Tackle!: Let the sabotage and scandals begin in the new instant Sunday Times bestseller

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Far too many characters, most of them frustratingly underdeveloped, and a story line that just doesn't seem to go anywhere. Bit of a slog although some fun - it’s been 20 years since I read Riders and Rivals so perhaps looking back with rose tinted glasses but Tackle didn’t live up to its billing.

You can change your choices at any time by visiting Cookie preferences, as described in the Cookie notice. We don’t share your credit card details with third-party sellers, and we don’t sell your information to others. I’d been feeling sad that this might be the last of Cooper’s novels, but this is an absolute stinker.Jilly recaptures her magic with the old favourites, Rupert and Taggie, and bringing in lots of new characters who very quickly feel like family. With many of the old favourites now spanning a world between football and horses I was not disappointed. Last year it was announced one of Jilly Cooper’s best-known novels, Rivals (Transworld), would be adapted for a Disney+ TV series, as reported by the Guardian. While for me nothing will top the thrill of “polo” or “riders” Jilly is still cracking them out, updated for the 2020’s and they’re just jolly entertaining.

I already feel that I've said more than I can really be bothered to say which actually sums up how I felt about this book. The story itself is light, nice but the abundance of language jokes makes the book hard to read and sometimes very hard to follow. Recurring characters include Dora Beleveon and her boyfriend Paris and Etta and Valent Edwards who is his business parter at Searston Rovers, and of course there a whole list of adorable animals.Jilly Cooper's wit and wicked way with words is still sparkling, but I suspect the PC world we currently live in has softened her more outrageous and naughty stretches of humour and raunchiness. Here is Rupert Campbell-Black now in his 60s - heaven forbid such a concept was ever thought of in his Riders/Rivals/Polo days. And if you’re not into football – and I’m not – you’ll probably be skimming the match-action scenes.