Breaking Free: A Novel (Paperback)

by Lauraine Snelling (Author)

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly
This horse-centered romance by inspirational novelist Snelling (A Promise for Ellie) is tedious and not the author's best work. As it opens, Maggie Roberts is serving time in prison for an unnamed crime; although the details aren't spelled out until the end of the novel, most readers will put the pieces together long before. Maggie is enrolled in a new, experimental program that offers prisoners the chance to work with retired racehorses. Before she knows it, Maggie has helped rehabilitate a horse (not so subtly named Breaking Free), and she might be fast-tracked for parole, if only she can secure a job on the outside. Enter Gil Winters. Abandoned by his ex-wife, he's heroically raising a precocious son, Eddie, who, despite suffering from spina bifida, has learned to ride. Gil would buy Eddie his own horse, but he'd need to hire a caretaker for the animal as well. Throw in that Maggie's divorced and Gil is lonely, and the plot isn't hard to predict. Still, the characters have a bit of depth, and the tale of faith, forgiveness and starting over may find a readership with Snelling's many diehard fans. (Aug.)
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Product Description
Bestselling author Lauraine Snelling crafts a poignant story of hope and restoration for a newly paroled mother rebuilding her life after the loss of her son.Maggie Roberts is starting over
again after her reckless driving led to a 10-year prison sentence and the devastating loss of her son. Having learned to repurpose retired thoroughbred racehorses through an inmate training program, Maggie finds a way to rebuild her life. But it's not until she meets single father Gil Winters and his wheelchair-bound son, Edward, that she finds her calling. In helping Edward with his therapy using
horses, Maggie finds herself coming to life again. But when a shadow from the past returns, Maggie
is forced to choose between her newfound freedom and getting Edward the life-saving help he needs.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 304 pages
• Publisher: FaithWords (August 21, 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0446582085
• ISBN-13: 978-0446582087
• Product Dimensions: 7.9 x 5.1 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8.8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #284,012 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Amazing story about the power of forgiveness, August 13, 2007

By	Christina Lockstein "http://christysbookblog.... (Oconto Falls, WI USA) - See all my reviews (TOP 500 REVIEWER)

Breaking Free by Lauraine Snelling is a powerful novel about the power of healing and forgiveness. Maggie Roberts is almost done with her stint in prison for a tragic accident when she joins a group to help rehabilitate horses who have been abused. She has kept her feeling locked inside of her for seven years not caring for anything or anybody to keep herself safe inside the prison walls. But when Breaking Free, a former racehorse, comes in for rehab, Maggie finds her shell cracking open at the abuse the horse has suffered. The pain she has faced helps her work with the horse as they both learn to trust again. Gil Winters would do anything for his son Eddie who has spina bifida and is in a wheelchair. Eddie falls in love with Breaking Free, and to everyone's surprise Gil finds himself buying the horse and agreeing to let Maggie live at their home and train it. The opening chapters of this book were striking with their stark images of Maggie's life in prison and the work the prisoners do with the horses. I am not a horse person, but even I found myself moved nearly to tears by the healing to and by the horses. Eddie's basset hound Bonnie also makes a strong impression (I'm practically ready to run out and adopt one myself). It is testimony to Snelling's writing that she manages to make even the animals vital characters to the story without sacrificing their nature. This story has much to offer: great drama, romance and a strong Christian theme of forgiveness.

4.0 out of 5 stars A Good Book, April 7, 2008

By	A. Roberts "Avid Reader" (Wyoming) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This was my first Lauraine Snelling book. Most of hers I noticed are series and I just didn't want to get into a series but liked the synopsis of this one with the horse therapy. Living in Wyoming horses are a big part of life and having been a piano teacher for 21 years many of my students have been involved with horse programs which teach them so much.

The book is a lot about redemption and forgiveness. There are several interesting characters. Eddie and Maria are just adorable and add so much to the story. I didn't like Gil so much in the beginning but guess he had redeeming qualities. I just felt sorry for Maggie and felt she was a damaged person who yet had a lot of strength. Though this is a Christian author, she writes at least in this book without a lot of preachiness. I read a lot of secular books so I enjoyed that there was not profanity and sexual scenes and just good values.

I felt the "crime" Maggie was sent to prison for was not quite believeable. For one thing 2 glasses of wine would be highly unlikely to put her over the legal alcohol level and anyone could run a stop sign even not having had one glass of wine. She was an upstanding citizen with never one offense against her. I had a hard time believing she would have been sentenced to 10 years in prison. Of course then we wouldn't have had this story and it is fiction! The other thing that bothered me was the romance between Gil and Maggie. He didn't seem to like her and didn't even want her there and was very judgemental and even unkind to her and then all of a sudden, he's in love with her?? H-m-m

IF you can overlook those couple things and just enjoy the story, it is a good book to spend a few hours with.

5.0 out of 5 stars Breaking Free by Lauraine Snelling, October 27, 2007

By	Louise G. Gent - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

I shared this book with a young man in prison. He enjoyed it and shared it with three other prisoners,who also enjoyed it. Both my husband and I read it originally and thought it worth sharing.