Jump!: Another joyful and dramatic romp from Jilly Cooper, the Sunday Times bestseller

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To read one of Cooper’s books is to escape into an alternative universe in which all is right with the world. The characters are poor faded shades of the vibrant witty loveable rogues she created in her earlier works (Riders and Polo being the best examples of these).

Etta never feels at the centre of the story as the other characters drown her out (and this is terribly maddening as I was looking forward to reading an protagonist who isn't the usual first-flush of youth type). Can she be the first mare in thirty years, and Amber the first woman ever, to conquer this mighty race? It makes me so cross in a time when so many talented authors are struggling to get published that this utter horse-manure should make it onto the shelf and that we, trusting Cooper's previous record, should pay good money for it. This isn't a fault of the big cast (as Cooper has ably worked with those before), but the number of them given significant airplay in any one scene. So I do really wish Jilly had cut a third of the characters and quite a few of the goings-on, to increase the ratio of enjoyment to effort for the casual reader who wants to pick the novel up at the end of a day and sink in, without having to consult charts of who's who.It's long, complex and tremendous fun featuring a few recurring favourites such as Rupert Campbell-Black.

As always with Jilly's books, you get drawn in completely to her world, engaging with and caring about the characters (and awaiting the villains getting their comeuppance). A magnificent portrayal of how a beautiful young girl might become the first woman ever to win the Grand National. Etta Bancroft - sweet, kind, still beautiful - adores racing and harbours a crush on one of its stars, the handsome high-handed owner-trainer Rupert Campbell-Black. I’m sure if Cooper had focused more on how the people in the syndicate interact with each other and less with the horse I would have enjoyed it more. Mrs Wilkinson and Etta were a lovely central pairing and their story made me smile on many occasions.

But I really enjoyed the book felt it was more modern than her previous books and I even shed a tear at the end. With the help of the villagers, sometimes without their knowledge, she nurses Mrs Wilkinson back to health. Just to say that as always there is a huge cast of characters, lots of temperamental animals (I love how we get to hear what they're thinking) and fabulous settings of rolling countryside and idyllic villages. When I settle down with one, I know that I will spend half my time bewildered by the many different names and who is bed-hopping with whom.