Where the Trail Ends by Melanie Dobson

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.

"A lovely, well-paced novel with enchanting characters and surprising plot twists. This is not your typical Oregon Trail story-there is more love than loss and more hope than grief on this wagon train west. Melanie Dobson gives her readers the delight of what happens after people arrived in the Oregon territory, with the assurance that the end of the trail is really not the end after all."

-Jane Kirkpatrick, bestselling author of All Together in One Place

About the Author

Melanie Dobson has written ten contemporary and historical novels including five releases in Summerside's Love Finds You series. In 2011, two of her releases won Carol Awards: Love Finds You in Homestead, Iowa (for historical romance) and The Silent Order (for romantic suspense).

Melanie received her undergraduate degree in journalism from Liberty University and her master's degree in communication from Regent University. Prior to her writing career, Melanie was the corporate publicity manager at Focus on the Family and a publicist for The Family Channel. She later launched her own public relations company and worked in the fields of publicity and journalism for more than fifteen years.

Melanie and her family enjoy their home in the Pacific Northwest. The entire Dobson family loves to travel and hike in both the mountains and along the cliffs above the Pacific.

When Melanie isn't writing or playing with her family, she enjoys exploring ghost towns and dusty back roads, line dancing, and reading inspirational fiction.

For more about Melanie Dobson and her books, visit www.melaniedobson.com.

Here is my review of this incredible historical novel:

First of all, I would like to extend a heartfelt “Thank you” to Melanie Dobson and her publisher for sending me a copy of "Where the Trail Ends" to review for them. I am truly grateful for this generosity. I really appreciate the time, effort and expense it takes to make a reviewer copy available to me.

“Where the Trail Ends” by Melanie Dobson is a fascinating dramatization surrounding a wagon train’s travels on the Oregon Trail in the mid 1800s.  Samantha Waldron and her brother, Micah, are living a perilous life as their father steers their wagon westward.  Under the leadership of the grumpy Captain Loewe and the protection of handsome Jack Doyle, the challenges of trail life take their toll on this family and others in the caravan.  Enduring hardship is only the beginning.  Alexander Clarke’s presence at Fort Vancouver takes Samantha’s heart by surprise until she learns that he is engaged and leaving the country to marry his fiancé.

 

These talented authors have painstakingly researched these subjects to portray the most accurate stories possible.  I even did some research myself while reading the novels to verify some of their facts.  I highly recommend these two amazing books.  Each is a wonderful way to spend a weekend in front of the fire sipping cider now that the fall season is upon us.  These emotional reads have the potential to take the reader to new heights in their own relationship with God as they imagine the Lord’s planning and provision in the lives of those who really lived these adventures and translate that loving care to their own lives.