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Heartland #3
Breaking Free
Heartland is a horse farm nestled in the hills of Virginia, but it's much more than that. Heartland is like no other place - it's a place where the scars of the past can be healed, a place where frightened and abused horses learn to trust again.
Pegasus is all Amy has left of her past, but he's steadily growing weaker. Amy's trying to care for him and hold Heartland together. She's trying to do just what her mother would have done, but everything is beginning to unravel. It will take all Amy's courage to let go of her mother's legacy, but it is the only way she will break free and find her own.
Pegasus is all Amy has left of her past, but he's steadily growing weaker. Amy's trying to care for him and hold Heartland together. She's trying to do just what her mother would have done, but everything is beginning to unravel. It will take all Amy's courage to let go of her mother's legacy, but it is the only way she will break free and find her own.
148 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2000
53 people are currently reading
2781 people want to read
About the author
Lauren Brooke
121 books641 followersLauren Brooke grew up in a ranch in Virginia and now lives in Leicestershire, England. Her husband is a veterinarian who specializes in horses. Her books have been published by Scholastic since Mid-2000, starting with the first book of the Heartland book series. The first book of her popular Chestnut Hill series was published in 2005.
According to an interview on scholastics' website, Lauren Brooke has been riding since before she could walk. She also said she competes in a few local-level horse shows and events.
There may be some other people in books and movies named Lauren Brooke:
Amazon lists the author of "Book of spiritual regeneration" (1995) as Lauren Brooke.
IMDB.com has a record for an Actress named Lauren Brooke. Her only movie is "Wiseguys vs. Zombies" (2003) as Goat Man's Wife.
According to an interview on scholastics' website, Lauren Brooke has been riding since before she could walk. She also said she competes in a few local-level horse shows and events.
There may be some other people in books and movies named Lauren Brooke:
Amazon lists the author of "Book of spiritual regeneration" (1995) as Lauren Brooke.
IMDB.com has a record for an Actress named Lauren Brooke. Her only movie is "Wiseguys vs. Zombies" (2003) as Goat Man's Wife.
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Displaying 1 - 29 of 133 reviews
March 6, 2022
Many years ago, I was heavily into the television series that is based off of this book series. Heartland had a special place in my heart and I would not miss an episode under any circumstance. It was so sweet and heartwarming, plus it had horses! As an animal lover, it just felt like a t.v. series made for me. Then, in walks this book series. I accidentally stumbled across the first book and I was jazzed. So, like any bookworm, I decided I needed to read the series that inspired one of my favourite childhood shows.
Just the other week, I found books #3 through #20 at a charity book sale. And yes, dear fellow reviewers, I bought all of those. I am going to slowly but surely work my way through these books and see how they span out. It could be good, it could be bad, who knows! I haven't read this many books in one series since my childhood. It's time to get cracking!
This book didn't woo me like the first two did, but it did have a lot of heart and soul. There's loss and heartbreak scattered in this book, similar to how the first book did - but this one felt so much sadder. My heart aches, but I also have a strong feeling that this series will pick up and bring so many more happy memories (oh boy, do I hope it does... no more heart break please...).
There's trouble brewing in Heartland when less and less boarders are coming in. Business is drying up, and people are even leaving the beloved horse whisperers. With gossip-y teenage girls and rivalries going on, Amy and Lou will have to get crafty to bring in more clientele to keep the business afloat. Meanwhile, romantic feelings may be stirring, illnesses may be around the corner, and everyone misses the woman who started it all. This book is a roller coaster of emotions!
I did peek at other reviews after I finished this book. I don't think this series is purely accurate for how you should train horses, but I do think it's a kind of horse whisperer type of magic that little girls believe in. This book is definitely made for a younger audience (I would guesstimate about eight to twelve years old), and at that age I totally believed in the magic of talking to an animal the right way. It's not veterinarian approved, but it is the kind of magic you want back in your youth. If you have the right connection, it will all work out. Taking that with a grain of salt, this book is not accurate for horse medicine (and if you are reading this book for that purpose... why?...) but I don't think it's meant to. It's to bring out that childhood whimsy we all miss. At least, that's how I take the book.
Now if only I could talk to my cats the way Amy talks to horses... I could solve so many issues...
Three out of five stars!
Just the other week, I found books #3 through #20 at a charity book sale. And yes, dear fellow reviewers, I bought all of those. I am going to slowly but surely work my way through these books and see how they span out. It could be good, it could be bad, who knows! I haven't read this many books in one series since my childhood. It's time to get cracking!
This book didn't woo me like the first two did, but it did have a lot of heart and soul. There's loss and heartbreak scattered in this book, similar to how the first book did - but this one felt so much sadder. My heart aches, but I also have a strong feeling that this series will pick up and bring so many more happy memories (oh boy, do I hope it does... no more heart break please...).
There's trouble brewing in Heartland when less and less boarders are coming in. Business is drying up, and people are even leaving the beloved horse whisperers. With gossip-y teenage girls and rivalries going on, Amy and Lou will have to get crafty to bring in more clientele to keep the business afloat. Meanwhile, romantic feelings may be stirring, illnesses may be around the corner, and everyone misses the woman who started it all. This book is a roller coaster of emotions!
I did peek at other reviews after I finished this book. I don't think this series is purely accurate for how you should train horses, but I do think it's a kind of horse whisperer type of magic that little girls believe in. This book is definitely made for a younger audience (I would guesstimate about eight to twelve years old), and at that age I totally believed in the magic of talking to an animal the right way. It's not veterinarian approved, but it is the kind of magic you want back in your youth. If you have the right connection, it will all work out. Taking that with a grain of salt, this book is not accurate for horse medicine (and if you are reading this book for that purpose... why?...) but I don't think it's meant to. It's to bring out that childhood whimsy we all miss. At least, that's how I take the book.
Now if only I could talk to my cats the way Amy talks to horses... I could solve so many issues...
Three out of five stars!
April 6, 2012
mehhh, not so great.
I first read these books when I was about 10 years old, and I was totally enchanted by the way Amy could work with horses, and the way she trained with natural methods, using herbs and alternative therapy.
Now being 15 years old, and training my own horses using alternative training methods and herbs, I see many things wrong and vague with these books.
Lauren Brooke has made it seem that all you need to do to train a horse is "ask" politely (using words!), give it a rub of this and drop of that, chase it around a round pen, stick it in its stall, and voila, cured horse! Horse training is SOOOOO not like that. Horses are not people!
While herbs are very helpful, and so is round pen work (all though you don't just get join up by chasing a horse with a lead rope, it takes way more finesse and technique than that), Amy never does the absolute obvious with problem horses. She rarely has a vet check to rule out any pain, and saddle and/or bit fitting have never been mentioned in any of the books. Those two things are absolutely KEY in working with a problem horse. First you have to rule out any outside pain!
What I'm worried about with these books is that little horse loving girls will go out and get a pony, and try to train it using the methods in these books. But, because they're so vague, they will ultimately fail, and have a very messed up, angry or fearful horse on their hands. I know this, because I was one of those girls. I took an abused 2 year old filly, and attempted to train her using these books. It did not end well, and if I had not found a wonderful, classically trained mentor to teach me, my parents would have sold my horse to slaughter, because she had become too dangerous. I have also helped horses of people I go to school with, who have attempted to train horses from story books, and failed.
These books are not all bad. They are a great 1-2 hour read if you want drama and a sob story. They show that there are alternative ways to train and work with horses, and that you don't have to use a crop all the time. However, the absolute simplicity of these books can lead young (and even older) wanna be trainers into trouble, because they don't show how horse training really is, or how it is done.
That's my story and I'm sticking to it ;)
I first read these books when I was about 10 years old, and I was totally enchanted by the way Amy could work with horses, and the way she trained with natural methods, using herbs and alternative therapy.
Now being 15 years old, and training my own horses using alternative training methods and herbs, I see many things wrong and vague with these books.
Lauren Brooke has made it seem that all you need to do to train a horse is "ask" politely (using words!), give it a rub of this and drop of that, chase it around a round pen, stick it in its stall, and voila, cured horse! Horse training is SOOOOO not like that. Horses are not people!
While herbs are very helpful, and so is round pen work (all though you don't just get join up by chasing a horse with a lead rope, it takes way more finesse and technique than that), Amy never does the absolute obvious with problem horses. She rarely has a vet check to rule out any pain, and saddle and/or bit fitting have never been mentioned in any of the books. Those two things are absolutely KEY in working with a problem horse. First you have to rule out any outside pain!
What I'm worried about with these books is that little horse loving girls will go out and get a pony, and try to train it using the methods in these books. But, because they're so vague, they will ultimately fail, and have a very messed up, angry or fearful horse on their hands. I know this, because I was one of those girls. I took an abused 2 year old filly, and attempted to train her using these books. It did not end well, and if I had not found a wonderful, classically trained mentor to teach me, my parents would have sold my horse to slaughter, because she had become too dangerous. I have also helped horses of people I go to school with, who have attempted to train horses from story books, and failed.
These books are not all bad. They are a great 1-2 hour read if you want drama and a sob story. They show that there are alternative ways to train and work with horses, and that you don't have to use a crop all the time. However, the absolute simplicity of these books can lead young (and even older) wanna be trainers into trouble, because they don't show how horse training really is, or how it is done.
That's my story and I'm sticking to it ;)
May 29, 2018
Breaking Free is one of those books in the Heartland series that I both love and hate, because I can go from crying to smiling in the space of about a page. It's the first book where we see Amy letting go of what Marion did at Heartland and becoming her own person and running it in her own way.
Even though Amy's reactions are childish at times, she is still a teenager, and perhaps in hindsight, for now, I'm getting too old to be dealing with that. Though I'll keep re-reading them, maybe read them to my own kids one day!
But this series does a fantastic job of dealing with real life issues and not shying away from the pain they cause, and even how animals can help us cope.
Even though Amy's reactions are childish at times, she is still a teenager, and perhaps in hindsight, for now, I'm getting too old to be dealing with that. Though I'll keep re-reading them, maybe read them to my own kids one day!
But this series does a fantastic job of dealing with real life issues and not shying away from the pain they cause, and even how animals can help us cope.
January 5, 2012
I thought this book was a pretty good book. Its about a girl who takes on a lot of responsibility after her mom dies. She takes over her moms ranch that helps abused and abandoned horses. In this book, a good friend of her mom dies and leave a pony with no owner. Amy decides to take the horse in and care for it as her own. Her grandfather and sister thinks its just to much work and Amy wants to prove to them that its not. Her sister helps out with the financial at the ranch and her grandfather helps with the dirty work. Theres many books to this series and I enjoy them very much. It shows that a girl at a young age can take on so much responsibility while caring for so many horses and training for jumping and racing and also doing school too. For those that like horses, this would be a good book for you to read. I dont enjoy reading very much and this is one of the few books that i enjoyed and kept reading and I hope to read the rest of the series.
August 31, 2024
Geen topboek, maar zo nostalgisch. Heb dit als kind zo vaak gelezen en onlangs teruggevonden 😍 haalde het paardenmeisje in mij weer even helemaal naar boven
June 16, 2023
Zooooo leuk
July 17, 2016
This book was both happy and sad. Sad because of I even got tears in my eyes from that. But happy because of Pleased that Another thing that annoyed me, as usual with these books, is Amy's selfishness. It's getting really repetitive, but I like how, even though the books are short, I like all of the stories :)
June 1, 2013
Wow. Alright, so let's just take a moment to say: I am glad I didn't read this series as a kid. Every single book has left me feeling down and like I wanted to cry. Heavy on the angst here!
But on the same page I think it's important and interesting to discuss real life situations like death in books, even when the book is written for children. So maybe Lauren Brooke has hit on something there.
I still found the style of writing in this book to be a little off-putting. It does not flow, but the plot is still intriguing.
But on the same page I think it's important and interesting to discuss real life situations like death in books, even when the book is written for children. So maybe Lauren Brooke has hit on something there.
I still found the style of writing in this book to be a little off-putting. It does not flow, but the plot is still intriguing.
November 14, 2023
I found this in a Little Free Library and decided to indulge my inner horse girl. This was a surprisingly decent book. It rushed into a neatly resolved ending, but...it's a Scholastic horse book. Of course it did.
November 26, 2021
Always loved these books. Easy to read and reminds me of being with horses
November 25, 2024
I love this book seize so far. 😍
March 3, 2025
Always 5 stars for Heartland.
April 22, 2025
The true MVP that is keeping this farm afloat is Lou. Amy being stubborn as always finally caved when Lou’s good friend Marnie came to visit and help out on the farm. We love her, we love Lou. We don’t love Amy aside from her redeeming quality of listening and curing horses. Onto the next!
November 11, 2024
Mam nadzieję, że Marnie jeszcze wróci 🥺
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 6, 2023
super
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 27, 2017
Amy's mom's horse, Pegasus, is really sick. He grows weaker as the days go on. Amy is trying to help him and trying to save Heartland at the same time.
Lou wants to have an open house in order to bring in more business. Amy doesn't take to the idea at first, but, she ends up warming up to the idea. Lisa Stillman sends her most priceless horse, Promise, to Amy to cure her.
At the open house, Amy performs a join-up, but Val Grant tries to accuse Heartland of using drugs on the horses to make it look like a miracle was worked. Lisa stands up for Amy and takes Val down a peg.
Great book!!
Lou wants to have an open house in order to bring in more business. Amy doesn't take to the idea at first, but, she ends up warming up to the idea. Lisa Stillman sends her most priceless horse, Promise, to Amy to cure her.
At the open house, Amy performs a join-up, but Val Grant tries to accuse Heartland of using drugs on the horses to make it look like a miracle was worked. Lisa stands up for Amy and takes Val down a peg.
Great book!!
February 18, 2019
This was a "pre-read" book for my daughter who loves horses and all things horses. It was a pretty good story, quick and easy reading. It had some very interesting things about training and caring for horses. I think she will give it a 5-star rating. :)
June 25, 2021
There is so much that is different from the TV show, and yet a lot that is the same. It is interesting to me to note the changes and figure out why the changes were made. Still, it is a pleasure to read and learn more about Heartland Ranch. I love the TV series and I'm now loving the books.
August 29, 2008
i like these books there good.
January 23, 2009
Amy lets free of the new and takes it in.
December 21, 2011
Awesome Book.So far.
Read
April 18, 2012its been to long to comment.
August 20, 2012
I love heartland both the tv series and the books. they are totally different but still amaze me. Heartland forever!!!
April 27, 2013
Such good books
March 6, 2017
Another great story with Amy and Heartland sanctuary. Again, the author wrote this more for a female audience than a male one. I recommend this story for everyone ages 11+.
May 17, 2022
Book three of the series! I cannot put these books down. Although they’re written for the juvenile age, as an adult, I am throughly enjoying them. This book, much like the first two, puts the reader through an emotional roller coaster. First, Heartland is in a financial crisis. Second, Pegasus is sick. Third, Amy gets a horse to cure, Promise, and she doesn’t know how to succeed. Marnie, Lou’s friend, comes to stay with them for a month. She helps healing the family in several ways. She helps Pegasus feel at easy because she’s wearing Marion’s barn jacket, and he is at ease with it. She gives the idea of having an Open House to bring in more clients. She helps Amy learn to start trusting her instincts and making things her own instead of constantly trying to do everything the way her mom did and keeping everything the way it was. This allows for Amy to develop a better relationship with her sister. Because of Marnie, Amy develops confidence in her skills, so she is able to help Promise overcome her fear of saddles and bridles. Promise was on her last chance when she came to Heartland because she was believed to be a rogue horse, but Amy doesn’t believe in a rogue horse. She listened to her instincts, and most importantly, she listened to the horse, and this allowed her breakthrough with Promise, where several other places have failed. Pegasus, her mother’s beloved horse, also passes. This takes a huge toll on Amy because she feels as though she has lost all that her mother has loved and cherished, but in a symbolic way, it is almost like a cleansing for Heartland because now, Amy and Lou and make Heartland their own, continuing on their mother’s traditions with alternative medicine, but in a better way. Although this book gets a little repetitive at times, overall, it is a great story that can be read in one sitting. It reads quickly and the story is captivating. This series is a long one, but each book has a beautiful message. I can’t wait to read on. My only fear is the ending…I hope it stays true to the series, but you never know. Sometimes authors change their style or put in an awful ending, so hopefully the series stays on its amazing path. I doubt the repetitiveness will stop, so it is something that I will have to overlook in the future and just focus on the story itself. The author is really talented at writing scenes. Readers really feel the emotions that she sets forth.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 9, 2023
Another great story in the Heartland series! I remember watching the Pegasus episode several years ago and the books version of it was just as sad.
I loved seeing Amy’s strength after losing Pegasus. For being so young and just losing her mom, I felt proud of her for how she handled Pegasus’s death.
I enjoyed seeing the turning point for Amy in this book. She’s realizing she has to start doing things her own way if she wants Heartland to survive. She can keep in mind and use it as a reference the way her mom did things, but she has to now make it her own. As she begins to realize this we see a new Amy ready to work with the horses. I loved the success story with Promise. I think her being able to work with Promise really showed her what she is capable of on her own.
I love the sister relationship between her and Lou. They are both getting a better understanding of each other and their important roles to keep Heartland going.
Both happy and sad moments throughout the book, it was another sweet story. I love the innocence of these books. A quick, easy read with lots of feel good moments!
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
I loved seeing Amy’s strength after losing Pegasus. For being so young and just losing her mom, I felt proud of her for how she handled Pegasus’s death.
I enjoyed seeing the turning point for Amy in this book. She’s realizing she has to start doing things her own way if she wants Heartland to survive. She can keep in mind and use it as a reference the way her mom did things, but she has to now make it her own. As she begins to realize this we see a new Amy ready to work with the horses. I loved the success story with Promise. I think her being able to work with Promise really showed her what she is capable of on her own.
I love the sister relationship between her and Lou. They are both getting a better understanding of each other and their important roles to keep Heartland going.
Both happy and sad moments throughout the book, it was another sweet story. I love the innocence of these books. A quick, easy read with lots of feel good moments!
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
May 12, 2018
Lecture faite en 2004 au format papier. Suite des tome 1 &2.
Il es fortement conseillé de lire les tomes précédents de cette série pour adolescent afin de bien comprendre l'histoire.
On suit les aventures de Laura à Heartland ou elle va découvrir que vivre dans un ranch ne se résume pas à monter son cheval pendant des heures et que malgré toute sa bonne volonté les animaux peuvent tomber malade.
Comme d'habitude je vous conseille cette série !
Il es fortement conseillé de lire les tomes précédents de cette série pour adolescent afin de bien comprendre l'histoire.
On suit les aventures de Laura à Heartland ou elle va découvrir que vivre dans un ranch ne se résume pas à monter son cheval pendant des heures et que malgré toute sa bonne volonté les animaux peuvent tomber malade.
Comme d'habitude je vous conseille cette série !
August 10, 2022
I love this book just as much as the first two! These books are the only books I’ve ever read that are so good I just couldn’t put it down until I finished it! I LOVE this series and absolutely recommend it to everyone! The books are a good size for people who don’t want to read too little, or too much. I’m hooked and will continue to read, and I am dedicated to finish the whole 20 book series. These books are just wonderful, and I hope everyone reads them!
Displaying 1 - 29 of 133 reviews