While dog might be man’s best friend, Hyde shows that horses may very well be a girl’s best friend.

Faith has left her husband after taking all that she can take and heads to her parents’ California beach house. She doesn’t know what the future holds, but knows she has to do it on her own. She never expected to get involved helping a young girl running away from her father and trying to deal with the death of her mother. Sarah is living with her grandmother after her mother’s death. It was ruled a suicide but Sarah knows more than she has told the authorities about what really happened to her mom. Sarah’s grandmother is trying to get custody of her and needs to keep her away from her father. Faith ends up taking Sarah on a journey to try and lift her spirits. Her father has sold her beloved horse and together Faith and Sarah spend the summer following the horse from show to show and learning a lot about themselves in the process.

Catherine Ryan Hyde has solidified herself as one of the very best in writing literary and women’s fiction. Her writing gets to the reader’s heart and soul, showing that there is still kindness in the world. I loved everything about this book. The characters were relatable, strong and yet not afraid to show their sensitive side. I thought the story would be more about Faith and what happened with her husband but instead it was more about Sarah and how she is dealing with the problems she is facing with the loss of her mother and her father’s involvement in what happened. The relationship between Faith and Sarah blossoms and shows that the two need each other even if they don’t realize it. The way Hyde builds these characters and makes the readers care deeply what happens is better than almost anyone I have read before. She is able to get to the heart of the story and keep us enthralled so much so that it is hard to believe the story is over until the last page is turned. I recommend this book to readers who love a good story with characters they will fall in love with. Those that love a story about horses will also enjoy this story but being a horse lover is not a requirement to enjoy.

I received a complimentary copy of this title from the publisher. The views and opinions expressed within are my own.

Just After Midnight was an emotional novel. Fourteen-year-old Sarah's mother has died and her horse was sold to someone by her father. Sarah is now staying with her grandmother. This is how Faith first meets Sarah and their lives become intertwined. Their lives seem to be running in a sort of parallel circumstances as time goes on. This story is full of deep emotions and tough circumstances. Faith is struggling with a difficult marriage. And Sarah has been through so much and lost so much that was important to her. As they spend time together, Faith is dealing with her own problems as well as helping Sarah with her losses. But perhaps as they form a friendship, Faith and Sarah can help each other.

A young girl is coming to terms with a tragedy. A grown woman is running from her husband. A grandmother is fighting desperately to get custody of her granddaughter. When these three people meet, their lives are forever changed, surprisingly by a beautiful horse.

Author Catherine Ryan Hyde creates magic again in her latest novel, Just After Midnight. Hyde is a master at creating down-to-earth stories with characters that you feel you know immediately and want to root for from the get-go. She uses emotion and sometimes humor to keep a story flowing steadily along and knows how to make a reader connect to the real-life characters. Life isn’t glossed over in her stories, and that’s why they are so heartfelt. True, raw emotion comes through and that’s just one of the reasons her stories capture readers.

I enjoyed reading Just After Midnight and recommend it to anyone looking for a story that will touch your heart.

Faith has determined to no longer be held by the power of her husband's abusiveness any longer. When she meets Sarah, and the two form a friendship, they find that together they are stronger than either of them really realized. (I do not want to give too much of the story away... no spoilers).

This book was amazing! I loved it! From page one I was captivated and pulled into the story of Faith and Sarah. My heart hurt for them, rejoiced, laughed and cried. You will run the gambit of emotions here!

Great read and perfect for holiday gift giving!

Catherine Ryan Hyde is the one author I turn to when I need a book to restore my faith in humanity. In Just After Midnight, she has once again brought together total strangers to form a family bond. Faith encounters young Sarah who has just lost her mother through suspicious circumstances. She can relate to the girl's grief since she also lost her mother at a young age. Sarah is also grieving the loss of her horse Midnight, but Faith is instrumental in reuniting the girl and her horse, at least temporarily. I appreciated the opportunity to read and review this book thanks to NetGalley and Lake Union Publishing.

Catherine is one of my all time favorite authors. This book just feeds your soul. I love how she writes about relationships and how we handle them. She writes about being kind and loving everyone. I can not say enough good things about this book!!

This is one of the best books I have ever read! Catherine Ryan Hyde fantastically captures the relationship between a teenager, Sarah, and her prized horse...a horse the girl's father has sold, leaving Sarah heartbroken. Sarah knows a secret about the death of her mother that puts she and family friend, Faith, on the run. Ryan Hyde is a pro at instilling conflict into this story that will make the reader avidly root for characters they have grown to love.

Rating: 5 stars

Okay, I’ll admit it. I’m a late-comer to author Catherine Ryan Hyde. I’ve only read three or four of her previous books, but they have all been high-quality reads. This book extends that track record with me. It features a friendship between Faith and Sarah. It’s a bit of a murder mystery; a coming-of-age story; a woman leaving an abusive relationship story; and glimpse into the business of horse dressage. Whew, from that description, you’d think it would be all over the place, but Ryan Hyde exercised her writing chops skillfully and produced a book that moved all these elements along seamlessly.

As the book opens, middle-aged Faith meets 14 year-old Sarah on the beach in front of the house that Faith is temporarily staying at. Sarah and her Grandmother are at their rented beach because Sarah’s mother recently died. Her Grandmother brought her to the beach to try to get over some of the heartbreak, and to spirit her away from her father. Faith has left her abusive husband with just the clothes on her back, and is trying to figure out what to do with the next part of her life.

Faith strikes up a conversation with Sarah which leads Faith to meet Sarah’s grandmother, Constance. Over the course of a few days, the bond between the three of the ladies grows as Faith learns that Sarah is also trying to process the sale of her beloved horse, Midnight, who was sold by her father just days after her mother died. The double blow has made Sarah retreat into a shell where she barely eats, or communicates with anyone. When Sarah’s father figures out that Sarah and her grandmother are at the beach, Constance implores Faith to take Sarah away for a few days to keep her away from her Dad. Faith reluctantly agrees, and the buddy-road-trip part of the story starts. Sarah convinces Faith to drive out to a Dressage show where her beloved horse, Midnight is being shown by her new owner. From there Faith and Sarah spend the sweltering summer together in various California stables and farms as they follow Midnight from one owner to another.

Okay, that’s enough of the plot. You can read most of the plot outline on the book blurb anyway. What this book does a wonderful job at is illustrating how much we can learn if we sometimes step out in faith, and trust that others are willing to extend themselves to help in a tough situation; that family isn’t solely based on blood; that animals can have profound impacts on our lives; that moving forward on a new path isn’t easy, but can be very empowering. Come to think of it, a lot of this book is about empowerment. Sarah found the inner-strength to stand up to her father. Faith felt empowered to stand up to her estranged husband, in order to help Sarah.

I was a bit horse mad as an adolescent girl, so I could easily relate to Sarah’s devotion to her horse. But I don’t think that you’d need to have any experiences with horses to still relate to Sarah and Midnight’s connection. I enjoyed learning more about what is involved in training a Dressage horse, and the Dressage show circuit. I cried a tear (yes, I’ll admit it) towards the end because the story was just so expertly told. It pulled me in, and made me care. Isn’t that just about the highest praise you can give a book? Catherine Ryan Hyde has produced another showstopper here.

I originally thought I'd give this book 4 stars, but it's really stayed with me over the last couple of weeks since I finished the book. I keep thinking about Faith and Sarah, and remember the emotional tugs their story produced, so I've changed the rating to 5 stars.

‘Thank-You’ to NetGalley; the publisher, Lake Union Press; and the author, Catherine Ryan Hyde; for providing a free e-ARC copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Fourteen year old Sarah is staying with her grandmother when they meet and befriend Faith who has at last plucked up the courage to escape from her marriage, fleeing to her parent’s beach house. Sarah has recently lost her mother to an act of suicide and is in hiding from her father, kept safe by her grandmother, who is also grief stricken by the death of her daughter.
Sarah is totally devastated by another event initiated by her father; the quick and secret sale of her beloved dressage horse Falkner’s Midnight Sun, whom she adored. The mutual relationship between girl and horse was intense and magical, their partnership a wonderful gift. They were inseparable. Both Sarah and Faith quickly grow into a close friendship based upon their need to keep safe, away from their men folk. The more they chatted, the more they found they had in common, so it comes as no surprise that Faith and Sarah, with her grandmother’s blessing, set out on a journey of discovery, Sarah on a mission to make sure her horse has gone to the right owner, and Faith her willing but temporary guardian.
The story that unfolds is both heart breaking and heart warming. Catherine Ryan Hyde is a wonderfully accomplished storyteller, prolific and writing with empathy and compassion. Her stories are beautifully crafted and compelling. Her theme, as in this story, is of endearing friendships between young adults and adults acting as mentors, gently helping through their young vulnerable friends through times of hurt, uncertainty and crisis. This emotional story also focuses upon how the adult ‘gains’ from the relationship, overcoming their own fears and able to face their unknown and fragile futures. The journey they undertake together is utterly beautiful, but hard and emotional.
I always admire Catherine’s ability to create such brilliant, captivating characters that enfold you into their story and grow throughout the novel. Faith is an excellent example of this skill. She is utterly beguiling in her patience, gentleness and understanding. She oozes charm and sensitivity. She is the very best friend for Sarah who is young, impressionable yet still very sure of herself and on a mission and yearning to find out about her horse’s welfare and care. Her love for Midnight is fierce and unconditional. She is nobody without her horse and Midnight is unhappy, uncertain and afraid without her gentle yet skilled tutelage. They were naturals together, meant to be partners for life. Even the characters that are unappealing are always shown to have goodness somewhere which lessens their darkness.
I received a complimentary copy of this novel from publisher Lake Union Lake Union Publishing through my membership of NetGalley. Thank you so much for my copy. These are my own honest opinions without any outside influences. It’s an exceptionally good read and an all-round 5* review from me.

This is such a beautiful book. I finished it in less than day. The characters are all so well written and the two main characters experience so much growth by the end. The connection that grows between them is so real. Easily one of the best books in 2018!

If it's by Catherine Ryan Hyde you know it's going to be a beautiful story! In the midst of harsh tragedies will love win? Faith is in her own broken cross roads when she meets Sarah and Constance, will she do the right thing and help a stranger, will love win? Put this one top of your must read list and read it!

Catherine Ryan Hyde has a way with stories involving animals. In this case, Faith finds herself guardian to Sarah, a wounded and grieving young girl whose mother has died and whose horse has been sold. Sarah is a dressage whiz and her horse, Midnight, seems willing to respond only to her. Sarah's also hiding a secret about the night her mother died- a secret she tells Faith but not her grandmother. Faith's effort to keep her safe take the two of them on a journey with Midnight. There's a twist in here early on that I did not see coming but the end was not a surprise. This was not my favorite of Ryan Hyde's novels but it was a solid read. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC.

Sometimes we don't know what the circumstance in our lives will lead us to. Events that change and people we meet who will change that course of where we thought our lives were going. This book took me on a journey that involved the equestrian world, the people who live in that world and the connection they have with their horses. This story is tension filled with parts that made my heart hurt so badly for Sarah.
Faith and Sarah are brought together out of unique events in their lives that drew them together. Faith notices Sarah when she is at her parent's beach house and senses she needs someone to talk to. Sarah is drawn to Faith because she feels a bond of trust. This is the beginning of their summer "on the run". They grow close and are able to confide their secrets to each other.
Ms. Hyde wrote such a strong bond in the story between Sarah and her horse, Midnight. I totally felt that bond and how strong they loved each other. It tore my heart apart when Sarah had to do some of the selfless things for her horse that she had to do. That's what someone does who loves unconditionally. Even to the point of doing what's best even though it's tearing them apart. This quote was so fitting of that sentiment, "I think very often in life we do something important for someone else for no better reason than that they need us to. And really, when you think about it...what more reason is needed?"
I learned so much about horses, riding, and the equestrian world while reading this book. It's fascinating and there's so much more to it than I ever realized. The characters are wonderfully written and I became attached to them to the point I wanted to jump in the book and help find the answers. I totally enjoyed this read and the journey it took me on.
I want to thank Lake Union, Netgalley and Ms. Hyde for the opportunity to read and review this book.

I would like to thank Lake Union Publishing and the Netgalley website for this partnership.

I was immediately attracted by the blanket, you can see the pretty Sarah next to a mare.

It all began when Faith, who could no longer stand her husband's abuse, escaped to her parents' house in California. She will befriend Sarah, a teenager who is fleeing her father and who is upset by her mother's suspicious death.

Her grandmother is struggling to get custody, Faith is accused of taking over the friendship between her and Sarah. She shares her friendship with the Midnight mare and has to face that famous night when her mother died.

I totally hooked on this book because the story was so moving, addictive, catchy with the characters of Faith and Sarah endearing. Looking forward to reading another book by this author.

This author for me has always written a good story, one that always keeps me involved. She always has a great message to portray, throughout the story,and of the people she is writing about.
This book centers around a 14 year old girl, Sarah and her horse midnight, Sarah's grandmother Constance and Faith a woman running from her past and a controlling husband.
After a tragedy, these three meet and bond together first as strangers, but then as a team. It is a story of the girl devastated by the sale of her horse and the circumstances under which it happened.
Sarah and Faith develop a close bond, traveled together to search for Sarah's horse, which she never got a chance to say goodbye to. They lean on each other for their mutual healing.
A lot of emotions fly back and forth in this book and we meet some wonderful characters through the journey.
Looking forward to her next book.
I would like to thank NetGalley and Lake Union Publishing for the ARC of this book

4.5 well deserved stars!!

Catherine Ryan Hyde is a very prolific author. I've only read a couple of her titles. But I want it known that I have thoroughly enjoyed all of them - Just After Midnight not being an exception.

We start with one of our main characters, Faith, looking out the window at her dad's beach house, which she arrived to the day before after leaving her husband. She goes out on the beach and talks to this young girl for a few minutes before the girl runs off. She notices what house she runs to. A while later she walks to the beach and meets Constance, who turns out to be the young girl (Sarah)'s grandmother. A few days later Faith is taking Sarah with her to a self-defense class, and realizes they're being followed. She confonts the follower after she drops Sarah off and sees him again at the grocery store. He plays it off, and he tries to worm his way in - but of course, he's not what he seems. Suddenly, Faith and Sarah are on the run, bound together by fate, secrets, and a horse named, you guessed it, Midnight.

I really like books where I feel like I'm learning with the characters, and this book definitely qualified - through the book Faith and I learned a lot about the care and training of horses. We met a lot of interesting people and toured a lot of the West coast. And, of course, I was very pleased with the ending. This book gets 4.5 stars only because it got a little bogged down in technical details in some spots (but I'm rounding up to 5 because the writing was superb). I can't wait to read another CRH book!

Since this is the first book that I have read by Catherine Ryan Hyde, I have no idea what her other books are like. But if this is an example, she is an amazing author! I was quickly drawn into the story of a teen in danger from her father and a stranger at the beach who quickly befriends her and decides to help her without hesitation. Sarah is a teen who is portrayed as intelligent, independent and yet needy. She needs someone to help her figure out her past since she can’t understand why her mom died so suddenly and under such suspicious circumstances. Faith has her own problems since she has gone to the beach to escape her emotionally abusive husband. The two come together in an unlikely relationship that deepens as the plot continues to twist its way to a satisfying conclusion. I was astounded at the author’s way of making the characters so real and making me want to keep reading to find out what happens to them. I enjoyed finding out more about showing horses, although all of the vocabulary at the beginning threw me for a while until I realized that the author was staging the book and explaining everything to her readers. The characters were memorable and the theme of helping others regardless of the cost to yourself was wonderfully uplifting. The relationship between Sarah and the horse Midnight was nothing short of unbelievably touching. In fact, Midnight was so well personified that she was definitely a main character in the story. This book will be enjoyed by animal lovers and those who just want to read a well-written story that keeps you enthralled until the end.

I received an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Fabulous, engaging story. Wonderfully written with exceptional character development. I would give this book 10+ stars if I could! We all handle traumatic events in our lives differently but what is important is that we get through them the best way we can. 📚 Enjoy!

Just After Midnight is one of those books that you thoroughly enjoy, that make you feel content when you are done, and stay with you for a long time after. I loved the strong characters and their unique relationships, though some were not very realistic or credible. The emotions were captured and portrayed so wonderfully, it was easy to get swallowed up in the story. Not a favorite, but still very good.

This story of tragedy, deep sadness and escape brings a young teen and grandmother together with Faith who is escaping an unhappy marriage. They build an unusual bond that takes them on a summer run to stay safe. I thought the book was fine and if you love horses then you'll immerse yourself in the horse lingo/language.