Blog Tour: 'A Country Practice' by Judith Colquhoun (including competition!)

'A Country Practice' follows the dramas, loves, secrets and dilemmas of the people in an Australian small country town. There is romance, humour and tragedy for the medical staff of the local hospital, and the rural community it serves. 
A desperate woman arrives at the Wandin Valley Bush Nursing Hospital in the final stages of labour. Can Dr Terence Elliott overcome his demons to save both mother and baby? 
Simon Bowen, the newest doctor in town, is frustrated at being seen as an outsider by the tight knit country people. Will he succeed in winning them around ‒ especially young vet Vicky Dean? 
Vicky’s mum, Sister Shirley Dean, is courted by widowed police sergeant Frank Gilroy. But is he the man for her? 
Young married couple, Brendan and Molly Jones arrive in Wandin Valley. Are they prepared for the realities of country life? 
Meanwhile, a teenager in love clashes with her father and a serious car accident reveals a surprising secret about two of the town’s residents. 
Based on the award-winning, international hit television serial 'A Country Practice', this new series of novels follows the lives and loves of the rural community of Wandin Valley, South-Eastern Australia. Set in the early 1980s it is a nostalgic look at country life, yet with all the same joys and problems we face today.
Today I am excited to be part of the blog tour for the first part of an exciting new book series from Corazon Books! 'A Country Practice' was an award-winning and international hit TV series years ago which focused on the community of Wandin Valley in New South Wales, Australia, in the 1980s. One of the writers of the show, Judith Colquhoun, decided to bring the series back to life but in a new form, namely as a collection of books and the first part of the book series, 'New Beginnings', is available now. You can not only read my review below, but there's also a competition to take part in so be sure to scroll down!
'A Country Practice: New Beginnings' is the first part of a book series set in the 1980s in the town of Wandin Valley in New South Wales, Australia. Like every other town, all the inhabitants have their own stories to tell and secrets to hide. There's new doctor Simon Bowen, who is trying to find his place at Wandin Valley Bush Nursing Hospital, while also trying to win over charming vet Vicky Dean. Brendan and Molly Jones have just moved into the area, living the dream of having their own farm house. However, Brendan has some crazy working hours as a nurse at the hospital and Molly starts to doubt their decision realising she's alone in a strange house most of the time. And when two of the town's inhabitants are involved in a serious car crash, things get even more exciting and surprising for the residents of Wandin Valley.
Before I received a review copy of Judith Colquhoun's 'A Country Practice: New Beginnings' I have to admit I didn't know anything about the TV series the book is based on. Luckily, this didn't form a problem because I was able to just dive into the story without any prior knowledge. The story is set in a town in Australia in the 1980s and focuses mainly on the town hospital. There are a lot of different characters who each have their own storyline and I personally really enjoyed the fast pace of the book and the switching between the different storylines. All characters had something interesting to share, resulting in an entertaining and enjoyable read. My personal favourites, though, are young vet Vicky Dean and married couple Molly and Brendan who have just moved to the area. I immediately warmed to these characters and can't wait to hopefully read more about them in the upcoming parts of the book series.
While the book is easy to get into and comfortable to read, I do think it shines through that the story is based on a TV show. Some scenes are described like made-for-TV situations and I definitely would have liked a bit more background information on the different characters; their histories, their personalities, etc. Even though I missed the detail in places, it was still a really enjoyable read and I am already curious about what will happen in the next part of the series! Overall, ‘A Country Practice’ is an enthralling, entertaining, fast-paced read that managed to hold my attention until the very last page; a promising start to this new series!

Rating:8,5/10

  For more information about this book: Amazon.co.uk / Amazon.com / Goodreads

Thanks to the publisher for providing me with a review copy in exchange for an honest review.

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Competition!
The 'A Country Practice' series of novels set in sunny Australia are perfect for curling up with on a cold winter's day or evening! And to celebrate the release of the first two books in the series, Corazon Books is offering you the chance to win something else to keep you entertained on a cosy night in! One lucky UK-based winner will receive an Amazon Fire TV stick* - which lets you stream loads of TV programmes, films, games and music through your TV. To be in with a chance to win simply answer the following question, and send your answer to [acp@greatstorieswithheart.com] by midday UK time on December 11th 2015. The winner will be announced on December 14th at www.acountrypractice.info.
PLUS Please state the name of the blog where you read about the competition - all visitors' names from each blog on the tour will be put into a hat and the first name pulled out for each blog will win paperback copies of the first two 'A Country Practice' novels!
*This competition is organised and run by Wyndham Media Ltd. Judges decision is final. Amazon Fire TV Stick only available for UK residents. If the overall winner resides outside of the UK they will receive instead a bundle of Corazon Books paperbacks to the same value as the UK prize. Entrants details won't be kept or shared with third parties. Good luck!