Breaking Fences

Breaking #2

by Juliana Haygert

All Beatriz “Bia” Fernandes wants is to prove herself—to her family and friends—though it’s hard to prove anything with an overbearing father and three famous polo-playing older brothers. After her acceptance into college results in a heated family argument, the Brazilian girl leaves everything behind to find her own American dream.

College life away from home is perfect until the people she believes to be her friends turn on her. With lies and rumors threatening to suffocate her, Bia turns to her only freedom. Riding.

But one thing gets in the way of her escape. Garrett Blackwell and his bad cowboy attitude. Working at the ranch is his obligation, bugging Bia is his newfound hobby. His thick skin and easy grin don’t hide what Bia already knows—this misunderstood and lonely cowboy fights his own demons. Brushing horses’ coats and mucking out stalls shouldn’t be this sexy, and it isn’t long before he becomes a part of her distraction.

However, escaping won’t solve her problems, and it’s up to Bia to break down the fences around her and prove her strength—not to her family and friends, but to herself … and for Garrett. Because standing on her own doesn’t have to mean standing alone.


** Companion novel of Breaking the Reins. Can be read out of order **

Genre: NA contemporary romance
Warning: strong language, bullying, sex scenes
Word Count: 95,000

Genres: Romance, New Adult, Contemporary, Contemporary Romance, College, Amazon, Horses

336 pages, Paperback

First published June 10, 2014

About the author

USA Today Bestselling Author.

While Juliana Haygert dreams of being Wonder Woman, Buffy, or a blood elf shadow priest, she settles for the less exciting—but equally gratifying—life of a wife, mother, and author. She resides in North Carolina and spends her days writing about kick-ass heroines and the heroes who drive them crazy.

Want to know about announcement, events, cover reveals, and other fun stuff related to my writing and my books? Sign up for my newsletter: bit.ly/JuHNL

Reviews

[Juliana]

PRINTABLE PORTUGUESE-ENGLISH DICTIONARY!!


The first pic teaser:




The second pic teaser:




The third pic teaser:




The fourth pic teaser:




:)

[Nemo (The ☾Moonlight☾ Library) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Bia moves away from home to attend university, get out from the shadows of her famous brothers, and get away from her controlling father, but matters are complicated when she’s branded the campus slut just for being Brazillian. She finds solace at a nearby ranch and falls in love with a difficult but beautiful horse, Midnight Dream, and his trainer, Garrett, who spends way too much time at the campus than a non-student should and has the burden of the world on his shoulders.

Breaking Fences was my first New Adult novel. I normally read Young Adult but I do occasionally dip into erotic romance, and I was deeply surprised to find that New Adult, at least in this book, is basically a mash-up of the two. Slut shaming abounded, but this is no surprise as it’s also one of the main sub-plots. The romance and kissing scenes wouldn’t have been out of place in one of those raunchier dry-humping YA novels (*ahem Shatter Me or Hush, Hush*) but it was the graphicness of the actual sex which surprised me. That’s not to say that it was more graphic than erotica, just that as a non-New Adult reader it took me completely by surprise. But it was a really great first foray into the genre, and I’m glad I had someone as competent as Haygert to guide me.

I really liked Breaking Fences. I actually made the mistake of picking up Breaking the Reins, the first book in this series, to read for this blog tour, and only realised my mistake when I was quite enjoying the book. I didn’t have time to finish Breaking the Reins before this tour so I’m reading the companion books out of order, but I can safely say that you do not need to read Breaking the Reins before you read Breaking Fences.

It’s a really lovely novel about Brazillian girl called Bia finding her way in life, stepping out of the shadows of her successful family and making her own way. Of course, there’s plenty of horse action as a large part of the novel takes place at a horse ranch, which I loved. There was also lots of ‘will he won’t he’ type romance, although unfortunately Bia was the kind of strong girl who don’t need no man, so she was often brash and brushing off her interactions with the resident hottie cowboy. She was a fun character to read about and I really liked her. She often struggled with the ‘old Bia’ who was loud and violent and comfortable in her own skin, and the ‘new Bia’ who had been affected by campus rumours and was withdrawn, shy, and insecure.

There’s a good cast surrounding Bia including mysterious hottie Garrett, BFF Phoebe, a pushy entitled jerkface called Jonah, and a host of slut-shamed sorority girls who initially wanted to be friends with Bia but quickly turn on her. We also get to see some of Bia’s family and Hannah, who was the star of the first novel. But most importantly, we get to see lots of Midnight, who is a dreamy black colt who falls hoof over hoof for Bia, even though she’s not supposed to go near him. Midnight was all kinds of adorable and I loved her interactions with him.

“There’s no way to explain how two people, or an animal and a person, connect. I guess it’s just like when you fall in love. You don’t choose the person you fall in love with. It just happens.”

Although it is clear Haygert did a lot of research about horses to write this novel, and I wasn’t sure if it was a language barrier because I’m pretty sure English is Haygert’s second language (although she is very proficient with it and the few grammatical mistakes are no more than you would typically find in any self-published novel), or if she simply didn’t know enough about horses to pull it off convincingly, but there were a few tells in the narrative that a horse expert would never make the mistake of writing. It’s not called ‘putting the tack on’, it’s called ‘tacking up.’ And unless a horse has a runny nose and is therefore sick, a horse’s muzzle is never wet like a dog’s, but warm and soft and velvety. Apart from these few minor but jarring errors, the horse stuff was all nicely written.

Seriously, if you like books where horses play a major role, or hot cowboys, or campus stories, or probably even New Adult in general, this book is totally for you. I really enjoyed it and stayed up late at night to read it, and dove straight back into the first novel as soon as it was over. I really hope Haygert writes more about the Fernandez family because I love their love of horses and I’d happily read another.

Thanks to YA Bound Book Tours and the author for providing a free advanced reader's copy for an honest review.

[Brianna · Rating 4 out of 5]

*I received an early copy of this book, in exchange for my honest review.*

When I finished “Breaking the Reins” last year, I was in love with Juliana’s style of contemporary romance. Upon finding out that she was continuing the series, I knew I had to read this one. This was especially true when I saw the synopsis for the story, and who it was about. Overall, I’m definitely glad I read this, and it was yet another winner for me.

The main character of this book was Bia, the little sister of Leo from book one. She was strong, a lover of horses, and stubborn. I liked the fact that she didn’t change for anyone, especially guys. Her compassion for horses was great to read about, and I loved seeing the story from her eyes. I felt bad for her, considering the obstacles she faced. However, I found it really admirable that Bia tried her best to do something for herself by going to the ranch, even when things weren’t going so well for her.

The side characters in this book were interesting. There was Tom, a helper on the ranch that Bia went to in this novel. He was an older man, but I really liked seeing his interactions with Bia. I felt like they had a nice relationship. I just wish that we would have found out what became of him at the end of the story. Then, there was Jonah, who was really creepy, and caused Bia a lot of problems. Finally, there was Garrett, Bia’s love interest and Jonah’s half-brother. I really liked him. He was a cowboy, and had a passion for horses like Bia did, and it was obvious that the two were good together as a couple. He did some not-so-good things in this book and I found his hot-and-cold act a bit annoying, but I liked him overall. It helped that he had a very sad and sympathetic backstory, of course.

The plot of this novel was all about Bia going off to school in Colorado, and getting more than she bargained for. There were lies, rumors, and awful sorority girls. In the midst of all that, she ended up finding Jonah and Garrett’s family ranch, where she spent lots of time with horses, and did work for free. I found that I really liked this story, despite how annoyed I sometimes got at the actions of Bia and Garrett. The pace wasn’t too slow, and I found it hard to put the book down for any reason.

Overall, this was a really good book. It had a strong-willed heroine whom I liked, and a good love interest with a fully-developed backstory. There were horses, lies, and college life. I definitely think that this was a good second book in the Breaking series, and I’d recommend it to any contemporary romance fan, and even more to contemporary New Adult fans.

[Paula Phillips · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beatriz aka Bia wants to gain some freedom from her family's ranch and her brother's Polo matches and so she decides to enroll herself into college. She sees this as an opportunity to gain her own wings and some freedom and study what she wants to study. She though is about to experience a whole new world , a world where stereotypes are what categories people put you into especially for Bia. Bia is Brazilian and according to everyone and the rumour mills that start at the college, they are easy and will sleep with anyone. That's not true though, well not for Bia but soon she finds herself on the end of everyone's jokes and taunts that she wonders if she made the right decision or whether her parents were correct ?

There is one thing though that Bia has always loved and relied on as an escapism , that is Horses so when she needs space she finds herself at a local horse ranch. The ranch happens to be owned by the Hudsons, a prominent family around the town and her school. The Hudsons also have two sons - one Jonah who wants nothing but to have his dash with Bia and Garrett - whom is a half-brother and we do see some sparks flying between Bia and Garrett , but what will happen when the truth is revealed that their was a bet to see who would sleep with Bia first ? Can Garrett prove to Bia that he does love her and the bet means nothing to him ? This part reminded me of a few of the Chick Teen Flicks I've seen including She's The One and Ten Things I Hate About You.

This was another awesome book by Juliana Haygert and I am loving this series and I look forward to see if she will write about Bia's other brothers in the future.

[Mandy Reads Indie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Needing some space from her oh so popular Polo playing brothers and cousin, Bia thinks it is time to finally leave the nest and find her own way in the world. So she sets off to Colorado in hopes to make her dreams of becoming a vet come true. Bia likes to believe there is good in everyone. But those thoughts are quickly smashed when she sees how ugly some people can truly be. Her life is quickly turned upside down in college and she is made out to be someone she isn't. Finding a ranch with horses is her only escape. But it is who she finds there that becomes another escape all together.

Absolutely loved this story. Not as much as book one, BREAKING THE REINS, but almost just as much. While there was a few repetitive phrases throughout the book that sort of bugged me some, it still didn't take away from the story itself. I loved it actually and had this want to read book one all over again. Loved being reminded of why I fell in love with this series in the first place.

I hurt with Bia as she endured the hell her classmates bestowed upon her. The women were so catty and mean, and the guys were absolute jerks. So yeah, I can see why the feisty Bia we all knew from before went into hiding through most of this one. I would have done the same, if not left long before.

I loved the flow of the book and the romance that was sneaking up on us from the start. It came at the perfect time and I was loving it! And already I am wanting more. I really hope that Haygert has plans for a book about Hillary. I hate to think that we end this with her still broken and alone.

5 Wonderful Stars!

[Savannah · Rating 5 out of 5]

This review was originally posted on Coffee, Books and My Kindle

Bia Fernandes moved to the US following her family polo career, she had to leave her college, friends, house, and country. When she feels her life doesn't go anywhere she takes a hard decision, get back to the college but in another state, far away the shadow of her family. Bia is the only daughter of her father, she obviously is his little girl, so he doesn't agree with her plan, they have a big fight about it. After that, Bia leaves her horse at Hannah's ranch, returns to the college with her twin brother's support and starts a new life.
When she arrives to her new college she's expecting a fresh start and having the time of her life, for a few days it seems to be great but later the drama takes place.

Garret Hedlund is an authentic cowboy, he always use boots, hat, and plain jeans. He works as trainer at his father's ranch. He assisted the same college Bia's, he meets Bia when she arrives and the attraction was instantaneous (almost) but when drama starts nothing happens between them.

How will Bia deal with the lies and rumors? Could she and Garret have a relationship?





I've been dying for this book before Juliana would decide writing it. I loved Bia's character, she was so nice in Breaking the Reins, her personality shines and I wanted to know her better. So when Juliana announced Bia would have her book and its name. These were my reactions, kinda...

Come again? Breaking Fences?



I'm in heaven

Well you get the picture, right?

You know I simply adore Breaking the Reins and that feeling is unique but Breaking Fences is very close to my heart too. Read Bia's POV was so perfect because in spite of the story is lived and written in English, the Brazilian essence is printed in every chapter, curses and expressions in Portuguese, differences established by Bia between Brazil and US, real knowledge about her country and citizens is invaluable.

I know many people complained about the words in Portuguese in the first book (Juliana wrote a dictionary in the beginning of each book and made a printable dictionary, also if you use an ereader you can select the word and look at the translation without any effort) but I LOVE them, in part because Spanish and Portuguese are similar, so I could understand many words perfectly (Morena, de nada, desculpa, eu voou te matar, Meu Deus, Merda, etc); and because I usually read in English and I don't know all the words in the language, I've learned use the context for get the whole picture,so for me this wasn't a issue at all.



The characters development is impressive, Bia's travel to her independence, in spite of all the drama (shit) she have to deal is pretty awesome. She always keeps her goals clear, her head up, and her heart beautiful.

If there is something I absolutely adore about Juliana's NA books is all of them portray young ladies searching for their place in the world for themselves, for their independence, strength, and happiness, they don't need a man who rescue them. It is not about finding a guy, having an explosive relationship with a lot of sex. They're impressive, marvelous, and real women. These are the books I would recommend to my sister (if she would read of course)


Garrett always was a mystery for me, I didn't figure out his attitude, always felt like Bia was chasing him and don't get me wrong, is fine go for the guy you like, but Jeez, sometimes he was very rude with her. But step by step the readers can understand his reasons, maybe you'd forgive him or maybe you wouldn't (like me)


The storyline runs between Bia's travel, her fights and reconciliation with her father, the spiral of lies spread by the mean girls of the college, the relationship with Moonlight (a new lovely horse) and Garret, and her decisions.

So how many stars deserve Breaking Fences by Juliana Haygert? Let's see

Kick ass, impressive female character? Check (That's a XXI century heroine)

Scorching, lovable male character? Almost check (I didn't fall in love with Garrett, hell I didn't like him for Bia)

Intense, balanced, and well written storyline? Check (This book has a little bit of everything)

Brazilian accent delicious? Check (Eu amo algumas palavras em Português)

Enjoyable and recommendable book? Check (I read it in less of 24 hours and I can recommend with all my ♥)

Essential companion novel of an awesome first book? Meu Deus Check (No doubts)

Bottom line? My rate is 5 delicia stars


because this book is


Breaking Fences by Juliana Haygert is a passionate insight about prejudices for being a foreign, an impressive journey for a young lady, between horses and a sexy Brazilian vibe.

[Michelle Schroer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Some authors have a gift.
A true gift for taking real-world problems and surrounding that with terrific conflict.
This author has that true gift.

4.5 STARS!!!

WOW. What a terrific book! I am a huge equestrian fan! Rode my entire life - until an accident stopped me - and loved that free flying feeling. That feeling that nothing could touch me. The barn and those animals were my true sanctuary. My little piece of heaven where I could always by just me. This book encompasses that feeling for me. The specifics needed to make this review make total sense are spoilers. So bear with me...

Bia's family are huge in the Polo arena. Has many farms, from her home country of Brazil to California. She's the youngest of 4 boys - her 3 brothers and cousin. Bia's always felt as she was trying to prove herself to her father and family. But following her famous polo family around made that difficult. I felt her needing to branch out in those moments the author gave us that background insight. Feel her being suffocated by the fame of her brothers. Bia decides at 22 it's her time.

"This was me, living my life, taking charge."

When she arrives at college in Colorado, she's ready to prove to family all that she can be. But things don't always work out the way we planned. A sorority and fraternity 'befriend' her. It's there she meets Garrett. Garrett is the step-brother to one of the frat brothers. He doesn't attend college so she's confused as to why he's always there. I had this same question until I began to put the pieces together. Garrett is a cowboy - decked out in boots and a hat. Sexy! When the pieces to Garrett's puzzle begin to come clearer, I realized just how big a fan of his I was. I was outraged and frustrated at the things that happened to him.and with things coming to light, I was an even bigger fan. He knows about loyalty and trust. He also knows abandonment and betrayal. I would consider him a tortured hero with all he's been through. Yet he continues to face it all head on.

"I know I'm not a perfect man... but I want to try to be the best man I can be... But when I look at the future and let myself imagine you by my side, I can't think of anything more perfect than that."

Bia is constantly being asked about her culture and being hit on with guys telling her 'You're Brazilian. Come on.' She's appalled by all the attention. She has no one to vent to, to tell of her frustrations. Bia seeks to find a farm nearby. Somewhere to bring her that solace and that sanctuary she feels when riding. When she runs into Garrett at the farm she chooses. He's a trainer there. And every time they ran into each other or they exchanged words there was so much sexual tension I could cut it with a knife. Their interactions are penetrable to the souls of readers. There's much there between them it's steamy and hot. When they share their first kiss I wanted to jump for joy! Eureka!! Finally!!

"I had never been with a man that could bring me to my knees with one simple touch - and I wanted to. I wanted him."

And guess what... SHE kissed HIM!!! So exciting when us gals make the first move. Anyway, it's clear as crystal that they have something. But something keeps him away. After every great conversation or kiss, it's as if he tries to avoid her. And as the lies and rumors about Bia become more intense, the more defeated she feels. It was as if I could see and feel her shoulders slumping more and more. Bia, so badly, wants to prove to her family that she can do this. That she can complete her goal with her head held high. But amongst all the events that happen to her, she looses touch with who she really is. And as the last piece of Garrett's puzzle is placed in front of her - well she shatters.

"I didn't believe in soul mated. I believed that there were a handful of people with whom an individual could be perfect with, but on a planet with seven billion people, a handful was hard to find... I'd found one of mine... Still, I had to let him go."

This was one stunning display of real world problems - bullying, and deceit, coupled with the realization of really and truly finding yourself. When the lights go down at the end of the night - who are you and is that who you want to be? Let it be known that I have not read Breaking the Reins - but I will and very soon! Breaking Fences has become a favorite of mine. I adored the characters - some I loathed - and the conflicts and how they resolve were priceless. When something epic happens, I've heard some say 'You couldn't make this shit up!' But Juliana Haygert did... and it was one of the best journey's I've been on!!

[Mikki D · Rating 5 out of 5]

When I first read Breaking the Reins by Juliana Haygert I was extremely happy to discover not only a new author, but also a series that was like a breath of fresh air. It's not every day that we read about sexy Polo players and horses. When you pick up this series you will definitely fall in love with both. Yes, the horses in this series have a je ne sais quoi that pulls you in as well.

Breaking Fences is Beatriz ''Bia'' Fernandes journey. Bia wants to take a step towards freedom by detaching herself from her family. She has dreams and she wants to build her own future. When she leaves her family home for Colorado, to attend College, she has no idea what is in store for her. The American college experience is not at all what she expected it to be. It's not without drama, tears and betrayals that Bia's starts her new journey. When she comes face-to-face with Garrett Blackwell she knows she's in trouble. When she's with him she wants more, but being with Garrett is easier said than done. Will they be able to overcome the obstacles that are thrown at them?

I'm so excited about this new installment in the Breaking Series that I don't even know where to start?!?!?!?! Well, first of all, I want to mention that this book can be read as a standalone, but I totally encourage you to read Breaking the Reins. OMG!!! You don't want to miss Mr. Leo Fernandes *Swoon* Okay ... back to Bia and Garrett's story. I absolutely loved Bia in Breaking the Reins and it did not change in Breaking Fences. Sometimes when you connect with supporting characters in a story your expectations are set high for when their turn comes along. Juliana Haygert exceeded all of my expectations with Bia's story! Fantastic work!

Bia and Garrett had an amazing chemistry! I connected with both of them from the very beginning and what they were feeling for each other was sweet, passionate and heartwarming. I was cheering for my girl Bia since book one of this series and when Garrett enters the picture I can't help but smile. He's the kind of man that made her swoon and drove her nuts all at the same time! I won't deny that he drove me nuts too!! I can think of one particular scene that I yelled ''Noooooo!!! How dare you?!?!?! Don't do this to me her!!!'' But few were the moments where he made me mad so I forgave him .. lol!!! I loved how we saw them both deal with their families and how they took a step towards the future that they really wanted. They grew has a couple, but also on a personal level. My heart broke for Bia when all the rumors started to come out about her. It was really mean what they did to her. I wish I could of been there to give her a hug or just show her my support. My heart broke as well for Garrett. His family situation is very complicated. He's sweet, hardworking and totally deserved to be loved. He absolutely understood the meaning of the world love with Bia. They are sooo freakin' cute together! Oh, and hot! That first kiss that they shared was CALIENTE!!!

You can't help but fall in love with the fantastic characters in this series. Not only do the main characters pull you into the story, but the supporting characters as well. I hated some of the characters once again just like I did in the first book. I don't want to give anything away about the story, but two specific characters will drive you nuts!!! Seriously!!!!

Ok! Let's discuss horses ... Yes, Horses!!! First, it was Argus and now Midnight. The connection that the characters have with their horses is amazing!!!! Every scene is tender and heartwarming! I can't get enough of this series and I can't wait to see who is next!

I give, Breaking Fences, by Juliana Haygert 4.5 delightful, exciting, sexy, fascinating stars!

[Guia · Rating 5 out of 5]

ARC provided by the author in exchange for an honest review

I can’t believe I haven’t heard about this series or Juliana Haygert before! Because seriously, this is one of the best books I’ve read this year and I’m just dying to read Breaking the Reins. It’s different, it’s sweet, it’s a bit angsty (but not too much)… a just right blend of what a good NA story should be. This is the first book of hers that I’ve read and I must say that I am thoroughly satisfied yet wanting for more (in an I-need-another-Juliana-Haygert-book-right-now kind of way).

Rating: 5 out of 5 stars for Breaking Fences!

My first thought as I read through it was how incredibly well the book was written! I mean, as a reader I often encounter books that are a struggle to read. Breaking Fences stood a good mile away from those kinds of books. The quality of Juliana Haygert’s story telling was impressive and made me crave for more of her work.

Since I read Breaking Fences first, some pieces of the story were missing. I think that is to be expected since this is a companion novel to Breaking the Reins. There were several instances that I thought hinted at the events of Breaking the Reins but they didn’t confuse me enough to make me put down the book. Breaking Fences is Bia’s book through and through.

Breaking Fences is told from Beatriz “Bia” Fernandes’ POV. Right from the start, it wasn’t hard to see her fiery nature. Her sparkplug personality was really fun to get to know and I should add that it made the storytelling even more compelling. Bia was a very magnetic character. She’s so full of life and so it makes a lot of sense to see her distancing herself from the pressures of being in the shadows of her polo-celebrity family. In Breaking Fences, we witness as Bia moved to Colorado to continue her Pre-Vet degree away from her family. From what I could understand from the story without reading Breaking the Reins, Bia was finally taking her life into her own hands.

***Check out my full review HERE***

I love the depth Juliana Haygert gave to these characters. There’s just more to them than what readers would expect. She was able to give her characters the vulnerability to connect to the readers on an emotional level without crossing over to woe-is-me territory.

Another thing that I loved most about Breaking Fences is that it didn’t just focus on the romance and the lovey-dovey stuff, or the angsty college drama. I loved how Juliana Haygert also shed the spotlight on the importance of family. She was able to spin a very interesting dynamic in the Fernandes family, including Bia’s falling out with her father. It’s not very hard to see more additions to this series focusing on the rest of the Fernandes siblings and Gui.

I’ve mentioned how well written it is and I just wanted to reiterate that fact because Breaking Fences truly was a joy to read. The writing flowed and ebbed. There are parts where emotions run high and the tension is nearly palpable then it would bleed down to these intense, introspective moments… I liked how smooth the transitions are. One thing I can say for sure is that Juliana Haygert knows her stuff. She’s got an impeccable talent for storytelling and I can see myself reading more of her books in the near future!



**************


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[Diane Ehlers · Rating 4 out of 5]

Was originally posted on Paranormal Sisters: http://paranormalsisters.blogspot.com...

Breaking Away, formally known as Breaking Fences, had me turning page after page! Though I don't feel it was as strong as the first one, Breaking Free, but it was still endearing. Mrs. Haygert has created yet another wonderful tale!

Bia feels it's time to finally go her own way and continue her dream of becoming a veterinarian. Choosing to go to a school in Colorado, all alone Bia soon finds out it isn't how she dreamt it would be. The students become taken by this Brazilian woman. Being hated by the women and loved on by the men, Bia is used to this kind of reaction so as time goes on she hopes for things to die down. Sadly, she ended up with the wrong roommate. Her roommate is part of a sorority and the moment I read it was rush week, I knew all hell was going to break loose.Thankfully Bia is a smart woman and turns them down but that doesn't mean they don't try to change her mind, including other sororities trying to swoop in too. Her roommate gets jealous fast at how much attention Bia is getting but she isn't the one truly out for Bia.

Enter Audrey, the head of the sorority Bia's roommate is in, notices her ex is a little too entranced by Bia so she uses the Brazilian stereotype to her advantage. However, it backfires and Bia stands up for herself like the strong headed woman she is. But sadly this leads Audrey to spread some rumors. I really love how this series has dealt with two types of bullying so far. It makes them even more appealing I think as it shows you that what you say can really hurt someone and can change the way they live but this also shows you that you can fight back and break away (no pun intended) from the bullying.

My god, there's so many aspects to this story and I wish I could talk about it all but I feel like you'd get bored of this review haha. Audrey's ex is a creep and those two really deserve each other. Even though Bia is being portrayed as being a slut thanks to the rumors and stereotypes, she doesn't let the rumors break her down so much that she actually starts to believe she is, I'm really glad she kept standing up for herself when it came to Jonah, Audrey's ex. Every time she did I was really proud of her and going, "You go girl!". It's amazing how absorbed I was in these characters lives, how it felt as if I was right there beside Bia, how truly real this all felt. I felt the pain Bia felt, I felt her heartache, her happiness, her everything. These are the types of books that stay with you long after you read them and which is why the Breaking series is one of my favorites! I'm dying for the third one! In the later chapters you can already see what next couple Mrs. Haygert is going to write about and I'm so excited! I can't wait to be back into this world!

Overall Breaking Away was an emotional roller coaster and one I didn't want to end! Though I enjoyed it, I'm sad to say that Garrett the love interest just didn't sweep me off my feet completely. There were moments I got swept up but by him as a whole, I felt like he was holding back. I didn't feel like he was really in the picture enough to fall head over heels for him. Yes, you learn quite a lot about him but him as a person, I felt he was holding back. I think what's between the two of them is more of a blooming romance (even with the sex scenes, they were still holding back) and once they finally find out the truth of what Garrett is hiding and months have gone by, do we really start to see the beginning of a serious relationship. Other than that, I truly loved Bia's story and it was so good to be back in this world!

[Amy Logg · Rating 4 out of 5]

Vibrant & Sexy - Can't Wait For More In This Series!

REVIEW:
The story:
Bia is going through a real time of self discovery, trying to find some independence away from her parents and out of the shadow of her successful Polo playing brothers. Moving away to go to college, she has plans of becoming a vet, making new friends, and having a fantastic adventure. But it doesn't all go according to plan. She catches the eye of one very persistent frat guy, Jonah, along with the wrath of his ex girlfriend Audrey. In hopes of winning him back Audrey makes Bia's life hell, spreading rumours and lies, purely because of her Brazilian background. Bia struggles with the unwanted attention and questions everything she says or does, worried how everyone will perceive her usually fun and carefree personality.

Her only escape is on the range with the horses, where she actually feels like her old self again. But even there she can't completely escape realty with horse trainer, Garrett making her feel so confused about everything. Bia has to ask herself what being independent and finding herself truly means, and if Garrett fits into her new life?

The characters:
Bia, the happy, outgoing Brazilian girl with a passion for horses. She's such a vibrant character when we first met her in Breaking the Reins, but we get to see another side to her now. She's vulnerable and afraid to truly be herself for fear of being labeled a 'slut'. Bia does a lot of soul searching in this book, trying to discover who she is away from her family, while not letting the ignorant rumours affect how she acts. It was great to see her grow into a person she was comfortable being.

Garrett is quite a mystery early on, and we only leaner little snippets of information about his past. He's very closed off and doesn't open up easily to anyone. He has he's reasons and it takes a while for him to open up, but when he did it was clear why he acted the way he did.

There are quite a few supporting characters, Creepy Jonah, Queen Bitch Audrey and her loyal followers, Garrett's father, Wise Tom the Stable Manger and Bia's brother & his girlfriend - Leo & Hannah make a few appearances too. And while Audrey and her sorority friends where a little cliched, it didn't effect my enjoyment of the story.

The romance:
With very few people in his life who actually love and care about Garrett, he doesn't share he's secrets easily, but when spending time with Bia he starts to find happiness that he never thought possible. With their shared love of horses, they connect and start to fall for each other - these two where really good for one another.

The Writing:
This is my third book by Juliana and I just love her writing. She has a fluid and very natural writing style that makes her stories flow very smoothly. They are also filled with emotion and passionate characters.

FINAL WORD:
After reading Breaking The Reins,I immediately started begging for a companion novel because I loved it that much! And I'm happy to say I wasn't disappointed! I will now pester Juliana for Hilary's book, because I just know there is an awesome story to be told there!!!

CONTENT:
Sexuality: medium / sex scenes, discussions of sex and slut-shaming
Violence: mild / some minor animal cruelty (more verbal than physical)
Language: medium / several f words
Drugs & alcohol: mild / some drinking at parties

[Sorcha O'Dowd · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a stunning story! I connected so much with the main characters and I loved the elegance of the writing. 5 Stars! Full review will be posted on the 2nd July for my stop on the 'Breaking Fences' Blog Tour. http://www.oldvictorianquill.wordpres...

edit: Full review.

Within the first few minutes of starting ‘Breaking Fences’ I felt the tension just run out of my shoulders and I felt such relief I could have started celebrating. Finally, a new adult book where college isn’t depicted as the best time of someone’s life. I loved the different take that Juliana Haygert used when it came to Bia’s college life, the struggles she faced, the problems with friends, the need to escape, the feeling of being misunderstood and judged because of being different. This was a story about a girl at college that I could really relate to. My own University experience was in some ways the worst three years of my life, so having a heroine, a nice girl who is passionate, kind and dedicated, who didn’t just fly through University was just so refreshing to read, and helped make this one of the top books I’ve read this year.

I loved Bia’s character, and I feel there are many girls out there who will relate to her and her struggles. I loved that whilst she came from money, it didn’t change her, or make her treat anybody as though they were inferior. The chapters where we see Bia with the horses at the ranch was written so fluidly and was described in such a beautiful way that I felt as though I was there too, and had found my own sanctuary to hide away in when things to too tough in the real world. It is the sign of a really talented author to make a reader feel this, and I commend Juliana Haygert for a job beautifully done.

Now moving on to Garrett. *sigh* Garrett was my kind of man. I loved the slight rugged broodiness he exhibited, and the dedication he showed to the horses at the ranch, and also to a family who didn’t deserve the devotion he bestowed upon them. I loved the mystery behind Garrett and where he came from, as well as the reasons why he drew Bia in only to distance himself again quickly. The author created a stunning character, whose development was timed perfectly, and when his secret is revealed at the end, his demeanour throughout the whole novel is explained and you both want to forgive him immediately, and also slap him around the head as a member of Team Bia.

There are a lot of messages linked nicely throughout this story, with the meaningful relationship that a human can create with an animal if they treat it in a way that it deserves, as well as the cruelty of prejudice, and how it can ruin somebody’s life as there is no way to defend themselves.

Juliana Haygert has created a beautiful story which both broke my heart and warmed it as we see the good nature of some people cancel out the cruelty in others.

5 Stars and a definite recommended read.

[Tbird London · Rating 4 out of 5]

The author picked the perfect title for this book. Bia had lived her life in her home country of Brazil and moved to America with her family to advance her brothers polo careers. Deciding that it was time for her to follow her dreams of becoming a vet she leaves her family begin college in Colorado. She knew she was going to have to start over since her classes wouldn’t transfer, putting her in a group of much younger and more immature people, but this was worth it to her. Unfortunately she didn’t have her father’s acceptance, or his financial support, so she already started this journey feeling alone. It only gets worse once she hits the campus and experiences life with self-absorbed young adults.

Life on campus didn’t turn out so well, her roommate turns on her not long after their meeting. She becomes the target for a group of girls who are jealous of her beauty and the attention she is getting from the abusive Jonah. It wasn’t all bad, because Garrett finds something in her that sparks his honest attention and she has her friend Phoebe. Bia gains most of her peace and serenity at a horse ranch and finds love from a horse named Midnight. The horse wasn’t accepting and trusting of humans but he attached himself to Bia and gave her what she was missing from home.

While I am not a horse person and there were many terms used in the book that were not English, I did find I really enjoyed watching the strong and confident Bia step out of the shadows of her brothers to find her own way. When each step she tried to take was met with insults and rumors about being easy, her heritage was being torn to shreds, her confidence was crumbling we began seeing her question herself. The author did a great job at showing the battle Bia was waging inside herself with becoming more shy and withdrawn. Feeling defeated and lost she finally had to draw on the strength from Garrett, who won my heart in this story, her best friend Phoebe and Midnight to declare her right for a life of her own and to have a place in this world that was her own.

If not for the strong human angst and spirit that we were allowed to see in this story, I would have not enjoyed this book as much. If you are a horse person I think you have a hit on your hands here. If you are a fan of watching the human spirit combat the human evilness that occurs, then I say you will enjoy watching Bia’s journey. It broke my heart many times and enraged me at the treatment she endured at the hands of so called educated people, but her spirit while crushed at times, never died. I felt the ending left us hanging a bit, I would love to have had her go back home in this book, but I am hoping there will be another book coming soon to complete this story for me. I need to see how she is going to merge the life she has created for herself at college with her family that will have a hard time seeing her as anything other than the little sister who lives in the shadows of her brothers.

[Gabbie (Rampant Readers) · Rating 4 out of 5]

For more of this review and others like it, check out my blog, Rampant Readers.

Why I Picked It Up

I adored the companion novel, Breaking the Reins, which tells the story of this main character’s brother and girlfriend. So of course I wanted to read all about Leo’s sister!

Plot

Breaking Fences follows Bea, sister of famous polo players, as she leaves home in California to attend college in Colorado despite her father’s wishes. Here, Bea is eventually labeled with a bad reputation due to her nationality. However, she finds solace in the riding ranch half an hour away where the brooding Garrett works. Attraction builds but Bea is facing extreme bullying and Garrett has secrets of his own, one that could blow everything up.

I enjoyed this novel just as much as its companion, even though there weren’t any psychopaths in this one. This one was appealing in its own way. You have the main character facing a ton of crap at her new university where she is incapable of fitting in. You have the boy with burdensome secrets. It was a more emotional novel than Breaking the Reins and it was equally as entertaining.

Leading Lady

Bea was a lot different from Hannah. Bea was strong and determined and loud and bold, even though she started losing some of those traits while away at university. Regardless, I admired her character for not taking the crap outwardly and reacting; instead, she internalized it. But she wouldn’t let them see how they affected her which I adored. She was a character who was struggling to find herself but one who would not be oppressed or scared away. She was determined, stubborn, and loving (to the horses, of course).

Leading Male

Garrett had all types of problems of his own. He was solitary, brooding, and somewhat depressing. He dealt with a lot of stuff in his personal life that really made me sympathize with him. However, at times I disliked him because of the things he did. Regardless of that, he still wiggled his way into my good graces.

Romance

Bea and Garrett couldn’t have been more different characters. They made each other stronger. The romance was slow-building….really really slow. However, it worked for them. They had a lot of stuff to deal with and Bea was labeled as a slut so it was realistic the way that their relationship progressed.

Other Characters

This novel, like Breaking the Reins, heavily emphasized horses. In this case, the main one was Midnight Dream, a horse that was basically being abused by its owner, Garrett’s half-sister. I liked seeing the relationship between Midnight Dream and Bea. Even though I liked Garrett’s character, I often found myself rooting for the horse instead!

Conclusion

Breaking Fences was a great companion novel to Breaking the Fences. Filled with secrets, bullies, and adorable horse, it was the perfect mix for a great read.

[Kelly · Rating 5 out of 5]

First Impression: Go buy the book! I love the writing. It flows well, leaving you wanting to continue to read it without interruption. It steals your heart!

This is Bia’s story. But it can be read as a standalone novel. Bia goes off to college away from her overbearing father. She finds herself in a college filled with hormonal teenagers. They are mean and cruel to her and Bia did nothing to them accept being pretty. She gets in the cross hairs of one of the sororities and an ex boyfriend of Audrey’s in that sorority. Bia doesn’t want anything to do with him, but he persists. So do many others. She finds herself even with a nasty roommate. Really, this girl and her sorority remind me of middle school! She finally finds one friend, but that friend has a boyfriend so Bia doesn’t want to bother her too much. Why can’t they just leave her alone?

Bia wants to be a vet and was in school for it in Brazil before their family moved to the US. She is never shy or timid but she finds herself becoming that with what the school thinks of her. Then sometimes the real Bia comes out and not only has her chin up but gives a girl a nice punch too! I loved that part!

Garrett is the half brother of Audrey’s ex. He doesn’t go to school now but hangs out with his brother’s fraternity. They find a mutual attraction. Yet sometimes he is hot and cold with her and she doesn’t know what to think. I didn’t either for that matter. But it all comes out in the end; which, by the way, I did not see coming until the end.

Garrett works at his father’s ranch full time. When Bia goes there to ride a horse for stress relief, she finds Garrett there. There is where the friendship but maybe something more maybe not happens. Tom, who takes care of the place, allows Bia to come as often as she likes. Bia isn’t afraid to get her hands dirty and helps around the stables. It’s at the stables where she meets Midnight. The horse that Garrett’s ½ sister uses for competition. But Midnight is too young for training and doesn’t like the mean girl that Garrett’s sister is. But Midnight loves Bia and listens to her and likes to play with her. Garrett sees that. He sees the real her and not the rumors others are passing around.

I loved how the two mesh. They definitely have chemistry. I always hate to read how cruel some families can be. Garrett has one of those.

If you like overcoming cruelties and being yourself and holding your head high, families who also love you, finding love, overcoming nasty hormonal teenagers, horses (because that is one of my favorite things about this book), college life with all the trimmings, making wishes on dandelions, doing what is best for you than this is a story for you.

[Pauline Ang · Rating 4 out of 5]

Originally posted at Fathomless Reveries

When I finished reading the companion novel to this, Breaking the Reins, I was really damn amazed. It was so intense and beautiful, and because of it I was really excited to read Bia's point of view in Breaking Fences. I was not disappointed. Although I think I liked Breaking the Reins more than this, it is also beautiful in its own way.

Bia had both sides of her, the quiet and the outgoing one, and whichever personality she has to show, they are both equally awesome. She isn't a person who is so full of herself, instead, she is very down-to-earth and real to herself. There may have been times that she became someone who she's not, but I really loved her strong will and independence to be herself even though everything seems to be crashing down. She may have made a few mistakes and decisions, here and there, but she learned from it. She wasn't afraid to put herself out there and experiencing new things, and that's what really amazed me about her the most.

I also could feel that connection with Bia because I realized that in some ways, I am also like her, which made me appreciate her character even more. Reading her story has made me realize and open up to a whole new lot of possibilities, and hopefully, these can help me in my situations in the future.

I liked how Phoebe remained with Bia even though there were a lot of rumors that circulated about Bia, but aside from that, I didn't really like her. She didn't show some support system to Bia, and seemed to be always with her boyfriend. Not that I really expected her to do something big for Bia, but I couldn't really feel her friend-atmosphere, which kind of sucked. I really hoped that there was someone that Bia can turn to, and I think that would have made me love this novel even more.

Garrett was half-annoying and half-lovable, which made me didn't really love him so much as I did with other book boys. He has his own reasons for his actions, but it was annoying how he couldn’t explain himself, that’s why his actions always come across as something it’s not. But still, he has this charm that made me like him, either way. He is strong and independent, and I really admire those traits about him.

I really loved how Breaking Fences was about finding your true self and learning how to become someone you truly are. No pretences and no masks. Juliana Haygert has done it again; this novel is mind-blowing and beautiful, and I absolutely recommend reading this!

[Hannah · Rating 4 out of 5]

The second book in the breaking reins series I absolutely loved the first book and so was very excited to read this second book featuring Bia's story.

We only got to see a little bit of Bia in the first book, but her kick ass personality made me smile and I really liked her from the start. It was horrible in this book to see her loose all of that. The bullying she has to suffer through is awful, no horrendous and it was horrible to read, even more so when she actually did nothing to deserve it and is being bullied based on people's stereotypical view of Brazil. Although she looses her awesome personality she manages to stay a very strong character and keep her head held high through all the bullying. It is her love of horses that gets her through, and she manages to find a safe place to escape to when things get too hard. But even her safe place has its issues.

Garrett was a puzzle that I just couldn't quite figure out until a good half any through this book. He is a trainer and ranch hand at the ranch Bia escapes to during the tough times and so I know that he was going to be our guy, but it took a while for him to settle into his role and actually start being the guy. His constant personality changes were giving me whiplash! But you can't help but feel for him, he has a really bad family situation going on and like Bia, horses and the ranch become his escape from all of that.

Another great book in the series, didn't quite live up to my love for the first one, but never the less I enjoyed it. It did feel a little bit like we were doing the exact same story again, two broken people brought to together by their love of horses, a Brazilian coming in and connecting with a horse that no one else can get near, some really tough family situations, one of our characters suffering through some undeserved abuse. However I don't read that many (and by that I mean never) books about horses and so even though they were similar it still made a change from my normal reading.

4 stars for this one, I really like this series and I am hoping there is another book on it's away, I would really like a story for each of the members of the Brazil family. I have really become a fan of Juliana Haygert's writing and definitely see myself reading more of her books in the future.

[Priya Kanaparti · Rating 5 out of 5]

It took me a whole day before I could calm down enough to write this review. Here’s the thing, I’ve read all of Juliana’s work–published or otherwise. Some I’ve really enjoyed, others not quite as much.

THIS book easily falls into one of my all time fav’s stories. Bia and Garrett are the next IT couple in NA contemporary romance. The way Juliana articulated and messed the aspect of college with the concept of horses was simply brilliant.

I won’t bore you with too many details of the book, since you can read the excerpt to get the gist of it, so let me point out what I LOVE and didn’t.

LOVE:

BIA and GARRETT: They are both strong characters and the character development in this book is amazing! Both Bia and Garrett grow so much from the beginning to the ending, especially Bia who goes against her father’s wishes and moves out of her house.

BIA’s Character: It takes a strong willed person to stand up to bullies. Period. But to face them with the integrity the way BIA does is absolutely amazing. I’d have slipped a curse here or there or punched her nemesis in the face a time or two. What’s different is that, Bia isn’t bullied by just the stuck up most-popular girl on campus. She’s harassed by nearly EVERYONE she encounters–both guys and girls. It’s bullying to another level–especially when her integrity is challenged on a day-to-day basis.

Horses: I think I fell in love with Midnight. Almost as much as Argus. Nuf said.

Didn’t like:

SPOILIER

Bia & Garrett:You know how I said I loved Bia and Garrett above? Well there’s an aspect of their relationship that I absolutely wanted to kick between the legs. It was the way Bia continued to forgive Garrett. Good thing is the forgiving piece doesn’t come until the last 90%ish of the book, so I wasn’t too ticked off. However, it was enough of a bother that I did doc a whole .25 star for this book.

Apart from her character, I definitely thought, Juliana could have really had Garrett grovel for forgiveness… made him suffer for his choices. The Garrett we come to know and love toward the end, wasn’t enough for me to forgive him so easily. I wish that Juliana had prolonged on how they got back together.

Rating: Overall, this book was so easy to read and I couldn’t flip the pages fast enough. I’m giving it a 4.75-stars

[Tishia (Paperback Opinion) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Breaking Fences is the second book in The Breaking Series by Juliana Haygert (however, it can be read as a stand-alone). This is a great New Adult contemporary romance that centers around Bia Fernandes. She is the younger sister of 3 famous polo players. She loves her family, but she feels like she is living in their shadow. She moves to Colorado to attend college, and hopefully make something of her life.

College in Colorado isn't everything that Bia hoped it would be. She's all alone in a world of catty college girls spreading rumors about her being a slut – because she is Brazilian. She is miserable, so on weekends she leaves campus to spend time at the nearest ranch. Luckily, she is a strong woman and tries best not to let all of the negativity at school get her down. She loves horses and riding, and she's not afraid of hard work. She ends up working at the ranch for free. She doesn't need the money and it's something that she loves.

She quickly meets Garrett, a sexy cowboy that works at the ranch. He is also the half-brother of the worst jerk at school who keeps trying to get her into his bed. Bia is very attracted to Garrett, but is worried that he will believe all the rumors. It's hard to tell what he is thinking in this book. Sometimes I like dual points-of-view, but in this case I'm glad that the book was solely from Bia's point of view. It made Garrett seem that much more mysterious.

There is a lot of chemistry and sexual tension between Bia and Garrett. It took a frustratingly long time for their romance to start. Once they got together, it was super steamy! These two characters were great and perfect for each other. I love the New Adult genre. It's the perfect mix of drama and passion. I will definitely read other books in this series. I really hope that there will be a book about Hillary and the rest of the brothers. There were some inconsistencies toward the end of this book, but I was given an advanced copy for a blog tour – so these issues may have been fixed for the final version. If you like the New Adult genre, and/or you are a fan of horses – then I definitely recommend this book (and series).

[Heather · Rating 4 out of 5]

Breaking Fences is the story of Bia, who has broken out from under the wings of her father and her family and gone off to college in Colorado. Her family, originally from Brazil, is in California while she is off starting this new adventure all on her own.

This poor girl.

Ugh. I hate mean girls. I really do.

I also hate stereotypes.

Bia has to deal with being stereotyped by mean girls, and personally, I think she is incredibly strong. I don’t know if I could have stayed, at her age, in that place in my life, I probably would have ran back to my family. Bia runs to riding horses. It is what she knows and loves.

She already knows Garrett a bit from interactions around the college and he is at the ranch that she rides at.

I adored Bia, I loved Garrett, and I had so much hope for them. Honestly, there are not a lot of likable characters in this book and a whole lot of dislikable ones (it is supposed to be that way). In Colorado Bia’s circle of people she can trust and is comfortable with is made up of Tom, Pheobe, and hopefully Garrett.

I loved Garrett too, until the very end when he was tarnished a bit for me. I get why he did what he did in the beginning, but it kind of spoke of his character a bit too, that bothered me. I still like him as a character and as a human, everyone makes mistakes, but when this one moment came out, it just kind of dulled his shine a bit for me.

I have to add that I loved the horses as characters. It wasn’t described just as I saddled up a horse and took it for a ride. The two main horses had their own personalities that shone through throughout the book. I adored that. They added a lot to the story.

All in all though, it was a very sweet read. Perfect for reading on a summer day at the beach, if it would ever stop raining around here.

Thank you so much for my copy of Breaking Fences! I enjoyed it!

[Miriam · Rating 5 out of 5]

Bia just wants a life for herself, something that separates her from her polo playing brothers. Her love of horses takes her to Colorado for college, where she meets Garrett. Despite the rumors flying around campus, Garrett finds that Bia is nothing like who her rivals say she is. He doesn’t come from the best of backgrounds, but he tried to be the best he can for her and show her how much he believes in her.

It’s tough going for these two. From the beginning, school is a challenge for Bia. Not academically, just socially. People who claim to be her friends turn out to be backstabbing, rumor spreading, petty little girls who don’t like the order of things on campus being disrupted by a foreigner. Garrett struggles with circumstances not of his making along with actions made at the beginning that could come back to haunt him in the end. The decision to become involved with each other didn’t happen overnight. It evolved, and it was nice to watch them come to terms with their feelings before falling into bed together.

Ms. Haygert does a wonderful job of bringing together two people who are so different yet so alike, who are willing to discover what it means to be their own person, to live their own life, to give everything they do their very best. Bia and Garrett aren’t just party-going, bed hopping college students. They’re looking for something–a place to call home, a life to call their own–and find it in each other. Their individual dreams of what they perceived to be as the road to their own happiness converged into a reality that was very different, but very perfect for them.

***Received from Xpresso Book Tours for an honest review***

[Trina · Rating 5 out of 5]

Received an ARC in exchange for an honest review

I read the first book in this series Breaking Reins and loved it. Bia stood out in that book because of her feisty personality so I was excited to find out that book two was her story.

Bia is ready to live her own life away from her father who still thinks of her as a child and her three brothers and their polo careers. She gets accepted to a college far from her family's ranch giving her the freedom she had been dreaming of. Once school starts false rumors about her take away some of her new found freedom as she begins to hold back being herself in order to avoid more problems. Bia begins to question whether leaving her family was really the right choice.

Bia is very much alone until she begins spending time at horse ranch where it so happens that she gets to see more of Garrett Blackwell. The attraction she feels for him only grows as she begins to get to know him better and see past his tough exterior. The chemistry between Bia and Garrett made me very impatient for them to get together. What I liked most about this book was that there was more to it than romance just like the first book. I highly recommend this book, and if you have not read book one about Hannah and Leo definitely do. I can't wait to read more and I am guessing that the next book will focus on one of the other brothers, so I am definitely looking forward to it.

[CM · Rating 4 out of 5]

*** I received an ARC of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review***

Breaking fences is a great read. I read this book without reading the first book in the series and I was able to follow it just fine (it’s a standalone). However, I would have loved to read the first book seeing as I would have known a little bit more of each character and would have loved it more. (The first book is now on my to read list :)) I love books which involve strong and feisty female characters so when the heroine Beatriz or Bia was introduced I was pulled in to the storyline. The rumors, drama and stereotypes make Bia struggle through her first semester of pre-vet in a new college. I loved that even though things went extremely bad for her she fought to stay true to her personality and stay a strong person and not change. Last but not least, there is the sexy cowboy named Garrett which Bia feels a deep connection with. The romance between them took a little bit of time to my liking to unfold but it was worth it at the end. I was sucked in the storyline since the beginning and even though at times I wanted to shout and scream of frustration with the rumors and everything I couldn’t put down the book. I really hope there are more books in this series and if there is I will definitely read them.

[Ruth Hill · Rating 5 out of 5]

It seems that whenever you pair horses with a somewhat troubled young woman, it is a winning combination. This book is full of profanity and some hot intimate scenes that leave little to the imagination, but I can forgive all of that for the sake of the amazing, poignant story that the author has woven. This is definitely intended for New Adult audiences, but I believe that even someone at my advanced age (40) can learn from this story.

I knew very little (if anything) about Brazil, and I had no idea that there were even stereotypes of Brazilian women. After all, who would even expect that so many would see women from this part of the world as sluts and "easy." I never would have, and I was horrified to see the treatment of Bia. She did not deserve to be treated that way. It makes me wonder what does occur at colleges in this day and age.

One thing that was truly genius was the dictionary the author gave at the beginning of the book. I was able to decipher much of the phrases based on its similarities to Spanish and/or context, but I printed this out as recommended, and it was beneficial at times. This addition made the book feel much more authentic.

I was sent a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. I was not financially compensated, and all opinions are 100 percent mine.

[Jessica Zelkovich · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love this group of characters! This is my third book by this author and I love her style. The characters have developed quite nicely, making me wish I played polo or at the very least owned a stable of my own. Her word play is great. there were a couple foreshadowing moments I wish she would have explored. Bia, Leo's twin for the first In the series, is trying to break away from the shadow of her family of polo-playing superstars. In her efforts, she finds her own stable full of problems and gets a healthy dose of the manure life can dump on your trail (see word play...love it!) but where there is manure, beauty can get fertilized (I just can't stop!) in walks Garrett with his own homegrown pile of manure and together they clean out the stalls. (Oh stop it already huh!) the ending was a bit rushed and needed some hose time to cool off a bit (you'll get this reference after you read it!) and I had a hard time believing the antagonist wouldn't have been outed by someone on campus, seeing how Audrey couldn't have possibly controlled everyone. Enough foreshadowing that I guessed the big mystery on campus early one but still a fun read. I've already got my personal pick for the next in the series to be about.

I received this books as part of an advanced reader's group.

[Brittany Holland · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a good read. I loved the inclusion of the Brazilian culture and language. The Portuguese dictionary was a very good thing to include although I already had some understanding of some of the more popular phrases because my first boyfriend was from Sao Paulo, Brazil. I also loved the characters in this book. Bia (the heroine), Leo and Hannah (whom we first met in Breaking the Reins), Guillerme, Ricardo, and her new friend Phoebe.

Garret was the trouble for me. He was like a Sour Patch Kid, sour then sweet. I wanted to root for him, but at times, he just frustrated me. I found myself screaming at my Kindle, "Go after her, Jerk!" But overall, he was likeable.

What I didn't like was the teasing about Bia's being Brazilian. I know ignorant people like that exist in the world, but the whole school? I was ready to smack each of those bitches, and I was so glad that Bia was strong enough to stand up to them, but at times the taunting just felt like it was too much.

Overall, I have to say this was a really good read. It was very well-written, and a quick read. I breezed through it. I would definitely recommend it. I appreciate the opportunity to read and review it.

***Complimentary Copy Given in Exchange for an Honest Review***

[Movies, Shows, & Books · Rating 4 out of 5]

***I received a free copy for an honest review***

Note: This review contains no spoilers

Hmmm....Breaking Fences!?!? I loved it! A story of overcoming the many prejudices and stereotypes that many people still deal with today. Although this can be read as a standalone novel, I would suggest reading the Breaking the Reins (#1 of The Breaking Series) first. Because I read the first book, I already had a sense of knowing the history of the characters, especially Bia. I got a better understanding of the personalities of these characters that were introduced to me in the first book. Many of the characters in the first book are in this second book in the series. Juliana Haygert did it again! She wrote an amazing story of love, courage, and heartache. I would also say that, in a way, this is a coming of age story for Bia...a journey/obstacle for her to find our what she really wants to do with her life and finding the strength to overcome the "fences" that entered her life.

Read the full review at Movies, Shows & Books during the Breaking Fences Blog Tour! My blog tour stop is scheduled for 7/1!

http://moviesshowsnbooks.blogspot.com...

[Melissa · Rating 5 out of 5]

*** I received an ARC of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review***

I have to admit that for a second I hesitated about this book. I saw the horse on the cover and guessed it would be more of a G-rated story about a girl and her horse, BUT mama didn't raise no fool...she always says not to judge a book by its cover. I read the synopsis and a few reviews and knew it was going to be a good read.

I LOVED IT!!! I wasn't expecting the bullying to be as severe as it was, but I though Bia handled it with such grace. I really appreciated that the author didn't try to put a pretty bow on the topic...bullies prey on those who don't typically speak up to officials, so they usually get away with it. While I did want justice served to the b*#ch in this book, I'm glad that a more realistic outcome was written (trying to get the point across without giving away the entire thing!). Then there's Garrett. It was like a love-hate relationship. That boy had a few too many unh-unh moments for me to approve of him, but Bia seems to be a very patient and forgiving woman.

I read this book in its entirety in one day, as I'm sure most other reviewers did because it's so easy to get wrapped up and invested in the characters. I know you'll love this book too! 5 stars! Bravo!!!

[Laney Summers · Rating 4 out of 5]

Bia needs to spread her wings and break free from the shadows of her famous bother. She needs room to breathe and live her own life which is hard when her father still treats her like a child. Bia decided to attend a college far from her families farm. But when school starts so does the rumor mill leaving Bia to question if leaving her family was the best choice.

The rumors have left Bia alone, withdrawing and avoiding in order to keep the rumors at bay. She starts spending a lot of time at a horse ranch. Bia find peace at the ranch and spending time with the horses bring hers happiness. During her time at the Ranch she meets Garrett. These two have a connection and they start to explore their feelings with one another. But Garrett did something stupid and its about to come out and break Bia. Can Garrett make Bia understand the truth behind his feelings? Will Bia Forgive him?

This is a story on finding yourself. The road to independence, the understanding of love and forgiveness. I thought the book was well written. I loved both Bia and Garrett. I will definitely be recommending this book in the future.

[Namrata Ganti · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is brilliant and a page turner. I could not stop reading even for a second. The story follows Bia as she goes to university away from home and tries to experience college the American way. Being Brazilian gets her a lot of attention which she does not want and it's up to her to figure out who is really her friend. Through all this she finds herself at a farm where she dives into horse riding, her first love. This calms her and brings her face to face with Garrett for whom she develops feelings. This story is about Bia finding herself, discovering what she wants to do and realising that not everything can be obtained by living away from family. She also learns that to love is also to let go. If the love is true it will remain and so will the person.

A beautifully written book, there is a lot to be got from this and the author has subtly put out there some life lessons that we should pay heed to. Without giving us a feeling of being preached to, we are shown how having faith and trust can take a relationship to a greater level. This book is definitely worth the read and with romance splashed in, it is a treat for most book lovers.