Fool’s Gold by Sarah Madison – Review Tour

  

Author: Sarah Madison

Cover: Reese Dante

Release Date: July 29 2016

Amazon US

Amazon UK 

Available on KU

Add to your Goodreads here.

Blurb

Eight years ago, Jake Stanford had it all: a spot on the U.S. Olympic Equestrian Team and the love of his life, Rich Evans. A tragic accident wipes out everything in the blink of an eye. Hard work and sacrifice get him another shot at Olympic Gold, but only if he puts his past behind him and agrees to work with Rich again.

Bound by secrets he cannot share, Rich was forced to give up Jake eight years ago. Now he has a second chance to help Jake realize his dreams. But the secrets that drove them apart haven’t changed, and Rich must face them or risk losing Jake forever.

My thoughts

Boy did I love this book. I mean the cover on its own was enough to convince me this was a book I had to read, and then the story just stole my heart.

Before I say anything else, I have a confession to make though. I love horses and horse riding. Financial restraints have forced me to stop riding longer ago than I care to remember, but the pure joy I experienced during those hours I spent around and on horses will never fade from my memory. Fool’s Gold is clearly written by someone who not only knows a lot about horses, riding them and three-day-eventing, but who also loves those majestic creatures deeply. That love shines through the words and the story-line and was a joy to read. While it is not necessary to share this affection—the rest of the story is wonderful in and of itself—I do dare any lover of horses to pick up this book and not lose their heart.

Now for the rest of the story Fool’s Gold is all about second chances: a second chance at love, a second chance at making the Olympic Equestrian Team, and a second chance for a son and his father to have a relationship based on something other than loss and fear.

My heart broke for Jake and Rich when all their hopes and dreams were shattered, and they were torn apart in the most heartless way imaginable. When circumstances force Jake and Rich to work together again, it’s no smooth and easy reunion. Both of them have unanswered questions about exactly what happened eight years earlier, neither of them is, initially, inclined to talk about it, and while they’re individually all too aware that the attraction between them is at least as strong as it always was, they are not prepared to give in to those feelings.

Their journey to a resolution of the past and the chance of a new future is far from easy and all the more captivating for it. I was completely caught up in Jake and Rich’s story. It was impossible not to fall for these two men. They’re brave as well as fragile, determent yet hesitant. They are far from perfect and all the more beautiful for it. Both Jake and Rich make unwise decisions, but always for what they perceive as the best possible reasons.

I’m delighted that Sarah Madison broke the mould in this book. All too often disapproving parents start off hateful and either stay that way, or get worse as the story continues. It made a refreshing and ultimately hopeful and realistic change to have the parent in this story overcoming his prejudices, almost despite himself. I like to think that this is something that happens in real life too. While I know there are parents out there who cut their child off for not being exactly they wanted them to be, and who will never change their mind, I have to believe that many parents, once they’ve recovered from the initial shock, discover that their love is indeed unconditional.

And I’m so delighted the author ended the story when she did. Because, for me at least, this was the perfect conclusion to a fabulous read. The ending was as good as it could get, regardless of what might come after, both for Rich and Jake and for me. J

I’ve used quite a lot of words and yet I don’t think I’ve managed to express quite how much I adored this story. So, long (and incoherent) story short: Fool’s Gold is a wonderful story, very well told.

Author Bio

Sarah Madison is a writer with a little dog, a large dog, an even bigger horse, too many cats, and a very patient boyfriend. An amateur photographer and a former competitor in the horse sport known as eventing, when she's not out hiking with the dogs or down at the stables, she's at the laptop working on her next story. When she’s in the middle of a chapter, she relies on the smoke detector to tell her dinner is ready. She writes because it’s cheaper than therapy.

Sarah Madison was a finalist in the 2013 and 2015 Rainbow Awards. The Boys of Summer won Best M/M Romance in the 2013 PRG Reviewer’s Choice Awards. The Sixth Sense series was voted 2 nd place in the 2014 PRG Reviewer’s Choice Awards for Best M/M Mystery series, and 3 rd place in the 2105 PGR Reviewer’s Choice Awards for Best M/M Paranormal/Urban Fantasy series.

If you want to make her day, e-mail her and tell you how much you like her stories.

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E-mail: akasarahmadison@gmail.com