If you are looking for a good read, read this. It was well written, with great characters. I can't wait to see what's next!

This richly detailed romantic suspense story follows a woman from New Jersey's plush homes as she lands a maid's job in a holiday site near Phoenix, Arizona. Why should Rebecca change her fortunes in this way? As she quietly fits into the scenic lodge's staff and learns about the nature of the Salt River area, she reveals that her husband has been abusive and she has fled.

We don't get told how the husband finds Becca - but it was inevitable, so I'm not giving anything away. My theory is that he tracks her through a necklace which she pawns. Bad as this situation becomes, we see that only by facing a fear can we see truth, and by being decisive, we lead our own lives.

A subplot runs along with a bright bay stallion who grazes wild with his mares. The horse is under constant threat from louts with guns, the seemingly ubiquitous form of life as towns sprawl into the American wilderness. This story shows what encroaching human habitation does to the desert, and how a number of nature lovers help rescue birds, large animals and even watercourses. The author may be even a little too careful in trying to show both sides of the story.

I enjoyed the story, which is gently paced to halfway and then bristles with menace. If you have read or viewed Sleeping With The Enemy, the plot will seem familiar, but the striking setting saves the works from comparison. The author, who has been a journalist and taught journalism, also encourages people suffering domestic abuse to make plans and get help or leave.

I read an e-ARC from Net Galley. This is an unbiased review.

After suffering domestic abuse, lawyer Becca escapes to a guest ranch for safety and to recover mentally and physically. Just as she gains enough confidence in herself and to paint again her abusive husband makes a startling appearance as a guest. She knows he won’t leave without her.
I thought this was going to be predictable though enjoyable read and instead found myself very pleasantly surprised. Also the facts on wild horses were interesting and I particularly loved the stallion and sheep pairing up as they travelled cross country.
More than a story of someone healing after abuse this also touches on the debate over eradicating wild horses or leaving them to roam free.
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for a free digital copy of the book in return for an honest review.

A couple of suspects have shot three horses. Becca has traveled a long way and is staying at a lodge. She still has the bruises from her abusive husband. I liked the down to earth characters. I got bored with some of the dialogue and descriptions.

I found this book to be entertaining and frustrating at the same time. The author deals with one major social theme, domestic violence. It is not an easy theme to write about. It needs to be handled delicately. While the author was very respectful about it, it also lacked a lot of depth. The main character remains as flat as a coin personality wise throughout the book. We never get to feel what she feels, we don't get to experience her anxiety, sadness or hurt. I wish the author would've included flashbacks to Rebecca's life with her husband. She just remains robotic all the time, not just with other characters but we also never get a glance at how Rebecca feels, about how the domestic violence affected her, why she stayed so long, how it started. Yes, the author makes references to all of these but it never goes to a level where the story/feelings would resonate with the reader.

I also felt that the romantic interest for Rebecca was forced and way too rushed. It made no sense to include that. I would've left that whole story line out and I'd have focused on Rebecca more. Why does she need a love interest? And why that guy? Just because he was nice? The author never once hints that Rebecca actually liked him that way, their relationship never deepened. They just went from friends to instant couple. Another missed chance.

There were also chapters that focused on horses and on other animals. While I liked those chapters I really feel confused as to how they were related to the plot or what their purpose was. I do think the author tried to add in a message about perhaps friendships etc. but that also remained on a superficial level.

I enjoyed this book but it was such a mixture of things that made no sense, lacked a lot of depth and remained flat all over. I really feel as if this was a missed opportunity to put certain themes in a spotlight.

A book that stays with you long after you've finished reading.

I really enjoyed this book. Although it dealt with a very difficult subject, domestic violence, it was a beautiful novel. The main character, Becca, fled a violent marriage and wound up in the desert staying at an inn owned by a wonderful woman. Becca finds peace with Gaby and Walt, and friendship with Noah, a neighbor. This friendship grows into more as the book progresses.

A side story to Becca's tale is that of the animals who live in the desert, and their relationships. The wild horses, of course, but also sheep, birds and a wily skunk. One of my favorite lines in the book reads "President Teddy Roosevelt cared deeply about wild places and the creatures that live in them. But he was also an avid hunter. One can be both."

I didn't want the book to end. This is the first book I've read by this author, but I will look for more.

Thanks to the author, publisher and NetGalley for allowing me to read and review this book, but my opinions are my own.

Wild Horses on the Salt is first about surviving a bad situation, then about the delicate balance with nature that humans don't always manage well, and only after those is it a tale of two people falling in love. That order was a little unexpected for me and I'd give it 5-stars for the educational value and provoking thought, three stars for Becca's and Noah's love story for an average of 4-stars.

Becca Quinn is an attorney who is unhappy with her profession and her life. She's been through quite a bit, quite honestly, and it's turned her into a person that she doesn't know very well. Noah is a groundwater hydrologist turned cattle rancher. Becca and Noah meet when Becca makes the decision to take her life back and moves to AZ. Three people there, Gaby, Walt and Oscar, help Becca on her journey to recover her sense of self and worth.

This book will make you consider how humans impact other creatures and the decisions we make to protect them or not. There are multiple sides to any of those discussions and the author handles varied perspectives with balance and without sanctimony. There's an allegory in there, too, and it took me a while to catch on to that. I was wondering why the author spent so much time on two "characters" and it finally clicked.

I expected a bit more of a romance, though, and I would have enjoyed seeing more depth into Becca's and Noah's journey towards being together. They weren't together and then they were and I didn't get to make that journey with them.

There is conflict, there's a dark topic, and there's a wealth of information in Wild Horses of the Salt. If you're looking for a romance to get you hot and bothered, this is definitely not it. If you're looking for a slow, clean journey into a likely HEA beyond the epilogue, and one that requires you to consider different perspectives, then this might be up your alley.

I appreciate the gift of a review copy of this book from Smith Publicity titles on NetGalley.

An interesting story of Becca, who is escaping a controlling husband. When she goes to the Sonora Desert, she finds solace with new friends and the wild horses. A good summer read, and one I highly recommend.

This book has so much to make it great. I love the wild horses part. The writing style and how slow moving the story was moving is what made it not totally for me. If you like slow moving books this one is for you. It is has a good plot and good characters. I was kindly provided an e-copy of this book by the publisher (Liaison - A Next Chapter Imprint) or author (Anne Montgomery) via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review, and I want to send a big Thank you to them for that.

Wild Horses on the Salt by Anne Montgomery is an intriguing novel, which takes place outside of Phoenix, Arizona. I was drawn to it for that reason and I enjoyed it partially for that reason. Becca has run away from home and come to Arizona at the behest of her aunt Ruthie who has been friends with Gaby for years. Gaby owns the Salt River Inn, a guest ranch and celebration venue outside of Phoenix on the Salt River. She lives there with her cook and significant other, Walt. Walt is a metal artist who makes mostly Western-themed, large items, like gates. Becca has told no one why she is here, but Gaby and Walt Suspect abuse based on the bruises on her face and the way she clutches her ribs. They are giving her time by letting her settle into their life running the inn and meeting their friends. They have reintroduced her to her art, which she had given up and she is happy, until her husband shows up.

This is a story of abuse ... all too common, sadly, and of the woman who allowed it to happen to her, until she gained the strength to stop it. Becca had grown up in a home where abuse was the norm and so she was attracted to the same kind of man. It's a horror story, but a true one. The story is also about the desert and people who love it and try to care for it. It is about Wild Horses as the title tells you, but also about brush fires, cattle ranching, the weather, and people living solid lives. It is a wonderful book, especially if you live that life yourself, in the beautiful desert. It is a romance, not just between men and woman, but between people and a place. Montgomery captured it and accurately, too. This was an engrossing read, despite the abuse. I recommend it.

I received a free ARC of Wild Horses of the Salt from Netgalley in exchange for a fair and honest review. All opinions and interpretations contained herein are solely my own. #netgalley #wildhorsesonthesalt

If you are a horse lover, fight for injustice and cheer for a woman who finds herself then this is the book for you.

Rebecca (Becca) Quinn is an abused woman, an attorney with the soul of an artist. Before her abusive husband can finally end her life, she escapes to Arizona. She is entranced by the beauty of the desert and slowly begins to heal, but she knows that she is still not safe. Noah Tanner, rancher and former hydrologist, knows that Becca is running from something or someone and offers her friendship. When danger arrives and both Noah and Becca are threatened, will they find the strength to survive? As a long-time resident of Arizona, the story of the wild horses of the Salt is expertly interwoven into this exciting and thoughtful story of a wounded soul determined to regain her life and find genuine love. I received an advance review copy at no cost and without obligation for an honest review. (by paytonpuppy)