Summary: Erin Blackwell is headed to college in New York City to study creative writing and earn a living as a romance novelist. Her grandmother has other plans: she approves of the college, but she wants Erin to major in business and then come back home to Kentucky to run the family’s famous racehorse farm. There is no way Erin will agree. Studying in New York and writing her way into a career is her escape from the farm and the family tragedy that happened there. So Erin’s grandmother decides Erin really will live life as a starving artist. She takes Erin’s future job running the farm, her inheritance, even her college tuition, and gives them all to Hunter Allen.
Hunter has lived on the farm for years. He’s Erin’s age, he’s the stable boy, and he’s the romantic dream of every girl in her high school. But he was involved in the family tragedy. Erin has always given him a wide berth. And he’s a slick opportunist. She’s furious that he fooled her grandmother into giving him Erin’s birthright and sending him to Erin’s college.
At least she’s free of him in her creative writing class. So she pens a story that has haunted her lately, in which the horse farm heiress at the very first Kentucky Derby starts a forbidden affair with the lowly stable boy. Unfortunately for her, the day she’s sharing this story with her New York classmates, Hunter walks in. He’s switching to her class. And after reading about himself in Erin’s story, he writes his own sexy assignments that lure Erin into dangerous fantasies about what could have been between them, and what might be.
My Thoughts: Part of me wants to really love this book, but I didn’t like Erin much at all. She whines too much, thinks she knows exactly what everyone’s thinking, and rushes to judgment without the facts. She always knows exactly what’s going on in Hunter’s mind and bases her actions based on that – or at least she thinks she knows. Her sense of entitlement isn’t diminished at all by her sudden loss of her family fortune. Whine, whine, whine. Complain, complain, complain. Rush to conclusions, don’t talk to anyone and just assume you know what’s going on in their head. I got very tired of her by the time the book was over. I also got so sick of her games. GROW UP! I know this is YA, but she’s supposed to be in college, not junior high. Ugh!
I did like Hunter. And I think Erin’s bad attitude and tendency to treat him so poorly just made me like him more. To love her as he does despite all of that … very sweet.
Despite all of that, I did enjoy the story. It’s sweet, and cute. I wanted so much to give this book 4 stars, but I just can’t get past Erin.
My Rating: 3.5 stars
Source: Received through Around The World Tours for review.
Read It: Get your own copy HERE. (This is a Book Depository link, and purchase through this link will result in my receiving a small commission at no cost to you. Your support is appreciated!)
Challenges: Counts for the 100 Books in a Year Reading Challenge and the 2nds Challenge (second I read by Jennifer Echols).
FTC Disclosure: All items reviewed were either obtained by me for my own enjoyment or sent (from the author, publisher, publicist, via tour sites, etc.) in exchange for an honest review. I receive no monetary compensation for my posts. All opinions expressed are my own.
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Great review. It’s such a bummer when you find a character you don’t like or can’t get past. But it still sounds like you enjoyed it.
Glad to find your blog. I will be following you now too. I found you through Teresa’s Reading Corner.
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Thanks, Lena. Yes, I hate when characters ruin the book. I would be reading, enjoying it, then she’d start in on her whining and stuff. Drove me bonkers! LOL
+JMJ+
I agree that whiny, self-entitled heroines are a real turn-off. =( When you got to the part about Erin not wanting to forgive Hunter for taking her “birthright,” I had to roll my eyes a little. Don’t her own actions amount to a declaration that she doesn’t want the farm, anyway? Take some responsibility, girl!
It’s really too bad. I’ve been thinking of trying some Jenny Han, Sarah Dessen, Stephanie Perkins, and Jennifer Echols (because I haven’t read any books by them at all), but the first one I try will definitely not be this one.
Thanks for the review! It was helpful. =)
Um, yeah. And she’s so dang prideful. She refuses to go to her grandmother. Her grandmother has to go to her. But they’re equally stubborn. Ugh. I loved Echols’ “Forget You” much more than this one. I’d suggest starting with that one.
Oh bummer
I love Jennifer Echols but I’m not a fan of whiny characters. I’ll still give it a go & hopefully I won’t find her as annoying as you did. Thanks for your honest review!
Christie recently posted..Review: To Kill A Warlock by H.P Mallory
Totally agree with you about Erin. I couldn’t dredge up any sympathy for her at all.
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