From big city high-flyer to little village vet …

Hannah and Daniel were teenage sweethearts, but then Daniel left their sleepy village of Middlefern and his grandfather’s veterinary practice behind for the bright lights of London.

Now, fifteen years later, the prodigal grandson has returned to temporarily take over the village practice with a veterinary qualification and his dog, Sammy, in tow.

Daniel is ready for rabbits with tummy aches, guinea pigs who’ve lost their squeak, plenty of cow complaints, and a whole lot of memories – both good and bad. But is he ready to see Hannah again?

Of course, a high-flying city vet like Daniel was never planning to stay in Middlefern for good – especially given his history with the place.

But could another, even more important, vacancy convince him to change his mind?

Title:  A Vacancy for a Village Vet
Series:
Author:  Joanne Boden
Genre:  Contemporary Romance
Published:  June 21, 2022
Publisher:  ChocLit
My Rating:  4 stars

A Vacancy for a Village Vet is the type of romance I adore, I mean… cute (or not so cute) animals and a chance to revisit first love and get it right this time, what’s not to love about that?

Hannah and Daniel had been teen-aged sweethearts, certain that they would build a future together until Daniel abruptly left for London with his mother and step-father completely cutting all ties with the village where he grew up including his grandfather and Hannah.  With no answer to any of her letters and no contact at all eventually Hannah had to face the fact that Daniel wasn’t going to speak to her again and she had to move on.  She stayed in the village instead of going off to college in order to tend to her mother, and even after her mother’s passing has remained as the one person the village can depend upon to care for the sick and elderly.  She never expected to set eyes on Daniel again… until he returned, determined to sell his deceased grandfather’s practice and move as far away as possible.  Not exactly a happy reunion for Hannah as she avoided him for as long as possible, but in a village this size – well, sooner or later they’d cross paths again.  Too soon for Hannah.

I enjoyed A Vacancy for a Village Vet on several levels.  Of course, the animals will always get a smile from me, but also this village is full of good-hearted people, many of whom are determined to play matchmaker for Daniel and Hannah.  After more than a decade apart these two will have to deal with their shared past as well as information that Hannah is completely unaware of.  They need to be truthful with each other, and really, Daniel has a lot of explaining to do.  Groveling would be a bonus in my opinion.

Watching this couple speak their truths, clear the mistakes of the past and begin to work toward a future was an enjoyable journey.  We get some answers to questions that plagued me from the beginning of their story and that was important for me.  A lively village full of people who adore Hannah and only want her happiness, the second chance for love, the adorable animals – A Vacancy for a Village Vet has it all and then some.  I had fun here and that’s the entire point.

*I received an e-ARC of this novel from the publisher. The opinions expressed in this review are my own – good, bad, or indifferent.*

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