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Cactus Jack
Brad Smith “rivals Elmore Leonard at his best” (Publishers Weekly). His latest novel, for fans of Richard Russo and Jane Smiley, is a terrific novel about a thirty-something single woman, the untried colt she inherits, a horse crazy little girl, and their band of misfits and has-beens who stick it to the establishment in the cutthroat world of horse racing.
Billie Masterson is a thirty-something chronic underachiever, drowning herself in alcohol and bad relationships in Ohio. She hasn’t been home to the family’s broken-down thoroughbred farm in Kentucky since college. Her mother committed suicide when Billie was a teen and she blames her father, Will Masterson. When Will drops dead while working on the farm, Billie returns to rural Kentucky for the funeral, intending only to pay her respects before high-tailing it back to Ohio. However, she’s informed by her father’s lawyer, the garrulous David Mountain Clay, that she now owns the farm…and all the debt that goes with it. Determined to sell everything, settle the debts and get out of town, Billie discovers that her father’s colt, a horse named Cactus Jack, is the object of obsession for billionaire Reese Ryker, the louche scion of a department store dynasty and now owner of Double R Racing, one of the top thoroughbred stables in the world. Billie is willing to sell everything to Ryker—until she realizes that he’s an entitled misogynist and a not-so-subtle racist. Against her better judgment, she decides to keep the farm and the untested horse. To do that she needs to race the animal—and beat Ryker at his own game. Assisted by a team of misfits, including a washed-up trainer with whom she has a bit too much history, the horse-crazy little girl next door, and her father’s ex-girlfriend, Billie and Cactus Jack take the track by a storm.
Billie Masterson is a thirty-something chronic underachiever, drowning herself in alcohol and bad relationships in Ohio. She hasn’t been home to the family’s broken-down thoroughbred farm in Kentucky since college. Her mother committed suicide when Billie was a teen and she blames her father, Will Masterson. When Will drops dead while working on the farm, Billie returns to rural Kentucky for the funeral, intending only to pay her respects before high-tailing it back to Ohio. However, she’s informed by her father’s lawyer, the garrulous David Mountain Clay, that she now owns the farm…and all the debt that goes with it. Determined to sell everything, settle the debts and get out of town, Billie discovers that her father’s colt, a horse named Cactus Jack, is the object of obsession for billionaire Reese Ryker, the louche scion of a department store dynasty and now owner of Double R Racing, one of the top thoroughbred stables in the world. Billie is willing to sell everything to Ryker—until she realizes that he’s an entitled misogynist and a not-so-subtle racist. Against her better judgment, she decides to keep the farm and the untested horse. To do that she needs to race the animal—and beat Ryker at his own game. Assisted by a team of misfits, including a washed-up trainer with whom she has a bit too much history, the horse-crazy little girl next door, and her father’s ex-girlfriend, Billie and Cactus Jack take the track by a storm.
- GenresWesternsContemporary
312 pages, Hardcover
First published June 16, 2020
53 people are currently reading
152 people want to read
About the author
Brad Smith
131 books101 followersBrad Smith was born and raised in southern Ontario. He has worked as a farmer, signalman, insulator, truck driver, bartender, schoolteacher, maintenance mechanic, roofer, and carpenter. He lives in a eighty-year-old farmhouse near the north shore of Lake Erie. His novel, "One-Eyed Jacks" was nominated for the Dashiell Hammett Prize.
Some of his books that have been published include One-Eyed Jacks (2000), All Hat (2003), Busted Flush (2005), Big Man Coming Down The Road (2007), Red Means Run (January 2012) and Crow's Landing (August 2012).
Follow Brad on Facebook at http://on.fb.me/uQYcIw.
Some of his books that have been published include One-Eyed Jacks (2000), All Hat (2003), Busted Flush (2005), Big Man Coming Down The Road (2007), Red Means Run (January 2012) and Crow's Landing (August 2012).
Follow Brad on Facebook at http://on.fb.me/uQYcIw.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 47 reviews
June 20, 2020
Billie Masterson is a down on her luck waitress with a drop kick boyfriend, when she learns of the death of her estranged father. Inheriting his run down Kentucky horse farm, and the debts with it, Billie's first instinct is to sell everything. When billionaire businessman Reese Ryker offers her a good price she almost takes it, then she learns of Ryker's obsession with her father's unraced colt, Cactus Jack.
So Billie and her horse, along with a cast of odd bods, take on the establishment, with no money and very little hope. Will Cactus Jack rise to the occasion? Or will Ryker get his way and claim the horse? With everything against them our crew are determined to rise to the top.
I found Cactus Jack to be a classic rags to riches horse racing novel. It is enjoyable enough, even if some of the scenarios seem implausible, and most of the characters cliched. I found it to be easy and quick to read, and did find myself invested in Cactus Jack and his racing career. Lovers of horses and sports will enjoy this book.
My thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
So Billie and her horse, along with a cast of odd bods, take on the establishment, with no money and very little hope. Will Cactus Jack rise to the occasion? Or will Ryker get his way and claim the horse? With everything against them our crew are determined to rise to the top.
I found Cactus Jack to be a classic rags to riches horse racing novel. It is enjoyable enough, even if some of the scenarios seem implausible, and most of the characters cliched. I found it to be easy and quick to read, and did find myself invested in Cactus Jack and his racing career. Lovers of horses and sports will enjoy this book.
My thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
May 20, 2020
Thanks to NetGalley and Skyhorse Publishing for an egalley in exchange for an honest review.
Cactus Jack was a little rough around the edges and it took me a few chapters before I felt fully committed to its tale. When Billie Masterson receives word that her father, Will has died, she makes the reluctant journey back to the family farm in Kentucky. Billie arrives with old hostilities and a desire to get rid of her father's property. However, some of her father's friends including his girlfriend Marian, his lawyer, Clay, a horse named Cactus Jack, and a ten-year-old girl named Jodie are about to teach Billie a few life lessons.
As I read, I really grew to love the prickly Billie and the character of Marian has to be one of my favorite supporting characters of 2020. Above all, this was a solid contemporary novel that didn't have the female protagonist falling head over heels and being saved by romance. Certainly, the first book in which I have read about horse racing! I would definitely recommend this book to my fellow readers.
Goodreads review published 20/05/20
Expected Publication Date 16/06/20
Cactus Jack was a little rough around the edges and it took me a few chapters before I felt fully committed to its tale. When Billie Masterson receives word that her father, Will has died, she makes the reluctant journey back to the family farm in Kentucky. Billie arrives with old hostilities and a desire to get rid of her father's property. However, some of her father's friends including his girlfriend Marian, his lawyer, Clay, a horse named Cactus Jack, and a ten-year-old girl named Jodie are about to teach Billie a few life lessons.
As I read, I really grew to love the prickly Billie and the character of Marian has to be one of my favorite supporting characters of 2020. Above all, this was a solid contemporary novel that didn't have the female protagonist falling head over heels and being saved by romance. Certainly, the first book in which I have read about horse racing! I would definitely recommend this book to my fellow readers.
Goodreads review published 20/05/20
Expected Publication Date 16/06/20
June 20, 2022
A satisfying feel-good underdog story about a young woman and a horse Cactus Jack who finds meaning and purpose in her life.
I received a copy from the publisher.
I received a copy from the publisher.
September 14, 2020
Cactus Jack is a schmaltzy, uplifting, positive, feel-good story that will probably be made into a Disney or Hallmark movie. And that's okay because Smith gives us such a terrific piece of writing that it was hard to put down. It's a novel about the horse racing bug, but it doesn't get too much into the nitty gritty details of either the sport, the betting, or the addiction. More so, it's a story about a woman working as a waitress in nowheresville, Ohio, going nowhere, on the outs with her cantankerous crusty old father and what happens when he up and dies and she's stuck with the mess he leaves behind, a mess including a stray ten year old who collects stray animals and a two year old colt with an interesting pedigree. The characters are well-drawn. The story is captivating. And, yes, you can tell the good guys from the bad guys without looking at your scorecard. It's not exactly a mystery what's going to happen, but it's a lot of fun hearing the story told and taking the journey to get there.
March 23, 2020
Thank you NetGalley and Skyhorse Publishing / Arcade for this arc.
I found this to be a real "feel good" read. Not sure how to "shelve" it... family drama? underdog story? redemption story? or just coming of age?? Whatever, I found it to be a compelling read with mostly engaging and well-developed characters. There was enough detail about horseracing that the plot felt "true", but not so much as to overwhelm the story. Overall, a very satisfying read (especially the corvette).
4.5 stars
I found this to be a real "feel good" read. Not sure how to "shelve" it... family drama? underdog story? redemption story? or just coming of age?? Whatever, I found it to be a compelling read with mostly engaging and well-developed characters. There was enough detail about horseracing that the plot felt "true", but not so much as to overwhelm the story. Overall, a very satisfying read (especially the corvette).
4.5 stars
May 28, 2020
To me Cactus Jack was a very pleasant surprise. The plot was well structured and believable, there was a lot of character building (especially when it came to Billie and Luke) and the ending was very satisfying. It was also refreshing how Billie managed to solve her problems without falling in love with a man who had to come to her rescue, but also without turning her into some superwoman who didn’t need anyone. I highly recommend this book!
July 30, 2020
This would make a marvelous movie. Billie was a character who was repugnant to me throughout the book. She talked to people as if they were parasitic insects or crude aliens invading when they merely said hello. And the last third was not paced well.
Regardless of the rotten attitudes mentioned and some foul habits jolly back handed noted- it still could make a heart throb Hallmark with Jodie and the animals alone. Not to speak of handsome sleek Cactus Jack.
Somehow this didn’t seem at all 2010 or 2020 but more like pre- 2000. It is certainly a flashback to loyalty or integrity ingrained.
The prose is better than well done and I feel the similes were 5 star. Unique snazz a few of them. Definitely would read another but I didn’t care for Billie regardless. Not even at the ending.
Regardless of the rotten attitudes mentioned and some foul habits jolly back handed noted- it still could make a heart throb Hallmark with Jodie and the animals alone. Not to speak of handsome sleek Cactus Jack.
Somehow this didn’t seem at all 2010 or 2020 but more like pre- 2000. It is certainly a flashback to loyalty or integrity ingrained.
The prose is better than well done and I feel the similes were 5 star. Unique snazz a few of them. Definitely would read another but I didn’t care for Billie regardless. Not even at the ending.
June 16, 2020
Ahoy there me mateys! I received an eArc of this contemporary novel through Edelweiss in exchange for me honest musings. Though me focus is on sci-fi, fantasy, and young adult, this Captain does have broader reading tastes. So occasionally I will share some novels that I enjoyed that are off the charts (a non sci-fi, fantasy, or young adult novel), as it were.
This book drew me attention because of the cover. The crew knows that I was a horse lover before the sea stole me heart. I saw this book compared to Elmore Leonard’s work and thought “I be in the mood for a western with a girl on the cover.” Ummm well this is not a western. Apparently Mr. Leonard wrote all kinds of things besides westerns. I know of him by reputation only, having never read any of his work. But I be glad the comparison made me pick up this book.
This novel takes place first in Ohio and then in Kentucky. It revolves around an old run-down farm in Kentucky. The main character is a woman named Billie who inherits the farm, a mountain of debt, and a two year old thoroughbred. After coming back home, Billie gets wrapped up in the world she left behind and the colorful characters around her.
The stereotypes of small town life seem to be here – old local lawyer, rich clueless racehorse owner out to take down the old farm, drunken beat-down trainer, local kid hanging around, and Billie who wants to quickly escape them all. However, I ended up loving all the “good guy” characters and watching all the “bad guys” machinations came to naught. These stock characters still seemed fresh and fun.
Really this novel was just cozy and comfortable. None of the plot was super exciting given how many racehorse books I read as a kid. That said, it was engaging and I knew everything was gonna to turn out just fine. Which it did. I was happy and relaxed reading this novel. I loved this novel about Billie and how her family turns out in the end. Arrr!
This book drew me attention because of the cover. The crew knows that I was a horse lover before the sea stole me heart. I saw this book compared to Elmore Leonard’s work and thought “I be in the mood for a western with a girl on the cover.” Ummm well this is not a western. Apparently Mr. Leonard wrote all kinds of things besides westerns. I know of him by reputation only, having never read any of his work. But I be glad the comparison made me pick up this book.
This novel takes place first in Ohio and then in Kentucky. It revolves around an old run-down farm in Kentucky. The main character is a woman named Billie who inherits the farm, a mountain of debt, and a two year old thoroughbred. After coming back home, Billie gets wrapped up in the world she left behind and the colorful characters around her.
The stereotypes of small town life seem to be here – old local lawyer, rich clueless racehorse owner out to take down the old farm, drunken beat-down trainer, local kid hanging around, and Billie who wants to quickly escape them all. However, I ended up loving all the “good guy” characters and watching all the “bad guys” machinations came to naught. These stock characters still seemed fresh and fun.
Really this novel was just cozy and comfortable. None of the plot was super exciting given how many racehorse books I read as a kid. That said, it was engaging and I knew everything was gonna to turn out just fine. Which it did. I was happy and relaxed reading this novel. I loved this novel about Billie and how her family turns out in the end. Arrr!
January 31, 2023
Brad Smith has written a compelling read with well-developed characters. The first few chapters were a little rough around the edges, but as I dived further, I was compelled and committed to reading to the end.
Billie was the estranged daughter who blamed her father for her mother's passing. While enjoying life to the fullest, Billie was forced back into the past when her father unexpectedly passes away. She inherits the debt-ridden farm, a couple of horses, and a 10-year-old neighbor girl helper who has problems of her own.
The only way to save the farm is to enter Cactus Jack into racing,
Billie was the estranged daughter who blamed her father for her mother's passing. While enjoying life to the fullest, Billie was forced back into the past when her father unexpectedly passes away. She inherits the debt-ridden farm, a couple of horses, and a 10-year-old neighbor girl helper who has problems of her own.
The only way to save the farm is to enter Cactus Jack into racing,
Read
September 23, 2025Dnf at 40%. I couldn't get into the story at all, maybe later I will give it a second chance. It reminded me a lot of the show Wildfire but the plot felt forced slightly.
June 14, 2020
Slogging through advance readers copies can turn into a real chore, but Cactus Jack was a delightful surprise. Author Brad Smith, according to the Publisher's Weekly blurb, "rivals Elmore Leonard at his best." They do have qualities in common: gritty dialogue and down-at-the-heels characters with good minds and bad judgment.
This is the first of Smith's novels that I've read, but I felt as if I were indeed in Elmore Leonard territory, or that of two other current Leonard heirs, Willy Vlautin and Bart Paul. This is just a clean, spare tale of people struggling to get by -- but it's rife with class distinctions and applied morality.
When we meet the two leading characters, Billie and, later, Luke, their lives don't offer much promise. You could predict a steady downhill slide for each of them. But Smith lets them grow and develop and come to terms with their pasts, around the almost-incidental story of an unlikely champion horse.
Can you tell I loved it? Thanks to NetGalley and Skyhorse Publishing for an ARC.
BTW, now I'm going back (as I did with Leonard and Vlautin and Paul) and read everything Brad Smith has written.
This is the first of Smith's novels that I've read, but I felt as if I were indeed in Elmore Leonard territory, or that of two other current Leonard heirs, Willy Vlautin and Bart Paul. This is just a clean, spare tale of people struggling to get by -- but it's rife with class distinctions and applied morality.
When we meet the two leading characters, Billie and, later, Luke, their lives don't offer much promise. You could predict a steady downhill slide for each of them. But Smith lets them grow and develop and come to terms with their pasts, around the almost-incidental story of an unlikely champion horse.
Can you tell I loved it? Thanks to NetGalley and Skyhorse Publishing for an ARC.
BTW, now I'm going back (as I did with Leonard and Vlautin and Paul) and read everything Brad Smith has written.
August 28, 2020
**Thanks to NetGalley for my copy!** What a wonderful and unexpected surprise! I was initially attracted to this book because of its setting - Kentucky horse racing country is my homeland - but the story ended up completely capturing my heart.
I'm a sucker for an underdog story. A washed up horse farm, a jaded young woman, a spunky little girl from a broken home, a big-money bad guy, and one incredible horse...yeah, count me in on that.
Strong characters and relatable struggles pulled me into the plot and kept me engaged, and while the ending wasn't exactly what I wanted, it was exactly right for the story.
This book is a dark horse just like it's titular character - the quiet one nobody is noticing in the back corner (although everyone should be), the underdog, but one you'll quickly come to root for and love.
I'm a sucker for an underdog story. A washed up horse farm, a jaded young woman, a spunky little girl from a broken home, a big-money bad guy, and one incredible horse...yeah, count me in on that.
Strong characters and relatable struggles pulled me into the plot and kept me engaged, and while the ending wasn't exactly what I wanted, it was exactly right for the story.
This book is a dark horse just like it's titular character - the quiet one nobody is noticing in the back corner (although everyone should be), the underdog, but one you'll quickly come to root for and love.
February 17, 2020
Cactus Jack by Brad Smith is an excellent, heartwarming story of a 30ish woman, Billie, who has had her fair share of trials and downturns in life that is suddenly thrust back into her past when he father dies suddenly and she has to return home to find out not only does she have to confront her ghosts, but also inherits the run-down, sky-high debt-drowning horse farm.
Enter the evil, cutthroat evil millionaire that wants a young, horse in Billie’s possession, and Billie finds herself defending and fighting not only for the welfare of the horse, but for her future and those of a cast of secondary characters as well. The strength, heart, determination, and passion of those involved makes for an excellent book.
The ending is excellent and expected, but that is okay as it is what it truly should be. This book made me feel as if humanity had a chance, and left me feeling upbeat and happy. This could easily be made into a movie. It has all the elements to be an excellent underdog story. I enjoyed it from beginning to end.
5/5 stars
Thank you Edelweiss and Arcade/Simon & Schuster for this ARC and in return I am submitting my unbiased and voluntary review and opinion.
I am posting this review to my GR and Bookbub accounts immediately and will post it to my Amazon and B&N accounts upon publication.
Enter the evil, cutthroat evil millionaire that wants a young, horse in Billie’s possession, and Billie finds herself defending and fighting not only for the welfare of the horse, but for her future and those of a cast of secondary characters as well. The strength, heart, determination, and passion of those involved makes for an excellent book.
The ending is excellent and expected, but that is okay as it is what it truly should be. This book made me feel as if humanity had a chance, and left me feeling upbeat and happy. This could easily be made into a movie. It has all the elements to be an excellent underdog story. I enjoyed it from beginning to end.
5/5 stars
Thank you Edelweiss and Arcade/Simon & Schuster for this ARC and in return I am submitting my unbiased and voluntary review and opinion.
I am posting this review to my GR and Bookbub accounts immediately and will post it to my Amazon and B&N accounts upon publication.
May 4, 2020
Thank you to the author, Skyhorse Publishing and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
This feel-good, come-from-behind underdog story was a fascinating look into the world of B-racing - I am a diehard Dick Francis fan, but this is another thing completely. The characters were well-written and I found myself strangely invested. This was a very satisfying read, although it did end a bit abruptly - I could have easily read another 100 pages of this story, which was told so well.
This feel-good, come-from-behind underdog story was a fascinating look into the world of B-racing - I am a diehard Dick Francis fan, but this is another thing completely. The characters were well-written and I found myself strangely invested. This was a very satisfying read, although it did end a bit abruptly - I could have easily read another 100 pages of this story, which was told so well.
March 8, 2020
Cactus Jack is a solid, well structured contemporary novel. It is a great decription of the real side of B level racing. I liked the fact that Billie was a strong independent woman and did not solve her problem by falling in love. Through the novel she stood on her own two feet, made the hard decision and was a true heroine. The ending was good (and well done as well), light and bright.
January 18, 2023
This book wasn’t very good anyway but the narrator ruined it that much more. Is it so hard to change tone of voice? Everyone sounded angry every time they spoke. Also, half the time I had no idea who was speaking because she couldn’t be bothered to change her pitch. I mean, the nine year old sounded the same as the 32 year old!
I was expecting this book to be about the racehorse but the debts and mortgages featured more than cactus jack. Oh, and Luke flirting and sleeping with women as well of course - why wouldn’t I care every time he hooked up with a girl…? Every character was boring and one dimensional, and it was clear the author knows nothing about horses. That, or he couldn’t be bothered. He didn’t skip out details like Billie peeing in the morning and didn’t pass up the opportunity to tell us every time she got up for a beer but missed out crucial details about the horse and the process of the races. I mean, if you want to run a horse at full gallop without warming it up first you go right ahead. Some may say it isn’t necessary to include such details, of course they warmed the horse up first… to which I say, knowing how many beers billie drank during the day was also unnecessary but I was still subjected to the knowledge.
I was under the impression that this book would be about the bond that Billie forms with cactus jack and that’s why I read it in the first place. I love horses and I was excited to see how the relationship grew. Spoilers, it isn’t about that at all. Billie isn’t really bothered about the horse, all she wants is to run it in races to get back at a man who, granted was rude and selfish and narcissistic, but I need something more substantial to a book personally. I wanted to hate him. I wanted more instances where he displayed his narcissism so I could do just that but in the end I was left disappointed. Yes he’s rude and selfish and money and power hungry but that’s not enough to really hate him. This then meant that I wasn’t really bothered about Billie winning. So she wins, great, the world goes on. What I’m trying to say is that there wasn’t any satisfaction because I didn’t hate him enough to be elated when she won.
Also, I hate horse racing in general. I think it’s cruel and cause nothing but pain and an early death to a horse. To race a two year old cult is ridiculous. A horses skeleton isn’t fully fused until about four years old and they’re not fully grown until five. Can you imagine the toll that would take on a two year old? Not the books fault - this is something that goes on in the real world, but I wish it was handled better. Billie caring about what happened to cactus jack would’ve made it a bit more bearable. And plus even two years old is too young even for racing. Just wish the author would’ve done a bit more research on horses and their behaviour before writing this.
I was expecting this book to be about the racehorse but the debts and mortgages featured more than cactus jack. Oh, and Luke flirting and sleeping with women as well of course - why wouldn’t I care every time he hooked up with a girl…? Every character was boring and one dimensional, and it was clear the author knows nothing about horses. That, or he couldn’t be bothered. He didn’t skip out details like Billie peeing in the morning and didn’t pass up the opportunity to tell us every time she got up for a beer but missed out crucial details about the horse and the process of the races. I mean, if you want to run a horse at full gallop without warming it up first you go right ahead. Some may say it isn’t necessary to include such details, of course they warmed the horse up first… to which I say, knowing how many beers billie drank during the day was also unnecessary but I was still subjected to the knowledge.
I was under the impression that this book would be about the bond that Billie forms with cactus jack and that’s why I read it in the first place. I love horses and I was excited to see how the relationship grew. Spoilers, it isn’t about that at all. Billie isn’t really bothered about the horse, all she wants is to run it in races to get back at a man who, granted was rude and selfish and narcissistic, but I need something more substantial to a book personally. I wanted to hate him. I wanted more instances where he displayed his narcissism so I could do just that but in the end I was left disappointed. Yes he’s rude and selfish and money and power hungry but that’s not enough to really hate him. This then meant that I wasn’t really bothered about Billie winning. So she wins, great, the world goes on. What I’m trying to say is that there wasn’t any satisfaction because I didn’t hate him enough to be elated when she won.
Also, I hate horse racing in general. I think it’s cruel and cause nothing but pain and an early death to a horse. To race a two year old cult is ridiculous. A horses skeleton isn’t fully fused until about four years old and they’re not fully grown until five. Can you imagine the toll that would take on a two year old? Not the books fault - this is something that goes on in the real world, but I wish it was handled better. Billie caring about what happened to cactus jack would’ve made it a bit more bearable. And plus even two years old is too young even for racing. Just wish the author would’ve done a bit more research on horses and their behaviour before writing this.
April 10, 2020
Reading this book was like a slow gentle breeze. If you have a little extra time this can be a one read it is that good. Billie Masterson who is a waitress in a no town in Ohio is just floating through life she is parting ways with a loser boyfriend who cannot let go. Her world changes when she receives a phone call that her father who she has not talked to in 10 years passes away. She needs to come back home to for the funeral and finds that she has inherited the family farm/ranch but she also has to deal with al the debt that her father left behind. She inherits a couple of horses and a neighbor girl helper who appears to have a rough life herself, this girl was the apple of her fathers eye and ends up being a help for Billie with things around the ranch that she has been away from for so long.
Along with the debt and apparent selling of the property Billie has to face issues from early family life concerning her mother and her father that she is not ready to face along with the meeting her fathers girlfriend that she did not know he had. This story has a few twist and turns about the time she is ready to sell the property to the local town rich family when she finds out that one horse she has comes from fine racing blood lines and just maybe a way out. So follow along as she assembles a ragtag team to get this done. Thank you to Simon-Schuster and Edelweiss for an ARC for a fair and honest review.
Along with the debt and apparent selling of the property Billie has to face issues from early family life concerning her mother and her father that she is not ready to face along with the meeting her fathers girlfriend that she did not know he had. This story has a few twist and turns about the time she is ready to sell the property to the local town rich family when she finds out that one horse she has comes from fine racing blood lines and just maybe a way out. So follow along as she assembles a ragtag team to get this done. Thank you to Simon-Schuster and Edelweiss for an ARC for a fair and honest review.
December 26, 2022
I came across Brad Smith years ago when I saw All Hat and thought it looked interesting.
It was, indeed.
So, I found a couple more of his books and they were excellent and eminently satisfying.
But, my attention span tends to wander.
Recently I came across a Brad Smith novel, The Return of Kid Cooper, winner of the Spur Award. They don't give you those for falling out of a tree.
Since then I have been working my way through every book the man has written. And I have been enjoying the experience immensely. You know how it goes; I laughed, I cried, it was a laugh riot.
This particular book, Cactus Jack,is, yet again, a tale of the underdog, the offbeat, and the vagaries of life itself.
Mr. Smith has the ability to reveal a character without being explicit: a few little details and you've got the measure of the person. He makes you care. And he entertains the shit out of you.
He seems to dislike the fact that the world is run by bullies, charlatans and scoundrels. People who seek to crush the disadvantaged to feed their own narcissism.
But, every now and then, some rogue comes along and runs that shit right back up the elephant's ass.
And sometimes that comes with a very high price tag.
That is a tremendous over-simplification of the variety of tales Mr. Smith tells.
Many authors write such tales.
Very few do it as well.
Let's face it: if Dennis Lehane says you've got the goods, then you've got the goods.
You've got 'em good.
It was, indeed.
So, I found a couple more of his books and they were excellent and eminently satisfying.
But, my attention span tends to wander.
Recently I came across a Brad Smith novel, The Return of Kid Cooper, winner of the Spur Award. They don't give you those for falling out of a tree.
Since then I have been working my way through every book the man has written. And I have been enjoying the experience immensely. You know how it goes; I laughed, I cried, it was a laugh riot.
This particular book, Cactus Jack,is, yet again, a tale of the underdog, the offbeat, and the vagaries of life itself.
Mr. Smith has the ability to reveal a character without being explicit: a few little details and you've got the measure of the person. He makes you care. And he entertains the shit out of you.
He seems to dislike the fact that the world is run by bullies, charlatans and scoundrels. People who seek to crush the disadvantaged to feed their own narcissism.
But, every now and then, some rogue comes along and runs that shit right back up the elephant's ass.
And sometimes that comes with a very high price tag.
That is a tremendous over-simplification of the variety of tales Mr. Smith tells.
Many authors write such tales.
Very few do it as well.
Let's face it: if Dennis Lehane says you've got the goods, then you've got the goods.
You've got 'em good.
June 3, 2020
There is no going wrong with a good, old-fashioned horse novel. Even though, technically, this is not a horse novel. It is about a horse yes—Cactus Jack, a colt born of the greatest horse in the world, who might just be the next best horse in the world now. But it’s also about the past and present of the people around this horse. A band of mismatched characters that come together not-so intentionality to maybe witness the miraculous rise of an underdog.
From Will Masterson, the owner of Cactus Jack to his daughter Billie and everyone in between—Jodie, the ten-year-old neighbor with a soft heart for animals; Clay, the gentle giant/fierce lawyer; Marian, the kickass ex-girlfriend of Will Masterson; and Luke, scoundrel and horse trainer extraordinaire—I enjoyed everyone’s part on the story, their ups and downs and their ultimate redemption.
The pace was great, the drama was plenty. I liked that the intelligence on the characters shone through instead of being stated. And the build-up expectation on Cactus Jack’s performance as a race horse was worth everything. Very well accomplished novel in my opinion, enjoyable for a perfect rainy afternoon.
From Will Masterson, the owner of Cactus Jack to his daughter Billie and everyone in between—Jodie, the ten-year-old neighbor with a soft heart for animals; Clay, the gentle giant/fierce lawyer; Marian, the kickass ex-girlfriend of Will Masterson; and Luke, scoundrel and horse trainer extraordinaire—I enjoyed everyone’s part on the story, their ups and downs and their ultimate redemption.
The pace was great, the drama was plenty. I liked that the intelligence on the characters shone through instead of being stated. And the build-up expectation on Cactus Jack’s performance as a race horse was worth everything. Very well accomplished novel in my opinion, enjoyable for a perfect rainy afternoon.
September 21, 2020
Those who follow me know that horses figure prominently in my life. When I saw the cover and read the dust jacket, I thought, "well, it's considered a Western, so it might be kind of formulaic, I don't know...", but with an extended vacation coming, I decided to risk it.
I"m glad I did. Yes, a lot of the plot is a bit predictable : there are clear "bad" guys, and flawed but heart of gold "good guys." However, with the protagnist a youngish, tough love type waitress suddenly presented with the mystery of her dad's past 20 years and his underdog racing horse to boot, there's much to recommend it.
I particularly loved the lead character 's rough around the edges smarts and sass -- Billie Masterson is far from the standard "on the sidelines" ornamental woman.
I was delighted and surprised to learn that the author, Brad Smith (who has won the Western Writer's Association 's top award in 2019) actually lives in Canada -- near Dunnville, Ontario, apparently.
I"m glad I did. Yes, a lot of the plot is a bit predictable : there are clear "bad" guys, and flawed but heart of gold "good guys." However, with the protagnist a youngish, tough love type waitress suddenly presented with the mystery of her dad's past 20 years and his underdog racing horse to boot, there's much to recommend it.
I particularly loved the lead character 's rough around the edges smarts and sass -- Billie Masterson is far from the standard "on the sidelines" ornamental woman.
I was delighted and surprised to learn that the author, Brad Smith (who has won the Western Writer's Association 's top award in 2019) actually lives in Canada -- near Dunnville, Ontario, apparently.
February 14, 2024
What as. Complete waste of a good story.
Spoilers below..
.
.
..
.
Last chance
.
.
.
.
1. The Billionaire bad guy gets away with cheating at a horse race and no one questions the lack of evidence on a photo finish... That would never happen!
2. The guy running the track gets away with cheating and allowing the losing horse the victory along with not getting charged or prosecuted for an earlier blackmail scheme in a felony amount.
3. The snippy jealous ex high-school frenemy gets away with divulging financial information about the h to said Billionaire in point number 1.
4. The H doesn't learn to hold back on constantly hitting on women after the blackmail attempt.
I don't get why the author felt that the dirty players didn't need to be at least exposed or punished for their illegal behavior other than the bad guy's horse pulling up lame (which could be minor or major). It just ended with little to no resolution.
Spoilers below..
.
.
..
.
Last chance
.
.
.
.
1. The Billionaire bad guy gets away with cheating at a horse race and no one questions the lack of evidence on a photo finish... That would never happen!
2. The guy running the track gets away with cheating and allowing the losing horse the victory along with not getting charged or prosecuted for an earlier blackmail scheme in a felony amount.
3. The snippy jealous ex high-school frenemy gets away with divulging financial information about the h to said Billionaire in point number 1.
4. The H doesn't learn to hold back on constantly hitting on women after the blackmail attempt.
I don't get why the author felt that the dirty players didn't need to be at least exposed or punished for their illegal behavior other than the bad guy's horse pulling up lame (which could be minor or major). It just ended with little to no resolution.
June 13, 2020
Billie reluctantly goes home to Kentucky when her father dies and discovers she's inherited his farm, his horses, and a huge pile of debt. One of those horses, Cactus Jack, has a bloodline that could make him a real contender but ....She's also sort of inherited Jodie, a 10 year old who "boards" her donkey, pony, and goat on the farm. Billie's a cactus herself- she's prickly, she drinks too much, and she makes bad decisions about men. She's also smart and when she gets it in her mind to beat Reese Ryker, well, she works hard. This is horse racing at its most basic level. The characters are wonderful (the Mountain is the attorney I want), the atmospherics terrific, and Smith managed to rope me in to root for everyone (but Ryker). This one has a huge heart under the grit and dirt. Thanks to the publisher for the ARC. I really enjoyed and highly recommend it.
October 19, 2020
I enjoyed this book. Billie is a woman that is tough to like at first, but by the end of the book I really liked her. The plot involves Billie returning to her small home town in Kentucky after her father dies. She has inherited his debt, a small farm, a young racehorse, and a little girl who was her father's friend. She's also inherited the ire of a local rich man who will stop at nothing to get her racehorse. I'm from a small town and the scenes between Billie and her high school friend who's now a bank officer are classic - reminds me of the movie Hope Floats. The relationships that Billie builds - sometimes despite herself - with her father's lawyer, her father's mistress, a washed-up trainer, and the little girl are endearing. There are a few holes in the plot, but none glaring enough to take away from my enjoyment.
December 31, 2020
A fun book about a 30 something college-educated woman, Billie, with no real life goals or plans. She is estranged from her father and supports herself as a waitress. When her father dies, she inherits his deeply in debt ranch. His only asset is a two-year old untried race horse, Cactus Jack, sired by a great champion (but mother just average.) Billie originally has no plans of racing Cactus Jack. She’s simply going to quickly sell the property and the horse. ---But things don’t go that smoothly. Of course you know Cactus Jack will eventually prove a winner, but what fun it is to see the plot twists and turns and how the characters develop through the story.
January 10, 2023
I really enjoyed this book and would happily read more about what happens next in the lives of these characters who are very original, quirky, and not necessarily at all immediately likeable. They make bad decisions, are in debt or barely breaking even, living on the margins, seemingly selfish and yet... you get hooked into their core strengths and integrity, their humility, and their decency. Living on the edge of defeat, they still keep going, sometimes out of stubbornness, sometimes habit, sometimes necessity, sometimes anger and sometimes compassion. They had me laughing out loud and occasionally misty with emotion. Read the book. I'm pretty sure you'll be glad you did.
October 25, 2021
This was an okay, book.
Billie hasn't spoken with her father in years. She blamed him for her mother's suicide. When he passed and left her the farm and a bunch of horses, her plan was to sell it all, pay things off and get on with her life... But she finds herself staying on and joining a horse race with the Colt her father and hung his hopes on. She also begins to care for the neighbor girl her father had taken under his wing. It wasn't unexpected really but it was a nice short read about finding where you're meant to be.
Billie hasn't spoken with her father in years. She blamed him for her mother's suicide. When he passed and left her the farm and a bunch of horses, her plan was to sell it all, pay things off and get on with her life... But she finds herself staying on and joining a horse race with the Colt her father and hung his hopes on. She also begins to care for the neighbor girl her father had taken under his wing. It wasn't unexpected really but it was a nice short read about finding where you're meant to be.
October 5, 2023
This book could be a Lifetime movie (I'm surprised it isn't). Poor Billie, alone and burying herself in crappy alcohol and men, inherits a thoroughbred farm that's about to go under...and a colt that just might save them. Enter love interest, tug-at-your-heartstrings little girl, and grade A jerk with money who is trying to ruin her and get his hands on the colt. It all ends up exactly how you think it's going to.
October 13, 2020
This is the story of a promising colt, a run-down farm, and a young woman who needs to face both her past and her future. Extremely well written, with realistic characters you remember, this book may turn out mostly how you want it to, although not exactly the way you were expecting. I hated to see it end.
June 16, 2023
Cactus Jack
A very human story with all the crookedness of horse racing well in evidence. It was fast paced enough to hold my attention. It would be easy to give away many of the racing details of the story. I will reframe with great difficulty. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did.
A very human story with all the crookedness of horse racing well in evidence. It was fast paced enough to hold my attention. It would be easy to give away many of the racing details of the story. I will reframe with great difficulty. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did.
October 10, 2023
Her name is Billie and she has a huge chip on her shoulder. When her father dies, she needs to figure out what she wants to do with her life, continue going nowhere, or take over the farm and the colt her Dad thought had so much potential. Along the way we meet bad guys and gals and good ones, and it is an entertaining tale. Fun!
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