For ten years, Gabe Talmadge languished in prison, convicted of a horrible crime. Now, he is free once again but unable to find work in the midst of the Great Depression. In desperation, Gabe returns to Ransom, Idaho, hoping that his uncaring father will give him food and shelter, if not love. But the prodigal son is not welcomed home. Hungry and hopeless, Gabe is rescued by the owner of a sheep ranch south of Ransom. Incredibly, Akira Macauley gives him a place to live and work to do. More than that, she gives him hope. But just as Gabe comes to believe that happiness may be within his grasp, his life begins to unravel. Gabe must either sink again into an abyss of hopelessness or cling to a hope, faith, and love stronger than any he has ever known.
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Creators
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Publisher
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Release date
December 6, 2011 -
Formats
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OverDrive Listen audiobook
- ISBN: 9780310416982
- File size: 243597 KB
- Duration: 08:27:29
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Languages
- English
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Reviews
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July 3, 2000
Gabe Talmadge is on his way home to Depression-era Ransom, Idaho, after a long spell in jail for a crime he did not commit. Hungry and exhausted, he collapses just 15 miles from his father's mansion. Beautiful, devout Akira Macauley takes him in, giving him a home-cooked meal and a clean bed for the night. The next day she drives him to town, where he asks his wealthy but cruel father, Hudson Talmadge, for a job. After Hudson turns him out, Akira rescues Gabe once again, offering him a job on her sheep farm. Akira's friends worry about her safety, but Akira believes God has sent Gabe to her farm so that he can recuperate, body and soul. Indeed, Gabe gains back his physical strength and rededicates his life to the Lord. Not surprisingly, he and Akira fall in love. Hatcher eschews subtlety here: Akira the Shepherdess recalls Psalm 23, and Gabe is part prodigal son, part heralding angel. And if readers do not figure out that Ransom is more than just the name of a town--it is also Jesus' role--veteran romance novelist Hatcher liberally sprinkles clues in the form of biblical quotations . Still, the predictable plot is entertaining, and Gabe and Akira are appealing, albeit somewhat one-dimensional, characters.
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