Retired race horses, incarcerated women, and a man's dream to bring healing to both - these are but the outer threads of Lauraine Snelling's novel, BREAKING FREE.  

Maggie Roberts has spent her time in prison "just getting by." Trying hard to shield herself from deep emotions, she does what she has to do and stays out of trouble. When she is chosen as one of 10 women to pilot a new program to rehabilitate retired (often injured, abused and neglected) thoroughbred horses, she is both thrilled and terrified. Through the program, Maggie learns to care for something, and that care causes her to feel the pain of her past more acutely. She pours her heart and soul into her job, and especially into a troubled horse named Breaking Free. It seems like only Maggie can keep this horse from being sent to the slaughter-house because of his behaviors.  

Gil Winters, a well-known and successful speaker, is also a single parent to a son with disabilities. Eddie Winters may need to use a wheel-chair, but his spirit is as free as the wind. His favorite thing to do is ride therapeutic horses, and more than anything else, he wants to own one of his own. Father and son wind up at an open house horse show that features the rehabilitated horses and the imprisoned women. Eddie and Breaking Free, the wild horse that only Maggie Roberts can handle, seem to have an immediate bond. How can this one horse, with such a bad reputation, be the horse for this disabled boy? Can Maggie, the paroled "ex-con" help both horse and boy? “Horses are honest, they don’t lie.

 What you see is what you get.” Maggie, Gil and Breaking Free must all be willing to learn lessons on honesty and trust.  

Lauraine Snelling’s book packs many powerful messages, and never, ever preaches. Her understanding of deep emotions and her ability to reveal those emotions through totally believable characters is a wonderful gift. We all have things that we need to break free from! This is a most enjoyable novel.

Reviewed by Patty Ruppert for The Road to Romance

August 1, 2007