The sexy, scandalous and heart-stopping romance from global sensation and multi-million copy bestseller, Tillie Cole . . .
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Born and raised a Texas cowgirl, Hallie Oakley is the most skilled showjumper on Team USA. She has just one goal in mind - Olympic gold. To achieve this, she must train with the most prestigious facility in the world, Golden Oaks in the Cotsworlds.
There she meets Chester Knighton, the oldest son in a showjumping dynasty, who has recently inherited Golden Oaks.
Their attraction is instant and mutal but when something devasting happens, it threatens to tear both Golden Oaks and Hallie apart.
Amazon & USA Today Best Selling Author, Tillie Cole, is a Northern girl through and through. She originates from a place called Teesside on that little but awesomely sunny (okay I exaggerate) Isle called Great Britain. She was brought up surrounded by her English rose mother -- a farmer's daughter, her crazy Scottish father, a savagely sarcastic sister and a multitude of rescue animals and horses. Being a scary blend of Scottish and English, Tillie embraces both cultures; her English heritage through her love of HP sauce and freshly made Yorkshire Puddings, and her Scottish which is mostly demonstrated by her frighteningly foul-mouthed episodes of pure rage and her much loved dirty jokes.
Having been born and raised as a Teesside Smoggie, Tillie, at age nineteen, moved forty miles north to the 'Toon', Newcastle-Upon-Tyne, where she attended Newcastle University and graduated with a Bachelor of Arts honours degree in Religious Studies. She returned two years later to complete a Post-Graduate Certificate in Teaching High School Social Studies. Tillie, regards Newcastle to be a home from home and enjoyed the Newcastle Geordie way of life for seven 'proper mint' and 'lush' years.
One summers day, after finishing reading her thousandth book on her much loved and treasured Kindle, Tillie turned to her husband and declared, "D'you know, I have a great idea for a story. I could write a book." Several months later, after repeating the same tired line at the close of another completed story, she was scolded by her husband to shut up talking about writing a novel and "just bloody do it!" For the first time in eleven years, Tillie actually took his advice (he is still trying to get over the shock) and immediately set off on a crazy journey, delving deep into her fertile imagination.
Tillie, ever since, has written from the heart. She combines her passion for anything camp and glittery with her love of humour and dark brooding men (most often muscled and tattooed – they’re her weakness!). She also has a serious side (believe it or not!) and loves to immerse herself in the complex study of World Religions, History and Cultural Studies and creates fantasy stories that enable her to thread serious issues and topics into her writing -- yep, there's more to this girl than profanity and sparkles!
After six years of teaching high school Social Studies and following her Professional Rugby Player husband around Europe, they have finally given up their nomadic way of life and settled in Calgary, Alberta where Tillie spends most of her days (and many a late night) lost in a writing euphoria or pursuing a dazzling career as a barrel-racing, tasselled-chap wearing, Stetson-sporting cowgirl... Ye-haw!
I love that Tillie Cole wrote a book that takes place in the horse world. That aspect of it reminded me of Elsie Silver’s debut series. I enjoyed this one a lot, and after that ending, I can’t wait for book 2!
My Selling Pitch: What if we watched one season of Heartland and wrote a Fifty Shades porno of it? A Wattpad Jilly Cooper.
On my do not read list.
Pre-reading: My uterus feels like it’s turning inside out SO Let’s read the horse porn. The tagline “every cowgirl needs a stallion to match her spirit” accompanied by an English saddle is crazy work. And then they updated the cover to some cartoony Barbie horse adventures shit.
(obviously potential spoilers from here on) Thick of it: I feel like she’s trying to capitalize on Jilly Cooper’s series getting bought by Amazon (which holy problematic) but either way, let’s get hot to trot, baby. 😘
You don’t honestly expect anyone to believe a girl who grew up riding on a ranch hasn’t jumped anything.
A blue roan show jumper. Are you sure? And we couldn’t do better than Rocky? (We do nothing with this horse.)
The dialogue is so bad. It’s so Wattpad. I feel like she watched one horse movie and was like yeah, I can write porn of that, and like true, she can but it’s not gonna be good. (Apparently, she’s been a day one horse girl according to the author’s note and I don’t believe her.)
It’s a weird name because Golden Oak Stables is a pretty well known Breyer vendor.
I don’t like this book. It’s reminding me of that Paper Princess Elle Kennedy series. It’s so bad. (She wrote it under a different name, but that is Miss Kennedy’s work-fun facts.)
All that money and no plastic surgery to improve it? I don’t believe you.
Also, I know it’s romantic fantasy, but equestrian men are just not tall like this.
This book is ridiculous. What do you mean they’ve just like kidnapped two American girls to ride ponies and model and be their fuck toys. This is a luxury commune. It’s not even attempting realism.
Horatio is an odd name for an Irishman.
She wants to change the feeding schedule of this million dollar horse? OK.
Billion dollar facilities and we’ve got jumper stallions stalled next to mares. 👀 (Day one horse girl doesn’t think that’s weird?)
18 HANDS. Also, you’re just not gonna find that in jumpers. His poor joints.
So help me god, if this horse whisperer named CANYON is Native American- Surely not. Surely we’re not still doing that in 2026.
A minty boy. Typical.
Calm down, edgelord.
This got published. Someone read this and was like yeah, put it out.
Why doesn’t she point out that even if she had stayed in her section of the barn she would’ve seen him because he had to walk through the main barn to get to his section like-
Hello, HR, arrest this man.
Girl, the horses cost more than a car.
If he was 19 and jumping this horse, how old is this horse? An 18 hand jumper staying Grand Prix fit for that long? Are you sure? Like the horse would have to be in work for 13 years.
I don’t know any horse girl, any real horse girl, who was inspired to ride by a boy.
I feel like the age gap is fine. It’s the fact that you’re her boss and already being fucking weird about it.
I actually can’t get over the dialogue in this. This is so Wattpad by a teenager.
Me: I really like this male narrator. He sounds familiar. He sounds like the guy who did those werewolf cop books- He is. He is the guy who did the gay werewolf cop books. Why, why does it always circle back to the werewolves?😂
She needs to be banned from the word aphrodisiac.
If his horse was sweated through like that, he needs a cooldown walk.
She’s from Texas I can tell🎶
She really said I can write porny Heartland and like, to be fair, she did, but that wasn’t gonna be good.
You’re telling me a barn this professional doesn’t keep tranquilizers on hand? I don’t believe you.
Hey, this is literally unreadable.
If you’re the number one training and stud facility in all of England, you have a vet on staff be so for real. (They do.)
Love that she’s the best horse girl to ever horse girl. You know, no one else in the industry has ever heard of petting a horse. Thank god she has secret Texan horse whisperer knowledge.
You’ve never seen a horse bolt. Be so for real.
You have grooms everywhere on staff, and no one thought to grab her horse. No one’s heard of a slipknot?
OK, I was gonna say there’s no way they don’t have vets on staff.
They’re unironically calling him an alpha lmao.
This isn’t even good smut.
NOT THE RUBBER BIT 😂
Gspot sin. Like I’m unsurprised, but I’m disappointed.
I feel like a bit wouldn’t muffle it enough. Like you can still make sounds. Also, any gasp and it falls out. I just don’t think it’s a very good gag.
I feel like this book is what people think kinky sex is or what horse girls want, and I’m just- She’s not an authentic experience, and it disappoints me.
Look, she can keep telling me he’s dominant. I’ve yet to see it.
Emerald Hill from Ireland. Girl.
I feel like I’m getting trolled with all the milords and m’ladies but she’s deadass every time.
Where is her aunt? She like practically doesn’t exist anymore.
And you didn’t think to give those to the police and somehow they’re not on a single security camera?
How did they place third if they were the entire podium?
The book keeps trying to tell us that he’s like such a controlling Dom and he’s so tough, and I’m just like this man is the biggest bitch. He’s like Tamlin level of bitch.
My cousin was crack to pussy is a crazy thing to say.
He’s 32. What experience does he have with Viagra?
The way he’s referring to himself as a horse, I- This book isn’t real. This book feels like it was written as a joke. Like there’s no way someone read this and was like yeah, this is quality. This is good work.
If I have to read the word turquoise one more time, I’m gonna lose my shit.
Well, he’s not very big if she can just lean forward and swallow it on nothing, and like, to be fair, he is a show jumper so-
Truly, just when I think this book can’t get more embarrassing, it finds a way. I don’t wanna hear about this man’s breeding kink. I need to be done. There’s still 30% of this left. This is a punishment.
Wow, guys, he called her eyes blue not turquoise. I think he’s falling out of love with her.
I don’t wanna hear about this man’s dexterous toes.
I feel like the only person I can think of that it would be would be the drug family, and that his dad framed them for him drugging the horses, but that would be really lame. Like surprise, they weren’t evil, but your dad made them evil now. It doesn’t make any sense if it turns out to be the trainer. He’s got job offers from everywhere. He can literally just fuck off. If it’s the lady you told us was evil as soon as she was on page, that’s stupid. And that’s it for characters. If it’s someone we haven’t met yet, that’s even more idiotic.
Taylor Swift sin
Is the dude named Canyon a white boy? Are we kidding? (I mean relieved we’re not abusing native stereotypes, but girllllll.)
Oh, so he’s gonna get with the sister haha. Jesus Christ, how many books is this stupid thing gonna be? Or this other guy he’s gonna recruit I guess.
So like we’re firing his security guards then if they’re letting anyone through.
This is a stupid fight. She’s stupid.
But like the horse events are televised so the blackmailer has to know he’s not at home, so why are they still sending the letters to his house? Also, it’s not even a good villain. Like there’s no ransom demands and it’s very inefficient sabotage.
The most unrealistic part of this book is the fact that none of these horses have gotten injured. Horses break looking at them. Give someone a stone bruise or mild colic like-
I mean, you could’ve found out before you hung up the phone, buddy
A normal life??? My guy, you’re a billionaire.
What idiot just tells him the case evidence? Why are they not like hey did you do any renovations to this barn recently?
So, to be clear, that’s multiple intact stallions in the same paddock with mares in spring. 👀
So like suspensory. So rehab for a torn ligament is like 12 months. He will not be back on tour.
I feel like there’s an extra layer to this with the irl barrel race stabbing that’s kind of in the forefront of every horse person‘s mind right now.
Not the horsie aura!
I know he’s a billionaire, but what judge is permitting a Tiffany blue show coat. Have you met horse people? Tradition/conservative reigns.
Her: everyone’s staring. maybe it’s the horse? Me: bitch, you’re basically in a neon show coat
That’s the first relevant horse advice there’s been all book. Leg on to an oxer makes sense. Steadying a triple makes sense. Don’t say I don’t give this book its flowers when it’s correct haha.
Shoutout Jilly Cooper in the author’s note. At least she’s marginally aware she’s been inspired-cough, copying. I read her Riders book a hot minute ago but holy fat phobia and misogyny. I feel like we can do better than Cooper for horse books.
Post-reading: You know, it’s my own fault because this is as bad as it looked, but I do crave an actually good smutty horse series.
This is some Wattpad wish fulfillment shit. He’s a domineering alpha billionaire who cries every other chapter. Girlypop lives rent free-we’re talking free horsie commune lodging, free car, free modeling gig with a custom colorway to match her eyes, free million dollar horses, five star hotels- Like there’s a romance genre suspension of disbelief and then there’s being fully disconnected from reality.
Anyone who’s been around horses for longer than five minutes is gonna sideye the fuck out of this. 18 hand high Grand Prix jumpers, already kinda nutty, but stalling multiple actively collecting studs next to mares and turning them out in pastures together in spring no less-
It genuinely feels like the book is trolling you, but it is painfully earnest. He calls her his tame little show jumper and shoves a rubber bit in her mouth during sexy times. Somehow this is not a comedy. I know a lot of horse girls are 100lb orthorexics, but I still don’t think suspending someone with reins from a saddle rack is structurally sound.
We blow a suspensory ligament for the plot, and instead of this being a career ending injury, we’re told milord just needs a quick break. Did I mention all the horses’ show names are just Lord and Lady whatever? I’d love to see this universe’s breed registry, but also, that does mean the poor audiobook narrators are babytalking about milord every time these fucks go to a horse show. And again, this isn’t supposed to be funny.
Truly, if you can get through this book with a straight face or without being cringed out, there’s something medically wrong with you. This book can’t even be in the same room as a Bechdel test.
In classic horse story fashion, we force a revenge thriller into this, but don’t worry, we’re not gonna solve it this book. We’re gonna drag it out for a whole series. I pride myself on guessing these asinine whodunnits, but I’m a little stuck on this one. It’s either the people they announced were evil the second they came on page, or it’s someone we haven’t met yet because there’s almost no characters in this book. And if I’m being a dumbass and have just missed some clues, good on her.
The smut in this is absolutely criminal. The whole book is absolutely criminal, but even AI isn’t this nonsensical and repetitive. It’s one of the worst things I’ve ever read, and yet, I’m painfully aware a real person wrote this.
And what’s even sadder is I’m gonna be back. My sense of humor has lobotomized my taste. Books like this make me cry laughing. They are my favorite rant reviews to write because what do you mean someone read a single paragraph of this and was like yup, send it to press. Give it multiple covers. Throw an advertising budget behind it. I’ve gotta know what horse supplies they’re gonna abuse next! Frankly, I’m offended that no one‘s made a save a horse joke, let out a yeehaw, or abused a riding crop. Call me when a hoof pick’s going where no hoof pick has gone before. She WAS a western rider, where’s the saddle horn jokes? A branding iron, pony play, a sybian-like I’m just saying there’s options!
Read it for the lols and commiserate with me, but if you’re looking for something actually equestrian certified, this ain’t it.
Who should read this: Smut for the lols readers
Ideal reading time: Spring
Do I want to reread this: No
Would I buy this: …I might for the meme, but no, don’t spend money on this. Get it from your library.
Similar books: * Riders by Jilly Cooper-OG horse girl smut. She’s not GOOD, and she’s wildly problematic, but she is a classic. * Girls and Their Horses by Eliza Jane Brazier-horse girl domestic thriller, family drama * Paper Princess by Erin Watt-Wattpad level billionaire romance, family drama * This Ain’t Our First Rodeo by Liara Tamani-YA cowboy romance, family drama, revenge thriller * Flawless by Elsie Silver-cowboy romance, family drama * The Prince by Tiffany Reisz-if you want actually kinky smut with a horsey diversion
Tak jak myślałam, ta pozycja okazała się mokrym snem koniary (aka pozycja mocno +18)
*Spoilerowo*
Podobało mi się jak relacja pomiędzy dwójką głównych bohaterów stopniowo rosła i tak jak oboje mieli na swoim punkcie lekkiego bzika, niestety później po reveal uczuciowym trochę to słabnie i jest to mocno cielesna relacja - emocje trochę mi wtedy opadły bo często działy się rzeczy erotyczne i nie czułam żeby miały one jakiś wpływ na ich relacje .
KONIE - konie były super bo koniki zawsze są super uwu ale mogło być ich więcej to fakt, fajne były opisy ich zachowań, brakowało mi więcej scen związanych z treningami itp bo przez to nasza główna bohaterka wychodzi na lekko zbyt perfekcyjną.
Nie podobało mi się jednak relacje z bohaterami pobocznymi, wydawały się strasznie płytkie - mamy bff głównej bohaterki i jest podkreślane że zrobią dla siebie wszystko jednak bardzo mało czasu spędzają razem (i ja wiem że obie mają życie i ciężko trenują ale żeby nawet ze sobą przez telefon nie gadać jakoś za bardzo.??)
I na sam koniec największy minus w tej pozycji - AGE GAP który jest użyty jako bait do sprzedaży ;/ ona ma 25 lat a on 32 to nie jest jakaś okropna różnica wieku a wydaje mi się że nawet przeciętna a w fabule to jest budowane jakby ona miała 20 a on 40 no błagam ..... Jeszcze to że poznali się jak ona była nastolatką ale po tym zdarzeniu on całkowicie o niej zapomniał - to jeszcze bardziej przeczy tej age gapowej narracji a Jasper nie jest jak niektóre postacie fikcyjne i se wybranki serca nie wychował i nie groomingował (to plus ofc, żeby było jasne) więc nie wiem czemu w tekście jest narracja jakby on był co najmniej jedną nogą w grobie i manipulował Haillie? Nie wiem
ARC review: 5⭐️!!!! Holy cliffhanger!!! The con of this book is that wait for book 2 to come out😭🥺😩
I LOVED the banter between Jasper and Hallie; Sage and Atticus. ❤️
I consider this book is a Rom-com/thriller. How I laughed and giggled while reading this. Loved every word!!!
Loved the BFF relationship between Hallie and Sage 👯♀️ and then Sage with Canyon 🥹
And ok, now I want a couple of horses!🐎. The connection that each rider had with their horse its just magical ✨ You can just feel it while reading this.
Even if Hallie Oakley had a tough childhood, she managed to become one of the most talented showjumper from Team USA. To improve her skills, Hallie left the States and went to England, to Golden Oaks Equine Manor, which was recently inherited by Jasper Knighton, who was also a brilliant showjumper. Hallie and Jasper had an instant connection, but their situation made everything that happened inside their hearts impossible to follow, creating such an intense slow burn between them. But Jasper was the one who always pushed Hallie away, believing that it was the only way to keep her safe. How will their story end when there have been some constant threats which could put everyone in danger, especially the ones close to Jasper.
I was super excited to read Tillie's newest book!😍 It wasn't hard to become addicted to this story, especially because of the equestrian theme of this story. I found it really interesting and I liked all those details which included this sport. I also adooored that slow burn, which truly kept such an enticing tension between our characters. It was a bound which seemed to be so natural and I liked so much all those vulnerable moments between Jasper and Hallie, even if there was a considerable age difference between them of 7 years. I was mesmerized by their connection and by their stories, wanting to find out more about their past and also about how they were slowly getting closer with each moment they spent in each other's proximity. Of course that the angst couldn't miss from one of Tillie's stories and this one had plenty of it, which intertwined really well with the mystery behind those threats.
Considering that this book has ended in a pretty huge cliffhanger, of course that I still have so many unanswered questions🤔. That's why I'm even more invested into this duet and really, really curious about the next book, hoping that it will be released really soon!🥹
Sooo grateful for being able to read this book in advance thanks to Tillie Cole and her team, who accepted me to receive this e-ARC. I enjoyed it so, so much!! 💕
An alright book. Good horse knowledge which was nice to read. Just felt like the tension between Hallie and Jasper was there one moment and was gone the next. Didn’t take long to break down the walls around his barricaded heart lol. Oh, could we PLEASE try and reduce the use of the words ‘fuck’ and ‘fucking’, was it really necessary to use three times on ONE page??
To call this abomination smut would be generous. This book is a culmination of every single contemporary romance book trope to come before it, only executed in a way where none of the characters are likeable, the plot is about as thick as the blood of a thrombocytopenia patient and it is as riveting as watching paint dry.
Let’s start with the characters, hollow, one dimensional and repulsive, the worst offender being Jasper. Jasper is the heir to the Knighton family, a supposedly all rich and powerful equestrian breeding family. Jasper is one of the sulkiest most toxic characters I’ve ever had the displeasure of reading. Throughout this slog of a book, he swings wildly between self loathing and treating Hallie ( the main protagonist ) like she is food and he is a dog with resource guarding issues. The constant sexualisation between the two main characters is tiresome, derivative and gross. Not gross in a prudish way, but an actual wtf is wrong with this person way.
Every other character is forgettable. Hallie (the main character) and Sage ( her best friend) are basically the same person. Two country cowgirls who take no shit and speak their mind. They also both happen to be the hottest people to ever exist and are perfect at everything. They are the horseist horse girls to ever horse girl. There is not one bit of development or complexity to these characters. Hallie’s chapters are sometimes so torturous that it wouldn’t surprise me if they broke Geneva Conventions. To give an example, in one circumstance, Hallie relays how important her hat is to Jasper, stating that it’s her father’s and she is reminded of him whenever she wears it. One single sentence later she then tells Jasper that she can’t wait to be fucked in it.
There are also a lot of plot holes in this book and strange literary choices. An example of the two is that jaspers “mint and sandlewood” scent is mentioned 16 seperate times throughout the book and Jasper, despite being a man of principle and a literal multibillionaire still decides to do business with the main villain, who blatantly sexually assaults him. There was ways that the author could have communicated how detestable the main villain was without stooping to such low and out of pocket actions.
To end this review, this book has no redeeming qualities. It’s not funny haha bad, Its just bad. The characters are deeply unlikeable, the story is uninteresting and the author generously leaves it on a cliff hanger so you have to buy another book. The over arching story is uninteresting and takes forever to get anywhere. All the characters are bland and even if for some reason, you to read it cause it has smut, you have to tolerate 150 pages of boring nothing story just to get there and when you do the smut is badly written and the characters so unlikable that you won’t be able to derive any pleasure from this book.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
It was so refreshing to read a book about horses that actually felt accurate and truly revolved around horses, competition, and everything that comes with it! 🐴✨
It also had the perfect amount of romance without it becoming overpowering or taking away from all the other amazing aspects of the book.
And then it ended on THAT cliffhanger… I’m actually so mad 🤣 I definitely should’ve done my research because I went into this fully convinced it was a standalone and that the other book / books would be interconnected. Apparently not. 😭
Loved this!!! Great holiday read with high levels of perfect smut and based around horse show jumping! And whyyyy did it end on such a cliff hanger?? 🙈
cringey dialogue, slow as hell pacing and the most boring characters i’ve ever read. i wish i had known a) that i would be skim-reading this whole book, and b) that tillie cole is a problematic author before i spent money on this book. i’ve already listed it on my counted so i can get it off my bookcase.
i was kinda intrigued when dahlia escaped her barn and when the barn was burnt later on but that was it. nothing else happened and i was so bored.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
another contemporary romance that me and my friend saw at the store and jokingly agreed to book club... about 80% through i found out that the author is like insane and has written some really problematic stuff HAHAHAH anyway onto the book. 1/5 stars, it's genuinely terrible lol
it reads like a tropey wattpad fic, clunky prose, and the smut reads like it was written by a 14-year-old who's never had sex, here's like 90% of the book:
jasper's POV: watching hallie ride and getting a boner, jerking off about it, MENTIONING HER TURQUOISE EYES, dead dad angst, brooding hallie's POV: her nipples getting hard, being a roughneck texan cowgirl about it, MENTIONING HIS STUBBLED CHEEKS, dead dad angst
i could scream from how many times i had to read about those turquoise eyes and that stubbled cheek. we get it find a new way to describe them!!!!! also jasper's 10 hour boner. seek medical attention mr knighton
Some other things that bugged me: - the age gap panic didn't track for me, 7 years at 25 and 32 is not as problematic as jasper and hallie make it out to be... i am 25, i don't understand... the one thing that would've actually justified some hesitation is that they technically first crossed paths at 12 & 19 if the book had left that as a weird little footnote, fine instead it's literally marketed as "from the moment jasper and hallie meet, their attraction is instant and mutual" and obviously they mean their second meeting but still...weird
- i don't get the slept her way to the top thing. hallie's shown being genuinely excellent in the under-25s well before jasper's in the picture, and sage rises right alongside her the same way. so why does hallie's success suddenly get pinned on sleeping with him by people who literally have heard about her being an up-and-coming success? (also how do you like…fake being good at showjumping?)
- alexis literally assaults jasper and it never gets addressed, and his first thought afterward is "I stupidly gave away my attraction to hallie" girl, no that's not what happened. you were sexually assaulted
- i didn't like any of the characters, they were all just so nothing burger, but weirdly atticus ended up being the one character i liked, even though his introduction made me dislike him (so oversexualised) and he does this 180 personality flip every single chapter. everyone in this book needs to be neutered and spayed
- last thing: the whole gagging her with a bit moment was funnier than it was sexy. commit to the horse-girl bit and at least hit her with a riding crop. also zero chance a texas ranch girl who reminds us every chapter she's not like the posh brits is fully brazilian waxed. fake news #bringbackthebush
would not recommend
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
I’m not even gonna lie, I never fully finished this I just ended up skimming the rest of this book.
Number 1: Why are you telling us on the blurb that “From the moment Jasper and Hallie meet, their attraction is instant and mutual” while also showing us them meeting when she is 12 years old and he is 19 years old??? Did no one think about this before publishing? Even if it meant when they meet again later in life I just think that’s a really rookie mistake. I was so excited for it to be a meet cute moment, did not expect her to be 12 when it happened🤨😭
Number 2: I found out pretty soon after starting the book about some of the author’s controversial past online and I think that’s what really sealed the deal for me on a low rating. I just couldn’t look past it honestly.
Number 3: I genuinely really struggled to feel any sort of feelings towards the characters. I don’t know what it is but I just felt like they were so bland 😭 I feel like it dragged on throughout bits of the book and not having a connection with the characters really didn’t help.
Overall I’m so disappointed in this book I don’t even think that cliff hanger ending will convince me to come back for book 2
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
This book reminded me of my love for horses. How I looked forward to the riding lessons every day and how I enjoyed just being close to them! Miss it so much 🥲.
Hallie and Jasper are a dream team. A match that you could follow and feel getting closer and closer to each other. The chemistry was exceptionally well written!
However, what made this book so special was the connection between Hallie and Huxley, as well as between her and Henry. The love shared between riders and their horses in this story was what made this book so incredibly unique and lovable!!!
Also, Sage‘s and Hallie’s friendship is amazing! It’s hard to find good friends in a world where everyone is your competitor, but they mastered it!!
Can’t wait to read the next one after that cliffhanger. And, I really really hope that Jasper can get back to the circuits and back on Henry back. I don’t know why, but they just hold a special place in my heart!!
The only redeeming quality of this book for me were the horse elements and setting. It's why I picked it up in the first place. However, if I knew then that this book was going to be this cringe, Wattpad vibes and quite frankly an excuse to write porn, I would have left it in the store.
Don't get me wrong, I did like the setting and the mystery vibes so I wanted to keep going but the second half of the book was so hard to get through just because the only plot left was Hallie and Jasper being so goddamn turned on ALL the time and whining about it oh my god! I cringed so much reading some parts it's actually unreal. Some sentences, Jasper being called an alpha male unironically, the trying to be a deep book while actually turning out quite shallow, it was too much even for me...
I don't even know what to say anymore but I can't believe people write stuff like this. How do you take yourself seriously???
Edit: I sound really harsh but that's because I'm dissapointed to be honest. The horses and mystery sounded so promising! But they kinda left somewhere after Jasper and Hallie first slept together. All in all, let me give you my thoughts in one sentence and you decide if you wanna read Break Me: the horses were far more enjoyable characters than the actual (horny ;-;) characters lol
1.5⭐️ Obviously I had to read this for “research purposes”. 😂 This was SO cringe! I was expecting it but wow. The only reason it gets an extra half star is because of the random mystery that was thrown in. And with that cliffhanger?? I have to read the second book!
I’ve always been enchanted with horses and their various personalities! This romantic suspense book not only had great human characters but also showcased the horses and their personalities! The spice was hot, the banter was on point, and the suspenseful moments have me guessing at who is ultimately responsible!
I’m invested now and cannot wait for book 2: Tame Me! Thanks so much to Tillie Cole for allowing me to read and review this book!
I went into Break Me expecting horses and romance, but nobody warned me that the equestrian world would be this messy. Between family tragedy, whispered scandals, sabotage, and an attraction neither main character wants to admit exists, this book had me hooked from the beginning.
Hallie has idolized Jasper Knighton for years, but when she arrives in England to ride for his family’s stable, she quickly realizes that the man behind the legend is carrying far more than the weight of his family name. Jasper is guarded, grieving, and determined to uncover the truth behind the tragedies that have plagued the Knighton family. As strange incidents continue to pile up around the farm, the tension between Hallie and Jasper becomes impossible to ignore.
What I loved most was the atmosphere. The competition scenes, the drama surrounding the stables, and the mystery woven throughout the story kept me turning pages long after I should have gone to sleep. Every time I thought I had figured out who was behind everything, another clue sent me spiraling in a different direction.
And that ending? Absolutely criminal. I need book two immediately because there is no way Tillie Cole expects me to sit with that cliffhanger in peace.
If you love: equestrian romance, forbidden attraction, wealthy family drama, mystery, and a brooding hero with way too many secrets, add this one to your TBR.
This book looked at me, whispered “you are safe with me,” and then shoved me headfirst over a five-foot jump without a helmet.
I came for the horse girl romance. I stayed because Jasper Knighton is a walking red flag wrapped in expensive riding gear and unresolved trauma, and apparently that’s my type now.
Hallie is talented, determined, and living every equestrian’s dream. Jasper is her idol, her boss, emotionally unavailable, and carrying enough baggage to fill an entire stable. Naturally, the chemistry between them is so intense it could probably power the British countryside.
The romance? Delicious.
The tension? Unbearable.
The yearning? Criminal.
And the audiobook? Absolute perfection. The narrators didn’t just perform the story—they grabbed me by the throat, threw me into the arena, and made sure I felt every ounce of angst, longing, and emotional devastation.
Then this book had the audacity to end.
Not end as in wrap things up.
End as in kick me off a cliff, wave goodbye, and leave me screaming into the void.
That cliffhanger was so rude I almost filed a formal complaint.
Now I’m over here emotionally attached to fictional horse people, desperately needing answers, and wondering if I can send the author my therapy bill.
I feel like this had the potential to be a really good read, but missed the mark for me for several reasons.
I thought the pacing was super slow and disjointed. While I usually like a slow burn, I honestly struggled to connect with the two characters and see any chemistry between them. The dialogue was also SO cringe, especially Sage. It was definetly giving YA novel at times, even though the plot was far from a YA. I hated the constant use of the guys calling eachother “cousin” it just felt so forced and not how people talk in real life.
The plot around Jasper’s family being targeted was interesting to begin with, but I felt like there was too many characters to keep up with as the book progressed. I also hated how this wasn’t wrapped up at the end as it just felt like such an underwhelming ending to the book. Similarly, I also thought the second book in this series was going to be Atticus and Sage’s book, but clearly judging by the ending to this it’ll be another Jasper/Hallie focused book, which I really don’t feel is neccesary.
That being said, this definitely still had some positives. The horse knowledge was really good and I enjoyed reading about the competition side of things which isn’t something i’m overly familiar with. As previously mentioned, the story around Jasper’s family being targeted did keep me engaged, and I do still really want to know who it is.
However, overall this book just wasn’t for me. I found it quite boring, and the characters too bland, and I probably won’t carry on with this series in the future.
I really liked the characters and the story because not only was there a story following the FMC and her show jumping, there was suspense (who did it, who is after the MMCs family) I’ve never really come across a book about show jumping before so it was pretty cool to get into that world.
Jasper the MMC was such a grump at first (rightfully so because of what he’s been through) and Hallie the FMC was really good at breaking down his walls. After he finally gives in, he’s actually super freaking sweet while also dominant in the best way! I like how Tillie sets up some of the side characters for their story as well. Overall I did enjoy the book and characters it was just a little longer than I’d have wanted it. I’m eager to see what’s next for this series!
Super fun easy read! I’m a horse gal so I absolutely loved this and the horse stuff was done superbly! I loved all the characters and thought they were done really well. Jasper and Hallie had great chemistry and I was really invested in them from the start. I loved the mystery element and want to shout at TC for that hecking cliff hanger! Honestly only minor niggles but all in all loved! Where is book 2!?!
Hallie a young western rider take a traumatic turn and try’s English at her aunts farm. Instantly falling in love with the sport and the boy there training. Years later she meets the boy again only now he is her boss and a grump to be around. This book was amazing start to finish. It keeps you on your toes with every twist and turn. Now I sit here questioning my life choices waiting for book 2.
OMG!!!!!! I must live under a rock most days because I DID NOT know this was a duet until a got to the To Be Continued. . . part 😭
I picked this book up when I saw the release promo. I love this author's books therefore was super excited for a new read by her.... BUT right now I'm mad at myself because I read in my kindle. So I had no clue how far into the book I was until there was no more pages gaaaaaah!!!
It’s an easy read. But for some reason, it felt like a fanfiction from long ago. But that’s just me. What I’m not a fan of is the dramatic cliffhanger. I probably won’t bother with the next book. But someone else will love this book/series.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Cliff hanger !! … as if I have to wait till next year to find out wtf Happens
I have a theory, stop reading here if you don’t want to dive into what you think is happening in the next book even though I’m only going to write 3 little words ..
Ben .. The Groom 👀
I’ll buzz if I’m right 😅
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.