charming cottage and instead, rediscovers her own creativity, and befriends a quirky cast of characters that inspire the courage to fight for a new life for herself and her daughter. At the Chateau of the Lost, a place where magic abounds in both music and nature, lost souls find their way and good things are still possible. Even the most unexpected second chances.”

— Kimberly Brock, award-winning author of The Fabled Earth

“Laura Resau knows how to capture the heart as well as the senses, deftly balancing rich characters, lush settings, and a little bit of magic with the painful reality of leaving an abusive relationship. Evocative, unflinching, and emotionally generous, The River Muse brings readers deep into its world and offers a gift as powerful as the mythic carnyx: a resonant story of finding a path toward healing, finding a family, and finding one's voice.”

— Amy Rossi, author of The Cover Girl

“As she did in THE ALCHEMY OF FLOWERS, Laura Resau has crafted another enthralling, transportive, and heartfelt story in THE RIVER MUSE. Infused with subtle touches of magic and set against the sumptuous backdrop of Southern France, the story unfolds with the same lyrical dreaminess as La Chanson, the mystical river that draws Callie to its shores. The novel deals with the toll psychological domestic abuse has on Callie and her young daughter, but that subject's weightiness is deftly balanced by the healing forces of the found family and friends Callie discovers at the mystical Chateau of the Lost. Secondary characters like a mercurial "wine witch," a restless young ghost, and the handsome but troubled Luc add richness to the story's layers as their pasts become entangled with Callie's present. At its core, this is a tale about healing and courage, about facing the demons that haunt you so that you can remember who you were always meant to be. THE RIVER MUSE is as savory as a warm croissant, as rich and satisfying as a haunting melody, or a perfectly-paired wine.”

—Suzanne Nelson, author of The Librarians of Lisbon

“The River Muse is brimming with gaiety and delight, in both plot and in place, and yet this novel does not shy away from the very real dangers of escaping an unhealthy relationship. As the protagonist – and an entire community — gather their strength to stand up to dark forces, we see the power of resolve and resilience. To borrow a line from the book, this work is “A song. . .  A song beyond space and time.” It is a song, calling to us all: Be delighted by the world while simultaneously standing up for one another.

— Laura Pritchett, author of Three Keys