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Barleybridge #5
One Hot Country Summer
Book by Rebecca Shaw
Hardcover
First published February 21, 2007
14 people are currently reading
142 people want to read
About the author
Rebecca Shaw
74 books109 followersSunday Times bestselling author Rebecca Shaw is known for her heartwarming tales of country life.
Rebecca grew up in Yorkshire and attended a Quaker boarding school before becoming a teacher of deaf children.
She wrote 28 novels. Her biggest series of 19 books set in a fictional English village called TURNHAM MALPAS chart the lives and loves of the village inhabitants.
A further six novels tell the stories of the vets, veterinary nurses and animals at a veterinary practice in the fictional English market town of BARLEYBRIDGE.
She also wrote three standalone novels.
Rebecca lived with her husband in a beautiful Dorset village where she found plenty of inspiration for her contemporary stories about rural life. Rebecca sadly passed away in 2015, but her stories continue to be enjoyed by readers across the globe.
Rebecca has been translated and sold in Denmark, Germany, Hungary and Norway. She is also published in the US.
Rebecca grew up in Yorkshire and attended a Quaker boarding school before becoming a teacher of deaf children.
She wrote 28 novels. Her biggest series of 19 books set in a fictional English village called TURNHAM MALPAS chart the lives and loves of the village inhabitants.
A further six novels tell the stories of the vets, veterinary nurses and animals at a veterinary practice in the fictional English market town of BARLEYBRIDGE.
She also wrote three standalone novels.
Rebecca lived with her husband in a beautiful Dorset village where she found plenty of inspiration for her contemporary stories about rural life. Rebecca sadly passed away in 2015, but her stories continue to be enjoyed by readers across the globe.
Rebecca has been translated and sold in Denmark, Germany, Hungary and Norway. She is also published in the US.
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Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews
December 19, 2021
3.5 ⭐ = Quite Good
The penultimate in the Barleybridge series.
A gentle read based around a country veterinary practise. Not too taxing. Don't read this if you are looking for an action packed book. 😁
The penultimate in the Barleybridge series.
A gentle read based around a country veterinary practise. Not too taxing. Don't read this if you are looking for an action packed book. 😁
January 12, 2020
Enjoyed the continued saga of the vets at Barleybridge.
October 24, 2022
I think this is my favourite of this series so far. Lots of drama and without a happy ever after sense that I really don’t like. Life can be messy so seeing various character behave unexpectedly makes this extremely entertaining! Three years have elapsed since the first novel and I can’t wait to see where things go from here.
December 12, 2016
I dearly love this setting and these characters. This book is my least favorite of the series, however. Kate, who is studying to be a vet and who answered phones for the practice when she was a teenager, has come back to do a six-week internship with the practice. The internship means she works with various doctors on the staff, including the now "happily married" Scott Spencer, who broke Kate's heart in an earlier installment. She still has feelings for Spencer, and the two of them do way too much snogging to suit me. His relatively new marriage has hit a rough patch, and ever-willing Kate is right there to pick up the slack. To their credit, these two never get beyond some intense kiss-and-cuddle in the veterinary vehicle, but it still doesn't say much for either one of them.
Another subplot involves a new veterinarian whose seeming incompetence has the potential to ruin the practice.
It's a small thing, but I was appalled by one scene in the book where one of the veterinarians entices a small dog to move to a different spot by dropping small pieces of chocolate candy Hansel-and-Gretel style between where the dog was and where he wanted it to be. Seriously, Ms. Shaw, you're gonna let one of your vets potentially sicken a dog with chocolate? Then, the dog handler was cautioned against doing that at home, not because the chocolate was potentially poisonous, but because it would conceivably put weight on the dog! I'll bet, had the author consulted her Uncle Goog, that he would have helped her remember the dangers inherent even in small amounts of chocolate, depending on the size and breed. A small thing, yes, I know, but it glaringly stood out just the same.
Despite my petty grumbles, this is a series whose characters will capture your heart in some very real ways. A sleazy adulterous vet gets his comeuppance in a rather satisfactory way, and things come together nicely enough, albeit a bit predictably, in the end.
Another subplot involves a new veterinarian whose seeming incompetence has the potential to ruin the practice.
It's a small thing, but I was appalled by one scene in the book where one of the veterinarians entices a small dog to move to a different spot by dropping small pieces of chocolate candy Hansel-and-Gretel style between where the dog was and where he wanted it to be. Seriously, Ms. Shaw, you're gonna let one of your vets potentially sicken a dog with chocolate? Then, the dog handler was cautioned against doing that at home, not because the chocolate was potentially poisonous, but because it would conceivably put weight on the dog! I'll bet, had the author consulted her Uncle Goog, that he would have helped her remember the dangers inherent even in small amounts of chocolate, depending on the size and breed. A small thing, yes, I know, but it glaringly stood out just the same.
Despite my petty grumbles, this is a series whose characters will capture your heart in some very real ways. A sleazy adulterous vet gets his comeuppance in a rather satisfactory way, and things come together nicely enough, albeit a bit predictably, in the end.
June 29, 2025
"It's the middle of a long, sultry summer, and the heat is getting to the inhabitants of Barleybridge.
"Kate has returned to the veterinary practice, convinced she is well and truly over her feelings for Scott. But when she sees him, she is shocked to discover things aren't that simple. What's more, Scott has problems of his own -- problems which may well threaten his apparently happy marriage.
"Some things at the Practice have changed: there's a new vet, Virginia, who seems to go out of her way to criticize and upset Kate, not mention upsetting the clients. But Virginia is not all she seems. As the heatwave continues, Kate, Scott and Virginia all find they have difficult decisions to make."
~~back cover
You know this is just a soap opera in print: Virginia misses a symptom which seemingly results in the death of a champion thoroughbred, which looks like resulting in the loss of the Practice's biggest client; one of the vets is caught red handed cheating on his wife; Kate and Scott narrowly avert a drastic mistake; several animals have to be put down, resulting in my tears . . . Life as usual in the Practice and Barleybridge, and a very satisfying, easy rad.
"Kate has returned to the veterinary practice, convinced she is well and truly over her feelings for Scott. But when she sees him, she is shocked to discover things aren't that simple. What's more, Scott has problems of his own -- problems which may well threaten his apparently happy marriage.
"Some things at the Practice have changed: there's a new vet, Virginia, who seems to go out of her way to criticize and upset Kate, not mention upsetting the clients. But Virginia is not all she seems. As the heatwave continues, Kate, Scott and Virginia all find they have difficult decisions to make."
~~back cover
You know this is just a soap opera in print: Virginia misses a symptom which seemingly results in the death of a champion thoroughbred, which looks like resulting in the loss of the Practice's biggest client; one of the vets is caught red handed cheating on his wife; Kate and Scott narrowly avert a drastic mistake; several animals have to be put down, resulting in my tears . . . Life as usual in the Practice and Barleybridge, and a very satisfying, easy rad.
January 3, 2024
Like a prolonged version of the 4 page romance stories you get in a typical weekly Woman's magazine.
A bunch of vets having affairs & stuff, and naturally the butch, grumpy female vet is saved by the love of an unlikely man and starts being pleasant & wearing lipstick.
I read it while sitting up all night watching the river levels in case there was a flood.
I forgot to mention but was reminded in someone elses's review: the book also has one of the vets giving a dog chocolate! I balked at that when I read it as everyone knows you mustn't give dogs chocolate and not because of their weight either (the only thing mentioned in the book).
A bunch of vets having affairs & stuff, and naturally the butch, grumpy female vet is saved by the love of an unlikely man and starts being pleasant & wearing lipstick.
I read it while sitting up all night watching the river levels in case there was a flood.
I forgot to mention but was reminded in someone elses's review: the book also has one of the vets giving a dog chocolate! I balked at that when I read it as everyone knows you mustn't give dogs chocolate and not because of their weight either (the only thing mentioned in the book).
June 16, 2018
A story that' rather slow and you just walk along with it. It kind of takes you off your hot legs and lands you in a country summer amidst the vets, their relationships, emotions, and everyday routines. There's heat, warmth, and so much of goodness rightly wrapped in a flowing narration. Thumbs up.
January 15, 2022
This was an quick and easy read which I had no issue with. It was predictable but in a comforting way, I’m not in a rush to read the others in the series but I most likely will do so! Good to read if you’re not feeling 100% as it’s easy to follow
September 13, 2021
Another good book in the vet series
April 17, 2022
A great story to lose the world awhile.
August 26, 2021
Kate returns to the vet practice, where she had helped out as a teenager, this time as a trainee vet on work experience. She encounters again Scott who she had fallen in love with then, but he deserted her . Meeting him again she realizes her passion for him has not abated, despite the fact he is now married to Zoe.
Other vets in the practice cause Kate some concern - Virginia with her harsh, uncompromising charmless manner and adulterous Valentine who thinks he is God’s gift to women .
An easy undemanding read, written in a fairly superficial style that reminded me of a soap opera. I finished it - hence 2.5 but would not bother re-reading it or reading other books in this Village series.
Other vets in the practice cause Kate some concern - Virginia with her harsh, uncompromising charmless manner and adulterous Valentine who thinks he is God’s gift to women .
An easy undemanding read, written in a fairly superficial style that reminded me of a soap opera. I finished it - hence 2.5 but would not bother re-reading it or reading other books in this Village series.
July 29, 2016
Another pleasant story about the vets at the Barleybridge Practice. Kate, the main character in book one, returns as a vet student and a few loose ends are tied up and a new vet Virginia begins her work. A nice story, perfect for a lazy day's reading. The penultimate in the series and so far none have disappointed.
March 24, 2009
another great slice of life from the characters of the vet practice. easy to read soap opera style entertainment !!!
July 25, 2011
Good ending to a good series. Tied up all loose ends and ended on a happy note. Very pleased with the entire series. Love books that incorporate both people and animals.
March 21, 2014
another easy read..absolutely enjoyed the life in the characters
August 30, 2016
Not very well written, especially the dialogue. Every single character has the same 'voice'. Not a book I'd recommend.
Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews