The Secrets of Wild Hill: Lottie's Dream

By Author / Illustrator

Olivia Tuffin

Genre

Family & Home

Age range(s)

Publisher

Nosy Crow

ISBN

9781805137641

Format

Paperback / softback

Published

15-01-2026

Synopsis

Old rivalries, new friends and a fresh start. Can Lottie rebuild her connection with Patch enough to get them to the championships and one step closer to her dream?

In this second gripping adventure set at Wild Hill, Lottie works hard to heal her bond with Patch, desperate to learn how to hear him. But ever since the Rhinefields Show when he galloped off, Patch has been detached and afraid...

Meanwhile, Lottie's friendship with Felix is over and she feels betrayed. But when he texts her out of the blue, she realises how much she's missed him. Could she trust him again? And why does he need her help? As more secrets emerge, Lottie and Felix try to make sense of the photograph he found and the old connection between their two families.

With Wild Hill up for sale, there's still so much to overcome. Lottie knows that without Wild Hill, there will be no more time with Patch. And without Patch, there is no dream.

"A fantastic story, full of deep family secrets and all the details on horse care and showing that readers will love" - Holly Webb. "It has echoes of all the classic horse stories I loved but with a wonderful modern twist!" Catherine Bruton.

More brilliant books by the author: The Horse Who Came Home; The Horse Who Danced; Sunshine Stables series; A Pony Called Secret series; The Palomino Pony series

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Reviews

Donna

The Secrets of Wild Hill: Lottie's Dream by Olivia Tuffin is a delightful mix of desire, challenge and intrigue, all beautifully wrapped up in the world of horses. Lottie wants to ride more than anything in the world, she even deliberately failed her entrance test to the posh boarding school so that she could stay local and secretly ride every day (not that her dad knows that). Her gran gets it, but her parents don't, and Lottie must find a way to convince them that this is her heart's desire and that riding Patch at Wild Hill is where she needs to be. But when mistakes of the past start to negatively impact her plan and the lives of those around her, she knows that she needs to do something drastic to help.

Olivia Tuffin has created a wonderful adventure where her protagonist is easily identifiable to the younger reader. Children will see Lottie's hopes and dreams and be able to apply her worries and concerns to their own lives. Her difficult family dynamic is played out well where Lottie's parents can't see what is so important to her, but her grandparents can. Her tentative friendship with a boy from the feuding families adds a further dynamic and readers will love the twist that comes with this. Added to this is a wildly talented brother who has the knowledge and skill to really make a difference but is too wrapped up in his own wants and needs.

The interplay of the many different roles keeps the book interesting as the stories unfold and interleave with each other. This book is an absolute must for readers who love a real-life adventure story with an animal focus, especially if they particularly like horses. Olivia Tuffin’s knowledge of horse riding and the trials and tribulations faced by young riders on the circuit is cleverly smattered throughout the book. Key vocabulary is used but it is explained clearly for the non-rider to understand.

This is a delightful book that will keep many readers glued to its pages as they avidly read on, eager for the next part of the story to unfold, whilst being left desperate to read the sequel, too.

224 pages / Reviewed by Donna Burkert, teacher