The Misfit
Price as reviewed:
£8.99 for paperback
Title: The Misfit
Author: Jay-Ann Foley
Published: 2 February 2023
Available as paperback or Kindle
View now at amazon.co.uk
About The Misfit
Georgie Wright is feeling frustrated. Her career as a jockey is more stuck at the start than flying at the finish. Meanwhile her partner, the talented Sam Christie, moves ever closer to his goal of being crowned champion jockey.
When Georgie finds herself blamed for an accident on the gallops and ostracised by her colleagues, she flees to a farm on Bodmin Moor and a temporary position working with father and son team, Fred and Tom Pengelly. There she is introduced to The Misfit, a highly talented thoroughbred whose temperament makes him an untested contender for the Epsom Derby. Can Georgie bond with the horse and earn herself the ride in such a prestigious race?
With a spate of rural crime in the area and under pressure from jealous rivals, Georgie struggles to keep The Misfit safe and sound. Will they ever get to participate in the horse-race of the year and prove their critics wrong?
From the romance of the Cornish moor to the bustling home of British horse-racing in Suffolk, The Misfit will take you on a journey right up to the final furlong!
Review
Set in the world of Flat racing, this is a fairly simple page-turner of beating the odds, a love story with challenges, and some engaging characters. It is a classic tale of the minnows coming up trumps against the whales of the racing world. For me, it is a little too predictable – I was hoping for more of a twist to keep me on my toes, but some readers love inevitable happy endings, and this has a heartwarming conclusion with plenty of jeopardy along the way.
I loved much of the racing detail, the smells and sounds of the stables, the sensation of galloping horses, pre-race nerves, falling asleep in the lorry in the early mornings all rang so true. The Cornish atmosphere and countryside was beautifully rendered, and I almost felt like I was one of the staff at the Pengellys’ tumbledown yard on the moor. However, some of the details were a bit far-fetched, meaning you had to suspend disbelief – but maybe that’s the joy of fiction, that a Derby-bound colt can gallop through a Cornish bog, soaring over stone walls and skimming over bumpy ground, and their jockey not ride a race for several months before lining up at Epsom.
Many of the personalities were winsome, particularly the Cornish crew. The protagonist, Georgie, is plucky and down-to-earth. However, I found the character of Sam – the ex-boyfriend, champion jockey – too vile to be relatable!
Even though there are some aspects that aren’t perfect, overall it is a fun, lighthearted read. I wonder if it would be best targeted at a young adult readership with that fairytale element of winning impossible races in their dreams, but there is plenty to enthral any horse lover who wants a fun “beach read”.
Verdict
An enjoyable yarn to entertain any horse lover who wants a page-turning adventure set in the racing world.
View now at amazon.co.uk
You might also be interested in:
The best horse books of all genres for all ages
My Life in 12 Horses by Nicky Henderson
£17.59
Brilliant books for racing fans
Subscribe to Horse & Hound this spring for great savings
Horse & Hound magazine, out every Thursday, is packed with all the latest news and reports, as well as interviews, specials, nostalgia, vet and training advice. Find how you can enjoy the magazine delivered to your door every week, plus options to upgrade your subscription to access our online service that brings you breaking news and reports as well as other benefits.
