The Endless Forest: A Novel (Wilderness Book 6)

This series was wonderfully written. I don’t want it to end. With Elizabeth, Nathaniel all the kids and grandkids were so real and different in each their own way. I can’t imagine this story ending as it did. I wish it could keep going

I was afraid I wouldn't like this book so I put it off for a long time. I'm a little disappointed I waited so long because this book was fantastic. The stories seemed so real and you really started to feel like you were part of the Bonner clan.I have been a fan of this series since the beginning. Originally, I wanted to read the first book simply because Donati paid homage to Diana Gabaldon by mentioning Claire Fraser and young Ian Murray, from the Outlander series, in passing. As a huge Outlander fan, it was quite the thrill to see their names in another author's story.Diana Gabaldon also recommended this book. So I read Into the Wilderness. I became hooked. In the first book, you meet Elizabeth Middleton who believes she is to remain a spinster. Because of this she decides to move from England to Paradise, New York where her father still lives. Upon arrival she meet's Nathaniel Bonner, a backwoodsmen. The attraction between them is undeniable despite Elizabeth's continuing efforts to do so.Everything comes to a head when her father decides to gift her with the land the Bonner's rent, and believe to be rightfully theirs, to Elizabeth for her marriage to another man she has no intention of marrying. So Nathaniel and Elizabeth elope and their love story begins.There are six books in total that span their lives and their children's lives. My favorites are Jennet and Luke, Simon and Lily, and now Martha and Daniel.This book was wonderful; one of the best books I've read in a while. I really equate this series with the Outlander series because both are excellent.Now, I know some of you might be thinking or don't even know that this series is basically a follow up to the movie The Last of the Mochians which is nothing like the book. Some people won't even consider it because of that but I'll tell you; because it starts from Cora and Hawkeye's child's adulthood and continues you can forgive it and love the series for what it is, a wonderfully written story about a family in 18th and 19th century rural New York.This book was particularly wonderful. I love the first book and the one where Simon and Lily fall in love, though for the life of me I can't remember which one contained that story and now this one is very much in a tie with the first book. Daniel and Martha's story mimics Daniel's parents, Elizabeth and Nathaniel.Martha and Daniel's love story grows quickly and yet it feels so real and plausible. The characters are fun and enjoyable and we meet the youngest Bonner Birdie who takes full responsibility for the matchmaking of Daniel and Martha.All of Donati's characters really come to life and leave you wanting just a little more time in Paradise.Donati did a fantastic job and I loved every minute though I must say if you read this book, have tissues handy for the epilogue.

Now this is more like it! After giving a less than stellar review on the previous installment "Queen Of Swords" I was thrilled to see that Donati was back on track with this final novel in the series. "The Endless Forest" was evocative of the first novel in the series "Into the Wilderness" which is still the best novel in the series by far. What did I love about "The Endless Forest"? I loved that we were back in the woods of upstate New York and that we were back amongst all the characters we have come to care about. I loved that there was a lot more of Elizabeth and Nathaniel than we've had recently and found that I actually liked Hannah, Daniel, and Lily more than I did in previous novels--though I had come to like Hannah in the last novel. It was nice seeing all the families settle and grow. I enjoyed the story of Daniel and Martha which was in many ways similar to that of Nathaniel and Elizabeth in the first book. It was wonderful to have the warmth and emotion back after the sterile previous novel. I felt like this was Donati again and that I was back in the series I had come to love. It was nice to see Elizabeth and Nathaniel surrounded by their children and their grandchildren, to see the fruition of their amazing love story. No, there was not a lot of the adventure and mayhem of the previous novels but I didn't feel that was a negative because we got a lot of the familial relationships that have been missing. The reason I gave this book a 4 star instead of a 5 star was the awful, awful epilogue. HATED the epilogue and wish, wish, wish I had not read it! I thought I would read an enjoyable epilogue of what happened to the characters over the next few years. Instead I got death after death, tragedy after tragedy. Why? What was the point? There was no reason to just kill these people off one after the other. To anyone who loves these characters I would recommend not bothering with the epilogue. I sure wish I hadn't.

Oh! I love how this final installment begins. Sitting by the fire with Curiosity talking to us as big as you please. I just LOVE it!Obviously this was a book of closure. Discovering where everyone has been, and all the Bonner family (and various "wards") whom have been away etc. coming home to Paradise to heal and mend or just to renew. New marriages...more births...and of course inevitable deaths. The continuing drama with Jemima Southern, natural disasters, secrets and murder mysteries. This final story sums up the Saga nicely although I still had unanswered questions about Ethan Middleton. (how did Jemima come to her information?)It was so hard to let Nathaniel, the Bonner men and these strong women go. I became so emotionally invested with this Saga..(but of course!) and I love them all... I wanted to start the whole series over again as soon as I finished. But Mr. James A. Michener sums up my feelings perfectly when he wrote: - - "When I approach the closing pages of a great novel, a feeling of profound regret comes over me, for I realize I am about to sever a relationship with characters I have grown to love. And to abandon a corner of the world in which I have spent rewarding weeks, months and even years, for I read slowly and carefully. I feel, when the pages dwindle, as if something good were being stolen from me, something precious that would not be replaced. You may laugh at what I say next, but when I realize how few pages are left I ration myself, only so many each day, and when the final one looms, and I close the book, I stare at the back map for many minutes, aware that something precious has touched my life." - - James MichenerThank you Ms. Donati for a fabulous, heart warming Saga!

This series was the best series I have ever read. I lived and loved with all the characters and I mourn the end. Amazing amazing amazing….

A book weaving the life of a woman and her family with history. I love this combination. I especially loved the first and last books. I enjoyed the different styles of story telling, and the ways it which they were used to tell the different storylines and bring us up to date with happenings.

I appreciate the world and the characters created by Sara Donati, and that it was a pleasure to spend some time in their world. I came to love these fine people. Their joys were mine, and their heartbreaks inspired my tears. Technically speaking, I think the author has a great talent for pacing, for fine detail without being burdensome to the story, and for creating anticipation in her love stories. This serious was a joy to read, and it is one I'm sure that I will read again and again.

As with all the preceding books in this series, I couldn’t put it down. Sad to have reached the end.

Up to the authors norm and we'll written how she remembers the relations of her characters must be a gift.