Book feature Romance

Where the River Bends: Queer Small-Town Romance with Real Roots

Finding home, love and chosen family beside a stubborn river.

~5 min read
Published 4 Nov 2025

In this IndieBookStories feature, Jonah Reyes lifts the curtain on the origin of "Where the River Bends" – why it had to be written, and the moment real life collided with fiction.

Inside the story

Why this story had to exist

Every book on IndieBookStories.com starts with a feeling. For Where the River Bends, it was the sense that something important was being forgotten – a dream, a choice, a version of yourself that never quite made it into daylight.

In this origin story, Jonah Reyes shares:

  • The real-world moment that sparked the first scene
  • The fears, questions and "what ifs" that shaped the characters
  • How indie publishing gave them permission to tell the story their way

What readers can expect

If you pick up Where the River Bends, expect:

  • A small-town love story about second chances.
  • A tone that feels 5 minutes deep-dive rather than a quick skim
  • A journey that stays with you long after the last page

Ready to discover the book behind the story?

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