HORSE NATION BOOK REVIEW:
"I enjoyed the contrasting settings of each book, from the idyllic ranch near the mountains in Lucy’s Chance to the hectic and cutthroat atmosphere of a large-scale show in Showdown. Lucy’s first experience in a chaotic warm-up ring made me smile as I remembered my own horse show misadventures ... Brittney Joy leaves no detail untouched; I could practically smell the stall bedding and ShowSheen in the air ... I think these books are great for young readers in need of strong characters and exciting scenes. The horse and rider interactions in the Red Rock Ranch books are much more realistic than your average starry-eyed horsey fairytale, which is refreshing. I hope to see more of Lucy, Taylor, and their equine friends in future books."
Read full book review on Horse Nation's website at:
http://www.horsenation.com/2016/01/15/book-review-the-red-rock-ranch-series/
IND'TALE MAGAZINE REVIEW:
"Sixteen-year-old Lucy Rose has an exciting new job as a ranch hand for the summer on Red Rock Ranch. It’s challenging, since she’s inexperienced with cattle, but she loves the horses. She meets fellow coworker Casey in an embarrassing collision with a runaway calf. Casey is a friendly and good-looking young man with phenomenal cowboy skills. Lucy has feelings for Casey, but he might be dating Taylor Johnson, a monied rodeo queen. When they encounter an abandoned horse, Casey ropes it and takes it back to the ranch, but Lucy bonds with him. Slowly but surely, the horse she names Chance becomes her best friend, and Lucy has to win an exclusive race to save the horse from going back to his cruel owner.
“Red Rock Ranch” is a beautiful love story between a girl and a horse. The scenes of Lucy bonding with Chance are deeply affecting; at times, poignant enough to induce tears in the reader. Chance might be a horse, but he is a pivotal character in this novel that the reader grows to love just as much as Lucy. Brittney Joy captures the day to day workings on a ranch, and the intricacies of equine rodeo sports in a realistic manner that makes the reader part of the story. Although the romance between Lucy and Casey takes a back seat, “Red Rock Ranch” is recommended to horse lovers and readers who have experienced the profound bond between an animal and a human being." ~InD'Tale Magazine
Lucy's Chance (Red Rock Ranch, book 1) was a finalist in the Young Adult Category of the 2014 InD'tale Magazine's RONE Awards! I am honored!
YouTube Video Review:
YouTube Video Review: 16-year old equestrian vlogger Grace Barnett's video review of my Red Rock Ranch Books! If you have a YouTube account, I'd recommend following her (along with her 17,000+ subscribers!)! Grace posts lots of great videos of equine product reviews, how-to videos, and general horse-fun!...
THE EQUINE INSIDER REVIEW:
"It’s been a long time since a book swept me along as easily as Lucy’s Chance, book one of the Red Rock Ranch series did. From the opening scene I found that I was turning the pages quickly, eager to see what would come next.
Lucy’s Chance follows the adventures of Lucy Rose, a sixteen-year-old girl who is working on a ranch away from home for the summer. Lucy quickly meets (and falls for) her young coworker Casey Parker, though another rider at the ranch makes it evident that Casey is her territory. When Lucy’s path crosses with a black gelding in need, she and Casey join forces to train the gelding, but they must soon turn their efforts towards fighting to keep the gelding safe.
This book reads wonderfully easily, and author Brittney Joy’s writing flows naturally. The dialogue is natural, the book itself highly descriptive and visual, and it all comes together to create a story that makes any horse lover long for the days when they were sixteen again.
Within the first two pages, Lucy’s character had already asserted her tone and was well-developed, an admirable feat. The chemistry between Lucy and Casey is palpable in the book’s latter chapters, and the horses are described with careful detail. Brittney clearly writes with the voice of an experienced rider – scenes depicting trail rides, roping, calf cutting, and all manner of equestrian events were accurate, detailed, and realistic.
While Lucy’s Chance will appeal to teens, I’m in my late twenties and still thoroughly enjoyed it. Combining horses, love, and the ranch atmosphere, the book is a light and fun read. I found myself reminiscing about my teenage years and what I was up to at sixteen, and I couldn’t help but laugh at the description of Lucy trying to do barn chores one-handed, as it’s something that I’ve been forced to try myself a few times too many.
In reviews you’re always supposed to present both the good and the bad, and I feel like I’m raving about this book, so I do need to mention that there are a few (and I mean few) little grammatical errors. However, they’re minor and infrequent (and I was an English major in college), so it’s entirely possible that most readers wouldn’t notice them.
All in all, Lucy’s Chance is a wonderful read." ~The Equine Insider
http://www.theequineinsider.com/product-reviews