Taking the Reins

Author: Ivy Bailey

General fiction (Children's / Teenage)

Published on 4 June 2026 by Simon & Schuster Ltd in the United Kingdom.

Paperback | 336 pages
130 x 198 x 24 | 244g

A Riders-inspired YA romance, perfect for fans of Hannah Grace, Jilly Cooper and Emily Henry.

Talented but consistently overlooked, Sophie has never been able to catch a break. Riding is her life, but she hasn’t been raised with a stable in her garden the same way some of her competition have. But this summer is different – she’s just earned herself a spot at the prestigious Blackwood Equestrian Camp.

Luke, the camp’s star jumper – charming, wealthy and with a perfect seat in the saddle he’s actually a very sweet boy at heart. His dad owns the Blackwood estate, so he’s always had it easy and never met a girl who doesn’t fall at his feet . . . until Sophie. Scrappy Finley is a stable hand who works for the estate with a talent for breaking in difficult horses. He’s brooding, rough around the edges, and hiding a secret that could ruin him. When a major riding competition is on the line, forcing them all to work together, Sophie must decide who really has her heart, and whether she’s willing to risk everything for love.