Book Review: Where the Trail Ends by Melanie Dobson

About the Book: A young woman traveling the Oregon Trail in 1842 must rely on a stranger to bring her to safety. But whom can she trust with her heart?

For two thousand miles along the trail to Oregon Country, Samantha Waldron and her family must overcome tremendous challenges to reach the Willamette Valley before winter. Together they weather autumn storms, hunger and thirst, and the dangers of a wild and unfamiliar country. But when their canoe capsizes on the Columbia River, they must rely on handsome British exporter Alexander Clarke to rescue them from the icy water.

Alex escorts Samantha and her young brother, Micah, to Fort Vancouver. There Samantha is overwhelmed with men vying for her affections, but the only one who intrigues her-Alex-is the one she cannot have. When his betrothed arrives unexpectedly from England to escort him home, Samantha becomes determined to create a home for herself and Micah in the fertile valley far away from the fort. But how will an unmarried woman support herself and her brother in the wilderness alone? 

Then Micah disappears into the wilderness one rainy night, and Samantha must rely on the man she loves-the man she’s trying desperately to forget-to rescue her brother before it’s too late.

My Thoughts: Another book from the American Tapestry Series, Where the Trail Ends is a fascinating novel set mainly along the Oregan Trail.  Though I've never been a huge American/Canadian history fan, I have always been very interested in the stories of the pioneer's themselves - not the discoverers, but the every day people who made the incredibly difficult trip west in search of a better life.

This novel was very well written and, despite obviously never experiencing anything remotely close to this myself, I was able to really connect with the characters and the many hardships they experienced along the way.  I really loved the character of Samantha as I tend to like spirited, intelligent and determined women and she was certainly that!  

One thing I was disappointed in was that the synopsis of the book revealed far too much of the plot.  I know this isn't a suspense novel, but I still prefer not to know so many details ahead of time.  

One thing I really liked was how one situation was resolved (won't give it away) by God setting things into motion months ahead of time - His sovereignty always amazes me and I loved how that worked out practically in the lives and relationships of this novel.

Thank you to Litfuse Publicity for organizing this tour and providing me with my complimentary review copy.