Horseplay -Judy Singer (Yes! Yes! Yes!!!!! I Love this book!)
If you don’t read anything else all summer (or winter – or whenever you want a good read), read this one. Not kidding. It’s got everything – humor, horses, a cast of amazing characters, dialogue to die for – Oh yeah – a death! And horses – horses with multidimensional personalities – if you ride any discipline at all (not just dressage) – you recognize these people and these horses. I am truly envious of the talent that penned this book. I won’t give away the story. Read the blurb on Amazon. Then read it. It may be a little pricey – but worth it. Promise.
Hunter Derby – Kim Ablon Whitney (Yes! I really liked it – even if it’s a YA book!)
So this one is actually Part 3 of a series – but I read it first (and glad I did!) The author is actually, from her bio, an R judge and it shows. She knows her stuff. She knows horses and the competitive world of hunter/jumpers. If this isn’t your discipline, you’ll feel like it is when you’ve finished the book. The main character has some past baggage but she’s a tough cookie and determined to overcome. Torn between her desire to regain her top rider status while fighting her shattered reputation, she has may have to decide whether to let love interfere with her goals. In the meantime – the supporting cast of characters are so believable and real and the situations they find themselves in are so relevant to today’s world, that this book draws you in and keeps you up til all hours. You want her to succeed and get her man too! Yes – it’s touted as YA book – but there are some fairly risque scenes. And the romance is sweetly believable.
Just A Groom – Laurie Twizel (Yeeeeessss! What a great first effort!)
I just found and followed this new author on twitter and, as I was on a raft in my pool before the impending rains set in for the next few days, I downloaded this book touted as adult equestrian romance. It did not disappoint. The main character is a groom – a very busy, ambitious, loyal groom to her best friend who events in England. Through a series of events (pun intended) she catches the eye of the most eligible bachelor in the eventing world. She thinks she should hate him – but she finds herself falling for him. Can she trust her feelings? First of all, the author obviously knows her horses and her sport. There are some possible editing errors – some spellings are suspect – those I forgive because perhaps the Brits spell things a bit differently and at the very least have a bit different turn of phrase – and some tense errors – and in several places, the main character calls her personal horse by two different names. The thing is – who cares? The story is tight and moves right along drawing you in so you read while cooking dinner or doing the laundry and finish it long after the family has gone to bed. Not kidding – I wouldn’t be writing this review at 2AM if I didn’t like this book! Read it – but with one warning – there is a cliffhanger and the next book isn’t out yet. Hurry up Laurie – I’m on pins and needles!
The Cowgirl Jumped Over the Moon – Linda Ballou (Forgot the time while I was reading!)
So at first I thought “What kind of title is that?” But I promise, it’s explained in the book – and makes perfect sense. This book takes you on a grand adventure where the descriptions are spot-on – whether a lowly board barn, a greasy spoon diner, a fancy farm, and from eventing to riding harrowing trails in the mountains (I hate heights with no guard rails!!!!!) Not a ton of humor in this one – but did she really compare her ex to a goat? Dear God – I laughed at that one. This is not a comedy though – nor was it meant to be. Not necessarily a strict romance either – though there’s plenty of that and a few “hot-n-steamy” parts as well. It’s a story of loss, courage, dedication, acceptance and redemption. Ms. Ballou knows her horses, her sports, a a good bit about our disappearing wilderness. Thank you for the opportunity to read this book! Chores can wait.
meghan scott, author 