My Review of River's Song

Here's a description of the book from the author's website:

"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 . . ."

My Rating: Spring/Summer

My Review:

If you're looking for a gentle read with an admirable heroine who has a powerful heritage, then look no farther than River's Song. This book is a celebration of one woman's Native American background, as well as her courage to seek independence and choose a path of peace and forgiveness. It's a lovely story full of hope and and the joy of community.

Anna is a middle-aged woman breaking free from an unhealthy bondage to her mother-in-law by returning to the river of her childhood after her mother's death. She re-connects with some of her old family friends and also makes a new, rather unique friend named Hazel, an older woman who is researching the Native American history of the area. From these friendships blossoms a new dream for the future, taking Anna on an unexpected journey.

The journey is a bit slow-paced, but in a meandering-canoe-ride-along-the-river sort of way. While there's a lot of back-story at the beginning and throughout the rest of the novel, I enjoyed the characterizations and the heroine's grandmother's stories. And if I ever go about setting up a B & B, I think this book offers a lot of great tips regarding design and other details involved in constructing an inn!

River's Song is a delightful summer read, with interesting characters, important lessons, and even some romance. And to complete the package, what the cover image online doesn't show is that this book is a softcover book (which I love the feel of), and the back cover is very pretty, too!

*With thanks to the publisher and Glass Road PR for providing me with a copy of the book in exchange for my honest opinion. My apologies for the delay in finishing the book and posting my review!*