Night Ride Home

by Barbara Esstman

A man and a woman wage the fight of
their lives for a second chance at love Nora Mahler leads a perfect life. With her two teenage children, Simon and Clea, and her husband, she thrives on running the family horse ranch on the banks of the Missouri until Simon is killed in a riding accident. Nora's husband Neal sends the horses away, and when Nora refuses his orders to sell the farm, he moves to Chicago, taking Clea with him. Soon after, Ozzie Kline, a horse wrangler who has longed for Nora since they were teenage lovers, helps Nora and her mother rebuild their farm. Alongside Ozzie, Nora finds a happiness she never knew with her husband and wonders, "What if we had the opportunity to love each other again?"--until Neal returns to claim what he considers his.

Genres: Fiction, Roman, Romance

336 pages, Paperback

First published September 1, 1997

Reviews

[Veronica · Rating 1 out of 5]

This book was not my cup of tea for starters. The writing style was not the best of the many books I read. The story is just the same chapter retold by a different person. I am so sick of hearing about Simon and I felt bad how Clea just disappears like she was not their child anymore. God don’t get me started on the mother caring more about her horses than her life or child. I get people grieve differently but she cares more about the horse Zad than Clea and even Simon. By the end of the book nothing got resolved honestly. Did they divorce? Did it get finished? This book is just poorly written and the plot was just jumbled up repeat chapters. I only finished for book club.

[Belinda Vlasbaard · Rating 4 out of 5]

3,5 sterren - Nederlandse paperback

Nora's refusal to sell her farm after the death of her son causes her husband and daughter to leave, and she wonders if she will get a second chance at love when her high-school sweetheart, Ozzie Kline, returns to help her rebuild the farm.

A accident breaks a family apart. At rock bodem Nora's stands up for her loving memories of her son and the farm. Finding her way back. Finding your strengh to fight for loving memories but also new memories. Enjoyed the book a lot!

[Candy · Rating 2 out of 5]

My unhappiness with this book started with the inside and back cover.
A reviewer and author called one of the two main characters "Ozzie Clark" in her review. Then, the writer of the inside front cover picked up the name "Ozzie Clark".
The character's name is actually Ozzie KLINE. I started reading and was so confused, thinking, SURELY, of all the names in the world to pick from, they wouldn't have TWO named Ozzie in the same book! I just think no one reads these books that are published- that is a huge error!!
I also object to this book being referred to as "THE BRIDGES OF MADISON COUNTY with a happy ending". It is NOT even close to being as good as that book, AND thank you for giving away the ending!!
Plus it is a depressing pointless story.

[Sheba · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book--it was soft. It was like being wrapped in something and drinking sweet tea. It was lyrical and warm.

I didn't want to like it because I think of it as part of the pop-genre, best sellers that come and go and leave nothing behind--but her prose really struck me.

And I LOVED the snippets of Pablo Neruda's poems heading each chapter.

The story which is actually sort of uninteresting and improbable to me, a made-for-lifetime, love story, is irrelevant. Her descriptions of the air, the land, her obviously personal relationship with horses is what did it for me.

[Dena · Rating 2 out of 5]

I was really excited to read this book after reading the premise- but sadly it disappointed me. I just could not get into it and the characters seemed flat and I just couldn’t seem to care about any of them.

[Jonna · Rating 5 out of 5]

at first I thought this was going to be totally depressing but the writer redeems herself and keeps the story interesting and it turns into a great love story.

[Sharon Huether · Rating 2 out of 5]

A family dealing with the grief of a son.

[KK from KY]

0. Zero stars. I did not finish this book. I hated all but one character, and did not connect to that one. The story has a good concept, but I felt there was no storyline really. IMO it was not well written. I have never not finished a book. This was a first for me. I tried. I really tried. I just kept struggling until I couldn’t take it anymore. Maybe it’s just me. Maybe you should give it a try. But I do not recommend this book. I can’t even comprehend why/how it was made into a movie.

[Nicole Estes · Rating 2 out of 5]

I wanted to like this more. I struggled with the characters and the back and forth of each chapter point of view. I needed more from her and Oz and it was like the husbands fight for her wasn’t supported he was just kind of there.

[Liz · Rating 3 out of 5]

I mostly liked it because of the beautifully described countryside and wildness. I really didn't like the early plot twist the the jerk got away with and that clouded the rest of the story for me. Worthy because of the language and especially for those who adore horses.

[Maryann Sulic · Rating 2 out of 5]

Husband's actions were vile and disturbing.

[Marina · Rating 4 out of 5]

A Beautiful love story and finding kinship with another.

[Mary Lou · Rating 4 out of 5]

I would recommend this book as it was one of the books I had a hard time finding an appropriate stopping point.
The main character had a difficult time acknowledging her own feelings. She was living a life she thought would please her father but it was not a happy life or one for which she was suited. It takes her a long time to acknowledge that her past choices were not appropriate. On a scale of 1-10, I would give this book a nine.

[Sarah · Rating 5 out of 5]

I would highly recommend this book to anyone. Nora's character has you crying for her unendurable grief and realization that her husband is a utter sneaky bastard. Clea's character matures nicely as she slowly becomes more like her mother and see's how her father cares for her to make him look good. I wanted to slap Oz for being so wishy washy, why didn't he shoot Niel Mahler istead of letting him shoot Zad? Grrr! I wish Barbara Esstman wrote more like this, I would be very content.

[Nonie · Rating 2 out of 5]

Easy read with a much-used-theme; all about a woman who comes of age during WWII rejecting her high school love (who shares her passion for horses) and weds instead the man her father approves, The tragic death of her son destroys her psyche and the balance of the book is about it's slow rebuilding. Characters are narrowly drawn but it's a theme worthy of repeating.

[Amani · Rating 3 out of 5]

I don't particularly like horses, but I read this novel because it had an interesting structure. The story of a family's response to the death of a son unfolds through multiple points of view.
My favorite character is Ozzie Kline, a WWII veteran with an endearingly tender side.

[Coury · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very sweet and warm book. Would read again. Also and easy read.

[Arrian Duazo]

a very touching story of a mother longing to find love she lost after a tragic incident that changed her life forever.

[Valerie · Rating 2 out of 5]

It was ok but nothing exciting.

[Sarah]

Pretty decent book for a 75 cent find at a library book sale. Sad tale of true love that is lost and then found again.

[Lyndsey Bookish Nature · Rating 4 out of 5]

recently reread this novel, it's about a woman fighting to overcome the loss of her son and rebuild her life while keeping the rest of her family together... good read!!

[Melissa · Rating 4 out of 5]

love this book! rich characters, inviting story. a must read especially if you are a horse enthusiast

[Carolyn Tassie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good story of recovering from grief and lost loves in the background beautiful horses and love of animals.

[Demetra Smith]

interesting view of how a family survives the death of a family member and how a dysfunctional situation was resolved.

[Neville Tirimba Ogoti · Rating 3 out of 5]

I read the book a few years and I enjoyed it a great deal. It was sad but it also had some beautiful humour.

[Sherry · Rating 2 out of 5]

Very light read, had some good insights but weak ending.

[Deb · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good.

[Geneva Bohlander · Rating 1 out of 5]

Well written enough to make me not able to set aside yet incredibly sad from beginning to end

[Catherine Erickson]

Very interesting & thoughtful book.