Racing Savannah

Gr 9 Up—This predictable teen romance set on a horse ranch in contemporary Tennessee will engage readers with a strong female protagonist and accessible writing. Spunky Savannah falls for the ranch owner's son while helping an underperforming horse live up to his prestigious bloodline. The characters are complicated with a bit of backstory and the writing keeps things moving with everyday dialogue and abbreviated descriptions. The plot conflicts seem too easily resolved, although interpersonal conflicts like parental disagreements and Savannah's resentment of her father's pregnant girlfriend take more twists and turns than the equine problems. Regrettably, the portions of the book on horse racing are too vague and brief to satisfy any particular interest in horses. The novel contains sex and sexual situations appropriate for teen audiences. The author's obvious endorsement of college-level education will appease those who would like fun stories to contain some sort of moral and the tacked-on theme of taking the "road less traveled" gives the book somewhat illusory depth. Nonetheless, fans of the author's previous titles will probably appreciate this entertaining if formulaic read. —Erin Reilly-Sanders, Ohio State University, Columbus