Chestnut Hill (novel series)

Chestnut Hill is a novel series created by Lauren Brooke. "Chestnut Hill" is a spin off series to the Heartland series. The first book in the series, The New Class, was published in August 2005. The series revolves around four girls who live together at a boarding school in Virginia called Chestnut Hill, where they take classes and ride horses at a stable on the campus. Lauren Brooke has said that she went through a lot of preparation for this series, including listing and developing over one hundred names and drawing maps of her new setting.

Author Lauren Brooke has created ties between her popular series, Heartland and Chestnut Hill. Both series take place in Virginia. Readers that have read the last book in the Heartland series will see a definite connection. Amy, the main character of Heartland, gave a talk in the first novel and helped Malory solve the trusting issue with Tybalt in the second Chestnut Hill book, Making Strides as well.

Dylan Walsh - is friendly, witty and spontaneous, though sometimes sassy. Her aunt, Ali Carmichael, known to the students as Ms. Carmichael, is the Director of Riding at Chestnut Hill. She has wanted to attend Chestnut Hill since fourth grade, and becomes best friends with Honey, Lani, and Malory, while making quick enemies with Lynsey Harrison and Patience Duvall. She shares a room with Lynsey and Honey in books 1-6, and just with Lynsey in book 7 onwards. Dylan's favorite horse is called Morello. He is a skewbald gelding owned by her Aunt Ali. Dylan met him when visiting her aunt's ranch in Kentucky and fell in love with him immediately. Dylan was glad to hear that Aunt Ali had brought him to Chestnut Hill with her. Dylan and Morello are noted to be very alike in personality.

Malory O'Neil - came to Chestnut Hill on a scholarship after winning the prestigious Rockwell Award, given out by Diane Rockwell, a former student at the school who felt that she had to give the chance at the fabulous school to less wealthy girls. Malory does not pay much attention to fashion, and seems to lack self-confidence at times, but never around horses. She is a shy Irish American girl and finds it difficult to talk about personal issues. She is close friends with Dylan, Honey, and Lani. Malory is an only child. Her mother died a year prior to the first book and her father is a shoe shop owner. Her father is not very wealthy which is a fact Lynsey Harrison reminds her of frequently. Malory met a boy, Caleb Smith, from Saint Christopher's, the neighbouring boys' school, over the summer. They went on a few dates, broke up due to a disagreement about the importance of winning, and then reunited in All or Nothing. She shares rooms with Lani and Alexandra in books 1-6 and just with Alexandra in book 7 onwards. Malory's favorite horse is Tybalt, a gorgeous, dark brown Thoroughbred gelding. Malory came across him when she and Dylan went with Ms. Carmichael to purchase some horses. They had only planned to buy Foxy Lady and Winter Wonderland "Winnie", but Malory persuaded Ali to buy Tybalt as well, since he reminded her of the horse she learnt to ride on, Zanzibar. Ali took Tybalt on a short lease for a while and then decided to keep him after Malory and Amy helped him settle down. Soon after he was good enough to become Malory's show pony, and although Lynsey says he is unreliable, he is less nervous and skittish as time goes on.

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