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Charlotte Hawkes

Teoksen Encounter with a Commanding Officer tekijä

15 teosta 30 jäsentä 5 arvostelua

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Includes the name: Charlotte Hawkes

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Good second chance romance. Talia is a nurse at the prestigious Island Clinic on St. Victoria Island, the small Caribbean island where she grew up. When she was younger, she couldn't wait to leave the island and spent some time at Duke Hospital in North Carolina. There she met and fell in love with Liam, a leading heart surgeon. But breaking through the walls around his heart proved to be impossible, and when her mother became ill, Talia went home without a word to Liam.

Liam is a man driven by the guilt he feels over his mother's death in childbirth. His father blamed him and hammered home his opinion of Liam's worthlessness at every chance. As a result, Liam has no experience with love and doesn't believe in it. Talia's departure reinforced his beliefs.

When the heart surgeon at the clinic is injured in an accident, Talia suggests Liam as a temporary replacement, knowing he's the best choice for an upcoming surgery. Talia plans to do a month's rotation at St. Vic's Hospital on the other side of the island to avoid seeing him. She's never forgotten how he broke her heart. There's no way Liam would refuse the invitation to work at the clinic. He knew it would be good for his reputation and career. He tried convincing himself that the chance to see Talia again had nothing to do with it.

I enjoyed seeing the rekindling of the relationship between Liam and Talia. Their reunion got off to a rocky start, with Liam confronting Talia over the way she left three years earlier. Though he wouldn't admit it, he still hurt over what he saw as her abandonment. Talia gave as good as she got, calling him on his inability to share anything of himself with her. But underneath the antagonism were the undeniable sparks of an attraction that had never died. Talia and Liam agree to put their hostility aside for the sake of their professional relationship and attempt to resume at least their friendship.

I loved watching Talia show Liam around her island home, seeing it through fresh eyes as she does. Spending time together allows their simmering attraction to grow until they can no longer resist it. Liam believes giving in will give him a chance to get Talia out of his system, but instead, she moves further past his walls. Talia knows she's falling for him all over again and attempts to get him to open up to her. Even when he does, his belief in his inability to love prevents him from seeing what they could have together. When Talia slips and confesses her feelings, Liam freaks out. After saying many hurtful things, Liam flees back to North Carolina, where he buries himself in his work while trying to forget. Meanwhile, Talia undergoes some soul-searching before going after what she wants. I loved the ending and seeing her show Liam how she feels and what is essential. Liam's "aha" moment was heartwrenching but opened his eyes to his feelings. I loved his big moment, and the epilogue showed a beautiful future for them.

As usual with the medical romances, there were several intense medical scenes. In this case, I liked the emergency they encountered on their island tour and their smooth teamwork under pressure. I also liked the detail provided on the heart surgery.

#netgalley
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scoutmomskf | Jul 28, 2021 |
Good book. Like the previous two books in the series, it takes place over the days between the auto accident that brought the Isola Verde royal family into the hospital and Christmas. This book centers on Logan Connors, the king's bodyguard, and Kat Steel, one of the ER nurses.

When Logan arrives in the ER, he makes an immediate impression on everyone around him. Thanks to his past as an army doctor, his actions saved the life of the VIP patient (most are not aware of his identity). His presence and looks earn him the nickname "Comic Book God" from many of the nurses. Kat is assigned to treat Logan's injuries, a task made more difficult by Logan's focus on his charge rather than his own well-being. I loved Kat's determination and how she finally got through to him. Underneath the practicalities, sparks of attraction flew between them.

I enjoyed the development of the relationship between Logan and Kat. The connection they felt in the ER grew stronger when Kat encountered Logan and his son Jamie the next day. Both are determined to resist it. Logan was burned in his marriage to Jamie's mother and preferred to keep his focus on Jamie. Kat was deeply hurt by her ex-fiancé and the reason he broke off their engagement. A second blow brought the end to another dream, leaving Kat determined to protect her heart. But when Logan starts his new job as one of the ER's doctors, they find it impossible to avoid each other. Add in one determined little boy who has fallen in love with Kat, and the connection between them continues to grow.

To protect their hearts, both Logan and Kat believe that they can have a holiday fling and keep their emotions out of it. The chemistry between them is intense, and there is no doubt about their physical connection. Neither expected the more profound attachment as they spent time as a family unit. I ached for Kat as Jamie wiggled his way into her heart, reminding her of the things she couldn't have. As her feelings for Logan grew, Kat dreamed of a life together but also believed that it was an impossible dream. Logan also found himself letting go of the past and thinking of a future with Kat. I loved his reaction when she told him about her ex. I hurt for them both when Kat pushed Logan away because of her fears. The ending was perfectly done, with Jamie playing a big part in showing Kat that they all belong together.

Something that got my attention throughout the book was some of the language. The book takes place in the US, with American characters, yet British terminology crept in. Kat wore a jumper, not a sweater; it was a doctor's shout in the ER, not his turn; and things were sorted rather than organized. It's not a detriment to the book, just something that would briefly draw my attention from the story itself.
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scoutmomskf | Dec 18, 2020 |
Good book. This is a companion to the book Second Chance with His Army Doc. The heroine from that book, Mattie, is Hayden Brigham's sister and Bridget's best friend. Hayden and Bridget meet at a party celebrating Mattie's promotion, and the sparks between them fly fast and furious. The problem is obvious immediately - little sister's best friends and best friend's brothers are off-limits. It doesn't help that Mattie has warned them both off each other, reminding them of Hayd's reputation.

I enjoyed the development of the relationship between Bridget and Hayd. Their explosive kiss at the nightclub knocked both for a loop. Hayd has never reacted to a woman that way, preferring to keep things superficial. Thanks to his view of his parents' marriage, Hayd decided years earlier that relationships and the military don't mix. However, he can't get Bridget out of his mind. Bridget has the same problem and can't stop reliving the effect he had on her. Their second meeting is even more explosive as the sparks between them burn out of control. Both are determined that it was a one-time thing, as they will be working together.

I enjoyed their time together in Africa. Though Hayd was the one who insisted he could keep his personal and professional lives separate, he sure spent a lot of time figuring out ways to spend time with Bridget. I liked the work scenes. Bridget is an entirely different person, calm and confident in her decisions. Her love of her work and the people she helps are apparent. I liked the effect it had on Hayd as she wormed her way past his walls and into his heart. I also liked how Hayd saw Bridget for the capable woman that she was yet saw past those qualities to the vulnerable woman that she hid. Things went quite well between them until Hayd's protectiveness ran up against Bridget's fears. I hurt for Bridget and her heartache over Hayd's inability to see past what he wanted. I wanted to shake him because he couldn't see what he was doing. I loved it when he finally saw the light and decided to fight for her. The ending was terrific.

I loved the vividness of the descriptions, from the environment to the medical procedures. I could practically feel the heat and taste the dust during the trips to various camps. The medical emergencies brought home how dire the needs were and the heartbreaking fragility of life in those conditions.
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scoutmomskf | Nov 12, 2020 |
 
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izzied | Oct 29, 2020 |

Tilastot

Teokset
15
Jäseniä
30
Suosituimmuussija
#449,942
Arvio (tähdet)
½ 3.4
Kirja-arvosteluja
5
ISBN:t
68