Book Review: The Thoroughbreds by Elin Hilderbrand and Shelby Cunningham

In The Thoroughbreds (The Academy Series, Book 2), bestselling author Elin Hilderbrand teams up with her daughter, Shelby Cunningham, to deliver a high-stakes, dramatic return to Tiffin Academy. Capturing the pressure cooker of senior year at an elite New England prep school, this sequel blends campus secrets, romantic entanglements, and the relentless anxiety of elite college admissions into a propulsive contemporary story.

Spoiler-Free Synopsis

Class is back in session for “sixth formers” at Tiffin Academy, but the idyllic campus hides mounting tension. Core couple Charley Hicks and East struggle to maintain their bond under the strain of academic competition and valedictorian rivalry. Meanwhile, star quarterback Dub and his best friend Hakeem face an interpersonal rift that threatens the football season.

Surrounding the student body is an adult administration in crisis: Head of School Audre Robinson must quietly salvage the institution after a disastrous financial error, while a new college counselor faces an uphill battle guiding overly ambitious teens. Looming over everything is a persistent mystery from the previous year—a final, unopened email left behind by Cinnamon Peters, intended for Dub on graduation day.

Positive Highlights

• Sharp Social Commentary: The authors expertly dissect the high-stakes college application process and the underlying class dynamics of elite boarding school life.

• Engaging Narrative Structure: Utilizing an ensemble cast alongside a clever collective “we” voice for student chapters, the book maintains an addictive momentum that drives the story forward smoothly.

• Rich World-Building: Detailed descriptions of Tiffin’s campus, storied traditions, and gourmet dining hall offerings create a vivid, immersive backdrop for the interpersonal drama.

Critical Drawbacks

• Convenient Plot Resolutions: The climax unties complex, multi-layered conflicts a bit too easily. Intricate subplots built across the novel resolve abruptly in the final pages, shifting into predictable wish-fulfillment.

• Tonal Inconsistencies: The narrative sometimes struggles to balance light prep school antics with heavy topics like grief, trauma, and inappropriate adult-student boundaries, occasionally treating serious issues as mere campus gossip.

• Excessive Product Placement: Frequent luxury brand name-drops can feel overly trendy, briefly distracting from character development.

Final Verdict

The Thoroughbreds is a captivating, fast-paced follow-up that broadens the scope of The Academy series. While it stumbles slightly in its final act, its sharp commentary on privilege, youth, and ambition makes it a compelling read for fans of contemporary drama.

Star Rating: ★★★★(4 out of 5 stars)

– The Moving Words Review