The Horsemaster's Daughter

I wanted to like this book a lot because I loved the first book in the series. This book, though. It suffered from a lack of momentum and sympathy for the hero. There was too much going on and at the same time, the story was boring. It picked up once the heroine left her island, and the hero's children appear. At the same time, it fell into the "hero loves the governess" trope. Also, antebellum society is not all that interesting. The last couple sections of the novel, though, picked up and moved along, and there quite a few heart-wrenching moments. If some of the middle could have been kicked out, the book would have been better. I'll still read the next one because lady astronomer.

Widowed Hunter is bitter about his life, drinking himself into a stupor. When his prized stallion from Ireland is untameable, and he's ready to shoot the beast, until his nephew convinces him to seek out a horse whisperer on a newby island. After he's killed for helping fugitive slaves escape, Henry's daughter Eliza continues to live in seclusion on the island. She's learned everything that her father also knew & when Hunter invades her life, she can't look away from the wild stallion - she wants to save him...and Hunter too.

okay, but you can't just drop two bombshells in the last fifteen pages and handwave it away

Susan Wiggs has a winner here. The love story was varied and rich, with legitimate obstacles to overcome and difficult decisions to make.

The Horsemaster's Daughter Wiggs_ Susan
Book starts out with Hunter and he raised horses. The latest is very brutal and he knows he needs some help to tame this one.
With help from a boy they get the contained horse on a small barge and take him to where they hope the horsemaster lives. He'd be the one to tame him.
He arrives and only finds a woman-his daughter. Her father is gone.
Like learning about the wild horses and how they show up to be close to her.
He watches as the next day Hunter sees the horse catching her but she wants a chance with the horse.
She had been taught by the expert, her father and she knew she had to take her time with the horse.
Love the relationship they discover on the roof.
They see into each other's soul and she show more sees he needs a new wife and he sees she is simple but connected to the horses-has no idea about the outside world.
Love how Alysha trains the stallion-Finn. Hunter tends to the other animals and knows his kids are in good hands with his inlaws.
Slaves wonder to the island and she knows what she needs to do-follow in her father's footsteps so they can continue their journey.
He meets a man he thought he'd never see again, she is amazed at everything she's learning about her father's life.
She finds love and wants to explore him.
Love mysteries, treasures, different locations and all the adventure of making it all work.
Alysha realizes how damaged his family is once she lives among them. She is so perspective. She finds out why his son won't talk and she is able to bring his grief forward, releasing him from his pain. After the job of training Finn her work at the estate is done.
Sexual scenes. She is able to learn more about her father and mother. Hunter also learns of his wifes last days and her private secret past.
He keeps his promise and sets her free to go to CA, her father's real dream.
I received this book from National Library Service for my BARD (Braille Audio Reading Device). show less

Excellent Story!