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T. M. GAOUETTE
Age Range: 13 and up
Ten-year-old Benedict has changed foster homes more times than he can count or remember, and every one of them has been just as unpleasant as the others. When he gets to Sunshine Ranch with his little foster sister, he can't imagine why everyone is nice and friendly and not rude and abusive like the other homes he has been to. The Credence parents seem to love all of their ten foster children and wish the best for them and try to teach them about Christ and why they are Catholic. Benedict has never been or heard of a lovely place as Sunshine Ranch and can't believe that it's real and so he isn't surprised when trouble occurs for the family. As the family struggles to make everything work and the children try to earn money, one tragedy might have them losing any hope they had.
Thank you so much T. M. Gaouette for sending me a complimentary copy of The Destiny of Sunshine Ranch! I was happy to read and receive this book. My review of this book is entirely my own. I have never before read a book about foster children, and it has been a while since I read a book where the main character was younger than myself but The Destiny of Sunshine Ranch made me want to do both! I was immediately drawn to the characters from the first chapter and could not put the book down until I finished it.
The story is mainly about a young boy who has been from foster home to foster home until he goes to Sunshine Ranch. There he is the happiest he has ever been with the nicest people he has ever met, but all of that is threatened to be taken away forever.
Throughout the book, many stories are told, not just Benedict's but also from the other Credence foster children. I like how the readers can find out what the other characters are thinking, especially when times are hard and they either turn or look away from God. The Catholic theme throughout the book was not big, but big enough so you can see how Our Lord works His mysterious ways into people's hearts and lives. I loved everything about the book except the cover, but that is a minor detail to a fantastic novel!
The last few chapters of the book took place twenty-one years later, and we read how living at Sunshine Ranch and being introduced to Catholicism has affected the now-adult foster children. These last few chapters were my favorite of the whole book and, I thought, the saddest and happiest at the same time. The Destiny of Sunshine Ranch is an incredible and moving story that I will definitely be reading again!
Things to Mention: Some talk of previous abuse to the foster children physically, mentally, and emotionally, but nothing very detailed. There is a fistfight. A mean boy calls the foster kids 'rejects'. There are two kisses with no detail, and a few characters die.
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More books by T. M. Gaouette:
Catholic Teen Books Anthologies Series:
Faith & Kung Fu Series:
Stand Alone Novels:
If you have read The Destiny of Sunshine Ranch, let me know in the comments below. I'd love to hear your thoughts! Do you have a book you want to be reviewed? Let me know, and I'll add it to my list! Thanks for stopping by. I'm glad you're here.
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