Tuesday, November 5, 2013

Keeping Secrets

by Linda Byler
Good Books

There's horse trouble in Montana again in this second installment in Amish author, Linda Byler's, series, "Sadie's Montana." Someone is shooting horses and Sadie is determined to find out who it is. That is until she begins to suspect that Mark, her boyfriend, may be involved. Will Sadie discover the truth? Will it be too hard to bear?

Only this time, horses aren't being stolen, they're being shot. Snipers are driving a blue pickup and shooting selectively. No hard-working ranch horse or Amish horse and buggy is safe. Still, Sadie rides, despite daily warnings from Dorothy down in the kitchen of Aspen East Ranch. But Sadie's getting used to ignoring Dorothy's advice. Sadie's heart is set on Mark even though Dorothy tells her to steer clear after he ditches her in the middle of their first date. 

Then Daniel appears—a visitor from Lancaster County. With cornflower-blue eyes and a strong, square jaw, he is everything that Mark is not. He's funny, well-mannered, and completely dedicated to his family. Mark, on the other hand, finds it hard to tell Sadie the secrets of his past. He tells her pieces of the shadowy story, then won't speak to her for weeks. Sadie's troubles continue at home when she discovers that her youngest sister, Anna, is struggling with bulimia. As Sadie's world spins out of control, her palomino, Paris, remains her sole confidant. But does Sadie put Paris in danger every time they go riding? Or, together, can they discover who these mysterious snipers are? Will Mark help her? Or is he one of the horse-hunters? Why, Sadie wonders desperately, are there so many secrets? Will the truth surface, or is it too hard to bear?

My Review:

This novel had a twist that I didn't expect from this genre; it was an Amish mystery/western! Horses are being shot (like really, how many books have that sort of thing going on?) and our heroine Sadie, is on the case. No horse is safe - Amish or otherwise. Despite warnings from her friends, Sadie stubbornly keeps riding every day, and doesn't care that it could cost her everything.

My interpretation of Sadie's character is a young woman who listens to advice, and still does whatever she wants. That's not necessarily a bad thing, but when it comes to life or death - Sadie is as stubborn as they come! Every chapter of the book breathed excitement, adventure, and action. Byler kept my attention with her authentic interpretation of Amish life, ranch life, and bringing the characters to life with her overall portrayal and depiction of the story.

This book was provided by the publisher for free in exchange for an honest review. 

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