Jilly Cooper's Riders, Rivals, Polo.....

[Jenny Wrenny]

With the dark nights I am working my way through the Rutshire chronicles for the umpteenth time.... Rupert Campbell-Black (with loyal black labrador, Badger), Billy Lloyd-Foxe, The Bull, Lavinia Greenslade, Taggie! Oh the fun they have romping their way through life never fails to make me smile on a dreary rainy evening! Anyone else love these books or should I drag myself away and find some new horsey fiction?

 

[Doormouse]

No, I never tire of reading them. Nothing wrong with a good bit of escapism!

 

[fattylumpkin]

It's been so long since I read those! Ordering them on amazon right now, it'll be almost like reading them for the first time again! What a great series.

 

[Tobiano]

I am part way through Riders, though I am listening on audio book rather than reading. 3/4 of the way through am taking a break as I am a bit fed up with them all jumping in & out of bed with each other. Though have enjoyed a few laughs along the way. Read them all about 20 years ago and was quite surprised how old they are! I havent got to Taggie yet, think she must be in Rivals, but I remember liking her.

If you want other horsy fiction there are a few previous threads on here that give some ideas.

 

[Slave2Magic]

Just in the middle of Polo for the first time in years. Love it

 

[Madam Min]

Yes, read them all even the not so horsey ones, the ones about the orchestra. Jump is good but I think my favourite is Polo ☺

 

[Orangehorse]

Yep, makes a good read.

I liked the bit about a new horse nearly heading back to Ireland when Rupert's new phone went off. That is something they have all had to get used to!

I liked Rivals best of all, it had a really good story and plot.

I often re-read my favourite books, in fact I am now - the first Merrily Watkins by Phil Rickman "The Wine of Angels."

 

[BSL]

Big glass of wine, huge bar of chocolate, fire on, Jilly Cooper. Ironing? clean bathroom? Sorry, life's too short..

 

[WelshD]

I have 'Riders' as an unabridged audio book, its several hours long (about 30 hours long!) but goes round and round on play on my iphone in the car, on dog walks, poo picking, mucking out, grooming.....

 

[Feebee-Friesian]

Love love love these books. The ultimate trashy novels.

 

[tristar]

watched the film a thousand times, it must be quite old now, it certainly looks dated, but I love the film of 'the man who made husbands jealous' also, its not horsey though.

 

[spike123]

i've not read Riders or Rivals but have read Polo, Jump, appasionata, score and Pandora. In fact i've read them more than once. I am currently starting on the Dick Frances novels which I gather there are also numerous titles of.

 

[Walrus]

Love them, pure chocolate for the brain! I always think if I get the chance to name dogs and cats I'd name them after characters in those books.

 

[keri66]

Orangehorse Man in the Moss by Phil Rickman is really good.

 

[Maesfen]

If you love Jilly then you'll probably like Fiona Walker too!

 

[Polar Bear9]

Read them recently and I'm sorry but I think they're awful Really wanted to enjoy them but just got pissed off with the shallow characters and lack of story. I always hate books where every single person is fabulously good looking, wealthy and interesting :/ Doesn't make for a realistic story line

 

[Mariposa]

Loooooove Jilly Cooper books! Polo is my favourite, Man Who Made Husbands Jealous is fab too. I love the Carlisle twins in Polo...*sigh*

 

[Dizzle]

I always hate books where every single person is fabulously good looking, wealthy and interesting :/ Doesn't make for a realistic story line

You're clearly moving in the wrong circles ;-)

I love them! Downloaded them all to my kindle for holiday reading last summer, I did fine one really similar book I enjoyed, if I ever get round to unpacking my kindle (we only moved in three months ago) I'll dig out who wrote it.

 

[Dizzle]

Rough Ride by PJ King

 

[PolarSkye]

I love these . . . yes, I am a bit of a literary snob - hate Fifty Shades of Grey, for example, because it is so badly written - ditto The da Vinci Code . . . but, while these Jilly Cooper romps are pure saucy trash, they are well written and pure fun. My audio book of choice is usually something by Edith Wharton or Thomas Hardy . . . but I'd happily listen to one of these too . . . just not within earshot of my lovely yard owner who would be horrified by some of the saucier elements .

P

 

[undergroundoli]

I'm a book snob too. Jilly's prose is pretty good, especially Riders. I was horrified by how poor Helen was raped though. Just unnecessary in an otherwise light hearted, fun book.

The only other one I've read is Polo. I didn't think it was as good and again unnecessarily rapey. I'm probably younger than the books and I guess Perdita being coerced into sex she doesn't want and Daisy being got drunk my her lecturer then gang banged seeming so out of place reflects changes in society.

 

[Cinnamontoast]

Love those books!

 

[Highlands]

If you love Jilly then you'll probably like Fiona Walker too!

Yep I agree but found FW abit more steamy!

 

[Spot_the_Risk]

Love these books, but I think my favourite Jilly is The Common Years, a diary kept when she lived in Putney.

 

[Honey08]

I loved them twenty years ago, but tried reading one I've not read (about the schools?) last year and it bored me, so I think I will keep liking them in my memory and not revisit! I think they're very dated now.

 

[Polar Bear9]

You're clearly moving in the wrong circles ;-).

Please tell me where the right circles are then!