A winter's Gift(spoilers...I hope!)

[EquinesAreLife]

I haven't got around to buying this book yet and its killing me.  If someone  could describe it in detail i would be very happy.  Also, how does the book leave amy and ty? are they finaly over the akwardness and back to good friends?  And how does amy feel about heather in the end?  How does ty meet heather?  Is she nice?  Is she good with horses?

[Cem]

Ok, I've read the book, and here is a (fairly) detailed summery of what happens. Its a direct copy of my post on it on my own heartland forum. I can't be bothered to edit it, or add bits that are missing right now. BUt any questions or anything that doesn't make sense, ask me, I'll answer it best I can. Its also fairly opinionated, so remember that this is my own personal view!!

Heather is the daughter or niece or something of a guy who is running a logging business up in the hills surrounding Heartland. I think Ty met her when he was out riding. She is now the one working Sundance while Amy's away! They got together in the early summer so they were together for about 6 months before Amy even knew of her! (oh and Amy hasn't dated anyone since her and Ty split)

When Amy got home from college her and Ty got close again and it seemed like it was more than friends again, thats what Amy thought and then Ty invites her to a Christmas party with him. At the party she shes Heather, a petite blond girl, kiss Ty and thats how she finds out about her. (Ty didn't mention he was seeing anyone or anything and asked Amy in what seemed to me at least, a more than friends way and yet all he wants with her is friendship?!) And Amy doesn't even get that mad at him, mostly just tells him that he should have told her and gives him the cold shoulder for a short time before they're friends again without any real discussion.

Amy and Ty help a woman with a fiery 6 year old mare that the woman wants to use for dressage. They also keep check on a pregnant mare they see out riding. Amy realizes she's really close to giving birth and gets in tries to get in contact with the mares owners. Turns out the owners are on holiday and the person left in charge doesn't know anything about horses but the mare isn't due for ages. Amy figures out the mare is carrying wins and thats why she's so close early. Theres no proper shelter for them in the field so Amy and Ty move them to a spare barn at the logging place (with Heather's permission and help!). They keep a close eye on her and when the labor starts Amy, Ty and Heather are all there and spend the night in the barn (at times all three of them are under the same blankets together!!). Theres a problem with the first foal, the leg is bent back so Amy has to pull it out. The second foal is very weak and Amy knows instantly that he won't make it to dawn so she names him Moonlight. They all wish each other happy Christmas a little while later and Amy and Heather hug and Amy tells her 'Welcome to the team' (!?!?!?!?!).

Amy comes to the conclusion that her and Ty have moved on and are just very good friends now, that they'll always be close and work very well together but are only friends.

So all the relationship/friendship stuff is still really screwed up, and both Amy and Ty's characters (Ty more than Amy this time actually I think) are still really different. The redeeming qualities? The horses. The equine story lines are much better than in BtH and are given more time and are more realistically handled. The horse stuff in BtH was incredably unbelievable and there was so little of it, there was a great improvement on it in this book. But everything else is still very screwed up. But where as BtH was bad in every way shape and form, the horse stuff is really good so I liked the book more because of it. But I'm still really mad about whats been done to the characters I love so much. I would dearly love to know what happened to the Amy and Ty we all know and love and miss like crazy!!!

[EquinesAreLife]

GRRRR!  It sound good for the most part.  I guess they really have moved on, for now.  I still hope that they get back together.  But at least heather doesnt seem so bad.  Is amy mad about her riding sundance?  I would think so but you never know.  That was one thing in the books i could always relate to with amy is how territorial she is.  I am fine with letting people ride my horse, as long as i know about it and its not getting in the way of me and my horse(and as long as they don't think they have a better bond with my horse than i do). This would severly tick me off if no one told me!  I know, im weird.

[EquinesAreLife]

oh, and i find it very weird how they are all under the same blankets.  maybe im just weird about that to. lol

[Cem]

No, I find that very wierd too!! And very strangly, Amy seems fine with Heather riding Sundance!? Which again I find very odd. Her ex's new girlfriend is the one working her horse for her when she's not there? And she's not getting territorial about it? Very odd I think!! But like I say, I think the characters are still pretty screwed up in this book.

[soccerfan611]

WOW! cem nice summary that is sad how could ty do that how could amy do that the part where u say the blanket is that really true??? anyway ty sounds like he's really changed a lot since the first 20 books but still belive that amy and r going to get married and have a couple kids and live happily ever after (i hope lauren brooke stops it right there happily ever after) ty better not get married to this Heather girl!!!!!!!!!!

[Cem]

Yes the blanket thing is really true. And yeah, I can't quite believe Ty did that to AMy as well!! The characters have changed a massive amount from the first 20 books, and in really bad ways!!