About the Book:

Title: Victory Gallop

Author: Sarah Ward

Publisher: Self-published

Release Date: September 5, 2023

Pages: 259

Genre: Middle Grade, Contemporary

Synopsis:

Fans of Wonder and Starfish will love this powerful middle grade debut about friendship, competition, and overcoming incredible challenges.

Harper Hayes is just your average horse crazy middle school girl. She loves to spend her free time taking riding lessons, reading about horse breeds, and helping out her coach, Ms. Taylor, on weekends at competitions. She’s made her first real friend since starting at a new private school and Ms. Taylor even offered her horse to Harper to ride at the upcoming fall horse shows. Harper dreams of hearing her name called in first place at a big horse show someday, but the universe hasn’t been on her side.

Harper has panic attacks. Bad ones. And a fellow rider at Harper’s barn just won’t stop bullying her. When Harper’s friend Laney tries to help her with her anxiety, everything falls apart. One wrong decision and Laney decides to walk away, leaving Harper questioning everything. Harper wants nothing more than to prove her worth to herself and her bully and to overcome her panic attacks, but horseback riding is harder than it looks. Can Harper battle her personal struggles and finally make it to the winner’s circle?

Review:

* I received an e-arc from the author for review. All thoughts are my own*

A delightful debut for author Sarah Ward! A middle grade story about friendship, horses, hard work and competitions with great anxiety rep. I honestly wish a book like this existed when I was a kid!

Harper Hayes is a middle school girl with a passion for horses. She loves spending all her free time taking horse riding lessons, reading books about horses, and helping her coach, Ms. Taylor at her barn after lessons and on the weekends at competitions. Things are looking up as she finally makes a friend after starting at a new school, and her coach even offered to let her borrow her horse for some of the upcoming fall horse shows. Harper has been dreaming of winning a horse show and hearing her name announced on the loudspeaker, but things have been tough for Harper for a while now and she’s been keeping it to herself.

Harper has been having bad panic attacks, and one of her fellow riders at the barn has been bullying her. Harper’s new friend Laney tries to help her with her anxiety, and things backfire. Harper finds herself alone and begins to question everything. She wants nothing more than to prove that she can succeed for herself and prove her bully wrong, but horseback riding is harder than it looks. Can Harper persevere and win a competition?

Harper was such a likeable main character. I loved her passion for the horses and her willingness to work hard to care for them. I was pleased that Harper had such a supportive family and coach that wanted to help her. I appreciated how coping mechanisms for anxiety and talk therapy were discussed in a positive light.

I definitely recommend! Out today, be sure to add this one to your shelves.

About the Author:

Sarah Ward is an avid equestrian, educator and creative. Victory Gallop is her first novel. Sarah and her husband live in a house run by their dog, Griffey. She obsesses over baseball, hot chocolate, and dragons. You can follow her latest reading, writing and riding endeavors on Instagram at @themagicalreader.