Ruth Ann Allaire, deftly captures the season’s capacity to evoke emotions from despair to hope. Winter is a lot more than just snow and cold temperatures. It’s also a time to reflect the passage of time. In this wonderful collection of poems, Allaire laments missed opportunities and yearns for connection. But there is also humor. Readers will surely find a comparison to a squabble among birds with that of their human counterparts to strike an amusing chord. Winter in a River Beach Town, is a terrific anthology any poetry fan would enjoy adding to their collection. -Cathy Carter, Delaware Public Media and self-proclaimed expert arbiter of stuff you should know about Ruth Ann Allaire’s portrayal of the beauty fall brings gently guides the reader into the harsh realities of winter, capturing the essence of introspection that only wintertime can bring. Her charming depiction of nature evokes a sense of seeing peace and tranquility with an undercurrent of feeling, that is quite the opposite. She possesses a unique way of tugging at our heartstrings; sharing with time felt hunger, life’s lessons with such clarity that can only strengthen one’s resolve. A must read, in my humble opinion. -Teresa Mohme, author of Nature Speaks Volume To Those Who… and A daughter’s Reflection on the Suicide of Her Father Ruth Ann Allaire’s Winter in a River Beach Town illuminates the seasons of the year in a voice ripe with wisdom and reveals a life spent in keen observation and persistent hope. Using fresh images of nature, she shares a perspective of realism about human relationships in spare poems which speak volumes to her readers. The sound and rhythmic cadence of Time and Testament, just for example, provide music for a hypnotic dance in celebration of the eternal resilience of our flawed humanity. She sets in sharp relief our breath-taking, ever-changing world with the space separating us from the people we love. This is a lovely, haunting first book of poems. -Elizabeth W. Seaver, poet and artist at Water Street Studio