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The last ride

Susan K. Marlow - Author

A ranch-centred story about Andi’s hopes for work with horses and her family, disrupted by a cousin who resists ranch responsibilities.

More about this book

Andrea Carter is turning sweet 16 and life could not be better. She's about to finish school, her sister Melinda is getting married, and her older brother Justin has a new baby to spoil. There will be plenty of time to work with the colt of her treasured palomino horse, Taffy, and best of all, Andi will finally get to work full-time for the ranch she loves. There s just one problem: a city-slicker cousin named Daniel. Left there by his father, with a cryptic warning that New York City life has done damage to the young man's character, Daniel wants nothing to do with the ranch. He ignores Andi's lessons, walks away from responsibility, wrecks valuable equipment, and even runs away to San Francisco. -- Amazon.com

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Book Analysis

At a Glance

Discover

Family· ExplainedResponsibility· ExplainedRanch life· Explained

Consider

Family disruption

Personalised Fit

Beyond the Cover

familyresponsibilityranch life

Fiction

Themes in Context

Andi’s plans and Daniel’s arrival

Andi is anticipating school ending and full-time ranch work when Daniel arrives, unwilling to join in ranch responsibilities.Exploratory / explanatory

How the book presents it: Daniel’s arrival supplies the central complication to Andi’s stated plans; the premise sets up a contrast between her commitment to ranch life and his resistance.

Talk about: How do the cousins’ different expectations shape their dealings with one another?

Why It May Be Worth Reading

The premise brings family expectations and responsibility into a practical ranch setting, with horses and a young person’s plans at its centre.

What Deserves Attention

Daniel’s father leaves him with the family, and Daniel later runs away. These elements may invite questions about family separation and how his situation is handled.

A Conversation Worth Having

How does Andi respond when Daniel rejects ranch life, and what might help each cousin understand the other’s point of view?

Reading Approach

Read together in short stretches and pause when Daniel’s choices affect the ranch. This can help you follow how Andi’s plans meet the demands of family life.

Confidence & Basis

Theme indicators describe how the book presents a topic; they are not a verdict on the whole book or your family's values. Confidence reflects how much book-specific material was checked. Only part of the book information was available, so some details remain unconfirmed.

What remains unconfirmed

Andi’s plans and Daniel’s arrival: The ending and the eventual development of their relationship are not established.

The Last Ride - Susan K. Marlow - Google Books

Limited information

Checked: 1 October 2026.

Relevant to: General book context

The last ride by Susan K. Marlow | Open Library