Leave It to Chance: A Novel [Paperback]

Sherri Sand (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: May 1, 2008

Single mom of three, Sierra Montgomery is desperate to find a new job to keep from having to move back home and be smothered to death by her mother's good intentions and overbearing love. So when Sierra inherits Chance, a quirky old gelding she doesn't have a clue what to do with, she thinks her best bet may be to sell the horse to cover another month's rent-a decision that devastates her children. Enter Ross Morgan, a handsome landscaper who just happens to have an empty barn and fenced pasture. perfect for an old horse to live out his days as the pet of three wounded kids. Ross develops a soft spot for eldest child Braden.and he just might have one for Braden's mother. But what he doesn't have is time for distractions-he's got a landscaping business to run and nursery plants to tend. But Sierra has a secret. She's terrified of horses and-thanks to her past-wary of attractive men. Yet seeing the way her angry son idolizes Ross and adores that old horse forces Sierra to confront her fears. Will she remain distrustful and self-reliant, or will she seek help from God and those who love her?

--This text refers to the Kindle Edition edition.

Editorial Reviews

From the Back Cover

Single mom of three, Sierra Montgomery is desperate to find a new job to keep from having to move back home and be smothered to death by her mother's good intentions and overbearing love. So when Sierra inherits Chance, a quirky old gelding she doesn't have a clue what to do with, she thinks her best bet may be to sell the horse to cover another month's rent--a decision that devastates her children.

Enter Ross Morgan, a handsome landscaper who just happens to have an empty barn and fenced pasture... perfect for an old horse to live out his days as the pet of three wounded kids. Ross develops a soft spot for eldest child Braden...and he just might have one for Braden's mother. But what he doesn't have is time for distractions--he's got a landscaping business to run and nursery plants to tend.

But there's just one problem. Sierra's terrified of horses and--thanks to her past--wary of attractive men. Yet seeing the way her angry son idolizes Ross and adores that old horse forces Sierra to confront her fears. Will she remain distrustful and self-reliant, or will she seek help from God and those who love her?

About the Author

Sherri Sand is a wife and mother of four young children who keep her scrambling to stay ahead of the spilled milk. She holds a degree in psychology from the University of Oregon, and currently resides with her family in the beautiful Pacific Northwest.

Product Details

• Paperback: 360 pages
• Publisher: David C. Cook; New edition (May 1, 2008)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1434799883
• ISBN-13: 978-1434799883
• Product Dimensions: 8.1 x 5.4 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 13.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (13 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,049,656 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars engaging inspirational family drama, May 26, 2008

By 

Harriet Klausner - See all my reviews
(#1 Hall OF FAME REVIEWER)    (TOP 1000 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Leave It to Chance: A Novel (Paperback)

Her mom calls Sierra Montgomery to tell her she just inherited an old horse from Miss Libby. Sierra explains to her mom that she is struggling to feed and shelter her three children so what is she going to do with a horse after losing her job and her ex philandering spouse's child support checks bounce higher than a basketball. She hides the fact that horses frighten her

Although her kids want to take a Chance on the aptly named horse, Sierra decides she must sell the ancient steed. However, she fails to close the deal so her mom finds a place where Chance can stay and even buys his feed. The stable owner, landscaper Ross Morgan offers to buy Chance from Sierra, but something about the horse makes her hesitate especially since her oldest child raging Braden has found a friend in the horse and in Ross who becomes the father the lad desperately needs at this time. While Ross and Sierra are attracted to one another, both agree the kids come first, Chance second and then them.

This is an engaging inspirational family drama in which a mother and her three kids feel abandoned by God and a rat of a husband-father until Chance and then Ross come into their lives. The key to this enjoyable tale is the ensemble cast is full blooded with issues and doubts that make them seem real (can't say human as Chance is quite a title character). Fans will appreciate Sherri Sand's fine tale of a horse leading people to each other and back to God, who has time for everyone.

Harriet Klausner

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A deftly written romance novel, May 4, 2008

By 

Midwest Book Review (Oregon, WI USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Leave It to Chance: A Novel (Paperback)

A worn out and beaten old gelding horse...it could just be the turning point in Sierra's life. "Leave It to Chance" is a deftly written romance novel where a beaten old horse finds his way into the possession of a woman who fears them and wants to be rid of him - if only at most to pay for a month's rent. A handsome stranger and runner of his own Landscaping business shows up and offers to buy the horse, and allow Sierra's three children visitation rights to the old gelding, and seems to be open to helping Sierra with her financial troubles. Sierra, with bad experiences with attractive men, is reluctant. Can Sierra get over her phobias to help her family? "Leave it to Chance" is highly recommended for romance fans and community library fiction collections.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Don't Miss This Lovely Debut Novel, May 21, 2008

By 

Jennifer AlLee (Nevada USA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Leave It to Chance: A Novel (Paperback)

I admit it, I'm one of those horse crazy girls who never really grew out of it. So when I found out that Sherri Sand's new book contained romance AND a horse, I was hooked.

Leave it to Chance is a sincere story of a single mom struggling to keep her children's world from falling apart. Financial problems abound, and even though Sierra believes that God exists, she's convinced He's got bigger things to worry about than her. This feeling is only reinforced when all her efforts to move her family forward seem to fail.

Sand has written a lovely first novel. She really nails the mother/child dynamic here, not only with Sierra and her children, but with Sierra and her own mother. Unique secondary characters and a hunky hero with issues of his own round out the novel and make it a truly wonderful reading experience. I highly recommend this book, and look forward to future offerings from this talented new author.