Terrified that her mother’s fiancé will follow through on his perverted threats and with no help from her enamored mother, Suzie and her beloved mustang Gypsy trek through the mountains towards the safety of her father’s ranch. We see Suzie’s travels, her parents’ reconnecting and beginning to mend the hurt from their divorce, and get a glimpse into the wilderness of the Tetons.

As a whole, this was a quick read that involved plenty of character growth and tied up all the loose ends in a satisfying way. I won’t say this is a light read, as the author does not hide the reality of Suzie’s home situation, but it shows some very real emotions and takes you on an adventure through the twists and turns of the mountains and of life.

However, I did not feel that I could give this book five stars. There were a few ‘pet peeves’ of mine; the pacing felt a bit rushed in spots and slow in others, and the dialogue did not flow as well as I think it could have. I also felt that there were some questionable views towards women that were expressed by the male characters. These observations detracted from the story for me; it does not make sense that a police officer should be driven away from helping someone because he is uncomfortable around tears, and a father whose child just went through a harrowing experience might feel a little more empathy for her tears.

That being said, there were plenty of good moments. We see Suzie's parents reminisce over heartwarming family memories, and relationships grow stronger through the course of the novel. What starts out as a desperate flight for safety resolves in something no one could have imagined.


Thanks to NetGalley for the free copy to review!