Review of River's Song by Melody Carlson

River’s Song

By Melody Carlson

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 Oregon’s 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…

The story begins with Anna returning home after her mother’s funeral in 1959. She hasn’t been home in nearly 20 years. She left and eloped when she was just 19 with her first love; however, her fairy tale marriage went down hill fast. Her mother-in-law hates her because she is part Indian and calls her ‘squaw’ for most of her life. Her husband went off to war and was severely injured. He came home alive but had to be taken care of around the clock by Anna. After nursing him for 12 years he finally succumbs to his injuries and dies. By then Anna is living in her in-laws home with her daughter Lauren. Anna is turned into virtually a live in slave to her mother-in-law and is even being treated that way by her teenage daughter. The story details Anna’s life from when she was a little girl to the present. She finds the peace she is looking for in her life back at her parent’s home and finds a way through various friends and opportunities to stay on the river. 

This story is full of emotion – fear, sadness, anger, bigotry, and of course love. It is heart-wrenching in some parts but over all it is a story about coming home. Coming home to that place of peace within yourself.  This is a great read and will leave you wanting more. And there is more coming – this is a series book and the next one will be out soon. I can’t wait because this definitely leaves it with a cliffhanger.  I give this book 4 stars.

Thanks to Glass Road PR for the opportunity to review this book!