A Makeover for the Breaking Series by Juliana Haygert

So y’all know that this is really more of a Young Adult book blog, and I don’t particularly read New Adult. However, this year I did read a couple of New Adult books by Juliana Haygert because they featured horses, and I still harbour a sense of my horse-mad days from my childhood.

Ms Haygert has given the Breaking series a makeover with new covers and new titles, and announced the third book in the series, which I’m really looking forward to reading.

At first I had reservations about re-branding the series, because the only reason I picked them up was because they had horses on the cover.

However, I can’t deny that these new covers are really beautiful and fit right in with the New Adult marketing, while still hinting that they take place on horse ranches.


BFebookBreaking Free (The Breaking Series, #1)

(Previously titled BREAKING THE REINS)

Genre: NA contemporary romance
Warning: strong language, domestic violence, sex scene
Word Count: 110,000
Release date: August/2013
Cover: Najla Qamber Designs

Horses, mansions, tea parties, and lies are twenty-year-old Hannah Taylor’s life. To others, her family and her relationship with Eric is perfect. But she knows the truth. She lives it.

After a fire takes her grandma’s life and kills her horse, Hannah’s immaculate life spirals out of control. Her father disapproves of her decision to run her grandma’s ranch instead of focusing solely on learning the family business; Animal Control brings her Argus, a mistreated horse that she can’t turn away even though she’s not ready for another horse; and her boyfriend, Eric Bennett, a world famous polo player, becomes possessive and authoritarian. Despite her best efforts to disguise it, Hannah grows wary of him.

Then, Leonardo Fernandes struts onto the polo scene. A cocky rookie with a messy life of his own, he’s drawn to Hannah and isn’t afraid of showing it, even when Eric makes it clear she is his and he’ll do whatever it takes to keep it that way. Hannah suffers for Eric’s jealousy. The abuse only gets worse when Leo steals the title of best polo player in the world from Eric.

But the title isn’t enough for Leo. He wants Hannah too, and she can’t deny her attraction to him either. Somehow, she must find a way to break free from abusive Eric before he breaks every bone in her body.

An Excerpt From My Review:

Argus is wonderful, an untrusting white stallion who was horrifically abused by his previous owner and is now recovering with Hannah’s help. The progress is painfully slow, but Argus comes through just when you need him to. I loved him, even if he wasn’t the perfect horse like Midnight from Breaking Fences. Leo was pretty awesome as well, although I couldn’t approve of Hannah making out with him while she was still in a relationship with Eric, even if Eric was a complete tosspot.

348ed-add2bto2bgoodreads2bblack

Buy from Amazon ~ Buy from B&N

  Pageflex Persona [document: PRS0000039_00005]


 

BAebookBreaking Away (The Breaking Series, #2)

(Previously titled BREAKING FENCES)

Genre: NA contemporary romance
Warning: strong language, bullying, sex scenes
Word Count: 95,000
Release date: June/2014
Cover: Najla Qamber Designs

All Beatriz “Bia” Fernandes wants is to prove herself—to her family and friends—though it’s hard to prove anything with an overbearing father and three famous polo-playing older brothers. After her acceptance into college results in a heated family argument, the Brazilian girl leaves everything behind to find her own American dream.

College life away from home is perfect until the people she believes to be her friends turn on her. With lies and rumors threatening to suffocate her, Bia turns to her only freedom. Riding. But one thing gets in the way of her escape. Garrett Blackwell and his bad cowboy attitude. Working at the ranch is his obligation, bugging Bia is his newfound hobby. His thick skin and easy grin don’t hide what Bia already knows—this misunderstood and lonely cowboy fights his own demons. Brushing horses’ coats and mucking out stalls shouldn’t be this sexy, and it isn’t long before he becomes a part of her distraction.

However, escaping won’t solve her problems, and it’s up to Bia to break down the fences around her and prove her strength—not to her family and friends, but to herself … and for Garrett. Because standing on her own doesn’t have to mean standing alone.

** Companion novel of Breaking Free. Can be read out of order.**

An Excerpt From My Review:

Breaking Fences was my first New Adult novel. I normally read Young Adult but I do occasionally dip into erotic romance, and I was deeply surprised to find that New Adult, at least in this book, is basically a mash-up of the two. Slut shaming abounded, but this is no surprise as it’s also one of the main sub-plots. The romance and kissing scenes wouldn’t have been out of place in one of those raunchier dry-humping YA novels (*ahem Shatter Me or Hush, Hush*) but it was the graphicness of the actual sex which surprised me. That’s not to say that it was more graphic than erotica, just that as a non-New Adult reader it took me completely by surprise. But it was a really great first foray into the genre, and I’m glad I had someone as competent as Haygert to guide me.

348ed-add2bto2bgoodreads2bblack

Buy from Amazon ~ Buy from B&N 

Pageflex Persona [document: PRS0000039_00005]


BTebookBreaking Through (The Breaking Series, #3)

Genre: NA contemporary romance
Warning: strong language, sex scene, mentions of rape and domestic violence
Word Count: tbd
Release date: June/2015
Cover: Najla Qamber Designs

From the outside, Hilary Taylor has it all—beauty, money, a caring family, good friends—but inside she’s struggling, full of fears. Events from the past forever changed her, and though years of therapy have helped, she still has a long way to go…. No matter how much progress she’s made, Hil isn’t sure she’ll ever be able to trust men again. Especially one who sees her as nothing more than a pretty face. But Hil knows it’s time to face her fears, and the best way to do that is to start small.

To Guilherme Fernandes life is about three things: polo, parties and pretty girls—only one of which he takes seriously. Gui is too focused on his polo career to waste time on relationships, however he can’t help but be intrigued by the beautiful yet troubled Hil. So when she decides she’d like to learn more about horses, Gui is happy to find himself in the right place at the right time. But what was supposed to be a one time thing, soon turns into a weekly date.

As Gui helps her discover a new found love for horses, Hil’s guard begins to crumble. The more support Gui offers, the more she wants to accept…and the more the lines of friendship blur. Despite knowing better, Hil can’t help it as Gui slowly breaks through the walls she’s built. Now she has to decide if she’ll stop him there, or if she’ll finally let her fear go and allow Gui to reach for her heart.

** Companion novel of Breaking Free and Breaking Away. Can be read out of order.**

348ed-add2bto2bgoodreads2bblack

Pageflex Persona [document: PRS0000039_00005]


a Rafflecopter giveaway


juliana haygertAUTHOR BIO:

While Juliana Haygert dreams of being Wonder Woman, Buffy, or a blood elf shadow priest, she settles for the less exciting–but equally gratifying–life of a wife, mother, and author. Thousands of miles away from her former home in Brazil, she now resides in Connecticut and spends her days writing about kick-ass heroines and the heroes who drive them crazy.

Co-founder and contributor at NA Alley (www.naalley.com)

Subscribe to Juliana’s newsletter to stay up-to-date with new releases: http://eepurl.com/CKsmX

Author links: Website ~ Facebook ~ Twitter ~ Goodreads

Nemo
Nemo

About Nemo

A lover of kittens and all things sparkly, Nemo has a degree in English Literature and specialises in reviewing contemporary, paranormal, mystery/thriller, historical, sci-fi and fantasy Young Adult fiction. She is especially drawn to novels about princesses, strong female friendships, magical powers, and assassins.

Subscribe to Blog via Email

Enter your email address to subscribe to this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email.

Join 1,835 other subscribers