If Wishes Were Horses is a moving coming-of-age novel that explores the depth of friendship, the hope for redemption, and the heartbreaking choices one must make in a difficult, brutal world. It's 1974, and 16-year-old Star Hennessey is living with three other foster children in a broken-down central New York town. The daughter of an alcoholic prostitute, Star has so far escaped the gritty, painful circumstances of her life through the poems and stories she writes and recites in her head. When she discovers she is pregnant, Star's search for the right course of action brings her face-to-face with the cruel exploitation she fears is her legacy--but culminates in her personal and spiritual triumph. If Wishes Were Horses is a stunning story expertly told by Merry Whiteford, a graceful writer who delves into Star's harsh reality with compassion, hope, and beauty.

Susanna Forrest grew up in the 1980s near Norwich, and like many a girl, she yearned for a pony. She was never to get one, but this didn't stop her becoming obsessed with all things equine. If Wishes Were Horses is the story of that all-consuming interest, and of the author's nervewracked attempts later in life to ride once again. However, as Susanna Forrest's journey unfolds, it leads her to horse-obsessed princesses, recovering crack addicts, courtesans, warriors, pink-obsessed schoolgirls, national heroines and runaways across the ages. From girl-riders of the Bronze Age, to lavishly adorned equestrian Victorians and twenty-first-century children on horseback in Brixton, she explores the development of this Pony Cult from its earliest times to the present day. In doing so, she takes to the saddle once more and rediscovers her own riding legs in this frank, eclectic and captivating memoir of an ever-changing equine world.

The cry for help came at night, during final roundup. But nothing could prevent Conner Calhoun from rescuing his brother’s widow and her two children. From the moment he’d laid eyes on Abigail, he’d wanted her, but she wasn’t his to have. And now he’d moved his forbidden love onto his ranch, where the secret between them had nowhere to hide.... Every time he tousled Cody’s hair, every time he cuddled little Miss Sarah, he was reminded of impossible wishes...and a gift given out of love. But honor demanded he not claim for his own what was never meant to be—unless, of course, Abby wanted the same thing....

Young Tizra and her twin brother Tracell find their world abruptly changed when their father is unexpectedly called to fight in a war which promises to last much longer than the usual three-day skirmish. Their mother -- the village healer -- enlists her children to assist her in caring for the many refugees left wounded and homeless by the conflict. Inspired by her mother, Tizra learns never to surrender hope even in a time of fear and uncertainty.

The Australian outback can be a harsh and hostile place to live, and the boy’s home is no different. Sam must escape his abusive father for any hope of a future, but living on the street pushes him to the brink as he’s forced to make difficult choices to survive. This is a gritty tale of dangerous lies and secrets that stretch far and wide. Events can’t just be erased without people answering for what they’ve done.

Emily Converse never expected to return to Tamarack, Colorado. But she's determined to rescue her drug-addicted brother and start a new life. Standing in her way, she finds her stepfather, a powerful US senator, looming over her future like the ever-present monster he'd been during their childhood. Meeting wounded retired Navy SEAL, Michael McCandlis, is a steamy surprise in her homecoming, though he's adrift in civilian life. Together can they find a way to transform from victims to survivors?

Everything changes in Annie's life when she moves to Ridgeview. Will she ever fit in, especially since she doesn't have a horse?

FAMILY MAN If wishes were horses The child's wish: A pony of her own. For her twelfth birthday—just as her father had promised years ago. The father's wish: A safe and happy life for his daughter. That's all Mike Whitten's ever wanted. And that means keeping her away from Liz Matthews and her "germ-filled" camp for young horselovers. It also means breaking his promise—a promise made in haste—at a time when Mike would have done anything to bring a smile to his child's face. The woman's wish: That Mike would stop treating his daugther as though she were made of glass. And—if Liz Matthews could sneak in a second wish—that he would start looking at Liz as more than just his daughter's riding teacher. "A wonderful romance. Strong. Emotional. Superb. A real page-turner." —Patricia Potter, bestselling author of Starcatcher "Carolyn McSparren is a terrific, talented newcomer who has a gift for finding the emotional compass of a story." Debra Dixon, award-winning author of Bad to the Bone and Doc Holliday

Sarah Wylde didn't move from Chicago to a small town to get involved with a man. Particularly one like Justin Herne, a man too mesmerizing to be in a place like Lilesville. To make matters worse, Sarah is the new police chief and Herne runs a sex shop. She doesn’t care that the locals call it a “women’s sensuality shop” or that Herne is considered a respectable citizen. She’s keeping her eye on him. The only problem is, Justin is more than happy to stay within viewing distance. When a ritual murder draws them together on a case, she finds that maintaining a professional distance isn’t going to be an option.