Reviewed by Gretchen Jawurek for Readers' Favorite

Roped by DiAne N. Gates tells the story of Crissy Crosby, who lives in Terrel, Texas, where football and rodeo are everything, winning makes you a hero, and losing makes you a zero. Crissy has to deal with school, keeping up her grades and still get in practice time for the rodeo. Sick horses, a nasty temper, and Jodie Lea, a foe who always seems to push just the right buttons to get her temper to flare up and get her into trouble. There is also Jodie Lea’s father who is the town villain, doing whatever it takes to gain control of the town and anyone who lives there. Crissy is trying to advance from the junior class to senior class in the rodeo, to win that elusive silver buckle, but Jodie Lea is doing everything in her power to make sure that doesn’t happen. Jodie Lea wants to win the silver buckle for herself. And then there is the new guy in town; Chun Len who is the one being picked on. Crissy decides that she must defend him and he becomes a friend. So now they are both having to deal with being bullied; him because he is considered a foreigner and must not be trusted and Crissy because she defended him. Will Crissy get that silver buckle that she has wanted since her first rodeo watching from the stands as a little girl? Or will her temper and Jodie Lea get the better of her?

Roped touches on several subjects: having a temper and having to control it even though you are being slandered; being bullied, and defending someone who is being bullied and feeling the repercussions; what true competition is about; and finally having to act more like an adult than a kid. I was looking for a book about horses and I was pleasantly surprised and excited to find a book about really showing and taking care of a horse. It gives you a look at what happens behind the scenes; what it takes to compete in an event with horses. Being a rider and showing horses myself, I have wanted to read a book that is a little more on the side of the reality of owning and showing a horse. And I have finally found one! The first page drew me in and then I couldn’t wait to read what would happen next and how they were to going to solve their problems and would she finally win that silver buckle? You’ll have to read it to find out. Believe me, this is not your typical horse story; it gives a glimpse of what life really is like with horses, and you will love it.