I really struggled with this story. It was well written, funny and very descriptive but I just couldn't get in to it at all! I was very disconnected from the characters and found myself constantly checking the percentage sign on my kindle to see how far was left. I can't put my finger on what was wrong - it just wasn't a book for me.

Wow this was an excellent read, full of humour, learning for life and the exquisite Yorkshire outdoors; God’s county indeed. Catherine Robinson paints a vivid picture of the landscape and the joy of working as an apprentice farrier to a know-it-all boss, Stanley, who loves his work but most of all enjoys the company and practical jokes he pulls on each of his two apprentices.
Will has just started his apprenticeship, but the other apprentice Ewan is well versed in the daily routines and in antics of his boss. Indeed, he’s a bit of a leg-puller himself. Will relishes the practical experience, the outdoor environment rather than the classroom, and the camaraderie, but he is little prepared for his ‘Posh-boy’ nickname and the mirth he creates even in his choice of ‘brews’. He’s a personable lad, willing to learn and put in the hours, determined to give the job his best efforts. He’s great with the clients, both human and animal. He’s treated as a bit of a dogsbody at first, but soon settles in and begins to be trusted to do the routine work of a farrier, even showing initiative and skills of his own. This story tells of Will’s emergence from mere student into a working partnership which sees him filling in a monthly log of his experiences and what he has learned from them.
I loved this gentle and warm story and was soon immersed in Will’s story. I loved the beautiful storytelling and the friendships that were forged throughout the novel. There were some memorable characters, both incomers and local characters, but most of all I loved the trio of farriers and would-be farriers at the very heart of the story; Will, Ewan and Stanley, the gruff but ultimately warm-hearted ‘boss-man’. Catherine Robinson has included lots of insider knowledge and research in ‘Forging On’ which made the novel so much more interesting and alive. I’m a lover of the natural world, animals and the countryside and this novel fitted my expectations to a ‘T’. I would like to thank NetGalley and publisher Orion for my copy of this novel, sent out to me in return for an honest review. This is a debut novel but is absolutely filled with class, calamities, craic and caring. I look forward to reading more novels by this author. It’s a well-deserved 4.5* review from me.