Non-equestrians may grow rather tired of a novel in which the horses are, in the main, more intelligent than the people...
Arriving with a thunderous clatter of hoofs and a hearty "Hi-ho!" is this lengthy but cheerfully cheeky British best-seller--supposedly "adapted" for American audiences--about the behind-the-scenes goings-on of lusty British equestrians intent on Olympic gold.
Jake Lovell is an archetypical British orphan who pulls himself up by his bootstraps (partly by marrying fat, rich, and faithful Tory Maxwell) to become a figure to be reckoned with in the classy, highly competitive world of international show-jumping. Together, he and Fenella Maxwell (Tory's sister, and a brilliant show-jumper in her own right) travel to World Cup Championships all over Europe, vying with their countrymen for a ticket to Los Angeles in 1984. lake's bitter rival is also the best character in the book--the delightfully caddish Rupert Campbell-Black, who is always twitting lake on his humble origins and short stature: "The only thing I'd use you for is to measure my tennis net." Rupert is married to a lovely, high-strung American girl named Helen, an Anglophile who quickly becomes disenchanted when Rupert does typically Rupert things like selling her favorite horse to an Arab sheik (the animal is put to work in a stone quarry) and attempting to force her into an orgy--so naturally, she falls into the comforting embrace of lake. In the meantime, sister-in-law Fenella falls in love with American rider Dino Ferrenti, who like a good Yankee doesn't waste any time ("Quite frankly, if I don't unzip my fly and climb inside you soon I'm going to end up in the funny farm") but leaves in a huff when Fenella has an ill-advised one-night stand with an Italian race-car driver. Where will it all end? Why, in L.A., of course, in front of millions of onlookers (including Prince Philip and Princess Anne). While Fenella patches things up with Dino, lake wins a silver medal in the individual competition and runs off with Helen--to the consternation of all of England--when Rupert discovers their affair. But (in a stunning and quite unsatisfying turnabout) Rupert turns hero and--with a dislocated shoulder, no less--leads the dazed Brits to the team gold.
Non-equestrians may grow rather tired of a novel in which the horses are, in the main, more intelligent than the people ("Suddenly there was an expression of deep responsibility on Rocky's handsome, golden face"), but this is basically funny and sexy enough to make for a smooth and enjoyable canter, despite the thrown shoe at the finish.Pub Date: July 1, 1986
ISBN: 9780743297004
Page Count: 912
Publisher: Ballantine
Review Posted Online: Oct. 5, 2025
Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 15, 1986
BOOK REVIEW
IN THE NEWS
A charming love story that absolutely radiates warmth.
A single mom winds up fake dating an incredibly wealthy man in her hometown.
Dolly Brick is back in her hometown of Whitfield, Rhode Island, for the summer to help her dad and disabled brother manage their house and family business. As a 39-year-old single mother with multiple jobs—which now include working at the Brick Fish House—Dolly is always busy. When her mom left their family years ago, Dolly took over caring for her siblings and father and never really stopped. When she runs into Stewart Whitfield after making a shrimp delivery to his family’s mansion, she doesn’t think they could be more different. She’s had to figure out how to do everything by herself, and he can’t even change a tire. That’s why Stewart’s proposal that she pretend to be his girlfriend feels so unbelievable—but it comes with a hefty check that she desperately needs for home repairs. So she becomes the fake girlfriend of Stewart Whitfield (as in, the Whitfields her town is named after; his real fiancée just dumped him and it’s a bad time for him to be single) and experiences what it’s like to walk into fancy buildings through the front door instead of the service entrance. More than the boats and helicopter and expensive dinners, though, Dolly is impressed by what a kind man Stewart is—and how it feels to let someone else take care of her for a change. Soon, their relationship starts to feel more real than fake. Monaghan creates an impossibly winning story with a charming, lovable heroine. Dolly is capable, hardworking, and will do anything for the people she loves. She and Stewart both possess real flaws, and while their relationship begins with one of the most beloved rom-com tropes, their challenges feel like realistic adult obstacles rather than easily solved miscommunications. It’s also refreshing that, even though Dolly must learn to allow other people to help her, she never views her caretaking responsibilities as burdens. She deeply loves her family, and that love carries through the entire story.
A charming love story that absolutely radiates warmth.Pub Date: May 26, 2026
ISBN: 9780593853979
Page Count: 368
Publisher: Putnam
Review Posted Online: Jan. 19, 2026
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 15, 2026
SEEN & HEARD
PERSPECTIVES
A thoughtful and pensive tale with intelligent characters and a satisfying romance.
A promise to his best friend leads an Army serviceman to a family in need and a chance at true love in this novel.
Beckett Gentry is surprised when his Army buddy Ryan MacKenzie gives him a letter from Ryan’s sister, Ella. Abandoned by his mother, Beckett grew up in a series of foster homes. He is wary of attachments until he reads Ella’s letter. A single mother, Ella lives with her twins, Maisie and Colt, at Solitude, the resort she operates in Telluride, Colorado. They begin a correspondence, although Beckett can only identify himself by his call sign, Chaos. After Ryan’s death during a mission, Beckett travels to Telluride as his friend had requested. He bonds with the twins while falling deeply in love with Ella. Reluctant to reveal details of Ryan’s death and risk causing her pain, Beckett declines to disclose to Ella that he is Chaos. Maisie needs treatment for neuroblastoma, and Beckett formally adopts the twins as a sign of his commitment to support Ella and her children. He and Ella pursue a romance, but when an insurance investigator questions the adoption, Beckett is faced with revealing the truth about the letters and Ryan’s death, risking losing the family he loves. Yarros’ (Wilder, 2016, etc.) novel is a deeply felt and emotionally nuanced contemporary romance bolstered by well-drawn characters and strong, confident storytelling. Beckett and Ella are sympathetic protagonists whose past experiences leave them cautious when it comes to love. Beckett never knew the security of a stable home life. Ella impulsively married her high school boyfriend, but the marriage ended when he discovered she was pregnant. The author is especially adept at developing the characters through subtle but significant details, like Beckett’s aversion to swearing. Beckett and Ella’s romance unfolds slowly in chapters that alternate between their first-person viewpoints. The letters they exchanged are pivotal to their connection, and almost every chapter opens with one. Yarros’ writing is crisp and sharp, with passages that are poetic without being florid. For example, in a letter to Beckett, Ella writes of motherhood: “But I’m not the center of their universe. I’m more like their gravity.” While the love story is the book’s focus, the subplot involving Maisie’s illness is equally well-developed, and the link between Beckett and the twins is heartfelt and sincere.
A thoughtful and pensive tale with intelligent characters and a satisfying romance.Pub Date: Feb. 26, 2019
ISBN: 978-1-64063-533-3
Page Count: 432
Publisher: Entangled: Amara
Review Posted Online: Jan. 2, 2019
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 15, 2019
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
© Copyright 2026 Kirkus Media LLC. All Rights Reserved.
Follow
Popular in this Genre
We can’t wait for you to join Kirkus!
It’s free and takes less than 10 seconds!
Already have an account? Log in.
OR
Sign in with GoogleTrouble signing in? Retrieve credentials.
Welcome Back!
OR
Sign in with GoogleTrouble signing in? Retrieve credentials.
