Hot Coco

I must say that "Hot Coco" was a very entertaining read. As stated in the interview, these books were originally designed to be a television series and that's just how I envisioned everything when I read it. I loved the setting of the horse farms and dipping into the life of Thoroughbred racing. The characters were very likable (although some of them I absolutely hated at first but then they grew on me). Coco seriously is the most klutzy person I have ever read about, lol. How that girl managed to walk sometimes without falling over amazed me:) Mike's interactions with his family (especially the constant jabs from his younger brother, Shane, and vice versa) were very entertaining. The one character that just completely broke my heart was Margie. She is a 33 year old woman who still lives at home with her controlling father and is unfortunately lacking in the looks department. And there is a secret about her that I won't disclose but when I realized what it was I just felt so bad for her. It was wonderful to see her blossom throughout the story and I was a little scared when I saw her turning in a not so nice direction -- but everything turns out for the good:) All in all I enjoyed this novel very much. It is an easy read and keeps you interested throughout the duration of the story.

She’s hot, she’s smooth and she knows what she wants in a man and more ways than one she is a deadly weapon all by herself. She’s fearless when she wants to get things done and knows how to get men to fall at her feet. I mean literally. Coco Beardmore owns five horses and boards them at the O’Conner stables. Four thoroughbreds some how get out of their stables and create havoc on a daily basis causing the workers at the stables to have to clean up what they managed to wreck. Just how this could happen you won’t believe. Why would the owner of the stables hope that someone would not only take the four thoroughbreds off of his hands but Coco too? Coco walks into the stables at Keystone Downs Thoroughbred Racetrack and leaves a trail of ogling men in her wake. But, there is much more to this than just her beauty and charm.

Coco is really sweet and Marge who works the stables loves talking to her and Coco always makes her feel special. So, why would anyone not want her around? She’s gorgeous, she’s sweet and her father is loaded and owns Beardmore Industries so what could be bad.

Did I forget to tell you that when Coco walked into Westwood Thoroughbred Farm head trainer Mike West knew in his heart he was doomed? Doomed to want to know more about Coco. But, will he be sorry?

You decide. First, she trips on a loose piece of gravel and Mike has to catch her before she gets hurt. A small abrasion on her knew and a slight burn does not stop her from making sure that Mike knew she was interested. Explaining why she was there would prove more than must the downfall of many because her next move was to drive her car right into Mike’s horse trailer but there is plenty more. Introducing her to his brother Shane and making sure he knew that it was hands off just by his icy stare and meeting Punch McMinn who worked for the West’s was only the start of her reign of what would come next to these poor men. As Coco explains why she wanted Mike to take her horses from the other stable she forgot to tell him just how wild and untrained they were. Well, they would find out soon enough or at least he would find out the scoop from Margie who had a thing for Mike too. But, who wouldn’t he’s gorgeous, pumped, rich and too hot to handle and he knew it. So, why did he have a thing for his ex-wife Ava and why when the thought about her does he reflect on the “fun times” too? Okay Mike, time to move on and Coco just might be the right antidote for Ava.

But, the fun has just started and what happens when Coco invites Mike for dinner is hilarious. She wanders over to him, greets him in a really seductive way, pours two glasses of wine so how does on get all over his white shirt which of course she offers to launder for him during dinner. But, the fun just started and their chemistry ignited when the skillet with the meat flared up and the end result, you guessed it 911. There is more. When Coco is invited to Mike’s what happens when his ex-wife shows up, Coco decides to get comfortable in his bedroom and his brother finds her there and well you guessed it, one more foiled evening.

When the four horses are finally in the stables they find out just how they got out with the help of a clever horse named Charlatan. When they enter one of her horses in a race he enters the starting gate and freezes the poor thing and never runs the race. The poor jockey was totally stymied and Mike was not happy at all and poor Coco was clueless. Enter sister Kate West who is self-absorbed and only concerned about signing and getting her new car. Working for the vet at the stables she puts in a days or nights work but her attitude is more like its coming to her and you find it hard to like her at all.

When she meets Coco she is not impressed and of course let’s not get started with how she feels about Ava.

Hoping to receive a message or call from Mike, Coco is distracted, tries to retrieve her phone and what happens next is definitely right out of a wild movie as she destroys Kate’s new mustang not even one day old, her own father’s Lexus and cannot understand why she is one total disaster. Remembering what happened with Mike, the fire, falling and even with her ex-husband’s Bentley, you wonder she doesn’t carry extra insurance in case of daily disasters. But, when Mike decides to race Charlatan, gives the horse his peppermints and gets him saddled up, why does he go berserk injuring the jockey and creating havoc in the tunnel? Then things begin to change when Tom Mason comes back to Keystone Downs and he and Coco or Collette, as she wants to be called strike up a relationship that leads Mike and everyone to believe she might not be such a ditzy blonde after all. But, Mike tries to help Margie and things are misinterpreted and her father goes wild thinking he defiled her. Standing in the background is Scott hoping to score points with Margie who only has eyes for a West. But, when one man insults and tries to make her feel stupid it is Eric West that comes to her rescue and an unusual friendship is born as she is finally going to learn to read. But, someone else is after Eric and when Margie begins spending time with him learning to read she thinks he’s falling for her and her whole appearance improves as Ava does a What Not To Wear Makeover on her and she actually looks pretty. But, someone is out hurt her and even though Eric explains that he only wants to teach her to read and has no romantic interest in her, she lashes out and realizes or thinks that her father was right not to trust a West. But, Margie’s troubles are only beginning when someone slashes another woman’s tires leaving a note warning her to stay away from Eric. Brought in for questioning she is terrified of being arrested for something she claims she would never do. Just who comes to her aide you won’t believe and why cannot be revealed.

Eric seems to be in his own love triangle as Jen Fleming wants to get her hooks into him, Margie is what you might say infatuated with Eric and all he wanted to do was teach her some independence by helping her learn to read.

One 33 year old woman who just wanted to be recognized for being more than her father’s slave or worker and treated as an adult. When the truth comes out you won’t believe who slashed the tires and threw the brick through the window. Margie turns her back on the West Family but it is Mike that tries to explain and remedy things with her but can he? Why would she care when she feels that they really do want to be around her in any real way? When things get out of hand at the dance that she and Jen Fleming attend why is Coco the one person that comes to her defense?

An ending that will definitely surprise the reader and one you won’t see galloping down the racetrack in front of you. Just who gets Eric?

Who gets Mike? Who will Collette or Coco trip over, fall over or ride away into the sunset with? What about Kate? Just whom does she owe a favor to and why? That’s for the next book in The Unbridled Series.

Just who wins the race and which horse comes in first you won’t believe? One family so different yet really wanting the same thing:

Power, money, love and the thrill of the win on the track. One again author Cindy McDonald delivers a plot with twists, turns and surprises and even one magic trick. But, it is about love, understanding, trust and the magic and wonder of reading and the power it holds when you learn. What that means and how it connects to the story you will have to learn for yourself. This is one great novel and I think I will rate it: FIVE PERFECT WINS AT THE FINISH LINE!

Reviewer: Fran Lewis

Reviewer: Kimberly Lewis

Very Entertaining Read

I must say that "Hot Coco" was a very entertaining read. As stated in the interview, these books were originally designed to be a television series and that's just how I envisioned everything when I read it. I loved the setting of the horse farms and dipping into the life of Thoroughbred racing. The characters were very likable (although some of them I absolutely hated at first but then they grew on me). Coco seriously is the most klutzy person I have ever read about, lol. How that girl managed to walk sometimes without falling over amazed me:) Mike's interactions with his family (especially the constant jabs from his younger brother, Shane, and vice versa) were very entertaining. The one character that just completely broke my heart was Margie. She is a 33 year old woman who still lives at home with her controlling father and is unfortunately lacking in the looks department. And there is a secret about her that I won't disclose but when I realized what it was I just felt so bad for her. It was wonderful to see her blossom throughout the story and I was a little scared when I saw her turning in a not so nice direction -- but everything turns out for the good:) All in all I enjoyed this novel very much. It is an easy read and keeps you interested throughout the duration of the story.

Reviewer: Kimberly Lewis