In a Distant Valley by Shannon Bowring
Dalton, Maine #3
Fiction
Finished on 3/10/2026
Rating: 4/5 (Very Good)
Publisher's Blurb: SPOILERS (scroll down to my review in blue)
For a few glorious months, single-mother Rose Douglas believed life had finally given her a break. She was enjoying a steady job at the clinic in Dalton, her two young boys were doing well, and their little family had found an easy friendship with widower Nate Theroux and his daughter, Sophie. There was even the unspoken possibility of more between her and Nate--until the day Tommy Merchant, her ex and the father of her sons, showed up without warning on her doorstep.
Tommy isn't the only one who's found his way back to the place that defined him. Lost and disillusioned after a disastrous stint living down south with her father, Angela Muse has returned home. When she runs into Greg Fortin, the friend who once saved her life when they were children, she starts to believe there may be understanding in a world that offers more questions than answers.
Soon, everyone in Dalton finds themselves part of a chain of events hurtling towards outcomes beyond their control, where more than one future will be decided. A window into struggles that are at once destructive, illuminating, and ultimately universal, Shannon Bowring's In a Distant Valley is a triumph--and the remarkable conclusion to the story readers have been following since The Road to Dalton.
Shannon Bowring's Dalton trilogy is a winner! I enjoyed this final installment almost as much as the first two books, and I'm sorry there won't be more to come from this small community and its inhabitants. Bowring incorporates domestic abuse, sexual identity, grief, single-parenting, and drug abuse in her narrative. All that's missing is cancer, but none of it is gratuitous. It's simply a reflection on real life. In a Distant Valley is more suspenseful and somewhat darker in tone than the previous two books, elevating it to a less than cozy read. I kept waiting for something terrible to happen, but was very pleased with the conclusion. I understand that the audiobooks are well done, so I may give them a try in a few years when I'm ready to re-visit Dalton.
Highly recommend!
Nicely reviewed. I finished this recently in January. I listened to the audios of the trilogy and enjoyed them. I wasn't sure if Tommy would hurt or kill someone in this, but was pleased he was put in his place. I wish the author didn't leave Dalton! Why not return to them later? I still like Greg, a confused kid with a good heart.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Susan! Yes, Tommy's storyline had me on the edge of my seat. I kept hoping he'd turn around and become a better person (he did try with his sons), but I guess that would have been to pat. I hope Bowring returns to Dalton at a later date. It would be fun to see how some of the characters have grown over the years. Greg is one of my favorites.
DeleteIt's tough to hear all those depressing topics and realize it's just life. That is so true. Good thing happy stuff also happens (in the book and in life!)
ReplyDeleteHelen, those are depressing topics, but the book doesn't feel heavy. There is a heightened level of concern around one of the characters, but overall I'd say these are feel good books. I'm going to miss Dalton and its people!
Delete