Emmy Everhart is a unique soul.  She is physically beautiful but shies away from any male interest.  Her heart and soul is devoted to the equine species.  She spends her life looking after her horses and competing.  It is her dedication to horse riding that has allowed Emmy to rise from a struggling stable hand to a Grand Prix winner in Southern Wind.

Aside from her best friend Pam, Emmy feels she can only rely on horses.  If ever they are considered untrustworthy, she knows it is because of something a human has done to them.  They may be misunderstood, but they’re not purposefully mean.  Emmy cannot say the same for people.

With a family that abandoned her when she needed them the most and a coldness towards men, Emmy isn’t sure what to do when she meets Irishman Westly Galway.  The journalist isn’t what she expects and she is amazed to find herself drawn to him physically.

In spite of her surprise at these unexpected feelings, Emmy finds it easy to distance herself from the man.  And in time a chance encounter with him confirms for the red head that all men are only after one thing.

Thousands of miles and even years don’t take away the unexpected attraction that Emmy felt for Westly.  When he returns to America in search of a job – at her equestrian facility – she is floored.  Putting him to the test, she is amazed to find that the man is more than capable around horses – and in the saddle.  The fact that this endears him to her even more, unsettles the young woman.

Southern Wind features horses heavily, is a beautiful romance and touches on the sensitive topic of abuse and how it affects the individual.  The characters are endearing, perhaps because of their flaws that they try to overcome.  This is an incredibly entertaining tale; highly recommended.

Author – Brandy L. Cunningham
Fiction – adult
In my library – I have an electronic copy.
Want it? Get it now on Amazon.

The third book in the tales of Sylvia and her grey pony Brooklyn is just as enjoyable as the others in the series.  Although I read these a little out of order, I have to say that I enjoyed them all immensely!  Ketchen writes with great sense of humour, causing Syliva’s character to be endearing, amusing and downright honest all at the same time.  In Grows that Way, fourteen year old Sylvia is still adjusting to having been diagnosed with Turner Syndrome.  The short teen who is missing a chromosome finds life is still an interesting journey.

She loves having her grey pony Brooklyn to dote on and learn with.  As her riding progresses, she is rapt to be able to work on jumping.  Though this does come about through a little manipulation of her confidant and instructor, Kansas.  Sylvia is amazed to find Kansas wrapped up in the Irish farrier Declan but finds in time that the horseman has his own merits as a riding instructor.

Whilst out on a secret trail ride with Brooklyn, Syvlia comes across an unexpected animal in the woods.  The pair are surprised – and fearful.  Sylvia is keen to discuss things, but with who?  She wasn’t supposed to be out riding by herself.  In time she concludes Logan Losino is her safest bet.  This leads her on an incredible journey she hadn’t expected.

As Sylvia comes to terms with the fact that Logan may actually like her, she finds herself unexpectedly getting to know his brother Franco, too.  Sylvia is devastated that her cousin Taylor is dating the big, hairy bully and as unusual events unfold, she finds herself struggling to tell Taylor the truth about her boyfriend.

Grows that Way has the usual sense of humour I have come to expect in this series and Sylvia’s journey plays out in a creative and enlightening way.  Highly recommended.

Author – Susan Ketchen
Fiction – early teenage years
In my library – as an eBook it is!  A great read.
Want it? Get it now on Amazon.