Fresh Eggs And Dog Beds 2 (Audio Book) by Nick Albert

Fresh Eggs and Dog Beds 2 - Still Living "The Dream" In Rural Ireland (Audio Book) by Nick Albert.

Audio book released 24th January 2020. Narrated by Andy Stevenson. Originally published in ebook and paperback June 2018 by Ant Press.
Listened/Read June 2020.

Fresh Eggs And Dog Beds 2 is the second part of the continuing adventures of Nick and Lesley Albert, as they pursue their dream of living the good life in rural Ireland.

Nick and Lesley are now living in their rural retreat and it is time to settle down to the good life and embark on their ambitious programme of DIY improvements to their ramshackle home.

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?

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Welcome to part two of the continuing adventures of Nick and Lesley Albert, as they set about making friends, learning what life is all about in Ireland, and expanding their menagerie of animals, all while beginning the mammoth task of DIY ahead of them - with Nick's trusty secondhand DIY manual at the ready.

It was so lovely to meet up with Nick and Lesley again, as they really get stuck into their new life in Ireland, and this time Nick talks us through the start of the DIY work that needs to be done to their ramshackle house in order to make it their home. There is lots to do, and with the DIY successes come the inevitable disasters too - malfunctioning equipment, accidents, and the vagaries of the Irish way of doing things all provide fodder for Nick's tale, and inevitable targets for his gentle humour.

As the work progresses, Nick and Lesley begin to fall in love with the beauty of their new surroundings, and appreciate how different their life has become away from the hustle and bustle of Essex. There are plenty of tales to be told about the 'special' Irish weather and the wildlife around them. Talking of wildlife, Nick and Lesley's personal menagerie also starts to expand quite significantly this time around, as they acquire more chickens, ducks and dogs, which all add to the fun.

This episode also brings a cruel twist of fate that brings home the consequences of the isolated life that Nick and Lesley have now chosen for themselves, but in a strange way this reinforces the meaning of the new beginning they have made in Ireland - and confirms that this has been just the right move for them.

As in the first book, this audio book is narrated by the voice talents of Andy Stevenson, who now seems to have a real feel for what the Alberts' adventures entailed, and I think, he carries off the parts rather well (especially the accents!).

I find these books strangely enchanting, and there is so much of real life in these tales - the highs and the lows - that truly connect you with what Nick and Lesley are trying to achieve here. I am really looking forward to finding out what comes next for the Alberts!

Fresh Eggs and Dog Beds 2 is available to buy now from your favourite book/audio retailer, or via the links below:

Amazon UK Kindle   Amazon UK Paperback    Audible UK

Amazon US Kindle    Amazon US Paperback    Audible US

Thank you to Nick Albert for providing me with a copy of this audio book in return for an honest review, and to Rachel Gilbey of Rachel's Random Resources Tours for inviting me to be part of this blog tour.

From the cover of the book:

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?

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?

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 early 2020.

Nick is also the author of the twisty thriller, Wrecking Crew, the first in a series of books featuring reluctant hero Eric Stone.

Nick Albert's Website
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