"An engaging and thought-provoking read..."

The BookViral Review:

Lois Vander Wende-Williams brings her readers to the edge in a gritty and raw portrayal of life in ‘Allyson’s Beau’.

Set against a background of horse training and care, her story is interesting and absorbing, both in its authentic detail and its emotional integrity. Protagonist Allyson, newly married and wanting to carve a niche life for herself and her husband, moves away from the family home in search of independence and success. However, not all goes according to plan…

Whilst fairy tales and charmed lives are pleasant to read about, these sit far away from the experience of many. To truly touch their audience, a writer must burrow under the pristine vanilla surface and show bravery in tackling controversial and difficult subjects. Vander does this beautifully as she guides us through the vagaries of Allyson’s tumultuous life.

At times Wende-Williams sails so close to disaster that the reader feels themselves staring into a void of calamity, fearing for Allyson as her life crumbles around her. Allyson, despite challenges, manages to hold on to her ultimate dream, that of training and showing Beau, who she purchased as a scruffy skittish colt. However, her path is fraught with trauma and pain, and at times self-destruction.

Wende-Williams’ insight into human nature and reactionary behaviour is evident in her well-constructed characters and their interactions; sparks of kindness are evident in the coarse and abrasive, and cruelty surfaces in the kind. This blending creates a sense of realism and familiarity rarely seen in fiction and a sense of shared kinship for those who have suffered similar experiences.

Nevertheless, whilst the content may be harrowing at times, Wende-Williams deals sensitively with her tough storyline, without gratuitous violence or sexuality, by keeping true to the significance of each character’s choices and the resulting fall-out, creating a sense of believability and engendering hope within the reader that Allyson will triumph.

An engaging and thought-provoking read Allyson’s Beau is highly recommended!