ACHUKA Book of the Day 10 Jul 2026
Publisher: Faber & Faber
ISBN: 9780571376193
See also:
Finding Wonder [ACHUKA Book of the Day 6 Sep 2023]
Wave Riders [Times Book of the Week 12 Jun 2021]
Kat Wolfe On Thin Ice [ACHUKA Book of the Day 11 Feb 2021]
Billed as teenage fiction this is actually a U-certifcate, wholesome, Exmoor-set horse and pony filled romantic adventure, in the mould of Heartland, the popular Canadian series, and can be warmly recommended to all readers of 9+. (Cautious adults could turn to p174 where the heights of steaminess are reached to be reassured this is not Judy Blume territory, but rather old Hollywood romantic drama and all the better for it.)
It is immaculately paced and plotted. The opening chapters in particular hold the attention in a manner that reminded me of the way vertical dramas are constructed.
The main character, Morgan, arrives in the UK scarred physically and emotionally following a mysterious fire. Despite the recent trauma, she is an independent minded teenager and soon gets herself a job for the summer at a pony-trekking business.
St John tells the story mainly from Morgan’s point of view but, while her main character is undergoing an endurance test on the moor, cleverly shifts focus to Callum who, following the lead of his journalist mother, conducts a series of interviews which help explain who in fact was responsible for the tragic fire back in the US.
When American teenager, Morgan Taylor, arrives to spend the summer with her British cousins, all anyone knows is that an accident has left her scarred inside and out. But Morgan is hiding a secret she’ll do anything to keep.
Then the town’s hottest surfer, Cal Heyward, saves her life and suddenly the truth about her past feels harder than ever to hide.
To escape, Morgan takes a job at a stableyard, hoping that horses will heal her as they’ve done so often before. But everything changes when she’s asked to help Night Dancer, a horse with his own dark history…
In the scorching summer heat, attraction swirls and tensions rise. Out on the moors, Morgan, Dancer and Exmoor pony, Mouse, must confront their greatest fears if they’re to survive a 100-mile journey across one of the toughest wildernesses on earth.
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Our amazing patron, Lauren St John, is an award-winning author. Her new book "Wild Horse Summer" is published today! It is a book after our own hearts, a story of how a horse-human relationship can be so special and healing… pic.twitter.com/UbbIrr2qRQ
— Mane Chance (@manechance) July 2, 2026
Loved Wild Horse Summer by Lauren St John when I had an early read – find out why by reading my review for which the link is below.
Out 02/07 for tween readers, huge thanks go to @FaberChildrens for this finished copyhttps://t.co/zDkznXmbOX pic.twitter.com/pE97t6KtoA
— Jacqui Sydney 📕 (@jacquiS21) June 5, 2026
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