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The Language of Hoofbeats
From the bestselling author of Pay It Forward comes a story of the heartbreak and healing power of family.
New to a small town, Jackie and Paula envision a quiet life for their kids: a young adopted son and two teenage foster children, including the troubled Star. However, they quickly butt heads with their neighbor, Clementine, who disapproves of their lifestyle and is incensed when Star befriends her spirited horse, Comet. Haunted by past tragedy and unable to properly care for Comet, Clem nevertheless resents the bond Star soon shares with the horse. When Star disappears with Comet, the neighbors are thrown together—far too close together. But as the search for the pair wears on, both families must learn to put aside their animosity and confront the choices they’ve made and the scars they carry.
Plumbing the depths of regret and forgiveness, The Language of Hoofbeats explores the strange alchemy that transforms a group of people into a family.
New to a small town, Jackie and Paula envision a quiet life for their kids: a young adopted son and two teenage foster children, including the troubled Star. However, they quickly butt heads with their neighbor, Clementine, who disapproves of their lifestyle and is incensed when Star befriends her spirited horse, Comet. Haunted by past tragedy and unable to properly care for Comet, Clem nevertheless resents the bond Star soon shares with the horse. When Star disappears with Comet, the neighbors are thrown together—far too close together. But as the search for the pair wears on, both families must learn to put aside their animosity and confront the choices they’ve made and the scars they carry.
Plumbing the depths of regret and forgiveness, The Language of Hoofbeats explores the strange alchemy that transforms a group of people into a family.
344 pages, Kindle Edition
First published December 2, 2014
1921 people are currently reading
3088 people want to read
About the author
Catherine Ryan Hyde
72 books6,159 followersCatherine Ryan Hyde is the author of more than 50 published and forthcoming books.
She is co-author, with publishing industry blogger Anne R. Allen, of How to be a Writer in the E-Age: a Self-Help Guide.
Her bestselling 1999 novel Pay It Forward was made into a major Warner Brothers motion picture. It was chosen by the American Library Association for its Best Books for Young Adults list, and translated into more than two dozen languages for distribution in over 30 countries. Simon & Schuster released a special 15th anniversary edition in December of ’14.
Pay It Forward: Young Readers Edition, an age-appropriate edited edition of the original novel, was released by Simon & Schuster in August of ‘14. It is suitable for children as young as eight.
You can learn much more about Catherine at www.catherineryanhyde.com
She is co-author, with publishing industry blogger Anne R. Allen, of How to be a Writer in the E-Age: a Self-Help Guide.
Her bestselling 1999 novel Pay It Forward was made into a major Warner Brothers motion picture. It was chosen by the American Library Association for its Best Books for Young Adults list, and translated into more than two dozen languages for distribution in over 30 countries. Simon & Schuster released a special 15th anniversary edition in December of ’14.
Pay It Forward: Young Readers Edition, an age-appropriate edited edition of the original novel, was released by Simon & Schuster in August of ‘14. It is suitable for children as young as eight.
You can learn much more about Catherine at www.catherineryanhyde.com
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 651 reviews
January 3, 2015
Catherine Ryan Hyde has the recipe down pat for writing heartwarming books, combing a group of disparate characters and forming one unit.
Clementine, an embittered woman after the death of her daughter, seems to hate everything and everything. Her husband can no longer live with her nasty disposition and moves out. She is now left alone with only her late daughter's horse, Comet. A horse that is not being well looked after.
Across the road, a very atypical family moves in, a new woman veterinarian and her wife, with their adopted son, and two foster children. Clementine wants no part of any of them.
Soon a situation will arise that will being all these people together. Sill they manage to become friends and a whole family despite their many difference?
A good look at the many things and people that go into making a family a cohesive unit. How an unbearable situation may actually become the thing that jolts a bitter woman out of her self. Loved the characters and especially loved the horse, Comet whose hoofbeats spoke to a sad teenager.
ARC from Netgalley.
Clementine, an embittered woman after the death of her daughter, seems to hate everything and everything. Her husband can no longer live with her nasty disposition and moves out. She is now left alone with only her late daughter's horse, Comet. A horse that is not being well looked after.
Across the road, a very atypical family moves in, a new woman veterinarian and her wife, with their adopted son, and two foster children. Clementine wants no part of any of them.
Soon a situation will arise that will being all these people together. Sill they manage to become friends and a whole family despite their many difference?
A good look at the many things and people that go into making a family a cohesive unit. How an unbearable situation may actually become the thing that jolts a bitter woman out of her self. Loved the characters and especially loved the horse, Comet whose hoofbeats spoke to a sad teenager.
ARC from Netgalley.
April 19, 2017
I went to bed at 8.30 last night, meaning to read for 30 minutes or so before sleep. I picked this book which had been on my kindle since forever, unread. Nearly 4 hours later, at past midnight, having to be up at 4.30am, I finished it.
So, it has a lesbian couple (tick) living in a small town (tick) and there's a horse (multiple ticks). The couple foster kids so it's a family story (uh... no, I'm not a fan of family stories).
I love it when my preconceptions shatter. I thought this would be a cutesy foster-kid story, with some horse bonding. I'm not a fan of cute kid stories. Luckily, this was not one. Jackie and Paula are raising three kids (two foster kids, and an ex-foster kid who is now their adopted son). Paula's a vet, so they move to a small town in (I think) Oregon or inland California. It's flat and dry and featureless anyhow. Their new neighbour, Clementine, over the way, is mean, cranky and bitter. But she has a horse which she keeps penned up, afraid to go near him, as it reminds her of her dead daughter.
Star, Paula and Jackie's foster daughter, is equally cranky and a sad, sad kid from a difficult background. She bonds with the horse and it gets her into trouble with the law and with Clem.
I loved:
- the writing, which was superb. Alternating first person POV between Jackie and Clem. Difficult to pull off, done extremely well, particularly that of Clem;
- the complete lack of cutesiness. Every time I expected the story to take a turn into predictability and a happy ending, it surprised me by turning into something more. Every time.
- the solid unit that were Paula and Jackie, and their flaws, their parenting, their characterization. Excellent.
- character arcs. All of them. So fully realised.
- the horse, Comet. Hell. He was beautiful, literally and metaphorically. "Star and Comet. Together in the sky forever." Hell dang, didn't I get a little quivery at that one. The bond he and Star shared.
-
- the epilogue. Normally, such a neat epilogue is a turn off for me, but I loved this one.
What I didn't love quite so much:
- Not much, to be honest. The only thing that gave me a few headscratch moments was
In short, I loved this unreservedly. 5 stars and on my Best Books I've Read in 2017 list.
So, it has a lesbian couple (tick) living in a small town (tick) and there's a horse (multiple ticks). The couple foster kids so it's a family story (uh... no, I'm not a fan of family stories).
I love it when my preconceptions shatter. I thought this would be a cutesy foster-kid story, with some horse bonding. I'm not a fan of cute kid stories. Luckily, this was not one. Jackie and Paula are raising three kids (two foster kids, and an ex-foster kid who is now their adopted son). Paula's a vet, so they move to a small town in (I think) Oregon or inland California. It's flat and dry and featureless anyhow. Their new neighbour, Clementine, over the way, is mean, cranky and bitter. But she has a horse which she keeps penned up, afraid to go near him, as it reminds her of her dead daughter.
Star, Paula and Jackie's foster daughter, is equally cranky and a sad, sad kid from a difficult background. She bonds with the horse and it gets her into trouble with the law and with Clem.
I loved:
- the writing, which was superb. Alternating first person POV between Jackie and Clem. Difficult to pull off, done extremely well, particularly that of Clem;
- the complete lack of cutesiness. Every time I expected the story to take a turn into predictability and a happy ending, it surprised me by turning into something more. Every time.
- the solid unit that were Paula and Jackie, and their flaws, their parenting, their characterization. Excellent.
- character arcs. All of them. So fully realised.
- the horse, Comet. Hell. He was beautiful, literally and metaphorically. "Star and Comet. Together in the sky forever." Hell dang, didn't I get a little quivery at that one. The bond he and Star shared.
-
- the epilogue. Normally, such a neat epilogue is a turn off for me, but I loved this one.
What I didn't love quite so much:
- Not much, to be honest. The only thing that gave me a few headscratch moments was
In short, I loved this unreservedly. 5 stars and on my Best Books I've Read in 2017 list.
January 17, 2015
3.5 stars if I could.
Before I was halfway through this book , I thought that this was maybe a predictable light weight feel good story . I was willing to go with it anyway because - well why not - feel good is good . I'm glad I stuck with it because there really is more to this story .
It's about grief and healing and about how the goodness of two women who help ease the pain of loss , abuse and loneliness of their adopted eight year old son and their two teenage foster children . Throw in an elderly neighbor whose grief manifests itself as anger and dislike for everyone and everything around her, especially this family with the exception of eight year old Quinn.
With alternating narratives from two points of view Jackie , one of the moms and Clementine, the mean neighbor , we discover a bit of the past . What makes the troubled fifteen year Star so belligerent and unwelcoming of Paula's and Jackie's genuine attempts to help her and make her a part of their family ? Why is eight year old Quinn afraid of having Paula and Jackie both be away from him at the same time ? Why is Mando so broken hearted over being separated with his mother? What made Clementine such a bitter woman? Their stories are heartbreaking.
I loved that these women were so big hearted and that unlikely friendships have the power to heal . Of course , I loved the horse , Comet , who unwittingly brought these people together.
Thanks to Lake Union Publishing and NetGalley .
Before I was halfway through this book , I thought that this was maybe a predictable light weight feel good story . I was willing to go with it anyway because - well why not - feel good is good . I'm glad I stuck with it because there really is more to this story .
It's about grief and healing and about how the goodness of two women who help ease the pain of loss , abuse and loneliness of their adopted eight year old son and their two teenage foster children . Throw in an elderly neighbor whose grief manifests itself as anger and dislike for everyone and everything around her, especially this family with the exception of eight year old Quinn.
With alternating narratives from two points of view Jackie , one of the moms and Clementine, the mean neighbor , we discover a bit of the past . What makes the troubled fifteen year Star so belligerent and unwelcoming of Paula's and Jackie's genuine attempts to help her and make her a part of their family ? Why is eight year old Quinn afraid of having Paula and Jackie both be away from him at the same time ? Why is Mando so broken hearted over being separated with his mother? What made Clementine such a bitter woman? Their stories are heartbreaking.
I loved that these women were so big hearted and that unlikely friendships have the power to heal . Of course , I loved the horse , Comet , who unwittingly brought these people together.
Thanks to Lake Union Publishing and NetGalley .
January 13, 2015
I was stuck without WiFi when I finished The Language of Hoofbeats, and I have NEVER been more frustrated that I couldn't write my review ASAP!!
A couple of my favorite books, not just by this author, but in general, are Becoming Chloe and Don't Let Me Go, but The Language of Hoofbeats drew me in, tied me up, devoured me. Making this my new number one favorite!! I had been in a car, driving for 18 hours, and picked this up at 3 am to help me ease into sleep. The next thing I knew, it was 7 and I was completely engrossed in the story, and wide awake. Books that can do that hold a special place in my heart.
There isn't anything NOT to love about The Language of Hoofbeats. You get a crotchety older woman that I came to understand, an (understandably) messed up teenager that, to me, was the highlight of the story, a beautiful, neglected horse that brought out all the compassion in my soul, and a household with two moms, living in a town with small-town values. From start to finish, it's captivating. And it doesn't end with everything being storybook perfect, but it ends with everything being real-life perfect. That's one of the MANY reasons I love Catherine Ryan Hyde's writing. It's real life, real problems, real everything.
Definitely, definitely go grab this ASAP!!
A couple of my favorite books, not just by this author, but in general, are Becoming Chloe and Don't Let Me Go, but The Language of Hoofbeats drew me in, tied me up, devoured me. Making this my new number one favorite!! I had been in a car, driving for 18 hours, and picked this up at 3 am to help me ease into sleep. The next thing I knew, it was 7 and I was completely engrossed in the story, and wide awake. Books that can do that hold a special place in my heart.
There isn't anything NOT to love about The Language of Hoofbeats. You get a crotchety older woman that I came to understand, an (understandably) messed up teenager that, to me, was the highlight of the story, a beautiful, neglected horse that brought out all the compassion in my soul, and a household with two moms, living in a town with small-town values. From start to finish, it's captivating. And it doesn't end with everything being storybook perfect, but it ends with everything being real-life perfect. That's one of the MANY reasons I love Catherine Ryan Hyde's writing. It's real life, real problems, real everything.
Definitely, definitely go grab this ASAP!!
December 22, 2018
3.5 stars
The first half of this book had me glued to the pages. The second half had my flipping them faster than I could read them....on purpose.
While I loved a great deal of this book, and it's exceptionally well written and edited, I simply could not buy into the latter part of it. More specifically, the relationship between Star and Clementine, the two least fleshed out characters.
I loved the animals, and self-made family!
I've tagged this as lesbian romance, as two of the main characters are a married gay couple. However, don't go thinking it's a romance. It's not.
I bought this book as a coming of age story. It either didn't fit the bill or my belief of what that means, is way off.
The first half of this book had me glued to the pages. The second half had my flipping them faster than I could read them....on purpose.
While I loved a great deal of this book, and it's exceptionally well written and edited, I simply could not buy into the latter part of it. More specifically, the relationship between Star and Clementine, the two least fleshed out characters.
I loved the animals, and self-made family!
I've tagged this as lesbian romance, as two of the main characters are a married gay couple. However, don't go thinking it's a romance. It's not.
I bought this book as a coming of age story. It either didn't fit the bill or my belief of what that means, is way off.
December 2, 2014
Catherine Ryan Hyde has produced another solid family based drama that is a darn good read. Jackie and Paula have just moved to town with their adopted son Quinn and two fostered teenagers Mando and Star. As soon as they meet neighbour Clem, they begin to shake their heads and wonder if they have made the right decision. Clem is embittered; when challenged by husband Clem to name “one thing” that she likes, she cannot. Indeed, she has a reputation around town as being “the mean lady”. But it wasn’t always like that and it will take the friendship she forges with Star to help turn her around. If you have never read one of this author’s books then you will really love this one with its characterisation and depiction of a non nuclear family life. I really liked all the characters, including that of Clem because I could see behind that crusty exterior to the root cause of all her problems.
If you have already read any of her books then, again, you will enjoy this read but, like me, may get a certain sense of deja-vu. The author uses a familiar formula for her: An inter-generational friendship between a crusty, reluctant older person and a younger person, from a non traditional background, both of whom have problems. The catalyst between them being an animal which will draw them together. Whilst I did enjoy this read, I would have preferred something a little different from this author, whereas it felt too similar to the last two books of hers that I read. Thanks to the publishers for the review copy.
If you have already read any of her books then, again, you will enjoy this read but, like me, may get a certain sense of deja-vu. The author uses a familiar formula for her: An inter-generational friendship between a crusty, reluctant older person and a younger person, from a non traditional background, both of whom have problems. The catalyst between them being an animal which will draw them together. Whilst I did enjoy this read, I would have preferred something a little different from this author, whereas it felt too similar to the last two books of hers that I read. Thanks to the publishers for the review copy.
October 4, 2015
I really enjoyed this book about a vet and her wife, their adopted son, two foster kids and the cranky lady across the street. I think one of the author's repeated themes in her novels is that it takes a village to raise a child. Sometimes things don't turn out the way you expect--you just have to love as best you can and hang on for the ride. This is a good novel for horse lovers, parents and cranky people of all ages.
June 17, 2018
This was a wonderful audiobook. I was captivated by the characters and their story. Be warned, it gave me a whopper of a book hangover. I really didn't want the story to end, and I miss the characters.
August 7, 2017
3,5 rounded up
January 31, 2021
Normal what is normal really? Of course this was another wonderful book by CRH. It was the perfect amount of dysfunctional to be completely functional.
February 24, 2015
Let me just say this is another wonderful tear jerker and feel good books by an amazing author!
I don't even know where to start!!
Jackie and Paula are a married couple that take in foster kids. They have adopted the youngest, Quinn and fostering Mando until his mom gets out of jail for something she didn't do. Then there is Star, whom they have had for a short period and is chaos on legs. She comes from a bad home so that is no surprise.
There are a few SPOILERS coming up. Paula uproots this little family to another town where she will have a more successful large animal veterinary business as the old town is inundated with them.
Oh and they have a bunch of dogs and cats :-)
They move in across the street from Clementine and Vernon who own a horse named Comet. They used to have a daughter Tina that they bought the horse for in hopes of helping her with her mental illness. Sadly to say it only lasted so long as Tina commited suicide by hanging herself in the barn.
Star invites herself over to visit Comet. This doesn't sit well with Clementine who dislikes everyone since Tina.
I don't want to give away any more but let's just say this is a book where a lonely horse finds love again. Lonely people find bonds in each other.
I would recommend this book to anyone that loves helping animals and people.
There are two big quotes from the book that I'm going to add because they mean so much to me and since I have mental illnesses I feel they deserve a place in my review.
QUOTE FROM BOOK:
"My daughter was mentally ill, "I said." So I know. It's an illness, just like it says in the phrase. It's not a moral failing. It's funny how people have empathy for physical illness. They see it as bad luck, and never question whether you can help it. But mental illness we still treat with shame."
QUOTE FROM BOOK:
If you meet someone you don't like, or who doesn't treat you right, try to reserve judgement, because you don't know what that persons going through, and it's probably not so much about you."
Spectacular book! Spectacular author!
I don't even know where to start!!
Jackie and Paula are a married couple that take in foster kids. They have adopted the youngest, Quinn and fostering Mando until his mom gets out of jail for something she didn't do. Then there is Star, whom they have had for a short period and is chaos on legs. She comes from a bad home so that is no surprise.
There are a few SPOILERS coming up. Paula uproots this little family to another town where she will have a more successful large animal veterinary business as the old town is inundated with them.
Oh and they have a bunch of dogs and cats :-)
They move in across the street from Clementine and Vernon who own a horse named Comet. They used to have a daughter Tina that they bought the horse for in hopes of helping her with her mental illness. Sadly to say it only lasted so long as Tina commited suicide by hanging herself in the barn.
Star invites herself over to visit Comet. This doesn't sit well with Clementine who dislikes everyone since Tina.
I don't want to give away any more but let's just say this is a book where a lonely horse finds love again. Lonely people find bonds in each other.
I would recommend this book to anyone that loves helping animals and people.
There are two big quotes from the book that I'm going to add because they mean so much to me and since I have mental illnesses I feel they deserve a place in my review.
QUOTE FROM BOOK:
"My daughter was mentally ill, "I said." So I know. It's an illness, just like it says in the phrase. It's not a moral failing. It's funny how people have empathy for physical illness. They see it as bad luck, and never question whether you can help it. But mental illness we still treat with shame."
QUOTE FROM BOOK:
If you meet someone you don't like, or who doesn't treat you right, try to reserve judgement, because you don't know what that persons going through, and it's probably not so much about you."
Spectacular book! Spectacular author!
January 17, 2015
4.5 stars From the first chapter I was hooked. Catherine Ryan Hyde is one of my favorite authors. She writes stories that are rich in characters who are flawed, but ones you come to deeply care for. Her stories usually center on a child who is needy, but not pathetic. This is no different as it is about a same sex couple, Paula and Jackie who are foster parents for 3 children. They have recently moved in next door to Clementine, a cranky older woman who has a huge chip on her shoulder, and her husband, Vern. Clem is constantly unhappy, and endlessly complaining. Star is the teenage foster daughter of Paula and Jackie, who takes interest in Clem's neglected horse. The two families will have conflicts and will learn to sort them through.
This is a book that will remind you that there is good in everyone, that people can change, and sometimes the most unloveable are the ones who need love the most. It would be a good bookclub read, and one that leaves much to ponder.
I wasn't sure I would be comfortable with a same sex couple relationship, but Catherine Ryan Hyde writes so beautifully and in good taste, it was a wonderful book I would very highly recommend.
I won this book on her blog, and I'm so very thankful to her for the chance to read it before it is released in December. You'll want to add this to your list to pre-order!!
This is a book that will remind you that there is good in everyone, that people can change, and sometimes the most unloveable are the ones who need love the most. It would be a good bookclub read, and one that leaves much to ponder.
I wasn't sure I would be comfortable with a same sex couple relationship, but Catherine Ryan Hyde writes so beautifully and in good taste, it was a wonderful book I would very highly recommend.
I won this book on her blog, and I'm so very thankful to her for the chance to read it before it is released in December. You'll want to add this to your list to pre-order!!
August 7, 2018
This is an emotionally touching, yet feel-good story with a wonderful mix of characters. Great for fans of character led stories. I do love this author.
I borrowed this in audiobook format through Amazon Kindle Unlimited.
I borrowed this in audiobook format through Amazon Kindle Unlimited.
January 20, 2015
Catherine Ryan Hyde has been one of my favourite writers since I read When I Found You back in 2009. Since then I've read all of her subsequent novels, bar one and she's an author whose books I look forward to - she writes such compelling novels about families you love to get to know, and situations that should be dire but somehow end up working out for the best, and I think it takes quite an author to manage that, and she nails it each and every time.
The Language of Hoofbeats is one of the most compelling books this year - and that says something, considering I've already read two other Catherine Ryan Hyde books this year. All the same, but all so different, if that even makes sense. In The Language of Hoofbeats, we meet a family - Paula, Jackie and their adopted/foster kids Quinn, Star and Mando. They're moving to a new place, for Paula's work, and immediately offend their neighbour Clementine when Star takes a liking to Clementine's horse, Comet. The two end up running away together, and it somehow bonds the neighbours together, which when you first meet Clementine, you'll hardly believe.
There is something about Catherine Ryan Hyde's writing that gets me time and time again. Novel after novel, I end up caring so, so much about the characters and getting to meet Paula and Jackie and their kids was such a pleasure. It's so nice that Catherine's novels always foster the best of a bad thing - Quinn, Mando and Star have all had rough lives, but they get a second chance with Paula and Jackie; Clementine is an angry, angry person, but despite that, Paula and Jackie don't just leave her to rot by herself; there's always hope, even when you feel it's lost. I especially liked how it was young Quinn who helped Clementine to see the error of her angry ways. He was so perceptive, so intuitive, so honest where adults would not be.
It's a relatively simple novel, as novels go. No complicated love story, no useless fighting or threats, and I was so absorbed by the novel. I'm a dog owner, but I'm not one for thinking animals can talk, but I loved the relationship between Star and Comet. It just felt right.
There's nothing for me to write here. I spent over a week reading the novel due to work getting in the way (pesky work), and I just loved coming back to it, time and time again. I just wanted to sit in a corner and get to its conclusion as fast as I possibly could, and take it all in.
I loved it. What else? I love everything Catherine's written that I've read. She can make me feel things no other authors can feel, and write stories that are so simple but so absorbing. I was taken in from the very beginning and, sure, Clementine wasn't the easiest character to love, but there was just something about her that was so compelling. Yes, she was mean, but she was also clearly hurting and using her meanness as a coping mechanism. And as for Jackie, Paula, Star, Quinn and Mando, I adored them completely (although perhaps I was wary of Star, she never really gave herself away), especially young Quinn. Catherine Ryan Hyde writes kids SO well and always manages to make me want to take them home with me. I now sit, waiting patiently, for her next novel...{Leah Loves} http://leah-loves.com http://leah-loves.com/language-hoofbe...
December 9, 2014
A special thank you to Lake Union Publishing and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Catherine Ryan Hyde delivers THE LANGUAGE OF HOOFBEATS, an emotional story of regret, forgiveness and love. As always, Hyde explores non-traditional families, with flawed characters—offering a strong heartwarming message and takeaway of triumph over tragedy.
Paula and Jackie Archer-Cummings are a legally married lesbian couple who have adopted one child, Quinn, and fostering Starr and Mando, plus dogs and cats. Pat is a veterinarian and her wife, Jackie is a stay at home mom. They are moving from their home in Napa Valley to a rural town in Northern California.
Starr, their fifteen year old foster teen (has only been with them for three weeks), is angry and rebellious and when they move to the new location, she falls in love with the beautiful horse, Comet, who is owned by a neighbor. She feels he is suffering from neglect and is very protective.
The neighbors, Clementine and Vernon had a daughter who died, Tina; Comet is the only thing they have left of their daughter. Clementine is an angry, nosy, bitter, narrow-minded, mean and miserable woman. She takes out her frustration on the couple and their children; complaining about their lifestyle and children, and demands them to stay away from her horse.
Star takes Comet and runs away, and this of course, adds fuel to the fire, for Jackie/Paula, as Clementine is furious and they in turn, are concerned for their daughter. What happens during and after is a life learning lesson, which pulls everyone together.
A heartfelt and poignant story with lovable and not so lovable characters. I enjoyed the relationship of Paula/Jackie and loved the J-Mom/P-Mom, hearing from alternating voices of Clementine and Jackie.
A huge fan of Hyde, would recommend all her books, as enjoy how she crosses multi-generations, making her books appealing to all ages and crosses a mix of genres, from young adult, coming of age, women’s fiction, contemporary, LGBT, suspense, and family drama.
If you enjoyed this one, would recommend Take Me With You, one of my favorites.
Judith D. Collins Must Read books
Catherine Ryan Hyde delivers THE LANGUAGE OF HOOFBEATS, an emotional story of regret, forgiveness and love. As always, Hyde explores non-traditional families, with flawed characters—offering a strong heartwarming message and takeaway of triumph over tragedy.
Paula and Jackie Archer-Cummings are a legally married lesbian couple who have adopted one child, Quinn, and fostering Starr and Mando, plus dogs and cats. Pat is a veterinarian and her wife, Jackie is a stay at home mom. They are moving from their home in Napa Valley to a rural town in Northern California.
Starr, their fifteen year old foster teen (has only been with them for three weeks), is angry and rebellious and when they move to the new location, she falls in love with the beautiful horse, Comet, who is owned by a neighbor. She feels he is suffering from neglect and is very protective.
The neighbors, Clementine and Vernon had a daughter who died, Tina; Comet is the only thing they have left of their daughter. Clementine is an angry, nosy, bitter, narrow-minded, mean and miserable woman. She takes out her frustration on the couple and their children; complaining about their lifestyle and children, and demands them to stay away from her horse.
Star takes Comet and runs away, and this of course, adds fuel to the fire, for Jackie/Paula, as Clementine is furious and they in turn, are concerned for their daughter. What happens during and after is a life learning lesson, which pulls everyone together.
A heartfelt and poignant story with lovable and not so lovable characters. I enjoyed the relationship of Paula/Jackie and loved the J-Mom/P-Mom, hearing from alternating voices of Clementine and Jackie.
A huge fan of Hyde, would recommend all her books, as enjoy how she crosses multi-generations, making her books appealing to all ages and crosses a mix of genres, from young adult, coming of age, women’s fiction, contemporary, LGBT, suspense, and family drama.
If you enjoyed this one, would recommend Take Me With You, one of my favorites.
Judith D. Collins Must Read books
January 4, 2015
Twenty minutes into a Catherine Ryan Hyde book and I am engaged and relaxed. Her talent for bringing disparate groups of people together and forming a bond between them is well established. Her characters are flawed, but grow through their relationships with others willing to walk outside of their own backyards. She creates un-conventional, intricate families. Her prose is clean. Her stories ramp up quickly coalescing into touching and emotional situations.
The Language of Hoofbeats brims with warmth and compassion. Jackie and Paula, a lesbian couple, move to a quiet town with their adopted son, Quinn, and two foster teenage children, Armando and Star. Paula, a veterinarian, hopes to set up a large new practice in Easley, CA. Jackie mourns their departure from their beloved Napa Valley. Their elderly neighbor owns a horse, Comet. Troubled Star bonds with the horse, bringing about unusual circumstances. Star and Comet play pivotal roles in bringing Clementine together with her new neighbors.
The book is narrated in the first person, alternating between Clementine and Jackie. Each individual’s past and it’s bearing on their present situation is sympathetically written. Unusual partners team up to protect the innocents, as with many of Hyde’s other books. I’ve read six Catherine Ryan Hyde books and can attest to the worth of each one. Highly recommended.
I thank Netgalley for the advance review copy provided for my unbiased opinion.
The Language of Hoofbeats brims with warmth and compassion. Jackie and Paula, a lesbian couple, move to a quiet town with their adopted son, Quinn, and two foster teenage children, Armando and Star. Paula, a veterinarian, hopes to set up a large new practice in Easley, CA. Jackie mourns their departure from their beloved Napa Valley. Their elderly neighbor owns a horse, Comet. Troubled Star bonds with the horse, bringing about unusual circumstances. Star and Comet play pivotal roles in bringing Clementine together with her new neighbors.
The book is narrated in the first person, alternating between Clementine and Jackie. Each individual’s past and it’s bearing on their present situation is sympathetically written. Unusual partners team up to protect the innocents, as with many of Hyde’s other books. I’ve read six Catherine Ryan Hyde books and can attest to the worth of each one. Highly recommended.
I thank Netgalley for the advance review copy provided for my unbiased opinion.
August 1, 2016
CRH is quickly becoming one of my fav Authors. Her books are quick reads, engrossing, and leave me thinking about the characters long after I.ve reached the last page.
This book is first and foremost about foster kids and foster parents.
Secondly it is about those sandpaper people in our lives that we avoid.
It bears to mention that this book is also about same sex marriage, but it is gently and authentically woven through the story with the result that you are first and foremost reading about people and kids and families. For some readers who would rather not read about such, I recommend you try a different CRH book. As for myself, I found it to be a lovely, compassionate, intriguing read.
This book is first and foremost about foster kids and foster parents.
Secondly it is about those sandpaper people in our lives that we avoid.
It bears to mention that this book is also about same sex marriage, but it is gently and authentically woven through the story with the result that you are first and foremost reading about people and kids and families. For some readers who would rather not read about such, I recommend you try a different CRH book. As for myself, I found it to be a lovely, compassionate, intriguing read.
November 17, 2020
4.5 stars
Really interesting read. It pulled me in from the first chapter and kept me very interested throughout the book.
Its about a lesbian couple that take in foster children. I have read a lot of lesbian romance, thrillers, mysteries, etc. But this one is different. The author treated this couple like any other married couple. No hot love scenes, no jealousy, no angst...just a married couple.
But they are special. They make a wonderful home for their fosters.
Paula is a veterinarian and they have moved to a small town in Northern California where Paula is taking over as town veterinarian. Jackie is an artist and head of the household and the kids.
Two of the kids are really great. The 3rd and newest foster is a challenge.
And then there is the mean old lady...and I mean really awful mean....across the street, with a horse that is too tempting to the 3rd foster child.
The back stories on all these people are really interesting and shows you why they are the way they are.
And their changes throughout the story are subtle and believable.
I highly recommend this book.
Really interesting read. It pulled me in from the first chapter and kept me very interested throughout the book.
Its about a lesbian couple that take in foster children. I have read a lot of lesbian romance, thrillers, mysteries, etc. But this one is different. The author treated this couple like any other married couple. No hot love scenes, no jealousy, no angst...just a married couple.
But they are special. They make a wonderful home for their fosters.
Paula is a veterinarian and they have moved to a small town in Northern California where Paula is taking over as town veterinarian. Jackie is an artist and head of the household and the kids.
Two of the kids are really great. The 3rd and newest foster is a challenge.
And then there is the mean old lady...and I mean really awful mean....across the street, with a horse that is too tempting to the 3rd foster child.
The back stories on all these people are really interesting and shows you why they are the way they are.
And their changes throughout the story are subtle and believable.
I highly recommend this book.
December 25, 2014
Let me first say that if you are looking for an exciting page-turner, this is not the book for you. If you are looking for a story that highlights the complexity of human relationships, told through some intensely flawed yet relatable characters, then look no further. In addition, the story includes some powerful and challenging topics: two of the main characters are a legally married lesbian couple who foster children; there are instances of mental illness and suicide, as well as judgement and forgiveness.
Due to some challenging circumstances in my own past, I found that I could easily relate to the characters in this novel; I even had a soft spot for the battle axe neighbor, Clementine, who really helps demonstrate the fact that our family are the people with whom we choose to spend time, not necessarily the people who had a hand in creating us as human beings. The novel is narrated by members of the "cast" of characters; the chapters alternate narrators back and forth, yet the transitions felt seamless.
I appreciated Catherine Ryan Hyde's sensitive, and often comical, treatment of emotional issues and challenges within the story; she has a masterful way of opening our minds to the development of these characters through a simple, honest and beautiful tale. This is definitely a story that will stick with me and I felt very connected to both the characters and the outcome. Even though I was not ready to leave this "family" behind, I was pleased with the ending and have already recommended this one to several friends.
Due to some challenging circumstances in my own past, I found that I could easily relate to the characters in this novel; I even had a soft spot for the battle axe neighbor, Clementine, who really helps demonstrate the fact that our family are the people with whom we choose to spend time, not necessarily the people who had a hand in creating us as human beings. The novel is narrated by members of the "cast" of characters; the chapters alternate narrators back and forth, yet the transitions felt seamless.
I appreciated Catherine Ryan Hyde's sensitive, and often comical, treatment of emotional issues and challenges within the story; she has a masterful way of opening our minds to the development of these characters through a simple, honest and beautiful tale. This is definitely a story that will stick with me and I felt very connected to both the characters and the outcome. Even though I was not ready to leave this "family" behind, I was pleased with the ending and have already recommended this one to several friends.
July 29, 2014
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I had previously read "Don't Let Me Go" by Catherine Ryan Hyde and I loved it. So when I was offered a copy of her new book, "The Language of Hoofbeats" by Net Galley in exchange for an honest review, I was pretty happy about it.
I read it in under four hours as I flew across the country. Her books always deal with the most vulnerable population - children. In this book, a same sex couple has three foster children, one of whom they have adopted.
They move into a small town with across the street from a bitterly unhappy old woman. As they become entwined in each others lives, they begin to forge a bond that has the children as their common bond.
I love that her books don't always show a perfect solution, as these situations don't usually come with fairy tale endings. People show their imperfections, their petty emotions, jealousy, anger, and just general assholed-ness. But it is written in a way that shows that no one is truly all good and no one is truly all bad. Just like real life.
Great book - definitely keeps you hooked.
I had previously read "Don't Let Me Go" by Catherine Ryan Hyde and I loved it. So when I was offered a copy of her new book, "The Language of Hoofbeats" by Net Galley in exchange for an honest review, I was pretty happy about it.
I read it in under four hours as I flew across the country. Her books always deal with the most vulnerable population - children. In this book, a same sex couple has three foster children, one of whom they have adopted.
They move into a small town with across the street from a bitterly unhappy old woman. As they become entwined in each others lives, they begin to forge a bond that has the children as their common bond.
I love that her books don't always show a perfect solution, as these situations don't usually come with fairy tale endings. People show their imperfections, their petty emotions, jealousy, anger, and just general assholed-ness. But it is written in a way that shows that no one is truly all good and no one is truly all bad. Just like real life.
Great book - definitely keeps you hooked.
August 6, 2017
A horse, foster parents, neighbors, troubled teen
Put them all together and you have an interesting plot driven by obvious conflict. The writing is pretty straightforward; the author spells everything out for the reader so you can't miss a character trait or symbolism. There was an interesting plot twist at the end, but it still felt all too tidy and tied up. With that said, I still liked the story, and would give it 3 stars.
Put them all together and you have an interesting plot driven by obvious conflict. The writing is pretty straightforward; the author spells everything out for the reader so you can't miss a character trait or symbolism. There was an interesting plot twist at the end, but it still felt all too tidy and tied up. With that said, I still liked the story, and would give it 3 stars.
May 1, 2024
Another heartwarming story from this author who never fails to capture the human spirit, the kind & generous parts of us as well as the selfish & nasty.
A lesbian couple are on the move to a new home in a small town where one is beginning a new veterinarian practice. With three children, one adopted & two foster children, well, their hands are full.
As in most small towns, people like to know everything about the newcomers & some, like this family's neighbours, strictly the wife, is none to happy about the couple, their lifestyle, the kids or multiple pets. Sheesh, this woman complains about everything.
If I venture deeper into the story I'll risk spoilers, so I'll just say this...Ms. Hyde once again reveals her amazing talent for storytelling. She writes about people that I'm sure we've all met sometime during our lives, digs deep into each person's psyche & creates real life characters to connect with & sometimes dislike.
Another wonderful book!
A lesbian couple are on the move to a new home in a small town where one is beginning a new veterinarian practice. With three children, one adopted & two foster children, well, their hands are full.
As in most small towns, people like to know everything about the newcomers & some, like this family's neighbours, strictly the wife, is none to happy about the couple, their lifestyle, the kids or multiple pets. Sheesh, this woman complains about everything.
If I venture deeper into the story I'll risk spoilers, so I'll just say this...Ms. Hyde once again reveals her amazing talent for storytelling. She writes about people that I'm sure we've all met sometime during our lives, digs deep into each person's psyche & creates real life characters to connect with & sometimes dislike.
Another wonderful book!
July 18, 2020
I love horse stories and that is why I picked up this book. I don't usually read the feel good heartwarming stories. They usually just don't feel realistic enough for me. This author is only the second one I have found to bring the harsh reality of the world up close and make you see the good in the regular folks in life. Her characters are not perfect but they are trying to do the right thing and the combination all turns into an enjoyable, believable storyline.
December 26, 2023
I am always up for a Catherine Ryan Hyde novel. She tends to write contemporary novels featuring protagonists of different generations.It was interesting that the story is narrated by the neighbor, Clementine and the foster mother, Jackie. All through the novel, I was shouting for Star's voice or Mando's or even Quinn's. I cannot shake that feeling despite finishing the novel and finding it a good story. I just don't feel it was one of my favorites.
Goodreads review published 26/12/23
Goodreads review published 26/12/23
September 22, 2020
On one side of the road it's a family with the huge wound, Clem lets the bleakness of the loss of her child separate her from any support. On the other side of the road the new neighbors provide such strength and tenderness to foster children and make a family. What happens to the two sides when Comet the horse calls so strongly to Clem and Star?
March 21, 2024
Maybe it’s where I am in this season of my life, but I am obsessed with this author. Her stories of non-traditional families, broken difficult people who at the core of themselves just need love, and to be accepted. I love that she always seems to make an animal a main character.
I listened on audio and enjoyed it fully.
I listened on audio and enjoyed it fully.
June 8, 2017
Good story about a foster family moving across the road from a crotchety lady and the bond the teenage girl makes with the lady's horse.
The story line is predictable but it was a quick nice read. (Hallmarkish feel good type of read).
The story line is predictable but it was a quick nice read. (Hallmarkish feel good type of read).
October 9, 2025
A foster family moved into a new neighborhood. One of the foster children feels lost in the midst and befriends a neighbor's horse. From there this story will take you on an emotional rollercoaster tugging at your heart strings and keeping you reading till the end.
September 2, 2023
This is another good read. I really enjoy her books, there is always sometime to learn.
May 24, 2025
This one was sooooo good!
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