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Animal Instincts
When Kit Lavery's father dies, he is forced to return home after a ten-year stint in Australia to sort out his affairs. A well known conservationist and champion of wildlife, Rupert Lavery has left behind a nature reserve in Devon, staffed by two very determined women: Elizabeth Punch and Jess Wetherby, both of whom are committed to keeping his work alive. As if these two women weren't enough of a match for him, Kit falls under the spell of the stunningly beautiful Jinty O'Hare, niece of the local Master of Foxhounds. All he wants to do is sell his father's estate quickly and get back to Australia...or so he thinks. When a buyer is found for the estate, Kit is torn. Will he stay or will he go? Perhaps Wilson the Gloucester Old Spot pig has the answers. In moments of stress and high anxiety, she seems to be the only one who will listen to the outpourings of a bewildered Kit Lavery...
142 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2000
64 people are currently reading
158 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 46 reviews
August 8, 2008
I love Alan Titchmarsh as a presenter; will not hear anything against the man. But this is the first book of his I have read and I can't say I was terribly impressed.
I don't think the book was terribly well written and it was all just a little too glib and convenient in plot development.
What's worse, while I do enjoy the odd bedroom scene in a book, unfortunately this was narrated in my head by Mr Titchmarsh himself... it just felt indecent!!
I think I'll be sticking to his gardening publications from now on.
I don't think the book was terribly well written and it was all just a little too glib and convenient in plot development.
What's worse, while I do enjoy the odd bedroom scene in a book, unfortunately this was narrated in my head by Mr Titchmarsh himself... it just felt indecent!!
I think I'll be sticking to his gardening publications from now on.
May 24, 2012
Carried on until page 87 and then thought, what's the point in going on with this story so gave up. I got this book off free-cycle so the previous owners obviously weren't that attached to it either!!
It wasn't appalling, but there was just nothing making me want to read it - not the characters, not the plot, not anything! I kept wondering when the humour mentioned on the back cover would begin - Rosamunde Pilcher even claiming it made her laugh out loud. I obviously never got to the funny bit!
It wasn't appalling, but there was just nothing making me want to read it - not the characters, not the plot, not anything! I kept wondering when the humour mentioned on the back cover would begin - Rosamunde Pilcher even claiming it made her laugh out loud. I obviously never got to the funny bit!
May 11, 2017
This is a terrible book which I read this afternoon at work. It had been abandoned in a corner which is the best place for it.
Yet!! Fuck me, but it's so bad I laughed til I cried. So, maybe even Jinty O'Hare has a place in this world :D
Yet!! Fuck me, but it's so bad I laughed til I cried. So, maybe even Jinty O'Hare has a place in this world :D
September 4, 2023
Brilliantly read!
November 2, 2008
Boring! Gave up half way through
May 1, 2018
If you pick this up and are wanting a simple, mildly entertaining, light read, the you'll be happy with this novel. A magnus opus it isn't!
It's basically a story of a guy, returning to the family farm and nature reserve after his father's death, and trying to work out what he wants in life. However, basically is the word you need to take away from that sentence. I wouldn't say Kit goes through any real crisis on conscience and there isn't any deep, meaningful stuff about what he'd going through - in fact, he seems quite happy to fall in and out of bed with the women around him, mope around a bit and then kind of trip into his happy ending.
As a horse rider, I do have a problem with one of the characters lieing in bed, contemplating mucking out the stables ... then going off to have a shower. I can assure you the lovely smell of horse muck and wet straw means that the shower tends to follow afterwards. Oh, and the sex scene in a hay barn - piles of golden hay left on the floor seems a waste to me when the rest is in bales ;)
I did enjoy reading this, in a way - it's so full of clichés and scenes that have been done 100 times before, that you didn't really need to engage the brain at all to read it!
It's basically a story of a guy, returning to the family farm and nature reserve after his father's death, and trying to work out what he wants in life. However, basically is the word you need to take away from that sentence. I wouldn't say Kit goes through any real crisis on conscience and there isn't any deep, meaningful stuff about what he'd going through - in fact, he seems quite happy to fall in and out of bed with the women around him, mope around a bit and then kind of trip into his happy ending.
As a horse rider, I do have a problem with one of the characters lieing in bed, contemplating mucking out the stables ... then going off to have a shower. I can assure you the lovely smell of horse muck and wet straw means that the shower tends to follow afterwards. Oh, and the sex scene in a hay barn - piles of golden hay left on the floor seems a waste to me when the rest is in bales ;)
I did enjoy reading this, in a way - it's so full of clichés and scenes that have been done 100 times before, that you didn't really need to engage the brain at all to read it!
May 17, 2020
I love Alan Titchmarsh and have read many of his books but this was so disappointing. How are we supposed to sympathise with the main character when he is such a wanker? Going from one lady to the next and suddenly he’s in love? Unrealistic and stupid
April 19, 2023
A nice easy read.
This book is a nice ‘easy read’ is how I would rate it, not too exacting just pleasant and it has a lovely feel good factor about it. A nice ending too, all together a pleasant book.
This book is a nice ‘easy read’ is how I would rate it, not too exacting just pleasant and it has a lovely feel good factor about it. A nice ending too, all together a pleasant book.
June 13, 2018
little better than a pulp fiction of the romance variety
September 14, 2018
I enjoy reading these Alan books. A Nice good easy read.
March 8, 2019
I’ve read worse but not many! I didn’t abandon it and I would never judge an author on one book!
March 24, 2019
Not bad. Easy read between hard books.
August 8, 2019
Fair to middlin.
Quite interesting.
Quite interesting.
December 28, 2019
Good book.
February 15, 2020
Good read
Good read you just had to read on. I would recommend this to anyone who enjoys a good easy read.
Good read you just had to read on. I would recommend this to anyone who enjoys a good easy read.
May 10, 2020
Slow going. Shallow in places.
March 24, 2022
Lots of plant references and pretty predictable story line.
February 12, 2024
Gentle, easy read
April 30, 2024
A light and reasonably entertaining read
May 29, 2024
Holiday read. Unbelievable relationships; unlikable characters. Boring, but easy read.
June 13, 2024
great
Alan Titchmarsh is fast becoming my favourite author he has a lovely way with words and his voice captivates me can’t wait for the next one to read
Alan Titchmarsh is fast becoming my favourite author he has a lovely way with words and his voice captivates me can’t wait for the next one to read
March 22, 2017
A nice relaxing read
A well thoughtful read and how life isn't as straight forward as we would like it to be. Liked the way it twists and turns right to the end. Could even visualize the beautiful Devon country side.
A well thoughtful read and how life isn't as straight forward as we would like it to be. Liked the way it twists and turns right to the end. Could even visualize the beautiful Devon country side.
June 25, 2025
A lovely man and a good writer. This is a story of a man who goes back to the farm in grew up in when his father dies. It’s a good read.i really recommend it.
February 11, 2023
Listened to on Audible. Definitely a pot boiler... good for those times when stress makes reading a challenge. I so wish this had been read by someone else!!
February 10, 2017
As I now have to drive to work and no longer have the pleasure of reading on the train I have decided to give audio books a go and this book by Alan Titchmarsh is my second one. Unfortunately I have to agree with some other reviewers as the writing although not awful was not that good either and the story was weak. Sorry but listening to Alan reading his own story, with what I felt was no emotion in his voice, didn't help the story. The worse bit was Alan reading the love scenes which made my toes curl and not in a good way!! Although some of Alan's accents for his characters made me chuckle so guess this helped my journey home pass a little quicker!!
May 7, 2014
A very gentle book about a man who returns to Britain from Australia to sort out his recently deceased father's estate. While it covers some difficult subjects, such as Altzheimers disease, a potential suicide, banning of hunting and conservation, it does so as part of a quiet and slow plot. While the writing isn't wonderful, it is not awful either, and I enjoyed listening to Titchmarsh read his book.
May 12, 2013
Enjoyable read if a little boring. It may be just me but found some of the characters behaviour very frustrating and not really believable. Ending of the story was not believable to me. Also, a few of the reveals at the end of the book were fairy obvious from the start and found it hard to believe that they weren't obvious to the main character.
April 8, 2017
It started out promisingly, and I was quite enjoying it but somehow the end seemed rushed and I really could not connect to it. It was like...okay...okay...okay...what? the premise is really nice though, however could have been explored way better.
January 4, 2015
If you read his books anyway this is still a fun and well written book. Can honestly say I don't have any trouble in being swept into his books. Don't believe what you read about it being hard to get into. Read some of his other books then go back. Fab!
January 20, 2009
An ok read. Might try another by him cos I have heard that some are really good.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 46 reviews