Today is the eighteenth birthday of Anna Richard's granddaughter. Anna wishes they could all celebrate it with Sarah. Sarah ran away two years ago and no one has seen nor heard from her since. As Anna is pondering this sad scenario, a boat approaches the dock of Inn at Shinning Waters, Anna's inn, and the homestead of her ancestors, the Siuslaw Indians. She recognizes the young boy driving the boat, but not his passenger. As they come closer, Anna realizes it is Sarah, thin and pale, but her beloved granddaughter has returned.

Anna and her husband Clark, along with Anna's daughter, Lauren (Sarah's mother) are all delighted to see her. But Sarah is not delighted to see Lauren. There are bad feelings between the two of them. Lauren was not much of a mother to Sarah and Sarah doesn't want to have anything to do with her. This hurts Lauren, but she understands what a mess she made of her own life. She's just glad to have Sarah back safely.

Things seem to be progressing, getting Sarah acclimated and helping out at the inn, as long as she and Lauren steer clear of each other. Sarah had been living in a commune, but a change of leadership at the commune caused some to break away. That's why Sarah left and returned home. But while Anna is gone one day, Sarah and Lauren have words with each other in the dining hall. The next morning, Anna discovers that Sarah has run away again. Her search for Sarah leads her to the skiff Sarah took, tied up at a neighbor's dock, with a note saying she would not be returning again and how sorry she was that things turned out this way. But Anna is determined to find her.

RIVER'S END is the last of The Inn at Shining Waters series by Melody Carlson. The trilogy spans the years from when Anna returned to her family's home on the river, some fifty years ago, to the present day. It's a beautiful picture of how people's lives are influenced by those who have come before them and the importance of family and belonging. RIVER'S END is a story of strong sustainable love, of forgiveness and change. Each of the characters learns that they have to let go and let their loved ones "paddle their own canoes," because you can't fix someone else's problems. This is truly an inspirational, historical tale that will thrill your heart and teach you many valuable life lessons. Don't miss this story or the whole series.