I have read all the books in this series and this one completes! If you like reading about countryside, people and horses this one is definitely for you. Really enjoyed the read.

I read Fiona Walker's first 10 novels many, many years ago and loved them so much. I still have Lucy Talks and Kiss Chase on my bookshelf although I'm too scared to re-read them in case I don't love them today as much as I did then. So Country Secrets is the first Fiona Walker novel in at least 15 years that I have read and it feels a little like coming home after a long day.

Country Secrets is a part of a series which can be read as a standalone. It takes place in the Cotswolds in the UK, horse centered, with lots of dialogue that is not completely understood to a Canadian like me. But that doesn't take away from the chaos, the characters, and the big heartedness of all the plots and sub plots and sub sub plots. The cast of characters is immense, the town is small enough for everyone to know each other's business, and the humour is divine. I have truely miss reading her books. I was rooting for Mo, wanted Ronnie to be my mum, and would love a turn with Luca!

This is just plain fun, full of heart, and a great escape. It's a reminder not to take life too seriously, live your life, and take chances.

Thank you to Netgalley for the opportunity to read this and review this book.

I enjoyed this book, it’s written in a very Jilly Cooper style which isn’t a bad thing. Very entertaining read which kept my interest the whole way through. This is my first read by Fiona Walker and it didn’t disappoint. I liked the horsey element. Would recommend, a good easy relaxing read.

Sadly tried to start and restart this one, but struggled to fully connect with the characters. May just be me. This is part of a series, but first I've tried to read, so expect that is my issue. Still though, if you have read the others in the series, I expect you would like this one, so would recommend.

This is a very horsey read which, at times, felt very akin to reading something based on Jilly Cooper. Unfortunately, for me, it just didn't grip me or hold my attention so I really struggled to connect with this book.

A very horsey four-star read. I had such high hopes for this one, as I have adored this authors work before, but this one fell short of the mark, it just felt like there were too many people and too much thrown in all at once, instead of getting to know the main characters and story and then adding others as they flow naturally it felt like a jumble, and I was left feeling lost and a little lost and didn’t care too much about everyone, until quiet far into the story. It could just be me, as I was coming off a very emotion ringing story as my previous read, but it felt rushed compared to the others I have loved by this author. I will say that once you get into the story, and you know who everyone is and how they link up, and then when the twist drops, you really do feel for everyone and feel like you need to cheer at the end, but until it all clicks it’s a lot to get your head around.

A delightful conclusion to the Compton Magna trilogy. I know it was good because I joined the 'bad decisions bookclub' several nights while reading it, staying up far too late on a school night. I've read almost all of Fiona Walker's books, starting out way back with the Tash French books. As a recent transplant to the English countryside myself, she really captures the feel of the places and people. Like all good Fiona Walker fiction, Country Secrets is wonderfully escapist, putting you through the emotional wringer, before racing to a satisfying conclusion - with loads of laughs along the way.

I have read all and enjoyed most of Fiona Walkers books. I felt this was her trying to write like Jilly Cooper (without quite so much sex!). The large cast of characters had really bewildering names so I did find it a bit confusing, particularly at the beginning. And then add to that all the horses names... I did overall enjoy the book, it was quite a pleasant romp, but don't think it was one of her best, and I think the story was over complicated.

If Sex and the City were set in a small English country town, the end result would be this book. There are plenty of over the top plays on words, turns of phrase, and little jokes throughout this intricate story. All of the storylines intersect though the town of Compton Magna. The storylines we see are:

- Ronnie Ledwell, the prodigal daughter returned to town to run her family's legacy, a horse breeding farm on the verge of ruin.
- Pax, daughter of Ronnie, who is trying to leave a controlling, borderline abusive marriage and lands at the farm in the interim. Her son Kes is the light of her life. Pax was once a top-tier rider. Can she find her way back?
- Luca O'Brien - the Irish horseman with an Italian first name and an even more mysterious past.
- Bay Austen, Pax's first love who is also leaving his dysfunctional marriage. Bay has stayed in Compton Magna and Pax's return could be his second chance.
- Kenny Kay - a has-been British comedian from the 80s and 90s with a sketchy tie to the town. alongside his childhood frenemy, the hotel magnate Sir Peter.
- Maureen, the ultra competent local woman who gets taken for granted by basically everyone, until Mr. Kay gives her a chance as his PA.
- The local church, which appears to be starting a fundraiser for repairs, but things aren't always what they seem
- The Turner clan - a huge clan of travelers who are brawlers and troublemakers. Rumor has it that long-missing patriarch Nat is coming back for a big fight.
- Lester, the aging farmhand

While all of these storylines were themselves interesting, and they intersected in relevant ways, it was just too damn much to keep track of. Add in the names that all of these people have (Bay? Pax? Nana?) it felt like watching the screen at karaoke trying to keep up with the lyrics.

Honestly, if this book hasn't been optioned for a Netflix drama, I'm not sure what else there is for such a complex, dramatic story.

Pros:
- interesting setting - horse world and small town politics
- characters were all vivid and generally believable. even the supposed jerks could garner sympathy
- some of the reveals were incredibly well done.

Cons:
- way too complex
- lots of horse-world lingo

A story about second chance, finding yourself, learning to navigate life when things go wrong, learning to know who you are and learning to grow. A story about love, friendship, life, and family. Full of drama, laugh out loud moments and a engaging storyline that is easy to get lost in.