Thank you to NetGalley and HarperCollins UK, One More Chapter for an advance copy of this title in exchange for an honest review.

Just as big city doctor Ben Sanders is adjusting to his new life as rural Heartcross’s village physician, a new doctor joins Peony Practice— his medical school nemesis, Dr. Katie O’Neil. Ben and bold, confident Katie clashed all throughout medical school, except for the night they threw caution to the wind and saw how thin the line between love and hate truly is. Now reunited as adults, the old tensions resurface, but it does not take them long to realize that they have changed in the intervening years and that their youthful understandings of the other may not have told the true story. As both are entered into a charity boat race, they must decide whether to remain enemies or to take their relationship in a new direction.

When reading a Christie Barlow novel, readers know that they will be treated to a story with engaging characters and a warm, communal feel. I always appreciate how her novels showcase a main storyline about two characters but also demonstrate the characters’ full lives outside of the central romantic relationship, including meaningful relationships with friends, family, colleagues, neighbors, and more. The New Doctor at Peony Practice was a lovely read, and return visitors to Love Heart Lane will be sure to fall in love with this latest installment in the series. 3.75 stars.

I’m a big fan of Christie Barlow’s and always look forward to her newest book and back to the setting of Heartcross.

Dr. Ben and Dr. Katie are the main character in this story, and they’re thrown back together when Katie takes a job at the local GP’s office. Ben and Katie knew each other in university but didn’t really have the best opinions of one another. I honestly didn’t think I was going to be able to get to like Katie but in the end, found her and Ben to be great for each other.

There’s a lot more to this story though than the romance. Dementia is a strong theme throughout and helps to push the story along in a lot of ways.

I received this book via NetGalley and give it my honest opinion.

Now I absolutely love the Love Heart Lane aeries and this one did not disappoint! This is Book 8 of the series so far.

Christie Barlow has got an absolute stunner of a series with these!

I fell in love with all the characters and the scenery, the storyline is beautiful and the settings themselves are like revisiting your favourite place.

This book will make you laugh and is utterly enjoyable.

The New Doctor at Peony Practice is the 8th instalment in the wonderful Love Heart Lane Series!

I absolutely loved my visit back to Heartcross - it is such a perfect setting 😍

This book was a lovely read as always, but the Dementia story line really hit home for me as we lost my Grandma last year who suffered terribly.

I already cannot wait to get back to Heartcross for New Beginnings at the Old Bakehouse later this year!

If you haven’t read any of this series, it isn’t too late! You can also read as a stand-alone but you really build on the setting of you read them all ❤️

I enjoyed this book but it took me a while to get into it as I felt it was slow to start. Once I came to ‘know’ the characters and their past interactions things improved greatly and continued to do so as we got into the present day story with insight into the reasoning behind their past difficulties. Well worth reading.

Thank you One More Chapter and NetGalley for the ARC, this review is my personal, unbiased opinion.

When the old doctor retired in Heartcross, Dr Ben Saunders took over the community medical practice and six months later he's well settled and enjoying life. Ben is vastly overworked and requests a second doctor to lessen his workload, he's shocked when Dr Katie O’Neil arrives, she was his rival throughout university, always so competitive, needing to be first, the woman he loved to hate.

For the sake of the community they must learn to work together.

A fun book but I found Katie bossy to the extreme, her behaviour often demeaning Ben. On her first day at the surgery, before Ben arrived, Katie took over his office, moving his personal belongings to the smaller second office. Unbelievable, who would do this? Ben is 'miffed' but keeps quiet. One evening Ben is stood up by a first-time date, Katie is at the restaurant by herself so they decide to eat together. She suggests they order a bottle of champagne to celebrate her arrival at Heartcross, when the bottle arrives she proceeds to open the bottle herself. Rude, such bad manners.

Even with my objections, I enjoyed the book, it's light, fluffy and fun.

I had already read a book by this author and enjoyed it. Otherwise, I'm not sure I would have been drawn to a book that sounds a little twee from its title. However, I was mistaken on that score and I'm glad I gave the book a chance since I would have missed out!

The book is set in the same Scottish town as the previous book I had read but it can be read as a standalone novel since it features different characters. It deals sensitively with hard-hitting topics such as dementia and also has lots of laugh-out-loud moments. I particularly appreciated the author's writing style which made me want to keep reading.

Thank you very much to NetGalley and the publisher for an advance copy of The New Doctor at Peony Practice in exchange for an honest review.

Thanks Netgalley for allowing me to read this book. Ben finds out his new co-worker at the doctors office Is Katie who he went to medical school with. I liked getting to know the people in this small town. This book was a quick read.

What a wonderful story, this really is a brilliant addition to a wonderful series.

I really Enjoy Visiting Heartcross and Catching up with old Characters and new.

I really hope we can revisit the characters in this story as I have found them really interesting stories

The Loveheart Lane series is captivating, with well drawn empathetic characters and absorbing plots. This centres around the local surgery where recent arrival Ben is overwhelmed at the single doctor practice. When the requested agency doctor arrives it is no other than his nemesis from medical school, Katie O’Neill. It definitely looks as if fireworks will follow! Christie always includes more serious elements and this time it is Dementia and Adoption both beautifully and touchingly depicted. All leavened with banter and humour to propel the story along. A lovely addition to the series, but reads well as a stand alone. Really enjoyable.

This book is the latest in the Love Heart Lane series, but can definitely be read as a stand alone. We meet Ben a doctor that has recently moved to the area & the even newer doctor Katie who is very quickly becoming part of the fabulous warm and welcoming community. Ben & Katie went to uni together and spent most of their days competing to be the best in their class.Having had no contact with each other in years, its a complete surprise to Ben when Katie turns up at his birthday celebration & announces she is the new doctor to work along side him. Will they get along? Will they still be as competitive?

The characters in the book bring the story alive and leaves you wanting to hear more about them.
I am blown away by this book.

I have really enjoyed this series of books, interesting characters and always some exploration of difficult subjects. We meet Ben, the local doctor who hasn't been in the job long,. When the workload is getting too much he advertises for a second doctor and is shocked at who it turns out to be.

This time dementia is highlighted and I have to say it is beautifully written, the effects on both the patient and the family.. the boat race raises not only funds for the charity but awareness too of what it is like to care for a loved one suffering from dementia. There were a couple of really emotional moments with Alana and Stuart

Let’s hope we get to visit Loveheart Lane again soon

It's a pretty enjoyable read even though it can be even more enjoyable if this book is a dual POV book. It's always a hit or miss for me to read a romance book from the male lead's POV only. We don't know what the heroine's thought about him and what she plans for ahead. I felt sad for the male lead because of what happens (it should be funny but somehow not for me...).

It’s always a treat to return to Heartcross and revisit the characters to see what they’ve been up to since the last instalment, usually we have an introduction to some new residents… this time we meet Ben, the new village doctor.

Ben is celebrating his birthday when his nemesis from medical school turns up.. Katie O’Neill, beautiful, witty and smart, so ensues some lighthearted rivalry.

This touches on adoption which is an emotive subject for me personally, being an adoptive parent it was a very familiar situation which I guess was handled as appropriately as it could be in the context of this book.

I am a fan of the Heartcross series, this wasn’t my favourite however I still thoroughly enjoyed it and devoured the book over 2 days.

Thanks to OMC and NetGalley for a digital ARC of this book!

Thank you to Netgalley for a pre publication copy. In return for an honest review! #thenewdoctoratpeonypractice #netgalley

Dr Ben Sanders is the new doctor at Peony Practice after the previous doctor retired. He is settling in to Heartcross life well until he requests the help of an agency doctor due to workload. In walks Dr Katie O'Neil. The one and only from his university days. Will they be able to work in harmony or is life as he knows it about to erupt?

After reading book 2 in the series "Foxglove Farm." I have been following the author. Knowing I wanted to read all the books in the Love heart Lane series. So far I have read all the books after and including book 2.

This is book 8 however you would not know this when reading and this book makes a great stand alone, Something I think this author has got down to a fine art. Although I can guarantee you'll soon be reading the rest of the series.

Once opening the book it is a page turner. I read it in just over 24 hours. From the start until the last page you can't put jt down. Christie's writing has gone from strength to strength in the heartcross series and it is one that has catapulted her into the realms of number one authors I would recommend to other rom-com readers.

The heart cross community are loving characters, each with their own secrets and hardships, who you totally feel yourself taking into your heart. They show you their emotions and allow you to become invested into their lives. More and more with each passing book. It's is always reat to meet your old friends again in thr next book and watch how their lives become what they wanted from it throughput their own book. The community spirit in Heartcross at many of the events speaks right to your soul.

This book is a great romance read. Although their are some emotional subjects included in this book such as adoption, death, fires and dementia amongst other things. I do not feel this takes away from the romantic feel of the book but has you heart growing fonder of the struggles each character has faces and rooting for them to overcome it and use it to shape their future.

Rarely can I write that I had actual tears rolling down my cheeks but in this book I can. So get the tissues ready for the ugly crying and hide them away for the laughing out loud. All contained within this book.

I Cannot wait to read the next book as always.

I would also say that I much prefer the titles like the other books of "Peony practice." I feel changing jt to the long title it now is 1, doesn't roll pf the tongue so easy and 2, isn't in keeping with the love heart Lane brand. This doesn't effect the book hence my review is no different but just a though for the publishers.

Ben has not long been living in Heartcross himself but already feels at home and like one of the locals. His life is looking on the up until Katie, someone from his university days, turns up and his heart literally sinks.

I actually took to Katie straight away. She is a really likeable character and it isn’t long before Ben is wondering if he has got it wrong where she is concerned as even though still competitive, she appears to have softened. I so enjoyed getting to know these two characters better and finding out more about their pasts. If anything it was rather emotional in parts although the chemistry between Katie and Ben was really lovely to read and I couldn’t get enough of the pair of them.

Heartcross is the perfect name for this village as it really has a lot of heart. Following on from the previous book in the series, the thread to do with dementia put my heart through so much turmoil seeing how it affects not just the person suffering with it but for those close to them. The community feeling in these stories is especially heart-warming and I seriously can’t get enough of these books.

The New Doctor at Peony Practice is a fabulously gorgeous read that stole a piece of my heart. As soon as I finish one of this author’s books I am already on the lookout for her next novel. This is one of my favourite small town communities in this genre and it’s like catching back up with old friends. Christie Barlow creates the most wonderful characters that touches on issues that many of us can relate to yet manages to turn them round to leaving you feeling uplifted. A wonderful gem of a book!

This is a fun, sweet, romance with some fun banter along the way.
Katie and Ben went to medical school together and their past is filled with the desire to always one up the other. When Ben advertises for a doctor to help with his practice, unbeknownst to him, it is Katie who answers the ad. She immediately starts organizing their practice and inserting herself in the community. Ben is torn between his aversion to Katie and his attraction to her. There are some emotions. ups and downs, and some truly beautiful moments. Loved their story.
I received an advance copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

Awww. Well this was another absolute belter from Christie Barlow. It's one of those irresistible treats heading back to Heartcross and all of the characters who have grown so familiar over the course of the series. These aren't just heartwarming tales of boy meets girl - they hold so much more. Such a sense of community that also draws you in and welcomes you as a reader. Yes - you will get that familiar boy meets girl angle - although in this case, boy had already met girl, he just didn't like her that much. And yes, you do find yourself on a familiar course to a happy ending. Isn't that why we read these books in the first place? But you are also taken on a journey that is packed with heart, emotion and stories which I think many a reader will be able to identify with, especially this time around.

The New Doctor At Peony Practice brings new Heartcross medic Ben Sanders front and centre. Struggling to keep up with the varying ailments of the community a locum is called in, someone Ben just happens to know very well - intimately in fact. His former Med School nemesis, Katie O'Neil. Well ... I say nemesis, but in truth she was his biggest competition in the lecture hall and often the biggest pain in his you-know-what. But, in spite of his protestations, from the the very first moment their eyes meet across a crowded and rowdy Grouse and Haggis, you know there is a connection, a real chemistry that can't be hidden no matter how much Ben sulks and protests to the contrary. The way in which he tries to find fault in every scenario, the way in which katie still manages to gain the advantage without even really trying, just made me chuckle. You could see where it was heading, pushed along by a rather mischievous Clinic Receptionist, Helly, but there are many holes in the road to be struck along the path to true love. Quite literally in one case ...

I love the way in which Christie Barlow creates her characters. Even those we don't know well it takes next to now time to get the measure of and to grow to like. Ben was someone who I felt invested in very quickly, enjoying his sulky moments which create some very chucklesome scenes, but understanding him more as the story progresses and we come to understand the very complicated family situation he is in. It's not an uncommon one, and entirely believable given some of the headlines of late, but it's one that gives him a kind of vulnerability that the author has done a brilliant job of balancing, making him sympathetic but not a pity case. As for Katie, she is quite the character. Confident, almost to the point of cockiness, but constantly teasing Ben and keeping him on his toes, just as she did at Uni. There were moments she bordered on the frustrating but again, her story is not as simple as it first appears, and like many other lost souls who find themselves drawn to Heartcross, she is going to go on her very own journey of understanding.

There are some really emotional stories to be told in this book. These are tales which always err towards the tender, but for some of the established characters in the book there is a real sense of change on the horizon, and the central focus of Katie and Ben's competitive streak comes in the form of a charity boat race, in the aid of dementia. It takes a hard heart not to be moved by the revelations and situations that Christie Barlow brings to the fore in this story, and she has done a brilliant job of highlighting the struggle and the really hard decisions that have to be made by families every single day in the interests of their loved ones. This, and the secret behind Ben's underlying self doubt, really will get those tear ducts up and operational, so be warned. It might not be a crying buckets kind of moment, not this time, but it is tender, and it is very moving.

Packed with the usual laughs, the brilliant sense of place and the love and spirit that has come to typify the stories in this series, it's another cracker. It's a story of family, of understanding, loss and romance, and fans are sure to love it. Definitely recommended.

Love Heart Lane has a very special place in my heart. This whole series is brilliant and The New Doctor at Peony Practice is no exception. Christie has the wonderful ability to tackle difficult subjects in such a tactful and tender way. In this next installment in the series Christie focuses on dementia in all it's forms and the impact it has on families. This is a subject very close to me and I have to say that it was dealt with wonderfully. When Alana was sitting on the clifftop waiting for Stuart because it was her "wedding day" I was crying. It was so beautifully written. Thank you Christie and I can't wait for the next book.