Customer Reviews

Unwelcome Guest at Fair Hill Farm

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In Nancy G. Famolari's story, Unwelcome Guest at Fair Hill Farm, Meg James's parents are in danger of losing their farm, unless they have a good breeding season. Meg's mother has had to go to work and won't have time to help with the foaling. They hire Katrina, from Sweden, who is interested in breeding and wants to be a vet, to help. Katrina is pretty and Derek, a driver, is interested in her. Meg is a tad jealous, not that she's interested in Derek, of course, but everyone thinks Katrina is so nice. Meg doesn't need her. She can take care of the foaling herself when her mom is at work. As if Meg's life isn't bad enough, it gets even worse when her parents consider selling Nicky, her black Morgan. Will Meg lose everything she loves: the farm, her friends, her horse?

Well-developed characters and an interesting plot make this book an enjoyable read. I'm familiar with thoroughbred and quarter horse racing, but knew nothing about trotters. Ms. Famolari's story is so well told that now I know a little about harness racing. The book's vivid descriptions of the training of these horses bring to life an interesting world. Unwelcome Guest at Fair Hill Farm should appeal to everyone who loves horses, gentle romances, and the trials and joys of friendship. I recommend this book for readers from nine to ninety-nine.

Nancy Famolari's novel, Unwelcome Guest at Fair Hill Farm, starts off with the tension of a family trying to make ends meet on a horse farm and builds from there to the very last page. It's a great read that takes young adults into the drama and realities of the race track, horse training, and horse birthing where she leads you right into the stable next to Mom or Doc to be coached on the what's and why's of helping a maiden horse bear her first foal. You feel the anguish of having to give up a horse that you love to someone you mistrust. And you feel the tensions brought about by Meg and her teenage friends as they work their way through dating jealousies, misunderstandings, and trying to prove themselves in the adult world of horse breeding.

Famolari brings a special love for horses to this novel and shares it with her readers in a very special way. Any young adult not familiar with horses will become a horse lover; any horse lover will definitely be looking for a sequel to this special novel.