Colleen McCullough

Tim is a young man with below average intelligence. He works as a builder's labourer, and is often taken advantage of by his fellow workers and other people. Mary asks Tim to work around her yard for a day. The day stretches into a few weekends, and the two soon become good friends. Some people, however, are suspicious of their friendship which seems to be continually strengthening, accusing Mary of taking advantage of Tim's innocence... (imdb)

This mini series covers 60 years in the lives of the Cleary family, brought from New Zealand to Australia to run their aunt Mary Carson's ranch. The story centers on their daughter, Meggie, and her love for the family's priest, Father Ralph de Bricassart. Meggie tries to forget Ralph by marrying dashing stockman Luke O'Neill, but she and Ralph are soon reunited, with tragic consequences for them both.

Actually taking place in the middle of the original Thorn Birds miniseries, which chronicled the love affair of Meggie Cleary and Fr. Ralph de Bricassart from 1920 to 1962, this two-part miniseries begins in 1943. Father Ralph returns to Drogheda to evaluate its financial situation just as his one true love, Meggie, is embroiled in a bitter custody battle with her ex-husband, Luke.