Thank you to NetGalley.

2 stars

I've been very impressed with some of Moyes more recent books but this one didn't quite reach the same heights as those stories. The characters didn't seem to have the same level of chemistry and were not as fleshed out as in her more recent books. I"m glad to see that she has developed as an author and will happily pick up her next title.

I liked this well enough, and especially enjoyed the way the plots converged at the end. But I felt CHEATED when I realized this was an old book that had been newly reissued! I don't mind when publishers do this, but wish they'd make it clearer.

I haven't read a Jojo Moyes novel it quite a while. I really enjoyed the Horse Dancer which is about a young girl and her horse. As she and the other characters overcome many challenges their courage and tenacity inspire the reader. Lots of tension with a happy ending.

"The Horse Dancer" is the story of a marriage that is falling apart. It's the story of Sarah, a young teenager, whose grandfather gets sick and threatens to rip apart the only thing that has given her life stability: her love of horseback writing. Told with Moyes' signature heartfelt characters,this book will drag your heart through the mud but leave you fulfilled.

First Line: He saw her yellow dress before he saw her, glowing in the fading light; a beacon at the far end of the stables.

Summary: A young girl lives with her grandfather in London. He has been teaching her to ride and do very difficult tricks with her horse. But when her grandfather has a stroke she is in a difficult place. A young lawyer is going through a separation and dealing with high profile cases. When she finds a young girl stealing from a local minimart she decides to take her in with the help of her soon to be ex husband. The situation becomes harder than anyone expected.

Highlights: Jojo Moyes does such a great job brining social issues to life in her stories. I was never one for chick lit but Moyes is amazing. I read a majority of this in 2 days. I know nothing about horses but now I want to go riding.

Lowlights: A little slow in the middle but worth it.

FYI: Be ready to read it straight through.

What would you do to have your dream come true? Sarah's life is disintegrating around her, her beloved grandfather is in the hospital and she is about to lose her horse Boo and her future. Natasha and Mac’s marriage has disintegrated and all that is left is to dispose of the pieces. But when their life's collide with Sarah they are all on a path they didn't expect. A story of determination, love, and holding on to your dream. It took me 2 months to get through the 1st third of book and a day to finish it.

Well, I can't say this is at all what I was expecting (I don't know that I even bothered reading a blurb!) It has some nuggets of the strong plotting and characterization that Moyes has developed, but it wasn't quite there. I wasn't too crazy about any of the characters (except probably Papa), largely because so many of them behaved in such unrealistic ways. Exes taking in a foster kid together, a young teenager managing to conceal a horse from every adult in her life, etc. etc. etc. I think some of the best bits were Papa's memories of the Cadre noir and his relationship with Sarah. More of that to balance the modern plot would have been good. Then again, it didn't really need anything else because it was an incredibly long and draggy book. There were little tidbits of character insight and plot development that just never really went anywhere. To be honest, I don't know how the book had so many pages in it! I've gone back and forth between 2 and 3 stars, because I did enjoy some aspects and the story was a unique one, but there are just too many holes - both empty and unnecessarily filled. A great topic handled by a great writer that somehow ended up as a blah sort of novel - really disappointing.

I love Jojo Moses so it is hard for me to say I did not like this book. There were too many plot holes and the 14 year old was just not believable. I pray there aren't any 14 year old girls prostituting themselves for rent money. This was a huge miss for me

I love me some Jojo Moyes. I've read a ton of her stuff. I follow her on Twitter & I think she's smart, lovely & her stories stick with me. I often think about the whales from Silver Bay. The crazy road trip in One Plus One with Jess & her son was a perfect summer read. Me Before You & After You were both so amazing & I still think of Lou when I see a pair of crazy shoes. The Girl You Left Behind is one of my favorite reads-ever. I bawled my eyes out, clutched my heart & it's a book you can recommend to most anyone.

The Horse Dancer is classic Jojo; she writes with so much heart, it's impossible not to fall in love with her narrative. I was getting a small Curly Sue vibe from the overworked Natasha taking in the down on her luck, Sarah, but I totally loved it. I liked seeing their relationship evolve throughout the story & appreciated that it took time to build trust. And Boo....I want a Boo. Horses are so majestic & I loved getting to know Boo through Sarah. If you're Really Into horses, I would think you may be able to find an even deeper connection to this story. I honestly could read an entire book devoted to Henri & Le Cadre Noir. This book was Really enjoyable & my fellow Jojo Moyes fangirls can rejoice because this book is on par with her other books we know & love.

Special thanks to Jojo Moyes, Penguin & NetGalley for providing our copy in exchange for an honest & fair review.

Loved my second Jojo Moyes novel! The Horse Dancer won't make you weep like Me Before You probably did, but will make you consider love in all its forms, whether that's between family members, a spouse, or a human and an animal. Moyes treads into Jodi Picoult territory by including lawyer Natasha's story and how Natasha typically interacts with children who need her as an advocate. Her relationship with photographer, nearly ex-husband, Mac, and an incident with a teen at work put her distrust of others on high alert. Her whole world gets turned upside down when she meets fourteen-year-old Sarah Lachapelle in a convenience store. Sarah's life and her love for her grandfather and their horse foil Mac and Natasha's need for love. Moyes ultimately shows readers that love might be smelly, messy, expensive, and difficult, but it's worth the price.

The opportunity to read this book from Jojo Moyes's back catalog will excite her fans, and the story is mostly enjoyable. While the story of Natasha, Mac, Sarah, Henri, and Boo is interesting, it's also a little too long, and it's just not quite as compelling as the author's later works, making it easy to see why this wasn't the book that took off. If you're passionate about horses, perhaps this will resonate a bit deeper, as Sarah's deep love for Boo and for fulfilling the dreams of her grandfather are the heart of the story.

I had a really hard time getting into the book and was unable to even finish it. If you really like horses, this is probably a good book for you!

I have always enjoyed Moyes' earlier books, and this is no exception. Sarah lives with her strict but loving grandfather, a former member of Le Cadre Noir, an elite group of French horsemen. Alternating with the story of Natasha, a lawyer on the fast track to partner, and her relationship with e her ex-husband Mac, the stories become intertwined, as illness leaves Sarah vulnerable and alone. Recommended.

The lives of a 14-year-old girl and an attorney suffering a mid-life crisis come together in Moyes’s latest story. 14 year old Sarah has always wanted to be a championship rider like her grandfather, and when he gives her a horse of her own, she can imagine herself escaping her grimy London neighborhood for the French countryside to train where her grandfather did. But when her grandfather is hospitalized, Sarah has little time for her riding, as she tries to visit her grandfather in the hospital, take care of her horse and herself. She crosses paths with Natasha when the older woman catches Sarah shoplifting. Natasha, an attorney whose own personal and professional life is in tatters takes the young teen under her wing. Moyes knows how to get into reader’s hearts, and she doesn’t disappoint with this story about love and family (and horses!)