Review: River's Song

River's Song - The Inn at Shining Waters Series

About the Book:

Following her mother’s funeral, and on the verge of her own midlife crisis, widow Anna Larson returns to the home of her youth to sort out her parents’ belongings, as well as her own turbulent life.

For the first time since childhood, Anna embraces her native heritage, despite the disdain of her vicious mother-in-law. By transforming her old family home on the banks of the Siuslaw River into The Inn at Shining Waters, Anna hopes to create a place of healing—a place where guests experience peace, grace, and new beginnings. Starting with her own family . . . 

My Comments:

Melody Carlson has a winner here.  I loved watching Anna grow from a fearful daughter-in-law to successful business woman and loved wife.  I loved watching her grow in self-confidence.  I cringed for her during her interactions with her mother-in-law and daughter.  I rejoiced as she reconnected with old friends and made new ones on the river.  

The book is Christian fiction but Jesus is never mentioned.  God is, a little.  Anna's husband always prays before meals.  It is mentioned that Anna's grandmother was Christian--but only in the sense that some anthropologist did not consider her to be a true source of Indian culture since she had adopted Christianity.  The most overly religious part of the book had to be with forgiveness, but there is no real discussion of the Christian command to forgive; rather it is pointed out that those who can't forgive generally hurt themselves more than the one they refuse to forgive.

This is part one of a series but it stands alone well, with this book having a happy ending and no real cliff-hanger.  

I'd like to thank the publisher for making a review copy available via NetGalley.  I was not obligated to write any review, much less a positive one. Grade:  A-