Accidentally on Purpose - Jill Shalvis (Avon - Jan 2017)

Series: Heartbreaker Bay (Book 3)

There’s no such thing as a little in love . . .

Elle Wheaton’s priorities: friends, career, and kick-ass shoes. Then there’s the muscular wall of stubbornness that’s security expert Archer Hunt -- who comes before everything else. No point in telling Mr. “Feels-Free Zone” that, though. Elle will just see other men until she gets over Archer . . . which should only take a lifetime . . .

There’s no such thing as a little in lust . . .

Archer’s wanted the best for Elle ever since he sacrificed his law-enforcement career to save her. Their chemistry could start the next San Francisco earthquake and he craves her 24/7, but Archer doesn’t want to be responsible for the damage. The alternative? Watch her go out with guys who aren’t him . . .

There is such a thing as . . .

As far as Archer’s concerned, nobody is good enough for Elle. But when he sets out to prove it by sabotaging her dates, she gets mad -- and things get hot as hell. Now Archer has a new mission: prove to Elle that her perfect man has been here all along . . .

Good book full of love, laughter, and lust, between two people who have a history that has kept them apart for eleven years. Archer and Elle met when he was a rookie cop on the force, and she was a teenager trying to protect her sister. She was in a dangerous situation, and he did what he thought was right, ending his career before it really got started. Archer went on to found his own investigation firm and Elle straightened out her life and is now the building manager for the same building where Archer's office is.

I loved both Archer and Elle. Archer is the quintessential alpha male - strong, silent, protective, honorable, with a surprisingly soft center, at least when it comes to Elle. Elle is strong, determined, independent, and doesn't back down from any confrontation, especially with Archer. Each of them also has some vulnerability that they keep well hidden.

I loved the relationship between Archer and Elle. In the previous books as well as this one, they constantly trade barbs. For both of them, it is a protective reflex. Archer has been attracted to Elle for years but is sure that he represents things she'd rather forget, so he hides what he feels. He also knows that she feels indebted to him, and never wants her to feel obligated to return his interest. Instead, he's channeled his feelings into watching out for her, something she is unaware of. Elle is just as attracted to Archer, but she feels that he wouldn't be able to look at her without remembering everything that she and her family cost him. After all, he had already turned down her one attempt to show her gratitude. One of the things I found most amusing was how the super-confident Archer always seemed to find himself fumbling for words or otherwise being awkward around her, and she never caught on. Unlike all their friends who could easily see that Elle and Archer were perfect for each other. Things became even more hilarious when Elle decided to give up on her attraction to Archer and start dating other men. Suddenly Archer realized that he was going to have to step up if he didn't want to lose her to another man. I about died laughing at his creative attempts to sabotage her dates and Elle's reaction when she figured it out. I loved seeing her confront him and point out that she's no longer a teenager but a grown woman who knows what she wants. When they finally go down that road, the heat between them is amazing. It isn't only physical because what they have is enhanced by the deep connection that they have always had but refused to admit. As trouble from Elle's past shows up in her present, it takes some scary situations for her to realize that being strong doesn't mean that you can't accept help when it's offered. I loved seeing the two of them finally put the past behind them and move toward a future together.

The humor in this book was typical Shalvis - hilarious situations, witty dialog, and terrific character relationships. The camping trip was one of my favorites, with the big tough guys mad about being denied their s'mores and requesting a supply run from the ladies. I loved Elle's undercover work for Archer and his reaction to how she carried it out, as well as the guys' reactions to his reactions. I also loved the conversations, not just between Archer and Elle, but among the others also. I laughed out loud when Spencer had to deal with both Elle and Archer talking about feelings.

There was also a bit of suspense as Elle's sister showed up with trouble on her heels. I ached for Elle, as she had been burned several times before when she tried to help but feels guilty when she tosses Morgan out. It was interesting to see Archer's part in bringing them together. There were some intense moments as Morgan's trouble spills over onto Elle. My heart was in my throat as Elle battled a couple of thugs, holding her own until Archer came bursting in. The final confrontation was intense, with a few surprises along the way. I ached for Elle's fear for Archer and cheered for her actions regarding his father. It will be interesting to see if Morgan gets a story of her own.

I loved the depth of friendship among the group. The teasing and fun among them are always fun to witness. I also love how the support for each other is always there too. It was sweet to see how Elle had her friends that she could confide in and know that her secrets were safe, as well as getting brutally honest advice. It was also fun to see how the always in control Archer could be driven nuts by the actions of the men he worked with yet know that they always had his back. I can't wait to read more of the series.

Wanted: Texas Daddy - Cathy Gillen Thacker (HWR #1645 - June 2017)

Series: Texas Legacies: The Lockharts (Book 4)

A SECRET BABY BARGAIN?

Small Texas towns always have their secrets. Fortunately, no one in Laramie knows about Sage Lockhart's friends-with-benefits arrangement with hunky cowboy Nick Monroe. And now Sage wants something more from Nick -- something that could change the very nature of their relationship. She wants to have his baby.

Nick's always wanted to take things with Sage to the next level. Maybe this wasn't exactly what he had in mind, but having a child with Sage is an adventure Nick can't refuse. Of course, neither of them knew just how complicated things could get. With a baby on the way and all their careful plans unraveling, Sage and Nick must face the one secret they've been hiding from themselves…and from each other.

Good friends to lovers story. Sage and Nick have been good friends for months, adding "with benefits" not long after they met. Sage has wanted a baby for a long time, but her previous relationship didn't work out. She's decided to have one on her own, but isn't thrilled about using a donor - she'd rather know who the father is. She comes up with the idea of asking Nick.

Nick was surprised by Sage's request. He's always wanted more from Sage but went along with her wishes while waiting for his chance. A baby hadn't been in his plans just yet, but he's willing to go for it. At least it will guarantee that they'll have some kind of long-term relationship.

I enjoyed the development of Nick and Sage's relationship, even if I did spend a fair amount of time wanting to shake them both. Their friendship was strong, having taken the time to get to know each other. The addition of "benefits" suited them both at the time, when neither one was ready to move to anything permanent, and brought them closer still. There were times that I felt that they were getting too much satisfaction out of fooling their friends and families rather than being happy to share their contentment, especially once Sage found out she was pregnant. I did understand their desire to avoid the pressures from their families but felt they were strong enough to stand up to them. And everything would have likely gone the way they wanted it to if it hadn't been for unexpected interference.

At the same time all of this is happening, Nick is in the process of expanding his business, something he's wanted to do for a long time. Unfortunately, the lead contact for the venture capitalists that he is working with insists that Nick and Sage need to be married to portray the right image for the stores. He's willing to stand up to them, but Sage doesn't want to be the cause of his losing out on something so important, so she agrees. She has come to realize that she wants something more from their relationship, but she is afraid of making Nick feel trapped and ruining their friendship, so she insists that nothing about their relationship will be done differently.

From the moment the wedding takes place, Nick is as all-in as he is permitted to be. He has Sage right where he wants her and looks forward to showing her what they could have together. I loved the way that he takes such good care of her when she is ill. There are also some amazingly romantic moments that he comes up with. Sage is warier, still haunted by her fears. It doesn't help that there is constant interference from MR, the business contact. It was obvious to me from the beginning that MR had an agenda of her own, and it wasn't all business related. She was very good at manipulating both Nick and Sage, and it really affected Sage. I was a bit worried that Nick was blind to it, but he was more aware than I realized. I loved seeing him stand up to MR more and more often as the book went on.

As the book went on, both Sage and Nick realized that their feelings for each other had grown and that they wanted more out of their marriage. The problem was, neither of them was willing to take a chance and talk to the other about how they felt and what they wanted. I ached for them both as Nick felt that Sage was pushing him away, and Sage was desperately trying not to interfere with his business dreams. Unfortunately, their level of communication had dropped since they got married, and they no longer talked about the things that were important to them. This caused a dangerous situation near the end of the book that opened their eyes. I liked the ending a lot, especially the steps that Nick took. The epilogue was great. I loved seeing them a couple of years later and what they had accomplished.

I also enjoyed seeing the parts that their families played. There was no question about the love that was there, even if there was occasionally some tension. I liked the way that Sage's mom wanted the best for her, even if she didn't always agree with the way Sage went about getting it. I also liked that Nick's siblings were behind him in his ambitions, though it took Sage to get them to express it. I adored Sage's reaction to MR's plans for the grand opening and loved seeing her stand up for what was right.

Soldier, Handyman, Family Man - Lynne Marshall (HSE #2616 - Apr 2018)

Series: Delaneys of Sandpiper Beach (Book 2)
            American Heroes (Book 4)

He’s all kinds of man. But is he a family man?

It’s good to be home! But civilian life isn’t easy for Mark Delaney. The former surf champ copes by carving California waves and working solo as the handyman for his family’s beachfront hotel. Until Laurel Prescott, pretty owner of the new B and B -- and widowed mother of three -- asks for his help. One small task leads to another and another, and suddenly Mark is knee-deep in kids, responsibility…and a love he never dreamed possible.

Good book about two emotionally wounded people, looking for new starts in life, but for whom relationships are not in the plan at all. Mark spent ten years in the army, with multiple deployments. He lost friends, men whose deaths still haunt him. Now that he is home, he spends most of his time alone, either doing handyman work for the family hotel or catching waves on the beach nearby. Then the pretty new owner of the B & B across the street catches his eye.

Laurel is a widow with three children who has come to Sandpiper Beach for her own fresh start. The last few years have been difficult as she dealt with her husband's cancer and eventual death. The B & B is her chance to give her children what they need along with her chance to heal. She faces some serious challenges, including a teenage son with anger issues, and one of her twin daughters with speech problems, not to mention the problems that come with an old house. The offer of help from her neighbor across the street is gratefully received.

I really liked both Mark and Laurel. Mark is a gentleman at heart, with old-school manners instilled by his Irish family. He is also kind, sensitive, and fun. He is also a bit wary of opening himself up to his emotions and suffers from a bit of insecurity regarding his place in the world. He sees himself as "just" a handyman, even though he's the one who will run the family hotel when his parents retire. I especially enjoyed his friendship with young Peter, giving the boy the male attention he needed. I loved the gentle guidance he provided, and the surprising rewards he reaped from it. It was also sweet to see Mark with little Claire and Grace, once he stopped being intimidated by them.

I liked Laurel's determination to make a fresh start for herself and her kids. Her grief over her husband's death is still overwhelming at times, but she has to keep it together for her kids. She's dealing with some guilt over the effects that her husband's illness and death had on the children. I understood her frustration with Peter's attitude. I liked her optimism about making the B & B work, and her willingness to accept help from Mark and his family.

I enjoyed the development of Mark and Laurel's relationship. There were sparks of attraction from the beginning, but both tried to ignore them. It started as a friendship, as Mark offered Laurel the handyman help she needed as things cropped up at the house. The more time they spend together, the deeper their connection grows. But their internal resistance goes pretty deep. I enjoyed Mark's mental conversations with himself, as he tried to figure out exactly what he was feeling. As the feelings he had shut down before begin to reawaken, he also undergoes other changes. I loved seeing how the help that he offered to Laurel also jump-started his interest in his own future. Laurel also had to deal with her growing feelings for Mark. She was in denial for a long time because she was afraid to open herself up to the possibility of loving and losing again. Their blossoming attraction was intense, and I loved how that aspect contributed to their feelings. But a boneheaded move on Mark's part brought Laurel's fears roaring back to the surface, causing her to back away. I ached for Mark, who had realized the truth of his feelings and feared that he had ruined things beyond repair. I also ached for Laurel, who was torn between her fears and her feelings for Mark. Both had some soul-searching to do and were aided by a most unexpected source. I loved the changes that Mark made in his life as he tried to make himself a better man for Laurel. I liked Laurel's big moment as she took her courage in hand to go after what she wanted.

I also liked the importance of family to both Mark and Laurel. I loved the closeness of the Delaney family. Their support of Mark was awesome, as they gave him both the space he needed as well as the occasional push when he needed it. I especially liked Grandda Padraig and his Irish charm. I liked seeing him work his magic on Laurel and her family. I had to grin at his story of the selkie and how he's convinced that all three of his grandsons will find love because of it. I also liked the relationship between Mark and his brother Conor. I'm looking forward to Conor's story. I liked how Laurel's children were the motivating factor in coming to Sandpiper Beach. She was so frustrated with Peter and his attitude, but she also understood what was causing it. I really liked the way that she trusted Mark and encouraged his friendship with Peter. Their friendship was awesome and I really liked how it continued even when Mark and Laurel had their problems.

Forever a Father - Lynne Marshall (HSE #2609 - Mar 2018)

Series: Delaneys of Sandpiper Beach (Book 1)

“Will you be my dad?”

Ask me anything but that.

Once upon a time, Dr. Daniel Delaney had it all. But he lost it in the blink of an eye, and he won’t let himself fall again -- not even for his dedicated new assistant, Keela O’Mara, and her adorable, lonely little girl, Anna. Resisting a starry-eyed four-year-old is tough enough. Denying her perfect, loving single mom may be more than Daniel can handle…

Good book about love, healing, and letting go of the past. Daniel returned to his hometown after his unborn baby died and his wife walked out on him. Now he buries his grief in work as he sets up his new practice, and has decided that falling in love again is not in the cards for him. Even the thought of it brings back the pain of his losses.

Keela is a lovely Irish lass who came to America to marry the father of her daughter. But the man she married wasn't what she thought he was and his betrayal cut deep. Now she works for Daniel as a physical therapist and raises her daughter on her own.

I enjoyed the development of Daniel and Keela's relationship. It started as a purely professional one, with Keela handling everything in the office easily, including Daniel's sometimes grouchy moods. They have also noticed each other in a more personal way, but their pasts discourage them from pursuing it. Then one day Keela needs Daniel to watch her daughter for a while. I ached for Daniel as he panicked over his ability to do so, and the paralyzing grief that swamped him. I loved how Anna's sweetness pulled him out of it and started him on the road to living again. Keela can't help but notice how good Daniel is with Anna, which warms her heart toward him. There are some terrific scenes involving Daniel and Anna. It isn't long before the sparks between Daniel and Keela flare hotter. I enjoyed seeing them get to know each other outside of work, but each of them was holding back a bit, worried about being hurt again.

I got a little frustrated with Daniel's frequent flip-flops on their relationship. Things would be going well, then something would happen to ruffle his memories and he would pull back. This was hard on Keela, whose husband had pulled back from their relationship after their daughter was born. I ached for them both as they let their fears come between them. I liked seeing Daniel take a good hard look at himself and his future and realize what was really important. The ending was great as both of them take their courage in hand and face their vulnerabilities together. 

Studmuffin Santa - Tawna Fenske (Createspace - Nov 2017)

Brandon Brown is the unlikeliest Santa ever to don a red velvet suit. His abs are more cheese grater than bowl full of jelly, and deploying to Syria is the closest he’s come to the North Pole. But family drama sends the jaded Marine home for the holidays, and lands him an unexpected gig as a part-time Santa.

Jade King is hustling to get Jingle Bell Reindeer Ranch off the ground, and she’s not thrilled her sister hired a Santa with sex-appeal. The last thing Jade wants is a beefcake circus, and guys like Brandon bring sleigh-loads of trouble. But Studmuffin Santa proves more popular than anyone dreamed, drawing hordes of happy kids, lusty moms, and a mystery foe hell-bent on wrecking it all.

The threat has Brandon playing protector for the reindeer and their sexy keeper, which is risky for a guy who’s sworn off happy endings and the whole Christmas mess. But as Jade and Brandon bond over Santa suit malfunctions and risqué Christmas cookies, they find they have more in common than a craving for gingerbread. Can they find a way to mesh their wish lists, or will ghosts of Christmas past bring things crashing down like a fat man in a cast iron sleigh?

Good story of love, family, and letting go of the past. Jade and her sister Amber own a reindeer farm where they are currently gearing up for the Christmas season. The biggest thing they need is someone to play Santa for all the kiddies. Instead of a nice, jolly old man, Amber hires Brandon, ex-high school jock and current Marine, home on leave. Jade isn't too thrilled, but beggars can't be choosers.

Brandon is home on leave as he deals with some family issues. Not one to sit around, he agrees to the job of Santa, even though he seriously lacks in Christmas spirit. But an unknown foe is creating problems for the sisters and Brandon is determined to keep them safe.

I loved the first meeting between Jade and Brandon. He overhears her telling Amber that they don't need the hassles of a "studmuffin Santa" and is highly amused by it. Jade's a little embarrassed but forges forward with information about the job. From the very start, there is honesty between them, with Jade admitting her misgivings about having him as Santa, and Brandon admitting that his high school reputation doesn't do him any favors, but that he hopes he's grown up since then. Underneath the exchange is a simmering attraction that neither wants to admit.

I liked both Brandon and Jade. Brandon is a good guy at heart. He has written off love and relationships for himself, thanks to witnessing the disintegration of his parents' marriage. But family is important to him. He spends his spare time helping his cousins build their resort. There are some terrific scenes with Brandon and several of those cousins that show the depth of caring among them. I loved the way that he visits his dad in the nursing home and tries to connect with him, and ached for his feelings of helplessness.

Jade was great. She is a strong and resourceful woman who has overcome a lot in pursuit of her dreams. Her high school years were a nightmare and she still has the emotional scars. Because of that time she has developed a core of independence. I loved watching her with the various reindeer, where her softer side tends to emerge.

I enjoyed the development of the relationship between Brandon and Jade. The chemistry between them is undeniable, though both try to resist. Brandon reminds Jade of her time in school, even though he wasn't one of the problem kids. She has a hard time believing that he could be interested in her and she is wary of risking her heart. Brandon is convinced that he knows nothing of love and relationships and doesn't want to do anything to hurt Jade. I loved seeing them go from slightly hostile to bonding over x-rated cookies and the challenges that Santa has to face. As the heat between them built, it became harder for them to keep their hands off each other. Once they gave in to their passion, it opened them up to feelings that neither one was sure they wanted to deal with. It was sweet to see how much they started to care for each other, and frustrating to see them sometimes pull back. Brandon goes a little overboard in the protectiveness he feels for Jade, creating a rift between them. It takes a straightforward talk from his cousin Bree for him to see where he went wrong. I loved his realization that he needed to settle his past before he could move on to his future, and how he did it was a heartwarming and heart-wrenching scene. His big moment with Jade was fantastic, and the epilogue was great.

There was a nice bit of suspense dealing with the trouble that Jade and Amber were having at the ranch. There were odd things happening that Jade wrote off to coincidence or carelessness. Amber wasn't so sure, and one of the reasons she hired Brandon was also as Security Santa. Though the problems were just nuisances at the beginning, they began to escalate until even Jade couldn't deny that something was wrong. I loved the resolution of the problem and laughed out loud at how it happened. The culprit was not who I expected.

The book was full of quirky characters and fun situations, as well as deeply emotional ones. I loved some of Jade's conversations with her reindeer as she tried to work out her feelings for Brandon. I ached for Jade as I read about her high school years, and for Brandon when he talked about his mother and father. It was fun to see Brandon deal with the moms who brought kids to see him as Santa. I loved how Jade and Amber supported each other as sisters and friends and laughed as Amber tried to push Jade and Brandon together. 

The Duchess Deal - Tessa Dare (Avon - Aug 2017)

Series: Girl Meets Duke (Book 1)

When girl meets Duke, their marriage breaks all the rules…

Since his return from war, the Duke of Ashbury’s to-do list has been short and anything but sweet: brooding, glowering, menacing London ne’er-do-wells by night. Now there’s a new item on the list. He needs an heir -- which means he needs a wife. When Emma Gladstone, a vicar’s daughter turned seamstress, appears in his library wearing a wedding gown, he decides on the spot that she’ll do.

His terms are simple:

- They will be husband and wife by night only.

- No lights, no kissing.

- No questions about his battle scars.

- Last, and most importantly… Once she’s pregnant with his heir, they need never share a bed again.

But Emma is no pushover. She has a few rules of her own:

- They will have dinner together every evening.

- With conversation.

- And unlimited teasing.

- Last, and most importantly… Once she’s seen the man beneath the scars, he can’t stop her from falling in love… 

Fantastic start to the new series. This is a Beauty and the Beast type of story. Ash is terribly scarred physically on one side of his body from injuries received during the war, and emotionally because of the cruel words of his ex-fiancée. He is holed up in his house, seeing no one but the servants, and trying to figure out how to get the wife he needs, when Emma bursts in on him. Emma is a vicar's daughter turned seamstress who is at the end of her rope. She is the one who made his ex-fiancée's wedding gown, but with the wedding canceled she hasn't been paid for the dress, and she has rent due. Ash is taken with the brilliant idea that Emma is the perfect solution and proposes a marriage of convenience.

I loved Ash and Emma. I ached for him and the physical pain that he still endures, and for the emotional pain caused by his fiancée's rejection. But even though he believes that he will never have a normal life, he hasn't let it destroy his humanity. On his late night walks, he steps in to right several wrongs. His relationship with his butler is that of a friend as well as an employer. Plus, his sense of humor is still very much intact, though sometimes its very dryness makes one wonder. One of my favorite things was the advice he had gotten from his father, that an educated gentleman should not use vulgarities to express himself. Ash is very creative with his Shakespearean epithets.

I hurt for Emma also. All her life she had tried to earn the approval of her vicar father. Her search for approval led her to make a decision that caused her father to turn his back on her and kick her out of the house in the middle of winter. I was impressed by her strength and resilience as she made her way to London on her own and carved out a place for herself. Through it all, she still tends to see the good in people, which has on occasion come back to bite her. I also like the way that she has no trouble standing up for herself, hence her trip to get Ash to pay the bill for the wedding dress.

I loved the development of their relationship. The sparks between them are intense from the start, even though both try to resist. Ash does everything he can to keep Emma at an emotional distance but fails miserably. With each passing day (and night) the walls he has built around his heart begin to crumble. He doesn't go down easily, but the fall is inevitable. I loved seeing his confusion as the more he tried to push her away, the more trouble he had keeping her off his mind. It wasn't long before he felt an intense protectiveness toward her. I loved what he did when he found out about her father's actions. His tenderness and care after the confrontation with his ex at the opera were incredible. It was obvious by then that he was a goner.

Emma knows that Ash doesn't want any emotions between them. She's okay with that because she's had her own run-in with love and it didn't turn out well. But she can't deny that the man behind the scars pulls at her heartstrings. She sees a man capable of great caring who refuses to believe that there is any good left in him. I loved the way that she teased and bullied him into taking the first steps back out into society.

The heat between them was intense. In spite of his intention to bed Emma without emotion, he was completely unable to do so. I loved how he was so careful to make sure that he didn't hurt or frighten her. His surprise at how passionate she was made it even more difficult to maintain his distance. I ached for him and his fear of letting her see all his scars. Emma's ability to look past his scars was fantastic. She was curious but didn't make a big deal out them. They certainly didn't impact the way she burned for his touch, and how she slowly worked her way past his guard. But all that intensity also created a belief in them that it couldn't last. I ached for them both as secrets revealed hit both of them in their deepest fears. I liked Emma's strength of will that made her continue with what she felt was right in spite of Ash's reaction. I loved how it was Khan that made Ash see the error of his ways. I was on the edge of my seat as Ash was determined to make things right, but ended up being waylaid. His big moment at the end was incredible as he faced his biggest fears all because of his love for her.

I loved the secondary characters in the book. Khan was fantastic with his lifelong devotion to Ash. He was another person who would stand up to Ash when he was an idiot. I also loved the way that he and the other staff members could see that Ash and Emma belonged together. Their attempts to throw the pair together so that they would fall in love were funny and heartwarming. I really liked the three women who included Emma in their group. The scene with Emma and Alex as they were fixing all the timepieces in the house was hilarious. I loved their support of Emma and their suggestions for what Emma should call her "cat" was great. The cat was another grand addition to the story, from the way he became part of the family to his intrusion into their bedroom. Last but not least was Trevor, the "apprentice" to the Monster of Mayfair. I loved his complete devotion to Ash and his absolute refusal to be run off. 

The Wily O'Reilly - Patrick Taylor (Forge - Feb 2014)

Series: Irish Country (Book 9)

Long before Dr. Fingal Flahertie O’Reilly made most readers’ acquaintance in Patrick Taylor’s bestselling novel An Irish Country Doctor, he appeared in a series of humorous columns originally published in Stitches: The Journal of Medical Humour. These warm and wryly amusing vignettes provide an early glimpse at the redoubtable Dr. O’Reilly as he tends to the colourful and eccentric residents of Ballybucklebo, a cozy Ulster village nestled in the bygone years of the early sixties.

Those seminal columns have been collected in The Wily O’Reilly: Irish Country Stories. In this convenient volume, Patrick Taylor’s legions of devoted fans can savor the enchanting origins of the Irish Country series . . . and newcomers to Ballybucklebo can meet O’Reilly for the very first time.

An ex-Navy boxing champion, classical scholar, crypto-philanthropist, widower, and hard-working general practitioner, Fingal Flahertie O’Reilly is crafty and cantankerous in these charming slices of rural Irish life. Whether he’s educating a naive man of the cloth in the facts of life, dealing with chronic hypochondriacs and malingerers, clashing with pigheaded colleagues, or raising a pint in the neighborhood pub, the wily O’Reilly knows a doctor’s work is never done, even if some of his “cures” can’t be found in any medical text!

I love the Irish Country series and have been reading the books since their beginning in 2007. I have lost count of the number of times I have laughed until I've cried. It was intriguing to read at the beginning of this book of how the novels came to be. Each chapter is about three or four pages long and is made up of one of Dr. Taylor's columns from the Canadian medical magazine Stitches: The Journal of Medical Humour. They are chronological, and it is easy to see the development of the author's writing style.

In these stories, Dr. O'Reilly's assistant is the author himself, rather than the Dr. Laverty we come to know in the series. Each one shows Dr. O'Reilly in his role as doctor, mentor, friend, and occasionally the hand of justice. In some stories, there are the seeds that come into full flower in the novels, where the situations and characters are further developed. Some of the characters have undergone significant changes between the columns and the books, most notably (in my opinion) Donal Donnelly. In the columns, he is rather simple and not overly bright, while in the novels he has a unique cleverness that gets him into and out of all kinds of trouble.

I thoroughly enjoyed the early looks at Bertie Bishop, Kinky the housekeeper, and other residents of Ballbucklebo. The heart of the small village is the same, from columns to novels. This Dr. O'Reilly is a bit more rough around the edges, but the essence of him is the same. I loved seeing his ease and kindness with the children, even those that tried his patience, such as his nephew, Willy. I laughed out loud at the two little ones who came to him for pre-marital counseling, and again at Willy's portrayal of the innkeeper during the Christmas play.

The wily Dr. O'Reilly had many opportunities to demonstrate to young Dr. Taylor that not all cures came out of a bottle. Some of the best stories came from just knowing your patient and understanding where they were coming from. I especially loved his encounters with Miss Maggie MacCorkle and how he never made her feel foolish. He also did not suffer fools gladly, and there were several occasions where he found interesting ways to deliver rough justice to those who offended him.

There were several stories that would have been right at home in James Herriot's All Creatures books. There were a couple of amusing stories involving pigs, the doctor's least favorite animal. My favorites were those involving his cat, Lady Macbeth, and his black lab, Arthur Guinness. The best were the two stories where first, Dr. O'Reilly decided that taking Lady Macbeth out on his boat was an excellent idea. It did not end well, for either the boat or the doctor. The subsequent trip, with Arthur, was equally hilarious.

The book finished with a short story "Home is the Sailor" about O'Reilly's return to Ballbucklebo after being away at war for six years. It is the beginning of his career as village's doctor, full of his fears about whether he can make a go of it. The maturing of the author's characterizations is clear, and I loved O'Reilly's encounters with his early patients.