Review: 3 stars = I liked it and it was a good read
Rating: 3 out of 5
Date: 05 23, 2014
Do you remember the scene in Moonstruck when Cher slaps Nicholas Cage and yells “Snap out of it!”? That’s how I felt about Rayne several times in the book, especially the last third of it. I so totally understand her hesitancy when dealing with Trent in the beginning and with her history, it wasn’t unwarranted as it continued once she finally conceded to date him. However, once she came to the realization that he wasn’t at all like her ex-husband and that Trent really did love her and she had to fix it, the next time she encounters him she slips right back into her avoidance mode. THEN, is when I wanted to pull a Cher on her. As if once wasn’t enough, she does continues her self-destructive pattern of avoidance behaviors that nearly cost her a chance at happiness.Fortunately, Trent is more determined to succeed than she is to avoid, which is what makes The Riding Master an enjoyable read. Don’t get me wrong, other than that infuriating character flaw, Rayne is a great character and it’s easy for the reader to see why Trent falls for her. As a successful and accomplished Riding Master, Trent has been overexposed to (in his opinion) the wrong type of women … husband hunters, gold diggers, and women just looking for a quick roll in the hay (no pun intended). So to meet someone who is serious about riding and has no interest in impressing him, Rayne is a breath of fresh air, albeit a skittish one. Amusingly, he uses his skills with dealing with skittish horses to “tame” Rayne and work his way into her life; this makes for some humorous interactions, touching moments, and some seriously HOT sex once they finally get together.Ms. Weis has produced a well-written book that was an enjoyable read for me. And while I still want to slap Rayne a time or two, once she got her act together the ending was even better than I expected.I received a complimentary copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.Reviewed by Angela at Crystal's Many Reviewers!