Full disclosure--I listened to the audio of this book and that has probably influenced my opinion. I found the reader to be very irritating in his choices of voices for the different characters.
I was not expecting great literature, but this book has been frequently compared to the books by James Herriot. While it is set in a country village and has a cast of village characters and a wise and wily senior doctor as a mentor to a just-qualified gp, this book did not meet my expectations. Instead of charming, it tended to be twee. A highly unlikely romance is forced into the story. In fact forced is the word I would use to describe it. I forced myself to finish it and the plot, such as it was, felt like it was forced into a mold.

This book was a rare good-time read. The story was interesting and humorous throughout! I cannot wait to get my hands on the next book.

A fun little quaint palette cleanser. Cozy, sweet Irish setting and a charming, low-drama plot.

I loved this! It's set in the past, in Northern Ireland, which is double the fun! POV is from main character, Barry Laverty, who is an apprenticed doctor to Dr. O'Reilly. I love all of the characters and the storylines, and according to Wikipedia the storylines only get better.

Northern Ireland's all creatures great and small. No problem for me though I enjoy a nice easy read from time to time.

This was a satisfying read, at times worth a laugh out loud. It's a tried and true story line, very much along what we saw from the James Herriott Yorkshire veterinarian novels - a young man, fresh from college, is sent to the remote Irish hamlet of Ballybucklebo in County Down to serve as the assistant to the well-established and well-respected town GP. The overall plot is quite predictable, but the episodes that young Barry Laverty encounters along the way make the journey all the more enjoyable. This is the first in a series of at least seven books, with more still on the way; I will find myself dipping a toe into Ballybucklebo throughout the year, because it's a rich and calm place to tuck into a book.

I only found out about the series through an interview on CBC radio with the author. Happy I tuned in at just the right time. Lots of fun. 4 out of 5 stars.

I liked this a lot. Stories of country adventures with a varied group of characters, quite a bit of humor. The ups and downs of simple, daily life. One of my favorite sort of novels.

Light and a quick read, but good for a long plane ride.