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The Country Escape

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Hidden amid lush parkland, Eardisford is the ultimate English country retreat and it's just been sold for the first time in its history. Romantic daredevil Kat Mason has been bequeathed the estate's lakeside sanctuary, Lake Farm, until she dies or marries. But the new owners want her out now . . .

In rides charming playboy Dougie Everett, the man hired to sweep Kat off her feet and off the property. Dougie loves nothing more than the thrill of the chase, but does he risk losing his heart along the way?

608 pages, Paperback

First published June 5, 2014

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222 people want to read

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Fiona Walker

112 books329 followers

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5 stars
184 (31%)
4 stars
190 (32%)
3 stars
146 (25%)
2 stars
46 (7%)
1 star
18 (3%)
Displaying 1 - 30 of 42 reviews
Profile Image for Katherine Roberts.
Author 73 books144 followers
May 13, 2019
Imagine Game of Thrones set in rural Herefordshire with alpacas instead of dragons. I enjoyed the feisty heroine Kat, who lives at Lake Farm in the middle of a country estate in Herefordshire looking after an odd assortment of animals in memory of its late owner. Among these is an Indian-bred mare with curly ears and a mind of her own, on which Kat is meant to ride 'the Bolt'... a crazy race across the estate between the quarter chimes of the church clock. Unknown to her, the future of the sanctuary rests on her success, but first she must leave the riding school arena where she can barely canter without holding on to the mane and learn to gallop over open country. Enter Dougie Everett, Hollywood stunt rider, who is contracted to get Kat out of the farm so the estate's new owner can turn it into a hunting theme park for his ruthless Russian business associates. There are just two ways to do this according to the terms of Kat's lease - her marriage or her death.

Kat and Dougie's wild relationship is just one thread in the plot of this romantic comedy. There are also vegan animal rights activists, a local rock band, Kat's urban friend Dawn, a dashing Scottish estate manager, and - of course - cricket. And all this comes with a large dose of humour. An enjoyable read!
Profile Image for Robyn Koshel.
217 reviews7 followers
May 20, 2014
The Country Escape is the perfect summer read. Fiona Walker picks up the reins from Jilly Cooper and provides this seasons block-buster novel.

Snobbery and stately homes aren't Kat's only problems when Dougie Everett comes on the scene. She is far more clever than she is given credit for and turns the tables to suit herself.

The Country Escape is a romp from cover to cover. It has all the perfect ingredients: A gorgeous hunk, a sassy heroine, a country setting, and some sexy romance. This very British novel combines the stiff upper lip of the gentry with a huge dollop of fun.

This is the one book not to be missed this summer- you will not be disappointed.
Profile Image for Rebecca.
Author 4 books148 followers
October 25, 2014
Originally posted on http://beccasbooooks.blogspot.co.uk/

Firstly, I'd like to thank the wonderful publishers Sphere (Little, Brown Book Group UK) for accepting my request via Net Galley and kindly allowing me access to an eBook copy of The Country Escape. Not forgetting of course the wonderfully talented author Fiona Walker for creating the story which I am about to review. Thank you, thank you, thank you!

In order for me to tell you how much I enjoyed The Country Escape, I suppose I should start off by saying that at first I wasn't completely convinced that I was going to enjoy this title. There were a million and one words that I didn't really understand the meaning of so I had to revert to the dictionary on my Kindle more than I ever have before. BUT, and this is a huge but, once I really got into the swing of things and began to understand all the talk of horses and hunting and all things typically English, I was hooked well and truly. Dear readers, if you at any point decide to read The Country Escape, persevere and I promise you, you will be fascinated by this rural, animal-sanctuary dominated village in Herefordshire.

Fiona's heroine Kat Mason was a beautifully created character and I found her instantly like-able. Fiona begins The Country Escape by dropping the reader into a past time, where Constance, the old lady that Kat had once cared for in her stately home known as Eardisford Estate, is recording a message, intended only for Kat. In this message, Constance states her orders about what Kat must do after she has passed on. I found this to be a very intriguing and interesting way to begin the story and I was eager to find out more about the character Constance and her relationship with the lovely Kat. Within this message, Constance is leaving a very special part of the estate in Kat's care, known as 'Lake Farm.' She also states that Kat is allowed to remain at 'Lake Farm' unless she decides to marry, and if she rides 'The Bolt'. I won't reveal too much about this in my review, but trust me when I tell you that it is bloody brilliant and also adds a very life-affirming effect to the story.

Once the prologue is finished, the reader is then brought back to the present by Fiona, and we are shown what Kat's life is now all about. Mucking out the horses, taking care of the numerous dogs and tending to sick animals ( repeatedly brought in by Russ, a very strong-willed and opinionated character who I didn't really like), Kat is definitely seen as a country girl. She doesn't really give a damn about her appearance, which is gorgeous in it's own right with her freckled face and natural flash of red hair, and she is most often found covered in mud and dirt. I think it was this that drew me to her. The complete opposite to vain, a little self-deprecating and a nasty, nasty history left behind her, she was like a rubics cube to me. I just wanted to figure her out. A mysterious past always hooks a reader, don't you agree? The story itself really begins to get going when the villagers and Kat herself catch drift of a new owner taking over Eardisford estate. In such a small place, the rumor mill is constantly churning, and before you know it, the whole village is alive with gossip and Chinese whispers. Instantly defensive of her late friend's home, and of course 'Lake Farm' Kat begins to wonder what's going to happen to her little home and her furry friends.

Fiona's hero, who I found absolutely addictive, was just pure bad-boy, cheeky-smiled flirtatious perfection, all wrapped up in a messy-blonde-haired, disarmingly blue-eyed box, with a sexy little ribbon on top. Dougie Everett is his name, and being a famous movie star is his game. Little does he know, his whole life is about to change with just one job proposition, and yes, you guessed it, it involves Kat Mason, the red-haired beauty from Herefordshire. The new owner of Eardisford Estate, Seth, is about to play a naughty game of cat and mouse with Dougie and Kat, but a game that I enjoyed very much! It was enticing, rather naughty at times and left Kat blushing profusely on more than one occasion. Dougie was charming, full of life and constantly spouting sexy remarks that Kat really didn't know what to do with, but in the end, he helped her to face her biggest demon of all, and I found that to be exceptionally beautiful indeed. The complete opposites of each other, one a little too forward than the other, the sparks were constantly flying between Dougie and Kat and I absolutely adored watching the sparks ignite into an open flame. I couldn't take my eyes away for a second, and it seemed that Dougie and Kat couldn't take their eyes away from each other either.

The plot in The Country Estate did start off as being a little slow, but once I got past the language barrier of the huge, intimidating words, I honestly could not stop reading. It was delightful in every sense of the word, full of animals and secrets and pub nights. It had me hooked from back to front and I was totally lost to the lives of Kat and Dougie. Written in third person, I was allowed to pry into the minds of a number of different characters and it was the height of entertainment. Fiona Walker, The Country Escape was absolutely magnificent, bringing the small village of Herefordshire to life using descriptive details that created the perfect images of the place in my mind.

Becca's Books is rating The Country Escape by Fiona Walker with five delicious looking cupcakes! Although slow at first, I am so happy that I have had the chance to read this brilliant story. I miss Kat and Dougie and the rest of Fiona's characters already. Superb. It really was superb.
Profile Image for Connie.
185 reviews2 followers
July 4, 2019
Hired to gain Kat’s affections so he can marry her for one million pounds, famous film star Dougie Everett takes on the challenge. But his ruggedly handsome looks and charm aren’t enough to sway a broken hearted Kat, who’s wounds are still healing from a previous hurt. What follows is an explosive pursuit, interwoven with other story arch’s from in and around the village of Eardisford, that all come together towards the end.

I thought this started off great and enjoyed exploring the contrasting character types between the arrogant Dougie and the fiery Kat in particular, and I enjoyed the humour throughout (particularly with Dawn’s arrival!) But towards the end I found myself skipping paragraphs because I simply wasn’t following them and I grew slightly bored of the whole story.
114 reviews
December 15, 2020
My favourite Fiona Walker book so far! I loved Kat from the start, and all the characters in Eardisford.
132 reviews30 followers
July 12, 2014



Actual Stars: 2.5

3 words to describe it: cliche, uncomfortable and disappointing.
Favorite part: Being introduced to the Marwari horse.


description

I've read several of Fiona Walkers books and normally enjoy them immensely. However, living in Devon and having strong emotions on the subject of fox hunting I found that this book made me very uncomfortable. It seemed to feed off every possible cliche, the unclean, scrounger of a tree-hugger. The rich, kindly old hunting families just wanting to cling to their heritage. It felt like quiet propaganda aimed at middle-class mothers!

Granted this may well be my own projections due to being highly uneasy with the "sport" involved, but when dealing with a subject matter that is controversial it could have been dealt with better without alienating readers.

Kat was a likable enough character, I didn't feel a zing or spark between her and the male lead and the most interesting part for me was learning about the Marwari breed and going to finding pictures of their fantastic ears!

I'm not sure if I'll want to pick up another Walker novel, but at least I finished this one though it gets a 2.5 from me.
Profile Image for Jennie.
16 reviews
June 1, 2025
Awfully slow, and I mean the-main-couple-didn't-even-meet-until-a-third-of-the-book-is-done slow. Although the book takes all the time in the world to flesh out the characters and all, I liked how it didn't drag on the typical contractual marry-for-one-million-pounds trope of misunderstanding. Such is Dougie, as straightforward as ever.

It did speed up in pacing towards the end, and I wished we had seen more of Kat and Dougie as a solid pairing instead of just the muddy, open-water journey towards that, which involved a lot of Russ, a very opinionated character who was headache-inducing. I honestly hoped for less of him each time I turned the pages.

Then there was The Bolt, a Mytton family tradition that required its challengers to race through the expanse of the estate between the quarter chimes of the church clock, an exciting addition to the story that generated quite a few rounds of chaos, which I thoroughly enjoyed.

All in all, this was a lovely read. I adored the dynamic between playboy, arrogant Dougie and feisty, never-back-down Kat, along with the delightful personalities of the assortment of horses, dogs, sheep, llamas, and Trevor the peacock, on the farm.
Profile Image for Miki Jacobs.
1,479 reviews11 followers
October 12, 2017
It's been a while since I've read a Fiona Walker book, this one had been gathering dust in my TBR pile. I had forgotten how they reel you in and make you want to keep reading. Herefordshire is the setting this time. Kat, our heroine, is looking after an animal sanctuary, having been left it in a will - there are certain terms in the will she has to deal with. Dougie, our hero, has been hired by the new owner of the estate, who wants the animal sanctuary moved. Throw in quirky villagers, animal rights activists, Hollywood and Bollywood and this is a winner.
66 reviews
November 5, 2017
It was pretty entertaining but don't be mislead by the quote on the cover mentioning 'steamy sex' as there was none! But I still enjoyed it and it would be perfect for a holiday read
10 reviews
October 26, 2020
Totally hilarious read. Made me cry with both laughter and sadness. Always a fab read from Fiona Walker.
257 reviews
August 8, 2018
Amazing book. Gripping plot with twists and turns. Keeps you reading and wanting more. I left my book in Scotland and couldn't wait for it to be posted so purchased it on Kindle to read until returned!
Profile Image for Rosie Read.
237 reviews11 followers
July 24, 2014
The characters come across as caricatures of the British class system, and not always to their benefit. Although Walker does an admirable job of filling us in on each character's background and their motivations, managing to change a lot of our preconceptions along the way.

Walker's books can be a bit of a slog, they're fairly hefty and often come in at over 500 pages. Walker is no stranger to description and her books are full of keen observation and wonderful character details, but this can slow the story down. Because of that I'd definitely say that The Country Escape is more of an acquired taste, if you're after a quick romantic read then this definitely isn't for you. The Country Escape, however, is perfect for the reader that can't get enough detail and always wants more. If you're interested in the idylls of the British countryside and horse riding then this is also going to be the perfect summer read.

My only complaint would be the lack of interaction that we get between Kat and Dougie, The Country Escape lacks the passion and spark of Kiss Chase that I so loved and is instead more reminiscent of the family sagas of French Relations and Well Groomed.

If you're a lover of a good block-buster novel then Walker's latest is definitely for you, there are plenty of laughs to be had and the book is packed full of so much detail that it's easy to get completely lost in the lives of Kat, Dougie and friends, and it's quite sad to leave them behind at the last page.

Full review at Rosie Reads Romance

*Advanced reader's copy received in return for an honest review,
Profile Image for Barbara Elsborg.
Author 100 books1,678 followers
Read
July 12, 2014
Fiona Walker is one of must buy writers! I have to confess to liking her early books more than the later ones but this one I liked better than the other later ones! I've read some reviews of this and see that she is either loved or not liked. It's a shame. I suspect that the stories she now writes are a bit of an acquired taste. They are jam packed with detail - super observations of life and people. A cross between Dickens and Jilly Cooper. I think she has fantastic eye and I really like the way she gives us the information but - it does slow the pace of the story and in fact makes it different type of story to what the blurb might have you believe.
The characters are great too but - another but - they are almost caricatures - they never felt completely real to me. I longed for more interaction between the hero and heroine. I loved the riding but I wanted more.
I could probably write a novel about this. I did like it. I loved parts of it. Didn't love other parts. I didn't find it a hard slog as I have the Oddlode books. But I didn't find the passion of Kiss Chase which remains my favourite of all.
Profile Image for Elaine.
604 reviews239 followers
June 7, 2014
I had really been looking forward to reading this one, but OMG what a let down. The blurb sounds as if it is going to be a really good read that I could get totally lost in, funny, romantic and with scope for a host of misunderstandings and double dealings. Unfortunately it just broke the cardinal rule of a good book, and was just too boring to be true. I hate to give up on a book partway through, but got to 25% and just couldn’t bear the thought of turning another page. The story starts off OK but the first 15% or so is just crammed with background information on all the characters. Now, this is the first book I have tried to read by the author, and I don’t think this is a sequel, I can’t find any reference to it being one, but there is just so much background information thrown at the reader, that it really does read as one. Once the book really starts to settle into storytelling mode, it just never picks up steam and the style of writing stills seems to be “telling rather than showing”. Thanks to the publisher for an ARC in return for an honest review.
Profile Image for Emma Bryan.
11 reviews
January 22, 2016
Overall it was a good escape from reality. A book you could sit down and get stuck into mostly because it was a typical cliche` story that you could predict from the get go and were happy to see pan out. The first 12 or so chapters were a bit choppy as it slowly introduced the array of characters. Eventually it settled when the main ones settled in the same place. I enjoyed it for the distraction and would recommend it to anyone who needs the happy ever after with a few twists and turns. Otherwise its a typical boy meets girl, girl hates boy, boy flirts with girl, girl loves boy, boy breaks her heart, boy and girl make up and live happily ever after story line. With a few flirty horse rides thrown in for good measure and one hippy freeloading, freeloving jackass that never seems to get his comeuppance. The lead characters both with scars were likable and the English county setting makes me want to take a holiday. Read it if you need some time out and a little brewing romance but not if your looking for something with unpredictable depth.
Profile Image for Julie.
Author 5 books228 followers
June 6, 2014
I immediately identified with romantic dare devil Kat Mason as she tries to look after her new inheritance and countless waifs and strays. There are some hilarious animal moments that will have you smiling to yourself if not laughing out loud. On the other hand I found it difficult to like playboy heartthrob Dougie Everett. Watching the relationship develop between these two was fascinating, especially when the author manages to totally change the reader’s preconceptions.
Kat’s friend, beautician Dawn is another great character. The only mud she has seen before is in a face-pack so when she visits Kat deep in the countryside, it’s a million miles away from the cruise ships she’s used to. Consequently, the reader is in for some hilarious moments.
All in all, some great characters and an ideal holiday read although from a personal point of view, the novel is on the lengthy side and removing some of the padding would make for an even better read.
Profile Image for Jayne Bauling.
Author 58 books71 followers
June 9, 2015
Let's forgive the pages of backstory each time a new character is introduced, and the well over two hundred pages it took to get hero and heroine on the same page in the same place - because this is a thoroughly engaging romp, full of wonderful humour and endearing horses. There's one glorious scene towards the end in which assorted goodies, baddies and animals, including a Russian oligarch, a spitting llama, two alpacas and a water buffalo, all converge, and involving someone trapped underwater, a gorgeous stag in peril, acts of courage and much more. For this alone, the book is worth reading.
Profile Image for Nicola Hession-Kent.
67 reviews
July 5, 2014
I've just finished reading The Country Escape and now I am feeling a little lost without it. Fiona Walker is my favourite author and I wasn't disappointed with this book. It has the perfect mix of characters, from the local country folk, the city girl that falls in love with the place, the Hollywood star and the outrageously rich new owner and PA. This is the perfect summer read with lots of horsey references that only a horse owner would know.
Profile Image for Lindsay.
22 reviews3 followers
August 27, 2014
I do live Fiona Walkers books but, lately, have found her novels quite difficult to get through. The story was involving and the characters intriguing and memorable but it took a very long time for anything to happen. The dialogue was snappy but it went on for a very long time with little action to punctuate the plot. On the plus side, the setting was idyllic and described perfectly. 3.5 stars
Profile Image for Seadaz.
491 reviews3 followers
March 26, 2016
3.5 stars if I could.


Not my favourite book, but was entertaining to read, got a LOT of pages for the price of the book.

Took about half the book until Dougie moved in next to Kat, and the story really began in ernest.

Couldn't stand the Russ (Badger Boy) character, what a freeloading waste of space.

Enjoyed reading over the Easter break - took me 3 days to read it.

Profile Image for Chris Barlow.
128 reviews3 followers
June 26, 2014
The best Fiona Walker book yet. My favourite by far. I'm still euphoric after the last few chapters and a bit gutted I've finished reading it! Always great fun, sexy and thrilling with the most wonderfully colourful characters. I'm so looking forward to the next one :)
Profile Image for Nicola Sheridan.
Author 6 books31 followers
March 7, 2016
I really enjoyed this one. I have been a fan of Fiona Walker, since I first read 'French Relations', her style of writing is lovely and evocative. Although there were moments of total improbability in this one, it didn't detract from the fact that I loved it!
Profile Image for Becca.
62 reviews1 follower
July 30, 2016
Read a preview copy which was consistently missing paragraphs and dialogue but still enjoyable. A typical, frothy Fiona Walker book, perfect for summer reading in the garden with a glass of Pimms
Profile Image for Donna Boultwood.
378 reviews1 follower
December 13, 2014
A light hearted read, with a bit of intrigue and romance. On the whole I enjoyed it.
377 reviews4 followers
July 20, 2014
The story is reaaly interesting but it was awfully long at some point. It took me a long time to get into it
Displaying 1 - 30 of 42 reviews

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