I am an ethical person who lives in fear of negative book karma and would never steal a book, much less steal from the person who signed my paychecks. She'd bought it while traveling in England and made me swear I would give it back, as she wasn't sure she could easily get another copy stateside (this was the 80's, before eBay, etc. But the progress of the book into and out of my life is also a testament to its effects on readers:Ī paperback copy of Riders was loaned to me by the director of a school where I worked. I'm pretty sure the blurb on the cover of my copy read "Sex and horses-it just doesn't get any better" or something like that, and I suppose that's really the best review. The book itself was just as much fun as I remembered it to be, with sex, scandal and skulduggery all served up with large dollops of wit, one-liners and downright silliness. The heart doesn't break, it just moves on -p But the real star of the whole show for me this time was feisty adorable Fen, who took on the boys and won. I liked him as a teen, but now, mmm mmmm. On the plus side, this 40-something heart was very happy to get reacquainted with Dino. Gutted that a teenage crush came to such a sudden end :-( Billy just didn't do it for me this time round, and even worse, he actually began to annoy me. Rampant Rupert stole my innocence, but it was beautiful Billy who stole my heart!Ģ5+ years later, I couldn't wait to meet Billy again as I buddy-read this book with my good friend Jemidar, but discovered that what the teenage heart and the 40-something heart want are two different things. I read this in my teens in the 80s and loved it. You want to get lost in something? You want a long, happy distraction? Read Riders. The cast of characters rivals War and Peace in number. Just wait until you meet Rupert Campbell-Black - one of the biggest assholes to ever grace a page, but still a funny and sexy as hell motherfucker. I thought the beginning was a bit slow going - it took me about 75 pages to really get into it. Fun and dirty and silly and full of memorable characters. My Anglophelia's been starving, however, and I had to feed it: Goodreads was right - this is the perfect summer read. I purchased the book, bravely but in shame, unable to meet the eyes of the sales clerk behind the register.
What's not to like? Then I went to my local Barnes & Noble, found the only copy in stock and was instantly dismayed by the book's heft (more than 900 pages!) and its ridiculous cover art depicting a huge close up of tight, white riding pants stretched taut over a voluptuous woman's ass, cupped by a man's hand. Lots of cavorting around the English countryside.
I picked up this book on the recommendation of last month's Goodreads newsletter, which said Riders was a solid summer read. Well, well, well, what a lovely surprise.
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