AN IRISH COUNTRY COURTSHIP

AN IRISH COUNTRY COURTSHIP by Patrick Taylor

From the book jacket:

Welcome to the colourful Ulster village of Ballybucklebo, where two overworked doctors work hand in hand to mend the bodies and spirits of the town's diverse and engaging inhabitants.  But who is looking after the wounded hearts of the doctors?

After less than a year, young Barry Laverty, M.B., is settling in to the village, with only a few months to go before he becomes a full partner in the practice.  He's looking forward to becoming a fixture in the community, until an unexpected romantic reversal gives him second thoughts.  Will he truly be happy tending to routine coughs and colds for the rest of his career?  After all, even when a more challenging case comes along, like a rare tropical disease, all he can do is pass it on to a qualified specialist or big-city hospital.  As much as Barry enjoys the rough and tumble of life in County Down, is running a humble GP's shop all he wants out of life?

Barry's mentor, Doctor Fingal Flahertie O'Reilly, is going through some personal upheavals as well.  After mourning his deceased wife for decades, he's finally allowed a new woman into his life.  But this budding courtship is not going over well with Kinky Kincaid, the doctor's redoubtable housekeeper, who fears having her position usurped by O'Reilly's new flame.  Tact, diplomacy, and a fair amount of blarney may be required to restore peace to the household. 

Meanwhile, life goes on in Ballybucklebo, presenting both doctors with plenty of distractions from their own troubles.  From a mysterious outbreak at the local school to a complicated swindle involving an unlucky racehorse, the two partners will need all of their combined wit and compassion to put things right again - just in time for their lives to change forever.

This is the latest book in a series that I just adore.  It's set in Ireland - what's not to love?  The characters are fun and colorful, the dialogue witty and filled with Irish expressions.  There's a glossary of the Irish terms in the back of the book, which has helped a lot while reading this and the other books in the series.  And even some Irish recipes from Kinky Kincaid.

Dr. O'Reilly has a gruff exterior but a heart of gold.  Dr. Laverty is torn between wanting to be a small town doctor and missing the expertise found in the big city hospitals.  Both men are at a point in their lives where old ways are discarded and new adventure awaits.

I can't wait for the next book - there are some major changes coming for Drs. O'Reilly and Laverty.