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The Milton St John Trilogy #3
Jumping to Conclusions
With a father bankrupted by gambling, Jemima is determined to build a new, horse-free life in the Berkshire village of Milton St John; however, she soon discovers that not only do her new neighbours live, breathe and dream racing, but also that they are all determined to make her do the same.
502 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1999
4 people are currently reading
167 people want to read
About the author
Christina Jones
85 books192 followersI've written all my life, but only became a published novelist in 1997. Before that, I wrote short stories and newspaper articles for pin money while doing a series of naff jobs. In fact I've had twenty seven jobs and been sacked from nineteen of them for writing when I should have been working. I've been, among other things, a shop assistant, waitress, cleaner, secretary, factory worker, market-researcher, nanny, bookseller, night-club dancer, civil servant, blood donor attendant, fruit-picker and barmaid. I'm now, apparently, a Real Writer.
Writing for a living is wonderful - a dream come true - and I now manage to combine writing novels, short stories and articles with not doing the housework, not doing the gardening, not cooking much, but at least attempting to look after my husband - the Toyboy Trucker - and my daughter and our 17 rescued cats.
I was born in Oxford and have lived in Berkshire, Bedfordshire, Hampshire, Oxfordshire, Northumberland, London and Jersey. I blame my parents both for my itchy feet and my romantic soul. My Dad was a circus clown - Poor Billy, Prince of Laughter Makers - and my Mum who trained as a teacher, came from an army family, and had lived in six countries before she was 15. They met and fell in love while the circus was off the road and my Dad was working as Santa Claus in a department store. My Mum, at home for Christmas, was the fairy in his grotto. I was entranced by the way they met, that they were from such different backgrounds, and that their love for one another managed to survive every obstacle and objection thrown in its path. Every book I've written has their story at its core.
I grew up in a Berkshire village, in a tight, happy, secure and very working class community. My childhood was idyllically happy, and my friends from those days are still my best friends now. My novels reflect this community spirit, and all have small groups of people - crossing class, age and gender - who are friends and work together through the roller coaster ride of life. Also, because the women I grew up with were, by necessity, tough and go-getting with a sense of humour, my heroines are gutsy and strong. Real women in real situations. And the fact that the backgrounds to my books mirror my own past experiences is no coincidence, either.
My parents were great storytellers and avid readers, and taught me to read long before I started school, so I started writing my own stories at about five years old without thinking it in the least odd. Writing was an obsession, a friend, a way of life. I had my first short story published at 14, still blissfully unaware this was unusual. However, having a novel published was my life's ambition - and one that took another thirty writing years to achieve.
Having won a couple of awards for my short stories, I joined the Romantic Novelists' Association in 1993, and was lucky enough to be voted runner-up for the New Writers' Scheme Award at my second attempt in 1995. Dancing in the Moonlight was published by My Weekly Story Library, and as it didn't have an ISBN wasn't classed as a novel. I was, of course, ecstatic at this literary elevation - and it was at the RNA Awards Lunch that I was approached by an agent who suggested I should try writing full length commercial fiction. Going the Distance was the result, and amazingly it was sold to a publisher straight away and then, equally amazingly, chosen for the 1997 WH Smith Fresh Talent Promotion - and I haven't (touch wood and fingers and all other extremities crossed!) - looked back since.
Librarian Note: There is more than one author in the Goodreads database with this name.
Writing for a living is wonderful - a dream come true - and I now manage to combine writing novels, short stories and articles with not doing the housework, not doing the gardening, not cooking much, but at least attempting to look after my husband - the Toyboy Trucker - and my daughter and our 17 rescued cats.
I was born in Oxford and have lived in Berkshire, Bedfordshire, Hampshire, Oxfordshire, Northumberland, London and Jersey. I blame my parents both for my itchy feet and my romantic soul. My Dad was a circus clown - Poor Billy, Prince of Laughter Makers - and my Mum who trained as a teacher, came from an army family, and had lived in six countries before she was 15. They met and fell in love while the circus was off the road and my Dad was working as Santa Claus in a department store. My Mum, at home for Christmas, was the fairy in his grotto. I was entranced by the way they met, that they were from such different backgrounds, and that their love for one another managed to survive every obstacle and objection thrown in its path. Every book I've written has their story at its core.
I grew up in a Berkshire village, in a tight, happy, secure and very working class community. My childhood was idyllically happy, and my friends from those days are still my best friends now. My novels reflect this community spirit, and all have small groups of people - crossing class, age and gender - who are friends and work together through the roller coaster ride of life. Also, because the women I grew up with were, by necessity, tough and go-getting with a sense of humour, my heroines are gutsy and strong. Real women in real situations. And the fact that the backgrounds to my books mirror my own past experiences is no coincidence, either.
My parents were great storytellers and avid readers, and taught me to read long before I started school, so I started writing my own stories at about five years old without thinking it in the least odd. Writing was an obsession, a friend, a way of life. I had my first short story published at 14, still blissfully unaware this was unusual. However, having a novel published was my life's ambition - and one that took another thirty writing years to achieve.
Having won a couple of awards for my short stories, I joined the Romantic Novelists' Association in 1993, and was lucky enough to be voted runner-up for the New Writers' Scheme Award at my second attempt in 1995. Dancing in the Moonlight was published by My Weekly Story Library, and as it didn't have an ISBN wasn't classed as a novel. I was, of course, ecstatic at this literary elevation - and it was at the RNA Awards Lunch that I was approached by an agent who suggested I should try writing full length commercial fiction. Going the Distance was the result, and amazingly it was sold to a publisher straight away and then, equally amazingly, chosen for the 1997 WH Smith Fresh Talent Promotion - and I haven't (touch wood and fingers and all other extremities crossed!) - looked back since.
Librarian Note: There is more than one author in the Goodreads database with this name.
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Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews
March 22, 2015
The best in the Milton st John trilogy.
December 27, 2019
Picked this one up on my travels and enjoyed learning of worlds with horeses and jockeys and mainly bookshops!
February 1, 2020
My first and favourite Christina Jones book
January 10, 2023
Another cracker from Christina and the continuation of the Milton St John series. Loved it!
January 16, 2017
A book I enjoyed reading, but don't think will remember for long afterwards. Don't get me wrong, I like this author and her stories, but there wasn't anything hugely outstanding to make it stand out amongst the hundreds of books I've read or am going to read.
Jemima hates horse racing and gambling, yet still chooses to open a book shop in a horse mad town, where nearly everyone is employed in the many training yards. She soon finds out that even a quiet seeming village can hide some rather interesting secrets, one of which seems to be that racing isn't as bad as she thought.
This is extremely funny in places - the candle light vigil against pornography was a scene that had me snorting with laughter. There were a few twists and turns, but nothing that you couldn't spot from a mile away ... and a couple were just so funny that when the characters finally cottoned on, you couldn't help but join in the delight!
I also have a love/hate relationship with the horse racing world, so for most of the time completely understood how Jemima felt. The plot line involving Ned and Vincent definitely showed the seedier side of it all, and I liked how that was rounded up.
In summary, this wasn't my favourite Jones novel, but it was enjoyable and I'm glad I picked it up.
Jemima hates horse racing and gambling, yet still chooses to open a book shop in a horse mad town, where nearly everyone is employed in the many training yards. She soon finds out that even a quiet seeming village can hide some rather interesting secrets, one of which seems to be that racing isn't as bad as she thought.
This is extremely funny in places - the candle light vigil against pornography was a scene that had me snorting with laughter. There were a few twists and turns, but nothing that you couldn't spot from a mile away ... and a couple were just so funny that when the characters finally cottoned on, you couldn't help but join in the delight!
I also have a love/hate relationship with the horse racing world, so for most of the time completely understood how Jemima felt. The plot line involving Ned and Vincent definitely showed the seedier side of it all, and I liked how that was rounded up.
In summary, this wasn't my favourite Jones novel, but it was enjoyable and I'm glad I picked it up.
Read
November 4, 2011Finally got around to reading this one and it wasnt too bad! I dont know if you would class this as "chick-lit" (a genre I usually avoid with a barge pole), but enjoyable brain-fluff none the less.[return][return]Jemima Carlisle leaves Oxford in a rush due to losing both her jobs in one day. She settles in Milton St John, where she had been planning to set up a bookshop anyway, and in the middle of the horsey set. She has an aversion to the whole horse racing people, due to her father being a terrible gambler, and so she has some preconceptions (many drawn with a great big brush to be honest), which are slowly turned around, mainly due to some very sexy (and some rather kinky!) people
February 4, 2017
This was a good book and I liked the heroine. The romance side was stupid of course, but then it normally is in this sort of book.
What I really hate about this author is how she makes a joke and then repeats it many times. She does it in all her books.
But all in all I have read this more than once and it was a good story.
What I really hate about this author is how she makes a joke and then repeats it many times. She does it in all her books.
But all in all I have read this more than once and it was a good story.
March 26, 2011
I really enjoyed this book which was slightly reminiscent of Dick Francis with the horse element. I love Christina Jones books and although the story was good I wouldn't allocate any stars to the horrendous cover.
August 29, 2013
I adore Jones' normally but I didn't warm to this book at all. Possibly because although I love horses, the people in this book seemed unappealing. I didn't like the gambling addicted father at all and I didn't want to know about her because she came across as narrow minded and bigoted.
December 14, 2007
I love books about people who own bookstores!
October 5, 2010
More about Milton St John and more characters to love!
January 30, 2011
I'm not massively into chick-lit's but this one was pretty awesome. Adorable, quick read with charming characters and an original plot.
August 21, 2014
Jilly Cooper knock off ... But good hearted . A nice read for a lazy rainy day.
January 27, 2013
great so funny
May 10, 2017
I enjoyed this book but found it very predictable. It was obvious who the secret author was,who was having an affair with who and that Jemima would end up with Charlie.
Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews