Wow! This deserves more than 5 stars in my opinion! An amazing story with fabulous characters! This book is set on a showboat that travels the river. This is a story of a mother's true love and the sacrifices made for that love. Irena is the epitome of the self sacrificing mother who puts the welfare of her child first. Jacinth grows into a strong young woman but she is shadowed by a mystery. The love story in the book is sweet and romantic! Gabe is amazing! A true white knight! There are so many great characters that make this book fantastic! A definite must read!
I received a copy courtesy of Bethany House through Interviews and Reviews for my honest opinion. All thoughts and opinions are my own. ( )

Gabhart never disappoints. Historical story, romance, and even a mystery set aboard a riverboat. ( )

I really liked this historical fiction novel. It had some great action, a bit of romance, and a great adventure. The setting was different as most of the story took place on a riverboat and I really enjoyed that aspect of the book! It was a clean romance and quite sweet. ( )

Five-year-old Jacci Reed survives a kidnapping attempt, but loses her mother as a result. Her new home becomes the Kingston Floating Palace showboat with her performer grandfather. As the years pass, Jacci becomes an actress among the showboat’s close-knit family of performers, cherishing her relationship with Gabe and her grandfather. However, the mystery of her mother's tragic past haunts her. When an attempt is made on her life, Jacci is determined to uncover the truth. But as she delves into the secrets of her past, she realizes that the answers she seeks may not come easily, and time is of the essence for her and Gabe's future together.

The setting of this story is what caught my attention: a showboat. I have been fascinated by the concept for a long time. It seemed the perfect setting for a drama, and the main character of this book certainly provides that. Jacci has questions about her past, and it isn't until danger appears once again that she finally learns the truth.

My biggest complaint was with the structure of the book. The first quarter is set when Jacci is four years old. There is a lot of back and forth that is difficult to keep track of. It was hard to pick the book back up and know where in time I was starting. It's taken me quite awhile to get through the whole book because I kept having to start over.

Overall, it was an interesting read. The romance was sweet. The mystery wasn't really a mystery. At least, I guessed the ending early on.

Readers of historical romance will no doubt enjoy this one. I receieved an ARC through LibraryThing's Review program. ( )

*I received this book as part of the Library Thing Early Reviewers Program - thank you to the author and publisher!
“In the Shadow of the River” is an exciting historical mystery-romance that follows the life of Jacci Reed, a showboat performer. Opening with the dramatic and mysterious murder of Jacci’s mother, the novel draws you in immediately. Jacci and her mother, who live on a steamboat, are confronted by a man who claims Jacci is the daughter of a woman named Lisbeth and then attacks Jacci’s mother. Jacci and her mother flee to a nearby showboat, where Jacci’s mother, fatally injured, uses her last energy to find her father (Jacci’s grandfather), who happens to work on the showboat.
The book then jumps to Jacci’s life training to be a performer under the direction of her grandfather and the Kingston showboat family. Jacci is thriving, but the undercurrent of her mother’s murder becomes more and more pressing until it is impossible to ignore.
The plot is interesting and moves along at a good pace, but falls off suddenly when the author takes a sharp turn away from intrigue to romance. From there, everything feels cluttered, with the author trying to introduce and resolve too many plot points. Despite this, the pace slows dramatically and the story slogs to a slow finish.
Overall, I enjoyed this book, but would have preferred it stuck to the intrigue/mystery which was so interesting and engaging.
3/5 stars ( )