Breaking Free

Breaking #1

by Juliana Haygert

**Previously titled Breaking the Reins**


Horses, mansions, tea parties, and lies are twenty-year-old Hannah Taylor’s life. To others, her family and her relationship with Eric is perfect. But she knows the truth. She lives it.

After a fire takes her grandma's life and kills her horse, Hannah's immaculate life spirals out of control. Her father disapproves of her decision to run her grandma’s ranch instead of focusing solely on learning the family business; Animal Control brings her Argus, a mistreated horse that she can't turn away even though she's not ready for another horse; and her boyfriend, Eric Bennett, a world famous polo player, becomes possessive and authoritarian. Despite her best efforts to disguise it, Hannah grows wary of him.

Then, Leonardo Fernandes struts onto the polo scene. A cocky rookie with a messy life of his own, he’s drawn to Hannah and isn’t afraid of showing it, even when Eric makes it clear she is his and he’ll do whatever it takes to keep it that way. Hannah suffers for Eric’s jealousy. The abuse only gets worse when Leo steals the title of best polo player in the world from Eric.

But the title isn’t enough for Leo. He wants Hannah too, and she can’t deny her attraction to him either. Somehow, she must find a way to break free from abusive Eric before he breaks every bone in her body.


Author's note: this book contains scenes of domestic violence, mentions of animal cruelty, strong language, sex scenes (no rape!), and a HEA.


The Breaking Series:

Breaking Free (Book 1)
Breaking Away (Book 2)
Breaking Through (Book 3)
Breaking Down (Book 4)
*All books are standalone and can be read out of order.

Genres: New Adult, Romance, Contemporary, Contemporary Romance, Sports, Abuse, Ebooks

Kindle Edition

First published August 14, 2013

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]

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[Ashley Williams · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a great read, one that totally enveloped me until the last word. Here are five reasons why I liked this book:

1. It was a total surprise. When I read the synopsis, I was pretty hesitant.. I don't like reading about spoiled rich girls, and then add horses, abuse, and Polo on the top of that, I was just unsure. But after the first chapter, I knew my preconceived notions about this was wrong. The story isn't just a romance, it's a story about healing, finding strength, and surviving.

2. Hannah was a great character. She wasn't really spoiled. There were no moments where I found myself ready to throttle her. She was smart and cared with her whole heart. Just an all around good person. I also liked that despite her relationship status with Eric and the heat she felt for Leo, she didn't cheat on him.

I also really LOVED Leo. I loved his character, family, and patience. I like how he seemed human. He was also not your typical book boyfriend. His family was from South America. He had the right amount of swagger and confidence!

3. Haygert is a great writer. She managed to take quite a few topics I wouldn't normally want to read about and put them in a story. She made it interesting, exciting, swoony, and sad all at once. There weren't too much background explanations, everything just seemed to evolve naturally.

4. I am an animal person, and I love the bond that we develop with Argus as the reader. It is truly touching! If I had more time/space/money I'd want to rehabilitate horses too!

5. The NA genre is full of books that are more Erotica than actual NA. I read all genres, but you have to think of your audience, this bridges the gap between YA and Adult.. should there be steam/sex scenes? YES! Should every chapter have sex in it? NO! There are going to be young adults that pick these books up too.. (that's not to say that they aren't participating in those types of activities), I think the author needs to hold that in account. My point in saying this is.. Juliana did a wonderful job of balancing the sexual part of the book with the actual content (plot) of the book!

So overall, my only complaint would be this.. Leo's foreign and often incorporates that when he's speaking English. There's a glossary in the front of the book to explain what the words mean. Which is cool. BUT when you have to refer to the front of the book for every conversation then it gets a little frustrating. I just gave up and made some meaning up in my head; 5-7 new terms are fine, but not much more than that. Other than that, I would highly encourage everyone to give this book a chance!

[Priya Kanaparti · Rating 5 out of 5]

AHHH! GUYS, I got the first chance to read this book AND OMG GOD! LEO HOT, ERIC - CAN I KILL HIM NOW? AND ARGUS - my heart is soo in love and ARGUS is a horse!!!

This story is warm and heart wrenching. It's about trust, betrayal and domestic violence that plagues our society. I encoruge you guys to get a copy of this book when it comes out. It'll have you teary, SWOONY, and wanting to punch ERIC in the FACE.

Juliana, you my dear did an awesome job with this book! Do we get to see stories from the other brothers? CUZ I want it...

<3

[Haley · Rating 5 out of 5]

Check out more reviews,giveaways, interviews and much more over at my blog:YA-Aholic

Well...I actually have no idea how to start off this review. I have been sitting here thinking and thinking and NOTHING I say is really expressing how much I enjoyed this book. Just know that I absolutely, 100% fell in love with Breaking the Reins.

Breaking the Reins is hands down, the best New Adult novel I have read so far (and I have read a good number of them). This book had me completely enraptured in the story from the very beginning till the very end, and left me on quite the book high. Juliana wrote characters that stole my heart, that made me really feel.

I don't cry during books often, it's something that rarely happens. While reading Breaking the Reins though, there was a part that shattered my heart into a bunch of tiny pieces and really made me get choked up and teary eyed. Juliana wrote her characters so well, that when they were being beaten down. and at a point where I wasn't sure if they would make it out okay, I found myself very upset, and insanely worried for them.

With that said, I think characters was the strongest point with Breaking the Reins, and I honestly cannot see how someone could not find themselves falling in love with this cast. You have Hannah who was stubborn, caring, and strong. People wanted her to sell her late grandmothers ranch, but she would never. She has a horse Argus that she is suppose to save, even though the horse seems impossible, and dangerous she still won't give up on him. You have Leo who has a rough past, but has turned a new leaf. He is caring and patient and wants nothing more than to be with Hannah and make her happy. Then you have Argus, who is the horse that was abused by his past owners, and while the progress is slow, he is very slowly warming up to Leo and Hannah. Those were easily my 3 favorites characters (yes the horse is a character in my book! He is someone readers will find themselves very attached to)

Besides Hannah, Leo and Argus though I did rather enjoy Bia (Leo's sister). I also in the end found myself liking Hillary who is Hannah's sister, I wouldn't mind seeing Hillary get her own story. A story telling how she deals with the aftermath of Breaking the Reins, learning to trust again.

Breaking the Reins, was a little slow paced in the beginning. But even though it was slow paced readers will still find themselves on the edge of their seats during the whole novel. You never know when Eric is going to show up, or what he is going to do, which made the whole reading experience rather stressful, but exciting. Leo would be helping Hannah train Argus, and I would always find myself worrying "omg...what if Eric shows up?!?! WHAT THE HELL WILL THEY DO?!" With Eric being such a roller coaster of a character you never know what to expect from him.

Overall, Breaking the Reins was such a good read. If you are a fan of New Adult contemporary novels, then I highly recommend it. I read this book in one sitting, just a few days ago and am already looking forward to the next time I pick it up to re-read it. If you want an edge of your seat, heart stirring, contemporary romance, then you need to read this.

Quotes

"Say the word and I'm there. Please...say it." ~Leo to Hannah

"You're mine, Hannah, and only mine. Nobody, no other man will lay hands on you. You hear me?" He pressed his mouth to my ear. "You're mine." ~Eric to Hannah

Other book reviews you also may want to check out:
Smash Into You by Shelly Crane
Hale Maree by Misty Provencher
Broken at Love by Lyla Payne
Catching Liam by Sophia Bleu

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

After Hannah’s grandmother and beloved horse died in a fire that wiped out the barn, she inherits the ranch and manages it whilst attending college and keeping up appearances with the rich polo crowd her boyfriend Eric is involved in. Then Argus appears – battered and tortured, he’s in need of a whisperer to help him recover, and Hannah doesn’t think she’s up to the job – until she meets Leo, Eric’s polo rival, Brazilian, and magic with horses. Hannah finds herself attracted to Leo, but Eric needs her more than ever, and she has to choose between her own life or following the reins someone else has put on her.

That summary is a little poetic, but that’s how I felt about the novel. It’s also about domestic abuse. It’s no secret from the first time we meet Eric that he’s going to be bad news, even though he’s a loving, doting boyfriend. He’s a textbook psychopath and Hannah falls into textbook domestic abuse. Why doesn’t she leave him? Why doesn’t she stand up for herself? Why does she take him back? These are all questions that ALL domestic abuse survivors have been asked, and I feel that Haygert really explains quite well exactly how Hannah feels and why she continues in an abusive relationship despite the obvious danger. He doesn’t start out horrible, and it develops nicely (ugh, you know what I mean) as a plot, and it’s very well balanced. Hannah loves him, and although he wants her to give up college, sell the ranch and marry him, that’s not what she wants.

That aside, let’s talk about nice things. Argus is wonderful, an untrusting white stallion who was horrifically abused by his previous owner and is now recovering with Hannah’s help. The progress is painfully slow, but Argus comes through just when you need him to. I loved him, even if he wasn’t the perfect horse like Midnight from Breaking Fences. Leo was pretty awesome as well, although I couldn’t approve of Hannah making out with him while she was still in a relationship with Eric, even if Eric was a complete tosspot.

Part of me wishes Hannah had come to Leo and his brothers for help earlier, rather than try to sort out her own problems, because what could be hotter than four athletic Brazilian men showing up at your ranch to teach your abusive boyfriend a lesson? Well, that’s not what I got, but a girl can dream. I was actually really happy with the way the novel wrapped everything up.

Don’t read this looking for info on how much work it really takes to look after a horse, because although Hannah gets up early and works hard to look after her horses, she and her stablehand seem to be able to tack up a whole class’s worth in no time at all, when in reality tacking up a horse takes a lot of time and work, as you need to brush them with several different brushes both before and after riding, and clean their hooves. 10-20 minutes for each horse? Before and after the ride? It’s a LOT of work that I don’t think was necessarily represented accurately in this book. I thought it was really weird how Hannah’s team did all the work tacking up the horses for classes rather than making the students do it. But if you’re not looking for horse care, you probably won’t care about details like that.

I read Breaking Fences first, and in my opinion this is the better book. I feel that Breaking the Reins was more intense, more enjoyable, with more conflict, even though I loved Bia’s relationship with Midnight. I might feel that way just because I read them out of order, though. Maybe if I read Breaking the Reins first, I would have appreciated the relative sweetness of Breaking Fences more, the uncomplicated plot, the more relaxed style. Maybe it would have been a welcome reprieve from the heartbreak of Breaking the Reins, I don’t know.

All I know is that I’m pretty keen for a third Breaking book. Hannah’s sister Hilary, perhaps?

[M · Rating 4 out of 5]

Horses, Hot Brazilians, and Horrifying Secrets

The story seems simple, a young girl wanting to break free from her wealthy family to find her own place in the world. But it’s so much more than that. Hannah has many stories to share. On the surface she seems so put together and determined, but the truth is she’s broken. I honestly don’t know who I rooted for more in this book, Hannah or the battered horse, Argus. My heart broke for Hannah. She’s strong and independents, yet trapped in an existence she desperately needs to break free from. Just like Argus-beaten and malnourished, he is timid and afraid. Argus is broken too.

When we first meet Hannah we get a glimpse into her wonderful life. She’s from a wealthy family, her boyfriend is a gorgeous Polo player, and she has a close relationship with her grandmother she adores. But a fire that claims the lives of her grandmother and her horse uncover what really lies beneath the surface.

Hannah can’t seem to please her rigid father and her boyfriend is extremely possessive. She inherits her grandmother’s ranch, but both of the men in her life want her to sell it. They don’t understand her emotional attachment to it. The more she tries to convince them that the ranch is her future, the more they fight her about it. The more she fights with her boyfriend, Eric, the more she notices changes in him.

Enter Leonardo Fernandes. A polo star from Brazil who moves with his family to a nearby ranch. When he finds Hannah on the side of the road, trying to catch a runaway Argus, he’s mesmerized by her. Their share loved of horses and how to care for them brings them closer together. Leo doesn’t hide his feelings for Hannah which enrages Eric, releasing a dark and sinister side he’s hidden. When Leo tries to claim his girlfriend and his number rank in the polo world, Eric snaps.

As Eric’s violent tendencies escalate, Hannah finds herself trapped in his grasp. She wants to break free from him, but she doesn’t have the courage, strength, or help she needs to do so. Or does she? In Leo and Argus she discovers that what can be broken can also be fixed. Healing Argus means healing her own wounds and the bond that forms between these two battered beings is so breath-taking. They give each other the strength and support they both so desperately need.

Breaking the Reins reminded me how much I love stories that involve relationships other than just romance. I loved Leo and Hannah’s story; how they interacted together and worked together to help Argus. But I also really loved Hannah’s relationship with Argus. She was reluctant to take him in, unsure of her ability to help heal his wounds. The love they find reminded me of my childhood favorites Black Beauty and The Black Stallion. Watching them both learn to trust each other is heart warming.

Juliana Haygert’s writing is filled with a grace and elegance that sweeps you off your feet. Her characters are complex and watching those complexities unravel is fascinating and surprising. I was stunned by the rage and evil that consumes Eric, and the lengths he will go to to get everything he wants. When the truth comes out you will be horrified and shocked. But the courage and love from Hannah, Leo, and Argus is inspiring. I laughed, I cried, I swooned, and then I did it all over again. I couldn’t put this book down. The ending was real, providing both the emotional high and the hidden scars the characters will have to learn to live with. I can't wait to read more from this author.

[Paula Phillips · Rating 5 out of 5]

Growing up , I used to love reading the books where horses featured from The Saddle Club to Pony Pals . So when I saw that Juliana Haygert had written a new adult novel with horses included, I just had to read it and readers I was in for a roller coaster of a read. Breaking the reins starts with a tragedy and then flips to Eight months later where the main story begins and Hannah is now living and running her Grandmother's ranch with the help of Jimmy - a stable hand. When trying to fix a broken horse , Hannah runs into a Latin Knight in Cowboy gear by the name of Leo. As it turns out Leo is a Brazilian Polo Player and is up against Hannah's boyfriend Eric. The story sets along at a nice pace where we watch the friendship between Leo and Hannah blossom and then about halfway to three quarters a way through the novel we read as Eric's true colours start to surface and we discover he is a psychopath and dangerous. When he starts to become violent against Hannah- will she run and be with Leo or will Eric hold something that Hannah loves dearly and make her stay with him ?

Breaking the Reins was an amazing story and shows that with the right people in our lives - we can grow and blossom and also the negative side of having bad people in our lives and how their toxicity can ruin ones life, maybe even end that life.

Breaking the Reins by Juliana Haygert is a book that all those who love Horses will enjoy and with the New Adult twist giving the book a note of Edginess.

[Marlyn · Rating 5 out of 5]

5 stars aren't enough. This book has everything: romance, suspense, abuse, family issues, grief, craziness. The way the love between Hanna and Leo grows up is so beautiful, so slowly and deeply... Take my breath away everytime he calls her morena
I almost cry in the last chapters, but definitively I yell out loud many times
I need read this book a couple times more... with the full playlist please

Oh lo siento, mis pensamientos corren en español.

Realmente este libro es tan espectacular que pienso ahora que no la debí leer tan rápido. Desde el comienzo amé la portada y tenía un yo-no-se-que que me hacía pensar que era un poco frívolo no sé porque, apenas comencé a leerlo me identifique muchísimo con la relación entre Hanna y su abuela, y lo de Argus Ohhhh myyy que cosa tan dulce.

Me parece absolutamente perfecta la forma en que se desarrolla el amor de Hanna y Leo que va creciendo con cada visita, con cada acercamiento, con cada encuentro, sobre todo me encanta la forma en que Leo le dice morena y como la apoyó desde el día 01

I'll c u soon BTR

[Holly · Rating 5 out of 5]

*I received a copy of this from the author in exchange for an honest review.
*Full review can be found here: http://skizzles22hu.blogspot.com/2014...

I think this is my favorite Juliana Haygert book so far. :) The chemistry between the two main characters was sizzling, the abuse and trauma aspects well-done, and the journey of healing and strength will leave you with a warm feeling by the end of the novel.


Actual rating: 4.5 stars!

I was a little wary going into this novel, mostly because it had domestic violence in it. Now, I am not opposed to reading books about abuse; in fact, they are some of my favorites. But it's always a little nerve-wracking to try them, because sometimes authors just don't do them justice. Or they don't make you feel like it was anything different from what you've read before. But I thought the author told this story in such a way that I was cheering for Hannah and wanting her to fight for herself and for her future. It was wonderfully done, and I loved the ending. :)

The main character, Hannah, has been living on her late grandmother's ranch and trying to heal after losing her beloved family member and her horse. People keep telling her to sell the ranch, but she's not budging. She needs this place. It's her safety zone, but sometimes lines are crossed and people get hurt. I thought Hannah handled everything with such strength and heart, even though she made some choices that I don't think I'd necessarily agree with. Then again, I'm not Hannah. She's strong-willed, smart, and just trying to move on from her past. But life has a way of catching up to you, and events happen that send Hannah spiraling and feeling like there's no way out.

It all starts when she meets Leonardo. Leo was such an endearing character, and I absolutely loved him! He was gorgeous and kind, but beneath his confident facade is a man who's just trying to make a better life for himself. He loves polo, his family, and he grows to love Hannah just as fiercely. He's protective and sweet, and I was so glad he was there for her when no one else even knew.

Their romance was sizzling hot! Seriously, they had such great chemistry, and I melted when Leo called her morena. Their dialogue was witty and charming, and the forbidden aspect wonderfully done. I didn't think I would enjoy what happens between them, just for the sake of my morals. But then again, they both understood that to take it a step further would be wrong. Even though I didn't care once certain events happen in the book (if that was too cryptic, I'm sorry. I'm trying not to spoil anything).

There were quite a few secondary characters, and I enjoyed having them all in the story. Even though the relationship between Leo and Hannah takes center stage, the author does not forget about the rest of the people in their lives. I loved Jimmy, her grandma's right-hand man, and I loved Leo's crazy Brazilian family. I would so love to read more books featuring these characters again. :)

The plot was centered around Leo and Hannah's "romance, "as well as what's happening to this abused horse named Argus and the ever-growing violent relationship between her and her boyfriend, Eric. I was never really bored, but it took me a long time to finish this book. Well, long in my terms. Also, the mysteries behind certain events were kind of easy to guess, and I was not surprised by the revelations near the end. There was a bit of drama, but it wasn't overdone, which I liked. It all led up to the ending of the story, which I absolutely loved.

Breaking the Reins was a wonderful journey of a character who is only trying to find her footing in a life that's slowly unraveling around her. It was about healing and love, and I adored the chemistry between Hannah and Leo. I can't wait to read Breaking Fences, especially now that I know Bia is the main character of the story. Because once I finished this, I just wanted more with these characters and their stories. I feel like there's so much to tell, and I'm really hoping there will be more in this series.

[Tracey · Rating 5 out of 5]

"Let me try to be clearer. You are mine. Period. You can't escape me. Each time you turn and try to run, will be only that. A try. Because I'll catch you and I'll make you regret ever trying to run from me."

Looking at the cover for Breaking The Reins you would be forgiven for thinking that you were going to get a nice sweet story that involves a girl with a love of horses. And to some extent, you do get that. But this story completely blindsided me with it's depth. I was so thoroughly unprepared for the gamut of emotions that this story covered. There were such moments of sweetness, but there were also such moments of heartbreak and terror.

From the outside Hannah Taylor appears to have it all. Wealth, social status and Eric, her loving boyfriend... But Hannah doesn't really care too much for the trappings of the well to do society her family are a part of. She would much prefer to be helping her Grandma on her ranch or riding her beloved horse. But then tragedy strikes and her Grandma and horse are killed in a fire and the ranch is left to Hannah. As if dealing with her loss wasn't enough, then Animal Control bring Hannah, Argus, an abused horse to care for. Throw into the mix the hot new polo player Leonardo Fernandes who treats her just how a woman should be treated. Their attraction to each other is sizzling but Eric is not about to let Hannah go and he is willing to do whatever it takes to show her that.

Domestic violence is an all too common occurrence in our society and Juliana Haygert described perfectly the fear that it's victims live with. She created a character in Eric who was charming, good looking and an incredibly well respected member of the community. It was hard not to be swept away by his charms. But very slowly Hannah began to see glimpses of a man that she doesn't know. His jealousy was always something that made Hannah feel incredibly loved but when Leo entered the picture Eric's jealousy reached a whole new level.

Hannah was such a strong character who was beaten down by the man she loved. How do you reconcile your feelings for the man you knew with the man he has become? There were scenes in this book that were so heartbreaking. As Eric's true colours were revealed it was hard to imagine how he managed to maintain the facade for so long. He was truly crazy!! Hannah will need to gather every bit of strength she has to survive what Eric inflicts upon her.

(My Leo)


He was ... perfect. Tall, powerful, strong with the right amount of manly hunk, gentleman and boyish demeanor.

I loved Leo!! He was supportive and respectful. He was so loving and caring. All the traits that a woman looks for in a partner. Someone who is your equal and who listens when you speak and cares about what you have to say. But Leo's life hasn't been everything it appears to be. He has secrets. Dark, messy secrets. How is Hannah going to deal with what Leo has been keeping from her?

(My Hannah & Argus)


And then there is Argus. Boy what a wonderful part of the story this horse was. So incredibly broken. So badly mistreated by a previous owner, he is wary of everyone and everything. With everything going on in Hannah's life, Argus proves how incredibly sensitive and intuitive animals are.

This is the first book that I have had the pleasure of reading from Juliana Haygert and I can guarantee that it definitely will not be the last. If you are after a New Adult book that goes much deeper and darker than a lot that you will read, then Breaking the Reins is the book for you. Although not incredibly fast paced it is really well written and will have you turning the pages to find out what exactly will happen next.

4.5/5 Intense Stars.

[Brianna · Rating 4 out of 5]

*I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review.*

It's not often that I'll read NA contemporary these days. To get me interested in it, there has to be more than just romance and steamy scenes. More than college life. I need there to be bigger, more important issues hidden among all of the new adult themes in the story. So you can imagine how surprised and intrigued I was when I first heard the synopsis of Breaking the Reins. It had horses, a foreign love interest, and…domestic violence. I wanted to read this book in much the same way as I wanted to read Tammara Webber's Easy. These two books are totally different, but they are just as important, and Juliana's work is just short of being as good.

The main character in this story was Hannah. A horse-loving girl who wanted to keep her grandma's beloved ranch, she came from a rich family Expected to do as her parents told her, and wanting to please her boyfriend the best she could, I felt very bad for her. However, her stubbornness to not sell her grandmother's ranch was wonderful to see, and I loved how she never lost that. In addition to her stubbornness, Hannah was very compassionate, and nowhere was this shown better than when she took in the abused horse Argus, whom I'll get to in a bit. I loved Hannah, even when I thought she made too many excuses for Eric. I could always understand where she was coming from, but I also couldn't wait for her to stop sticking her head in the sand. Either way, I did really like Hannah with all her stubbornness and compassion.

The aforementioned foreign love interest was Leo. Oh, I loved Leo. He was great right from the beginning. Kind, caring, and with a Brazilian accent, how could anyone not like him? Who could blame poor Hannah for not getting caught up with him? However, there was no cheating in this book, so rest assured that nothing like that occurred. Leo was just that great of a character, especially when he helped Hannah train Argus. They were a perfect couple, and it was easy to see that, right from the start.

The side characters were really well-done in this novel, but there were two that definitely need talking about. First, there was Eric. I seriously don't think I've hated a character as much in a long time, especially not one so close to the protagonist. He was horrible, cruel, an evil. I didn't like him from the start, with his possessiveness and competitive nature. But maybe it's just because I knew what this story was going to be about. Then, there was Argus. Yes, he was a horse. But I loved him, all the same. I felt so bad for him, with his tortured past. However, I loved how he was able to overcome his demons with Hannah's help, and the last scene with him was amazing.

The plot of this novel was very good, although it was predictable. I already guessed the big villain a few chapters in, and I'm not just talking about Hannah's abuse since that was covered in the synopsis. I did really like how this book followed Hannah and Eric's relationship falling apart, as well as Eric's craziness, however. Yes, they were really tough scenes, but so often stories skip over all that, and will tell the bad parts in flashback. No, we got every bad thing as it happened to Hannah, and I definitely appreciate the way the book was written.

However, this story wasn't just about abuse. It was about healing, both physical and emotional. Hannah and Leo worked together to heal Argus' wounds, and Hannah had to heal her own physical and emotional wounds when Eric turned abusive. It was also about a true love story between Hannah and Leo. With romance, horses, and interesting characters, Breaking the Reins still managed to talk about a very real and horrible issue. And it did it really well. So yes, I definitely recommend this book to anyone who doesn't mind reading some tough scenes, and I think this was a great book for the NA contemporary scene overall.

[Mandy Reads Indie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I wasn't sure what to expect from this book when I started it. I had tried Haygert's DESTINY'S GIFT and realized it just wasn't for me. And I have read her short story, HER HEART’S SECRET WISH, and adored it. So I knew, even though one book didn’t, click this one would. I was so right. BREAKING THE REINS is a whole other genre and I think that helped. Maybe I am getting burnt out on paranormal/fantasy reads. And I will tell you this...this book hit the spot! I really enjoyed this Contemporary Romance so much. And it wasn't what I was expecting at all. Let me explain…

I really enjoyed Hannah's character and enjoyed seeing her differ from her rich, uptight family. I am glad that she was finding herself breaking away from what they wanted out of her and her life. Even though it was hard to do (and at times she felt as if she was talking to a brick wall) Hannah was able to reclaim parts of her life back that she didn't realize had slipped out of her control. For instance, she moves out to her grandmother's ranch to help continue to run it. That is something her family was absolutely against.

But there are still some things that Hannah has no control over. Like her boyfriend Eric. After 2 years of being together as a couple you'd think you would know someone. Not true. When a Brazilian Polo opponent wiggles his way into her life, Eric soon becomes someone Hannah no longer recognizes. And it scares Hannah. But the truth is she should be scared. And this story is beyond what I thought it would be. This is where it gets going. And boy did it get going. Some parts are not for the faint of heart. It will be grueling to read at times and I am sure it will trigger emotions some readers may not be ready for. I think my heart may have stopped a few times.

I cannot get over this book though. Here I am hours after finishing it and still thinking on it. I was thrown off guard and I found I liked that very much. You see things building but then you realize you had no idea the quality of crazy you are dealing with until it is right on top of you. Bam! It strikes out of nowhere and you are left stunned and amazed that there are really people out there just like him. (Unless of course you have dealt with crazy, then you will understand.) I was scared for her and actually got to thinking that I might have acted just like her when certain situations were presented to Hannah. People will do anything to protect their loved ones, and even with the riff in her family, Hannah is do different. She wants to protect them at all cost...even sacrificing herself, her safety, and her happiness in the meantime.

When I think of books that would be worthy of being a Lifetime movie...this is definitely one of them. With each scene and every printed word, I imagined the story playing in my head as if it was. Great story build up and wonderful characters...BREAKING THE REINS is a great story I recommend to anyone looking for a romance that is a little on the forbidden side. Although I am not a huge fan of cheating, I will say that the author handled this carefully and wonderfully. Once you read it you will understand. So pick it up as soon as it releases.

[Nausikaa · Rating 1 out of 5]

I was ready to indulge in two of my favorite subjects: horses and romance. But oh my! what a disappointment!. Usually, I'm not one to debunk the work of an author, if I don't adhere, I don't leave a review. But here I simply can't. Often I'm one to close an eye or two on some small inconsistency for the sake of a story. But here it was just full of inconsistencies:
First the horse behaves like a dog: he curls in the corner of his stall. Then when she trains him she gets interrupted not once, not twice, but at least thrice by her phone. That girl never learns!. And wait! a girl born and raised in an equestrian empire hasn't the slightest idea how to heal a mistreated horse?. and that's just the tip of the iceberg for the horsey part.
For the romance part it wasn't any better, she let's herself get beaten and she fears for her boyfriend's reputation?!. She's part of a "filthy" rich family and apparently one of the most influential in the region and she can't get protected by the police !!! she has at least enough money to get an army of body guards to protect herself and her family!.
And then the drama is just too much and improbable. She gets punched in the jaw so that she thinks it's broken and has bruises for just two days?. That should mark her at least for a week or more.
A horse whip leaves welts and then it's mostly visual, an incentive, you never strike at full strength. Furthermore, I've never seen a whip that draws blood in any respectable stable and certainly not in one that houses a horse whisperer. I was cringing and groaning aloud when I got to the part where Argus and Jimmy were whipped to the blood until they fainted. Just impossible, but maybe we just jumped 2 centuries back where whippings were an ordinary punishment. And what about the bullet that slices the baseball bat.
I will stop there, this is the first book I so evidently disliked. The story could have been very good but the drama was overdone and just improbable.

[Vintage · Rating 1 out of 5]

DNF at 56%.

Heroine's boyfriend punches her in the face. Despite being bruised and swollen, DOES NOT CALL THE POLICE. Shoot me now. Better yet, shoot her and her abusive jackass of a BF.

There is a reason why victims should call the police earlier rather than later. One, it saves them from abuse, and, two, will hopefully either get help to one who needs it or at least stop them.

Authors, I have no time for this. If you want to turn your heroines into blithering idiots and stupid victims, then provide groundwork as to why they would be averse to calling the authorities. The heroine is from an upper crust, entitled wealthy family. Yes, the family is somewhat shut down emotionally, but there is no evidence that the h would feel like she is to blame unless she fell into the trap it would be more embarrassing to file charges.

Besides, she was boring. The H was boring. Sad, when the two characters that ARE NOT boring are the abusive BF and the snotty little sister.

[Jennifer Seay · Rating 5 out of 5]

***I received and ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review***

This book was wonderful! I really enjoyed the story and it pulled me in from the beginning. Hannah and Leo's story was amazing. I have to say, Juliana did a great job describing the emotions and feelings behind some domestic violence situations. This book was not easy to read in these scenes and those who have been victims such assaults may have difficulty reading these parts, but Hannah was strong and overcame her demons! What an incredible journey that these two overcame and I truly enjoyed Argus. He made for an incredible storyline and I am absolutely a fan!

**On a side note- who doesn't love learning how to swear in Portuguese!

[Nicole Johnson · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received this book for free for an honest review...

From the very moment I started this book I had a good feeling. The vibe I got from the first few pages. Had me waiting for the book to unwind.

Hannah had the good life money family and the the Perfect boyfriend Eric
But Eric had a whole secret life filled with more secrets than you could imagine.

Along came Leo !!! Hot Leo ! Killer smoke killer abs. And a perfect gentleman!! What more could you ask for.

Anywho this book had the perfect balance of crazy, love, sex and family.

I'm trying to see what other books Juliana has that I might enjoy as much as this one

Juliana you gained another fan !!!

[Seeking Book Boyfriends · Rating 5 out of 5]

Read Review on Seeking Book Boyfriends

*Thank you to Juliana Haygert for providing a review copy in exchange for an honest review*

Review written by Mona

Book Description:

Horses, mansions, tea parties, and lies are twenty-year-old Hannah Taylor’s life. To others, her family and her relationship with Eric is perfect. But she knows the truth. She lives it.

After a fire takes her grandma's life and kills her horse, Hannah's immaculate life spirals out of control. Her father disapproves of her decision to run her grandma’s ranch instead of focusing solely on learning the family business; Animal Control brings her Argus, a mistreated horse that she can't turn away even though she's not ready for another horse; and her boyfriend, Eric Bennett, a world famous polo player, becomes possessive and authoritarian. Despite her best efforts to disguise it, Hannah grows wary of him.

Then, Leonardo Fernandes struts onto the polo scene. A cocky rookie with a messy life of his own, he’s drawn to Hannah and isn’t afraid of showing it, even when Eric makes it clear she is his and he’ll do whatever it takes to keep it that way. Hannah suffers for Eric’s jealousy. The abuse only gets worse when Leo steals the title of best polo player in the world from Eric.

But the title isn’t enough for Leo. He wants Hannah too, and she can’t deny her attraction to him either. Somehow, she must find a way to break free from abusive Eric before he breaks every bone in her body.

**New Adult Contemporary Romance Novel**

**Contains scenes of domestic violence**

Story:

I started this book with some apprehension. I'm not a fan of cowboys or horses at all. However I was very curious because the storyline was one that I had not seen before so I was eager to get started.

When we meet Hannah she is dealing with the loss of her grandmother and her horse Hercules, both of whom she loved and was very close to. It has only been eight months since a fire at the ranch she now calls home took them both. She has more responsibility than any twenty-one year old girl should have. Not only is she running the ranch, she is in college and is being groomed to take over the family business.

Her daily routine is disrupted when Animal Control brings her a new horse to take care of and rehabilitate. Argus is a broken horse. He was abused by his previous owner and as a result is pretty resistant to any human interaction. Hannah hasn't gotten close to a horse since the fire, and is resistant to doing so fearing the pain and loss she felt when she lost Hercules. So it seems as if they are both going to heal each other.

“How long since you last rode a horse?
What does that have to do with helping Argus?
Just answer
No. I still don’t know why that matters
‘Cause you’re afraid. You’re afraid of caring for this poor animal as much as you cared for Hercules”

It’s when Argus escapes that she meets Leo, a Brazilian polo player who just settled down in town with his family. Hannah feels herself inexplicably drawn to Leo. He's gorgeous and sweet. And he can get through to the rescued horse like no one else. Hannah and Leo try to deny their feelings for each other, but the more time they spend together, the more they find they have in common

“He was tall, with chin-length, layered, light brown hair, tanned skin, a strong jaw, thin nose and full lips. He was handsome and a stranger”
“I swallowed, ashamed for noticing such things. Yes, I had a boyfriend, but I wasn’t blind. I tried not looking, but it was hard.”

The problem is, Hannah is already attached, to her two-year boyfriend, and world renowned polo player, Eric Bennett. We quickly learn Eric influences Hannah’s life, in a big way. In particular what she chooses to do or not do, is because of him.

Eric has noticed Leo too and quickly realizes he will be real competition… and not just in the polo arena. He becomes jealous, and his possessiveness toward Hannah grows, and not in a sweet way.

“Each time the man smiled at me, Eric's fingers dug into my skin and I pressed my lips together, willing the scream to stay in my throat. “

Hannah doesn’t seem to notice at first that the way Eric acts isn’t normal. She is in awe of him, and believes she has found true love. He is her first everything. Before Eric no one had ever really caught her eye, nor had she ever been looked at the way Eric looked at her. He is older and he took interest in her, so she feels like he is right for her.

With the arrival of Leo, she experiences new feelings and emotions, that in all her time with Eric she has never felt for him. It’s all new and intriguing to her. Even though she fights against temptation, she is curious and can't help but want to see where it goes.

““You have no idea how much I want to kiss you right now”, Leo said, his breath brushing over my lips. I shivered, “I think I do”
“Please Morena tell me I can kiss you,” his hands clasped around my nape, “I need to kiss you””

But when Eric senses her pulling away and resisting him, his jealousy increases along with his violent behavior.

"You brought that upon yourself," Eric said, serving wine to the flute set in front of me. "I don't want to hurt you, but each time you misbehave, each time you oppose what I tell you to do, I'll have to hurt you."

Could Leo be the answer to her problems or the reason for them? Will she be able to free herself from Eric before his abuse goes too far?

The intensity of the book really got to me. You could feel the tension building, and knew that something bad was going to happen, but it was never rushed. It was subtly done with little gestures and words here and there, bringing the whole story together piece by piece.

Juliana did an amazing job writing characters you can really relate with. I grew close to Hannah, and felt her emotions throughout everything she goes through. When the dark side of Eric is shown, I got scared for Hannah and Argus. I was shocked by what Eric does! And each time it reached a climax, I only hoped that Leo would show up to save the day. I felt all kinds of emotions at once, I cried, laughed and swooned.

I wasn’t able to put this book down, and neither will you.

Leonardo “Leo” Fernandes:

He is a country boy. Nice, generous and gorgeous. He is also an amazing polo player and family guy, despite his conflicted relationship with his dad due to bad choices he made during High School. He is totally into Hannah from the start, and is good to her, showing her what love should really be about.

I absolutely loved the scene where he plays with Argus’s reins. And I would definitely let him whisper sweet Portuguese words to me anytime!

Hannah Taylor:

She comes from the kind of family where appearance is everything, but she is strong and independent and not afraid to voice her opinions even if they are opposed by those she loves. Her strength shines through when she doesn’t back down to Eric when he starts getting handsy, but his threats finally break her, and make her stay when she knows she shouldn’t. Leo becomes her weakness and she tries to resist her feelings for him by pushing him away, but she needs help with Argus and soon he is all she can think about.

Supporting Characters:

Eric Bennett:

This guy is an awful man from the start. He is everything you don't want in a boyfriend. He is arrogant, possessive and violent. He works hard to keep his true personality hidden from the world, playing “Mr. Perfect” when out in public, but even then there is a certain fakeness to his actions that he can't quite hide, no matter how much he tries. He wants to dictate Hannah's every move and decision, so much so that he would do anything to get his way…

Argus:

Yes, he’s a horse…but I had to write something about him too because he definitely plays a huge part in the book. Like Hannah and Leo he has a dark past, and he needs help to heal his scars. Leo and Hannah contribute to this process and even help him become a hero.

Mona's Rating: 5/5

Blush Factor Rating: 2(/5)

SBB Average Rating: 5/5
~Short Review by Ali on Blog Rated 5/5

Find more Reviews on Seeking Book Boyfriends

[Savannah · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hannah Taylor has always been around horses. She's the heiress to an equestrian empire. Her grandma is a modest woman, she has a beautiful ranch when Hannah has grew up and rode her horse Hercules. In the last two years, Hannah's life has been focused in Eric Bennet, a charming but possessive man, best polo player, and business partner of Hannah's father. They seem the perfect couple, good looking, cute, rich... but things aren't always what they seem.

Leonardo Fernandes is a Brazilian polo player, he grew up between horses and games. His father is a famous former polo player and currently the coach of the Montenegro team with his sons and nephew. The Fernandes moved to US because the Brazilian polo scene isn't great. Leonardo had a few bad years with his life and family but now everything seems to be fine. He meets Hannah in a strange day and the spark and heat are present since that moment.

Leonardo runs into Hannah's world and impacts her life so deeply. They won't be the same again. But Eric is not going to lose her so easy. What will happen when Eric finally show his real face?







I simply adore this book. This is the second time I read it and boy the magic is the same. Like I wrote in my Top Ten Best Books of 2013, I wouldn't change anything about this book. It's perfect.


Best characters ever
Hannah is a college girl, a little naive maybe, she's in love with her boyfriend, loves ride her horse, shares with her grandma, and works in the family ranch. The only issue in this wonderful picture is her relationship with her parents, they don't connect with each other, and have different opinions about life, business, and more.

No. To them I was Hannah Taylor, one of the two heiresses to an equestrian empire, and girlfriend of the best polo player in the world.

Her grandma is another story. They share an unique bonding, I totally understand this because I adore mine. When she begins spend more time in the ranch with her grandmother and her horse, the tragedy starts. In a mysterious fire both of them die.

Eight months later, Hannah is running the ranch because she inherited it, but she is doing that just for respect her grandma's wishes. She doesn't want to ride a horse anymore.

When Argus comes in to her ranch, she resists him, but he's a broken horse because his former owner is a fucking bastard. Some people think she could help him like her grandma would do it.

"His previous owner was a bastard. He hit Argus, made him pull heavy stuff, much heavier than he should be able to and he put his dogs on Argus when he thought the horse was misbehaving. They bit him, Dad. They almost killed him once, and that's when animal control found him"

Thanks to Argus Leonardo runs into the story (I ♥ u little horse)

Leonardo Fernandes, Meu Deus, this man is perfect and all mine. I love him, a bad boy trying to be good?

“I’m not a good guy, Hannah. In fact, I’m a bad guy trying to act like a good one for once. However, my good side is losing right now.”

Leo is the new guy on the town, when he meets Hanna, the attraction is immediate, he likes her in a deeply sense. He's so intrigued because she is running an immense farm alone and trying to heal a broken horse. But the most important? He supports her, he wants to help her with Argus, with her farm, and everything.

"Argus will need a lot of work and patience, but he can be saved." His eyes returned to mine. "And I want to help you save him."

Intense and torrid storyline

As the attraction between Hannah and Leo consolidates, Argus' recovery starts to progress. But not everything is good, Eric doesn't want lose his perfect world and that includes Hanna. The tension and anguish is present all the way.

With my hands on his chest, I shoved him back. “I’m not yours! Listen to yourself, Eric. You sound crazy.”

I didn’t even see his fist coming.

With the force of his punch, I fell over the dresser, knocking my jewelry box down, and slipped on the floor, over the glass pieces of the broken jewelry box. Pain erupted from under my cheek and spread like scalding water through my face and down my neck. He grabbed my elbows and hoisted me up with a jerk, making my brain rattle inside my head. He sniffed me, his nose in my hair, and I turned my face away

A very good factor for me is Hannah's attitude, she isn't unfaithful or cheater. She respects her relationship and that's a lady.

Sensual and intense moments between Hannah & Leo kept me stuck at my paperback and kindle, scary and anguish scenes rose my heartbeat many times.



The supporting characters are faultless. The Fernandes is such a beautiful family, in spite of the bad moments, they love each other. I always wanted more about them, and Breaking Fences, the companion novel of this book, is just the beginning. Between Gui, Ricardo, Pedro and Hillary (Hannah's sister) I'm expecting three more books and a novella about Hannah & Leo in their wedding #FanRequest

So, how many stars deserve Breaking the Reins by Juliana Haygert? Let's see

Best characters ever? Check (Hannah and Leo will captivate you completely)

Impressive storyline? Check (It has all elements of an exceptional book)

Heartbreaking scenes? Hell yeah check (Between Hannah, Leo, and Argus melt my heart to stones)

Emotional roller coaster? Check twice. (Love, tenderness, anguish, scary, pain, angry, and more)

Keep turning page factor? Check (Also I wanted to put my book in the fridge, like Joey did)

Book hangover? Check (Every time I read this book I spend days thinking about the story)

Book Boyfriend material? Hell yeah again. (This is a real man, as matter of fact he creates a new category for Book Boyfriend for me, he's The One and Only Love Of My Life)

Shining example of characters development? Check (Hannah's evolution is sublime)

Ultimate relationship development? Oh My God check (Love between Hannah and Leo grows up with a consummate rhythm)

Bottom line?

My rate is 5 delicia stars


because this book is


Disclaimer: My real rate is 10 perfeita stars. But... you know the rating system. I have never rated a book with 10 stars, and maybe I won't do it again, but for me Breaking the Reins is the most beautiful, intense, and well written book I have read. Thanks God I learned to read in English, because I needed to read this book, seriously



Breaking the Reins by Juliana Haygert is the epitome of beautiful and irresistible characters, intense storyline, heartbreaking scenes, and a happy ending. All of this with the Brazilian sexy accent printed by Juliana, an authentic Brazilian girl.

Tchau :)

[Atalia • She’s Feeling Bookish · Rating 4 out of 5]

*Received a copy in exchange for an honest review*

"I never believed in coincidences, and now I knew why Argus and Leo had come into my life. Argus was broken just like Leo. Just like I was broken. We had been brought together to heal each other…together. They were my strength, the same way I was theirs. -Hannah

Breaking the Reins will not only entertain you from beginning to end with its variety array of characters but as you read you'll also experience a kaleidoscope of emotions. Whether its physical or sexual abuse, abuse in general is never easy to read or write about but the author displays it elegantly in a way where you're right there with Hannah every step of the way feeling her pain but was also not too graphic. Hannah's journey is one that was filled with deceit, betrayal, love, friendship, courage and freedom. Throughout the book, you can't help but sympathize with her as she experiences pain and finds the will to survive the person she once loved. The same person who masterfully deceives and manipulates everyone with his charming ways. The same person who through his possessiveness created a gap between her family and friends. The same person who was once the man of her dreams and soon became her greatest nightmare.

HANNAH


Hannah was a very likable character. One that you can't help but want to comfort through tragedy, get frustrated at for not seeking help earlier, and be happy for her once she finds true love. From the beginning you can see that she's someone who although comes from a wealthy family and could have anything she wanted, was quite lonely. The only ones who played an active role in her life were her grandma, her boyfriend, and her horse. After two out of three are taken away, she was left with her boyfriend. And she then became only his. Through several events, she finally begins to see and finds out the hard way that her boyfriend may not be the person who he seems to be. That maybe behind the pretty surface lies someone dangerous. Someone who feels no guilt for the damage he's done. As she discovers this truth she becomes his puppet and her life is stained with darkness. Through this darkness though, there are cracks of light in the forms of Leo, a gorgeous Brazilian polo player and Argus, a beautiful beaten pony who she takes in.

"They say we don't choose who we fall in love with, and for the first time in my life, I'm ready to believe a popular saying." -Leo

LEO


Love me some Leo. Not only is this guy super gorgeous, he also has a beautiful heart. Though he seems like he has the perfect life: a loving family, wealth, and is one of the best polo players in the world, he also has some dark secrets of his own. His past is one he regrets, one that has damaged his relationship with a member of his family, and one who helps shape him into the man he's become. Through his love for polo, he's able to keep his demons at bay. Once he moves to America with his family to play polo here, he finds another source of freedom from his past. He finds Hannah. As they both get to know each other, its evident that they have such a strong connection that love is inevitable to occur. Because of Hannah's boyfriend they hit a few bumps on the road but his will to save her and the fierce love he has for her is what in the end helps set each other free. From the past, the abuse, and the shackles that were keeping them from expressing their love for one another.

ARGUS


To me, Argus symbolized how whether human or animal, something that is broken can slowly be put back together with the love and care of another if your willing to take that leap of faith and let them in. He was definitely one of my favorite characters. I loved how in his own way, he showed how grateful he was to be given not only a second chance at life but also be given the gift of love.

Overall, this was a wonderful book and was a great eye opener not only on the subject of abuse but also on how looks can be very deceiving. Juliana Hart is definitely now one of my favorite authors. I loved Destiny Gift and Breaking the Reins did not disappoint.

Other favorite quotes:

"I'm more attracted to you than I have ever been to anyone, more than I thought could be possible. We're good together, we work well together, and even our kisses are like explosives." -Leo

"What do you want from me?" He brushed my hair back and placed the Douglas Iris around my ear, before cupping my cheek. I shivered with the contact of his warm skin. "You. Simple as that." -Hannah & Leo

"Argus inched back to me and lay beside me, whining. Thin red lines adorned his neck and his legs. He didn't touch me, but we were only a couple of inches apart, which showed me how much he cared. Crap, he had been my white horse and saved me. Who needs Prince Charming? "Thank you," I whispered. He was broken. I was broken." -Hannah

[Amy Logg · Rating 5 out of 5]

More reviews at The Reading Realm

REVIEW:
The story:
At a glance, Hannah has the 'perfect' life, wealthy family, popular and handsome polo player boyfriend, and soon to take over her father's business. But after loosing her Grandmother and beloved horse in a mysteries fire, she's devastated. But after inheriting her grandmother's horse ranch, Hannah starts to see a different future for herself. Her Grandmother was somewhat of a 'horse whisperer' and saved mistreated horses, and many believe that Hannah can follow in her footsteps. However after Hannah agrees to take on the severally mistreated horse Argus, she starts to doubt her own abilities to live up to her Grandmother's reputation. That is until Leo, Brazilian polo star enters the scene and helps both Hannah & Argus. The relationship between these three characters was one of the most beautiful things about this book - all of them were dealing with different issues in their lives and together they learned how to trust & love again.

The characters:
Hannah is a wonderful & relatable character. Although she is surrounded by superficial people from the country club lifestyle, she's down to earth and just wants to work and live on the ranch. You can see how she struggles to deal with the loss of her horse Hercules, and is afraid to get close to another horse in fear of loosing them too. But even as she tries not to connect with Argus, the connection is there and watching them both learn to trust each other was beautiful.

Leo, the yummy Brazilian polo star, is a vibrant and passionate character. Although Leo appears perfect, he is also realistically flawed. He has a tense relationship with his father, due to mistakes he made back in Brazil. However he tries hard to make up for these past mistakes, and loved him all the more for this.

Argus the rescue horse, is so important to this story that he is also main character in my opinion. He may not have any lines, but his impact on the lives of Hannah & Leo is huge. The three of them learn so much from each other, and gave the story such a unique dimension.

For me secondary characters are really important and can make or break a book. There where so many wonderful supporting characters; Leo's sister Bia was probably my favourite, but I also loved Hannah's sister Hilary and the rest of Leo's family, most importantly his brothers & father. Together all these characters make the story feel so real.

The romance:
Hannah & Leo's relationship was so beautiful from the first scene they had together. They first meet when he helps Hannah catch the runaway rescue horse, Argus. From the beginning the connection between these two is undeniable, and is slowly develops from friendship to something more. They share a common love for horses and in particular Argus. While working together to help Argus recover and trust them, Hannah & Leo in turn learn to trust each other and in the process we see them falling in love.

The Writing:
At 400 pages, this was quite a long book compared to many other NA contemporaries, and I think that had a very positive effect. It allowed more time for character and plot development, making the climax of the story all the more emotional. The pacing was perfect, with all the small threads of the story coming together in one of the most intense scenes I've read in some time. My heart was beating so fast at the end, and I couldn't turn the pages fast enough!

I also felt Juliana did a wonderful job of showing how an intelligent woman can get trapped in a controlling abusive relationship. We get to see the progression of Eric's behaviour throughout the book. At first he appears to be a bit of a jealous boyfriend, but soon his behaviour turns more aggressive and possessive. Through Hannah's internal monologue, we can hear her trying to rationalise his behaviour, and it gave a real insight into how women in this situation can become trapped:

"If I was in his situation, where I couldn’t control my temper, I would probably want help from loved ones, even if I never admitted it out loud. How could I turn my back on him now?"

"Perhaps if I pretended nothing had happened ten minutes ago, it wouldn’t be true. It wouldn’t happen again."

FINAL WORD:
This is one of my favourite books of the year! It had everything, strong characters, powerful story and it made me feel every emotion possible - I laughed, cringed, swooned, and ugly cried more than a couple of times. This story is so much more than a simple romance, it's a beautiful story of survival, friendship and new beginnings. I can't wait to read any companion novels, especially for Leo's sister Bia! This is a must read for any contemporary romance fan!

CONTENT:
Sexuality: medium / sex scene
Violence: medium-strong / domestic violence, some animal cruelty (but not overly graphic)
Language: medium / some f**k
Drugs & alcohol: mild

eARC provided by author & Xpresso Book Tours for honest review
More reviews at The Reading Realm

[Nikel27 · Rating 4 out of 5]

free kindle book

[Hannah (In The Best Worlds) · Rating 5 out of 5]

I made the mistake of starting this book on my way to go hang out with people. So I had a good hour of reading on the train and then I had to be social. Which was hard to do when all I could think about were Hannah (yes! an MC named Hannah. LOVE that), Leo and Argus. I haven't really read books that prominently feature horses since I was about 14. But, when Juliana wrote Breaking the Reins of course I was so excited. Because of course this isn't just another book about horses. Breaking the Reins contains so much more than I could have imagined. It gets really intense and totally scary, but it is also a healing and empowering story that's ultimately beautiful.

I'm about to share a couple pretty personal things, but I feel I need to let you know where I'm coming from. First, my biggest fear is getting into an abusive relationship. I don't know where it comes from, but for some reason, thinking about it makes me a panicky. It's being trapped, powerless, and betrayed all in one. Juliana just captured the intensity and the horror of finding out that someone you love is a totally different person than you thought. When the one person you're supposed to trust and love more than any one else is the one who's hurting you, physically and mentally, how do you come away from that? Hannah has to confront that from beginning to end as it unfolds in front of us. And I couldn't help but totally step into her shoes and feel her fear.

My second confession is that I have a sociopath in my history. Juliana labels Eric as a psychopath, but sociopaths are along the same lines. In both cases they're fantastic liars and they feel no remorse. Which is horrifying. Eric really scares me. And the thing is, he started out totally normal and then he got consistently worse. The more Leo comes around the more I sat on edge wondering if Eric was going to snap or what he was going to do.

But here's the really great thing about this book: It could easily just be a horror story, but it's actually quite an inspiring, mostly happy, and empowering book. The wonderful parts (which, naturally mostly have to do with Leo) are stronger than the darker moments. I kept looking forward to the time when Leo would show back up again and surprisingly Hannah's relationship with Argus, the abused horse she's trying to rehabilitate, was one of my favorite parts of the book. Argus is just the best. He really becomes one of the main characters in this book. He has his own personality and story and it is wonderful watching him heal as he gives Hannah strength in the process. With all the craziness happening in Hannah's personal life, my most emotional moments came from Argus.

And of course, Leo is right there through the whole thing being all Brazilian and hot and understanding. He shows up out of nowhere, turns out to be one of the best polo players in the world (which is what brings out the evil side of Eric - who's competing against Leo in both polo and for Hannah), and he just has the best heart. I fell for Leo so quick and so hard, because his goodness just radiates off the page. Generally, I don't like my guys to be so achingly perfect, but up against Eric and just the way he carries that goodness so well, he was just astounding. This is the kind of guy you really dream to fall for - he loves his family, he's ambitions, good with horses, patient, understanding, strong, passionate, and he'll fight fiercely for what he loves. I love Leo so much.

I honestly could go on and on about the things I love about this book. I've barely scratched the surface. There's all these great secondary characters - like Leo's sister and Hannah's sister, who I surprisingly came to love. And of course, I should take a moment to mention that Hannah is a kick-ass heroine. She handles her situation with such grace. I also admire the way that she's able to fight for the people in her life, even if she doesn't really know how to fight for herself. Juliana is a wonderful NA author, who's really proved herself with this novel, so keep an eye out for what she does next! And seriously, if you want a good NA book - give this one a shot.

[Pauline Ang · Rating 4 out of 5]

Originally posted at Fathomless Reveries

Thank you to Xpresso Book Tours and author for providing an eBook copy of this novel. This in no way affected my views of the novel.

Breaking the Reins is a whole lot different from Haygert’s other novel, Playing Pretend. This wasn’t a light read, in fact, it was very heavy with all those domestic violence involved. However, this gave more power to the story, especially between Hannah’s family and the love triangle of Eric/Hannah/Leo. Although I haven’t read much books that involve horses and polo, they just fit in this novel, and opened me to more books. I’d definitely be more open to read books that involve horses next time! This novel made me feel like I was really in the book, and I was just so engrossed with it and just found myself kept on turning the pages and couldn’t put the books down (even though I was really running late for school by then.)

Hannah, the female protagonist, was a very realistic character. At first, she seems to be that perfect lady, which was expected of her by her family, but later on, she is just someone very simple and down-to-earth. I love the way she stands firm with her own decisions, despite a lot of clashes. I love the way that she is scared and feels fear, but tries to do things anyway. I love how she’s just so selfless and tries to help even though she’d just get hurt. However, there were at times that I didn’t like her, most especially when she kept on convincing herself about Eric, even though it was kinda clear that he doesn’t love her. Another time was when she kept on asking Leo to distance himself from her, even when the attraction between the two of them was simply beautiful. I didn’t like it when she just kept on making excuses and reasons, even when she knows the answers deep down.

Eric? He should just go to hell. He was an ass, and I really really really hated him right from the start. He seemed a beautiful character at first, but I can’t really help but feel there’s something off with him. In the end, his true colours show that he is not but a jealous, possessive, controlling freak. Ohmycrap. Go away, Eric. But even with his ugly, despicable personality, Eric gave more intensity to the whole novel.

Leo seemed also to be like an oh-so-perfect boy, especially when he was so sweet, caring, and just simply awesome, that’s why I couldn’t just find myself to get really attached to him. Not to mention that he’s a foreigner that came from Brazil, which was more plus points. However, his background story just shows that he’s just like any person that has his own flaws, too.

The secondary characters were also amazing. They weren’t just mere secondary characters; they gave life to the novel itself. They were just great support system to all the primary characters. The incorporation of Hannah’s grandmother also gave more force to the conflict between Hannah and her family and Eric. I’d love to hear more of the story Bia, Leo’s twin sister, though. She’s just simply amazing, and I’m looking forward to Breaking Fences!

The romance between Leo and Hannah was simply beautiful. It had a slow development, and it was passionate. It was not selfish, and it helped the both of them grow as better individuals, who can find the ability to love and trust again.

It was hard reading the Portuguese words that Leo and his family used because the dictionary was placed at the start of the book, and I’m reading an eBook copy; however, it was nice that the Portuguese language was included in the novel as it gave further emphasis that Leo was from another country. It felt more realistic that way.

I couldn’t give this a five-star rating because it didn’t really get me into a very big book hangover, but Breaking the Reins is an astounding, gorgeous read about family, friends, love and trust despite all the hardships that we’d ever come across with in life. I’d give this a 4 or 4.5 stars. This is a must read to any contemporary romance reader!

[Jessirae · Rating 4 out of 5]

Breaking the Reins by Juliana Haygert is what I call one outstanding and well thought New Adult novel!



I’m going to start with Hannah. She wanted a simple life. She wanted to attend college and keep her grandmother’s ranch. She wasn’t into the money and fancy things that was part of her life. I liked Hannah for simply being Hannah. She wanted to do what she wanted to do and she didn’t let her father, mother, boyfriend, or anybody else tell her what she should or shouldn’t do. She was noble, wanting to give those she loved the care and help she thought she could give. I thought she was an amazing character for the all these things and for the way she handled herself and the situations she was in. 



The romance in Breaking the Reins was a very complicated one. There was Eric, Hannah’s extremely jealous boyfriend and Leo, kind and big hearted polo player from Brazil. Leo wasn’t perfect but the way he helped and cared for Hannah and his patience for her and his love for horses and passion for polo was what really made me adore him. Eric was a different character altogether. It was hard for me in beginning because I saw how kind and sweet Eric could be. I saw why Hannah fell in love with him in the first place. It wasn’t until he slowly started to show his abusive, evil true colors was when my emotions went in the other direction from like to absolute hateful rage. He was the worst person ever and it was so hard to take in who he was and what he did because of my initial impression of him. I completely commend Haygert for the way she created, built up and developed Eric’s character all the way.


My favorite part of this book is the work Hannah and Leo put into healing Argus. With Leo’s help, Hannah really stepped it up with Argus. There were many many set backs that even had me frustrated, but Hannah learned to be patient and not only gave her dedication, but her love to the horse. The scenes with Hannah and Argus having small breakthroughs had my heart bursting with love and joy and brought tears to my eyes. The relationship they slowly built with each other was the most beautiful thing I have ever read. I was so completely touched by what Hannah did for Argus, but especially was he did for Hannah. I loved that horse so much!



Haygert did an awesome job at packing in the emotions and reactions that Hannah was feeling. I totally felt her anger, fear, pain, love and turmoil throughout the book. The plot moved along nicely, it wasn’t slow or rushed either and I liked that. The book wasn’t entirely unpredictable, but it didn’t take away from the enjoyment of the book. I was still surprised by other things that were revealed along the way. There was a realistic feel to the novel and nothing felt forced, especially what Hannah went through and how she and Leo fell in love. She balanced the romance with her plot giving both equal importance without one overshadowing the other. My only complaint was some of Portuguese words and phrases that weren’t translated. I used my imagination to fill it in and got too lazy to keep checking the glossary. Other than that, I really loved Breaking the Reins. 



All in all, Haygert brings something unique not just to NA, but to other contemporaries as well. Breaking the Reins has a bit of everything a contemporary romance needs from sweetness to darkness and just the right amount of Argus to truly steal your heart away.


More Reviews on my blog: Words, Pages, and Books

[Diane Ehlers · Rating 5 out of 5]

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

I've be grudging to do this review for so long because there's so much amazingness in just 382 pages and I don't want to spoil any of it! Yet I don't know how to express my feelings for it or didn't know if I could do it justice and help paint a picture for you by just saying "Oh my god! Oh my god! You must read this freaking fantastic book!" haha. So here I am writing it and I'm doing a pretty good job at it. So here you go.....

Breaking the Reins is breathtaking and absolutely beautifully written. Just, wow! It's so human and real, one of the best New Adult Contemporaries I have read! It surely stands out in a crowd!

When I requested this as a research project for one of my own writings I was so excited that Juliana said yes! I knew this would be an intense read as it involves an abusive relationship but I had no idea that this was going to be a powerful and strong read that Mrs. Haygert has crated for us. I was truly swept away! I got lost in the words as she pulled at my heart strings. This was a crazy emotional ride and throughout I was rooting for Hannah and Leo.

Hannah is such a tough chick and throughout the book too. Though I loved her and her strength when everyone was against her and her dreams, I wanted to slap her when things were getting bad and she needed help. Like most abuse victims they deny it and that just bugged me she did! But that's real, this book is so real and I can't believe how much Juliana has me wrapped around her finger! haha

When I started this read I did not think I would get so attached and once I finished the last page, I felt like I lost all my friends. I wanted so badly to go back to this world! To get lost and feel the love that Leo and Hannah had for each other, reminds me of me and my Marine fiancé. The ending especially haha. They were so cute and their blooming relationship felt so natural! I couldn't put down this book! It's one you would have to pry from my dead hands. I couldn't get enough! I devoured it and though I wanted to savor it, I just couldn't stop!

Leo, oh Leo. You're my new book boyfriend! You're so charming and handsome, but you bring strength to Hannah too. An added strength to her tough exterior and that's exactly what everybody needs. You had me swept off my feet throughout the book and it seriously killed me when you weren't in every single page and chapter. I missed you as much as Hannah missed you. Again, Juliana, you had me so hooked that it felt like I fell down the rabbit hole and wasn't in my world anymore. I loved it!

Overall if you're looking for a refreshing New Adult Contemporary Romance then pick this one up! It will take a hold of you and once you're done, you'll still be thinking about it weeks later. Most definitely left a foot print in my book worm heart! I just.....so many emotions! The feels people! Leo had me laughing out loud, had me falling for him when he showed affection towards Hannah, and he had me weak at the knees when he showed her his passion. Oh my god, their first kiss was so hot! So much passion! Again, so many feels! And don't get me started on her abusive boyfriend.....ooh, if I was there I would have shot his ass if I got a chance.....

*Was provided with a copy from the author but this had no influence on my honest review*

[Krista · Rating 4 out of 5]

If I had to use one word to describe Breaking the Reins, it would be intense. All the relationships in this book are very heavy on the emotion, and Juliana Haygert haz the skillz, because I was feeling it ALL.

Hannah is one lonely girl. After a fire kills her grandma and her horse, she is left with her grandma's ranch to run by herself. She's not close with her parents or her sister, and she doesn't really have any close girlfriends. She does, however, have Eric, her boyfriend, but even he has started acting weirdly possessive and crazy lately. It's only when she meets Leonardo, a fantastic polo player who is giving Eric a run for his money, that she realizes what she's really missing - a relationship with someone who gets her and respects her. And, that's when Eric catches on and decides that he's the only guy that Hannah has room for in her life.

Let's talk horses for a minute. I've always loved them. I took riding lessons a few times when I was young, and I absolutely adored it. It's unfortunately an expensive sport, so my lessons were few, but my love of these beautiful animals has always been there. For that reason, I was so excited to read Breaking the Reins. The horses really did take the spotlight in this book, which centers around a riding ranch and a polo club. One of the main characters is Argus, an abused horse Hannah is asked to take care of. Besides Leo, the horses were the best part of this book.

Speaking of Leo, holy hotness, Batman. There is something about a strong, powerful man riding around on a strong, powerful animal that gets my blood boiling, Throw in a sexy as hell accent and a hero complex the size of California, and you have Leo, the guy who has set his sights on Hannah. Lucky girl.

Oh, but she's not as lucky as you might think. Eric is the worst of the worst, and he's exactly like you would picture an abuser. He starts slowly, then as his frustration with Hannah grows, so does the flying of his fists. Hannah made me so mad - why didn't she see what he was trying to do to her? Why didn't she leave him when she had something so much better with Leo? But, I guess that's how it is with most abuse victims. They make crazy excuses for the behavior in order to keep the status quo, and we see that in Hannah. It made me nuts.

Although some portions of the story slowed down at times, for the most part, the pacing was good. Breaking the Reins is told from Hannah's POV, which really worked well since the story surrounds her ability to deal with all the crap she was getting from her family, from Eric, from her ranch and even from Leo at times. The characters are really well developed, although I would've liked to have learned more about Leo's family. I'm hopeful that future books will follow his siblings, which will give me that insight I crave.

Breaking the Reins is an emotional new adult book set among an untapped setting of horses and horse farms. It was raw and real and sexy and sweet. It should definitely be on your TBR list.

Full review found on http://kristasdustjacket.blogspot.com...

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

Favorite Quotes
“He was broken. I was broken. But perhaps we only needed to give in to each other to be saved.”
Plot

Breaking the Reins follows Hannah Taylor as she takes over her Grandmother’s ranch following an accident that took both the life of her grandmother and the life of her horse. Hannah is dealing with her boyfriend, Eric, who is becoming more and more paranoid and jealous, especially after Leo, a Brazilian polo player, shows up and steals his title as number one polo player. But Leo is also on his way to stealing Hannah’s heart as he helps Hannah to restore a horse named Argus. But Eric isn’t going to give in easily, especially to Leo, and drama ensues.

Breaking the Reins was definitely an engaging read. Between Hannah dealing with the death of her horse and Grandmother, dealing with an insane boyfriend, and dealing with her feelings for the new polo player, Leo, there were no boring parts of this novel. The plot was amazingly done for a contemporary, and I wasn’t able to predict any of the major things that happened. It was nice to be surprised by some of the events.

Leading Lady

Hannah was a well-written character. She was passionate, which was the main thing that stuck out for me. She loved the ranch and refused to let anyone stop her from running it. She became passionate about saving her new horse, Argus. She was passionate about Leo. It was just really evident in her character. In addition to that, she was determined, caring, and selfless. I really enjoyed getting to know her character.

Leading Male

Leo was also a passionate character. The thing I loved about him was that we didn’t really know about his past. He had layers and things that he needed to work through, showing that he wasn’t one of those unrealistic fictional boys. He was also persistent, which is the word that I would use to describe him. He, overall, was another phenomenal character to read.

Romance

Hannah and Leo tried to resist the pull between them for a large part of the novel, and as the reader, it was torture. They obviously were hot for each other, but Hannah’s boyfriend kept getting in the way. And then Leo’s past got in the way. It was just an obstacle course for the two of them getting together. But when they were together, it was perfect.

Other Characters

Eric was Hannah’s actual boyfriend in this novel. He gave me really bad vibes from the very beginning. I can’t say much because I don’t want to spoil anything, but he is not a nice person.

Other

Something else that I enjoyed in this novel was Hannah’s relationship with the horse, Argus. Argus was saved by animal control, and was taken to Hannah’s ranch to be fixed. Argus was very distrusting in the beginning, and it was nice seeing him come to begin to trust Hannah and Leo. I really enjoyed the camaraderie that Argus and Hannah had.

Conclusion

Breaking the Reins was a very well written novel that exceeded my expectations. With exceptionally well-written characters and an unpredictable plot, it’s definitely one that I can highly recommend.

[Mandy Sickle · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received Breaking the reins in return for an honest review as part of the tour hosted by Xpresso Book Tours. Hannah’s life was perfect until the night her grandmother and beloved horse die in a fire. Now she’s running her grandmother's ranch juggling school and still trying to be the perfect girlfriend to Eric who’s perfect. When an animal control officer shows up at her door asking her to rehab an abused horse Hannah isn't sure she’s up to the challenge she’s not a horse whisperer like her grandmother. Both her boyfriend and father want her to sell the ranch and learn to take over her father’s breeding business. However Hannah can’t let go of the ranch or Argus the abused horse.

Hannah notices that Eric is starting to become possessive telling her to sell the ranch drop out of school which is the last thing she wants to do. When a new attractive polo player shows up in town giving Eric a run for his money his temper flares. Eric can see the Leo is interested in Hannah but he won’t let her go, she belongs to him forever even if he has to make her understand. As Eric becomes more aggressive with Hannah she starts to develop a connection with Leo who agrees to help her with Argus. While things with Leo are heating up it’s getting cold with Eric. Soon Hannah will have to choose who she wants and will the one not chosen let her go?

I love Hannah she’s a girl after my own heart. I’m a diehard horse fan so of course this book was perfect for me. I also had abusive ex so I can relate to her story I don't blame her for wanting to help Eric deal with his temper she’s a good person with a good heart. Her life isn't easy and when things get tough she does her best to overcome them. I instantly didn’t like Eric he just rubbed me the wrong way right from the start but I love Leo he’s just amazing. Kind of any girls dream guy, plus he’s attractive and loves horses can’t go wrong.

Breaking the Reins is a captivating story filled with horses, polo players, danger, romance, and healing. I found the characters easy to connect with they felt like real people even if they are living in the spotlight. The author has created a story around a tough real life situation that happens to thousands every day. I think she did a beautiful job creating Hannah’s story, giving us a unique inside look into the life of a domestic violence victim. I found Hannah inspiring; I cheered her on even when she was down knowing it would work out in the end. I loved the way the author used Argus to bring Hannah and Leo together using the broken horse they are all able to heal. The author created a powerful story I highly suggest anyone who has a love for horses and wants a tear jerker with a happy ending should check it out. I feel like I could ramble about Breaking the Reins for hours, it's one of my new favorites. Loved it!!!!

[Chyna · Rating 4 out of 5]

Source: From author (Thanks so much)

Format: Uncorrected copy

Ratings: 4.5 Stars

Reviewer: Chyna

My thoughts....

"Deadly and beautiful!"-Lite-Rate-Ture Reviews

The cover design isn't much when I've read the book, this story was deadly. Full on deadly! I didn't expect much when I read the first few chapters because I thought it would resolve into another cliche, but I was damn wrong. This book traumatized me at what men can do to women, my imagination grew wild as the story progressed. In the story we have Hannah, treated as an object or trophy wife by Eric, the best polo player in the world. I loved Eric during half the book, I love a good jealous boyfriend, but there's such a thing as too jealous. That's why ENVY is a sin, hellooooo people!
Juliana also created a character that was unlikely to be significant, but he is. Argus is a horse that was abused by his previous owner and was sent to be tamed by our Hannah girl. What she doesn't know is that she can really find herself in those scars which the horse carries. They will both heal each other without noticing that they were already damaged till they notice the scars starting to fade, they're really the perfect match.


Can I warn you that their will be twists and turns in this book, so shocking that even my heart throbbed. I'm telling you, if you have a feeble heart do not read this book! You might get frustrated when it comes to abuse. Eric just abused Hannah both mentally and physically, he kinda had a split personality in the book which terrified me. This books turns out sweet then bittersweet, and finally downright cruel, in a beautiful sense. I loved this book so much!

The relationship between Hannah and Eric is incredulous, it seems too scripted, that is why I'm team Leo. Gosh! Leo has his own secrets too, You will fall in love with this boy! He's just too much for me too handle, there's too much good in him that you won't be able to breathe. Hannah experienced that the moment Leo walked in on her. Beautiful just beautiful.

My heart felt like it was breaking because of BtR, Juliana's writing style will bring you near to your knees. You will entreat to how much who you want the torture to stop. It's far too painful to read nor it is to watch. I would recommend this story to the readers who enjoy New Adult, this is just perfection. No, it defines perfection! READ IT NOW!

(It's so hard to write a review for a book that made you cry until the end)

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