Tina Beckett

Good second chance love story. Lia and Micah fell in love during medical school. But when graduation came, and Micah wanted them to join Doctors Without Borders, Lia panicked and broke things off with Micah, breaking both of their hearts. Lia has prosopagnosia (Face blindness, or prosopagnosia, is a brain disorder characterized by the inability to recognize or differentiate faces. People with face blindness may struggle to notice differences in the faces of strangers. Others may even have a hard time recognizing familiar faces.) She has learned to cope where everything is familiar, but going somewhere so far out of her comfort zone terrified her. But rather than tell Micah the truth, she pushed him away.

Several years later, Micah returns to Nashville and takes a job at the same hospital where Lia works. He's surprised when he spots her at a hospital fundraiser concert and the memories that flooded him of their time together, including that final rejection. He was hurt and angry when she didn't recognize him. Lia faced one of her greatest fears when she saw Micah and didn't recognize him until he spoke and scrambled to minimize the damage. Unfortunately, she only made things worse when she discovered they would be working together.

Though they plan to avoid each other whenever possible, they are thrown together when Lia treats a case that calls for Micah's expertise as an epidemiologist. Working together to spread the word about the outbreak and the need for updated vaccinations, their old feelings don't take long to resurface. I loved watching those feelings deepen and grow and seeing their attraction follow suit. But Lia's fears are never far from her mind, and Micah's dreams soon run up against those fears. I ached for Micah as he saw history repeat itself, breaking his heart again. I loved how Lia found the courage to tell him everything and Micah's love and support as he finally understood her. The epilogue was sweet.

I love the Harlequin Medical line because they always have interesting situations. In this book, Lia and Micah face an outbreak of pertussis or whooping cough. Because of widespread vaccinations, it is something that is rarely heard of these days but can be deadly. I liked seeing the steps that Micah and Lia took, from public education to contact tracing (with a nod to lessons learned from Covid). I also liked getting the follow-up to the medical issue with Avery's friend, Bonnie, from the first book in the series (New Year Kiss with His Cinderella). … (altro)

Good book. As a young doctor, Nate was part of a team sent to a Caribbean island to help after a hurricane. What he experienced there affected him profoundly, especially the death of a little girl. He left the island determined to do something to help, only to face opposition from his famous plastic surgeon parents. Turning his back on their disappointment, Nate used his trust fund to start the Island Clinic.

Sasha is a surgeon at St. Victoria Hospital on the island where she grew up. As the book opens, she waits for Nate's arrival from the clinic as he offered to help out the short-staffed hospital. Sasha, who's been burned in a relationship with a wealthy doctor, views Nate with a great deal of skepticism. His clinic caters to the rich and famous; as chief of staff, she wonders if he even practices medicine anymore.

Sasha came across as very judgmental of someone she knows nothing about. She knows it and tries to stop, but her cynicism runs deep. I liked how Nate began smashing her preconceptions from the moment he got off the shuttle. Her eyes opened when they immediately faced a critical heart case, and Nate leaped right in, evacuating the patient to the clinic when he needed a specialist. After three years of avoiding the clinic like the plague, Sasha was forced into it when she wanted to check up on the patient. I liked how she saw how wrong she'd been as Nate gave her a tour, and she learned that the wealthy patients funded the clinic's work with the island's residents.

I enjoyed seeing the relationship develop between Nate and Sasha. The sparks fly immediately though both try to resist them. Each has a reason to protect their hearts. Sasha finds it difficult to trust her judgment after her last relationship, and Nate still feels the sting of rejection by his parents. I liked watching them find ways to spend time together and seeing them get to know each other. I liked how Sasha spoke her mind, from the gala planning session to her own needs and desires. I also liked Nate's caring and compassion, as shown in the scene with Sasha's uncle.

As their physical attraction grows, so do their feelings for each other, though neither is ready to admit it. I ached for them both when Sasha's fears sent her running from her feelings. A little help from Sasha's mother helped Nate see what he needed to do. I loved the depth of their emotions as they broke free of the chains of the past and moved toward a future together. I liked the epilogue too.

As is usual with this line, actual medical issues are a big part of the story. I enjoyed learning about both issues in a way that was easy to understand for the average reader.

#netgalley… (altro)

Excellent book. Snowden made his first appearance as Kaleb's friend in Consequences of Their New York Night. He and Kaleb made their "keep love out of relationships" pact on the occasion of Snow's divorce. Of course, Kaleb promptly fell in love and got married, leaving Snow as the sole member of the club.

Kirsten is new to the hospital and still finding her way around the immense facility. She becomes lost on her way to a meeting with the top transplant surgeon, where she is to consult on a case. It isn't the kind of first impression she wants to make, and she's dismayed by his cold reception. Fortunately, the coldness fades quickly, and their consultation goes well.

Neither expected the burst of attraction that flared between them. Kirsten is fresh off an unpleasant breakup with no intention of getting involved anytime soon. Because of trauma experienced as a child, Snow keeps his emotions locked up tight, determined to remain in control at all times. Being drawn to her so strongly stuns him, and he finds himself looking for ways to spend time with her. Kirsten is wary when he offers to take her sightseeing, but she can't say no. I loved seeing them connect during their tour of the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island and give in to the passion that suddenly flared between them. But when a holdover from Snow's childhood days freaks out Kirsten, he must decide whether to open up about his past.

The relationship between Snow and Kirsten resembled a rollercoaster at times. There were the highs of their physical connection and how well they meshed, personally and professionally. There were also the lows of Snow's difficulty in expressing his emotions and Kirsten's fear of the same kind of rejection she faced before. I liked that Snow could share his past with her and that her knowing the truth was a relief to him. It surprised Snow that he wanted to include her in things he usually did alone. Kirsten worried that she was developing feelings for him when she knew he wouldn't return them. When their attraction led to another passion-filled encounter, Snow didn't react well, leaving Kirsten desperate to put distance between them. I ached for Kirsten and her unhappiness as she admitted the depth of her feelings for Snow. I liked Snow's honest look at himself and his actions and his realization that he may have wrecked something significant. I loved seeing him reach out for help from his friends. The scene at the airport was great as Snow put his heart on the line. I loved Kirsten's reaction. The epilogue was terrific, and I loved the visible changes in Snow.

As usually happens with the Medical Romance line, I learned some new things. Kirsten is a doctor of pulmonology (lungs), and Snow is a transplant surgeon. I was fascinated by a couple of the cases they worked on and the diseases described. The description of the heart transplant Snow performed was vivid and intense and made me feel as though I was there.… (altro)

Good book. Kaleb is a man who has been burned by love - twice. Two broken engagements have convinced him that love isn't for him. He and his best friend, Snowden, who has just gone through a divorce, have made a pact to that effect - keep love out of any relationship. When one of his medical cases goes sour, Kaleb relieves his pain with a woman he picks up at a bar and whom he never expects to see again. Too bad he can't forget her.

Nicola was having a horrible day. The end of her engagement and her brother's death hit her hard, and she went to the bar looking for a way to forget. She found it in Kaleb but was horrified by what she'd done and snuck away the next morning. She still thinks about that night.

Imagine their surprise when they discover they now work in the same hospital. When Nicola "met" Kaleb, she pretended that she didn't know him rather than admit their acquaintance in front of the hospital administrator. Kaleb's ego took a hit when it appeared she didn't remember him but told himself it made things easier. I loved the scene where Nicola assisted on the possible eye tumor, and Kaleb ran interference between her and the other doctor, then later talks to her about attitudes. I loved his interest in her methods and how a tentative friendship started between them, all while ignoring the elephant in the room and the attraction that neither will admit.

That elephant got a lot bigger when Nicola discovered she was pregnant. She knew she had to tell Kaleb, but that meant admitting she remembered their night together. That admission triggered an unexpected burst of passion that made the following conversation a bit more complicated. Kaleb was stunned by the news, especially considering his earlier vow, but immediately let Nicola know that he planned to be involved. I loved how they talked honestly with each other about expectations. Both believe that they are not interested in a relationship but can work together to parent effectively. There are some terrific scenes of them spending time together talking. There is also an especially emotional scene where they both consult on the case of a newborn baby.

Things come to a head after dinner with Nicola's parents. I loved how comfortable Kaleb was with them. The byplay between Kaleb and Nicola during the dinner was unexpected and led to steamy after-dinner actions. It was also a wake-up call for Kaleb, who realized that he wanted Nicola in his life. However, remembering his pact with Snowden causes Kaleb to behave in a boneheaded way. I ached for Nicola, who had accepted her feelings for Kaleb, and was hurt by his lukewarm proposition. I just shook my head at Kaleb's confusion and dismay and laughed as he was set straight by Snowden of all people. Meanwhile, Nicola uses an unusual method to reach some conclusions of her own. I loved the ending, especially when Nicola revealed her method and its focus. I'm looking forward to Snowden's story.

#netgalley… (altro)