"Can the timeless melody of the river heal past hurts and restore joy?"
Reviewed by Viki Ferrell
Posted July 2, 2011
Romance Historical | Inspirational
The Siuslaw River in Oregon peacefully runs to the Pacific
Ocean. Anna Gunderson has returned for a few days after her
mamma's funeral. The last time she was here was when her
daddy died eight years ago. Her grandparents homesteaded on
this land when it was given back to them after they left the
reservation. Anna is half Siuslaw Indian. The old store and
home place look the same as when Anna left over twenty years
ago: no electricity and no phones. There is a generator and
indoor plumbing, but also a working outhouse. Anna needs some quiet time to reflect on her life and decide
where to go from here. Her husband was wounded, both
physically and mentally, in World War II and she was his
caretaker for ten years before he died. Their daughter is
ready to go off to college. Anna has been the slave of her
mother-in-law for years now, being told that Anna owes her
for taking care of them after Adam returned from war in such
critical condition. Can Anna go back? On a canoe trip up the river, Anna encounters Hazel
Chenowith, an anthropologist who is working on her PhD.
Hazel is very outgoing and strikes up a conversation with
Anna about her Indian heritage. She is working on her thesis
about the Siuslaw Indians and their culture. Anna invites
her to her home to look at her grandmother's artifacts and
the old legends Anna's daddy had recorded. Hazel asks to
stay for a while and tells Anna she will put in electric and
telephone if she will let her use her grandmother's cabin to
work. She also encourages Anna to convert the house, store
and cabin to an inn, similar to a bed and breakfast. Anna begins to turn the idea over in her mind. When Clark
Richards shows up on her dock to look the place over for
putting in the power and phone lines, he too encourages this
idea. It turns out that Clark is Hazel's son and is a
building contractor. He hangs around for a few weeks to see
that everything is done correctly. He is also attracted to
Anna. Where will this lead? RIVER'S SONG is a beautiful story of putting the past behind
you and moving on with your life. Set in the late 1950s, it
is a story of overcoming prejudices, a story of healing and
forgiveness in relationships. The war stole Anna's joy; can
the timeless melody of the river restore it? Will the Inn at
Shining Waters become a reality for Anna? This is the first
book in a new series by Melody Carlson. I am a fan! The
endearing characters will grab hold of you from the
beginning and won't let go. Can't wait for the second
installment!
SUMMARY
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. Her relationship with her daughter is in
shambles, and the tension between Anna and her vicious
mother-in-law escalates daily. Anna's unique family home sits on a picturesque coastal
tributary and is filled with years of memories. For the
first time since childhood, Anna embraces her native
heritage and river roots. But Anna soon learns that more
than just her past resides along the banks of the Siuslaw River. By transforming her old family home 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 . . .
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