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Lauraine Snelling
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Breaking Free: A Novel Kindle Edition

by Lauraine Snelling (Author) Format: Kindle Edition
4.7 4.7 out of 5 stars 322 ratings
See all formats and editions
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.
Previous page
  1. Print length
    301 pages
  2. Language
    English
  3. Sticky notes
    On Kindle Scribe
  4. Publisher
    FaithWords
  5. Publication date
    December 2, 2008
  6. File size
    1699 KB
  7. Page Flip
    Enabled
  8. Word Wise
    Enabled
  9. Enhanced typesetting
    Enabled
  10. See all details
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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.)
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Review

[A] tale of faith, forgiveness, and starting over.

-- "Publishers Weekly"

"[A] heartwarming story of love, loss, and second chances for humans and animals."

-- "ArmchairInterviews.com"

Bestseller Snelling delivers a story that's endearing and touching.

-- "RT Book Reviews (4 stars)"

"This complex horse-centered romance gets a warm, fuzzy audio treatment...Pam Ward manages to beautifully express Maggie's life, suggesting her powerful emotions of hope, fear, distrust, and love...Ward is equally adept at reading male, female, and child roles. Her poignant pacing allows listeners to fully empathize with Maggie and Gil's emotions."

-- "AudioFile"

Product details

  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ B001MSVS1Y
  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ FaithWords (December 2, 2008)
  • Publication date ‏ : ‎ December 2, 2008
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • File size ‏ : ‎ 1699 KB
  • Text-to-Speech ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
  • Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Not Enabled
  • Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Sticky notes ‏ : ‎ On Kindle Scribe
  • Print length ‏ : ‎ 301 pages
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.7 4.7 out of 5 stars 322 ratings

About the author

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Lauraine Snelling

Lauraine Snelling

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Full content visible, double tap to read brief content.

Award-winning and best selling author Lauraine Snelling began living her dream to be a writer with her first published book for young adult readers, Tragedy on the Toutle, in 1982. She has since continued writing more horse books for young girls, adding historical and contemporary fiction and nonfiction for adults and young readers to her repertoire. All told, she has over eighty books published with more than 4 million copies in print.

Shown in her contemporary romances and women’s fiction, a hallmark of Lauraine’s style is writing about real issues of forgiveness, loss, domestic violence, and cancer within a compelling story. Her work has been translated into Norwegian, Danish, and German, and she has won the Romantic Times Career Achievement award for Inspirational Fiction, the Silver Angel Award for An Untamed Land and a Romance Writers of America Golden Heart for Song of Laughter.

As a sought after speaker, Lauraine encourages others to find their gifts and live their lives with humor and joy. Her readers clamor for more books more often, and Lauraine would like to comply ... if only her paintbrushes and easel didn’t call quite so loudly.

Lauraine and her husband, Wayne, have two grown sons, and live in the Tehachapi Mountains with a watchdog Basset named Winston. They love to travel, most especially in their forty-foot motor coach, which they affectionately deem “a work in progress”.

Customer reviews

4.7 out of 5 stars
4.7 out of 5
322 global ratings

Top reviews from the United States

Amazon Customer
5.0 out of 5 stars I kept rejecting the reading of this book...
Reviewed in the United States on August 24, 2019
Verified Purchase
...as I didn't think I would find it interesting. I actually bought it to read because it was on sale. That's how much I didn't think I'd like it. Well, I was quite wrong about that! I enjoyed meeting the characters- good, bad, difficult, funny, and rough. I doubted the story line, a woman in prison about to finish her sentence who ends up working with disabled and damaged race horses would get or hold my attention. I loved the development of the main characters and all of the extras. Of course, there are characters I didn't like, but their development was also well done. I loved the life in the young boy confined to a wheelchair - his faith and determination is as strong as is his smile and ability to win people and horses over. His dad is heart-damaged but loves him and is very protective over him. They end up with this beautiful and previously extremely angry horse, as well as the woman who worked with him in prison, who came along to help the boy ride and care for the horse. The transition for all of them, and the housekeeper/friend was a great read. The transition of the main character though, from prison and silence to a world of color, fragrance, words and freedom, even to smile, was well told. Her loss had been great and her sentence difficult to live through. Worth the read. Very much so. Glad I read it!!! I usually thoroughly enjoy this author's books and was pleased to find this one joined the others I've read by her.
One person found this helpful
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CranberryLyme
5.0 out of 5 stars A different kind of Laura one Smelling novel
Reviewed in the United States on October 30, 2021
Verified Purchase
I have long been a fan of Snellings historic novels, and I loved every single one of them. When I was notified about a sale on this book, I wavered... Not sure if she'd be as great with a contemporary novel.
Now, I loved this book because of it's realism, how it reveals the main characters as imperfect. Even the best of heroes have made mistakes but if we , like the characters in this book, fight to undo the wrong that our careless/naive/burdened (etc.) Forgiveness can be found, even when the person most desperate to be forgiven is ourselves.

If you don't usually get Christian novels,this one is not preachy, is well edited, and will make you a fan of this author!
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T.A
5.0 out of 5 stars Loved it !
Reviewed in the United States on July 22, 2022
Verified Purchase
This is a beautiful story. I just could not put it down. I loved Eddie what a amazing child. Lauraine Smelling really draws you into her books.
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Gina Ann
4.0 out of 5 stars Needing closure.......
Reviewed in the United States on October 20, 2019
Verified Purchase
Really liked this book, kept my attention right from the start. I have always liked this author's books, my only complaint is the ending seemed rushed, I thought maybe Maggie should have Dennis so she could have closure with that part of her life, also would have liked to see how it played out living as a family.
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Dee in NY
5.0 out of 5 stars Really good book...
Reviewed in the United States on October 1, 2020
Verified Purchase
This book was not at all what I had expected. I have not read a book in awhile that I did not want to end but this one could have gone on for a few more chapters. Loved the characters and information on horses. It is a book I will keep and read again and again. First book I have read by this author but will not be the last.
One person found this helpful
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Judy Connelly
5.0 out of 5 stars Break free and get some tissues
Reviewed in the United States on November 22, 2021
Verified Purchase
I have read other books by Lauraine Snelling and have enjoyed every one. This book not only made me laugh but also cry. I definitely will recommend this book to my friends.
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glowithin
5.0 out of 5 stars Enjoyable read!
Reviewed in the United States on August 28, 2019
Verified Purchase
I learned to ride 10 years ago after surviving Stage 3 ovarian cancer. Since then I have owned 3 rescue horses and have embraced natural horsemanship. My experiences have paralleled the characters in this book closely and I loved the accuracy of the many subjects that the author wove into the story. I work with a horse rescue as well. I want to thank Lauraine for writing a wonderful story of hope and healing.
2 people found this helpful
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Paper Roses
5.0 out of 5 stars A moving story
Reviewed in the United States on July 15, 2021
Verified Purchase
If you like feel-good stories this is the book for you. A story of a rescued woman, a boy, and a horse who come together to love and support each other and enrich the lives of others.
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Top reviews from other countries

Barbara
5.0 out of 5 stars Five Stars
Reviewed in Canada on July 26, 2016
Verified Purchase
Couldn't stop reading it.
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