River's End by Melody Carlson

This is the last novel in this series of The Inn at Shining Waters. If you have not read the other two, you will miss the meaning of much of the story line.

In this novel, Sarah returns to the river. She has been in a religious commune and has suffered because of it. Anna tries to help her become whole again.

The relationship is difficult between Sarah and her mom, Lauren, who is also at the Inn. Sarah can only remember the hurts her mom caused when she had been addicted to drugs. Even though Lauren has changed, Sarah refuses to see her. When the two do come in contact, Sarah runs away again.

This novel was the slowest in the trilogy. It takes place during the era of the Jonestown Massacre so you learn much about religious communes of that era, especially in Oregon. I did find the plot repetitive and slow. There is much thinking by the characters that I felt really bogged the story down. The ending was very predictable.

Abingdon Press, 320 pages.

I received a complimentary galley of this book from the publisher for the purpose of this review.