I finished this a few weeks ago. Sara is a friend of mine, also, but it didn't influence my decision that this was a great read!
All you need to do is read the prologue and you'll be hooked, I promise. I could hardly put the thing down.
Loved it, and I just finished another one of hers - Riding Lessons - which was also very good. I want to start the sequel, Flying Chances, real soon.
Sara's enjoying quite the success right now and is on a gruelling book tour until July 28th. The book is now in its 6th printing from what she told me the other day.
Big congratulations goes out to her once again! Here's hoping we can all say the same one day.