Family of Three Under the Tree - Traci Douglass (HMED #1432 - Dec 2024)

Series: Wyckford General Hospital (Book 4)
 
AN UNEXPECTED GIFT IN THEIR STOCKING
 
Radiologist Riley isn't interested in romance. After an accident left her in a wheelchair, she'll prove she doesn't need anyone's help -- especially neurosurgeon Sam's. But despite his being infuriatingly gorgeous, she can't knock her new research partner's commitment to their study. Single dad Sam's still fighting his grief and is hell-bent on curing the disease that stole his wife. Yet he can't stop thinking about Riley…or the way his little girl lights up around her. With their undeniable attraction growing, could a family of three top their Christmas lists?
 
Good book about two people whose pasts have made them resistant to romance. Riley is an independent woman who vehemently insists she doesn't need to depend on anyone else for help after an accident left her in a wheelchair. I found her a little abrasive at times when she rejected well-meaning offers of assistance, but I also understood her frustration at being treated as helpless by some. Riley has a job she loves as a radiologist and family and friends she loves. She doesn't understand her sudden fascination with her coworker, Sam.
 
Sam is a single father who moved to Wyckford after his wife's death, looking for a new start. He is still grieving for his wife and is determined to continue searching for a cure for the disease that killed her. He's closed off his emotions to anyone other than his daughter, Ivy, to protect his heart from more pain. He doesn't understand why Riley suddenly pops into his mind so often.
 
With Sam's daughter, Ivy, and Riley's niece, Adi, being best friends, Sam and Riley suddenly find themselves spending more time together. The sparks between them intensify, but they try to ignore them. Seeing them try to convince themselves they weren't falling for each other was funny and frustrating. Their feelings for each other grow, but Riley's pride and Sam's fears keep them from embracing those feelings. It takes a near tragedy for them to put the past behind them and look to a future together. 

 
 

A Puppy on the 34th Ward - Juliette Hyland (HMED #1352 - Nov 2023)

Series: Boston Christmas Miracles (Book 2)
 
Can one man -- and a pup…restore her faith in love?
 
Jilted on her honeymoon, Bryn Bedford is forgoing men for woman's best friend: her therapy dog, Honey. Healing little patients on Ward 34 is the distraction she needs this Christmas. Gorgeous new pediatrician Nick Walker is not! But Nick playing Santa melts her frozen heart. Honey clearly trusts Nick… Will Bryn ever believe he's the real deal?
 
Terrific, emotional story. Bryn is a therapist at her Boston hospital. She takes her therapy dog, Honey, around the children's ward, where she cheers up the young patients. Bryn can use all the cheer she can get as she recovers from her husband leaving her two days after their marriage.
 
Nick is the new pediatrician on staff. Nick grew up in a military family, accustomed to moving every two years. As an adult, he has continued to move frequently, unable to settle in one place.
 
Both Nick and Bryn broke my heart. Bryn grew up with an absent father and a mother who would do anything to get the man to stay with them. Early in life, Bryn learned how to not rock the boat and to avoid arguments. She is adept at reading emotions, which comes in handy in her therapy work. Her ex was selfish, only interested in appearances and how things affected him.
 
Nick's parents were career-focused. He spent much of his time growing up alone, even amid his family. He was expected to follow in his father's footsteps like his siblings did. When he forged his own path, he felt like an outsider in his own family. He doesn't form close connections with anyone.
 
Bryn and Nick met on his first day at the hospital, where he went from "dogs don't belong in a hospital" to understanding Honey's importance with just a few observed interactions. Neither he nor Bryn expected the instant connection they felt. Each is determined to protect their hearts, so they begin their acquaintance as friends. Bryn will introduce him to Boston life, and Nick will help Bryn get back into the nursing career she gave up after her divorce. I loved watching them get to know each other. Nick finds himself in the unusual position of wanting to spend time with Bryn. Her big heart draws him in and makes him think about not moving on.
 
Bryn is equally drawn to Nick. His easy ways with his little patients win her heart. As she learns more about his background, her heart hurts for his estrangement from his family. I loved seeing her share her holiday spirit with him. Knowing that he plans to leave after a certain period, she tries to keep her heart safe, but it doesn't take long for her to fall for him.
 
Both have baggage that keeps them from opening their hearts that last little bit that would give them the future they both yearn for. It all comes to a head when Bryn wants to help a young patient and her mother but needs the contacts to succeed. Nick could help if he could get past his issues with his father, but he's reluctant to face that pain. I loved Nick's "aha" moment and what he did with it. The ending was a roller coaster of emotions with the perfect conclusion.

I loved Honey, the dog. She is so sweet with the children. I laughed to see people's reactions to her costumes. 

 
 

Tourist Season - Brenda Novak (Mira - Apr 2024)

A summer by the ocean promises new beginnings -- until old secrets resurface.
 
Ismay Chalmers is ready for a relaxing summer reconnecting with her fiancé at his family's luxurious beachfront cottage. But before Remy can join her, a hurricane bears down on Mariners Island. Alone in the large house, Ismay makes a disturbing discovery in Remy's childhood closet. She's not sure what to make of it, but is relieved when the property's caretaker, Bo, checks in on her.
 
Bo's home is damaged, so they temporarily shelter together, and Ismay is comforted by his quiet strength. But the unannounced arrival of a family member puts Bo back at his place and changes Ismay's summer into something other than what she wants -- or ever expected. With so many reasons to feel unsettled, Ismay finds herself turning to Bo, who gives her more than a sense of security; there's something about him that makes her feel alive, stirring her to wonder what life might be like if she chose a different path…
 
As Ismay grows closer to Bo, she begins to hope the reclusive caretaker might eventually let down his guard. But when she finds out that he has secrets, too, she begins to question how well she knows any of the men in her life -- and how well she can trust her own heart.
 
Good romance with a bit of suspense mixed in to make things interesting. Ismay and Remy have been a couple for three years and living together for two of them. They met at college, where Ismay was studying to be a lawyer while Remy attended medical school. At the beginning of this book, Ismay graduated and passed her exam, and Remy is studying for his finals. They plan to take the summer off to spend time with each other and rejuvenate their relationship, which has suffered under the stress of their studies. Ismay has arrived at Remy's family beachfront cottage on Mariner's Island, where she will hang out until Remy can join her.
 
Shortly after her arrival, the island is hit by a massive storm, something the farm girl from Utah has never experienced before. While searching for a flashlight or candles, she stumbles across some disturbing items in Remy's old bedroom. She's relieved when the home's caretaker, Bo, arrives to fix the generator and check on her. There is something about Bo that makes her feel safe, so when the storm damages his house, she has no problem inviting him to stay at the cottage with her. Matters become more complicated when Remy's twin brother, Bastian, shows up unexpectedly.
 
First impressions: I liked Ismay. She has worked hard to get where she is and is rightfully proud of her accomplishments. She grew up on a family farm in Utah and had a solid value system. She is kind and courteous, and I liked how she treated Bo as an equal rather than as a servant. She looks forward to spending time with Remy because she feels they have drifted apart. But after finding those things in his closet, she wonders how well she really knows him.
 
I liked Bo, too. He has had a difficult life and, as a result, keeps mostly to himself. He doesn't trust easily and is wary of Ismay when he meets her. It doesn't take him long to realize that she differs from Remy. I liked his protectiveness toward her and his neighbor, Honey. Bo also has a big secret he has been keeping from everyone, which could change how people look at him.
 
Remy and Bastian. I didn't like either one of them. Remy is focused on himself and his goals and expects Ismay to go along with them. I didn't like how he took her for granted. But in her conversations with him, I thought something else was going on. Bastian creeped me out from the moment he appeared. He is rude, crude, and far too interested in making obnoxious comments to Ismay. There is also something odd in the relationship between the two brothers.
 
Jack. Ismay's brother is going through a devastating divorce that has left him reeling. Ismay invites him to come to Mariner's Island to escape the gossip and decide what he wants to do. He has been expected to follow in his father's footsteps as a farmer but realizes that may not be what he wants from life. Jack is a nice guy and stays with Bo while on the island. I liked how he pitched in to help with the storm cleanup and how easily he made friends with Bo.
 
I liked how Ismay confided her worries to Bo. They worked together to find out the truth about the things they found. The more they learned, the more worried they became. There were several worrisome twists, and I couldn't decide who the most likely culprit was. The more time she and Bo spent together, the closer they became. This also contributes to Ismay's concern over her relationship with Remy and leads to an examination of her choices. I felt her confusion and liked seeing her take a hard look at her options. Bo's secret comes out because of Bastian's underhanded actions, straining the developing relationship between Bo and Ismay. I ached for both as they came to terms with the revelation and what it meant to them.
 
The epilogue was an excellent wrap-up to the story.  

The Single Dad Project - Naima Simone (Canary Street Press - Feb 2024)

Series: Rose Bend (Book 5)
 
He's the best mistake she ever made…
 
Back in Rose Bend after a work trip that went wrong, Florence “Flo” Dennison craves the kind of distraction only a searing fling with a gorgeous stranger can provide. And she gets it -- in an encounter hot enough to leave scars. But satisfaction turns to shock when Flo realizes her one-night stand is leading the restoration project she's been hired to photograph. And his sweet little girl has decided Flo's her new bestie…
 
Single dad and architect Adam Reed wants stability for his daughter, and he's sure that Flo -- young, ambitious, beautiful -- isn't looking for that. But when his nanny bails and Flo helps him out, it becomes impossible to keep their distance. Now, navigating tangled family ties and her own trust issues, Flo has to decide if one wild night can become so much more.
 
Good book about family, love, and facing the past. The story opens as Flo returns home after a business trip that ended badly. In need of distraction, she has a steamy and mutually anonymous one-night fling with a stranger she believes is passing through. Imagine their shock when they discover they will be working together on a restoration project. Complicating matters, Adam's five-year-old daughter, Jussy, takes an immediate liking to Flo, declaring them "best friends."
 
Neither Adam nor Flo had any intention of getting involved with each other. Adam is determined to provide stability for Jussy, which does not include getting involved in a relationship with an expiration date. Flo avoids emotional entanglements, preferring to protect her heart. But neither can deny the attraction that pulls them together.
 
I enjoyed watching Flo and Adam's relationship develop. A tentative friendship developed once they moved past that awkward first post-fling meeting. Adam started to see Flo as the warm-hearted woman she was and noticed the beneficial impact on Jussy. I liked his sensitivity to the conflicts she experienced within her family, his willingness to listen and comfort, and his support as she worked through her feelings. But he also has his own hangups that keep him from opening his heart to the possibilities of a future with her. Flo's trust issues stem from her childhood and keep her from fully believing that she is loveable enough for Adam to want her in his life.
 
The more time they spent together, the closer Flo and Adam became. I liked how they started to share their pasts and listen to each other, helping each other move past their fears and doubts. But there are still some niggling insecurities that drive a wedge between them. I liked the unexpected source of Adam's awakening and what he did about it.
 
Adam's daughter, Jussy, is a huge part of the story. She is the center of Adam's life; giving her stability is his focus. I felt his frustration over his ex-wife's neglect and his worry over its effect on Jussy and her future. Her exuberance leaps off the page, and it is easy to see how it speaks to Flo's heart.
 
Another big part of the book is Flo's relationship with her family. Though she is close to her adoptive parents and siblings, she has insecurities that cause her to hold part of herself back. Then, a blast from her past returns, and she must decide if she's ready to let go of old hurts and move forward.