Barbara M. reviewed on + 152 more book reviews
Found this book (and a couple others) in the snow spring 2018 when I was walking my dog. Glad that I didn't pay for it. Author has some writing talent otherwise I would give it one star. I've owned and ridden horses for 45 years and the horse's behavior after the accident didn't ring true. The author at one point (don't recall where in the story) attributed the horse's violent behavior as the horse having let down its owner by not avoiding the accident (or some such nonsense). Based on my 45 years with horses, horses don't appear to have that level of complex thought. It would be understandable for the horse to be fearful of semis after the accident but lashing out at any and all humans is a stretch. But, of course, then there would be no need of making the trip out west to see the horse whisperer.
Once Annie, her daughter Grace, and the horse Pilgrim arrive out west, the focus of the story shifts to the relationship between Annie and Tom, the whisperer, while Grace and Pilgrim become a secondary story. Annie is portrayed as a driven, focused woman who typically gets her way in the family because it's just easier for Grace and her dad Robert to capitulate. Robert is portrayed as a decent, hard working, loyal father and spouse. Yet, once Annie arrives out west, she finds she's irresistibly drawn to Tom and vice versa.
SPOILER ALERTS: At one point, Annie is going to be the only one left at the ranch because Robert (who has come out to visit for a few days) and Grace go back east for a medical appointment, another family on the ranch takes a vacation, and Tom plans to be gone for a few days to train horses for someone else. Before Tom arrives at his destination, he suddenly turns around and returns to the ranch where he and Annie finally give in to their mutual attraction. The book would have been much more interesting had the two resisted temptation. The fact that both justified it as something that was inevitable so why fight it was pathetic. Tom was portrayed in the book as a great, rather noble guy but we learn that he has had frequent meaningless relationships with women, including those who were married. The fact that he had multiple dalliances with married women doesn't seem "noble," even if the women didn't care. Annie's husband Robert had come out to the ranch after Annie and Grace had been there a while. Robert spent several days there and we learn that Tom thought he was a nice guy. Yet, even that didn't stop Tom from acting on his attraction to Annie.
FURTHER SPOILERS: Once Grace realizes the truth about her mother, she takes off on Pilgrim. Tom and another guy (his brother, I think) went out to find Grace. Suddenly, they discover her in some kind of canyon in the midst of a wild herd of horses. Pilgrim is in a fierce fight with the herd's stallion. That also seemed unbelievable. Grace and Pilgrim had been out on their own and the next we know they are in the middle of these wild horses with no explanation. It seemed like the author didn't want to be bothered with details--he just wanted to finish the book. Then Tom suddenly offers himself as a "sacrifice" to the wild stallion. That really stretches the imagination. Then we are back in NY many months later. Annie has had a baby that looks remarkably like Tom--never mind the fact that she had a IUD device while she had her affair with Tom and IUDs have a high success rate in preventing pregnancy--we are supposed to believe that it conveniently failed. And, never mind the fact that Annie previously had multiple miscarriages before having Grace. We are also supposed to believe that Grace has made a remarkable emotional recovery not only from the accident but also from learning the truth about her mother and Tom and has turned into a well-adjusted young lady. The relationship between Annie and Robert isn't the same as it once was--Robert lives in the city with Grace during the week and weekends are at the country home where Annie lives full time with the baby.
Tom and Annie come across as completely self-absorbed individuals who think of no one but themselves. Neither was a very likable character. Really a disappointing book.
Once Annie, her daughter Grace, and the horse Pilgrim arrive out west, the focus of the story shifts to the relationship between Annie and Tom, the whisperer, while Grace and Pilgrim become a secondary story. Annie is portrayed as a driven, focused woman who typically gets her way in the family because it's just easier for Grace and her dad Robert to capitulate. Robert is portrayed as a decent, hard working, loyal father and spouse. Yet, once Annie arrives out west, she finds she's irresistibly drawn to Tom and vice versa.
SPOILER ALERTS: At one point, Annie is going to be the only one left at the ranch because Robert (who has come out to visit for a few days) and Grace go back east for a medical appointment, another family on the ranch takes a vacation, and Tom plans to be gone for a few days to train horses for someone else. Before Tom arrives at his destination, he suddenly turns around and returns to the ranch where he and Annie finally give in to their mutual attraction. The book would have been much more interesting had the two resisted temptation. The fact that both justified it as something that was inevitable so why fight it was pathetic. Tom was portrayed in the book as a great, rather noble guy but we learn that he has had frequent meaningless relationships with women, including those who were married. The fact that he had multiple dalliances with married women doesn't seem "noble," even if the women didn't care. Annie's husband Robert had come out to the ranch after Annie and Grace had been there a while. Robert spent several days there and we learn that Tom thought he was a nice guy. Yet, even that didn't stop Tom from acting on his attraction to Annie.
FURTHER SPOILERS: Once Grace realizes the truth about her mother, she takes off on Pilgrim. Tom and another guy (his brother, I think) went out to find Grace. Suddenly, they discover her in some kind of canyon in the midst of a wild herd of horses. Pilgrim is in a fierce fight with the herd's stallion. That also seemed unbelievable. Grace and Pilgrim had been out on their own and the next we know they are in the middle of these wild horses with no explanation. It seemed like the author didn't want to be bothered with details--he just wanted to finish the book. Then Tom suddenly offers himself as a "sacrifice" to the wild stallion. That really stretches the imagination. Then we are back in NY many months later. Annie has had a baby that looks remarkably like Tom--never mind the fact that she had a IUD device while she had her affair with Tom and IUDs have a high success rate in preventing pregnancy--we are supposed to believe that it conveniently failed. And, never mind the fact that Annie previously had multiple miscarriages before having Grace. We are also supposed to believe that Grace has made a remarkable emotional recovery not only from the accident but also from learning the truth about her mother and Tom and has turned into a well-adjusted young lady. The relationship between Annie and Robert isn't the same as it once was--Robert lives in the city with Grace during the week and weekends are at the country home where Annie lives full time with the baby.
Tom and Annie come across as completely self-absorbed individuals who think of no one but themselves. Neither was a very likable character. Really a disappointing book.
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