"A powerfully emotional and beautifully written story of heartbreaking loss and undying love"
He was a fishing guide and struggling artist from... read full description
He was a fishing guide and struggling artist from... read full description
reviews
Aug 25, 2008
Kimberly
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I have read a number of touching and beautiful love stories, but "Where The River Ends" is in a class all of its own. A friend of mine had recommended I try one of Charles Martin's books after finding out how much I love Nicholas Sparks. His style was similar but also distinct. I found myself marking page after page of quotes I didn't want to forget - but in reality, I'd quote the entire book here because the whole thing was so deeply moving. I found myself wiping tears away long after
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Aug 28, 2008
Michael
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Charles Martin writes stories about broken men, searching for redemption and healing and the people who love them.
In his sixth novel, "Where the River Ends," we meet Doss Michael, an artist who outpunted his coverage when he met, courted and married the daughter of a powerful South Carolina senator, Abby Coleman. The story is told in alternating chapters, examing their courtship, marriage and life together and their final journey together down the St. Mary's River. Ten More...
In his sixth novel, "Where the River Ends," we meet Doss Michael, an artist who outpunted his coverage when he met, courted and married the daughter of a powerful South Carolina senator, Abby Coleman. The story is told in alternating chapters, examing their courtship, marriage and life together and their final journey together down the St. Mary's River. Ten More...
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Dec 28, 2008
Therese
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This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers.
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Mar 11, 2011
Betty410
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I would give this story 6 stars if available!
They met by accident--a boy from a South Georgia trailer park and a girl from the social elite but they had found their true soul mate. Doss and Abbie meet life's challenges which are many. Doss relates the story. He is an artist who captures his portraits with an unusual ability to reach the heart and soul through the eyes. Abbie is a model with beauty plus and famous designer.
Thinking of this review, I began to write some of the stri More...
They met by accident--a boy from a South Georgia trailer park and a girl from the social elite but they had found their true soul mate. Doss and Abbie meet life's challenges which are many. Doss relates the story. He is an artist who captures his portraits with an unusual ability to reach the heart and soul through the eyes. Abbie is a model with beauty plus and famous designer.
Thinking of this review, I began to write some of the stri More...
Jun 07, 2010
Acarrawa
rated it:
"Where the River Ends" is truly a wonderful love story. Although this book is reminiscent of Nicholas Sparks' "The Notebook" and readers have seen "to-do" lists before, Charles Martin covers new ground in his depiction of a couple's battle with cancer. I sincerely appreciated his realism - he doesn't gloss over the hard questions or the less polite aspects of life with cancer. On the other hand, most readers do not have the affluence - and thus, the privileges th
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Jul 21, 2009
Amy
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My mom handed this book and said "Read this it's good." Meh I thought. Then I looked at the frount cover "Warning this book will break your heart." Then I thought nope I am not reading this. Well because the other book I am reading currently is not a pull you in type a book I though ok I will give it a shot. I enjoyed it and read it quickly.
The writing was not the most poetic or thought provoking. Yet in a simple way it was. This story was told from a man's point of vie More...
The writing was not the most poetic or thought provoking. Yet in a simple way it was. This story was told from a man's point of vie More...
Jun 03, 2009
FrankH
rated it:
I enjoy reading about the South, and since I've vacationed in Charleston the past two summers, I thought I'd save the money this year and take a dip into this novel of love between the passionate, well-bred and doomed Southern woman, Abby, and her raw, artistic husband Doss, telling the story.
The novel is based on two oscillating, parallel narrative paths -- the early days of the courtship and marriage and a bucket-list odyssey boating down the St. Mary's river in Georgia. Along the More...
The novel is based on two oscillating, parallel narrative paths -- the early days of the courtship and marriage and a bucket-list odyssey boating down the St. Mary's river in Georgia. Along the More...
Jan 13, 2010
MK
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It has been a long while since I have wept aloud while reading a book, but this book literally broke my heart. Where the River Ends is the distressing story of Doss & Abbie Michaels and their marriage of 15 years. Abbie is a senator's daughter and Doss is the son of a trailer trash mother. Though they hail from completly different worlds, never have two people belonged together more than this modern day Romeo and Juliette. This is a beautifully crafted tragedy of a love that is tested and p
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Aug 09, 2011
Don
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I downloaded this as an audiobook from my public library, don't remember why. I started listening to itnon a long road trip. I was immediately caught up with the cadence and sound of te reader's voice. That wonderful southern sound that can only come from the Charlestown area. Very appropriate to the story. The first chapters made me think of Pat Conroy and other southern writers. The writing was decent though full of cliches...a good story line but then suddenly a twist to the plot that d
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Nov 12, 2009
Autumn
rated it: 
I just. Couldn't. Do it. I tried to read this book, but I couldn't. From the very cover, with its silly “Warning: This book will break your heart.” I doubted this book. The prose was overly conversational, with phrases like, “See that. That’s what I love about her.”
I don’t like this kind of writing. I don’t want someone ACTUALLY telling me a story, I want someone storytelling. The difference, for me, is simple. In one, I am consciously aware of the teller, and in the other the words More...
I don’t like this kind of writing. I don’t want someone ACTUALLY telling me a story, I want someone storytelling. The difference, for me, is simple. In one, I am consciously aware of the teller, and in the other the words More...
Jun 28, 2011
Sara
rated it:
This was the first Charles Martin book that I read and I had a very hard time getting into the novel. He is an extremely detailed writer when it comes to scenery and background. When describing a building, park or river, I feel like I was there. However, when it came to the characters and their interactions I felt like there was something lacking. Descriptions of people where lacking in description. Almost as if the characters were so in love with each other they didn't know whow to explain why
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Nov 02, 2009
Andre
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This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers.
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Jul 28, 2011
Jennifer
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This was my first book to read by Charles Martin. One of the influential reasons I chose to read it was because it was highly recommended by a friend of mine. The second being was that some reviewers said it was as compulsive as Picoult. For those who know me well, I ADORE Picoult's work. And I'm a sucker for love stories, of course. The beginning of the story may be a bit slow/dry for those who are not used to her style. This book signifies the true commitment of love and really makes you think
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Oct 05, 2009
Leelee
rated it:
As a rating of 1-5 I give it a 10. The story is told unconventionally, through each chapter alternating from present to past. Although it is written this way, in no-way does it take from the story. In fact I feel it adds more emotion than otherwise would have been conveyed. The story is fiction, however, it has a truth to it's pages that glimpses what life between two people should be. The impenitence bond created by love.
The book warns of heartbreak and tears, though for me, the con More...
The book warns of heartbreak and tears, though for me, the con More...
Dec 31, 2009
Jessica
rated it:
A story of unconditional love that suffers tragedy and loss but never loses hope, metaphorically written about a journey through life, love, death, and an unceasing hope that can reveal true beauty. Although it is entertaining to flash from past to present, as this story does, there were times when there was a lack of flow and details and I found myself having to recap a few times. Some glitter for this book: it has a few proufound epiphanies, beautifully written. Small, but profound. I didn't c
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Oct 30, 2010
Elizabeth
rated it:
This book moved me to tears and smiles. The author creates a believable "soul mates" kind of love between two people from very different backgrounds. Mr. Martin is one of the rare male authors who are convincing in depiction of women. The tragic end of the story, the wife's death from stage 4 cancer, is clearly foreseen but the way the husband and wife deal with it is constantly surprising. The book is very well written and I could have speeded through it, but I found myself linger
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Jan 08, 2011
Amyc
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Story about a man, Doss, who takes his dying wife (cancer) on a canoe trip to "where the river ends." On the trip, he wishes to fulfill 10 of his wife's (Abbie) items on her "bucket list." He encounters many obstacles along the way, the main one being that his father-in-law, a senator treats Doss's trip as a kidnapping. The story was enjoyable, and the author did a good job with integrating the past (when they met/discovered the cancer/etc) and the present (the trip). He di
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Jul 20, 2009
Bathcitygazette
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I loved the description of Doss Michael paddling up the river with his wife, who is dying from cancer. Wow! I learned a lot about the last stages of cancer. I liked her "Wish List"; of the 10 things that she still wanted to do before she died. I think she came up with it right after the doctors told her that they were going to call hospice. I think that doctors, at that time, just gave her 10 days to live. It's incredible what they were able to do in the amount of time that they had le
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Jul 20, 2009
Célia
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Abbie Coleman encontra-se na fase final de uma luta de quatro anos contra um cancro. Todas as tentativas de tratamento foram esgotadas e resta-lhe muito pouco tempo. É então que, para cumprir uma lista de 10 desejos, o seu marido Doss Michaels a leva numa viagem de canoa pelo rio St. Marys, fronteira entre a Georgia e a Florida, contra a vontade da sua família, em especial do pai de Abbie.
Ao longo dessa viagem cheia de dificuldades, os dois irão encontrar o melhor e o pior do ser hum More...
Ao longo dessa viagem cheia de dificuldades, os dois irão encontrar o melhor e o pior do ser hum More...
Aug 07, 2009
Nancy
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The story of Doss Michaels and his wife Abbie (Abigail Grace Coleman)is put together in such a wonderful way that you don't want to stop reading. The story goes back and forth between the present and the past (a little of Doss' childhood and then the story of the meeting, marriage and life of Doss and Abbie). This is a true love story and the love is shown in the way Doss and Abbie treat each other. One of the things I really liked about this novel is that it isn't sappy like so many romantic
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Mar 21, 2009
Nora
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This book was okay, but not earth-shaking. I enjoyed the overall story, and perhaps it may even prove to be memorable, but the writing was a bit sloppy and slow. Sometimes it seemed like the author was including details just to prove he'd done his homework, more like a laundry list than relevant information. Conversely, some of the most important moments were inadequately supported and described. Still, the relationships were moving. The story is about a husband taking his dying wife (breast can
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Jan 24, 2009
Robin
rated it:
This was a book that I needed to read. I am not one for love stories, this was one that I am glad that I picked up. Though it was a quick-read, the message of unconditional love and forgiveness was one that can not be restated too often.
Abby is the daughter of South Carolina's senator. Doss is a struggling artist. He saves her from being raped, and in turn begins their life together. Ten years into their marriage, she discovers breast cancer. I didn't like that part of it, but the love an More...
Abby is the daughter of South Carolina's senator. Doss is a struggling artist. He saves her from being raped, and in turn begins their life together. Ten years into their marriage, she discovers breast cancer. I didn't like that part of it, but the love an More...
Oct 22, 2010
Daniel
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I listened to the 5 hour, abridged CD version of this book. This is essentially a sweet, charming love story, and it succeeds on that level. Maybe it is because of the abridgement tho, but I never did uncderstand why these two fell in love in the first place or why they continue to love each other. That isn't made clear. It also shifts in time quite alot, which is not indicated in the audio book, so it takes a bit to pick it up again when they do make that switch. It is too cliched that he is a
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Sep 17, 2010
April
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This is a truly moving story of a man and his wife and coming to grips with terminal cancer (he needs more help than her). But it's more than that; it's about love in its rarest, rawest form. The basis of the book is their journey via kayak at the very end of her life down a river that holds much sentimental value to them. The book constantly switches between the beginning of their lives and relationship and present day.
The story has everything you could want in it: drama, suspense, love More...
The story has everything you could want in it: drama, suspense, love More...
Jan 11, 2011
Michèle
rated it:
This is the January 2011 book for the Muses & Views Book Club. Reading it on my new Kobo E-reader.
First of all, I enjoyed reading it on my Kobo E-reader though I still enjoy handling a real physical book, the E-reader is going to be very useful when I am away from home. It makes reading in bed easier.
As to this book itself, it is not my favourite book of all time to be sure. However, the characters are well developed, you do very much get the feeling of devotion and love More...
First of all, I enjoyed reading it on my Kobo E-reader though I still enjoy handling a real physical book, the E-reader is going to be very useful when I am away from home. It makes reading in bed easier.
As to this book itself, it is not my favourite book of all time to be sure. However, the characters are well developed, you do very much get the feeling of devotion and love More...
Mar 04, 2011
Deb
rated it:
All Doss is trying to do is honor the wishes of his wife of 10 years, who is dying from cancer. She wants him to take him on a trip--a trip down the river they have often explored together in a canoe to its very end. Despite the opposition of her father--an influential senator--Doss sets off with Abby on a course of discovering all over again what true love and faith mean.[return]This book is certainly not light and cheerful--though there is humor in parts--but it is uplifiting in that it shows
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Jul 31, 2010
Lori
rated it:
After reading some of the reviews of this book I had somewhat high expectations for it. I am uninspired by this book. It was interesting as it was told from the husband's perspective but for the most part unable to hold my interest. Three pages to describe one part of the river? Several pages over and over with art history? It felt like over 1/3 of the book was used to describe the river and historical art. I was also disappointed that I really didn't have any feelings for these characters
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Jul 23, 2009
Amy
rated it:
I'm going to say a few things here that might turn some of you off:
1) Charles Martin writes love really well.
2) He's a Christian/inspirational author.
Heck, those 2 attributes would normally turn me off. But he's a really great writer with original stories. I loved "When Crickets Cry" and I liked "Where the River Ends" just as much. I will continue to read this author. I don't find the "love" story or the Christian influences to be c More...
1) Charles Martin writes love really well.
2) He's a Christian/inspirational author.
Heck, those 2 attributes would normally turn me off. But he's a really great writer with original stories. I loved "When Crickets Cry" and I liked "Where the River Ends" just as much. I will continue to read this author. I don't find the "love" story or the Christian influences to be c More...
Jun 30, 2009
Carolyn
rated it:
First off...I have read 5 of the 6 books written by Charles Martin. I normally LOVE his books...he is a Chistian author and the content of his books is always "safe" although often times wrenching...they are a dessert read for me.
I found that I did not connect with this book like I have some of his others. His books are usually based on difficult issues like abuse or medical situations and how they effect the lives of the people involved. This one had a great topic...it j More...
I found that I did not connect with this book like I have some of his others. His books are usually based on difficult issues like abuse or medical situations and how they effect the lives of the people involved. This one had a great topic...it j More...
Nov 02, 2010
Elizabeth
rated it:
This is a powerful story of a man whose wife is in the last days of her battle with cancer. She has a list of ten (simple) things she wants to do before she dies, and her dying wish is for her husband, a former river guide, to take her on a trip down the St. Mary's River. This is the story of their trip, their relationship, and fulfilling her list on the way. By the way, my husband recommended this book to me (he had to read it for a retreat) and he liked it/was more powerfully moved by it th
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