Not an easy subject matter so took me a while to read but really well written and tackled the rawness of the topic very well.
Roan is fighting for her voice to be heard and fighting to gain her own identity. Although she is very talented she has manipulative and abusive father,
An emotional read. Very graphic so be mindful if you can handle the topic

Thanks to Netgalley for proof copy
The book cover has been changed since publication.
This book is a rollercoaster of dark emotions, young romance, abuse and fierce ambition which makes for a gripping read.
I was drawn to this book because I loved horse books as a child but this is not a book for young children. The central character, Roan Montgomery, is a grown-up 15 year old who is strong and fierce and who does not back down. Roan is training for the Olympics as a three day eventer in the disciplines of eventing, dressage and show jumping. She has to balance this tough life with the pressures of school and a less than harmonious home life. Added to the mix: her coach is her father, a former Olympic competitor and strong disciplinarian with the stirrings of first love and you have an amazing concoction of a book that keeps you engrossed from start to finish. Roan, herself, is a strong female character: she has to be in order to keep winning but there is more to her life than outsiders see and the way she is able to deal with it is impressive in one so young.
There are some strong scenes in this book which might be triggering for some. Characters are well-drawn and believable. Will and Roan's romance is tender and provides some counterbalance to the strong forces that rule her life. The novel is very dark in places and there are points where it is very tense. The reader definitely understands what pressure there might be for people who wish to succeed in their chosen sport.
I would recommend Dark Horses with the caveat that if you have had some trauma in your life that you might want to approach with care.
Sarah Charmley.

Really not my cup of tea, geared towards people with a knowledge of horse riding.
Very graphic incest scenes, very upsetting subject matter.
Not written well enough to carry the message of rape/incest/child abuse in a sensitive way, if meant to be a shock tactic it didn't quite work, I just couldn't see the point of the story to be honest, I really feel stories like this should teach a lesson somehow.

I LOVED this book, much more than I expected to. That opening chapter was just a bombshell - and then I read the whole book pretty much in one sitting, and spent the whole time feeling seriously tense about what was coming next. The whole book just piles on the darkness, and yet it somehow manages to have a happy(ish) ending.

I cannot wait to start being able to recommend this book to everyone I meet!

SPOILERS

Well,that was quite something.
In the middle of this book is a nice little romance between two teenagers.
Surrounding it,is nothing but darkness.
A controlling father who manages his daughters life right down to the last detail... and the nicest part about it.
The abuse is quite graphic,from both parents. Makes you wonder how Roan turned out as well as she did.

I'm still undecided on the ending... the book seemed so explosive,that in comparison it was fairly quiet.
Over all though,one I'll be raving about to friends for a while.

I received an advanced reader’s copy in exchange for an honest review

Trigger Warning:



this book contains very graphic descriptions of sexual abuse of a minor by a parent.


OK, now that that’s out-of-the-way, what a book. Painfully honest. Maybe too honest. But necessary. Not for the faint of heart