Monday, July 2, 2012

THE GIFTED: A NOVEL (ANN H. GABHART)




Story Description: 

Baker Publishing Group|July 1, 2012|Trade Paperback|ISBN: 978-0-8007-3455-8 

By 1849, Jessamine Brady has been in the Shaker Village for half her life, but in spite of how she loves her sisters there, she struggles to conform to the strict rules.  Instead she entertains dreams of the world outside.  When Tristan Cooper seems to step out of those dreams to entice her into the forbidden realm beyond the Shaker Village, her life turns upside down.  Will Jessamine be able to survive the storms of the world?  Or will she retreat back to the peace of Harmony Hill?  The thousands of loyal fans of Gabhart’s Shaker novels will love this entrancing story of learning to trust the gifts God gives us and let him guide us through life. 

My Review: 

Nineteen-year-old, Jessamine Brady has been part of the Shaker Village at Harmony Hill since she was ten-years-old after her grandmother died and there was no one left to care for her.  Jessamine has difficulty conforming to the rules and regulations of the village and often dreams of the ‘outside’ world which gets her into trouble with the older sisters.  She is known for not being the most sensible sister in their village. 

Sister Jessamine and Sister Annie were given the task of berry picking in the woods.  Of course, with Jessamine’s natural propensity for seeing the more curious and unknown things in life, wanders further and further into the woods.  Sister Anne is beside herself with worry for she knew they’d wandered too far.  Suddenly they heard gunshots and something crashing through the bushes.  Frightened, they hid behind a tree expecting to see a bear and a man coming after it shooting.  Jessamine peeks out and sees a horse with a saddle but no rider.  She strokes the horses face and begins to walk back behind the hose where she finds an injured man with a large bleeding gash in his head and one of his arms is bent at an unusual angle, obviously broken.  Sister Anne is terrified and now knows they are going to be in a heap of trouble when Sister Sophrena finds out how far they wandered and what they’ve stumbled upon.  Sister Anne is so mad that she tells Jessamine she is never going berry picking in the woods with her again. 

The two sisters struggle to get the stranger up onto his horse with Sister Jessamine riding in the saddle in front of him for support and they set off to find help at Harmony Hill.  However, Sister Jessamine is going to be in a heap of trouble for the sins she has committed this day, especially sitting in a saddle with a man! 

Back at Harmony Hill the man is doctored and bandaged and given medication to help him sleep in order to aid with his pain.  Over the course of the three days he spends there, he and Jessamine realize they have a connection?  A connection that is more than just friendly. 

Will Jessamine, with her curiousness for the outside world leave this stranger for a whole new world, or will her teachings of God and the strict upbringing she’s had force her to stay at Harmony Hill? 

Ann Gabhart’s THE GIFTED is a beautiful story of growing up, innocence, and learning to trust God and appreciating the gifts He gives to us.  You won’t be able to put this one down.  

"Book has been provided courtesy of Baker Publishing Group and Graf-Martin Communications, Inc.
Available at your favourite bookseller from Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group".





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