A boy is told that his father was a brave and virtuous man, a soldier who traded his life to save the lives of countless others. He was the man that Hunter needed to emulate. The only problem is the whole story is a lie, all of it. The truth, which Hunter discovers as he begins his sophomore year of high school, is that his father has actually spent the boy’s entire life in jail, paying his debt … debt to society, but not mending his ways.
A wild mustang mare, is rounded up by the BLM. The spring rains had been sparse, the forage on the plains even more so. The mare and her herd are rescued from certain starvation and placed for adoption. In a sandy corral at Promise Ranch, a home for troubled teenage boys, the boy and the mare meet. A weathered, old cowboy brings them together – a mentor for one, a trainer for the other.
The bond that forms between boy and horse becomes one that saves the lives of both.
more
Story of a teen and his Mom. She tries to protect him from the truth about his waster of a father by inventing the perfect dad. But when the truth comes out the boy can’t handle the betrayal. The youngster is angry and wants to show it. Enter the mustang. Animals teach us about patience, loyalty and trust; you get out what you put in. But will the lad even listen.
All animal lovers from teens to adults will love this story. It’s not too long a read, however it takes you on journey through the Arizona desert that you won’t forget.
MY THOUGHTS ON THIS BOOK
In the Heart of a Mustang is a bit different than the book, Pinto that I just finished reading. In this book a young boy has been told all his life that his dad is a honorable man and died as a hero. But that’s not the case. And the boy is furious that his mom has lied to him all his life. Hunter has always wanted to be just like his dad. Will he continue to work toward this goal now that he knows what his real dad was like?
This story it quite sad because this family has been completely upended. And Hunter has no desire to make things right with his mom. And the only hope is the hope therapy farm. It was incredible how the story opened up at this farm, the staff was kind and caring. But it wasn’t a quick fix. Not at all. It was interesting and fun as I was able to follow the characters, see their development as the story unfolded. And I love that they were all so realistic. I felt as though I was that farm working with the horses myself. I have read several books about horse therapy, have been. very interested in this type of therapy. And this book is full of so much info on the subject. Its clear the author did her research well, and wrote it well into this story. And for you to learn more about this type of therapy, you will need to read this book, In the Heart of a Mustang. I hope you love and enjoy it as much as I did!
A special thanks to the author/publisher for a copy of this book. I am not required to write a positive review, the opinions here are mine alone. I am disclosing this with my review in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255.
In the Heart of a Mustang is yet another great read by M.J. Evans. I had the pleasure of previously reading her Pinto! . I adored that book and was happy to have the opportunity to read this one. I was definitely not disappointed.
In the Heart of a Mustang readers will be introduced to fifteen year old boy, Hunter. He gets angry with his mother when he finds the truth about his father. He gets into some trouble and sent to Promise Ranch, a place for teenage boys who are going the wrong path in life. This is where Hunter meets the rescued mustang mare, Sally. The two become friends and both have to learn how to trust one another. I loved learning theses beautiful life lessons that all readers, young and old, could learn from.
In the Heart of a Mustang is a well written story. Hunter is a character that is relatable and could be easily understood what he is going through by many readers. I found that it connects well with them.
I am giving In the Heart of a Mustang a very well deserved five stars. I would love to find more stories like this by M.J. Evans in the near future. I highly recommend this one for readers who enjoy young adult reads and horses and for ages 12 and up. I thought it was a great read.
I received this book from the publisher. This review is 100% my own honest opinion.
In the Heart of a Mustang tells of the angst of a young teen as he struggles to learn who he is and to make good choices for his life. The book is full of horses, the outdoors, and strong adult role models. Having been a parent of a troubled teen, I found this book to be emotional but heartfelt. Evans captures the thoughts and feelings of young Hunter and reveals his struggles in a way that might guide other troubled teens to realize they are not alone.