The REAL RIDE by Lisa Worrell-Whittle is a real ride indeed! If you are human, if you value victory through loss, joy over disappointment, love beyond betrayal, forgiveness over anger, this book will not disappoint! This is a remarkable journey onto the world of one remarkable woman: a horsewoman, an entrepreneur, artist, the granddaughter of a beloved pastor, a daughter/wife/mother/friend. Her story is direct and personal. Born and raised in a small town in Virginia, Lisa has what my grandmother called pluck. She does not shy away from living, not from life’s challenges, heartaches or hard work. She is always getting back up and in the saddle with true female grit, humor, and love. Lisa weaves her life story from the present to the past and back again, always tying her life lessons together in a humorous knot of love. You will feel like she is sharing her wisdom from across the kitchen table. Within the first chapter, the ride begins with a triumphant win with her champion horse Mark, then Lisa witnesses his tragic death just days before she closed the deal to sell her trophy-winning stallion. It was a sale which would set her up financially for the rest of her life. Lisa and Mark had a remarkable ride in which Lisa solidly established herself as a high-quality horsewoman. She is 100% devoted to Mark, and if you have ever loved an animal, it is easy to imagine the intense love Lisa felt for her beautiful horse. Her raw pain will break your heart wide open. After the rough ride of Mark’s death, her journey weaves back to a tragic event in her twenties and through more recent struggles. You will join her on the ride of relationships: mother to daughter, husband to wife, friend to friend, church to true fellowship. We witness love and loss, betrayal and forgiveness, distrust restored to trust and on to self-empowerment. In all her relationships, you get to know a champion and a woman of passion with tremendous humor. You will wish to be her friend.I found myself thinking, If Lisa Whittle can do it, I can do it. A very inspiring, emotional and entertaining read, hard to put down.