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A Matter of Trust by Lucy Ann Huxter

Pippa Roome Pippa Roome

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    • A Matter of Trust

    Score

    8/10

    Price as reviewed:

    £9.99 for paperback; £4.99 for kindle

    Title: A Matter of Trust
    Author: Lucy Ann Huxter
    Published: 27 September 2023

    Available as paperback or Kindle edition
    View now at amazon.co.uk

    About A Matter of Trust

    Described as “a contemporary adventure romance set in the world of British Eventing”, this novel follows Emma Mathews, who decides to give up an office job to work at an eventing yard, Coach House Stables.

    The situation is tense when she arrives, with difficult relationships between Daniel Ryan – a talented rider but tricky character, with a reputation for breaking hearts even more effectively than he backs horses – and the rest of the team.

    The novel follows the ups and downs of the yard, with competitions, horses potentially being sold and the arrival of a rich American pupil. Emma gradually becomes torn between Coach House Stables and her planned future with her solid, reliable boyfriend back at home and has to make some big decisions about her future.

    Review

    I really enjoyed reading A Matter of Trust and it is clear that author Lucy Ann Huxter knows her stuff about eventing, with accurate progression for the horses through the levels, descriptions of what happens at the events and grassroots events attended and referenced throughout the story as well as bigger competitions. Emma also makes a sensible suggestion of a tactic to try to improve the dressage performance of one of the horses.

    I found the story a little slow at the start, perhaps because as a main character Emma seems to lack any clear direction. She doesn’t want to compete, so the novel doesn’t have that as its central driving force, and in fact doesn’t really know what she wants – which is the point of the story in that during the course of the tale she finds herself and a satisfactory future. But initially I found her indecision and rather floaty personality a little frustrating and felt it didn’t hook me in as a reader.

    However, the more I read, the more I enjoyed A Matter of Trust and over the final chapters I was well and truly gripped. The ending isn’t a particular surprise – I could predict what was going to happen from very early on – but I was still eager to keep turning the pages.

    Verdict

    Novels set in the eventing world are few and far between – fans should enjoy this one, which combines an accurate depiction of the sport with a strong story.

    View now at amazon.co.uk

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    Pippa Roome
    Pippa Roome

    H&H magazine editor and eventing editor
    Pippa is a true eventing geek and has been H&H’s eventing editor since 2005. She has first-hand experience of competing up to British Eventing intermediate and international CCI2*-L level, and has worked in the industry on a top event yard. Pippa enjoys nothing more than immersing herself in the sport at the highest level, reporting from the five-stars and international championships, including the Olympics.
    Pippa Roome

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