As a world-class equestrian and Olympic contender, Annemarie Zimmer lived for the thrill of flight atop a strong, graceful animal. Then, at eighteen, a tragic accident destroyed her riding career and Harry, the beautiful horse she cherished. Now, twenty years later, Annemarie is coming home to her dying father's New Hampshire horse farm. Jobless and abandoned, she is bringing her troubled teenage daughter to this place of pain and memory, where ghosts of an unresolved youth still haunt the fields and stables-and where hope lives in the eyes of the handsome, gentle veterinarian Annemarie loved as a girl...and in the seductive allure of a trainer with a magic touch. But everything will change yet again with one glimpse of a white striped gelding startlingly similar to the one Annemarie lost in another lifetime. And an obsession is born that could shatter her fragile world.
Riding Lessons: Annemarie Zimmer Series, Book 1
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...so exquisitely written it's hard to believe that its also a debut. [starred review]
--"Booklist" --This text refers to the Audio CD edition.
--"Booklist" --This text refers to the Audio CD edition.
About the Author
Sara Gruen is the author of the New York Times bestseller Water for Elephants and Riding Lessons. She lives with her husband and three children in a conservation community outside Chicago.
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First Sentence
"Are you ready?" says Roger as he gives me a leg up, and I laugh, because I've never been so ready in all my life. Read the first page
Front Cover | Copyright | Excerpt | Back Cover
"Are you ready?" says Roger as he gives me a leg up, and I laugh, because I've never been so ready in all my life. Read the first page
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
16 of 17 people found the following review helpful
By Joanna
Format:Mass Market Paperback
From the terrific opening chapter where Olympic hopeful Annemarie Zimmerman has the accident which will shape her life, this book keeps you hooked. Annemarie, the narrator, is not always likeable but the reader cannot help being swept along with her as she struggles to make a new start in life, understand her family and come to terms with what happened 18 years ago. Gruen has got a suberb writing style, literate but non-flashy, fluent and with an excellent sense of pacing so the action never flags. She is also superb at conveying the magic of horses without this book being in any sense 'horsey'. Though much of the action of the book is concerned with Annemarie's search to find out who her rescue horse really is this is a story about people and their relationships to each other and it is very well done indeed. Some of the charecterisation could have been deeper - Eva the 15 year old daughter is tiresomely one note in her never-ending stroppiness - and Gruen veers into straight cliches at times - such as the French riding instructor who can whip up a superb meal just like that. Even so, this is a thoroughly enjoyable read. Reccomended.
5 of 5 people found the following review helpful
By J Goudie
Format:Kindle Edition|Amazon Verified Purchase
I bought this bok because I love horse stories even though I am middle aged and cant have one (damn!). Right from the start I was gripped by the story and couldnt put it down until I knew what had happened. The characters were strong and pulled me straight in. I just felt like I was a part of it all. It must be good coz i bought the follow on, Flying Changes straight away on finishing this one.
This is a book that I will read and read again.
This is a book that I will read and read again.
3 of 3 people found the following review helpful
Format:Mass Market Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase
I really enjoyed this book. I hadn't read one of hers before and am looking forward to Flying Changes. It has good humour and the plot is pretty good, though a little far-fetched. I would definitely recommend it, particularly to anyone who loves horses (as I do). I don't usually enjoy American novels, but this is lovely and good fun. I felt like I really knew all the characters and could empathise with them.
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3.7 out of 5 stars
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
3.0 out of 5 stars
Epic Angst
There were parts of this novel that really shone for me. Being a horse lover/rider all of my life, I did enjoy aspects of the book, but I did feel it was lacking in cohesion and... Read more
Published 4 months ago by J. Wilkin
2.0 out of 5 stars
Not as good as I was expecting, sadly.
I found this book on a website with recommendations for horsey books, and read the sample. The first chapter or so is brilliant - enough to get me to buy the book - but sadly it... Read more
Published 9 months ago by bookworm
5.0 out of 5 stars
A must read for grown up horse lovers!
Fab book. After reading all the Jilly Cooper horsey books, looked online to find some others. Founds loads for 'teenagers', then came across Sara Gruen. Read more
Published 10 months ago by susiesiou
1.0 out of 5 stars
Riding Lessons - dreadful
After reading Water for Elephants, which I absolutely loved, I was really looking forward to reading my second novel by the same author. Read more
Published 16 months ago by clairet
5.0 out of 5 stars
nice read!
really nice read, I've gone from cover to cover in two days! moving and funny at the same time and a perfect novel if you love horses like I do.. Read more
Published 16 months ago by Monil78
3.0 out of 5 stars
Poor Man's 'The Horse Whisperer' meets Mills & Boon!
As I was reading this book I just couldn't get The Horse Whisperer meets Mills and Boon out of my head. Read more
Published 23 months ago by B. Robinson
3.0 out of 5 stars
Riding Lessons
Although the story line is quite good, it's very American psycho-babble orientated and because of the way the book was written, I wanted to slap the heroine I'm afraid.
Published on 1 April 2011 by JillyCooperFan
2.0 out of 5 stars
Great first chapter, pity about the next twenty
After a terrific opening this novel soon deteriorates into an unlikely run of bad luck and bad writing. Read more
Published on 12 Oct 2009 by Phil O'Sofa
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