This centres around Shannon, one of the vet nurses at Otter House Vets whose practice is in the picturesque fictional market village of Talyton St George in East Devon. When Cathy Woodman was a child she lived in such a village and describes the setting for her stories beautifully. She also grew up to become a veterinary surgeon, which informs her descriptions of the veterinary cases within this novel, adding realism and authenticity to her patient/vet encounters.
At the start of this novel we meet the new vet, Ross. Shannon is assigned to Ross as his vet nurse and so their friendship begins as they attend to their various clients and their pets. These are heart-warming cases, sometimes with happy and sometimes with sad endings. Ross and Shannon are attracted to each other and romance blooms between them. It is a tender, loving romance with a bright future stretching ahead until one day Shannon has a horrific accident that changes her life forever.
I have read and thoroughly enjoyed all of the novels in the Talyton St George series.
There's something about reading a series of novels that gives me such a warm and comforting glow inside. Whilst the characters are like friends returning for a visit, so the new characters become new friends; a welcome addition to the series bringing new life and stories of their own for you to revel in. I absolutely loved this new novel written with compassion, empathy and a magic sprinkling of romance. If you have not read any of Cathy's novels, this one could easily be read as a stand-alone novel. I cannot recommend it highly enough. (JH)
Zara works as a midwife in the small village of Talyton St George. She loves her job but is still struggling with the fact that she can't have children of her own, which also caused the break-up between her and her husband. One day, Zara finds an abandoned puppy on the side of the road and even though she has always been scared of dogs, she decides to keep him. However, training a dog turns out to be slightly more difficult than Zara anticipated, and she needs to find someone who can help her. Thankfully, local shepherd Lewis is great with dogs and offers to help her out. Zara is thrilled, also because Lewis is quite handsome and seems to not only have eyes for the puppy but for its owner as well... Follow Me Home is the eighth part of Cathy Woodman's Talyton St George series. I hadn't read any of the other novels before starting this, but this wasn't a problem at all. The author provides the reader with enough background information, and I immediately felt myself falling in love with the fictional village and its inhabitants. Zara is a great main character, and the novel is packed with other wonderful characters as well. Cathy Woodman's writing style has a great and comfortable pace and the wonderful detailed descriptions made it very easy to jump into the story, making it almost feel like I was an inhabitant of Talyton St George myself, experiencing it all up close. Follow Me Home is a delightfully warm, charming and captivating story with a brilliant setting; a real treat to read! (JoH)
Stevie is a successful accountant living in the hustle and bustle of London with her well-groomed boyfriend. She is living away from the family farm since her father didn't believe a woman should be the one running a farm. A marriage proposal and a phone call from her father's best friend brings Stevie to a crossroad in her life. Stevie has to return to the farm and on first inspection sees the ruins surrounding her - sick animals and a father who has suffered a stroke. With a fear of losing the farm altogether, Stevie needs to think outside the box in order to save it. A long-running feud with neighbour Guy Barnes, obstacles and challenges face Stevie at every turn. At least she has Leo the vet on her side! Does Stevie return and settle in London with a good man prepared to give her the world or does she remain in Talyton St George to save her father from himself and the rundown family farm embedded deep in her soul? This is a wonderful story full of twists and turns... and of course a little romance along the way! Whatever you do, don't read Country Loving before you read The Sweetest Thing. It will give away everything from the book prior! Country Loving is easy to read and full of description enabling the reader to truly place him or herself amidst the country lifestyle of Talyton St George. Emotionally, one becomes entranced with the characters of this small town and you won't believe how one small place can evoke so much drama and romance! We all need a little Talyton St George in our lives.
(MP)
Jennie Copeland is just on the other side of finalising her divorce to her cheating husband. With three kids, Jennie starts her new life on the outskirts of Talyton St George in a rundown house in desperate need of some TLC. Life in this country town is full of ups and downs and when Jennie has a run-in with her farmer neighbour, she contemplates heading back to the busy streets of London instead of fulfilling her dreams. Those dreams of starting her own cake business begin to falter when some of the locals make things difficult. Add to that a teenage son who only wants to be with his friends and is desperate for a dog; a daughter who wants a pony and a younger child who just wants some chickens. As the pages begin to stir this delicious tale together, Jennie begins to wonder if her neighbour, Guy Barnes, is right... will she never make it past a year or will she and her brood make a go of their new life? Beautifully written, this novel (part of the Talyton St George series but it reads like a stand-alone) is full of ups and downs and unexpected twists and turns. The reader will join the emotional rollercoaster and Jennie's journey will resonate with readers who have gone through their own divorce. Finding love is never easy the second time around, but this novel gives a sense of hope that something new and fresh can come from taking a risk - all it takes is a little support and belief in yourself. The Sweetest Thing fulfills every chick lit reader's dream... with tears, sadness, hope and resolve. (MP)
Mother-of-two Lisa Baker runs a cleaning business with best friend Clare. They meet Jacqui when her Jeep crashes into a car at parenting class, and she tells them that she wants to trade in her husband. But who knew that it's Lisa's husband Tony that she has her eye on?
