Accidentally in Love

October 3, 2016
Woodman’s leisurely latest Talyton St. George contemporary (after Follow Me Home), set in a fictional town in Devon, England, highlights the charm and romance of a small country village. Shannon is working as a veterinary nurse at Otter House, a practice that sees just about every type of animal from rabbits to large dogs. When she meets the new vet, Ross, their personalities clash at first, but their chemistry is intense, and soon they become friends. Shannon and Ross both need new places to live, so they decide to move in together; when Shannon feels jealous over his ex-girlfriend, she realizes she might be hoping for the friendship to turn into romance. Woodman’s expertise as a veterinarian imbues the novel with a sense of realism. Though the story gets off to a somewhat slow start, it gains momentum when the relationship between Ross and Shannon heats up, especially after they struggle with emotional attachments to the patients they treat and Shannon suffers a disfiguring accident. Her angst is balanced by Ross’s nurturing and the love of their furry friends, leading to a sweet finale.

October 15, 2016
A model of efficiency, kindness, and tact, veterinary nurse Shannon has no problem dealing with the rabbits, snakes, cats, and dogs that come to Devon's Otter House clinic for everything from routine nail trims to emergency surgery. She can even sweet-talk the grouchiest village elder into doing what's best for his or her beloved pet. But when newly hired Dr. Ross rolls into the village of Talyton St. George on his motorcycle and swaps his leathers for surgical scrubs, Shannon is less-than-thrilled to work with this hot-shot upstart, no matter how good-looking he is. Their working relationship gets off to a rocky start but quickly evolves into an abiding friendship and an even more promising romantic liaison. When a freak accident caused by Ross' beloved dog, Bart, disfigures Shannon for life, she doubts the sincerity of Ross' true feelings for her. Fans of Woodman's English country vet series, including Vets in Love (2012), will enjoy revisiting favorite characters and welcome new charmers into the fold in this winsome, frolicsome tale.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2016, American Library Association.)