The Horse Dancer: A Novel
(Libby/OverDrive eAudiobook)

Originally published in the UK in 2009, The Horse Dancer differs sharply from Moyes' later works (Me before You, 2012). Fourteen year-old Sarah cares only about her grandfather and her horse, Boo. She spends all her time at a London urban stable, training with Boo to follow in her grandfather's footsteps in joining an elite French equestrian academy. When an accident turns her world upside down, Sarah's care falls to Natasha, a lawyer who works with children, and her Natasha's ex-husband, Mac. Sarah is determined to reach the academy, but unless she can share her secrets with Natasha and Mac, she may lose not only her dream of being accepted at Le Cadre Noir, but Boo as well. Alternating narration between Sarah and Natasha, this somewhat bloated novel shines a light on a unique kind of dressage, urban stables, and the love of a girl for her horse. The exposition is a bit drawn out, and Sarah and Natasha come across as unlikable at times. Yet, with a touch of adventure, Moyes offers a lovely comment on the importance of discipline, love, and persistence in our relationships.--Babiasz, Tracy Copyright 2017 Booklist

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 Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

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 ownuntil she runs into Natasha Macauley, a lawyer who's used to working with disadvantaged children. Natasha has problems of her ownshe'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 booksbig emotions, quirky characters, and a few tearsand this one delivers on all counts. Copyright Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.

Originally published in the UK in 2009, The Horse Dancer differs sharply from Moyes' later works (Me before You, 2012). Fourteen year-old Sarah cares only about her grandfather and her horse, Boo. She spends all her time at a London urban stable, training with Boo to follow in her grandfather's footsteps in joining an elite French equestrian academy. When an accident turns her world upside down, Sarah's care falls to Natasha, a lawyer who works with children, and her Natasha's ex-husband, Mac. Sarah is determined to reach the academy, but unless she can share her secrets with Natasha and Mac, she may lose not only her dream of being accepted at Le Cadre Noir, but Boo as well. Alternating narration between Sarah and Natasha, this somewhat bloated novel shines a light on a unique kind of dressage, urban stables, and the love of a girl for her horse. The exposition is a bit drawn out, and Sarah and Natasha come across as unlikable at times. Yet, with a touch of adventure, Moyes offers a lovely comment on the importance of discipline, love, and persistence in our relationships. Copyright 2017 Booklist Reviews.

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.

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