Even If It Breaks Your Heart

Gr 9 Up–Hahn’s latest is a coming-of-age story that features heartbreaking grief, letting go of the past, chasing your dreams, and finding yourself. Case’s best friend Walker died, leaving behind a huge hole in Case’s heart and a bucket list for him to tackle. One of those items is to befriend Winnie Sutton, a girl who works on his family’s ranch. Winnie is an unapologetic horse girl who prefers horses to people. She didn’t go to college so she could help with her 10-year-old sister, Garrett. Her mom left and her father is absent, so Winnie picks up the slack, mothering her siblings. She makes sure the bills are paid and there’s food on the table. Winnie has no time for nonsense. Case works hard to befriend her, but he doesn’t understand her life. His is a life of privilege; hers is a life of scraping by. After witnessing her barrel race, he knows that she could win rodeos. He attempts to convince her to race professionally. While Winnie would love to have the freedom to chase her dreams, she can’t leave her siblings behind. As their friendship grows, so do their truths shared full of sorrow and responsibility. Characters cue as white. There are references to sex and alcohol.