He’s struggling to step into his new role as a single dad. She’s trying to keep her ranch operational and her heart intact. Can Nate and Ginger build forever out of heartache?Cowboys looking for a second chance at life, love, and happiness.Nathaniel Mulbury is released early from his six-year term in prison to care for his brother’s four-year-old son. Dealing with grief over his brother’s death … over his brother’s death and continued guilt for his role in the embezzlement scheme that landed him in jail, Nate has one more problem. He’s never been a father and has no idea how to take care of Connor.
Make that two problems: He’s released, but only to the care of Hope Eternal Ranch, a work-parole ranch run by the beautiful and smart Ginger Talbot. He’s never been a cowboy, and he’s got no room in his life for a woman.
Ginger has dealt with plenty of men like Nate, even if the sparks between them don’t just come from his background. She’s not falling for a handsome face and a nice pair of biceps again. After all, most prisoners have plenty of time to work out.
But there’s something different about Nate that calls to her softer side, if only she’d let him in. If only she knew how to let anyone in… But Ginger is jaded for good reason, and she’s not going to risk losing Hope Eternal Ranch—or her heart—again.
Can Ginger and Nate find their happily-ever-after, keep up their duties on the ranch, and build a family? Or will the risk be too great for them both?
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The characters in this book grabbed my heart. Someone close to me was incarcerated in Texas. This book really showed how hard it is to get back into society when a person gets out.
Once again, Elana Johnson delivers a spellbinding story full of hope. I rooted for Ginger & Nate (and Connor.) I swear I hardly blinked while reading because I didn’t want to miss a thing. I’m looking forward to book 2 in the Hope Eternal Ranch series.
Second Chances at life
Nate got caught up with some trouble with his job and was sentenced to Federal prison, it was close to his home, so his older would visit and bring his son Conner. He talked to his parents and sister also. But when he is getting ready for release he has to adjust to an earlier release, New plans and his nephew. His brother does and gives custody to Nate. Ginger runs the reentry through her ranch. Can he do it.
I loved this book.
White collar crime with deep regrets and an amazing ability to create a group in a very low security prison. He gets to go finish his sentence at a ranch due to needing to parent his now orphaned nephew. This is a nice clean (no steam) romance. The emotions of the main characters are credible given their histories. The problem is cleverly handled. There is some humor. The writing is good. I enjoyed this book.
The Hopeful Cowboy is a strong emotional story of Nate, a convict that was arrested by getting into investment fraud. His mistake put him in prison and he was getting out early for good behavior. When they move the release date up they inform him in the middle of the night that his brother that had stood behind him through all this had been killed in an accident. The will left everything to Nate including the sweet 4 year old little boy Connor. He is released to Hope Eternal Ranch in the custody of the owner Ginger to finish out his 6 months and they allow Connor to live with him. All the people working the ranch take time caring for Connor. But, due to someone from Nate’s past coming back into his life it cost him his freedom.
While everybody wanted him back on the work release program even the prison director they decide he would be better at Hope Eternal Ranch if Ginger will take him back and they put him back to 6 months before his sentence is complete. He makes the most of his time with Connor and Ginger and is glad he is on his way to freedom. He wants to be a good father and one day hopefully a husband so Connor will have a complete family.
I loved the look at prison life and what someone may feel when facing ‘freedom’. It introduced introspection over how much of my reality is created by my mind vs by outside forces. When did the main character really become free?
The dialogue and main characters were great and the supporting characters added to the story.
I accepted the wrap-up at the end, though felt like it was too much of a reality/down-to-earth ending (I read books to elevate my expectations and hopes for a ‘fairytale’ reality at times). It was sweet, but I feel like it had the potential for something more, but then appreciate how it mimics life in that regard…somewhat of a letdown even if the circumstances are wonderful.
I look forward to reading the next one and really like the premise for the series. The setting was beautiful and the kiss scenes were satisfying. I liked the humor sprinkled throughout the serious plot. It was overall light reading and gave me an appreciation for things and scenes I haven’t experienced before.
Elana Johnson starts this series with a very heartwarming story about a participant in a residential reentry program. The plot has enough intrigue and twists to hold your interest and makes one wonder how the characters would work things out in the end. The growth shown in the main characters with trust issues was definitely worth reading.
Nate has been in prison for an embezzlement scheme he got caught up in. He has been a model prisoner and only has a few months to go before he is released. His older brother Ward suddenly dies and Nate is named as guardian to his 4 year old son, Connor.
He is released to a ranch program, owned by Ginger, where he can live with Conner and work until time for his release.
This story has many twists and turns and a really good story line. I know you will enjoy it.
I loved this book by Elana Johnson so much that I read it in one day. This is a fantastic clean romance between Nate and Ginger. Ginger owns and runs Hope Eternal Ranch where prisoners nearing their releases from a minimum security prison finish their sentences at the ranch. There are rules they have to obey, and they have to work on the ranch as cowboys. They receive pay for their hours worked and a room to stay in. Nate is released to the ranch the day he finds out that his brother died and left all he owned to Nate including being the guardian for his four-year old son, Connor. Nate had never worked as a cowboy but learned to love the ranch and all the people who lived and worked at the ranch especially Ginger. Did Nate complete his sentence and did he, Connor, and Ginger become a family? You will have to read the book to find out. I highly recommend this must read book. It is a standalone book even though it is the start of a series.
I’ve read under the other name Johnson writes under and I always adore those stories. I was a tad apprehensive that writing under this name wouldn’t be a clean romance, but it was. This was a romance unlike any I’ve read. Taking an ex-con through a reintegration program and throwing in a child and building a romance through it all? Plus, getting us to really understand and be on the side of the inmates? Phenomenal. I cannot wait to read the next book in this series, in fact, I’m starting it immediately.
I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving an honest review.
I love this new series. This couple have a lot to overcome but they are willing to take a chance on each other and trust in their faith. This book is about second chances and it is really well written.
This was a wonderfully thought-provoking book about society’s assumptions and getting second chances to proves one’s worth. Nate was just such a person who needed someone to give him that second chance and luckily for him Ginger was the very one to be in a position to do just that. The love story progressed at a normal pace and was so incredibly beautiful but they also experienced the expected ups and downs of a new relationship especially as it involved trust and being honest with one another. Another fabulous book that deserves to be read more than once to fully appreciate it!!
I received an advanced copy of this book.
I really enjoy reading this book. It was a nice change of pace and kept me guessing. I was not sure which way it was going to go or exactly how they were going to work everything out. What a good clean romance story.
Wonderful story with Nate and Ginger who meet when he is almost at the end of his incarceration when his brother dies and leaves his son to him. Nate goes to live the last six months of his time at the ranch that Ginger owns. At Hope Eternal Ranch he and Ginger grow closer even when she does not want to get involved with him because she did in the past and it caused her so much trouble but she can see the good in Nate. Loved the story line and the characters.
ARC for honest review with no compensation 4.5 stars
Hopeful Cowboy is book 1 in the Hope Eternal series by Elana Johnson and what an emotional read!
Nathaniel Mulbury is in jail for 6 years for embezzlement but when his brother dies he is released early to Hope Eternal a work parole ranch and where he and his brother’s son, Connor will live until he serves the last 6 months of his term and becomes a free man except he has some unfinished business before that can happen…
Ginger Talbot runs Hope Eternal Ranch and has had other parolees work the ranch and fell for one and almost lost her ranch. Now she is skeptical to bring another to the ranch but there’s something different about Nate…
Can these two find their second chance at love, life and HEA or will Nate’s unfinished business destroy it all?
This clean romance centered around the themes of second chances and the challenge of reentering society after being incarcerated. Hope Eternal Ranch was the place that took Nate in as he served the last few months of his confinement. He was allowed to enter the program early because of his record of good behavior and also because his brother died and stipulated in his will that Nate be the guardian of his young son, Connor. Ginger, the owner of the ranch, was demanding but kind–and of course, she was beautiful. This is their story and it is very sweet. There are lots of other interesting characters around the ranch and I am looking forward to reading their stories as well later in the series. I was entrusted with a copy of this book by the author and this is my honest and voluntary review.
This book is a great start of a series. I really enjoyed reading it and I’m ready for the next book. I loved Nate and Ginger’s story. It captivated me from the beginning and I didn’t want to put it down. A great second chance story.
A story of forgiveness, redemption and starting over. I really enjoyed this book and the Christian aspect. The title of the series is so fitting. There is romance, suspense as well as some angst. Looking forward to the next book in this series.
Great new series by Elana Johnson! Do people actually get a second chance? Nate made a big mistake that landed him in prison. As he approaches his release date, there is a tragedy that changes his future. He is released to finish his sentence at Hope Eternal Ranch under the supervision of Ginger. There is a mutual attraction but Ginger is afraid to make a mistake like she has in the past. Just when it looks like they can have a life together things from Nate’s past get him in trouble. Can their relationship survive? Don’t miss this new clean romance from Elana Johnson!