Flying Changes

Flying Changes continues the story of Annemarie Zimmer, picking up where Gruen's previous novel Riding Lessons left off. After returning to her family's horse farm in New Hampshire, Annemarie works to rebuild her life while helping her teenage daughter Eva pursue competitive riding. The novel follows Annemarie as she confronts her fears about Eva's riding career, given her own traumatic accident years before. Her relationship with Dan, the local veterinarian, faces new challenges as she struggles to balance her protective instincts with her daughter's dreams. The mother-daughter dynamic sits at the heart of this story about second chances and facing the past. Through the world of dressage and horse training, Gruen explores themes of control, trust, and learning to let go.

Readers found this sequel to Riding Lessons less compelling than the first book, though they appreciated the continued character development and equestrian details. Readers liked: - Accurate portrayal of horse training and competitive riding - Growth of mother-daughter relationship - Authentic depiction of anxiety and PTSD - Resolution of storylines from first book Common criticisms: - Slower pacing than Riding Lessons - Main character makes frustrating decisions - Romance feels predictable - Too much focus on relationship drama vs. horses Review Scores: Goodreads: 3.8/5 (15,000+ ratings) Amazon: 4.3/5 (300+ reviews) Sample reader comments: "The horse scenes shine but the protagonist remains frustratingly immature" - Goodreads reviewer "Strong character work but lacks the urgency of the first book" - Amazon review "Perfect for horse lovers but might not grab general readers" - LibraryThing reviewer

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🐎 The author, Sara Gruen, wrote this novel as a sequel to her book "Riding Lessons," continuing the story of Olympic hopeful Annemarie Zimmer and her daughter Eva. 📚 Before becoming a full-time writer, Gruen worked as a technical writer, which she credits for teaching her discipline in writing and meeting deadlines. 🎠 The book explores the complex dynamics of mother-daughter relationships through the lens of competitive horseback riding, drawing on the author's personal experience with horses. 🏆 While "Flying Changes" is lesser known than Gruen's blockbuster novel "Water for Elephants," it showcases her deep understanding of equestrian sports and the psychological challenges faced by competitive riders. 🌟 The term "flying changes" refers to an advanced dressage move where a horse changes its leading leg at the canter while in mid-air—symbolizing the transformative changes the characters undergo throughout the novel.