Long before Dr. Fingal Flahertie O’Reilly came to the colourful Irish village of Ballybucklebo, young Surgeon-lieutenant O’Reilly answered the call of duty to serve in World War II. Fingal just wants to marry his beloved Deirdre and live happily ever after. First he must hone his skills at a British naval hospital before reporting back to the HMS Warspite, where, as a ship’s doctor, he faces … faces danger upon the high seas. With German bombers a constant threat, the future has never been more uncertain, but Fingal and Deirdre are determined to make a life together . . . no matter what may lie ahead.
Decades later, the war is long over, and O’Reilly is content to mend the bodies and souls of his patients in Ballybucklebo, but there are still changes and challenges aplenty. A difficult pregnancy, as well as an old colleague badly in denial concerning his own serious medical condition, tests O’Reilly and his young partner, Barry Laverty. But even with all that occupies him in the present, can O’Reilly ever truly let go of the ghosts from his past?
Shifting effortlessly between two singular eras, bestselling author Patrick Taylor continues the story of O’Reilly’s wartime experiences, while vividly bringing the daily joys and struggles of Ballybucklebo to life once more.
At the Publisher’s request, this title is being sold without Digital Rights Management Software (DRM) applied.
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I love all the books in the “Irish Country Doctor “ series!
I love this series! I feel I’m part of the family and I’m always welcome.
Another excellent installment in the series. This book picked up where An Irish Doctor in Peace and at War left off. As in the previous book, this one alternated between Fingal’s past and his present. The “past” part of the book began with Fingal reporting to the naval hospital at Haslap for additional training in anesthesia and trauma surgery. He was looking forward to the next three months, as he and Dierdre planned to marry during this time. But there were unexpected obstacles to their plans.
I loved following Fingal through his time at Haslap. He learned a great deal medically, and also had the opportunity to experience different ways to deal with problems. The Fingal of the present has always been known as the Wily O’Reilly, but in this book, we got a glimpse of how he learned some of that wiliness. I love that Fingal considered all aspects of the patient important, not just their medical issues. There were several instances of him doing what was right for the whole patient, even when it got him in trouble with his superiors. I loved the Scottish doctor who was such a tremendous help and example to Fingal. I also appreciated the realistic look at wartime medicine and the challenges it created. The descriptions of Fingal’s experiences both on shore and at sea were vivid, especially the feelings of witnessing the effects of the battles.
A big part of this section was the furthering of the relationship between Fingal and Deirdre. I loved seeing them snatch what time together they could, rejoicing in the simple things when they were together. I ached for them both when Fingal discovered that he had to have permission to marry even after attaining the next rank. It was fun to see that a case of “who you know” came to their rescue. It was sweet to see them settle into married life, all the time knowing that their separation loomed ever nearer. The poignancy of their letters to each other, once he returned to HMS Warspite, was incredible. How I cried when I finally found out what ended their marriage.
Back in the present day, life went on for Fingal and the village of Ballybucklebo. I loved seeing Fingal and his medical school classmates together for their class reunion. Their concern for one of those classmates was clear, especially when he resisted their attempts to help him. This was a man who was always standoffish, but Fingal and the others refused to give up on him. There were also a couple of problem pregnancies to deal with. One of the things I love best about Fingal is that he was never too proud to admit when he needed help. I loved seeing his determination to catch up on advances in medicine so that he could better serve his patients. Outside of medicine, Fingal still seems to be the glue that holds the village together. From bird counting with his brother to helping his friend John with a tricky problem, I loved seeing how various threads were connected. On a personal front, I loved seeing Fingal and Kitty deal with the ghosts of their pasts and move forward in their new lives together. Meanwhile, Barry missed his fiancée Sue, who was in France on a special educational trip. I ached for him as he worried about the effects of their separation on their relationship. Fingal’s recent problem with similar feelings gave him the ability to provide some much-needed advice. Some lighter moments were provided by yet another of Donal Donnelly’s schemes, this one involving a canine mésalliance and its results.
Great book in the Dr series.