Helpful Score: 4
I loved this book!!! No joke, out of the thousand or so I've ever read I would have to say that this one is my all time top book. I loved the story, I loved the characters, I loved the play on words and that horses were included of course! Excellent writing, excellent ideas and certainly excellent for a good laugh! The German references were spot on (I'm in Germany right now so I have an excellent basis for this opinion) and the wit and satire were superb! I highly recommend this book and because I love it so much will not be putting it on the shelf! :) As a matter of fact, I wonder if she has anything else out there...
Helpful Score: 3
---------Even if you're not the least bit involved in horses, you'll love this one! I laughed as much as at Evanovich's Stephanie Plum.---------
When Judy Van Brunt finally decides to leave her cheating husband, she makes immediate plans to quit her teaching job, take the money she inherited from her mother, and run off, leaving a note on her husband's pillow. There is only one problem: Where is she going?
During her weekly riding lesson, her instructor makes a suggestion just crazy enough to workâ"-and before she knows it, Judy has a position as a groom at an exclusive North Carolina horse farm. There, she shares an apartment with three remarkable women who also work at the farm, and she puts in long hours caring for the horses in addition to learning the demanding sport of dressage from the farm's owner, a former Olympic champion. Exhausted but fulfilled, she learns for herself that a horse in the barn is worth far more than a husband at home. Her housemates gladly supplement her education with lessons not found in the riding ring, such as how to avoid the farm's snootier patrons and weed out unsavory suitors. Her devotion to horses is far more rewarding than her marriage ever wasâ"after all, horses never lie or cheat, and even the most hot-blooded stallion won't kick her when she's down.
Nevertheless, her new life doesn't keep her away from men entirely. She finds her early vow of chastity and cheeseburgers weakening as she is drawn to one especially eligible bachelor. But after a few escapades with studs of the two-legged variety, is she really ready to be with someone?
Set against the alternately glamorous and grimy world of competitive horse shows, Horseplay is a jubilant ride.
When Judy Van Brunt finally decides to leave her cheating husband, she makes immediate plans to quit her teaching job, take the money she inherited from her mother, and run off, leaving a note on her husband's pillow. There is only one problem: Where is she going?
During her weekly riding lesson, her instructor makes a suggestion just crazy enough to workâ"-and before she knows it, Judy has a position as a groom at an exclusive North Carolina horse farm. There, she shares an apartment with three remarkable women who also work at the farm, and she puts in long hours caring for the horses in addition to learning the demanding sport of dressage from the farm's owner, a former Olympic champion. Exhausted but fulfilled, she learns for herself that a horse in the barn is worth far more than a husband at home. Her housemates gladly supplement her education with lessons not found in the riding ring, such as how to avoid the farm's snootier patrons and weed out unsavory suitors. Her devotion to horses is far more rewarding than her marriage ever wasâ"after all, horses never lie or cheat, and even the most hot-blooded stallion won't kick her when she's down.
Nevertheless, her new life doesn't keep her away from men entirely. She finds her early vow of chastity and cheeseburgers weakening as she is drawn to one especially eligible bachelor. But after a few escapades with studs of the two-legged variety, is she really ready to be with someone?
Set against the alternately glamorous and grimy world of competitive horse shows, Horseplay is a jubilant ride.
Helpful Score: 2
If you like horses and romance, a quick, light read. A romanticized view of training for Grand Prix dressage!
Helpful Score: 2
I am a horse person and I loved this book! She gets the horse world and adds great humor. I am recommending it to all my horse friends. I stumbled upon this book searching for new posts. I plan on reading more from this author. It is a light, fun, quick read. Took it to the beach and my husband kept asking what was so funny. Wish there were more equestrian novels like this.
Helpful Score: 2
I thoroughly enjoyed this book. It was the first I've read by this author and though I know nothing about horses it was very readable. Singer's way with phrases kept my interest. I laughed out loud at some of the antics. Two thumbs up!
Helpful Score: 1
Pretty good horse novel!
Helpful Score: 1
It was pretty good. I learned a lot about horses and show horses that I didn't know before. The story was actually pretty good, though there were some weird plots throught the book that kind of made you go "huh."
This book was a riot! Wished it would have been a little longer and went a little further into the developing romance..
Funny, fluffy read. Great book for your beach bag!
This is a great read. If you are a horse person, the daily life of the characters will ring all too true. Set mainly on a farm in NC that specializes in Olympic level dressage, the story is a combination of drama and comedy. I haven't laughed so much while reading in many a book. If you are not a horse person, the tangled lives of the characters will still make this a great read.
You don't have to love horses to enjoy this book. I do however love horses and could understand the main character's not wanting to give them up. I laughed out loud several times and finished the book in 2 days. Great read!
I don't read a lot of chicklit but liked this one. Good story about friendship.
Not great literature, but if you love horses and riding this book is a hoot.
Judy Reene Singer must be a great person to know. This book is full of quick wit, dry humor and a group of nuts! Really funny characters ... Speed's flaw (who saw that one coming?). What a hoot! Really good, quick read!
Amusing and cute chick lit. Woman leaves her bad marriage and engulfs herself in life at a horse farm.
I gave it 4 stars only because of the sentence where she says Appaloosa foals are ugly. Otherwise, it's a good story and I enjoyed it.
story line was a little differant than most books I ve been reading and I enjoyed it
Really cute book. Full of dry humor.
A nice light read for the woman who never grew out of her horse phase.
This was a great book. It was hysterically funny. You will laugh from beginning to end.
Predictable, not always based in fact - maybe not the best choice for someone who really knows their stuff when it comes to horses and dressage! But nevertheless a light, fun read.
A really fun book to read & I don't really like horses.
A fun, light read.
I picked this book up because I "judged the book by it's cover" and it turned out great. This is an awesome book!
I loved this book! It was funny, yet thoughtful, fast paced and lots of stuff about horses and riding.
Judy has had enough. It is time for a change, so she packs up everything she owns and moves away to a horse farm. She will live on the farm and work in exchange for lessons. There are many colorful characters working on the farm. After several months her husband shows up and demands her to go home. She is finally free of her husband but enter a black horse and her bad luck returns. When will her knight on horseback arrive?
I read Still Life with Elephant and found it to be a very nice read. So I decided to give her first book a try. I found this book not as in engaging and a little predictable. This book had too many colorful characters to keep straight. I was confused all the way to the end about who was who. The Author tried to do play on word dialogues; I found they fell flat and not entertaining at all.
I read Still Life with Elephant and found it to be a very nice read. So I decided to give her first book a try. I found this book not as in engaging and a little predictable. This book had too many colorful characters to keep straight. I was confused all the way to the end about who was who. The Author tried to do play on word dialogues; I found they fell flat and not entertaining at all.
