Five years after his wife's death Wyatt Blaine determines to
bring back a program she held dear; New Beginnings, an
equine therapy program for troubled teens. Ironically, Wyatt
himself is far from ready for a 'new beginning' where the
loss of Krista and their son Danny is concerned.
Gabby Powers realizes the sight of her can only bring pain
to Wyatt. Her drunk husband was the cause of the accident
that lost Wyatt his family and cost her son his father.
Trevor had been a loving boy but as the years have passed,
he has become a young man in search of something she cannot
provide. Despite the evidence, he is certain his father
would be alive if not for Krista Blaine. The equine therapy
program may be the last chance she has of finding help for
Trevor before he gets into trouble so deeply it ruins his
life. Although Gabby sympathizes with Wyatt, for Trevor's
sake she asks that the past be put aside and he allow Trevor
to be part of his program.
Other characters have their own important contributions to
the storyline. Patriarch Ram Blaine has been diagnosed with
Alzheimer's and is trying to find his way while maintaining
his benevolent dictatorship of the ranch. Aunt Lucy and her
husband have been working for the Blaines most of their
lives and are more like members of the family than
employees.
Robert Barclay has chosen a narrative style that reminds me
of sitting next to a fire and listening to a story, told
well. His first novel is about a single tragic event
rippling outward. It's about finding your way back from
heartbreak; not only the healing from the loss of wife and
husband but how love can come to a boy who has lost his
father as he learns he can make a difference in lives beyond
his own small circle. It explores the power of secrets to
keep those who love each other apart, and the even greater
power of truth to help those wounds heal. At the core IF
WISHES WERE HORSES is a love story, one between a man and a
woman, but greater than that it is a story of other kinds of
love; that between father and son and of love growing
between a boy on the cusp of manhood and an irascible old
coot who is facing the greatest loss of all, that of the
memories of his life.
Wyatt Blaine is a broken man, still reeling from the death
of his wife and son, who were killed in a drunk driving
accident years ago. Searching for a reason to go on, he
reinstates his late wife's horse therapy program for
troubled teens at the family ranch. When Gabby Powers,
the widow of the man responsible for the death of Wyatt's
family, begs his permission to include her son in the
program, Wyatt eventually concedes. There's an incredible
spark between Wyatt and Gabby, but under the strange,
emotionally-charged circumstances, they are both terrified
to admit their feelings--let alone act upon them.
This is
the story of not only Gabby and Wyatt's healing, but also
redemption for the rest of the richly woven cast of
characters, including Gabby's rebellious son, and Wyatt's
tough (yet charismatic) father with Alzheimer's.
© 2003-2024 off-the-edge.net
all rights reserved Privacy Policy