Book Blog Tour & Review: Fresh Eggs and Dog Beds 2

Today, I’m excited to be on the book blog tour promoting Fresh Eggs and Dog Beds 2 by Nick Albert.

Book Cover Notes:

Nick and Lesley’s desire for a better life in the countryside was a long-held dream. Unforeseen events and a leap of faith forced that dream into reality, but moving to rural Ireland was only the beginning of their story.

Foreigners in a foreign land, they set about making new friends, learning the culture and expanding their collection of chickens and unruly dogs. But their dream home was in desperate need of renovation, a mammoth task they attacked with the aid of a DIY manual, dwindling funds and incompetent enthusiasm.

With defunct diggers, collapsing ladders, and shocking electrics, what could possibly go wrong? Will their new life live up to expectations, or will the Irish weather, dangerous roads, and a cruel twist of fate turn this dream into a nightmare?

My Thoughts

If you love to travel and you love dogs (of course you do, that’s why you’re visiting our site right?), then you’ll enjoy Fresh Eggs and Dog Beds 2.

Having enjoyed Fresh Eggs and Dog Beds (book 1), I was keen to read book 2 to find out how Nick, his wife Lesley and their dogs Romany and Amber were getting on in County Clare, Ireland.

In book 1, I totally related to Nick’s stressful corporate life and the impact it was having on his health and quality of life. I followed with interest Nick and Lesley’s progress as they decide to sell up and move to Ireland. Nick shares his thoughts openly and honestly as they deal with numerous challenges. Including, language and cultural differences and the confusing Irish house buying process.

In Fresh Eggs and Dog Beds 2, the family are now living in a run down farmhouse. With a long list of renovations to do and no local builders, Nick gets stuck in on the DIY. What could go wrong?

I really enjoyed reading examples of how Nick’s DIY efforts didn’t quite go to plan. Whilst reading the book there were several laugh out loud moments. The lawn mower incident and learning how to use the digger were two of my favourites. I had to read these out to my better half Dave, as he kept asking what I was chuckling at. He’s now keen to read the books too.

Like Nick, I love a good ‘to-do list’ and project plan. I’m sure we would have worked well together in our past corporate lives. Reading some of the lists, I found myself nodding in agreement ‘Yep, good list’. From renovation plans to car buying, Nick made a list (I do too). My particular favourites were ‘murphy’s law’ and ‘canine ninja rules’.

As a dog owner, I found Amber and Romany’s daily antics very funny. You can tell Nick loves his dogs, but like many of us, there are moments when they drive us crazy. Nick shares some of his dogs annoying habits, mischievous moments and hilarious mishaps. All things my crazy spaniels would do too.

Nick’s animal pack soon settled in to life in Ireland and found a new purpose. Guarding and woofing at anything that dared approach the farm. Yep definitely sound like my two dogs. However, I’m not sure our house (or motorhome) could cope with Nick and Lesley’s expanding pet family. Definitely not the ducks and chickens, although Dave and I have seen all sorts of animals travelling in motorhomes!

After reading this book, Ireland is on my travel ‘to-do list’ (yes I have one of those, don’t you)? I enjoyed reading about Ireland from an English couples viewpoint. The weather, the local people and the beautiful countryside. This isn’t a travel book, but Nicks memoirs have provided me with lots of local insight and has helped put Ireland on my travel bucketlist.

Summary

Most of us dream of giving up the day job, selling up and moving to sunny Spain (or Ireland in this case). This laugh out loud memoir is of a couple’s journey doing just that. They take you with them on a life changing journey through the highs and lows and humorous moments.

Although this book is part of a series, it’s fine to read book 2 as a standalone. The first couple of chapters in book 2 soon bring you up to speed with the story so far. I’d recommend this lovely memoir series. ‘Where to buy’ links are provided below.

About the Author

Nick Albert was born in England and raised in a Royal Air Force family. After leaving College he worked in retail management for several years before moving into financial services where he quickly progressed through the ranks to become a training consultant.

As a very passionate and reasonably talented sportsman, Nick had always wanted to use his training skills towards creating a parallel career, so in the mid 1980’s he qualified and began coaching sport professionally.

After a health scare in 2003 and in search of a simpler life, he and his wife Lesley, cashed in their investments, sold their home and bought a rundown farmhouse in the rural west of Ireland – a country they had never before even visited.

With little money or experience and armed only with a do-it-yourself manual, they set about renovating their new home, where they now live happily alongside a flock of chickens, two ducks and several unruly, but delightful dogs.

In 2017 Nick was signed to Ant Press to write a series of humorous memoirs about his life in rural Ireland. Fresh Eggs and Dog Beds (book one) was published in September 2017 and soon became an Amazon bestseller. Book two in the series was published on 1st June 2018 and book 3 in August 2019. Book four is due out in 2020.

Where to find Nick online – Website – Facebook – Twitter

Where to buy – Amazon (UK)

Book Blog Tour hosted by

Rachel’s Random Resources

Thanks to Rachel @rararesources for inviting me on the tour. Also thanks to Nick Albert and @AntPress publishing for my digital copy of the book.  All views are my own.

I hope you have enjoyed my book review of Fresh Eggs and Dog Beds 2.

I would love to hear from publishers or authors with books that may interest our readers. Whether paperback or e-books (mobi preferred format). As long as they relate to travel, places, camping or animals they would fit well. I like to find new authors to follow and support.

Please feel free to contact me with review requests.

Miche@TouringTales x

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