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!

Book 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 . . .