This series is like chocolate and peanut butter. Always good together and equally good apart. They always make me feel better and this was no exception.

Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan-Tor/Forge Books for a digital galley of this novel.

I have not read any other books by Patrick Taylor in his Irish Country series so I was interested to read his author's note where he mentioned that fans of the series seemed to be worried about having the actual historical events which began in early 1969 in Ulster impinge on the lives of the people in Ballybucklebo. The conflict could not be ignored so Taylor decided to contrast the unrest in Ulster with the steadfastness in Ballybucklebo. As a new reader of the series I appreciated the explanation on such a basic level of the unrest that grew into a long period of conflict. The unrest described did not make me dislike this book, but it did make me curious to read some of the other twelve books to see why readers are so enthusiastic about this series.

The daily life of people living in Ballybucklebo carries on here in much the same way life goes by for most people. There are near tragedies - a fire destroys all but the outside walls of a cottage, and there are personal problems - a couple want to conceive but haven't had any success. The neighborly spirit and personal friendships come into play to help whenever they can. A new GP trainee, Doctor Emer McCarthy, has been attached to the practice and is receiving additional training from Dr. Barry Laverty. No matter how much the residents of Ballybucklebo accept each other regardless of religious beliefs the same thing cannot be said for others outside their village. The Ulster march of 1969 can't help but have an impact on this small community. The book contains recipes from Kinky Auchinleck for Beef and Guinness Stew, Mussels in Guinness, Irish Wheaten Bread, Creamy Chicken Soup, and Kipper Pate. I'm not so sure about the Kipper Pate, but the others sound good enough to tempt me to try them.

I love this series -The reader learns a bit of Irish history, a bit of ecclesiastical h=rhetoric and wonder of wonders, how to play rugby , Donal is rebuilding his cottage that burned -stone walls are okay, but everything else is gone. So who helps? We all know the people in Ballybucklebo will rise to the occasion., They all work side by side - Catholic and Protestant, something that the majority of Ireland can't seem to do. The book continues the story line of the earlier books - I especially like that time marches in this series, but you could dip into any one book and still find it a very enjoyable read. Kinky's recipes are always a treat, although I doubt I would make any in this particular book - really? Herring pate? A really fine book.

Patrick Taylor apologizes to the reader in his introduction. He says people have written saying they enjoy escaping to the Irish village of Ballybucklebo, but time has progressed in his series, and since it’s 1969 he has to bring in the matter of sectarian dissension. Marches and riots in Ulster contrast with the live-and-let-live atmosphere of Ballybucklebo, where Catholics and Protestants help each other every day. This book has other differences from previous novels in the series. There’s more on rugby than I ever wanted to know, and a chapter on roof thatching; serious issues like women’s reproductive rights are also addressed. As enjoyable as it is to revisit favorite characters, I definitely didn’t enjoy this novel as much as earlier ones.

Patrick Taylor's books have the rare quality of making the reader feel included in the events of Ballybuckleho. One can pucture the village so clearly through his writings. Having read all of his previous books and enjoyed them, this beautifully written addition to the series comes as no surprise. I cannot wait to read his next book!

So not what I expected. It's a pleasant read, just not my sort. Well-written and deserving of all the praise the series has received, just not my kind of story. I am sure fans will love it and it may even attract many more, just not me. I couldn't finish it. Sorry.