Take Me Home

Whisper Horse #1

by Nancy Herkness

Nancy Herkness welcomes readers to Sanctuary, West Virginia, where a whisper horse leads two wounded hearts to a second chance at love.

When Claire Parker left Sanctuary, West Virginia, she thought it was for good. But now she’s back, reeling from an ugly divorce. Readjusting to small-town life is harder than Claire expected, so she’s surprised, and grateful, to find companionship in Willow, an abused Thoroughbred mare. Willow is Claire’s “whisper horse,” and they share a special, rare bond. Except Willow isn’t the only one helping Claire heal; Willow’s ruggedly handsome veterinarian, Dr. Tim Arbuckle, is sympathetic…and secretive.

Devastated by his wife’s death, Tim thought he’d never find love again. The stoic, sexy doctor was sure he’d left his heart behind when he came to Sanctuary. But Claire stirs up emotions he thought he’d buried long ago. For the first time, the doctor can see past his grief…until Willow falls gravely ill. Tim and Claire must save Willow’s life and, surrounded by the majestic mountains of West Virginia, believe in a love so encompassing, so intimately intense, their lives will never be the same again.

Genres: Romance, Contemporary Romance, Contemporary, Fiction, Animals, Chick Lit, Roman

331 pages, Kindle Edition

First published November 6, 2012

About the author

Nancy Herkness is the award-winning, best-selling author of contemporary romance for readers who love richly developed characters and an immersive reading experience. Meet the wealthy, powerful alpha heroes who need down-to-earth women to show them how to find soul-deep love and pulse-racing passion. Nancy’s vivid writing brings to life settings both elegant and homey, while making her flawed but fascinating characters leap off the page and into your heart. Savor the thrill of falling in love by diving into one of Nancy’s books.

Author of the Royal Caleva, Consultants, Wager of Hearts, and Whisper Horse series, as well as several other contemporary romance novels, Nancy has sold over a million books. She is also a two-time nominee for the Romance Writers of America’s RITA® award.

Nancy has received many honors for her work, including the Book Buyers Best Top Pick, the New England Readers’ Choice award, and the National Excellence in Romance Fiction Award. She graduated from Princeton University with a degree in English literature and creative writing.

A native of West Virginia, Nancy now lives twelve miles west of the Lincoln Tunnel in suburban New Jersey with two tabby cats.

For more information about Nancy and her books, visit www.NancyHerkness.com. Sign up for her monthly newsletter—and get a free novella—at: http://www.nancyherkness.com/newsletter/

Social media links:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/nancyherkness
BookBub author: https://www.bookbub.com/profile/nancy...
Amazon author: https://amazon.com/stores/author/B001...

Reviews

[Silver Thistle · Rating 2 out of 5]

Small town romance with horses. That's what I thought I was getting. I didn't get that.

It's book 1 of The Whisper Horse series so I expected a Whisper Horse to be pretty prominent in the story. Again, wrong.

There is a horse, and Claire does actually whisper to it two or three times but blink and you might miss it.

The cover is a bit misleading, actually. It looks like a cosy romance but it actually covers some dark territory. Spousal abuse, suicide, divorce...animal mistreatment, it's got a lot going on. All the elements together have the potential for a good read but it just didn't 'do it' for me. The sex scenes seem a bit heavy too. Not in general, just in context of the story.

The first chapter left me with a bit of a lump in my throat for the poor horse (Willow) but Willow the Whisper Horse just seems to be in there as a vehicle for Claire to meet (and fall into insta-lust) with Dr Tim the local vet and luckily he insta-lusts right back at her.

The side stories are what kept it interesting for me but even those were mostly glossed over, once mentioned. Claire's sister Holly is having marriage trouble and her story took up a big chunk of plot but her side story wasn't explored as much as it could have been. Paul, Claire's guy pal from her youth just pops in every few chapters to make it seem like there might be a triangle thing going on but his part in the proceedings were pretty weak. Sharon, the stable owner of the 'Whisper Horse' gets even less page time. It all just seems like they're in there as a conveyance for Claire and Dr Tim to meet up, get together, have sex, fall out a bit, make up, have sex....

I won't bother with the rest of the series.

Note: this title was received from the publisher

[Lisa Higgins · Rating 5 out of 5]

Whenever I finish reading a Nancy Herkness book I feel like I'm glowing from within. That's how good she is. Her characters are just so alive that if I bumped into one of them at the grocery store I'd probably try to engage them in conversation. I read this one in two days (during a busy holiday season) and I wish I had her next one in my hands right now.

[Betsy · Rating 2 out of 5]

I read this book because of the blurb, which was of a broken horse and woman helping to heal each other. It was more of a romance novel with a horse in it. I wanted more plot and less sex so it didn't really work for me.

[Aphrodite · Rating 3 out of 5]

Mellow, very low angst, nice touch with the whisper horse Willow, I like horses. Cute but soon forgettable story.

[Alison · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a beautiful moving story about two damage souls finding freedom in each other.

Look forward to listening to the next one.

[Sarah · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fantastic start to series

Book one of the A Whisper Horse Series
Claire comes home from New York after a bitter divorce to help care for her sister who is suffering from Lyme disease.
While there Claire starts to volunteer at a horse sanctuary and meets Sharon the owner and finds out about Whisper Horse, they are horse that you tell your secrets to and help you get over trauma in your life.
Whole working at the sanctuary she meets the new vet Dr Tim and sparks fly very quickly.
Absolutely love this first book especially having animals in book.
I love that both Claire and Tim have emotional baggage and work through it other.
The author set a great pace well described world and the narrator does a fantastic job with the accents.
Looking forward to seeing what happens with series

[Anke · Rating 3 out of 5]

Leuk verhaal.

[Carolien · Rating 3 out of 5]

Claire is recovering from her divorce and has come to Sanctuary to help her sister, Holly, who has Lyme disease and a marriage that is crumbling. Tim has arrived in Sanctuary to become the local vet and heal from his wife's suicide. An old, broken horse brings them together, but are they ready to commit again? Loved the characters and setting.

[Preet · Rating 4 out of 5]

Nancy Herkness is back and has written another hot and amazing book! Claire and Dr.Tim Arbuckle find themselves attracted to each other. The problem is Claire has just gotten divorced and has come home to Sanctuary, WV to take care of her sick younger sister Holly, and the tall veterinarian still has issues from his wife's suicide a year ago.

Nancy Herkness writes romantic stories with a twist. There is always some sort of a social and public issue involved. This time, she covers many, and does it well.

I have no idea how long this book took to read. It felt as if I had just started it. I got caught up in it. I really like Claire and Tim. There was a lot of heat between them, which is a good thing, however with the issues at hand it sort of felt as if they just rushed into each other's arms.

Willow as a whisper horse was an added bonus. Ms.Herkness made sure she worked Tim being a vet in their really well. The assortment of animals was great.

I'm looking forward to reading more by Ms.Herkness. I'd love to read about Holly beating Lyme disease and finding a good man and Brianna and Kayleigh finding some peace or maybe even about Paul finding the woman for him. Nancy Herkness has written some great books that I thoroughly recommend checking out!

[RiriRomantiques · Rating 3 out of 5]

3,5 / 5
Il a manqué un petit Je ne sais quoi...
Didn't get caught up in the story as I wanted to...

[Vikki Vaught · Rating 4 out of 5]

My Musings

Another excellent book by Nancy Herkness. This one has engaging characters and an interesting plot. I always know I'm in for a treat when I read a book by this author.Happy ☺reading 📚!

[Virginia Campbell · Rating 4 out of 5]

There is a timeless, comforting nobility about both mountains and horses. The mountains remain stoic and immoveable. The horses are exquisitely fluid, possessed of a greater knowledge of humankind than humans will ever realize about themselves. Author Nancy Herkness begins her "Whisper Horse" series with "Take Me Home", a heartfelt romance in which horses rescued from abuse find shelter in a close-knit West Virginia mountain community. Also coming home to Sanctuary, WV, newly divorced Claire Parker intends to help her ailing sister and seek answers for her own troubled life. She finds work in a small art gallery, a far cry from her big city life, and she becomes drawn to the care and companionship of "whisper horses". At the same time she finds the perfect horse, she meets the local veterinarian, Tim Arbuckle. Known to most as "Dr. Tim", he has a painful past of his own to overcome. His actress wife committed suicide, leaving him with relentless memories which even pervade his sleep with disturbing dreams. Neither Claire nor Tim is quite prepared for their mutual attraction, yet it soon proves to be an irresistible force. Discovering the joy of living again through shared laughter and friendship and the savoring of a breathtaking passion soon has them yearning for a deeper relationship. Will love work its healing magic and bring two hurting hearts together for a love to last a lifetime? I look forward to more touching reads in the "Whisper Horse" series from author Nancy Herkness.

Review Copy Gratis Amazon Vine

[Vickie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Take Me Home by Nancy Herkness had much potential: small-town girl who moved to big city and had successful career returns home to help family and heal some emotional scars; small-town vet who left and them returned trying to heal some emotional wounds left by suicide of famous actress wife. However, the characters were flat for me; the whole horse whisperer thing didn't work for me either. I wish that the topic of spousal abuse and suicide weren't glossed over for this story. These are important topics that don't always have a tidy ending. Will I read the other books in this series? Yes, because they are sitting on my shelf. The real question is when will I read them?

Go Cards! L1C4!!

[Jaime · Rating 4 out of 5]

Herkness has the ability to ease readers into this story like a warm bath. She's spot-on when it comes to tugging at the heartstrings of fans who adore romance. The vibrant setting of the West Virginia mountainscape is perfect for characters wo will haunt thoughts long after the last page. Animal lovers and lovers in general will be delighted.

[Emily · Rating 3 out of 5]

The story itself was good, and I loved the characters. But honestly, there was way too much graphic love scenes. I understand their relationship was passion filled, but I had to skip pages at a time during those scenes. I hate feeling like I'm peeping on their private moments. So that definitely was not for me and I had to bring it down to three stars.

[Connie Boster · Rating 5 out of 5]

Min pin NEVER a min Doberman

Ok so totally lost the flow on this mistake. Sprocket is id'd as a miniature Doberman pinscher. There's no such thing. Min pinscher s which can be black and tan were developed many years BEFORE Herr Doberman came along. And min pins were Not in the mix he used.

[‘Sup? · Rating 3 out of 5]

A well-written, heartwarming quick read with a swoon-worthy hero and a great heroine... it's just a bit too sweet-small-town romance for my tastes!

Definitely worth a read if that subgenre is your cup of tea!

[Bette Hansen · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very enjoyable read! A well written small town romance that is filled with heartwarming moments. When Claire Parker returns to Sanctuary to help her sick sister, the last thing she expected to find was a sense of home and the love of a wonderful man. I would definitely recommend this book.

[Kassie · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5/5

Je l'ai lu à une vitesse assez effrayante, en fait... J'ai beaucoup aimé Tim mais la fin m'a laissée... sur ma faim, dirons-nous.

Ma chronique : http://bingebuybooks.blogspot.fr/2016...
Revieww to come!

[Maria · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wonderful story with relatable characters. Looking forward to the next book in the series.

[Jenn Tags · Rating 4 out of 5]

This story really hit home for me since my husband is a veterinarian, we met in a similar way, and I suffered close to the same way that Dr. Tim did. Very sweet story and a quick read.

[Ruthie · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very enjoyable book.

[Karen Laird · Rating 5 out of 5]

THE WHISPER HORSE SERIES
Take Me Home, Country Roads, to The Place I Belong
By
Nancy Herkness
REVIEW OF SERIES
Any native West Virginian knows every word of John Denver’s legendary hit and can sing the lyrics from the time they can follow the tune and form the words (or near sounds). “Take me home, country roads, to the place I belong. West Virginia, mountain mama, take me home, country roads.” Driving down the back lanes of the winding mountain roads you can almost hear the strains of the banjos and guitars blowing with the wind through your hair as it whistles through open windows of your vehicle.
There is a sense of having arrived and wanting to belong, a sense of finding home every time you visit, or come back home. I should know, I lived in one of the most remote areas of the state, not too far from the settings of these three novels, for almost five years. Just like the scenes and places in the great Louis L’Amour’s novels, even though the names of the locales and business were fictionalized, I have walked the streets of similar towns in the area and am well acquainted with the personalities of many of the small locales. Nancy nailed the spirit of the small, isolated town in rural West Virginia. She was able to verbalize the spirit and genuineness of the people. In these three novels Nancy singlehandedly dispelled the longstanding aura of “dueling banjos” that has so haunted the area and villainized the souls of people who lived there. No wonder outsiders who wander through or seek a place of solace, find themselves putting down roots and settling in this little piece of heaven on earth.
The central focus the three novels revolved around was a horse stable run by a former Olympic medalist. The name of the stable was Healing Springs Stable. Sharon, the owner of the stable, took in horses nobody wanted anymore or were old or ill. She also believed that every person had a Whisper Horse. Whisper Horse? No, not a horse whisperer, but a whisper horse. “A horse you can tell all your troubles to.” Horse owners have a special connection with their animals. Horses will run themselves to the ground for their owners, they respond to body language, to voice nuances. They are highly intelligent. Sharon’s idea of a whisper horse is not a bad idea. Horses need to be needed as much as humans need someone. Nancy recently quoted on her FB page about the friendship between man and his horse.
"When your horse follows you without being asked, when he rubs his head on yours, and when you look at him and feel a tingle down your spine...you know you are loved." --John Lyons
This energy and joy was evident throughout her novels. Until you have known the joy of a horse’s love, you have not known the joy of unconditional love.
The stories, though each is a stand-alone, grow and build upon the one before it. The characters have active full lives that are not narrow in scope. They care about each other, their neighbors, and their community. They are close knit, and beware he/she who threatens one within their community. In fact, “community” is very much a sub-plot through the entire series. Community is very much a way of life in the mountains of West Virginia.
Nancy Herkness has been recognized for her literary skills and abilities. In 2014 Country Roads received the nomination for the coveted RITA award for Contemporary Romance Novel. Then in 2015 The Place I Belong also received a RITA nomination. It is a privilege and honor to be able to write a review on this series.

TAKE ME HOME
SYNOPSIS –
When Claire Parker left Sanctuary, West Virginia, she thought it was for good. But now she’s back, reeling from an ugly divorce.
Readjusting to small-town life is harder than Claire expected, so she’s surprised, and grateful, to find companionship in Willow, an abused Thoroughbred mare. Willow is Claire’s “whisper horse,” and they share a special, rare bond. Except Willow isn’t the only one helping Claire heal; Willow’s ruggedly handsome veterinarian, Dr. Tim Arbuckle, is sympathetic…and secretive.
Devastated by his wife’s death, Tim thought he’d never find love again. The stoic, sexy doctor was sure he’d left his heart behind when he came to Sanctuary. But Claire stirs up emotions he thought he’d buried long ago. For the first time, the doctor tries to see past his grief.
When Willow falls gravely ill, Tim and Claire must work together to save the horse’s life and to find a love so encompassing, so intense, their lives will never be the same again
Review-
Nancy Herkness assaulted the senses with each turn of the page in the first of the Whisper Horse novels, Take Me Home. I found myself sucking in deep breaths on more than one occasion as I felt Claire’s pain of desolation in the aftermath of her divorce. She had been ground down and her spirit powdered to the point of becoming but dust-in-the-wind. Self confidence in her work, as a professional, and self-worth in who she was as a person was at nil. There was little evidence left of who she formerly was.
The story of a deep love and attachment between a woman in deep sorrow and a horse who reached back spoke to this reader’s heart. When the human love interest was introduced in the form of a huge crotchety bear of a man, who also happened to be the local country vet, it was like adding all your favorite spicy flavorings to the pot from the kitchen cabinet and giving the pot a good stir.
The interactions between Clair and Doc Tim ignited in sparks and fire from the beginning. As we all know, where there are sparks and smoke, there is fire. Fire did take hold and the pages and chapters burned with the flames of their burning passions as Claire and Tim worked through the issues that prevented them from fanning those embers and ultimately setting the sheets on fire.
Pages could not turn fast enough as I followed this fast paced love affair and affair of the heart through to the end. I was so thankful that book two of the series was sitting on the table waiting for me to pick up the next evening.
Consistently, Nancy’s love stories leave me short of breath and longing for more. This story did not disappoint. I gave this book a solid FIVE STAR review.

COUNTRY ROADS (2014 RITA AWARD NOMINEE)
SYNOPSIS –
When sheltered artist Julia Castillo flees her hometown, she has one goal: to prove to her overbearing family she can make it on her own. She knows they only want the best for her, but when they question her artistic vision, it’s time to break free. Julia’s search for independence carries her to the small town of Sanctuary, West Virginia. There, her courage is tested as never before—by her love for a handsome country lawyer, her bond with a dangerous black stallion, and a secret she is desperate to keep…
Paul Taggart abandoned his high-powered legal career to return to Sanctuary, giving up his own dreams to care for his troubled brother. Then Julia Castillo blows into town like a fresh mountain breeze, changing his staid, predictable life forever. Has Paul earned his second chance at happiness? Or does loving Julia mean having the strength to let her go?
Review-
Only someone who has had to run for their life, someone who has had to truly look over their shoulder in fear, could have expressed the fear and desperation that the young girl (Julia) was experiencing when she first arrived in Sanctuary, West Virginia. Nancy Herkness captured the essence of what it would be like to be suddenly on your own and alone. But what was she really running from or was it something she was striving to run to? The “White Knight” that comes to her rescue not only is the protector of her legal matters, but becomes the “Knight” who takes on the conquest of her heart.
Once again Nancy pairs our heroine, Julia, up with an injured horse at the riding stable run by the former Olympic star, Sharon. This time the stallion is one that has been abused and strikes out at any and all who reach out to him – until he meets the red-headed Julia. An immediate spark between the two leaves the entire staff at the stables puzzled and awed as the two become inseparable.
Nancy opened up in this telling of her story. The depth of the development of each of her characters, from the young artistic Julia and her love of painting horses to the gallant Paul who was the “white knight” and lawyer who fell head-over-heels in love with Julia from the moment he laid eyes on her. The characters lived and breathed as they walked between the pages. The back stories on some of the intricate details and focus points of the story gave it depth and weight that you would expect to “know” about everybody and everything in a small mountain town in the back woods of West Virginia.
There were times I felt like I was walking along with the characters through the lanes and down the streets of Sanctuary. I could feel the rip of the wind through my hair as we raced down country roads and felt my stomach flip and roll with the sharp corners. I even felt the sting of the gravel on the country roads when riding the bike. Oh and the smell of the pine and moldering leaves high in the mountains where there was no pollution and only the smells of nature to catch your attention as you set on that cool damp moss by the river. Yes, I lived and loved every word of this wonderful novel. It is no wonder that it was nominated for the 2014 RITA Award!!
A definite FIVE STAR review of my favorite novel by Nancy Herkness, to date!!!!

THE PLACE I BELONG (2015 RITA AWARD NOMINEE)
SYNOPSIS –
Fleeing professional scandal and a broken engagement, veterinarian Hannah Linden abandons Chicago for the mountain town of Sanctuary, West Virginia, hoping to put her troubles with men and the media behind her.
But when she encounters world-famous chef Adam Bosch, she finds herself increasingly drawn to the charming but darkly complex man and his troubled teenage son, Matt. Adam, a recovering alcoholic, fears he can never be a worthy father to the surly, distant boy he has just come to know, and enlists Hannah’s help in his struggle to connect with his son.
Hoping to coax Matt out of his shell, Hannah introduces the boy to an ailing brown pony who has the power to change his view of the world. But can the determined little whisper horse prove to Hannah, Adam, and Matt that they were meant to be a family?
Review-
As Nancy has continued with the Whisper Horse Series, her writing perceptions and story-telling skills have been honed and each story has shown her growth as a writer. The Place I Belong, is the crowning jewel of her, work, to-date. The complexity of the storylines, taking three separate stories and over-laying each one with the other, weaving them together like a work of art has created a masterpiece of the written word. To add color and additional depth to this already intricate story, Nancy reached back into each of the two previous Whisper Horse books and utilized the back stories of the characters from those novels to broaden and fill-out the beauty of The Place I Belong. Weaving these characters and their continuing stories into the current novel brought additional life to the pages. Suddenly, these were real, living people who interacted on a daily basis and lived as a community. The feeling of community seems to come out the loudest and most keenly in this, the final novel.
Like Country Roads, I think that The Place I Belong is some of Nancy Herkness’ best writing to-date. This set showcases her storytelling gift at its best. I loved this book because it was about finding family. It was about community. Oh yes, there were her wonderful pages where she showed her great skills at storytelling and description and leaves us all swooning, but to me, the story, not to be missed is about the priority of finding family and the priority of family in your life. This, her third novel in the series, gets a standing ovation and FIVE STARS in my review of her novel The Place I Belong.

ABOUT NANCY HERKNESS –
Nancy Herkness is the author of the award-winning Whisper Horse series, published by Montlake Romance, as well as several other contemporary romance novels. She is a two-time nominee for the Romance Writers of America RITA® award. Her new series, Wager of Hearts, follows the romantic adventures of three very wealthy men who make a life-changing bet.
A member of Romance Writers of America, New Jersey Romance Writers, and Novelists, Inc., Nancy has received many honors for her work, including the Golden Leaf Award, the Maggie Award in Contemporary Romance, and the National Excellence in Romance Fiction Award.
Nancy graduated from Princeton University where she majored in English. In addition to her academic work in literature, she was accepted into Princeton's creative writing program, and her senior thesis was a volume of original poetry.
After graduating, Nancy had a varied career which included retail management and buying, COBOL programming, computer systems sales and marketing, and a brief stint as a receptionist at a dental office. Once her children were in school full-time, she sat down and wrote A Bridge to Love, her first romance novel to be published.
Nancy finds nothing odd about writing in the genre she calls “the “Rodney Dangerfield of the literary world. It gets no respect.” She explains: “I was trained as a poet, but from the day my grandmother gave me my first Georgette Heyer novel I wanted to write romance. Romance is the genre of optimism, and that's why I like it.”
A native of West Virginia, Nancy now lives in suburban New Jersey with her husband, two mismatched dogs, and an elderly cat. She cheers loudly for the New Jersey Devils hockey team.

A VISIT WITH NANCY –
Karen: Where did the idea for a “whisper horse” come from? Did you share all your troubles with your horse(s) when you were growing up?

Nancy: The idea of a “whisper horse” came from my real pony Papoose who was my constant companion all through my younger years. When I was upset or angsty, I would pour my problems into his ears. If you know horses, you’ll know their ears are very eloquent, so I felt I had a sympathetic listener. Not to mention that he would never share my secrets with anyone else. Horses are very discreet.

Karen: Growing up in a location that has a love affair with the art scene is a gift for any child. How did this affect you? Did you ever dabble in art? If so, what medium do you like to create in?

Nancy: My little hometown had an amazing number of artists when I was young and has even more now. Our school had an art contest every year, and I often won a ribbon with my crayon drawings. I think that started my interest in art. There was a local sculptor who offered lessons in clay sculpting which my parents enrolled me in. I still remember the horsehead I created; I was quite proud of it. I doodled pencil sketches of horses on all my class notes in school.

The one medium I never could get comfortable with was stone; I was terrified that one chisel stroke would ruin the whole piece, so I was a very timid stonecutter.

All of this made me a very visual writer: I see the scenes in my mind and then try to capture them as vividly as possible in words.

Karen: Do you still get to ride often? What breed of horse is your preference to ride? What style of riding to you prefer to ride?

Nancy: Living fifteen miles west of New York City is not conducive to my preferred kind of horseback riding. After galloping all over the hills, trails, and woods of West Virginia, trotting around a ring is just too tame for me. Whenever I’m on vacation, I try to find a great trail ride to go on. I grew up riding hunters and jumpers so I am most comfortable on an English saddle. Since my riding muscles have grown flabby from lack of use, I no longer ride over fences, but I sure miss the sensation of flying through the air!

Karen: Knowing the inspiration that you grew up with from living in around that area of West Virginia, how do you decide on what to write next? Will we see another Whisper Horse installment? Maybe one for Sharon and her story?

Nancy: Much as I loved returning to my roots in the mountains, there will not be any more Whisper Horse stories for now. While these books found many enthusiastic readers, there weren’t quite enough sales for my publisher to continue the series. So I had to bid farewell to my beloved Appalachian mountains and return to my current locale near the skyscrapers of Manhattan. I’ve now lived here longer than I lived in West Virginia, and my children are native New Jerseyans, so I’m quite comfortable setting stories in the NY metro area.

I hope my readers will follow me into the Wager of Hearts series, in which three very wealthy men make a life-changing bet on finding love in the steel canyons of New York City. While the setting is different, the characters still wrestle with the timeless issues of family and obligation, as well as true love. The first book, The CEO Buys In, was released in July 2015. The next novel is The All-Star Antes Up, scheduled for May 2016.

Karen: Congratulations on your nominations for the 2014 and 2015 RITA awards for Contemporary Romance novels. It speaks to the quality of your writing, the spellbinding stories you have to tell, and the connection you make with your readers’ hearts.

Nancy: Thank you so much! I’ve been hugely delighted and flattered by the honors my Whisper Horse novels have won. You could have knocked me over with a feather when I got those RITA nomination calls. I sure wasn’t expecting my quirky West Virginia characters to soar so high.

Karen: For fun…. Can you tell us one thing about yourself from growing up in WV that we don’t know?

Nancy: There is one secret about me that harks back to my youth in West Virginia: I am a Lady of the Golden Horseshoe. When I was in eighth grade, I was knighted with an antique sword by the state’s governor for getting my county’s top test score in West Virginia history. Unfortunately, I didn’t get a tiara.
Thank you so much for having me a guest on your wonderful blog! It was a pleasure to chat with you.

[Stephanie Kline · Rating 2 out of 5]

This was a relaxing read, and one that I enjoyed for the most part. Following Claire, who's recently returned to her hometown of Sanctuary, West Virginia - following a bitter divorce in NYC - this is (I think, at its core, supposed to be) a story about the love and healing power of family. Her reason for returning home, at least temporarily, is to take care of her sister, Holly, who's recently been diagnosed with Lyme Disease.

There IS a whisper horse in the story - Willow - but the scenes at the farm are few and far between, which was disappointing to me, because I thought this book was going to be more about the healing power of horses than anything else. It wasn't. I think (probably) the author's intention was for this book to be about family and the bond between sisters... but in the end, it was a (rather smutty) romance novel. Not what I expected!

Dr. Tim Arbuckle is the Sanctuary town vet, and Claire meets him while being introduced to her new "whisper horse" - the horse who's supposed to take all of her troubles away, simply by spending time with and talking to it. This could have been a great and powerful story line, but it was wasted here. There was never a tangible connection between Claire and Willow... at least not one that I could feel or get interested in. That was the biggest letdown for me. The real (or ONLY) connection made in this book was between Claire and Tim - and their relationship became more sex than anything else.

Don't get me wrong - I don't mind a few well-placed love scenes in a romance novel (though I didn't realize this was truly a romance novel when I picked it up)... but these scenes took on more of an erotica tone that seemed completely misplaced for the story. I think I counted seven fairly graphic and steamy scenes... which, in my opinion, just didn't work.

Get back to the HORSE, the CONFLICT (what little there is), and flesh out the story!

Good characters, overall... though not nearly developed enough for my liking. Claire's 180 degree change of heart about the course of her life, after what seemed like DAYS after meeting Tim, just didn't feel authentic. If we'd gotten inside the characters' heads more, really got to know them, maybe I would have been more convinced.

By the end, I was satisfied enough with the conclusion, but this isn't a story that will stick with me, or that made me feel anything more than relaxed while reading it. If this had been more about the horse and Claire's healing process through her relationship with Willow, I'd be more inclined to read through the whole series. As it is, I think I'll leave it here.

[Debbie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Starring Willow the Whisper Horse

This book kept my interest from start to finish. The horse, however, is only the star in the beginning and ending. In between is the story of a New York art expert and a West Virginia veterinarian , Claire and Tim.

Tim has recently relocated to Sanctuary, WV . Claire has come home to be with her estranged sister Holly who has Lyme Disease. She hated her hometown and had worked very hard to leave it for the New York art scene.

Claire would take advantage of the local horse stable for early morning rides. The owner of the stable , Sharon , believes in whisper horses and introduces Claire to a Willow, a horse that had been abused and starved by her previous owners.

Claire immediately takes to Willow and through her meets the new local vet, Tim. Tim is of particular interest of the town because before he moved there he was married to a famous New York actress who has shot and killed herself on a theater stage. No reason was given for her suicide so the locals wonder how Tim had figured into her death.

Claire's sister Holly has two delightful daughters, but is in an awful marriage. This figures into the plot also.

Claire and Tim find themselves attracted to one another, but Tim's secret may keep them apart.

[MK · Rating 5 out of 5]

My first book by Ms. Herkness and won’t be my last. It was emotional to say the least. It was heartwarming. Very moving.

When Claire come back to Sanctuary, West Virginia to help her sister who is very sick she doesn’t expect to stay very long. While she’s there something changes. She finds something about why she’s there. After her divorce she sees what’s important. She also gets introduced to a beautiful whisper horse name Willow. She also meets the new vet Dr. Tim Arbuckle, and learns he’s come to Sanctuary for a reason. It breaks her heart for him when she learns why.

Tim moves to Sanctuary to leave the busy city life, and the tragedy which still haunts him at night.
Why he doesn’t know. He has a job as the new vet, and truth be told loves it.
When he meets Claire things inside him change, and he’s attracted to her. But he doesn’t know if he can ever love again.

As Claire and Tim spend time together will things change? Can he move on from what happened?
Tim wonders what Claire will do now. Will she go back to her city life?

See what happens and buy the book.

[Pontiki · Rating 4 out of 5]

Claire is home to help her sister, who has Lyme disease. She’s coming through her divorce, and has an amazing job waiting in New York. She’s at the peak of her career.

Tim is a vet whose wife was an actress that committed suicide. No one knows why but Tim, and he carries the guilt of not being able to help her.

When they meet due to a poor, abused horse, they can’t help but feel the pull towards each other. Their pasts and the present keep getting in the way of their budding relationship.

Willow the horse, Claire’s sister, and an incredible painting all cause Tim and Claire to get to know each other and fall in love. Her career and his fear make things uncertain, until it all clicks into place.

I love Tim’s personality and background, Claire’s sophistication and compassion for her sister and horse. The whisper horse concept is OK, a bit too obvious a concept.

Really enjoyed the book overall.

KU

[Victoria Sturlini · Rating 5 out of 5]

LOVELY STORY!😊

This was a lovely story of love of all kinds. Familial love and support. Friendship love and support. Love for animals. Plus a sexy, and sweet romantic love between two very likeable, kind and endearing people. Tim and Claire were both the type of people you would like to have in your own life. This was not a cotton candy book but dealt with some very serious issues where the support of caring people was heartwarming and essential. What I like most about Nancy Herkness' writing is that she is able to balance in her books darker subjects with lighter ones in such a way that is uplifting and satisfying. They are presented in a manner that is real and informative but do not overwhelm the uplifting storyline. I loved the epilogue in this book.... It was a wonderful way to end the story and left me with a contented smile on my face!!!! 😍. I highly recommend this book for a beautiful solid read.😁

[Sara · Rating 2 out of 5]

This story follows the small town life of Claire, who has returned from New York to look after her sister, due to an illness. Despite this, Claire still looks her younger sister and two nieces.

Claire is introduced to a 'Whisper Horse' Willow, who she begins to, as the name suggests, whisper to, but it's more of a blink of the eye, as the story does not focus on the horse, but those that surround Claire's life... more specifically her sister (as a minor story) and her own 'love life' with the town vet (the main story).

I would have enjoyed this more, had there been a stronger emphasis on Claire and the horse, and even gave a proper ending to her sister's story.

[Shel · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved everything about this story! From the town to the people to the settings. I admired Claire's strength for moving on from a bad marriage to a promising career to helping her sister and nieces get through the tough times with her sister's awful husband. Tim is a wonderful match for Claire. So strong and caring but a fiery lover to boot! He has secrets and pains that keep him from going all in with her even though he really wants to. They develop in a way that is sweet, loving and so steamy! I adored his ah ha moment when he finally comes to terms with his heart and comes clean with her! Thank you Nancy Herkness for another touching and fun book.