Girls and Their Horses by Eliza Jane Brazier
Published: June 6, 2023
Berkley
Pages: 413
Genre: Psychological Thriller
KKECReads Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
I received a copy of this book for free, and I leave my review voluntarily.
Eliza Jane Brazier is an author, screenwriter, and journalist. She currently lives in Los Angeles, where she is developing If I Disappear for television.
She signs them up for riding lessons at Rancho Santa Fe Equestrian, where horses are a lifestyle. Heather becomes a “Barn Mom,” part of a group of wealthy women who hang at the stables, drink wine, and prepare their daughters for competition.
It’s not long before the Parker family is fully enmeshed in the horse world—from mean girl cliques to barn romances and dark secrets. With the end of summer horse show fast approaching, the pressure is on, and these mothers will stop at nothing to give their daughters everything they deserve.
Before the summer is over, lies will turn lethal, accidents will happen, and someone will end up dead.
“We’ll be there with you every step of the way.”
Heather is a newly wealthy woman, and she wants to give her daughters the best of everything. Maple wants her mom to be proud of her. Piper wants her mom to back off. Heather is struggling financially but can’t tell anyone. And she has to keep up appearances, which is getting more difficult. Who knew being horse people could be deadly?
This was like Dance Moms but on horses. The levels of toxic, petty, and backstabbing were off the charts. But the way this world was represented was fantastic.
Horses are expensive, and both sides of this coin were shown. The desire to be the best, to get the most training, and to win was so palpable you could feel it was jumping from the pages.
The characters in this novel are complicated. I liked Heather, especially as the story developed. I found Maple’s storyline excellent, and I love that she grew into herself. Piper was a solid character.
The shady sides of this story were so well done! The sneakiness, the gossip, and the jealousy were intense. The way this story expanded into the chaos was delicious.
The dirt was dusty, and the tea was hot.