Something to Talk About (Джоанна Рок).

The novel Something to Talk about by Joanna Rockefella is a captivating and heartwarming story about widowed single mother Amanda Emory who is looking to start her life over in a new city far from her troubled past.

Amanda has relocated with her two young children to New York City and has a fresh new job managing a popular horse racing stable. Despite her best intentions, Amanda finds herself falling head-over-heels for confident, charismatic trainer Robbie as their first date takes an unexpected turn. Amanda admits to herself that Robbie's charm and carefree attitude charm her to the point where she considers giving up this new chapter of her life for him alone. But as the tension between the two grows into a dangerous situation in which Robbie has shared an inappropriate intimate relationship with a number of female riders prior to meeting Amanda, he finds himself desperately courting her yet again as they learn to overcome their own personal demons to find deeper happiness together.

This lighthearted and engaging novel leaves one excited to see how Robbie and his new family handle their unique development to finally find their true happiness.

Widowed single mom, Amanda Emory, wants a fresh new start - well removed from Los Angeles and any scandalous events that marred her past. She needs a steady income and somewhere safe for her children - along with a job which offers a sensible degree of independence.

She sets up home in a quiet village near by spending most of her days looking after her ponies and gerbils, initially content at just caring for her charges and holding down her employment as babysitter to well-mannered James and Anna, the children of the local farmer. In time she becomes a genuine part of the community assisting where necessary with the day-to-day running of things. A real asset to the little village, which suffers from a recent economic downturn, she is treated with respect and kindness.

Robbie Preston, a family friend, finds himself looking after an empty barn once owned by the village's late mechanic uncle. Undertaking odd jobs here and there he nonetheless has to struggle to keep financially afloat, adding to the disadvantages of relying on the generosity of generous neighbours like the eccentric Luke Morgan, who he nicknames 'Uncle Percy'. The miserable position of loyalty to an infirm old lady on the edge of poverty, is as awkward as it is pointless. His reputation also precludes any confidence from prospective investors and procurers of goods and services whether that be a plough horse for the busy autumn fall, or straw moss to assist with energy costs when the weather gets too terribly cold for anyone's liking.

When Amanda takes on Robbie as one of her students he is curiously, and initially unwillingly, drawn into the orbit of Amanda's endeavours with her mother's occupation. Initially resenting her and the way she treats him like a petulant child, he slowly warms to her attentions remarking that it will certainly make those in the village something to gossip about, though he hopes that it might prove less so by the end of the lessons rather than more. Encouraged by Amanda to participate in local activities, with his press of work hours reduced as his equine lover becomes more proficient and sought after, he becomes increasingly confident as the weeks and months go by. Over the months Robbie becomes the better for it.

With each passing topic covers insoluble conflicts grow as Amanda learns more about Robbie - doubts concerning his willingness to commit settle in, solely coloured by her strongly motivated wish for a relationship built upon honesty and mutual trust. Robbie become increasingly aware of this ensuring safety first, badly wounded pride a constant danger to the future of their semi-platonic companionship. The troublesome feelings surrounding his commitment to his late uncle's passing mare lead to a sequel to the main action taking place at this period instead of conclusion.