I haven’t read this series by Kim Ablon Witney yet, but I really enjoyed The Pefect Distance so was keen to check this one out when I found it free on Kindle!

A short read, Before the Circuit introduces the reader to Hannah and Chris, two horse riders from very different backgrounds with different ambitions in life. Hannah lives with her mother and receives financial support from a wealthy but somewhat estranged father. This helps to cover her riding lessons on a horse that she consistently rides, but has no idea how to look after – there are grooms for that.

In spite of this, Hannah is a hard worker and gets good grades in school, having been accepted into a good university. In the break between school and university, she is dismayed to find that her entrepreneur father has organised for her to go on a 7 week show circuit with her handful of a gelding.

Not only is she to ride him, she is to look after him – muck out his stall, feed and water him, tack him up – things she has never done before. It’s going to be an interesting ‘break’!

Chris Kern has worked his way up in the horse world. He has talents and looks – something that attracts him to most females in the industry. In spite of this, Chris has to work hard for his results.  He also needs to keep the owner of the horses he rides in a satisfied state. He is all too aware that if he loses Harris’ support, he won’t have talented horses to ride.

Before the Circuit

This book is a great introduction to the life of two individuals who feature in Summer Circuit; as an added bonus readers are treated to the first three chapters of Summer Circuit.

This prequel was an interesting read, I just found at times the language a little too coarse. Otherwise a great introduction to the two main characters of this series by Kim.

Author – Kim Ablon Whitney
http://www.kimablonwhitney.com/
Fiction – young adult
In my library? – as an eBook, yes!
Want it? Get it now at Amazon.

“Half the failures in life result from pulling in one’s horse when it is leaping.” Author Unknown

If you have access to Kindle and love reading, you should never run out of horse books! I regularly do a search in the book category for ‘horse’ and sort by price and find books consistently available for free download.

One such recently was Third Time’s the Charm: An Inspirational Western Romance by Liz Isaacson. Chelsea Ackerman has vowed she will never be engaged again; she has been twice before and both times have ended in disaster. At the cessation of her second engagement she moves back home to her parents ranch to help run the homestead of Three Rivers Ranch; something she’d never dreamed of doing.

First Lieutenant Peter Marshall works at Three Rivers Ranch. He is a cowhand but has just set up an equine assisted therapy program for war veterans, the disabled and other people who have had trauma in their lives. Pete is overwhelmed by all he plans to achieve with the program alongside his full time job. This doesn’t stop him pursuing the desire God’s placed on his heart, however.

Pete recognises that Chelsea is damaged and feels that his horses can assist her. He doesn’t realise how much her background can help him with setting up Courage Reins, his therapy program.

Over time the two struggle to fight their growing attraction and their own insecurities to see if they can work together to bring Courage Reins to life. Third Time’s the Charm is an interesting novel in that it looks at setting up an equine assisted therapy program; the one horse fact I questioned was a stallion being used in such a program, particularly alongside a mare. Other than this the story is a sweet romance, enjoyable and an interesting read.

Author – Liz Isaacson
http://lizisaacson.blogspot.com.au/
Fiction – adult / romance
In my library? – as an eBook yes!
Want it? Get it now at Amazon.

“A man on a horse is spiritually, as well as physically, bigger then a man on foot.” – John Steinbeck

This horse novella by Katharina Marcus tells the story of 17 year old Tull, a good looking teen who may have all the girl’s attention – except the one he wants. Tull has another desire that isn’t fulfilled – his love of horses.

For as long as he can remember, Tull has loved the equine animal and devoured books about them. Although he lives with his mother and knows he can’t rely on finances from his father, Tull is determined to save up every last cent toward getting lessons. When this dream is dashed however, he gives up on the idea altogether, tearing down his horse posters and leaving his dream unfulfilled.

A chance encounter with high school oddball Liberty leaves Tull finding that he desires two things from the teen – her attentions and her horse connections.

Boys Don’t Ride is a charming story of one teen’s pursuit to learn to ride and his desire to break out of the mould that has been set for him, based on his good looks.  An interesting and entertaining story, Boys Don’t Ride is an enjoyable novella. Recommended.

Author – Katharina Marcus
https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7180551.Katharina_Marcus
Fiction – young adult / adult
In my library? – as an eBook yes!
Want it? Get it now at Amazon.

“For one to fly, one needs only to take the reins.” – Melissa James

Sofia Pendleton leads a privileged life, one that allows her to follow her one and only passion: eventing horses. With a talented skewbald gelding named Fascinante, Sofia is determined to make her way up through the levels with the eventual aims of Burleigh and Badminton.

The reader is thrust into the world of eventing by a knowledgeable author. As the story continues, Sofia’s home life isn’t all it appears on the surface. With an increasingly absent father, a stern stepmother and a determined young eventer who makes his way into Sofia’s family life, the eighteen year old questions just how she will achieve her dream.

In an unexpected twist of events, she finds herself without her lavish lifestyle, her talented mount and even a means of transport. In a short timeframe, Sofia finds all that she knows and holds dear taken from her in the most unusual of ways.

As she comes to grips with her new living environment, the young woman is devastated to find she has to do everything for herself. Suddenly she has to work and struggle through life without access to a vehicle, decent riding facilities or even someone to guide her riding.

Sofia is a coming of age story of a teenager who learns what it’s like to be thrown out of a world where everything is handed to you on a silver platter and to have to suddenly work for the simplest of things in her life – like a clean stable. As Sofia battles through her new circumstances, she learns to work and has to deal with some life altering experiences.

Sofia ends on a promising note, with the main character having grown up and learned just what she will do to achieve her life’s dream. An entertaining read.

Author – Cate Bryant
https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/14902370.Cate_Bryant
Fiction – young adult / adult
In my library? – as an eBook yes!
Want it? Get it now at Amazon. (Free till February 4, 2016!)
“On the back of a horse you will find Paradise.” – Stella A. Walker