Dark Horses — Cecily von Ziegesar

From the iconic author of Gossip Girl, a dark and brilliant addition to girl-meets-horse canon

Merritt Wenner has been adrift ever since the untimely death of her grandmother. After skipping out on the SATs to go on a bender, she wakes up to discover that her absentee parents have committed her to Good Fences, a residential equine-assisted therapy program.

Red, a thoroughbred racing reject, is a terror in the barn. He's never felt an attachment to anyone ... until he meets Merritt. They belong together. Soon they're sneaking off for late-night rides, which is strictly against the rules. Their talent does not go unnoticed. Sprung from Good Fences by the facility's mysterious benefactor, Merritt and Red plunge into the competitive equestrian circuit -- with all its seductive glamour and twisted jealousies. After a tragic incident, Merritt must choose between the boy she's fallen for and the horse she loves.