Thief of Happy Endings

When she was seven, Cassidy showed great promise as a horseback rider, but then she was violently bucked and stopped riding. Now, as a teenager, she’s deathly afraid of getting on a horse, yet she’s spending the summer in Wyoming on her grandfather’s former ranch, where herds of wild mustangs run free. Despite being surrounded by unkind fellow workers who don’t think she can live up to her grandfather’s legacy, Cassidy slowly works her way up to riding again. Her love and knowledge of horses is evident, as is her expertise about living and working on a horse ranch, including her awareness of animal rights issues. Through Cassidy, Chandler showcases the upside of ranch living (being among beautiful horses), but she also isn’t shy about its downsides (hard work, scarce showers, cleaning outhouses). Cassidy’s life is multilayered, as she navigates new friendships and family difficulties, and finds romance with another rancher, but the real romance is between Cassidy and the horses as she learns to overcome her fears. Ages 12–up. [em]Agent: Jamie Weiss Chilton, Andrea Brown Literary Agency. (June) [/em]