Follow Me Home:

Talyton St. George #8

by Cathy Woodman

The village midwife and a young shepherd find love in the new novel from the bestselling author of Trust Me I'm a Vet and Country Loving, set in Talyton St George, Britain's most romantic town

Life has been tough for village midwife Zara. Recently divorced and living with her grandmother, Zara is struggling to get back on track.

Until one day, love walks in, in the form of an abandoned puppy.

Although Zara adores her new friend, the puppy causes havoc wherever they go, so she is grateful when local shepherd Lewis offers to train her.

But Lewis has an ulterior motive for helping. And though Zara may be able to trust him with her naughty dog, can she trust him with her bruised heart?

Genres: Chick Lit, Fiction, Romance, Contemporary

477 pages, Kindle Edition

First published April 24, 2014

About the author

I began my working life as a small-animal vet. Like turning the pages in a book, I was never quite sure what was going to happen at the surgery next. From the sausage dog who swallowed a sewing needle to the telly addict of a rabbit who lost an eye to infection, there was never a dull moment.

I have always loved to read, escaping into all kinds of novels during those long nights on call, but I didn’t have much time to pursue writing until after my children were born and I gave up full-time work to look after them. I joined a creative writing group and entered all the writing competitions I could find.

My break into becoming a published author came in 2002 when I was joint winner of the Harry Bowling First Novel Award. At the award ceremony, I met Laura Longrigg of MBA Literary Agents who signed me up on delivery of a finished manuscript.

In April 2003, Laura rang to say that Headline were offering me a two book deal. I had to dial 1471 to check she really had called me and I wasn’t dreaming.

My first novel, Under The Bonnet, was published in November 2004. My second, Our House, was published in 2005, the third, Family Matters in 2006, and the fourth, The Boy Next Door in 2007.

Since then, I’ve been working on an exciting new project, a series of novels about The Otter House Vets, a fictional practice set in a quiet Devonshire market town. Trust Me, I’m a Vet, which will be published in paperback by Arrow Books in April 2010, closely followed by the second book in September 2010.

Since I last updated my website, my menagerie of animals has grown, much to my family’s delight. We now share our lives with two cats, three mad Border Terriers, two ponies and two pet rats which we found abandoned to starve in a cage in the woods nearby. You should have heard my husband’s sigh of resignation when I told him we were bringing them home!

Reviews

[Mandy Sickle · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received Follow Me Home in return for an honest review from the publisher. While Follow Me Home is the 8th in a series it is a standalone so no need to read the prior books. Zara is a midwife in a country town who has just gone through a divorce, but she and her now ex-husband are just friends. She’s living with her Grandmother above the shop that the family has owned for a long time. Zara’s twin sister has just given birth to a little girl as the book starts out and Zara has captured the attention of the hired shepherd. Zara can’t deny the attract she has towards Lewis but he’s a lot younger than her so she can’t imagine he sees her as anything but older.

One night while driving home Zara catches the reflection of eyes on the side of the road stopping she finds a pup attached to a rope that’s almost frozen. While she’s afraid of dogs her encounter with Lewis’s dogs has made her rescue the poor pup taking her to the vet. When the time comes to send Frosty to the sanctuary Zara can’t do it she adopts her going from dog hater to dog lover. As if Zara doesn’t have enough with her hands full of Frosty she finds out that Lewis does she her as a beautiful woman he’s interested in. What starts out as just a casual things turns into a whirlwind romance with up’s and downs but in the end it may just work out. Zara also has her ailing grandmother to take care and an ex-husband who just doesn’t want to get out of her life.

I like Zara she’s super sweet and I love that she rescued Frosty working so very hard to figure out how to make things work for both of them. After all Frosty is deaf which I can imagine is a struggle at least she has the help to figure out how to speak dog. I wasn’t sure about Lewis at first since he’s only in town for a limited time but it really works as the story progresses he’s very supportive and wants to make things work with Zara. I disliked her ex-husband right from the start than when he showed up at her place of work with his girlfriend was just icing on the cake and gave her the push to give him the boot. We also have a wide selection of fun characters in Zara’s life to keep her busy from little Poppy to her grandmother.

I’ve had this one sitting on my shelf for a while just haven’t gotten the chance to read it yet. Now that I have I wish I hadn’t waited because it’s really cute. I love a contemporary romance and Zara’s story while a little sad does have a happy ending with a lot of humor and happy moments mixed throughout the story. Zara’s past touched my heart it made me sad that she had issues having children, but she learned to deal with it and finding Frosty seemed to be just what she needed. I haven’t been to Britain yet but Talyton St George is exactly how I would have pictured it. I loved having a chance to get to know that town as well as Zara because she’s such a great character. It’s no surprise that Follow Me Home is a Happy ever after you knew it was coming and Zara ended up with the perfect guy. The characters are easy to connect with after all Zara stole a little piece of my heart. I enjoyed turning every page of Follow Me Home it’s a beautifully written story that captured my heart. I plan to read the rest of the series to enjoy more of Talyton St. George. Highly recommend for fans of contemporary romance.

[Ann · Rating 2 out of 5]

Bit disappointing. Kept thinking it was working towards a climax but then would fizzle to nothing.

[Liz Chapman · Rating 3 out of 5]

I did not like this book as much as some of the others in the Talyton series . The issues on dementia were interesting and the family coping with a loved one with increasing dementia sad but real. I found Lewis quite annoying and immature when every time Zara spoke to her ex or had a sympathetic conversation with another or patient's husband Lewis thought she was having a fling with them. It was work and patient confidentiality didn't he understand that? . I think this is where the story came apart and didn't feel genuine .
In the other books the characters have more depth and I was interested in them. In this book it became too Woman's Weekly and the story became unbelievable in places. The child Poppy, was a pain in the ass and the parents didn't seem to be able to cope . It became annoying in the story.

[Angela Free · Rating 3 out of 5]

Just simple, easy reading chick lit. I do love Talyton St George though, and the way characters from all the books pop in and out.

[Teresa Kander · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a fascinating tale with several layers. One is the romance between Zara, the midwife, and Lewis, the shepherd. Another is the strained relationship between Zara and her ex-husband. Yet another is the relationship between Zara and her grandmother, who has dementia that is steadily worsening.

While this book is the eighth in a series, it stands on its own with no issue. There is nothing to make the reader feel as if they don't understand or have missed out on something.

This story is about love, friendship, family, life in a small village, and hope. The characters are realistically written, flaws and all, and the story is very well told. I also enjoyed the relationships which many characters had with their canine or feline friends.

**I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are entirely my own.**

[Genesis Britigan · Rating 2 out of 5]

Not my favorite read, but not horrible. I really didn't like the male protagonist, he just seemed like a bit of an ass.

[Trupti Jamalpure · Rating 1 out of 5]

Such a rubbish book. I forced and dragged myself to read but finally gave up!

[Pippa · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'm glad this was not my first by Cathy Woodman because it felt a bit of a disappointment when compared with the previous 7 in the series. It felt too long, probably because it took me so long to make a connection with Zara & Lewis, and if I hadn't read and enjoyed so many other books by CW, I might not have finished it. It was only the very late improvement that raised it from 2 to 3 stars.

There were also hints that suggested the plot would expand further regarding Paul, Zara's ex-husband, yet nothing came of it. Perhaps we will find out more in books #9 & #10, but as this is such a long book (480 pages in paperback) it could easily have fallen into this one in exchange for cutting out some of the earlier material.

[Pam · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a perfect read! This is a story about Zara a midwife who seems to be unable to have babies of her own who made a promise to and is the carer for her shop owner Gran who has worsening dementia. Zara then finds and cares for an abandoned pup when she has an intense fear of dogs seems to have a fair few issues on her plate. When she meets the new shepherd who helps train her deaf puppy sparks fly even though she is so much older than him then he leaves her sister's farm for another job. Her sister is pregnant again, her Gran worsens and there are decisions to be made....

[Jen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Glad I finally got to read it. Much more complex than her other books, with the main character involved in several different aspects of other people's lives, rather than just centering on her own. It was fun to read a dog book where the heroine is afraid of dogs, prior to getting one, and to follow her progress. Also interesting to catch up with Tessa and Jack. Loved the back-and-forth between Zara and Gran, it was handled beautifully, and it was fun to get a glimpse into Gran's past, even if dementia was the instigator. Maybe a book all about Gran as a young woman will come along someday?

[Sarah Hills · Rating 4 out of 5]

A charming and thoughtful book which I know is part of a series. I haven't read any of the previous books and this is a stand alone so I didn't feel I was missing out.
It concerns the life of the village midwife, her job and her love life but also the tale of dementia concerning her grandmother.
It's well written, lots of animals feature and a hot shepherd.
Its a book you could happily give to family and friends as there is no bad language or graphic sex.
I have read nothing from this author previously but will look out for her books in the future.
A lovely gentle read.

[Sarah Nicole · Rating 2 out of 5]

A very easy read with limited depth to characters. This is the first book I’ve read in what appears to be a series as per previous readers reviews.
The main character is the only character with some depth to her. Her new man in the book appears very immature and I’m not sure how their relationship even gets off the ground. I also find the conversations between characters to feel almost stilted and annoying to read.
Overall not a favourite of mine.

[Karen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Book 8 in the series.
Straight away it was like putting on your favourite jumper and snuggling down.
The characters and warmth of the village jumped off the page as what happens in this series.
Characters you have got to know from previous books weaveing through this story.
Enjoyed every page had me smiling, laughing and other emotions abound.
A book that takes you to a idyllic place you can get lost in for an hour or 2.
Highly recommend this series.

[Miriam Kahn · Rating 4 out of 5]

A midwife and the local itinerant shepherd team up to train an unruly dog. As luck would have it, they fall in love amidst sheep, dogs, and loving family members.

Woodman's experience as a county vet adds flavor to the story of birthing children and lambs.
If you like cozies, you'll like this charming romance set in rural England.

[Kate McDougall Sackler · Rating 3 out of 5]

Cute small town romance between a midwife and a shepherd. Eighth in a series, but thankfully works as a stand-alone since I have not read any of the others. Some actions by the main character can be seen as contrived, therefore this less likely to ever happen in real life. However no need to worry, there is a happy ending and lead up for the next book.

[Judy Adams · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a lovely story, the characters are all loveable. Filled with all those things that make our lives interesting. Family relationships, heartache, new love, disappointments, illness,marriage, babies and the love of dogs.Now you just have to read it to pull it all together,you will be glad you did.

[Julie · Rating 2 out of 5]

2⭐ =Below Average.
Paperback.
I think it was the medical storyline that put me off this one. Didn't become engrossed like others in this series.
Decent enough characters though. Maybe I need a break before I continue with the last in the series.

[Heather · Rating 1 out of 5]

If you could give minus stars this would be -5. One of worst books I’ve ever read. Had all the potential to be good, but was so disjointed and unappealing.

[Barb · Rating 3 out of 5]

OK...bit long

[Zoe Turl · Rating 5 out of 5]

Love this book and all of Cathy's books

[natalie bowes · Rating 5 out of 5]

A great easy read, enjoyed it from start to finish.

[mrs elizabeth skey · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another great read. Really enjoyed it

[Jenna Coyne · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not my favourite liked parts especially with the babies but was fed up with on off relationship

[Tracey · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cathy woodman knows how to write a lovely book and this one in her continual series was again a good read .

[Mary Peterson · Rating 3 out of 5]

Schlock. I did manage to finish it, so guess it was an easy read and kept me engaged. But truly not much of substance and not really convincing. I could’ve done without.

[Ruth Ellis · Rating 3 out of 5]

I had to stop start this book came together at the end

[Helen Pomfrey · Rating 2 out of 5]

I am ploughing my way doggedly though this series but they really are laughable. The repetition is terrible. The language is basic and the analogies used will raise your eyebrows in a WTF kind of way

[Deborah Oliver · Rating 2 out of 5]

Eh..kind of boring.

[Leah · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love Cathy Woodman’s Talyton St George series, she’s written 8 books in the series so far and one novella, and I have yet to become bored with her tales! There’s always new characters to meet, and it’s the kind of series where the books can just keep coming and coming because the village is a bit like Doctor Who’s Tardis and can fit hundreds (okay, not hundreds, but you get my theory) of new people in time and time again. There’s a few stories I’d like to see – I’m particularly interested in Ally Jackson’s story, she’s been mentioned a few times and I’m hoping to see her get her own book, especially after the events of Follow Me Home, as her life could go in a different direction with the new way her life has gone. After reading the preceding novella The Three Of Us, I was very excited to meet Zara, in Follow Me Home and I wasn’t at all disappointed.

Follow Me Home introduces us to midwife Zara, who I liked immediately. Zara’s a lovely character, so kind and warm and if I were ever having a baby, I would like Zara to be my midwife. I enjoyed her midwife tales, and being introduced to her mums-to-be, especially young Zoe – I would actually have liked Zoe to get her own tale, about her pregnancy, as she seemed such a nice character. I was a bit wary of Zara when she admitted to liking dogs – not liking dogs in Talyton St George is bizarre! EVERYONE has a dog! It’s an animal town! But, I liked that with the help of Lewis, the shepherd who works on her twin sister’s farm, I liked that she could overcome it enough to help out an injured dog and I liked even more when Frosty walked into her heart and refused to let her go! I loved little Frosty, even if she was a bit wild. I enjoyed the fun and excitement she brought to the novel. Dogs just somehow make novels so much better. A good novel can become fantastic with a dog! Especially a loveable dog like Frosty.

I very much enjoyed the dynamic between Zara and Lewis. They seemed to click right from the off, which is always good. I enjoyed their interactions, and Lewis seemed super sweet, but as the novel wore on, I definitely felt that Lewis was quick to flare, quick to make accusations without listening first and by the end of the novel I wasn’t really sure how I felt about Lewis. For so much of the novel, he seemed level-headed and mature, but whenever Zara tried to pull back a touch, or put her grandma before him – an entirely understandable decision, since her Grandma was deteriorating, he was quick to accuse her of not loving him, of having an affair, and it just made him seem really young, which wasn’t the opinion I had had of him from the beginning. Those little flare-ups just made the age-gap more apparent than it needed to be and he needed to tone himself down a little bit, just because he seemed to flare up for no reason, out of nowhere, and that was never really explained.

Follow Me Home was such a sweet read. It had a rather serious centre, though, with Zara’s grandma Rosemary, and it made me super sad to see her suffering and see her falling into a black hole. I really enjoyed the novel, though, it dealt with some pretty difficult things, but did it in a way that didn’t make the novel overly serious. I loved getting to know Zara, and I liked her relationship with Lewis, for the most part, there was just a few quirks to his personality that smacked of him being a touch controlling, which is always worrying. But it was a lovely novel, so good to be back with older characters and see them again (it always gives me a thrill to see a character from an older book) and even better to meet the new folks of Talyton, who we may be meeting for the first time. I can’t wait for Cathy Woodman’s next Talyton novel, it’s one of my favourite book series that keeps delivering again, and again.

[Julie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Warm-hearted, enjoyable and absolutely impossible to resist, Follow Me Home is the latest stand-alone installment of best-selling author Cathy Woodman’s fantastic series set in the picturesque village of Talyton St. George.

Midwife Zara has got a lot on her plate at the moment. Not only does she have the rigours and demands of her job as a community midwife to contend with, but she’s also helping her Gran look after the village newsagent and is getting over the breakdown of her marriage to Paul. Further complications are the last things Zara needs at the moment – especially as her twin sister has just given birth and her Gran is getting increasingly forgetful. Romance is definitely not on the agenda for Zara, but the amiable midwife cannot help but be attracted to her brother in law’s newest employee, Lewis. The sexy shepherd is nothing like her ex. Lewis is kind, caring, drop dead gorgeous – and 23 years old! Zara is well aware that a relationship with Lewis is out of the question, but what’s the harm in indulging in a bit of harmless flirtation?

Nobody is more shocked than Zara when Lewis tells her that he’s attracted to her as well. After splitting up with her husband, Zara’s confidence was at all time low, but a no strings affair with the sexy shepherd soon puts the spring back in her step. The more time Zara spends with Lewis, the more she finds herself falling madly in love with him. But with old insecurities and never healed wounds still weighing her down, is she ready to let go of the past and embrace her future?

When Lewis had come to Talyton St. George for a spot of casual work, he never imagined that he would not only find a place to finally call home, but that he would find himself falling head over heels in love with the local midwife! Zara is nothing like the women he usually goes for. Not only is she smart and intelligent, but she’s got a heart of gold and a generous spirit that has completely and utterly enraptured him. Lewis might only be twenty-three years old, but he cannot imagine being with anybody else but Zara. Yet, despite telling her how much he loves her, Zara cannot seem to shake off this feeling that they are completely wrong for each other!

Will Lewis be able to prove to Zara that age is just a number and that the only thing that matters to him is her happiness? Will his love heal Zara’s bruised heart? Or will she continue to let past fears condemn her to a lifetime of loneliness?

Follow Me Home is an engaging, engrossing and wonderfully compelling tale about putting your heart on the line, taking a chance on love and the magic of unexpected romance that will keep you spellbound from beginning to end. Cathy Woodman writes with such joy, verve and panache about the gorgeous village of Talyton St George that you feel as if you are a part of this splendid community.

Follow Me Home has at its heart a tender and poignant love story that will touch your heart and tickle your funny bone. Zara is a wonderfully believable heroine women everywhere will relate to and Lewis is a gorgeous hero you cannot help but swoon over! The book also has several intriguing sub-plots about the residents of Talyton St George that will keep you on the edge of your seat wondering what’s going to happen next.

Whether this is your first visit to Talyton St George or your eighth, one thing is for certain: once you begin one of Cathy Woodman’s books, you will not be able to stop yourself from succumbing to the magic of the most enchanting village in England!

This review was originally posted on Single Titles