Silver Dreams [Hardcover]

Sondra Rice Newman (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: January 10, 2006

Silver Dreams is the story of advertising executive Leigh Meredith, who finds herself jilted and alone on Christmas Eve. Devastated, she deserts the plush boardrooms of Manhattan for life in the Virginia horse country and a job at a weekly newspaper. Fate leads her to rescue an abandoned, one-eyed horse named "Silver Dreams." When she finally rides the gray thoroughbred, she's amazed to discover how fast he can run. But can he race? For the answer she seeks out trainer Whit Riley, a bitter recluse. Soon, Leigh enters the high stakes world of thoroughbred racing and an explosive relationship with Whit while challenged by a scheming young widow determined to take both Whit and Silver Dreams away from her. Silver Dreams, a rags-to-riches horse, proves to be the catalyst needed for Leigh to open her heart and find love and fulfillment. Brilliantly captures the world of thoroughbred horses and the people who love them.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Sondra Rice Newman has loved horses since she was a child and learned to ride at the county fairgrounds in Xenia, Ohio. Since attending Wittenburg University, she has had a newspaper column and written employee and marketing newsletters for Silicon Valley firms such as Xerox and Hitachi.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 328 pages
• Publisher: Robert Reed Publishers (January 10, 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1931741565
• ISBN-13: 978-1931741569
• Product Dimensions: 9.3 x 6.3 x 1.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.3 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.1 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (11 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,707,679 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Thanks for wonderful review, January 15, 2006

By 

Sondra Rice Newman "Author" (Tucson, Arizona, USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Silver Dreams (Hardcover)

I'm the author of this book and am thrilled to have received this wonderful professional review which I would like to share with my readers:

Leigh Meredith works hard for Wildman & Wildman Advertising as a group vice
president until the world she knows crumbles. On Christmas Eve, she had been
anticipating the arrival of her boyfriend Sven Anderson. What he divulges on his arrival
has her throwing champagne flutes against her fireplace in a rage of hurt and
disappointment. Depressed and disillusioned, she takes off for places unknown and
lands in Fox Creek, Virginia, right in the middle of horse country. While working for the
local newspaper, she is introduced to Silver Dreams, an abused and neglected horse
with one eye. Caring for the horse starts the healing process for both of them. Not
wanting to deny the horse a chance at his destiny, she tries contacting a well-known
horse trainer. Could Silver Dreams be a champion?

Whit Riley is a self-imposed drunk and hermit, and only encountering the outside world
when necessity has him taking odd jobs to survive. He used to own and race
thoroughbred horses until his wife ran off with his business partner, leaving him bitter
and drowning in self-pity. Ignoring the phone messages is easy, until a young woman
appears on his doorstep. Too drunk to be bothered, he orders her off his property, but
her determination has her back, demanding he look at her horse. Begrudgingly he
agrees and what he discovers has him denying any future involvement. Leigh's strong
willed ways has him reconsidering and fighting a growing attraction for her. How long
can Whit stay sober and deny his feelings?

Leigh and Whit begin the arduous task of training Silver Dreams and his wayward
owner. Leigh has her mind on the possibilities, but Whit knows the hard realities of
horseracing and its fickle luck. Butting heads at every turn has these two battling for
control one minute, apologizing the next. Leigh is fighting her feelings and her growing
admiration for Whit's knowledge, and Whit is busy fighting his own demons while trying
to guide both horse and owner through the vagaries of the racing business. Can they
successfully guide this horse to victory?

Ms. Sondra Rice Newman has written a beautiful novel complete with fully developed
characters who engage your heart. I became so engrossed with this book I read it in a
couple of days. The storyline is believable without being typical. The plotline allows the
story to unfold at its own pace. The human traits give the heroine and hero a
vulnerability that quickly endears them to anyone reading this book. The minor
characters add a sense of community with their own side stories. At times it will have
you crying and at others cheering. The full spectrum of emotions are evoked within
these pages. I absolutely loved this book.

Rating: Five coffee cups

Katherine L. Hunt, Reviewer for Coffee Time Romance

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Terrific read., January 10, 2006

By 

Detra Fitch (USA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Silver Dreams (Hardcover)

Leigh Meredith is broken when her boyfriend of three years dumps her during the Christmas season. So she leaves Manhattan without a destination in mind. She ends up in Fox Creek, Virginia.

Leigh's life in Fox Creek is totally different than it was in Manhattan. Now Leigh works at a weekly newspaper for only a dollar over minimum wage and she rents the rooms over a hardware store. While working at the paper Leigh meets "Bibs" who operates a boarding farm for horses. Though Leigh is uncomfortable with outspoken and harsh Bibs at first, she quickly becomes friends with the widow. Leigh even purchases a horse that Bibs has acquired from an abusive owner. Silver Dreams "Sil" only has one eye and is almost five years old; however, he is a thoroughbred with racing in his blood. Leigh cannot help but wonder if Sil has what it takes to be a winner at the tracks.

On the advice of Bibs, Leigh turns to a former trainer, Whit Riley. After his wife ran off with his business partner, Whit became a bitter recluse and took to over drinking. But seeing Sil in action just may bring Whit back into the world.

As things begin to come together for Leigh and Whit, a wealthy widow comes into the picture. Her name is Kara Trenchard and she has wanted Whit since her high school days. Now she is determined to get everything and everyone she's had her eyes on for so long, no matter who she must harm in the process.

**** This romantic tale shows that not all successful New Yorkers have hearts of stone. Not to mention that success means nothing if you are not truly happy. Author Sondra Rice Newman knows this well and puts the knowledge to good use in this novel of friends, horses, and love. If you know nothing about horses or all the hard work and dedication required in caring for them, whether race horses or not, then you get a glimpse at how hard the job is. Yet the love of horses the author has clearly shows in her words and descriptions of the world. Wonderful story that you will recall for quite a while. ****

Reviewed by Detra Fitch of Huntress Reviews.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Great Story for Horse Lovers, January 10, 2006

By 

M. Rondeau (West Springfield, MA United States) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Silver Dreams (Hardcover)

Leigh Meredith was your typical over-achiever, rising to the top in the advertising field, living the high life - trips, penthouses, everything that went along with that privileged lifestyle. She had everything including a successful, good looking fiancé who after arriving home on Christmas eve dropped a bombshell telling Leigh that he'd met an old flame from his college days, and had fallen in love all over again - only not with Leigh. Obviously, she needed to regroup and take a look at her life up to that point. Hopping in her car, she left for parts unknown arriving in a small town in the Virginia horse country, taking a minimum wage job, and a tiny cozy apartment. There she would meet crusty Bibs McBride, stable owner and ultimately the one-eyed horse Silver Dreams. Buying Silver Dreams, caring for him and finally riding again she discovered his remarkable speed and with the help of a cantankerous trainer, Whit Riley, entered the high stakes racing world. With a one-eyed horse, and the two wounded souls of Leigh and Whit they would all embark on a journey of healing to ultimately find fulfillment of dreams they once thought were lost.

*** This was a very well-written and fast paced story. Facts revolving around horses, their care, the racing aspect was extremely well-done and well-researched. From one horse lover to another this will definitely prove to be a great read. The relationship between Bib and Leigh was thoughtful and very heart-warming as Bib was able, with her down home logic, to show Leigh what was truly missing in her former fast track life. Once Leigh was able to let go of her control issues, and sense of abandonment, and look at what it was she now had, she would be able to embrace the happiness that was right there in front of her. The romance aspect between Leigh and Whit was mild, but sweet with the main thrust of the book focused more on the Cinderella horse - Silver Dreams. What few problems Leigh and Whit encountered towards their romantic involvement were secondary to the action of Silver Dreams training, care and races. For those looking for a wonderful horse story - this is the winning ticket, but definitely put your money on the Place ticket for the romantic angle in this book. For a horse lover such as myself - I totally enjoyed this read and have no trouble in recommending it to others.