Two years ago, Anna Loehmeyer's marriage, job and life fell apart when her husband was arrested for fraud. The experience devastated her, but Anna found a new purpose when she rescued a mare bound for slaughter. After acquiring two more hard-luck equines and a small farm in western New Jersey, Anna decides to take the plunge into her own horse-rescue operation.
The only person eager to help is her teenaged niece MJ, who is recovering from her own heartbreak-the untimely death of her beloved father. Formerly a good student, MJ has become depressed and rebellious, even jeopardizing her chances to get into college. She persuades her mother to let her spend the summer living and working at the rescue farm, because in her Aunt Anna she sees "the only adult who's doing anything meaningful." Soon the two women recognize a bond that goes beyond family ties-their mutual love of horses and a desire to save them from abusive situations. Less experienced than Anna, MJ learns on the job, and her mistakes awaken Anna's motherly instincts and amuse Walt, a young man from a neighboring farm who helps out when needed. Signs that an intruder has been lurking around her property give Anna even more to worry about. Her greatest challenge, though, could also be her best hope for an adoption success story-the farm's newest resident, an ex-racehorse named Murphy. Almost put down for seriously injuring a jockey, the big gray loves to jump, even without a rider. But is he too dangerous for Anna and MJ to handle, much less to retrain? Can they afford the natural horsemanship expert the vet recommended? For the sake of their horses, both Anna and MJ may just have to learn when and how to ask for help.