In this latest Medical Romance by Sue MacKay, a paramedic and a doctor have no choice but to wait out a storm together when it hits. But can their moments of passion turn into forever?
It started with a storm…
Will it end in forever?
Brooke Williams is taking control of her life. The only thing this paramedic can’t control? The weather! So as her beachside break is struck by torrential rain, she finds herself helping injured residents alongside intriguing Doctor Danny Collins. Their chemistry is instant and soon they can’t resist waiting out the storm—between the sheets! But Danny’s holding something back and honesty is nonnegotiable for Brooke. Dare she risk her heart for a chance at happy-ever-after?
Will the trauma surgeon be able to convince his estranged wife to start over again? Find out in the gripping final installment of the Bondi Beach Medics quartet by Emily Forbes.
One chance… …to win back his wife!
Locking eyes over a patient isn’t how ER doctor Lily expected to be reunited with her estranged husband, Otto. Two years ago, she lost their baby and fled to Sydney, unable to share her grief. And as far as Lily’s concerned, their marriage is all but over. Yet trauma surgeon Otto is ready to fight for their relationship. Now he has three months to convince Lily they can make a fresh start…
From Harlequin Medical: Life and love in the world of modern medicine.
Bondi Beach Medics
Book 1: Rescuing the Paramedic’s Heart Book 2: A Gift to Change His Life Book 3: The Perfect Mother for His Son Book 4: Marriage Reunion in the ER
Will one stolen kiss with the single dad doc be enough to melt the GP trainee’s resistance? Find out in the latest Medical Romance by JC Harroway.
Her plan is simple: Fight temptation!
GP trainee Stella Wright left the idyllic Cotswold village she grew up in, never planning to return…especially not to train at the local practice under Dr. Aaron Bennett. Now, being back is the least of her problems! Aaron is stoic, sexy and a single father, exactly the type of man Stella refuses to get involved with again. Only, one stolen kiss is enough to drive all efforts of resistance from her mind!
In this emotional read by award-winning author Marion Lennox, the nurse’s courage might just be enough to save them both!
The courage to say “I do”
Could save them both…
With a heavy heart, Sydney surgeon Rab tells residents that Cockatoo Valley must be sold. He can only inherit the land if he marries within six weeks. To save the town and the hospital that has become her sanctuary, scarred nurse Mia courageously offers to marry him for just one year! Until Rab’s kind eyes and heart-lifting smile make her dare to wish that one year could be the beginning of a lifetime together…
All they needed was his arrival…they just don’t know it yet! Join this newfound family in paradise in the latest heartwarming read by Tina Beckett.
His arrival… …makes paradise perfect!
Single mom and nurse Rachel Palmer is certain life couldn’t have any obstacles left to throw at her…until she is unexpectedly forced to work with ex-fling, Dr. Sebastien Deslaurier, again! Under pressure, there’s no time to think about the mutual passion that should have stayed in their past. But when Rachel watches Seb become the father figure her daughter never had, will she start thinking about their future—as a family?
What happens when sparks begin to fly on the dance floor between a firefighter and her best friend? Find out in the latest Medical Romance by Louisa Heaton.
Can a fake date—
change everything?
Paramedic and single dad Tom is gorgeous, but to Cara, he’s simply her best friend. So when she needs a pretend date for her meddling father’s fundraising ball, Cara knows exactly who to call! Yet when learning to dance together in preparation, is it her imagination or is there suddenly a spark between them? Firefighter Cara knows she can’t replace the wife Tom lost, but deep down, she’s always loved him and his son. Is Tom beginning to feel the same?
Happy February and Happy Ground Hog Day for those in North America. I’m writing this as a massive snowstorm tracks across my area. Schools are closed, black ice and just BLEH. However, new releases means I can cozy up and read some great books!
Congratulations to Annie Claydon on her 35th book!
Shock #1: their baby Shock #2: his proposal! Pediatric nurse Emmy and consultant pediatrician Sam put their friendship on the line the night they just couldn’t resist their long-standing desire anymore. The resulting baby bombshell has truly turned their world upside down! Emmy’s turbulent childhood means she would do anything to ensure her baby’s happiness. Still, she doesn’t expect Sam to propose! Can Emmy risk a convenient marriage when all she wants is a real happily-ever-after with him?
The only thing that can heal them? Each other! The day they lost their son, veterinary nurse Bex’s and vet Ethan’s worlds were left shattered. Struggling to cope, their marriage fell apart. Now, five years later, Ethan is back in Bex’s life…to treat a critically ill horse in her care. Being in each other’s company again reminds Bex of every single thing that she loved about Ethan. But will it prove they are meant to be together—forever?
A doctor and his son… …could she be the nurse to complete this family? Pediatric nurse Daisy has never reacted to anyone the way she does to new doctor Ajay. She’s stunned by their outrageous chemistry—and the way he instinctively understands her on a level she’s never experienced before. It has perfectionist Daisy throwing her usual checklist straight out the window! Are this single dad and his adorable son the ready-made family she’s never allowed herself to want?
Bondi Beach Medics quartet Book 1 – Rescuing the Paramedic’s Heart Book 2 – A Gift to Change His Life Book 3 – The Perfect Mother for His Son Look out for the next book Coming soon
Special delivery… …for the midwife! Midwife Georgie loves her job. But the belief that she’ll never hold a baby of her own makes her life on the maternity ward bittersweet. So, while the arrival of obstetrician Dan is a distraction Georgie isn’t looking for…it’s exactly the distraction she needs. After a difficult delivery, they find comfort in each other’s arms. Yet just as they try to dial their relationship back to purely professional, Georgie discovers the incredible consequences of their night!
Can a charity car rally… …drive these exes back together? A week with an ex sounds like a nightmare, but it’s Dr. Emma’s reality when her partner in a charity classic car rally bails last minute. Now, with surgeon Josh acting as her replacement navigator, the confined space forces them to confront just what went wrong between them. And as tensions mount, so does the temptation to start right where they left off!
Miracle Medics duet Book 1 – How to Heal the Surgeon’s Heart by Ann McIntosh Book 2 – Risking It All for a Second Chance by Annie Claydon
Is this surgeon ready… …for another chance at happiness? For billionaire Dr. David, his transplant foundation means everything. It’s how he battles against the painful past that torments him. But when a special case brings him together with nurse Valerie, she has his attention—and his heart pounding… Trust isn’t something that comes easily to either of them, but a secret romance to explore their mutual attraction could be the perfect place to start!
Miracle Medics duet Book 1 – How to Heal the Surgeon’s Heart by Ann McIntosh Book 2 – Risking It All for a Second Chance by Annie Claydon
Halloween is over and winter in Canada is starting to get ready to come. As I’m typing this, I’m getting alerts that it may snow this week. Sigh.
So, to ignore the threat of looming snow, we have brand new releases for you to enjoy.
We also have a couple of milestones to celebrate! Congrats to Traci Douglass on her 10th book Costa Rican Fling with the Doc! Congrats to Emily Forbes on her 35th book A Gift to Change His Life!
Has the boy who broke her heart… Become the man to mend it? Widowed nurse Shona has returned to the safety and familiarity of her Scottish childhood home. Getting roped into playing Chief Elf to lifeboat crew leader Alasdair’s Santa wasn’t part of the plan, but his delicious smile has the power to tempt her out of her comfort zone… She still hasn’t forgiven the reformed bad boy for once breaking her heart—could he now be the one to rebuild it?
Can their heartbreak… …lead to wedding bells? Best friends pediatric nurse Maisie Rogers and policeman Zac Lowe have always been there for each other. But since they’ve moved back to Queenstown, something’s changed—their connection has become supercharged! They’ve both come home to heal, but Maisie is wary of risking her heart after her divorce. So it’s up to Zac to convince her that happiness is just a short walk down the aisle with the man who has forever been by her side… A Queenstown Search & Rescue novel Queenstown Search & Rescue trilogy Book 1 – Captivated by Her Runaway Doc Book 2 – A Single Dad to Rescue Her Book 3 – From Best Friends to I Do?
From first love in London… …to forever in New York? When London-based doctor Scott learns he’ll be joining Brooklyn Heights Hospital’s team in New York, just for Christmas, his first thought is nurse Felicity, the woman he almost found forever with—until a tragedy ripped their relationship apart… Now Scott’s back in Felicity’s city and in her hospital. Can he, with the help of a little festive magic, win back a place in her heart, too? A The Christmas Project novel
The Christmas Project quartet Book 1 – Christmas Miracle in Jamaica by Ann McIntosh Book 2 – December Reunion in Central Park by Deanne Anders And look out for the next books, coming soon: Book 3 – Winter Nights with the Single Dad by Allie Kincheloe Book 4 – A Festive Fling in Stockholm by Scarlet Wilson
For single mom Sara, life has been all about raising her now adult son. But volunteering for a medical charity in Costa Rica is finally the nurse’s chance to focus on her passions. Only, her guarded new boss, Gabe, stirs something deep in her that she’d thought long forgotten… And as the devastatingly handsome doctor sends all her senses into overdrive, for once sensible Sara can’t help wondering—what if they didn’t resist temptation?
’Tis the season For surprises! One unforgettable night with surgeon Sam Powell signaled a newfound independence for freshly divorced neurologist Chloe Bailey. She never thought she’d see Sam again, until a new assignment takes her to stunning Jamaica for Christmas and Sam is there, too! But when Chloe discovers she’s pregnant, it’s life-changing for both of them! Sam will always be the father of her baby, but is he about to become a whole lot more? A The Christmas Project novel
The Christmas Project quartet Book 1 – Christmas Miracle in Jamaica by Ann McIntosh Book 2 – December Reunion in Central Park by Deanne Anders And look out for the next books, coming soon: Book 3 – Winter Nights with the Single Dad by Allie Kincheloe Book 4 – A Festive Fling in Stockholm by Scarlet Wilson
Sun, surf… …and a seven-year-old secret! Lifeguard Jet Carlson’s heart skips a beat when paramedic Mei Chen shows up at his beachside rescue. They shared a soul-stirring connection during their teenage summer fling—and then real life beckoned. Jet doesn’t want to let her go again, but his commitment-free lifestyle means he can’t offer more. Mei makes it clear that isn’t enough—because it’s not just herself she must protect this Christmas…it’s their daughter, too! A Bondi Beach Medics novel Bondi Beach Medics quartet Book 1 – Rescuing the Paramedic’s Heart Book 2 – A Gift to Change His Life Look out for the next book, coming soon: Book 3 – The Perfect Mother for His Son
A Gift to Change His Life is my 35th book for Harlequin! It’s very exciting for me but also feels a little surreal.
I was first published in 2004 and it’s safe to say I have learnt a lot along the way and seen plenty of changes in the publishing industry. My first books were print only – no audio or ebook editions – manuscripts were printed and sent out from the UK office to me in Australia for editing and proofing and there was no such thing as an author website and now, here I am with 35 books to my name 😊
Covers have changed along the way too and a variety of themes have been popular but romance still remains a favourite genre for many readers and for that I am very grateful.
A Gift to Change His Life is Book 2 in my Bondi Medics series about the four Carlson siblings – Lily, Jet, Poppy and Daisy. They work as an ED doctor, a lifeguard, a paramedic and a paediatric nurse and live and love in beautiful Bondi.
Jet is a lifeguard on the iconic beach and living a bachelor lifestyle until the day Mei reappears:
Sun, surf…and a seven-year-old secret!
Lifeguard Jet Carlson’s heart skips a beat when paramedic Mei Chen shows up at his beachside rescue. They shared a soul-stirring connection during their teenage summer fling — and then real life beckoned…Jet doesn’t want to let her go again, but his commitment-free lifestyle means he can’t offer more. And Mei makes it clear that isn’t enough — because it’s not just herself she must protect this Christmas, it’s their daughter too!
As the world slowly comes out of the dreadful fog that was 2020 there is the hope that, with vaccinations, we will be able to go about our lives more normally very soon. In Australia we have been relatively lucky and domestic travel is opening up even while our international borders stay closed. As the northern hemisphere sees summer approaching a literary trip to Bondi Beach in Sydney might be something to enjoy.
My latest book is the first in my four-book Bondi Medics series about the Carlson siblings – Lily, Jet, Poppy and Daisy. This is Poppy’s story.
Excerpt –
CHAPTER ONE
‘Easy? Keep an eye on Backpacker’s Express, I reckon we might have trouble.’
Jet Carlson’s voice came through the radio, catching Ryder’s attention as he stood beside the lifeguard buggy. Jet was up in the circular lifeguard tower that overlooked Bondi Beach, keeping watch over the one-kilometre curve of white sand, issuing updates to the lifeguards on patrol. Ryder reached into the buggy and picked up his binoculars and scanned the beach, looking towards the troublesome rip to the south. He picked out a dark-haired man swimming alone where the first waves were breaking as the Pacific Ocean rolled into the shore.
He picked up the walkie talkie, certain he was looking at the same man Jet had spotted. ‘Copy that, Central, I see him,’ he responded.
He stood by the buggy as he kept his eyes on the swimmer. The water to the man’s left was deceptively calm between two sets of rolling waves. Ryder knew the tide was turning and the calm water indicated a passage of water flowing out to sea. If the man got any closer, he’d be pulled out to sea with the tide.
It was the danger period, after lunch on a hot Sunday. It wasn’t peak season yet; it was only the middle of spring and school hadn’t finished for the year but the beach was still busy. Holiday makers, shift workers and backpackers all flocked to Bondi at any time of the year. The tide was going out and the notorious rip was going to cause grief. Most likely to an unsuspecting tourist. No matter how hard the lifeguards tried it was impossible to get all the beachgoers to swim between the flags. Ryder knew it was sometimes because they didn’t understand English or the dangers or where to swim, at other times they just chose to ignore the lifeguards and the risks, thinking their swimming ability was better than it was or that the warnings were some kind of joke or scaremongering tactics and the treacherous conditions wouldn’t affect them. It didn’t help matters that the main access point to the beach was closest to the dangerous southern end. But no matter what the reason was for swimmers ending up in the wrong place, the lifeguards’ job was to look after them all. The drunk, the ignorant, the stubborn, the unlucky.
Life was precious and Ryder felt a strong sense of responsibility and, at the end of the day, a strong sense of satisfaction in a job well done whether that had been saving a life or just preventing a disaster. Not every day brought an emergency although there was always some excitement but a quiet day on the beach was preferable to one filled with drama. Either way he enjoyed the work. It was interesting and varied and he met people from all over the world and from all walks of life and he reckoned that would hold him in good stead for his future career as a psychologist. If he could cope with the Bondi beachgoers, he could cope with anything.
He hadn’t worked at Bondi for long. It had only been a couple of months since he’d been offered a position and had become one of several lifeguards employed by the local council to patrol the popular beach three hundred and sixty-five days of the year. It was a highly coveted job and usually went to qualified Sydneysiders who had grown up surfing the waves at the local beaches and had years of experience of the conditions. He’d had years of experience as a surfer and as a lifeguard at Cottesloe Beach in Western Australia but that was on the opposite side of the country, on the shores of the Indian Ocean. But the Pacific Ocean was familiar to him – he’d spent his childhood surfing the breaks at Byron Bay on the coast north of Bondi. The ocean on Australia’s east coast had been home to him until one fateful day, just before his eighteenth birthday, when he’d been uprooted from everything that was special to him and moved thousands of kilometres away to the other side of the continent.
Eventually he’d settled in his new home and when he’d arrived in Bondi, part way through his transcontinental road trip, he hadn’t planned on staying but he’d been offered a temporary position and it had been too good to refuse.
He was happy with temporary, he knew he couldn’t stay forever, he was needed back west, but for the moment this was good. Casual work would allow him to extend his break and make sure he was refreshed and energised when he went home.
It was a perfect situation, he thought as he had a quick glance along the beach, trying to figure out if there was anyone else keeping an eye on the man he had under watch. Was anyone else aware of his position? In situations like this it could be helpful to speak to someone who knew the swimmer. It could help determine how competent they were in the water. But he didn’t really need confirmation, he’d bet his next pay check on the fact that this guy wasn’t a strong swimmer. He could see him pushing off the bottom, not wanting to get out of his depth, but the outgoing tide was already taking him further from the beach and the minute he got washed off the sandbar he’d be in deep water.
As Ryder watched a wave broke over the man’s head, submerging him. That second or two when he went under was long enough to make him lose his footing. As he surfaced, he was swept into the channel and away from the beach.
He was in trouble.
‘Easy?’ Jet’s voice came through the radio, using Ryder’s nick name.
‘I’m on it.’ Ryder leapt out of the buggy, whipped off his distinctive blue lifeguard shirt, grabbed the rescue board from the rack on the side of the all-terrain vehicle and sprinted into the surf. He threw his board in front of him and dived onto it. He paddled strongly out past the small waves that were crashing onto the shore, past the swimmers who were oblivious to the drama unfolding a few metres off the beach, past the break.
He scanned the sea as pulled his board through the water and caught a brief glimpse of the man’s head as it appeared behind a wave before he lost sight of him again. He dug deep, paddling harder, knowing time was of the essence. His shoulder muscles bunched and already he could feel the burn but he was used to that. He was breathing deeply, his lungs straining and he could feel his heart racing but he wouldn’t stop. He was getting close now.
He crested a small wave just in time to see the man go under again.
Two more strokes.
He reached over the side of the board, plunging his arm into the water up to his elbow. He scooped his arm through the water but came up empty. He could see the man’s dark hair. He leaned over further, plunging his whole arm into the ocean, the sea reaching to his armpit, and this time his fingers grabbed hold of the man’s head. He pulled him to the surface by a fistful of hair. He knew it would hurt but having your hair pulled was a small price to pay in exchange for your life.
He dragged the man from the water, holding him by one arm. He wasn’t breathing. Ryder needed to get him securely onto the rescue board and back to shore. The man was of slight build and probably weighed no more than seventy kilograms. Ryder was six foot three inches tall, fit and strong, a muscular ninety kilograms with no excess weight but even so, he strained with the effort of pulling a dead weight out of the water. He grabbed his patient under his armpits and hauled him up, draping him across the board. He pulled his legs out of the ocean and waited to see if he would start breathing on his own.
The man coughed twice, expelling sea water, and began breathing. Now Ryder just had to get him back to the beach.
He got the man balanced, getting him to lie on his stomach in front of him. It was a long paddle back to shore and he didn’t want the board tipping. He didn’t want to lose his patient and have to go through the process of getting him out of the water a second time.
*
Poppy changed into her swimming costume, shorts and a t-shirt as Lily left for work. She’d go to the beach for a quick swim she decided, say hi to her brother and then come back and make a start on dinner.
She checked her phone for what felt like the hundredth time as she slid her feet into her flip flops. Still nothing. She tossed it back on the bed. She wouldn’t take it to the beach, she wasn’t planning to be gone for long, if Craig called while she was out she’d call him back later.
She left her car parked on the road in front of the house and walked down Edward Street towards the beach. After consecutive six-hour days in the car driving from Brisbane to Sydney she needed to stretch her legs and the fifteen-minute walk to Campbell Parade would help to clear the cobwebs.
She turned onto the pedestrian path and walked along the Promenade past the skate park and the mural wall towards the Lifeguard Tower.
She stopped before she reached the tower and lent on the railing and looked out over the beach. The sun was behind her and the sea shone in the afternoon light. The sand was crisp and white and, despite the fact that it was not yet the summer holidays the beach was busy. She took a deep breath, filling her lungs with the sea air and stood for a moment enjoying the feeling of warm sun on her skin as she watched the water.
The waves were small but she could spot the rips, the deceptive smooth waters between breaking waves. She had years of experience as a surfer, growing up in Byron Bay she and her siblings had learned to surf almost before they could walk, but she could see why the tourists and the locals who weren’t familiar with the ocean could be fooled into thinking the rips were safe spots to swim.
She turned to the south to see if she could pick out Lily’s house perched on the cliff before she spun on her heels and headed for the circular lifeguard tower. She knocked on the blue door and waited, if Jet wasn’t in there someone would be able to tell her where he was.
‘Poppy! You’re here.’ Jet grinned as he swung the door open. His welcoming smile was wide, his perfect teeth white and even in his tanned face. His blonde hair was pulled back into a messy man bun but that was all Poppy had time to absorb before he stepped out of the tower and wrapped her up in a tight hug. He stood well over six feet tall, and even with his slim but muscular athlete’s build he managed to make her feel small. She was five feet seven inches, not short for a girl, but Jet made her feel petite.
He released her and dragged her into the tower where he introduced her to the other lifeguards.
‘Guys, this is my little sister, Poppy. Poppy met the guys – Gibbo, Bluey and Dutchy.’
Poppy smiled at Jet’s use of the guys’ nicknames.
‘Are you going to hang around here for a while?’ he asked as Poppy finished saying hello.
‘No, I just wanted to say hi. I’m going to have a swim and then head home. I hear you’re coming for dinner.’
Jet nodded and looked as if he was about to say something else when the radio on the desk crackled into life.
‘Central, this is Easy, we’ve got a problem down here, south of the flags.’
He held up one hand in Poppy’s direction, asking her to wait as he grabbed the radio. ‘Go ahead, Ryder.’
‘The tourist I pulled from Backpacker’s, he’s not looking great. I’m bringing him back to the tower for an assessment.’
Poppy’s ears pricked up as she listened to the exchange. Ryder was an unusual name. She’d only ever known one and he had been Jet’s best friend when they were at high school. He’d also been her first crush. But the Ryder she knew had moved away when he was seventeen, breaking her young, impressionable heart in the process – although she’d kept that to herself – and she hadn’t seen him since.
It couldn’t be him though, could it? Surely Jet would have said something.
‘Ryder?’ she said as Jet put the radio down.
‘Yeah, Ryder Evans, you remember him?’
Of course, she remembered him.
She could feel herself colouring as she thought about the last time she’d seen him. She hoped Jet didn’t notice the blush she could feel creeping up her neck.
She nodded. ‘You never told me he was in Sydney.’
‘Didn’t I?’ Jet shrugged. ‘Probably figured you wouldn’t care, you haven’t seen him for the best part of twelve years,’ he said over his shoulder as he went to open the door to the tower.
He had a point. He wouldn’t think it was important. It wasn’t important really, although that didn’t stop a frisson of nervousness from shooting through her at the thought of seeing him again. She hadn’t thought about him for years, had finally let the idea of him go, yet at the mere mention of his name all the old feelings rose to the surface along with all the memories of how much he’d meant to her teenage self. She could instantly recall all her teenage fantasies and the memories made her blush.
The lifeguard buggy pulled to a stop at the bottom of the metal stairs that led from the sand to the tower and Poppy’s jaw dropped as a lifeguard jumped out. Tall and muscular, tanned and fit.
Was that Ryder?
She managed to close her mouth as she watched him help his patient out of the buggy and up the stairs.
She hung back, out of the way, as Ryder got the man into the tower and onto the treatment plinth. Jet went to assist, instructing Bluey to keep an eye on the beach. Poppy stayed near the desk by the windows, the lifeguards had a job to do and she didn’t want to be a nuisance but staying out of the way also gave her a chance to check Ryder out unobserved. She knew he hadn’t noticed her; he was too focussed on his patient.
The last time she’d seen him there had been a hint of the man he would become, of the man waiting to emerge, but he’d still been a gangly teenager. He’d been tall but he’d yet to have a fast growth spurt or develop the muscle definition that would come with young adulthood. But all traces of adolescence had disappeared now. Now there was no hiding the man. And no ignoring the feeling of warmth that was spreading through her belly and into her groin. Poppy leant on the desk, taking the weight off her suddenly shaky legs.
Fortunately Ryder had his back to her and wouldn’t be aware of her reaction but she was very aware of him.
He’d grown even taller and he’d definitely filled out. He’d developed muscles where he hadn’t had them before. He wore only a pair of black boardshorts with “Lifeguard” emblazoned across his hips and she had plenty of opportunity to admire the view of sculpted muscles and smooth tanned skin. His shoulders were broad, his biceps bulging, his waist narrow. He looked fit. He looked healthy. He looked magnificent.
She ran her gaze up the length of his spine and up his neck. She could see where the knobs of his vertebrae disappeared into his hair. He’d always had amazing hair, dark blond and thick, and at almost twenty-nine years of age it seemed he’d lost none of it.
Her gaze traced the line of his jaw. It was strong and square. He looked good, even better than she remembered, and she felt another rush of blood to her cheeks as her heart skittered in her chest.
Her hands gripped the edge of the desk as she observed him, keeping her fixed in place and she wondered at the involuntary response. Was she stopping herself from crossing the room? While her rational mind might tell her that Ryder’s unexpected appearance was of no consequence it seemed her body had other ideas. Her palms were clammy and her mouth was dry and she suddenly felt like the sixteen-year-old schoolgirl she’d been when she’d last seen him.
When she had kissed him.
And he had kissed her back.
She knew from talking to her girlfriends that first kisses often weren’t anywhere near as fabulous as they’d dreamed about but the kiss she and Ryder had shared had been everything she’d hoped for and more. It had been the biggest moment of her young life. It had changed her life.
She’d fallen in love.
First love.
She had only been a teenager but that didn’t make it any less real, any less all encompassing, any less all consuming.
And it hadn’t made it any less painful when he’d walked out of her life.
March is finally here! And with March we have a batch of new releases, including a very special final one. Meredith Webber is retiring from writing and her final medical romance is being published this month.
Congratulations Meredith on your retirement and thank you for so many years of amazing stories.
Crashing an ultralight, in the middle of the bush, was not part of the plan for vet Campbell. Neither was being rescued by local GP Lauren! The pull Campbell feels to Lauren is unrivaled…and, as they get to know each other under the starlit Australian sky, he finds himself wanting more. But with a bruised heart and a daughter to think of, love can’t be in the cards, can it?
After inheriting half a Dorset veterinary practice, single mom Jodie is dismayed to discover Cole Crawford is her new partner. The renowned vet and animal behaviorist ended their intense love affair twelve years ago. Cole is determined to prove he’s changed, but Jodie has to protect her heart—and her little girl—from further heartbreak. Only, walking away from their practice would be nothing compared to walking away from their reignited chemistry!
Single dad Dr. Benjamin hasn’t forgotten the woman whose life he once saved. And compelled by the knowledge that, while he couldn’t save his wife, Dr. Arianna is alive and well, Ben travels to a Greek island to see her. He never imagined the sense of homecoming he’d see reflected in Arianna’s eyes, or that their enduring connection would make a fling irresistible. So is a future together impossible…?
Dr. Regina Montgomery’s temporary job in Miami is a chance to refocus on her goal of becoming chief of medicine. But she’s unprepared for her former resident, Dr. Mateo Herrera, to be working in the same hospital. When Mateo makes it clear he wants her…the term night shift takes on a whole new meaning! But Mateo’s family needs him, and Regina has fought long and hard for her career back in California…
Paramedic Poppy is back in Sydney. Her first stop? Bondi Beach’s surf and sand! There’s just the small matter of bumping into the bay’s newest elite lifeguard—Ryder Evans, her first love, who was forced to move away…taking a piece of Poppy’s heart with him. If she wants him back, she must be bold enough to let gorgeous Ryder show her what she’s been missing.
Dana Warren almost doesn’t recognize the man Dr. Travis Russell has become. He’s far from the carefree guy she once spent an unforgettable summer with years ago as they trained to save lives and fight wildfires. Now an experienced smoke jumper, Dana must take the guarded doc through stunning but dangerous wilderness to reach a vulnerable patient—and take care not to lose her own scarred heart along the way…
It doesn’t seem ten minutes, since we were talking about names and sorting through images for our blog. After weeks of preparation, Love is the Best Medicine went live in February 2012.
Since then we’ve posted 999 blogs (this is the magic 1,000th) and written over half a million words (577,805, if anyone’s counting). And we’ve posted so many photos that we almost broke the site at one point!
We can’t thank you enough for being with us on this journey, we’ve had thousands of comments and countless views, and each one of them is important to us. Those views have come from 170 different countries, and so what better way to celebrate our 1,000th post than to ask our authors to send a postcard from places they’ve visited in their books.
Princess Viktoria made a promise: do her duty and marry a duke. But she wants one final adventure first! So she welcomes the freedom that working incognito at the Legion’s Games gives her. There’s only one tall, dark and brooding problem—surgeon and medical team leader Campbell Hamilton. Because the delicious-yet-damaged army doc leaves Viktoria wondering if the adventure she really wants is forever with the man she’s falling for…
Pediatrician Lyric is looking for a fresh start. For her and her orphaned niece. And New Mercy Hospital is just the place. There’s just one problem: her colleague Dr. Ellis Rohal! It’s impossible to ignore their instant connection…or how nice it is to talk to someone who understands her past pain. Still, she must keep her distance. She can’t put her heart on the line again. Can she?
Only one surgeon can save her patient— The one she left behind.
Pearl Henderson and Calum Munro were best friends, too focused on becoming orthopedic surgeons for a relationship—until one night led to an unexpected pregnancy. But when they tragically lost their unborn baby, Pearl ran, the guilt too hard to bear. Returning to San Francisco for a high-profile case proves time’s a powerful healer. But it’s also intensified her attraction to the man she had never wanted to leave…
Neurosurgeon Josh O’Connor’s isolated island hideaway is on lockdown, but nothing will stop him entering a raging cyclone to rescue mom-to-be midwife Hannah Byrne. Hannah hasn’t found happiness since leaving her beloved Irish village. Yet stepping into Josh’s warm house, she starts to feel she might finally have found a home—for her and her unborn baby. Might Josh’s rescuing Hannah from the storm change both their lives for the better?
Nurse Macie Beck never imagined she would see Dr. Landon Cochran again—especially in her small Pacific island hospital. But the shock of his arrival is overtaken by their obvious and unresolved chemistry… As they are forced to work with each other, memories of the past blur their professional boundaries. Keeping things strictly business becomes impossible…and they find themselves wondering if this might be their opportunity for a second chance together!
Ex-army doc Jacob Peterson is still adjusting to life as a single dad when his job is threatened by returning trauma doc Michelle Forbes. The sparks of animosity with the smart, sassy doc soon turn to attraction. But there’s room in Jacob’s life for only one girl—his daughter—and he can’t risk her heart, or his, again. Resisting his growing bond with Michelle will be the fight of his life!
Two more recommendations from our Medical Romance authors, who have sorted through their backlists to recommend their favourite escape stories. Enjoy!
Taming Her Hollywood Playboy, by Emily Forbes
Redeemed…
…by his fake fiancee! Hired as the on-set paramedic on Hollywood actor Oliver Harding’s latest film, Kat Angelis finds herself equally as charmed by his off-screen persona. And when his playboy reputation threatens his hard-earned career, she’s the first person Oliver turns to – to pose as his fiancée! Kat’s warm personality and commitment to her family opens Oliver up to something he’s never had. Is this girl from the outback the key to unlocking his heart?
Why recommend? I think this book might be the perfect antidote to being stuck indoors – it will take you to the Australian outback where there are no nasty viruses lurking!
It is set in Coober Pedy, South Australia in the middle of the red desert where my hero, Hollywood actor, Oliver Harding has been sent in order to keep him out of trouble. Needless to say – it doesn’t work!
English Rose for the Sicilian Doc, by Annie Claydon
Uncovering a sizzling attraction…
Burned in love, Dr Matteo Di Salvo knows he should stay away from single mother, Rose Palmer. But as he gets to know the beautiful English archaeologist, he longs to chase the shadows from her eyes…
Rose is drawn to the handsome radiologist, though after her disastrous marriage, getting emotionally entangled is out of the question! But as the sun-drenched island of Sicily works its magic, she wonders if she’s finally found a man she can trust…with her heart and her son.
Why Recommend? The book features a beach, a handsome doctor, a vineyard and a hot spring – along with an archaeological mystery, solved by modern medical knowledge.
Between her job with Queen Victoria’s Air Ambulance and raising her three-year-old daughter, midwife Chloe Larson’s too busy to find love. Only maybe love has found her… Xander Jameson—the gorgeous Australian doctor she had a fling with and who disappeared without a trace—has joined her team! The attraction is definitely still there. But first, Chloe must tell Xander he’s a father.
Excerpt
The barman served Chloe’s gin, placing it on the bar. She couldn’t believe Xander had remembered her favourite drink and the idea that he had pleased her.
Xander picked up her glass and put it in front of her. His leg brushed against hers and the contact made her jump. It was nothing really, his knee just brushed the outside of her thigh but she could feel his body heat and her body responded to his touch.
She took a sip of her drink and tried to ignore the fact that his leg was still resting against hers. Sitting at the bar with Xander felt the same but different. Familiar but strange. Things had changed. At least for Chloe. She was no longer young and carefree. She was a single mother with responsibilities. But the chemistry was still there. She was still drawn to him. She longed to touch him properly, to see if her memories were real.
He was still gorgeous. Still a Norse god. His grey eyes still held a trace of melancholy. She’d always attributed that to his divorce but surely that couldn’t still be the case. He’d been divorced almost five years now. He must have put that behind him?
She forced herself to focus on the present. She couldn’t dwell in the past.
‘How long have you been living in Wales?’ she asked when she recovered her power of speech. She was desperate to know where he’d been and what he’d been doing for the past four years but she couldn’t ask such a direct question.
He frowned, his grey eyes cloudy. ‘I don’t live in Wales.’
‘Oh, I thought Rick said you had come down from Wales to cover Eloise’s sick leave.’
‘I’ve been working in Wales with their air ambulance unit but it wasn’t permanent. It was a six-month rotation. I was glad to get out of there to be honest. I didn’t mind Wales but it wasn’t the smartest move, spending winter there. I should have timed it better.’
‘And what are your plans when you finish with us?’ she asked. She needed to find out where he was going next. Did she need to tell him about Lily if he had no plans to stay in England? Was there any point in disrupting everyone’s lives? She and Lily were fine, they’d been fine for years on their own. They didn’t need Xander and he might not need them.
He might not want them.
He might not want her.
The drink he had bought her could be for old time’s sake. He wasn’t wearing a wedding ring but that didn’t mean he didn’t have a wife or significant other waiting for him somewhere.
‘I haven’t worked it out yet.’
‘Are you travelling with family?’ she asked as the barman cleared the remnants of Xander’s dinner away.
‘No. It would seem we’re both still single. What are the chances?’
‘Coincidence?’ She said with a smile.
‘I don’t believe in coincidences.’
‘Me either.’
He was holding her gaze and she was lost. She couldn’t think. She could only feel.
He reached for her and the clocks stopped.
He tucked a stray curl behind her ear and Chloe’s knees trembled. ‘It’s been a long time,’ he said as she held her breath. ‘It’s good to see you. Did I mention I’m staying just around the corner?’
The invitation was unspoken but there was no mistaking it. But she couldn’t accept. She had to get home. To her daughter. Their daughter.
‘You did.’
‘Would you like to come back for a coffee?’
Chloe smiled. ‘You know I don’t drink coffee at night.’ She wondered if he remembered that too.
‘I do.’
Her smile got wider. ‘Will you take a raincheck? I’m on an early tomorrow.’
He nodded as she slid off the barstool and picked up her coat. She needed to get out of there while she still could. Before she made a hasty, hormonal decision that she would more than likely regret when her head overtook her heart again.
‘I’ll walk you out to a cab.’
‘It’s ok, I’m taking the Tube.’
Xander shook his head. ‘No, it’s late. That doesn’t sound safe.’
‘I do it all the time after work.’
‘Really?’
She nodded as he held the door for her.
She stopped on the footpath, reluctant to walk away but knowing she had to go. A cab pulled up on the street beside them.
‘Please, let me pay for a cab,’ Xander offered. ‘I’ll feel better.’ He reached out and opened the door, ensuring the cabbie couldn’t drive away, but then he took her hand, holding her back before she could step inside.
She turned to him. Instinctively. Her breath caught in her throat as he stroked the palm of her hand with his thumb. She was pinned by the force of his grey eyes. Held immobile by the intensity of his gaze. She couldn’t breathe. The air was thick with tension. Her mouth was dry, her skin warm, her cheeks flushed. Her heart was beating quickly and her stomach was fluttering.
‘Are you sure you have to go?’
She nodded.
He bent his head until his mouth was next to her ear. His breath was warm on her cheek as he repeated her earlier words back to her. ‘Are you sure you don’t want to find out what happens next?’
She knew what was coming and she was powerless to resist. She didn’t want to resist. She turned her face towards him and whispered. ‘I know what happens next.’ And then his lips were on hers. Warm, soft. Then harder.
She parted her lips and tasted him. He tasted familiar. He tasted sweet.
Her body remembered his touch. Her skin remembered the softness of his mouth. Her tongue remembered his taste.
The years fell away as the memory of him returned.
Xander’s fingers were on her face, on her bare arms, her skin was on fire and she melted against him as her body responded to his touch. She was aware of nothing else except the sensation of being fully alive. She wanted for nothing except Xander.
One hand was pressed to her spine, holding her close and she could feel the heat of his palm through the thin fabric of her shirt. She felt her nipples harden as she pressed herself against his chest instead as she kissed him back. All her senses came to life and a line of fire spread from her stomach to her groin. She deepened the kiss, wanting to lose herself in Xander.
‘Do you want the cab or not?’
She jumped as the cab driver’s voice interrupted their moment. Her eyes flew open as Xander straightened up. He was studying her face as if committing each of her features to memory.
He smiled as his fingers trailed down the side of her cheek sending a shiver of desire through her. Her heart was racing in her chest and her breaths were shallow.
‘Are you sure you don’t want to come back to my apartment?’
She hesitated. The kiss was wonderful. Magical. She felt as if time had stood still and brought her back to Xander, back into his arms but she couldn’t stay with him. She had responsibilities.
‘I can’t,’ she said as she stepped back, breaking their connection. ‘You promised me a rain check, remember?’
She waited for him to agree before she made herself get into the taxi. Made herself leave him.
He closed the door and blew her a kiss.
Chloe gave the driver her address but scarcely recalled getting home. Her world suddenly felt full of possibility but she needed to be sensible. She needed to be careful not to get carried away.
Last time she got carried away she’d wound up pregnant.
Book 1 — Cinderella and the Surgeon by Scarlet Wilson
Book 2 — Miracle Baby for the Midwife by Tina Beckett
Book 3 — Reunited by Their Secret Daughter by Emily Forbes
Book 4 — A Fling to Steal Her Heart by Sue MacKay
Uncovering a sizzling attraction…
Love is the Best Medicine 