May Contain Spoilers
Review:
So I couldn’t resist the polo. Where there is polo, there are polo ponies, or so my thought processes would like to think. And yes, there were horses in Susan Stephens’ In the Brazilian’s Debt, but alas, not enough to keep me happy. The biggest disappointment, however, was Chico, because he treated Lizzie so terribly after having sex with her. He went from being Mr Hottie Sex God to Biggest Jerk on the Planet in 0 to 60, and I was like, “What?”
To say that Lizzie comes from a messed up family is the understatement of the year. When she was 15, Chico and his mentor, Eduardo, visited her family’s stud farm in Scotland, and Lizzie and Chico formed a fast friendship. Or so she thought. She confided in him how awfully her parents treated her, and the terrible things that went on in her house, and she begged to go back to Brazil with him and Eduardo. Chico promised to help her, but he suddenly left without a word to her. Heartbroken, she watched as her parents brought ruin to the family legacy with their greed and depravity. Only Lizzie’s grandmother’s intervention saved them from losing the land and farm that had been in the family for generations.
Years later, Lizzie’s the last hope for saving the family farm. She’s won a scholarship to Chico’s polo training program. In the intervening years, Chico has become a polo legend, and he’s worked hard to establish a multi-million dollar empire. Chico came from the slums, and only Eduardo saved him from a life of poverty. Now he gives back, by mentoring poor youths, and by teaching his equine skills to a select few. He’s surprised to see Lizzie among the latest group of students; she left him high and dry after her mother accused him of raping her. He’s still angry that she didn’t take his side, or that she ignored the letters that he wrote to her afterwards.
There’s a lot of hurt feelings and misunderstandings for Chico and Lizzie to work through, but they both feel the same attraction for each other. Though Lizzie tries to avoid Chico, it’s nearly impossible. Still, she resists her feelings for him because finishing the training program means so much to her, and as the instructor, Chico is off-limits. Until a sultry night, when she throws her inhibitions away. And then he treats her like a Class A Jerk, and my affections for him withered and died like my neglected house planets.
He did manage to get back into my good graces, at least a little bit, after a family tragedy forces Lizzie back home to Scotland. He’s very supportive, and sends her parents packing when they appear on the scene like so many vultures. They are so awful they’re actually entertaining. They both deserved an extended vacation at the local penitentiary.
I didn’t like Chico when he was in Brazil. Chico in Scotland was more tolerable. Given their history, he knew how poorly Lizzie had been treated by her parents, and that her grandmother was the only family member she could trust. His casual treatment of her during the party was just…there are no words. He knew what her parents were like, and that at 15, she had no control over their actions (not like she had any control over them as an adult!). She deserved better, and I thought she forgave him far to easily.
Grade: C
Review copy borrowed from my local library
From Amazon:
Paying for the past…
Lady Elizabeth Fane has two choices: lose her family’s Scottish stud farm or swallow her pride and beg Chico Fernandez for help. She’s never forgiven the arrogant Brazilian polo star for abandoning her years before, so instead she will collect on the debt he owes her.
Yet in the sultry Brazilian heat passions flare, revealing feelings Lizzie thought she had long conquered. That is until Chico finally reveals the truth behind his desertion and Lizzie realizes that he not only has power over her body but it’s she who is in the Brazilian’s debt!
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This is a great post Lolo. I have never been to a polo match nor ever heard an explanation of what is going on. Thank you.
And thank you for sharing those wonderful hats with me.
HAW
sounds like you had a great time and learned a lot about the game. glad they treat the horses kindly. thanks for sharing the fun.
Lo......I love this post! Polo is such a thrilling sport - and you explained it beautifully! I watched many a game when I was in the UK, but have never seen one in the States. (But, yes, I JUST DID, didn't I!) It's great to see women playing.... The horses are DIVINE! Each one strong and perfect! Perhaps one day, we'll watch a game together......meanwhile, I KNOW who you will be viewing the Netherlands game with! Ha-ha!
Love, and blowing cooling fog your way....
♥ Robin ♥
to me horses are the most magnificent animals in the kingdom. even as a little girl i wanted a relationship with one.
i imagine polo matches as aristocratic. did you hold your hand just so while sipping your drink?
what fun. i love accompanying you and your camera on all your gallivants.
I have never been to a polo match in my life, but enjoy the bits I see on TV. The horses look so...hmmmm....what word am I looking for....ALERT. It is different than dressage or other riding...they really must know the game!
Sounds like a good time!
XXOO!!
Anne
Looked like a fun time. The horses are in wonderful shape. but how do they keep from being hit with the ball or the thing they whack them with?
That's some great photos. You certainly educated me on the game of polo.....it's not just a shirt! :) Hope you are well this summer. I hope to catch up...at some point!
What a lovely post this is!
So good to read the people arte so good to their horses! They deserve that. For me it is just nice to know and this post makes me appreciate this sport even better.
I have never been to a polo match in my life.
Makes me think of pretty woman......
Thjanks for sharing this fun day with us.
Teri did a great job on those hats!
♥♥♥
HAW
>M<
This is great and your photos are wonderful. I've never watched a game but I can understand why it takes so much money to play.
Did you ever watch "the honeymooners"? with Jackie Gleason? Do you remember "poloponies"???
haw
What an interesting day out. Ihave only seen polo on tv. I can imagine hearing the sounds and the smells must be outstanding. I am glad you shared your outing with us.
This is wonderful! I'm so glad you got to go!
I lived in South Florida for a few years, in a very polo-centric area (in the winter many apartments in our complex were rented by handsome players!), but we never went to a match, to my disappointment. Thank you for sharing.
Did you wear a hat?
What a blast. A first for me too and I felt as though I was right there with you! excited about it all...loved the description of the horses (and their riders!!!!) LOL
I would have been oggling too.
Such fun!!! Thanks for it all.
Oh, Lo, that was fun, even from here. I loved the horses and the white one stole my heart. Thanks for sharing.
xoxo
Most interesting post, Laurel. The hat photo was so sweet. I check in at Teri's. Such a pretty interpretation.
lovely day...and so cool you got to see your first polo match! i've never been to one, but near us in Wellington, Florida is a huge polo place. even King Charles has been to play! woo-hoo!!
Oh how fantastic your photos are Lolo! I love polo, we live right behind Santa Barbara Polo and Racquet Club. The summer season has begun and sundays are polo days. We have friends that are trainers (as well as players) and the gorgeous horses are treated like royalty.
It's really fun here when international teams come, the Argentinians are SO cute! when they are done playing they are all around town.
So glad you had a good time! Thank you for sharing.
xoxo,
lori
Your pictures were so great I almost felt like I was there. I really like the design of your blog and how your pictures look on the black back ground. Very eye catching.
What a great outing Laurel - something really different! I love the action photos - I've always wondered how the players manage to swipe the ball and not the horses!
Wow Lolo, what a fun post to read. Thanks for sharing all the pic's. I went to one polo match a long time ago. It was fundraiser for my son's school. It was interesting. Love this.!!! Thanks for always coming to visit me.
Wonderful to see,Lolo no orange hats there?
xxMar
One segment of a recent PBS Special on horses featured a professional polo player ... I was amazed at how much effort, energy, work and money went into it before the first chucker was ever played!
ha ha polo matches are so british. wouldn't mind seeing prince William astride a steed.
You've captured the game beautifully, lolo!!! I'm glad to hear of a woman on the team...times have changed.
I grew up on a horse farm and we used to pretend we were polo players once in awhile. It was great fun, but nowhere near as disciplined as real polo is. I wish I had been there to see it...there is nothing like a well-trained steed playing polo. To me, the riders are incredible athletes. It takes great courage to go thundering after a ball like that!
Superb action shots!!!!
love from Paramaribo!
♥♥♥
>M<