Took me awhile to like Jules.

I read the whole Show Barn Blues series on Kindle. Then I discovered Audible and I can "read" while mucking out stalls, doing chores, cooking, driving etc. I'm hooked! I hope Audible releases all of Natalie Keller Reinert's books. I love her characters and Piper Goodeve is fabulous with her narration. I hate to say it but an incredible book can be ruined by the narrator. But I have also heard some not so great writing brought to life by an incredible narrator. Audible books are judged twice as harshly as written literature. But with this combo of writer and narrator, it's a win in my book. I'm almost twice as old as Jules ALMOST. And I have to keep reminding myself this main character is only in her early twenties when her attitude starts to grate on my nerves. Once I remember how young she is to have so many responsibilities, then I can start to relate to her and be more forgiving of the chip on her shoulder. I also grew up surrounded by rich spoiled kids who were given everything they wanted and thought they were too good to work at the barn. But unlike Jules, I didn't care much for showing. I just wanted my own horse and craved the special bond between girl and horse. Not the superficial push button, show ring ready, only horse time is in the saddle, revolving door of blue ribbon winning and disposable red ribbon "losers" glassy eyed show mounts, that didn't care who was in the saddle and were all forgotten by high school anyways. I did whatever I could just to be around horses. I finally bought my first horse when I was 22 right after I married my husband (he's not a horse guy), and we bought our little farm a year later. I discovered trail riding and natural horsemanship and have the bond with my horses, I craved as a child. I rescued a few horses, and have buried a few on the hill. But I still have my first horse Magic. He turned 29 on March 10th. I can relate to Jules on the stress, exhaustion, and financial expenses of farm ownership and I don't even show. Natalie Keller Reinert does such a wonderful job with creating several series of horse themed books that are accurate with the realities of horse ownership, terminologies, and true to the sport. It's so refreshing to fall into the story because it is so well written and accurate with the subject matter. I loved Show Barn Blues series, I'm loving this Eventing series and I'm looking for to the Racing series. I hope Audible releases all of the "series" books by Natalie Keller Reinert with Piper Goodeve narrating.

2 people found this helpful

My New Favorite Author

Very well written with a plot that keeps you guessing until the end. The narrator is perfect. I really enjoyed getting to know a fresh heroine that I could relate to and root for despite her flaws. This is no bland fairytale. The setting is written spot on. I live in Ocala and Natalie K. Reinert nailed it and the horse community here. If you haven't read this book yet, order it now!

2 people found this helpful

I really wanted to like this.

As a lifelong horseperson and an eventer, I really wanted to like this. I'm not all the way through yet, but I'm finding myself SO irritated by the protagonist. I really don't like her at all. Most of the horse facts are pretty accurate, but there are some that drive me nuts. This book is only a few years old as of my reading it but there are horsekeeping habits described in it that belong to the 1970s.

The narrator is great, and I like all the ancillary characters, but Jules needs to get the hell over herself already.

2 people found this helpful

I love horse stories but was put off a few times in this book.

I trained show horses professionally for 15 years so I wanted to help the heroine not be so naïve. A flip over backwards horse is never one to stand and watch. Then who shanks a horse over the nose or under the chin that rears up and flips over backwards? Then is this young trainer so naïve that she can’t even see the horses feet are too wide or not angled right and does not sit there and micromanage her farrier? Yes if the Farrier does a fantastic job you leave them alone if they leave them a little long or a little wide you hold the horse and tell them what you want. Get hoof xrays to prove your moving towards getting that horse in balance with his coffin bones. Oh well 10-14 yr old girls should love the book.

1 person found this helpful

One of the first pretty accurate eventing novels

I have always loved to read horse stories but am usually disappointed in the complete lack of reality. This book is well written; has good characters and fabulous on audio book so I can listen while doing my own barn work. I will definitely be downloading book 2.

1 person found this helpful

Worst main character

I was really hoping this book was going to be better. I do like the author gives some accurate info of the horse world (although the majority of riders are not cut throat).

I couldn’t finish the book though. The main character is extremely unlikeable, rude, and entitled. Maybe if you don’t ride and just like horse stories you can get through it, but she is exactly like all the horse people I try to avoid. The authors writing style is not to my taste, although that is just an opinion.

1 person found this helpful

Meh.

I agree with the Sarah Jenkinson's review - as a lifelong horse person - I really, really wanted to like this book, but I found myself a little disappointed with the entire plot.

I guess it was believable in that horse people aren't always very professional in their dealings with other people. Maybe?

I was disappointed enough that even though I purchased the entire series on Audible, I set the series aside to listen to a few other things. I will continue on eventually.

1 person found this helpful

You really have to stick it out until the end

The main character spends a lot of time being an absolutely entitled, self-important, paranoid young adult that really makes it hard to get through at times.
The author really did a good job at making a very unlikable character.
Thankfully this does actually improve by the end of the book and I find myself wanting more.
I only wish, now that I have made it to the end is that the author didn't depict the eventing world as quite so cutthroat because it really isn't so bad in real life. As it follows the main characters development through the story it does make some sense.

I am hoping that in book 2 we find more character development.

Great story line and believable.

I enjoy this series, I wish they were a little faster at putting put audio books.

Fantastic!

Very interesting yet realistic with a lot of twists. Relatable characters. An Eventer's perfect book.