Down from the Mountain

by Barbara Gale

Down from the Mountain by Barbara Gale released on Jan 25, 2004 is available now for purchase.

• Format: Mass Market Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0373245955
• ISBN13: 9780373245956
• Release Date: February 2004
• Publisher: Harlequin Special Edition
• Length: 256 Pages
• Weight: 0.30 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.7" x 4.2" x 6.6"

Customer Reviews

4.5 ,,,, This was a very emotional story ....

Down from the Mountain by Barbara Gale Silhouette Special Edition # 1595 - February 2004 It has been years since David had been to his family home in the Montana mountains. He hadn't known his father was ill and news came too late for him to even attend the funeral. This homecoming has more surprises because there to greet him is Ellen, a beautiful young blind woman who seems to have been very close with his father, so close she's inherited half of the estate. There's even more surprises as the will is read. David's father has ordered David to be Ellen's caretaker until her scheduled surgery to restore her sight, that's four months away. If David refuses, neither he nor Ellen will inherit. David's a bitter man. The reason he's been away so long is because of a horrendous accident when he was a teen that left him facially disfigured. He buried himself in studies at university and then took a forestry job in New York. So in order to meet his father's demands, he whisks Ellen off to his cabin in the New York forests. But David's not immune to Ellen's beauty and charm, and he soon finds himself wanting a life with her. Ellen finds David hard to understand, one moment he's arrogant and hurtful and the next he's kissing her senseless. She knows there must be something about him that he's afraid to share with her. David's afraid that when Ellen's sight is restored she'll be repulsed by his appearance so when the surgery is complete and the bandages are to be removed David deserts her in the hospital so she'll never see him. This was a very emotional story. David is a man who's tortured himself for years that no woman could ever love him. And he'd made himself almost a hermit. Ellen has a love of life and her confidence in herself is strong. Except when it comes to David. The signals he sends her are so contrary she's never sure what his moods will be. She does know that somewhere deep inside, David is a good man with a good heart. Very emotional. Very well done.

A refreshing break

Ellen Chandler, blinded as a result of a childhood illness, had been living a sheltered, protected life in a Montana mansion for the past several years, until her kindly benefactor died. Once the elder Mr. Hartwell passed away, her world came crashing down upon her. It didn't help matters that Mr. Hartwell's only child, forest ranger David Hartwell, came into her life like a whirlwind and upset everything in his path. Not only did he expect her to leave the isolation of the mountain she called home, but he stirred up feelings in her she had never felt before.David Hartwell was used to women cringing once they looked at his face. Scarred in an accident as a teen, he had given up on most human interaction and generally liked to keep to himself. He was content to be a loner for most of the time, but now his father's pesky will insisted that he take care of Ellen until she had her upcoming surgery that may restore her sight. So now he had to share his life with a woman he thought had been his father's mistress...and face the feelings that she evoked in him, longings for a family and a wife that he might never have fulfilled. He was afraid to get too close to Ellen, but as she blended in with the small mountain community David now called home, he wondered if he could bear to have her leave.This book was pretty good. Neither of the characters were perfect; David had enough emotional baggage for a dozen people, and Ellen also had her own emotional hang-ups. Sometimes they rubbed each other the wrong way - but as you read the book, you could see both Ellen and David grow in character strength and depth. This book was a refreshing break from perfect people falling perfectly in love with no major obstacles in their way. David was initially rough, Ellen was initially weak, but watching David soften and allow people into his heart, and Ellen gaining strength and independence she'd never had before...let's just say, I definitely got my money out of this book :)There were a few rough patches, and a few parts when I thought David was a bit cruel when he dealt with Ellen...but altogether, a lovely book that not only shows the depth of human emotions, but allows you to experience them as you read this book. Definitely a keeper!

Excellent Read

Barbara Gale writes a book that pulls you in and doesn't allow you to put it down until you reach the end. This book has excellent character detail and insight into how much baggage a person can bring to their lives and relationships. Some of the information is simplistic, yet the characters are well written. I would recommend this book to anyone!