The Horse Dancer

February 1, 2017
A horse-loving girl and a cynical lawyer cross paths in this 2009 novel now being published in the U.S. Fourteen-year-old Sarah lives with her grandfather, a man who once rode with the elite riding school Le Cadre Noir, and spends every spare second working with her horse at an urban stable under railway arches in London, hoping to follow in his footsteps. But when her grandfather suffers a stroke, Sarah is on her own--until she runs into Natasha Macauley, a lawyer who's used to working with disadvantaged children. Natasha has problems of her own--she's dealing with her challenging legal career and trying to navigate the messy dissolution of her marriage. When she and her almost-ex-husband impulsively decide to take Sarah in, complications quickly arise. Sarah keeps sneaking out to care for Boo, and as her situation grows more desperate, she begins lying and stealing. Was it a mistake for Natasha to become involved in Sarah's life? And will Sarah be able to protect her beloved horse? Clocking in at nearly 500 pages, the story sometimes feels bloated. However, it's easy to become emotionally invested in the characters, and Sarah's situation is compelling and unique. If readers are willing to stick it out, they'll be rewarded with an ending that is both satisfying and sweet. Fans of Moyes (Paris for One and Other Stories, 2016, etc.) know what to expect from her books--big emotions, quirky characters, and a few tears--and this one delivers on all counts.

COPYRIGHT(2017) Kirkus Reviews, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

December 1, 2016

As with Ship of Brides and Silver Bay, the publisher is breaking into the backlist of No. 1 New York Times best-selling British author Moyes, turning out this paperback original about young Sarah, the horse she loves, and the conflicted woman who tries to help them both. "Billy Elliot in jodhpurs." (Daily News)

Copyright 2016 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

March 15, 2017

Successful London attorney Natasha is finally moving forward after her marriage to Mac fell apart. Her career is taking off, her relationship with her boyfriend Conor is stable, if bland, and she has her big, beautiful house all to herself. Then Mac moves back in, and he and Natasha find themselves the guardians of troubled teenager Sarah. Sarah has been raised by her loving but strict grandfather. Known to everyone as the Captain, he was an expert horseman who has taught Sarah the classic arts of French dressage. Strictly independent, Sarah takes her obligations to her horse, Boo, seriously, even after her grandfather has a massive stroke and ends up in long-term care. Without her grandfather's presence, not even the guidance of Mac and Natasha can protect Sarah and Boo from a dangerous mobster and the girl's own poor choices. Sarah's dramas seem the most perilous, but readers might just wish for Natasha and Mac to ask the right questions and head off looming calamity. VERDICT Moyes (Me Before You; After You) is a master of character development, allowing each of her protagonists to stumble, shine, and surprise in all their humanity. Recommended for fans of the author and general fiction collections. [See Prepub Alert, 10/31/16.]--Jennifer Beach, Longwood Univ. Lib., Farmville, VA

Copyright 2017 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.