When her husband disappears into a mountain snowstorm one morning, Kathryn Jennings is flung into the world of ranching, banking, and business. Penniless and pregnant, Kathryn is determined to keep her land as a legacy for her child. The man who offers her a job seems to have an awful lot of secrets, but she is desperate. Most disconcerting of all is the uncanny familiarity she feels toward the badly scarred ranch hand who works in the dark shadows of the horse stables. The first book in the "Fountain Creek Chronicles Series."
My Review
I got hooked on this book right from the beginning. Alexander pulls the reader into the story immediately as she decribes a man watching his wife have funneral for him! From that moment on, I had to find out what happened and how the characters got to that place.
The author describes a marriage between Kathyrn and Larson that has gone stale. Inability to conceive a child, the constant struggle to keep their ranch going, and demons from Larson's past keep them from communicating fully with each other. It is only when Larson disappears and is presumed dead that Kathryn realizes how much she loved him. Without him, she must struggled against difficult circumstances and rumors and inappropriate advances to try to keep his land.
Meanwhile, Larson has survived and is coming to terms with his injuries and his Maker through the selfless love and care of the couple who saved his life.
For me, this story comes down to the theme of second chances. Interwoven throughout is the idea that God is giving these characters a second chance to love each other and to live a life for Him.
I look forward to reading the next book in the series!
