Book Review: The Head and Not the Heart

The Head and Not The Heart, by Natalie Keller Reinert

Paperback: 208 pages

Publisher: CreateSpace (November 18, 2011)
ISBN-10: 1466291141
Rating (1 to 5 *): *****



Book Review: The Head and Not the Heart


Alex is living the dream: she spends her days riding young racehorses and running a large Thoroughbred training and breeding operation with her highly respected trainer boyfriend. The only problem is, she's not so sure the life she once coveted as a horse crazy girl is still what she wants. She's getting tired of the early mornings, the unpredictable weather and even more unpredictable horses, getting dropped on her butt, and spending her days covered in horse slime. When she gets sent to New York to look at a colt, she realizes she has the chance to see what her life could be like if she gave up all the craziness and pursued her long-dormant dream of becoming a writer.

For any serious horse person who reads The Head and Not the Heart, it is clear that author Natalie Keller Reinert has walked the walk. Having worked with horses for a living and slunk back to my computer for a sitting-down-inside job, I had many of the same thoughts Alex did. You love the horses, but the work is exhausting. Horses are big, strong animals, and they hurt you without even trying. Yet, it is very rewarding to work with them, especially if you've loved them your whole life!

I did find myself getting a little tired of Alex's whining (I get it! It's cold and you're tired.), but we get past it just in time before it gets really old. The fact is, the story rings very true, and Alex and the other characters are very believable. It even made me reflect on my own life, which is always the mark of a good book, in my opinion. I think any horse lover would enjoy this book...perhaps anyone who has a tough job they do because of their passion would appreciate it.