I have read every book in this series and, I'm sad to say I won't be in a rush to read any more, should Cooper choose to continue. The fort at home is held by Gav, fancied by every stable lass but damaged by alcoholism and a vile wife. All the usual components were present, but they didn't tie into a particularly cohesive novel, and it felt rather as though Cooper was going through the motions to deliver the novel.

In this book his main aim is to have his stallion Love Rat become leading sire, but the competition is stiff and his enemies are out to thwart him.The animal rights stuff that she tries to shoe horn into every book now is getting tedious especially she's clearly fond of fox hunting - so all animals are equal but some are more equal than others - eh Jilly? Rupert still struts around like he is cock of the walk, but heir apparent is his downright filthy grandson, Young Eddie, and my sights are firmly set of the "well rode and will read" shy trainer, Gavin Tatton! Rupert finally learns some important life lessons and things come out very well for him in the end (I do not want to spoil it for any of my fellow Jilly Cooper fans so I will let you read it for yourself).

As the action builds lives hang in the balance and Leading Sire suddenly isn't so important after all.

If, like me, you have never read Cooper before I am sure you will finish this one wanting more - I certainly did! Wonderful to re encounter characters from previous books and fall in love with them again, I was disappointed when I got to the last page. How absolutely glorious to spend a few days in Rutshire with Rupert, Taggie and a host of familiar and unfamiliar people, rogues, lovers, horses and dogs. Characters of foreign descent as thrown in willy nilly as if JC only put them there for political correctness.

Luckily, the fort at home is held by Rupert's assistant Gav, a genius with horses, fancied by every stable lass, but damaged by alcoholism and a vile wife. She should have written a book on rural England if you ask me - it would be a classic, instantly, and give her talent what it deserves ie a place in the canon. That said, it's still peak daft Cooper: superlatives and bad puns galore, animals better characterized than half the humans, horses, parties, and everyone gets a new polo neck sweater that's just the right shade to set off their eyes. There are innuendos and outright sexual comments that sprint across the line of acceptable conduct, circuit the planet to cross the line again, then draw penis emojis on that line.Racism and homophobia are also run riot through the book, with the homophobic f word used repeatedly and with another f word in front of it on one occasion. And predictably, subterfuge puts Rupert's horses and staff in harm's way - with any number of possible suspects. Etta and Valent drink 2 bottles of champagne and a bottle of red while having geriatric sex - all I can say is that I would have been fast asleep as soon as I lay down after 1 bottle!

Gold medal winner at the Los Angeles Olympics for something involving riding horses, he now breeds them. Mount" is not the sparkling, witty and ironic poke at Britain's class system, unlike her previous novels. We are meant to be worried about the (negligible) risks he took, boo and hiss at the evilness of his enemies, and shout "hoorah for Rupert" when he wins at life. Yet at the end, everything is tied up in a nice little bow and we marvel at what a fantastic man Rupert is.It is not at all fine to be greedy; to gossip about someone while pretending to pity them, or show off about – or even mention – your children. A centuries old grudge about a horse race between two ancestors was just ridiculous and unbelievable.