Lionel’s Leap of Faith – Horses Heal Hearts, Book 3

LGBTQ/M/M:  Two years ago, Lionel Hayes made a tragic decision to drug his horse before competing in a horse show. The fallout costs him and his partner, Nigel, to lose standing in the rarified air of horse training, financial business woes, and so much stress that Nigel succumbs to heart failure. With help from friends and the passage of time, Lionel slowly regains his reputation. Receiving a referral to try out a jumper horse named Gideon’s Rainbow trained by Lionel, cocky Irish horseman Montgomery “Monty” arrives to find an instant connection with both the horse and the trainer. When a vicious mob boss and his thugs hatch a plot to use Lionel’s past to hurt his influential friends, Lionel and Monty must trust each other to find a solution to benefit them both.

“Lionel’s Leap of Faith” by Kimberly Beckett is a heartwarming pony tale of redemption and a second chance for true love.  The pace of the story is kind of jumpy and there is a bit too much narrative; however, the story has enough tension and romance to still be enjoyable.  Lionel and Monty are relatable, sympathetic, and well written characters that readers won’t find hard to like. The attitudes ascribed to the horses provide a bit of comic relief. The love scenes are enthrallingly sensual without being offensive. The bad guys are very mean and surprisingly devious. Although the plot is a familiar one, the very exciting twist at the climax of the story is charged with a high jump of drama. Ms. Beckett provides a different perspective than the usual fare while still managing to deliver an interesting and pleasurable romantic story.

Tonya Mathenia