Staying the Distance

This book has a little bit of everything -- young gals and middle-aged women; bi-racial couples; straights and lesbians. It is a well-written story about women in horse country. It centers around Rachel Duncan, a straight woman rancher who has her sights set on winning a grueling horse race with her mare, Kestrel. Rachel has never know romance, but keeps her life busy and fulfilling with her horses. In walks the town's new vetrinarian, a beautiful lesbian who isn't looking for love. In fact, she moved to the remote area to ensure she wouldn't run into "ms. right." A skeptical Rachel soon begins to trust this woman. That trust quickly turns into love. Helping the story along is Rachel's young hired hand, Kate, who accidentally exposes her own lesbian relationship to her employer. This book is well written, but I didn't find myself anxious to read the next page. I merely enjoyed the journey with the author and her characters. I recommend you read it then pass it along to friends to enjoy. It won't be a permanent addition to my personal collection.

Strong characters and exciting story The writing was excellent. It seemed so low key and natural and yet full of emotion. The characters were so strong and utterly endearing. It's not your typical romance and is quite heart dramatic. The world of horse racing and the American West are not your typical story settings which made this an even more delightful story. The writing was so excellent I found the author's other book and wish she would publish more. from the publisher's web site - Grown-up lesbians have a novel about girls and horses they can call their own in this literate, ovable western set in the bis sky, "no whiners" country of Montana. Rander Racel Duncan and the new vet from back East, Dr. Margaret Carson, are as tough as the horses they ride.

Franci McMahon has done a terrific job drawing believable characters and creating an intriguing story of suspense. The horses are simply beautiful--the author writes about them with such care that I, who never knew horses, gained an immense respect and admiration for them. There's a positive flow of energy that moves powerfully through the book--made me feel good about being lesbian, about loving one, about simply being alive. Wish there were more books like that. And movies. Wouldn't this make a great movie?

Franci McMahon does a great job of connecting the world of distance riding with the world of lesbians. And she does it in a way that a reader of any age and background could relate to one of the characters. The book is exciting and moving which makes the reading effortless. I love Franci McMahon.