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Island Series #1
Appaloosa Summer
Sixteen-year-old Meg Traherne has never known loss. Until the beautiful, talented horse she trained herself, drops dead underneath her in the show ring.
Jared Strickland has been living with loss ever since his father died in a tragic farming accident.
Meg escapes from her grief by changing everything about her life; moving away from home to spend her summer living on an island in the St. Lawrence River, scrubbing toilets and waiting on guests at a B&B.
Once there, she meets Jared; doing his best to keep anything else in his life from changing.
When Jared offers Meg a scruffy appaloosa mare out of a friend’s back field, it’s the beginning of a journey that will change both of them by summer’s end.
Jared Strickland has been living with loss ever since his father died in a tragic farming accident.
Meg escapes from her grief by changing everything about her life; moving away from home to spend her summer living on an island in the St. Lawrence River, scrubbing toilets and waiting on guests at a B&B.
Once there, she meets Jared; doing his best to keep anything else in his life from changing.
When Jared offers Meg a scruffy appaloosa mare out of a friend’s back field, it’s the beginning of a journey that will change both of them by summer’s end.
246 pages, Kindle Edition
First published June 5, 2014
226 people are currently reading
1636 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 117 reviews
September 13, 2019
Great book!! Meg's horse that she trained herself drops dead under her while jumping. Her heart is broken, so she takes a job at an inn on an island for the summer. She's not expecting to find a horse in need of training, and she's not expecting to meet a guy. The guy, Jared, is one of the best things in this story. The author has created a GREAT character here! Who among us can resist the tall, kinda shy, cowboy with a great smile?? The romance between Meg and Jared is slow, charming, and realistic.
The horse that Meg takes on, Salem, is a Western trained Appaloosa, that Meg trains to jump. As always with Tudor Robins' books, the horses are absolutely accurate and true to life. I thoroughly enjoyed this tale, and have ordered the next two books in the series. Would recommend to anyone who enjoys YA fiction, as well as anyone who looks for good equine stories!
The horse that Meg takes on, Salem, is a Western trained Appaloosa, that Meg trains to jump. As always with Tudor Robins' books, the horses are absolutely accurate and true to life. I thoroughly enjoyed this tale, and have ordered the next two books in the series. Would recommend to anyone who enjoys YA fiction, as well as anyone who looks for good equine stories!
June 24, 2014
You can see more of my reviews at My Blog
As soon as I see a book about horses, my expectations immediately drop to the ground; I’ve just read too many bad ones. You know the ones: an important competition, a rich girl who is weirdly competitive, and then the main character always wins everything.
Thankfully, this was not one of those books.
After losing her beloved horse Major at a jumping competition, Megan is heartbroken. She goes to an island off the coast of Canada to work for two family friends at a bed and breakfast. She meets a guy on a tractor named Jared, and ends up getting an appaloosa in return for working cattle. Megan must train Salem to compete in a show jumping competition.
Ok, I admit it: my above description of the book is pretty poor. Don’t be fooled though, it’s a lot better than what I just made it sound like.
I loved Megan and Jared. They were both awesome people on their own, and even better as a couple. Their romance was believable and gradual; it didn’t come on too suddenly or seem forced. Both had some emotional baggage after losing an important individual in their lives. The minor characters were also pretty great, especially Megan’s mom.
Also, despite Megan and her friend Slate riding at an upper-level horse barn in the beginning of the book, there are no mentions of a snooty rich girl. Megan and Slate are actually quite down to earth, even though upper-middle class or well off characters that ride horses are typically portrayed as self-absorbed and mean in teen horse books. Hooray! Not all characters who can afford to ride at a fancy-ish barn are total bitches!
Additionally, the setting in this book was amazing. It was set on a relatively small, unnamed island near Canada. There was a real sense of community between all the characters that was sweet and heart-warming. Also, I honestly hope that the island in the novel is real or based off a real location because I just want to move there!
The horse related content in the novel was good. It doesn’t go too in depth or use too much fancy jargon, but a satisfactory amount of the book focused on horses (and not just romance or petty arguments like some other horse books!). However, a non-horsey person might not completely understand what is going on, so if you don’t know much about horses, brush up on your knowledge before reading!
One part of the novel I truly applaud Tudor Robins on is her handling of Megan’s loss of her horse. There was an appropriate amount of grieving on Megan’s part. Her feelings regarding Major were totally believable, and I just loved the way that she handled her loss near the end of the book. I won’t spoil it for the people who haven’t read this book yet, but the way that Megan says her final goodbye to Major and lets go of something very precious is an incredibly sweet and mature thing to do.
Despite all my praise towards the book, there was a portion of it that annoyed me. Megan trains Salem to compete in a show. However, I don’t feel like she works with Salem enough to really say that she has trained her. Salem was pretty much an out of work, push button horse. She’s perfectly behaved and a fantastic jumper. All Megan did was bring her back into work. I would like it if there was a little more challenge involved with this aspect of the book. The ease involved with “training” Salem was a little far-fetched, as well as getting such a good horse in exchange for one day of work. If Salem hadn’t really jumped before or was tricky to ride, this portion of the book would be more interesting and believable.
There is also the tricky part of classifying this book into an age group. The “s-word” is used very lightly in this novel. I feel that Appaloosa Summer wasn’t really mature enough to be classified as a true young adult book, but its use of the “s-word” put it out of middle grade books. Overall, I guess I would categorize this novel as mature middle grade or very light young adult. Yeah, my classifications aren’t very pretty. Perhaps the removal of the swear words in this book would allow it to fit into the middle grade category of books better.
I would definitely recommend this novel to all horse lovers. It has a few flaws, but the lovely characterisation, setting, and handling of grief make up for that.
An ARC was received from the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
As soon as I see a book about horses, my expectations immediately drop to the ground; I’ve just read too many bad ones. You know the ones: an important competition, a rich girl who is weirdly competitive, and then the main character always wins everything.
Thankfully, this was not one of those books.
After losing her beloved horse Major at a jumping competition, Megan is heartbroken. She goes to an island off the coast of Canada to work for two family friends at a bed and breakfast. She meets a guy on a tractor named Jared, and ends up getting an appaloosa in return for working cattle. Megan must train Salem to compete in a show jumping competition.
Ok, I admit it: my above description of the book is pretty poor. Don’t be fooled though, it’s a lot better than what I just made it sound like.
I loved Megan and Jared. They were both awesome people on their own, and even better as a couple. Their romance was believable and gradual; it didn’t come on too suddenly or seem forced. Both had some emotional baggage after losing an important individual in their lives. The minor characters were also pretty great, especially Megan’s mom.
Also, despite Megan and her friend Slate riding at an upper-level horse barn in the beginning of the book, there are no mentions of a snooty rich girl. Megan and Slate are actually quite down to earth, even though upper-middle class or well off characters that ride horses are typically portrayed as self-absorbed and mean in teen horse books. Hooray! Not all characters who can afford to ride at a fancy-ish barn are total bitches!
Additionally, the setting in this book was amazing. It was set on a relatively small, unnamed island near Canada. There was a real sense of community between all the characters that was sweet and heart-warming. Also, I honestly hope that the island in the novel is real or based off a real location because I just want to move there!
The horse related content in the novel was good. It doesn’t go too in depth or use too much fancy jargon, but a satisfactory amount of the book focused on horses (and not just romance or petty arguments like some other horse books!). However, a non-horsey person might not completely understand what is going on, so if you don’t know much about horses, brush up on your knowledge before reading!
One part of the novel I truly applaud Tudor Robins on is her handling of Megan’s loss of her horse. There was an appropriate amount of grieving on Megan’s part. Her feelings regarding Major were totally believable, and I just loved the way that she handled her loss near the end of the book. I won’t spoil it for the people who haven’t read this book yet, but the way that Megan says her final goodbye to Major and lets go of something very precious is an incredibly sweet and mature thing to do.
Despite all my praise towards the book, there was a portion of it that annoyed me. Megan trains Salem to compete in a show. However, I don’t feel like she works with Salem enough to really say that she has trained her. Salem was pretty much an out of work, push button horse. She’s perfectly behaved and a fantastic jumper. All Megan did was bring her back into work. I would like it if there was a little more challenge involved with this aspect of the book. The ease involved with “training” Salem was a little far-fetched, as well as getting such a good horse in exchange for one day of work. If Salem hadn’t really jumped before or was tricky to ride, this portion of the book would be more interesting and believable.
There is also the tricky part of classifying this book into an age group. The “s-word” is used very lightly in this novel. I feel that Appaloosa Summer wasn’t really mature enough to be classified as a true young adult book, but its use of the “s-word” put it out of middle grade books. Overall, I guess I would categorize this novel as mature middle grade or very light young adult. Yeah, my classifications aren’t very pretty. Perhaps the removal of the swear words in this book would allow it to fit into the middle grade category of books better.
I would definitely recommend this novel to all horse lovers. It has a few flaws, but the lovely characterisation, setting, and handling of grief make up for that.
An ARC was received from the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
December 12, 2015
I HAVE TO BUY EVERYTHING. Y'know... when I have more than $20 in my bank account. Lol. I'll be writing an actual review very soon!
On to the actual review!
Not so long ago, a twelve year old me was obsessed with horses and everything to do with them. I wanted nothing more than to own one, but it was not a viable option for a plethora of reasons: not the least the fact that they're so expensive. Now, because I couldn't actually get a horse, I did the next best thing: collected horse stuff! Books, stuffed horses, toy horses, etc. I was even apart of the Pony Club, which sent packages in the mail with books and all kinds of goodies inside every month. Needless to say, it was the best couple of years of my pre-teen life.
When I started Appaloosa Summer, I was thrilled. That feelings of excitement at the very thought of reading anything having to do with horses filled me up. While I'm not so invested in them these days, it was nice to feel some familiarity and I was not disappointed.
I think my favorite part of the entire book was the slow romance that blossomed between Jared and Meg. It wasn't forced or awkward, nor was it an insta-love-fest that was cringe-worthy. It was sweet and warmed me up. I love stories that introduce characters this way and slowly lets them grow together- to make for a natural story progression. Frankly, this is, by far, one of my favorite books.
This was a great, quick read that made for lightheartedness. And I enjoyed every minute of it. I think my only vague complaint is the fact that her mother was such a control freak- but uh. That's all I can really think of? I loved the characters and found them easy to relate to and they didn't seem two-dimensional at all. Their personalities were well-developed, and while we didn't get to see a whole lot about Slate, I think there's plenty of time to get to know her in the other books- which I plan on reading eventually.
five out of five stars, would recommend.
On to the actual review!
Not so long ago, a twelve year old me was obsessed with horses and everything to do with them. I wanted nothing more than to own one, but it was not a viable option for a plethora of reasons: not the least the fact that they're so expensive. Now, because I couldn't actually get a horse, I did the next best thing: collected horse stuff! Books, stuffed horses, toy horses, etc. I was even apart of the Pony Club, which sent packages in the mail with books and all kinds of goodies inside every month. Needless to say, it was the best couple of years of my pre-teen life.
When I started Appaloosa Summer, I was thrilled. That feelings of excitement at the very thought of reading anything having to do with horses filled me up. While I'm not so invested in them these days, it was nice to feel some familiarity and I was not disappointed.
I think my favorite part of the entire book was the slow romance that blossomed between Jared and Meg. It wasn't forced or awkward, nor was it an insta-love-fest that was cringe-worthy. It was sweet and warmed me up. I love stories that introduce characters this way and slowly lets them grow together- to make for a natural story progression. Frankly, this is, by far, one of my favorite books.
This was a great, quick read that made for lightheartedness. And I enjoyed every minute of it. I think my only vague complaint is the fact that her mother was such a control freak- but uh. That's all I can really think of? I loved the characters and found them easy to relate to and they didn't seem two-dimensional at all. Their personalities were well-developed, and while we didn't get to see a whole lot about Slate, I think there's plenty of time to get to know her in the other books- which I plan on reading eventually.
five out of five stars, would recommend.
August 19, 2014
Appaloosa Summer - Book One of the Island Trilogy
Tudor Robins
Appaloosa Summer is a beautiful book. It was so much more than I was expecting. It is so much more than a story about a girl and a boy and a horse. But that's what it is at its heart, and it has so much heart.
Meg is shocked and devastated when her horse dies right in the middle of a show jumping competition. Unsure of what to do now and how to face the changes in her life she takes the chance to move back to her family's island cottage and work at the local B&B for the summer. There she meets Jared, whose life has also been shaken by the loss of a loved one. They form a strong friendship and together rescue an Appaloosa.
This is a simple, yet deep and touching story, which I absolutely loved. A perfect summer or all-year-round read. It has been a long time since I have read a good horse book, especially one that is suitable and relevant for middle to older young adults. Tudor Robins obviously knows her horses, and everything that goes with them, but the reader is neither preached at nor left wallowing in excessive horse lingo. Instead, the story flows beautifully, with enough detail to be so wonderfully realistic you can almost smell the mix of salt breezes, fresh cut hay and horse. The romance, too, is sweet, yet also exciting and real. It builds slowly, with a good balance of friendship and the slight awkwardness of getting to know someone new. It was the best summer love story I've read in a long time.
I thoroughly enjoyed Appaloosa Summer and highly recommend it. I look forward to reading the next story in the Island Trilogy.
The publishers provided a complimentary copy of this book for reviewing purposes.
Tudor Robins
Appaloosa Summer is a beautiful book. It was so much more than I was expecting. It is so much more than a story about a girl and a boy and a horse. But that's what it is at its heart, and it has so much heart.
Meg is shocked and devastated when her horse dies right in the middle of a show jumping competition. Unsure of what to do now and how to face the changes in her life she takes the chance to move back to her family's island cottage and work at the local B&B for the summer. There she meets Jared, whose life has also been shaken by the loss of a loved one. They form a strong friendship and together rescue an Appaloosa.
This is a simple, yet deep and touching story, which I absolutely loved. A perfect summer or all-year-round read. It has been a long time since I have read a good horse book, especially one that is suitable and relevant for middle to older young adults. Tudor Robins obviously knows her horses, and everything that goes with them, but the reader is neither preached at nor left wallowing in excessive horse lingo. Instead, the story flows beautifully, with enough detail to be so wonderfully realistic you can almost smell the mix of salt breezes, fresh cut hay and horse. The romance, too, is sweet, yet also exciting and real. It builds slowly, with a good balance of friendship and the slight awkwardness of getting to know someone new. It was the best summer love story I've read in a long time.
I thoroughly enjoyed Appaloosa Summer and highly recommend it. I look forward to reading the next story in the Island Trilogy.
The publishers provided a complimentary copy of this book for reviewing purposes.
October 13, 2019
Do you know what it's like to start reading a book and realize it feels like the book YOU would write, if you had that kind of focus?
Every sentence is so evocative, I found myself slowing down just so I could savor them. Despite its sad impetus, this is the setup of my teenage dreams, the kind of summer that at the beginning of every June, I still find myself wishing I could run away and live instead of going to my normal adult job. And it isn't just my dream setup for a summer -- this is absolutely every element I would pick if I were selecting ingredients from a commission-your-dream-novel sundae bar. Allow me to summarize at length:
Let's say your beloved horse has died in a traumatic accident that has both left you bereft over his loss, and made it difficult to be around any other horses right now. Which means your summer plans have turned into "sit around with your grief," until a job opportunity comes up. Now you're still working through grief, but you're also working on a island rural enough to have only patchy WiFi -- at a family friend's wonderfully cozy B&B -- while staying in your parents' (nicely renovated) vacation cottage by yourself.
On your way to work, you meet a nice, friendly farm dog. Owned by an even nicer farm boy. Who has an awesome mom and other awesome relatives, including an adorable cousin with a cute fat pony. Later, the farm boy helps you get a free horse. A beautiful black appaloosa horse, in fact. And you spend the whole summer hanging out together and getting closer, while you invest in the new equine who slowly heals your heart.
Meanwhile, even the home life you left behind/will be going back to eventually is great. Yeah, your mom can be a little intense with the micro-managing and sometimes hyper critical, but she's still loving and supportive when it comes down to it. Back there, you have a fluffy dog. And a super-supportive best friend, even if you can only communicate by phone right now, who until recently also had a horse and rode at the barn with you, and whose dog came from the same litter as yours. As well as an awesome riding coach (hard flashback to Max in The Saddle Club), even if you're not sure you want to compete in shows anymore.
Suffice it to say, every character is perfect. The romance unfolds in the sweetest, slowest of slow-burn ways and is so innocent I could squeal, despite the guy being college-aged.
(CONTENT BONUS: )
Did I mention the idyllic setting? And the HORSE CONTENT. I've never seen a YA author in this century make the love of horses such a central focus unless they were also focusing extensively on training and competing for a grand showjumping prize at the end. But showing is an afterthought here -- this is summer in the country. This is how horses are made to be loved. Meg's saddle doesn't even make an appearance for ages. And you can tell that the author has genuine experience with horses; her descriptions are those of a rider, not just an equine enthusiast.
I think that most traditional publishers would take one look at this and go, "Uh-uh sister, this is middle grade stuff. Needs moar hot kissing action, less acting like horses are still as important as boys if you want to market to teens, who would Never." But this truly feels like a YA novel, not a book for young readers that happens to feature teenagers, and I feel so absurdly validated to have someone finally say, yes, even at 17+ and with a cute boy in the picture, you can still value one's time on a horse as much as you always have.
I just...kind of want to clasp my hands and tip over and sigh and hug this book all day. The fact that I read it on the last day of summer weather, on a park bench overlooking a small lake, just made the experience even more perfect.
Every sentence is so evocative, I found myself slowing down just so I could savor them. Despite its sad impetus, this is the setup of my teenage dreams, the kind of summer that at the beginning of every June, I still find myself wishing I could run away and live instead of going to my normal adult job. And it isn't just my dream setup for a summer -- this is absolutely every element I would pick if I were selecting ingredients from a commission-your-dream-novel sundae bar. Allow me to summarize at length:
Let's say your beloved horse has died in a traumatic accident that has both left you bereft over his loss, and made it difficult to be around any other horses right now. Which means your summer plans have turned into "sit around with your grief," until a job opportunity comes up. Now you're still working through grief, but you're also working on a island rural enough to have only patchy WiFi -- at a family friend's wonderfully cozy B&B -- while staying in your parents' (nicely renovated) vacation cottage by yourself.
On your way to work, you meet a nice, friendly farm dog. Owned by an even nicer farm boy. Who has an awesome mom and other awesome relatives, including an adorable cousin with a cute fat pony. Later, the farm boy helps you get a free horse. A beautiful black appaloosa horse, in fact. And you spend the whole summer hanging out together and getting closer, while you invest in the new equine who slowly heals your heart.
Meanwhile, even the home life you left behind/will be going back to eventually is great. Yeah, your mom can be a little intense with the micro-managing and sometimes hyper critical, but she's still loving and supportive when it comes down to it. Back there, you have a fluffy dog. And a super-supportive best friend, even if you can only communicate by phone right now, who until recently also had a horse and rode at the barn with you, and whose dog came from the same litter as yours. As well as an awesome riding coach (hard flashback to Max in The Saddle Club), even if you're not sure you want to compete in shows anymore.
Suffice it to say, every character is perfect. The romance unfolds in the sweetest, slowest of slow-burn ways and is so innocent I could squeal, despite the guy being college-aged.
(CONTENT BONUS: )
Did I mention the idyllic setting? And the HORSE CONTENT. I've never seen a YA author in this century make the love of horses such a central focus unless they were also focusing extensively on training and competing for a grand showjumping prize at the end. But showing is an afterthought here -- this is summer in the country. This is how horses are made to be loved. Meg's saddle doesn't even make an appearance for ages. And you can tell that the author has genuine experience with horses; her descriptions are those of a rider, not just an equine enthusiast.
I think that most traditional publishers would take one look at this and go, "Uh-uh sister, this is middle grade stuff. Needs moar hot kissing action, less acting like horses are still as important as boys if you want to market to teens, who would Never." But this truly feels like a YA novel, not a book for young readers that happens to feature teenagers, and I feel so absurdly validated to have someone finally say, yes, even at 17+ and with a cute boy in the picture, you can still value one's time on a horse as much as you always have.
I just...kind of want to clasp my hands and tip over and sigh and hug this book all day. The fact that I read it on the last day of summer weather, on a park bench overlooking a small lake, just made the experience even more perfect.
July 18, 2014
I received a copy of ‘Appaloosa Summer’ by Tudor Robins after I requested a copy on Netgalley. What immediately caught my eye when I was looking on Netgalley was the beautiful cover. I just loved it. After I read the description I decided to ask for a review copy and I’m so happy that I did.
In ‘Appaloosa Summer’ we meet Meg. Meg is a sixteen year old horse fanatic. When her own horse dies unexpectedly in the show ring, Meg is devastated. When Meg got asked to work in a beautiful B&B on the Island where she used to come with her parents, it seemed to be the perfect way to escape her grieve. Soon after Meg leaves home everything changes.
Jared has been living on the Island all his life. When Jared’s dad dies suddenly, Jared is the one to take care of his dads farm. When Meg and Jason meet they immediately feel a connection with each other. Both are grieving and both are trying to find a way to life with their pain. When an offer comes around to get a Appaloosa mare for free, Jared decides to accept. And soon Meg and Jared are at the start of new journey.
This book was definitely something else for me. I haven’t read many books about horses and the farm life. At least not for a long time. When I was younger I read a lot of children’s books about horses. I loved everything about horses. I had horse-riding lessons and I spent many days in the stables. Unfortunately some stuff happened and I never went horse riding again. This book definitely made me think about the old times and me horse-riding. But although not all memories are ones I want to remember I loved this book.
Although I thought the beginning of this book was a little long I really enjoyed it from the start. I loved reading about Meg working in the B&B and her life in the country. I also really loved the moment Meg and Jared met for the first time. It was just so innocent and fleeting that it felt really real to me.
I really enjoyed this book. From the first page you kind of know that this book is about a life lesson/ journey Meg has to take. And it was just so fun to read. I read this book in just one day because it was just a nice and easy read. Not bad easy but very enjoyable easy. For example: I was half way through this book when I was sitting in a railway station in a big city here in the Netherlands waiting for my train to arrive. It was very busy because people were going home after work but I wasn’t noticing anything because I was reading ‘Appaloosa Summer’ with a smile on my face. This book just pulls you into the country life. And I loved it.
The character I loved the most was definitely Meg. For a sixteen year old she was very strong. Meg had her own ideas about her life and she stood up for herself. She even stood up to her mom who was very strict.
What I also really liked in this book where the text messages between Meg and her best friend Slate. They were just so funny and I really loved reading them.
So if you ask me ‘Appaloosa Summer’ is definitely a book you should read if you are in need of a relaxing, nice and funny book. And all the talk about horses definitely makes you want to take a nice summer ride.
In ‘Appaloosa Summer’ we meet Meg. Meg is a sixteen year old horse fanatic. When her own horse dies unexpectedly in the show ring, Meg is devastated. When Meg got asked to work in a beautiful B&B on the Island where she used to come with her parents, it seemed to be the perfect way to escape her grieve. Soon after Meg leaves home everything changes.
Jared has been living on the Island all his life. When Jared’s dad dies suddenly, Jared is the one to take care of his dads farm. When Meg and Jason meet they immediately feel a connection with each other. Both are grieving and both are trying to find a way to life with their pain. When an offer comes around to get a Appaloosa mare for free, Jared decides to accept. And soon Meg and Jared are at the start of new journey.
This book was definitely something else for me. I haven’t read many books about horses and the farm life. At least not for a long time. When I was younger I read a lot of children’s books about horses. I loved everything about horses. I had horse-riding lessons and I spent many days in the stables. Unfortunately some stuff happened and I never went horse riding again. This book definitely made me think about the old times and me horse-riding. But although not all memories are ones I want to remember I loved this book.
Although I thought the beginning of this book was a little long I really enjoyed it from the start. I loved reading about Meg working in the B&B and her life in the country. I also really loved the moment Meg and Jared met for the first time. It was just so innocent and fleeting that it felt really real to me.
I really enjoyed this book. From the first page you kind of know that this book is about a life lesson/ journey Meg has to take. And it was just so fun to read. I read this book in just one day because it was just a nice and easy read. Not bad easy but very enjoyable easy. For example: I was half way through this book when I was sitting in a railway station in a big city here in the Netherlands waiting for my train to arrive. It was very busy because people were going home after work but I wasn’t noticing anything because I was reading ‘Appaloosa Summer’ with a smile on my face. This book just pulls you into the country life. And I loved it.
The character I loved the most was definitely Meg. For a sixteen year old she was very strong. Meg had her own ideas about her life and she stood up for herself. She even stood up to her mom who was very strict.
What I also really liked in this book where the text messages between Meg and her best friend Slate. They were just so funny and I really loved reading them.
So if you ask me ‘Appaloosa Summer’ is definitely a book you should read if you are in need of a relaxing, nice and funny book. And all the talk about horses definitely makes you want to take a nice summer ride.
March 30, 2015
If you are looking for a relaxing story, a book you could read in the beach or just in bed waiting for sleep to come in, this is the book.
Meg’s horse Major died during a show and left Meg devastated. She decided to take the summer job in a B&B owned by their family friends in an island to take off her mind to major and her grief. Here, he met Jared, who is living in grief as well. Soon, they found themselves owning and training an Appaloosa horse that helped them overcome each of their grief in a way.
The first thing that caught my attention in this book is the cover. It has a really nice cover with a country feel in it. I loooovvveee the boots! But other than that, I feel like the cover has shown what the book/story is offering to the reader.
There’s a bit of “The Horse Whisperer” in this story. A girl devastated by the loss of her horse, went to an island to recover and started recovering through the help of a horse. Frankly, the story is too much technical for a non-horse rider. There are some words that I’m not familiar with and I think this could be enjoyed more by a reader who has experience in horse-riding. But the good thing is, the terms can be easily understood as the story goes on and I find myself getting more and more familiar with the words.
Though the characters have both emotional baggage on their shoulders, that didn't keep the story from being light. The grief both are having did not took too much of the story. It’s more focus on how both Jared and Meg are recovering from what they've been through. And the supporting characters are really alive that anyone could feel the "country-ness" of the story. It’s like the whole island is one big family. Even Meg’s father, who played a small role feels so alive. I only remembered him from his one line and I think that’s enough to know what's his character. Meg and Slate text conversations also added to the lightness of the story.
I love country stories, and animals as well. It’s easier for me to be emotionally attached to stories related to animals as pets. Especially dogs. And Horses? I always dream of having a pet horse. :D So this story became close to my heart instantly.
Meg’s horse Major died during a show and left Meg devastated. She decided to take the summer job in a B&B owned by their family friends in an island to take off her mind to major and her grief. Here, he met Jared, who is living in grief as well. Soon, they found themselves owning and training an Appaloosa horse that helped them overcome each of their grief in a way.
The first thing that caught my attention in this book is the cover. It has a really nice cover with a country feel in it. I loooovvveee the boots! But other than that, I feel like the cover has shown what the book/story is offering to the reader.
There’s a bit of “The Horse Whisperer” in this story. A girl devastated by the loss of her horse, went to an island to recover and started recovering through the help of a horse. Frankly, the story is too much technical for a non-horse rider. There are some words that I’m not familiar with and I think this could be enjoyed more by a reader who has experience in horse-riding. But the good thing is, the terms can be easily understood as the story goes on and I find myself getting more and more familiar with the words.
Though the characters have both emotional baggage on their shoulders, that didn't keep the story from being light. The grief both are having did not took too much of the story. It’s more focus on how both Jared and Meg are recovering from what they've been through. And the supporting characters are really alive that anyone could feel the "country-ness" of the story. It’s like the whole island is one big family. Even Meg’s father, who played a small role feels so alive. I only remembered him from his one line and I think that’s enough to know what's his character. Meg and Slate text conversations also added to the lightness of the story.
I love country stories, and animals as well. It’s easier for me to be emotionally attached to stories related to animals as pets. Especially dogs. And Horses? I always dream of having a pet horse. :D So this story became close to my heart instantly.
April 22, 2016
When I started the first chapter of Appaloosa Summer, my stomach sank a little, thinking "oh no, this is going to be another show jumping book." While I enjoy reading about lots of different riding disciplines, it seems like a large portion of equine-fiction revolves around the jumping world...and, frankly, I get tired of it. BUT, I quickly realized this book was different. In the first chapter, the main character's horse dies - he collapses underneath her, just strides before a jump. THAT, I did not see coming!
Instead of taking us into the world of show jumping, Appaloosa Summer takes us on a sweet journey of a teenage girl dealing with loss, deciphering family relationships, growing up, and falling for a boy - all in one summer....and on a quaint country island. Tudor Robins writes so beautifully simple that the characters, scenery, smells, and feelings come to life on the page, without extensive descriptions. Here are a few of my favorite lines..."Wow - happy and sad will just about knock you over when they hit together." And..."I fill my lungs with the scent of lightening-born ozone, and cool air pushing out the heat, and the earth, opening up, releasing everything that's been baked into it by the searing sun. Dirt. Life. Country. Summer." How can you not gasp when you read that? I know I did.
I thoroughly enjoyed this sweet, well-written story and actually wanted to hug my IPad after reading the last page. I'm looking forward to reading more of Tudor Robins' work ... And, I would recommend you do as well!
Brittney Joy
Author of Red Rock Ranch series
Lots more Horsie-Book-Reviews on my Blog...
http://brittneyjoybooks.squarespace.c...
Instead of taking us into the world of show jumping, Appaloosa Summer takes us on a sweet journey of a teenage girl dealing with loss, deciphering family relationships, growing up, and falling for a boy - all in one summer....and on a quaint country island. Tudor Robins writes so beautifully simple that the characters, scenery, smells, and feelings come to life on the page, without extensive descriptions. Here are a few of my favorite lines..."Wow - happy and sad will just about knock you over when they hit together." And..."I fill my lungs with the scent of lightening-born ozone, and cool air pushing out the heat, and the earth, opening up, releasing everything that's been baked into it by the searing sun. Dirt. Life. Country. Summer." How can you not gasp when you read that? I know I did.
I thoroughly enjoyed this sweet, well-written story and actually wanted to hug my IPad after reading the last page. I'm looking forward to reading more of Tudor Robins' work ... And, I would recommend you do as well!
Brittney Joy
Author of Red Rock Ranch series
Lots more Horsie-Book-Reviews on my Blog...
http://brittneyjoybooks.squarespace.c...
Read
August 6, 2016On hold because I realised I can't hack another first person + present tense teenage girlie for the time being (just read one of those), which I find difficult at the best of times. I have a feeling for those who dig that style it's a really good book. I'll return to it another day.
August 13, 2022
Sweet and has its charm… and thank GOSH—little Teen Angst to be found!
My Full Review →
My Full Review →
August 1, 2025
Amazing horsey read!
August 30, 2016
This review is also posted on Book by Book.
Tudor Robins’ Appaloosa Summer is a perfectly refreshing and lovely YA read. Virtually drama-free, this novel did not have me gasping in surprise, anxiously biting my nails or groaning in frustration as some YA novels are prone to do, and I really enjoyed its relaxed nature. Instead of action and angst, its plot develops out of the growth of characters and relationships – but it still pulled me in and urged me to turn pages, as all the characters are easy to like and love. Meg is especially sweet, while Jared is absolutely charming, and their romance (thankfully far from insta-love) sweetly builds from an established friendship. All in all, Appaloosa Summer is a wonderful, light summer read, and I certainly recommend it to YA fans.
Thanks to Tudor Robins and Pump Up Your Book, I received a copy of Appaloosa Summer and the opportunity to provide an honest review. I was not required to write a positive review, and all the opinions I have expressed are my own.
Tudor Robins’ Appaloosa Summer is a perfectly refreshing and lovely YA read. Virtually drama-free, this novel did not have me gasping in surprise, anxiously biting my nails or groaning in frustration as some YA novels are prone to do, and I really enjoyed its relaxed nature. Instead of action and angst, its plot develops out of the growth of characters and relationships – but it still pulled me in and urged me to turn pages, as all the characters are easy to like and love. Meg is especially sweet, while Jared is absolutely charming, and their romance (thankfully far from insta-love) sweetly builds from an established friendship. All in all, Appaloosa Summer is a wonderful, light summer read, and I certainly recommend it to YA fans.
Thanks to Tudor Robins and Pump Up Your Book, I received a copy of Appaloosa Summer and the opportunity to provide an honest review. I was not required to write a positive review, and all the opinions I have expressed are my own.
November 14, 2015
This is one of those books that just makes you happy after you read it. The story is quiet, one of pushing past loss and finding that life keeps going after traumatic events that shake your foundations.
Meg, our main character, is recovering from the loss of her horse, Major, who dies underneath her at a major show. She decides that the best way to accomplish this is to squirrel away in the family cottage for the summer, working for a B&B and getting as far from horses as possible. Of course, a horse finds her whether she likes it or not, and Meg is surprisingly okay with this. Maybe that has something to do with Jared, her summer boy crush, who gets her back in the saddle on Salem, an appaloosa mare traded for an afternoon's worth of working cattle. Now co-owners of Salem, Meg and Jared have to decide what to do with her.
The book is definitely a different horse story, focusing on so much else that isn't horses only to come right back around to the horses so subtly it doesn't take a horse person to have to enjoy the novel. It's a well-written, summery story, and upon finishing it I had to go download its sequel, Wednesday Riders. Looking forward to more!
Meg, our main character, is recovering from the loss of her horse, Major, who dies underneath her at a major show. She decides that the best way to accomplish this is to squirrel away in the family cottage for the summer, working for a B&B and getting as far from horses as possible. Of course, a horse finds her whether she likes it or not, and Meg is surprisingly okay with this. Maybe that has something to do with Jared, her summer boy crush, who gets her back in the saddle on Salem, an appaloosa mare traded for an afternoon's worth of working cattle. Now co-owners of Salem, Meg and Jared have to decide what to do with her.
The book is definitely a different horse story, focusing on so much else that isn't horses only to come right back around to the horses so subtly it doesn't take a horse person to have to enjoy the novel. It's a well-written, summery story, and upon finishing it I had to go download its sequel, Wednesday Riders. Looking forward to more!
December 5, 2014
I must admit, not like most horse stories. It's a very inspiring book that tells people you have to get right back on your feet. It started out when her horse died, since I love all animals, my eyes were tearing up. But it is really NOT a tissue book. I'm also a rider myself, I had lots of backround knowledge to know what Meg was doing all the time: Make it look effortless, while putting head and heart into working towards looking like it. This book really did deserve five stars.
February 5, 2016
This was a really cute read about a girl losing her horse and learning to open herself to new possibilities. The characters were fun and mostly believable. The horse aspect was explored quite as much as I might have liked, but was well constructed. A little bit of drama, but not overdone. I'm definitely looking forward to reading the rest of the trilogy.
Full review can be read on my blog: http://courtneysreads.blogspot.com/20...
Full review can be read on my blog: http://courtneysreads.blogspot.com/20...
March 18, 2015
Very readable and sweet YA novel. I liked the author's prose.
June 16, 2017
I am in a severe reading slump since months and sought out a horsey book to keep me going.
I found this on a list on goodreads and ordered it with free delivery. Well what a refreshing experience! It arrived on SUNDAY morning the day after, unbelievable. It was such a beautiful book, and having bought a lot of new books that have been frustrating to actually read because the quality was so low (looking at you, OUTLANDER paperback Diana gabaldon-shame on you!Pages as thin as a bible), I was surprised and so happy with the pages, the size of print, the cover is stunning and in my head I was thinking, yes all three on my bookshelf please!
I won't give away much more than the blurb, other than that I found all the characters endearing and refreshingly balanced. I am starting to get annoyed with the "bad" and "good" people, here we see people with faults (like her mum) but still with a lot of love to give, I like that.
The narrative was first person, very mellow, beautifully descriptive and done well. Many first person books lack personal emotion and that is just bizarre, here I understood Meg from page one. I was in awe of how simmering and paced she managed the love story, and boy did it sizzle as a result, you almost felt her emotions because the writer gave you time to build up tension and that makes all the difference and made it far more realistic.
Yes everything slots in very nicely and as usual was beyond financial hardship, which I do get a bit sick of in horse books but here I can forgive it as it wasmodestly written. I don't think writers realise most horse owners are not comfortably middle class, some are but a lot are not and have horses on a shoe string, dreading the next vet bill! Let alone having summer cottages. Nor do they win a horse show and suddenly have money for horse keep!I digress.
Another thing was that I would have liked to know meg even better, basically a more full on, 600 page tomb of an adult book of meg and her ascent into adulthood, her family, uni, jobs. But that is credit to the author! I do wonder if an editor mentioned to cut down descriptions, as I found them rich and wonderful then other times not as much as I would guess the author wanted to give, and I would have happily read more descriptions of the town, the beach etc.
That said, I think I have been away from YA books so long that I am no longer used to the style.
I read it fast, but it was meaty enough to make an impression and I got myself on amazon to check out the rest of the series straight away.
I hope she continues to write, and secretly hope she plunges into adult books too.
The book's publishers have done a super job as the book was such a pleasure to read from a quality perspective that I would have bought another even if the content had not been so amazing! No headaches due to the font size and spacing, and no accidental page turns due to the quality paper.
Wonderful. Five star book! Thank you Tudor!
I found this on a list on goodreads and ordered it with free delivery. Well what a refreshing experience! It arrived on SUNDAY morning the day after, unbelievable. It was such a beautiful book, and having bought a lot of new books that have been frustrating to actually read because the quality was so low (looking at you, OUTLANDER paperback Diana gabaldon-shame on you!Pages as thin as a bible), I was surprised and so happy with the pages, the size of print, the cover is stunning and in my head I was thinking, yes all three on my bookshelf please!
I won't give away much more than the blurb, other than that I found all the characters endearing and refreshingly balanced. I am starting to get annoyed with the "bad" and "good" people, here we see people with faults (like her mum) but still with a lot of love to give, I like that.
The narrative was first person, very mellow, beautifully descriptive and done well. Many first person books lack personal emotion and that is just bizarre, here I understood Meg from page one. I was in awe of how simmering and paced she managed the love story, and boy did it sizzle as a result, you almost felt her emotions because the writer gave you time to build up tension and that makes all the difference and made it far more realistic.
Yes everything slots in very nicely and as usual was beyond financial hardship, which I do get a bit sick of in horse books but here I can forgive it as it wasmodestly written. I don't think writers realise most horse owners are not comfortably middle class, some are but a lot are not and have horses on a shoe string, dreading the next vet bill! Let alone having summer cottages. Nor do they win a horse show and suddenly have money for horse keep!I digress.
Another thing was that I would have liked to know meg even better, basically a more full on, 600 page tomb of an adult book of meg and her ascent into adulthood, her family, uni, jobs. But that is credit to the author! I do wonder if an editor mentioned to cut down descriptions, as I found them rich and wonderful then other times not as much as I would guess the author wanted to give, and I would have happily read more descriptions of the town, the beach etc.
That said, I think I have been away from YA books so long that I am no longer used to the style.
I read it fast, but it was meaty enough to make an impression and I got myself on amazon to check out the rest of the series straight away.
I hope she continues to write, and secretly hope she plunges into adult books too.
The book's publishers have done a super job as the book was such a pleasure to read from a quality perspective that I would have bought another even if the content had not been so amazing! No headaches due to the font size and spacing, and no accidental page turns due to the quality paper.
Wonderful. Five star book! Thank you Tudor!
February 5, 2021
This book...... where do i start.......
Well, first of i just wanna say, this book was absolutely amazing, and i finished it one day because i was so into it. At first i thought it was gonna be a horrible book about grieving over a horse and a girl working at a big business in New York or something because that's what it seemed like in the Blurb.
But no. This book was about a very talented rider that competes in the Hunter discipline and her horse drops dead of a ruptured artery in his heart. The rider, Meg, was badly injured with a major concussion. She takes weeks to recover, and when she does, she finds out she is getting a job on an island where her family cottage is. Her job is to be the "maid" of a B&B (Bed And Breakfast), she cleans, cooks, and takes care of the residents.
On her morning run, she meets a very handsome cowboy named Jared. He drives a tractor around, herds cattle, and is the one all girls look at. They start to hang out, not on purpose though. Meg helps Jared with some ranch work in return for a Appaloosa mare. There is a barbecue after the day's work, and Lacy - Jared's little cousin - wants to ride Salem, the Appaloosa mare.
Later on, Jared builds a sand ring for her (This moment when Meg thanks him melts my heart). They go and get pizza afterwards - Meg's treat - and when they get back Meg rides Salem for the first time. It starts to rain and Meg and Jared run into the barn and have a little touching moment.
A little while after they have the pizza, Jared's tooth acts up, and Meg is very worried about him so he takes her to the dentist even though he hasn't left the Island in 9 months because bad things happened last time he did, he still goes with her. When they arrive, Jared is super worried and nervous because he has a Dentist Phobia. Meg asks if she should wait in the lobby, but Jared insists she stays, and he squeezes her hand the whole time - another touching moment that gave me goosebumps-.
After a few sessions with Salem, Meg agrees to let Lacy jump Salem over a few fences (jumps) in the new arena. After lots of practice and hard work, Meg lets Lacy show Salem (Salem's show name is Bewitched).
After Meg told Lacy the good news about showing, her and Jared share a tender, very needed kiss - their first one to be in fact -. After this kiss, her and Jared go out for dinner, using the gift card he gave her for her birthday. They have an amazing dinner and they share a few kisses.
After a few pages (or chapters, i cant remember) Lacy shows Salem (Bewitched), and gets 5th in her first class, with a light pink ribbon, and 6th in her 2nd class.
This book is overall............ my favorite, and thats really saying something! I cant wait to get book #2 - Wednesday Riders! Thank you so much Tudor Robins for making such and art out of writing!
Well, first of i just wanna say, this book was absolutely amazing, and i finished it one day because i was so into it. At first i thought it was gonna be a horrible book about grieving over a horse and a girl working at a big business in New York or something because that's what it seemed like in the Blurb.
But no. This book was about a very talented rider that competes in the Hunter discipline and her horse drops dead of a ruptured artery in his heart. The rider, Meg, was badly injured with a major concussion. She takes weeks to recover, and when she does, she finds out she is getting a job on an island where her family cottage is. Her job is to be the "maid" of a B&B (Bed And Breakfast), she cleans, cooks, and takes care of the residents.
On her morning run, she meets a very handsome cowboy named Jared. He drives a tractor around, herds cattle, and is the one all girls look at. They start to hang out, not on purpose though. Meg helps Jared with some ranch work in return for a Appaloosa mare. There is a barbecue after the day's work, and Lacy - Jared's little cousin - wants to ride Salem, the Appaloosa mare.
Later on, Jared builds a sand ring for her (This moment when Meg thanks him melts my heart). They go and get pizza afterwards - Meg's treat - and when they get back Meg rides Salem for the first time. It starts to rain and Meg and Jared run into the barn and have a little touching moment.
A little while after they have the pizza, Jared's tooth acts up, and Meg is very worried about him so he takes her to the dentist even though he hasn't left the Island in 9 months because bad things happened last time he did, he still goes with her. When they arrive, Jared is super worried and nervous because he has a Dentist Phobia. Meg asks if she should wait in the lobby, but Jared insists she stays, and he squeezes her hand the whole time - another touching moment that gave me goosebumps-.
After a few sessions with Salem, Meg agrees to let Lacy jump Salem over a few fences (jumps) in the new arena. After lots of practice and hard work, Meg lets Lacy show Salem (Salem's show name is Bewitched).
After Meg told Lacy the good news about showing, her and Jared share a tender, very needed kiss - their first one to be in fact -. After this kiss, her and Jared go out for dinner, using the gift card he gave her for her birthday. They have an amazing dinner and they share a few kisses.
After a few pages (or chapters, i cant remember) Lacy shows Salem (Bewitched), and gets 5th in her first class, with a light pink ribbon, and 6th in her 2nd class.
This book is overall............ my favorite, and thats really saying something! I cant wait to get book #2 - Wednesday Riders! Thank you so much Tudor Robins for making such and art out of writing!
June 21, 2022
The best word I can think of to describe this book is... "harmless." It's not a great book, it's not an awful book, and there are no glaring issues that would make it infuriating and/or unreadable. It's generally harmless fluff, and while not particularly memorable, it will entertain you and make you smile for a few hours.
Meg is devastated when her beloved horse, Major, dies in the middle of a competition. Still grieving, she accepts a summer job at a bed and breakfast on an island, hoping some time and distance will ease her heart. She's not expecting to not only enjoy living a simpler life without regular wi-fi, but find herself falling for a cute, if troubled, farm boy... and a dirty, scruffy Appaloosa mare.
While this book begins with a tragedy and does address grief and loss along the way, it's not a sad book. At it's heart it's a fairly fluffy, summer-away-from-home book, with a dash of summer romance thrown in for good measure. The characters are fairly predictable, the plot is thin, and the dialogue gets a little clunky in parts. But for the most part it's enjoyably written, the scene is well-set and charming, and the characters are pretty likable even if they do feel like they stepped out of a Hallmark movie.
And horses... I learned a lot more about horsemanship from this book than I ever did in thirty-plus years of living in the country (though to be fair we never raised horses...). The author certainly knows her stuff when it comes to horses and professional riding, which is good -- horses and horsemanship are all too often screwed up in literature. I do wish she would have explained why owning an appaloosa is considered a "kiss of death" among professional riders, though...
This book is essentially a Hallmark movie without the "rich jerkish boyfriend waiting at home" trope in effect -- it's predictable and rather cliche, but sometimes you want a predictable story that's just feel-good and fluffy. And really, there's absolutely nothing wrong with this book beyond it being predictable fluff. Sometimes, that's all you really want out of a book.
Meg is devastated when her beloved horse, Major, dies in the middle of a competition. Still grieving, she accepts a summer job at a bed and breakfast on an island, hoping some time and distance will ease her heart. She's not expecting to not only enjoy living a simpler life without regular wi-fi, but find herself falling for a cute, if troubled, farm boy... and a dirty, scruffy Appaloosa mare.
While this book begins with a tragedy and does address grief and loss along the way, it's not a sad book. At it's heart it's a fairly fluffy, summer-away-from-home book, with a dash of summer romance thrown in for good measure. The characters are fairly predictable, the plot is thin, and the dialogue gets a little clunky in parts. But for the most part it's enjoyably written, the scene is well-set and charming, and the characters are pretty likable even if they do feel like they stepped out of a Hallmark movie.
And horses... I learned a lot more about horsemanship from this book than I ever did in thirty-plus years of living in the country (though to be fair we never raised horses...). The author certainly knows her stuff when it comes to horses and professional riding, which is good -- horses and horsemanship are all too often screwed up in literature. I do wish she would have explained why owning an appaloosa is considered a "kiss of death" among professional riders, though...
This book is essentially a Hallmark movie without the "rich jerkish boyfriend waiting at home" trope in effect -- it's predictable and rather cliche, but sometimes you want a predictable story that's just feel-good and fluffy. And really, there's absolutely nothing wrong with this book beyond it being predictable fluff. Sometimes, that's all you really want out of a book.
March 2, 2017
Appaloosa Summer basically sums up my dream summer...
The dramatic beginning hooked me pretty much before the story had even started. Major Disaster, Meg's horse, died while being ridden by Meg, in a competition. I hate whoever named him. He seemed, in the short time that I got to know him, like a horse that you didn’t just ride, but a best friend.
I love horses, and when Salem come into the picture, I felt sorry for her – not only had she not been ridden or had an owner for a long time, but she also hadn’t been cleaned. Could the farmer, whose field she was in, not just hose her down?
My favourite character was Jared. I think my opinion is the same as everyone else who has read this book, but he really is the dream boyfriend. And he doesn’t need to work hard to impress either Meg or me – he just does. And that’s in his personality.
I think that Tudor Robins has written what might be my favourite book and I Highly Recommend it to EVERYONE, horse lover or not, this is good for teens and adults.
The dramatic beginning hooked me pretty much before the story had even started. Major Disaster, Meg's horse, died while being ridden by Meg, in a competition. I hate whoever named him. He seemed, in the short time that I got to know him, like a horse that you didn’t just ride, but a best friend.
I love horses, and when Salem come into the picture, I felt sorry for her – not only had she not been ridden or had an owner for a long time, but she also hadn’t been cleaned. Could the farmer, whose field she was in, not just hose her down?
My favourite character was Jared. I think my opinion is the same as everyone else who has read this book, but he really is the dream boyfriend. And he doesn’t need to work hard to impress either Meg or me – he just does. And that’s in his personality.
I think that Tudor Robins has written what might be my favourite book and I Highly Recommend it to EVERYONE, horse lover or not, this is good for teens and adults.
May 23, 2022
Big thanks to Tudor for sharing your work with me!
16-year-old Meg suffers a tragic disaster during a show, where her brave thoroughbred drops dead mid-jump leaving her grieving for the first time and her summer now free and open. She ends up taking up work at a friend's B&B on an island, a change of scenery, a job, and the possibility to overcome her suffocating grief.
The story is a mix of equestrian and romance, so pretty much a perfect mix for an easy lazy summer read. Having said that I finished it in a day. Meg is a likable character and after her tragic introduction, you do really feel for her and her loss. But she is also a teenager and it shows. If anything she seems too nice for a 16-year-old, but it is nice to not have many frustrating aspects to her character.
16-year-old Meg suffers a tragic disaster during a show, where her brave thoroughbred drops dead mid-jump leaving her grieving for the first time and her summer now free and open. She ends up taking up work at a friend's B&B on an island, a change of scenery, a job, and the possibility to overcome her suffocating grief.
The story is a mix of equestrian and romance, so pretty much a perfect mix for an easy lazy summer read. Having said that I finished it in a day. Meg is a likable character and after her tragic introduction, you do really feel for her and her loss. But she is also a teenager and it shows. If anything she seems too nice for a 16-year-old, but it is nice to not have many frustrating aspects to her character.
February 15, 2020
For what it is, this was surprisingly good!
The characters had some layers and character.
She knows her horse stuff. I appreciated the (correct) technical detail.
There was a hunky love interest, but it didn't overwhelm the story plus it progressed at a far more realistic pace than I find these things usually do. I think the first kiss was only 75% into the book and, thankfully, it didn't turn the remaining 25% into a mixture of steamy moments and/or teenage relationship angst.
I'm tempted to continue with the series.
The characters had some layers and character.
She knows her horse stuff. I appreciated the (correct) technical detail.
There was a hunky love interest, but it didn't overwhelm the story plus it progressed at a far more realistic pace than I find these things usually do. I think the first kiss was only 75% into the book and, thankfully, it didn't turn the remaining 25% into a mixture of steamy moments and/or teenage relationship angst.
I'm tempted to continue with the series.
May 9, 2021
there are my thoughts:
+ so sweet, seriously, soooo sweet
+ unproblematic
+ bit confused about why the horse on my cover's edition isn't spotty
+ i liked the characters
+ wasn't digging the present tense narrative until 50%
+ this would have been my dream summer when i was 17
+ the writing seemed a bit young at points and lacked depth occasionally
+ liked the development of meg and her mum's relationship
+ so sweet, seriously, soooo sweet
+ unproblematic
+ bit confused about why the horse on my cover's edition isn't spotty
+ i liked the characters
+ wasn't digging the present tense narrative until 50%
+ this would have been my dream summer when i was 17
+ the writing seemed a bit young at points and lacked depth occasionally
+ liked the development of meg and her mum's relationship
March 17, 2022
A great start to a series!!!
Girl luvs horses. Girl' s horse dies under her on course in a show. Girl stops showing. Great storyline, right? How will she live without Major? Girl goes to island to work at old friend's B&B for the summer. Girl finds new horse and new (boy?) friend. Just a touch of young luv to spice up the horsey story. Don't miss this charming book. What's an appy, loosa,look it up! Highly recommended for all ages.
Girl luvs horses. Girl' s horse dies under her on course in a show. Girl stops showing. Great storyline, right? How will she live without Major? Girl goes to island to work at old friend's B&B for the summer. Girl finds new horse and new (boy?) friend. Just a touch of young luv to spice up the horsey story. Don't miss this charming book. What's an appy, loosa,look it up! Highly recommended for all ages.
April 6, 2023
App allows Summer
I loved this beautiful romance between Meg and Jared. I highly recommend this book if you enjoy clean romance and horses. Meg is a show horse jumper when tragedy happens to her and her horse. You will have to read the book to find out what happened. It changes the course of Meg's life. It does have a HEA ending and is a standalone even though it is Book One of the Island Series.
I loved this beautiful romance between Meg and Jared. I highly recommend this book if you enjoy clean romance and horses. Meg is a show horse jumper when tragedy happens to her and her horse. You will have to read the book to find out what happened. It changes the course of Meg's life. It does have a HEA ending and is a standalone even though it is Book One of the Island Series.
October 9, 2017
Appaloosa Summer is a sweet story. Sometimes the conversations didn’t sound realistic and there were a handful of editing mistakes. I didn’t enjoy the parts giving the details about training the horse, but I am sure a horse lover would like it. I recommend this book to YA fans and people who love horses.
August 23, 2022
Great character development! Tugs at your heartstrings from the first chapter, and leaves you cheering by the end. The place description makes you feel as though you are there on the side lines discretely watching the book unfold while being enveloped in actually being part of the cast of characters at the same time. Great read!
June 19, 2025
Loved it. As my Grandma would say "A sweet little story". Good characters loved the horses and Rex the GS dog. I've owned Appaloosas for almost 60 years, my mare now is a black/ white Appy so I enjoyed it more because Meg's new horse is an Appy, a breed she doesn't like. But she changes her mind. Good book!
December 6, 2017
Aaah I loved it!
I just love how the world of a human and horse mix in Tudor Robins’ books! They are the perfect mix, and because of it, the story feels so real!
Really enjoyed it, 4,5 out of 5 stars ♥️
I just love how the world of a human and horse mix in Tudor Robins’ books! They are the perfect mix, and because of it, the story feels so real!
Really enjoyed it, 4,5 out of 5 stars ♥️
January 5, 2018
Every now and then, I love the nostalgia of a good horse novel.
This is one of those rare books that I read in one sitting, fell in love with the characters and cannot wait to start book two.
Highly reccomended for those who love horses or simply want a homely read that will warm your heart.
This is one of those rare books that I read in one sitting, fell in love with the characters and cannot wait to start book two.
Highly reccomended for those who love horses or simply want a homely read that will warm your heart.
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