Riding Lessons: A Novel - Dark Publications

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Editorial Reviews:

Product Description

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.

Book Description
From the bestselling author of Water for Elephants: A devastating accident that ends both the career of an Olympic-contender equestrienne aand the life of her beloved horse sets off a chain of events that comes to a crisis point nearly twenty years later.

Customer Reviews: Read 94 more reviews...

5 out of 5 stars

Beautiful story of broken families and broken dreams June 18, 2007
28 out of 33 found this review helpful

AnneMarie Zimmer was a contender, destined for the high circuits of horse jumping, with her precious Highland Harry. But when Harry breaks a leg on a jump and sends AnneMarie to the hospital, paralyzed with a broken neck, her dreams, and her family's dreams, are shattered.

Years later, Annemarie is recovered, married with a 15 year old daughter, and has never ridden a horse since the death of Harry. Then her life falls apart again, one-two-three. One, she loses her job. Two, her daughter is failing school and her husband announces he's leaving her for a mistress. Three, Annemarie discovers her vital father has advanced ALS. Broken and in shock, Annemarie returns with Eva, her daughter, to the farm where she was raised to see and help care for her father.

With Eva out of control at fifteen (getting piercings, tattoos, smoking, wanting to date, running away, etc), her father deteriorated to barely functional in a wheelchair, and her husband shacked up with a much younger woman, Annemarie loses control of her life. She takes over management of the stables and discovers her mother (Mutti) was right when she said Annemarie couldn't handle the responsibility.

But in the midst of the chaos of her life comes a ragged horse saved by veterinarian and old boyfriend Dan, a liver colored brindle as rare as Annemarie's beloved Harry. Annemarie adopts the recalcitrant horse, rescued from a slaughter pen, and begins to work with him. But when she finds out the one-eyed horse is none other than Harry's brother Highland Hurrah, pronounced dead by former owner to collect a cool million-plus in insurance, she fears that Hurrah may be taken away from her.

Sara Gruen is a talent to be reckoned with. Not only are her characters fully fleshed and unique, but they breathe with the life she has put into them. You'll feel like they are your own friends or neighbors, someone you know intimately. Annemarie is a person you can relate to, making mistake after mistake but always finding a way to deal with the problems, even if her resolutions are late at times. Eva is far from a perfect child, making her own mistakes and showing herself to be her mother's daughter.

'Riding Lessons' is a story of human triumph and defeat, of mistakes made and corrected, of real life slapping you across the face when you least expect it. The pains of losses are balanced by family, friends, and personal drive to become something before life passes swiftly by. Not to mention, the love of the great, beautiful beasts we call horses. When love overcomes tragedy, there are tears and smiles and sighs to experience. 'Riding Lessons' give us all of that and more.

I highly recommend picking up Sara Gruen's other book, 'Water For Elephants', especially if you liked riding lessons. 'Water For Elephants' has even more maturity in Gruen's writing, but this first book is an amazing accomplishment for a novice writer. I highly recommend 'Riding Lessons'. Enjoy!

3 out of 5 stars

Mixed feelings... May 28, 2007
19 out of 26 found this review helpful

I thought Water for Elephants by Sara Gruen was fabulous, so I picked up one of her other novels, Riding Lessons. While I enjoyed Riding Lessons, I had mixed feelings about this first effort. Overall, I'd give this book three and a half stars.

Thirty-eight year old Annemarie Zimmer has her world collapse on her when she loses her job, her husband, and she finds out that her father is dying of ALS. She packs up her rebellious 15 year old daughter and heads back to the horse farm where she grew up in New Hampshire. But unfortunately for Annemarie, the farm is haunted by ghosts of her childhood and a tragic riding accident that almost killed her 20 years ago. She also has never dealt with the loss of her magnificent horse, Harry, who had to be killed as a result of the accident. Annemarie was a world champion rider, training for the Olympics. After the accident, she never rode again. So not only must Annemarie deal with her father and her daughter and her divorce, she must also face the issues from her past.

One problem I had with Riding Lessons is that I didn't always like Annemarie. She seemed spoiled and self-absorbed and every time she was faced with a decision, it seemed like she made the wrong one. The plot was also fairly predictable--especially the ending. But Sara Gruen's writing is moving and poignant and it's obvious that her talent will serve her well (as evidenced by Water for Elephants).

5 out of 5 stars

Poignant, bittersweet, and wonderful April 3, 2004
18 out of 22 found this review helpful

The first, electrifying scene in this brilliant debut novel had me on the edge of my seat, or rather, my saddle. I was with the author on Highland Harry's back as she carried me through that relentless, breathtaking description of how it feels to be on top of a thousand-plus pounds of eager horseflesh approaching a five-foot jump and holding him in check until the optimum moment for take-off, much like inflating a balloon to its maximum and stopping a split second before it bursts or stretching an elastic band and letting go before it snaps.

As a horsewoman and avid reader, I'm always on the lookout for well-written fiction with an authentic equine background. This one filled my needs, and then some, with a cast of memorable characters and a likeable, believable heroine complete with flaws and a wicked sense of humor. Gruen's rhythmic prose, her impeccable command of the language--especially description--are exquisite. I recommend this book highly.

5 out of 5 stars A gorgeous book by a major talent April 1, 2004
15 out of 19 found this review helpful

I consider myself a fairly discerning reader, and a book must engage me on the first page or else I'll set it aside. Sara Gruen's RIDING LESSONS is so explosive that not only was I hooked immediately, I lost a night's sleep to finish it. I became so immersed in Annemarie's life that I was saddened when I reached the end of her story.

Gruen writes with astonishing grace about several difficult issues. Her depiction of the power struggle between Annemarie and her daughter is rendered with empathy, and thankfully avoids relying on melodrama or syrupy platitudes. Annemarie's parents are vital, vibrant characters, so alive and skillfully realized you feel like you're eavesdropping on private, painful conversations. Gruen also exhibits a biting sense of humor, imbuing Annemarie with a sharp wit and fragile bravado that leads her into several comical situations. And the sequences about riding can only be described as breathtaking.

RIDING LESSONS is so exquisitely written I often found myself stopping to reread sentences, just to enjoy their structure and cadence. I urge anyone who's tired of the same old stale, formulaic women's fiction to read RIDING LESSONS; I promise it'll restore your faith in the genre. I eagerly await Gruen's next effort.

5 out of 5 stars Outstanding New Voice in Women's Fiction April 2, 2004
12 out of 14 found this review helpful

I rarely, if ever, write Amazon reviews. I've shopped at Amazon since Amazon got started and this is the third review I have ever written. Well, RIDING LESSONS by Sara Gruen was so incredible that it moved me to write an Amazon review, and believe me, that's saying a lot. I bought it on the recommendation of a friend, and boy, am I glad I did.

This book is groundbreaking in the area of women's fiction. Aren't you tired of reading about the same-old same-old heroines created by Danielle Steele, or Jude Deveraux? Wouldn't you really like to read about a heroine who is like someone you know, or even like you? If that's the case then RIDING LESSONS by Sara Gruen is the book for you.

Annemarie is portrayed sensitively and honestly. She is a heroine with flaws, yet her flaws somehow make her even more likeable. Her relationship with her daughter is entirely believeable, and the scenes with her dying father were poignant and well-wrought. I was completely drawn in by the scenes involving Annemarie and her horse. Even if you are not a "horse person" you will enjoy reading about Annemarie's relationships with Harry and Hurrah.

The last time pages turned this quickly for me was with THE SECRET HISTORY by Donna Tartt. As a matter of fact, I began reading this book on the way home from the bookstore, at a stoplight. When the light changed, I nearly got in a car crash. If that doesn't tell you about the capability of this book to draw in a reader, then nothing will.

This book is special. I wish more contemporary women's fiction was written with such flair and intelligence. I'll definitely be recommending it to my friends, and I will eagerly await whatever comes next from this amazing new author. If you are looking for a page-turner that does not insult your intelligence, look no further than RIDING LESSONS by Sara Gruen.

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