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By: Colette Auclair
Published: Dec. 16, 2013
By: Pocket Star
Source: Publisher
GR's Summary:
THROWN is a lighthearted yet steamy contemporary romance by Golden Heart finalist Colette Auclair, featuring a young woman who must choose between capturing a gold medal and the man who’s captured her heart.
In THROWN, professional trainer Amanda Vogel dreams of riding jumpers in the Olympics, but after seeing her best friend die in a riding accident, she’s so traumatized she can’t show. Broke and desperate, she takes a summer job in Aspen teaching some big-shot widowed movie star’s spoiled daughters to ride—even though she hates teaching kids. She braces herself for three miserable months. But by Labor Day, she has to choose between capturing a gold medal…and the man who has captured her heart.
THROWN was a 2012 Golden Heart finalist in the single-title contemporary romance category. It also won the 2011 Winter Rose Contest (Yellow Rose Romance Writers) and finaled in the 2011 Cleveland Rocks Romance Contest (North East Ohio Romance Writers Association).
My Take on this Journey:
Thrown, by Colette Auclair was a wonderfully refreshing story about Grady Brunswick and his two daughters, Solstice and Wave. Grady is an award winning actor who is widowed with these two, young, incredibly spoiled rotten daughters with foul mouths. He has no idea how to discipline them, as his wife brought them up while he went from city to city fulfilling his dreams. It is the beginning of summer in Aspen and he has hired the famous jumper rider, Amanda Vogel. Amanda has been going through a tough time since her best friend died in a freak accident in front of her eyes. Amanda has been going through post-traumatic syndrome. She frequently wakes with nightmares and cannot escape the visions that repeatedly shoot through her mind. She decides to take a break from the circuit for the summer and earn some money while she is out of the lime light.
Amanda is tested by Solstice and Wave over and again, as they get away with whatever they can, because they have their rich daddy wrapped around their fingers. It takes Amanda quite a while to learn how to deal with these two misfits. During her stay at the the outrageously huge log home in Aspen Creek, she gets to know Jacqueline, the aristocratic French mistress of the thousand acre palatial estate. She seems to be a stern woman, but as the story evolves, she has a big heart and loves the family she works for and comes to love Amanda as well. Harris, the chef of the estate is a wonderfully humorous character who befriends Amanda. They develop a friendship that gives Amanda the wings she needs to fly. He helps her figure out the girls and tells her the truth without holding back.
The characters in this book were wonderfully created, and I enjoyed the way that Ms. Auclair let you know what Amanda was really thinking, which was a total contradiction to what was coming out of her mouth. She was witty, charming, stubborn, and unassuming. When Solstice does something that could have been very harmful to one of the horses, Amanda reins her in, by getting control of her summer that could have ended as fast as it started. She gets the upper hand, Wave follows suit, and she is able to keep her job that was on the line if the little darlings didn't start coming around to the rules of their riding instructor. Along the way, a romance ensues, but because of being an actor, Grady get's himself into situations along the way that make Amanda question his lifestyle. The signals get crossed more than a few times, which leads to a great evolution in the character growth amongst the entire cast of characters.
Ms. Auclair's descriptions are wonderful, the scenery is a clearly visual sight to the reader, the emotions are deeply felt, and the love scenes are magical. I loved this fast paced, heart felt, genuinely funny, laugh out loud novel. The reader will get thoroughly involved in the lives of the characters and be rooting for each and every one of them. It is great to see the changes in Solstice and Wave, and the evolution of their feelings come to light. The reader will feel their pain, their surge for a new purpose, and their realization of what life could become. Have your tissues ready for an emotionally charged ride.
I give Thrown, by Colette Auclair 4 Second Chance, Love Filled, Transforming Stars!!!
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About Colette Auclair:
I write lighthearted, sexy romances that often include horses and a Portuguese water dog or two. My debut novel, Thrown, will be available as an e-book in Simon & Schuster’s Pocket Star line on December 16th (you can order it now). Stay tuned for the next book in the series, Jumped, in June 2014.
I live in Colorado and—not surprisingly—have a Thoroughbred mare and a Portuguese water dog. Both are smart, sweet and gorgeous. I’m originally from Pittsburgh and am still fiercely loyal to all of its pro sports teams. I studied theatre and advertising at Northwestern University (go Cats!) and have been a copywriter for more than twenty years. If you ever meet me, beware—anything you do or say could end up in a book and I make no apologies.
Personal Interests: Horses are right up there, as well as dogs, food (cooking and eating), wine, chocolate, gardening, Mad Men, hiking, Italy, gazing at the Rocky Mountains, reading, and making my husband laugh hard enough to cause whatever he’s drinking to exit through his nose.
If you want to talk books, writing, horses, food, wine or just about anything else, email me at coletteauclair@yahoo.com.
Thrown seems like such a good book, Ro. Thank you for the review!
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