Always There

Heartland #20

by Lauren Brooke

When her mother died, Amy took over the work of caring for the horses. But now, Amy is facing a greater going to college and leaving her mom's work behind. A stunning finale to the series.

Even at graduation, Amy cannot concentrate on her accomplishments. She is distracted by her concern for a sick horse back at Heartland. College is weeks away, but she dreads having to leave her home and her work at the stable - the work she took over after her mother's death. It doesn't help that Lou, Joni, and Ty - her boyfriend - are already making decisions without her, anticipating life after she is away at school.
When a new horse arrives for treatment, everyone seems wary of telling Amy his story. As she starts to treat him, his fear seems a mystery.

Genres: Horses, Young Adult, Fiction, Animals, Middle Grade, Childrens, Realistic Fiction

179 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2005

About the author

Lauren Brooke grew up in a ranch in Virginia and now lives in Leicestershire, England. Her husband is a veterinarian who specializes in horses. Her books have been published by Scholastic since Mid-2000, starting with the first book of the Heartland book series. The first book of her popular Chestnut Hill series was published in 2005.

According to an interview on scholastics' website, Lauren Brooke has been riding since before she could walk. She also said she competes in a few local-level horse shows and events.

There may be some other people in books and movies named Lauren Brooke:
Amazon lists the author of "Book of spiritual regeneration" (1995) as Lauren Brooke.
IMDB.com has a record for an Actress named Lauren Brooke. Her only movie is "Wiseguys vs. Zombies" (2003) as Goat Man's Wife.

Reviews

[Kate · Rating 3 out of 5]

Amy has finally graduated, but her mind is still not made up about college. She's upset because she feels everyone is treating her like she's already gone. Plus, everyone is being weird about the new horse at Heartland, Fanfare. When Amy takes Fanfare on a trail ride that goes along a road, Fanfare freaks out and Amy gets a concussion. She starts having flashbacks about the accident that killed her mom, and now she really doesn't want to leave for school.

Amy works through many of the issues she's been facing throughout the series. She stubbornly avoids dealing with her problems, and it is largely through Ty pushing her that she does finally deal with things. It was clear that this is was a conclusion to the series, although obviously there are several special editions. I hope they'll deal with Amy's life in college. This book also introduces a spin-off series, Chestnut Hill. I wonder if Amy will make an appearance...

[kat♡ · Rating 4 out of 5]

well, that was a wonderful book to conclude the original series. i dont think i would have it any other way. her struggles were only met with peace by the end of the series as the main character comes to terms with old problems, the ones she thought she had overcome, and solves her newer challenges as well. im sad to say goodbye to this series, at least the original, but thankfully, i do have two more books that give a window into what goes on after the conclusion of the series, and i cant wait to read those next! overall, even though there were a few things stylistically that i didnt like, this was a really nice read and its definitely worth it!

[Isabella Ann · Rating 5 out of 5]

I can’t believe I have finished all of the books, (except the Heartland specials!) in this series now! It has been such a great series of books to get lost in and I would highly recommend them to all of the horsey lovers out there. 🥰

In this last story about Heartland and Amy, we see the struggle she faces about deciding what her future should be. Should she stay at Heartland to continue her mother’s work alongside Ty and her family, or should she spread her wings and go to college to learn new things to help with the running of Heartland in the future?? As Amy toys with the ideas running through her mind, and when to break the news to Ty, a new horse arrives at Heartland, but his past is a mystery to her. With her mind on other things she doesn’t pick up on her sister’s guarded answers about her questions on the new horse. Will Amy be able to find out the truth about him before it is too late and be true to herself in the end?? ❤️

*Feel free to check out my overview for the Heartland series over on my Substack blog:

https://thepaintedcaravan.substack.co...

Isabella Ann of The Painted Caravan ♡

[Kelly · Rating 5 out of 5]

And that's my rereads over with- except the one spin-off I have, which I'll come back to later. This series always brings nostalgia and lots of emotions and the final book was no exception.

Even though I haven't read the main spin-offs to the full Heartland series, I know a few things about them, which left me feeling as though certain things towards the end of this seemed pointless. However, it's clear how much Amy has grown up through the series, one reason why I prefer several of the latter books now I'm in my mid-20's. But this series is still overall really enjoyable, even if just for the trip down memory lane at times.

On the plus side, I almost forgot about Amy's trip to Chestnut Hill, which was a lovely way to bridge the two series together. I actually had begun Chestnut Hill as a teenager before I ever started on Heartland. For some reason, I never read the final Chestnut Hill book, but overall, I do prefer the Heartland series. And I'm sure, yet again, I will return to these in the future. :)

[AmbWitch · Rating 3 out of 5]

Always There is the last in the Heartland series and means I have finally reread the series. Well sort off, I still have the specials to go. This is a series that I really enjoyed as a child but have now outgrown and are reading for the last time before getting rid of them.

In Always There Amy is facing an uncertain future. She always thought that she would stay at Heartland but when she receives higher than expected SAT scores she decides to go study as a vet. This will mean that when she returns to Heartland, she will have more skills to help the horses that come there.

I’ve always felt that the book had good characterisation. Amy is flawed and this makes her seem more real. Although she feels that everyone is acting like she’s already gone they are only preparing for it. She does seem younger than 18 however (I thought she was still 15), but as this book is aimed for younger readers then this is understandable.

This was a nice end to the series and ties it up nicely. It can be expected that she goes to college, becomes a vet and then comes back to Heartland and I was thinking that if this was real life she would break up with Ty at some point and I have just discovered that she does (I’ve not read the book where this happens). It is also a nice introduction to Lauren Brooke’s next series Chestnut Hill where we actually see Amy briefly in the first book. I’ve only read a few of these books but they were entertaining and I would say aimed at the same age group.

[Tibbara's Den · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was really torn on what to give this one. On one hand, I loved how the author brought it around full circle. On the other hand, I didn't feel like the author did justice to the growth Lou and Amy have had throughout the series. I think the same story could have been told without Lou lying to Amy about the horse they are working with here. It was really frustrating to read. The angst it caused with the other characters made it less enjoyable as well. Amy's wavering on college also seemed like it was added for drama. Again, I think it dishonored the growth her character had. I think the same plot point could have been done without the extra angst. I really liked how Ty handled things (other than the initial lie). It showed his growth within his and Amy's relationship. I was also a little disappointed that Ben was again absent for a big event (Amy's graduation) but was glad the author at least brought him and a couple of other characters back for the ending. An overall satisfying ending to the main series, though the execution was a little lacking.

[Kirsty McCracken · Rating 3 out of 5]

And that's it. The end of the series and of the nostalgia trip. Granted these weren't as thrilling as they were the first time I read them, but I think my favourite aspect - aside from the important lessons these books do contain (and I really do mean that) - is the fact that Amy does so much growing up throughout the series. When we first meet her - and for around the first half of the series - I feel like I'm experiencing near constant emotional whiplash with her, however, by the latter half of the series, we really get to see how much she has grown and changed and matured, how much she has learned and figured out along the way, and that's really gratifying for me as a reader.

[Stefanie Robinson · Rating 3 out of 5]

In this book, Amy FINALLY graduated high school. She has come a long way since her mother died in the first book and she took over the operations at Heartland. She is concerned about what will happen to the farm if and when she leaves for college. She is also fed up with her sister and her boyfriend trying to plan her life for her. She just wants to work with horses and mind her own business. I can understand that is annoying to have people telling you what they want you to be, as though you aren't your own person. This was a good series, and I am looking forward to introducing my girls to it.

[Clemence D · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ce tome marque la fin des aventures d'une Laura Lycéenne pour commencée celle d'une Laura plus adulte ...

C'est le grand jour pour Laura ! Enfin son diplôme de fin d'année ! Et bientôt l'Université... Mais comment s'en réjouir ? Il va falloir qu'elle quitte Heartland et Ted pour quatre longues années, et déjà tout le monde fait comme si elle ne vivait plus au ranch ! Heureusement, l'arrivée de Fanfare à Heartland va aider Laura à surmonter ce moment difficile...

Tome sympathique qui marque une évolution dans le personnage de Laura !

[David Burnworth · Rating 5 out of 5]

Amy goes through everything from self-doubt to being super paranoid. Lou convinces everyone at Heartland to keep the truth from her about a new horse called Fanfare and this leads not only to Amy and Fanfare being in a bad accident but takes Amy in a direction we have not seen her character go.
Ty goes way beyond what most men would do to show Amy just how much he cares for her but it takes Amy a long time to start trusting and loving those who hid such an important truth from her.

So much more happens in this story but I won't give any more away. You will have to read it to find out.

[Kelly · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great ending. I found Heartland on Netflix when it was already 13 seasons in. I fell in love with it and have watched it from start to finish more times that I care to admit to. Reading the books was like having extra episodes. The TV show strays from the books somewhat early on and has other characters that I’m so glad were added. I have enjoyed the books and the show equally. I highly recommend this family-friendly book series and TV series!

[Olivia H. · Rating 5 out of 5]

So sad this is the last book in this series! I’ve grown to love the characters and horses, and I’ve learned a lot. This series has good life lessons, and they never repeat themselves to the point where it’s just boring. I love this book and it’s series! Very glad I read them and definitely recommend!

[Dagmar T. Jensen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Jeg nød at følge Amy på hendes vej gennem High School, og med hendes arbejde på Heartland sammen med Ty, hendes bedstefar, Lou og de andre på Heartland, inden de alle skulle forskellige veje i livet.

Så jeg giver bogen 4 ud af 5 stjerner.

[livresetsonges · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ce livre a réussi à me faire monter les larmes. J’ai ressenti avec toute la force de mes sentiments d’adulte, le sentiment de rejet de Laura, cette crainte de ne plus être utile, d’être mis de côté par ses proches… Un des meilleurs tomes de la saga pour le moment !

[Alex Apostol · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was a great way to wrap up the Heartland series as Amy struggles to make the decision if she should remain at Heartland to carry out her mom's work, or leave for Virginia Tech in the Fall to start her journey to becoming a vet.

[Twyla · Rating 3 out of 5]

My favorite part was when Amy decided that she would still go to Virgiania Tech, and not change her mind. My least favorite part was when Amy got hurt when riding Fanfare.

[Adriana Bosma · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great book!

[Priscilla · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great ending of the series!

[Lcecnca · Rating 5 out of 5]

4,5

[Nadja · Rating 5 out of 5]

Damn wat hield ik vroeger van dit boek

[Floortje · Rating 3 out of 5]

Leuk boek!

[Kara · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good ending to an enjoyable series!

[Caitie · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.75 rounded up, a good ending to the series in my opinion. I did read this out of curiosity to see how the series ended.

[Louise · Rating 4 out of 5]

*4,5⭐️

[Beth · Rating 3 out of 5]

I loved this last book of the series. It is wrapped up perfectly!

[Jacey · Rating 2 out of 5]

Having decided to write a hoses and magic book aimed at 9 – 12 year olds I was looking for a modern version of the once ubiquitous horse book for my own research purposes. This was the closest I could find. Only after I’d bought it did I realise that it was one in a long-running series, issued at the rate of about two per year. It’s set at Heartland, a horse farm in Virginia where the owners specialise in curing injured and traumatised horses.

Amy is the central character, the daughter of Heartland’s late founder, Marion, who was killed in a trailer accident for which Amy still feels partly responsible, having persuaded her mother out into a storm to rescue a horse.

Amy has a boyfriend, Ty, who works at Heartland and she is, of course, a gifted rider and horse rehabilitator (using horse-whisperer techniques), but Amy is reaching a turning point in her life. She’s graduating with good grades and has a place at college to study to be a vet but she’s not sure she should go. She is, in fact, scared that either she will be missed too much – or conversely not at all. She sees Ty and Joni, the groom, already stepping in to make decisions which are rightfully hers and she’s jealous. She can’t let go. Leaving Heartland, her responsibilities to her beloved horses, her family and Ty are weighting heavily on her mind.

So when they get a new horse to help and it seems as though she’s being kept in the dark about something, she starts to get annoyed and not a little petulant. It turns out that her older sister has been trying to protect her from the knowledge that this horse was injured in an accident very like the one that killed Amy’s mother a couple of years earlier.

Angst ensues, but in the end the selfless Ty gets Amy to see that she should not pass up on the opportunity to go to college and that she’ll never lose her place at Heartland.

This is a slight book (152 pages), not badly written, but simply written to provide little in the way of challenging material. Amy seems a lot younger than eighteen, especially in the very non-physical relationship she has with Ty – who is at least a couple of years older. There’s no sex in this book even though, realistically, few eighteen year olds in a settled relationship with an older boy would remain celibate without even considering the possibilities of getting physical. Amy seems to be completely lacking in hormones. If Ty has hormones he keeps them to himself. That’s not a criticism – maybe the books are read by girls at the very young end of YA and therefore the ‘no sex’ rule may be a publisher’s decision. I just find it weird when – in this day and age – teen books are generally bristling with sexual questions. On looking up some of the reader reviews on a Lauren Brooke site I’d guess that most of the review writers are not much more than about twelve, and possibly younger, so I guess LB knows her market.

Not my usual reading material, and I won’t be searching out any other Heartland books, but interesting for what it is.

[Amanda Schell · Rating 5 out of 5]

I adore the heartland series!!! All of them! And in case you were wondering the TV series is pretty good too <3

[Sasha · Rating 3 out of 5]

I’ve really enjoyed the Heartland series overall. This book wraps everything up in a very circular way and highlights all of the characters’ progression throughout the last 20 books, especially Amy’s. This series is ideal for a horse-mad child or anyone who enjoys a lighter read. Probably a 3.5 stars overall but likely would have rated it 4-5 stars if I’d read it when I was younger.

[Carrie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I fell in love with this series when I started the first book in fifth grade. This was a great ending!

[literarydoor · Rating 4 out of 5]

La série rend les personnages plus matures et réalistes... J'aurais vraiment dû lire les livres avant ! :s