Fresh Eggs and Dog Beds

Living the Dream in Rural Ireland

By: Nick Albert

Narrated by: Andy Stevenson

Length: 8 hrs and 19 mins

Publisher's summary

Nick and Lesley Albert yearn to leave the noise, stress, and pollution of modern Britain and move to the countryside, where the living is good, the air sweet, with space for their dogs to run free. Suddenly out of work and soon to be homeless, they set off in search of a new life in Ireland, a country they had never visited. As their adventure began to unfold, not everything went according to plan. If finding their dream house was difficult, buying it seemed almost impossible. How would they cope with banks that didn’t want customers, builders who didn’t need work, or the complex issue of where to buy some chickens?

©Two Ant Press (P)2019 Nick Albert

An incredible listen!

The author immerses the reader immediately into his world. The detailed immersion is never mundane or monotonous, as some would say. However, it is the memoir, and as such, many common readers do not like memoirs. It is an intriguing story, well-written, and profound. It is sad and happy, and troublesome, but always the reader can feel as if he or she were on the journey all along. The journey the author takes on the road to his new life is real and immediate. You are invited to journey along. Enjoy the trip! I was given this free review copy audiobook at my request and have voluntarily left this review.

Loved it, fun and entertaining listen

Wow, I thoroughly enjoyed this book, the writing and humor are excellent. Narrator perfect. I look forward to the next books in this series.

I received this book free for my honest review.

The highs and lows of moving

A must read for anyone planning on buying a house abroad or somewhere quiter.
Also a must read for dog owners.
Finally a must read for people who love the ironic British humour

Thoroughly enjoyed 😉

loved this look into living the quiet Irish country dream. I am envious of the bravery it takes to leave modern living behind. look forward to the next in the series.

Great Book!

I really enjoyed this book and will listen again and again! This is Nick and Lesley’s memoir about relocating in rural Ireland from England. They have made a change of life decision - a quieter but more satisfying life. The stories of the house hunt, their dogs, and lifes trials and tribulations are quite enjoyable. The book reminds me of the Bilbury series by Vernon Coleman also The Mitford series and Miss Read. I look forward to the rest of the series. I was given this free review copy audiobook at my request and have voluntarily left this review.

Delightful!

Fresh Eggs and Dog Beds is a delightful story looking at the vicissitudes of life through the lens of an English couple, Lesley and Nick, as they decide to leave behind city life and move to rural Ireland.

As the story opens, Nick’s doctor is giving him the grave news that if he doesn’t change his life and reduce his stress level he’ll be dead soon. Nick gives notice at his stressful job and he and his wife Lesley start looking for a rural farmhouse in Ireland that they can fix up and make their own. After looking at several possible houses, none of which seem right to them, they finally find the one they want - an isolated farmhouse, musty, dusty, and full of woodworm, that they fall in love with. It takes some doing to get everything in place to actually buy the property and the sale is uncertain until almost the last minute. Once they own the property, they realize they’re in a little deeper than expected since there’s more that needs to be done to the house than they had envisioned, and there are no workmen available that they can hire to do the work.

Nick’s writing style is chatty and engaging. In listening to this audiobook I was able to visualize every scene, often with a grin on my face, as Nick describes the ups and downs of their hunt for, and eventual possession of, their desired house.

The narrator was wonderful as well. Some narrators will take me out of the story because of odd pauses, strange pronunciations, or an unpleasant voice quality. Andy Stevenson’s narration does none of that, but instead makes an already enjoyable story even better. His pacing is just right, his voice his pleasant to listen to, and as an American, I love his accent.

I loved this story so much that as soon as I found out there was a sequel I jumped on the chance to get it, too. I’ve started listening to Still Living the Dream in Rural Ireland: Fresh Eggs and Dog Beds, Book 2, and I’m enjoying it just as much. I was given this free review copy audiobook at my request and have voluntarily left this review.

very good

Loved it !! this story. the narrator is so fantastic it's like your really there!! good overall

Great performance

Enjoyed it very much, characteristically and beautiful narrated. Very easy and comfortable listing to a typical british story.

interesting

This set of misadventures they called life would have been enough to give a lesser person a stroke. It seemed he had more stress in the life choices he made to decrease his stress, imo. Yeah for him and his spouse, because this would have put me six feet under. I voluntarily listened to a free copy of this and am giving an honest review. The narrator did a good job bringing it to life.

A fun and funny short novel

The stress of your work life and the fun and stressful life of trying to set yourself up to retire. Nick and Lesley are living the dream most of us have. They moved to Ireland, bought a country property and made it a home for themselves and their dogs. This book is their hilarious journey and I can't wait to get to book 2!