It’s officially October. In my part of the US, that means cooler days, chilly evenings, spooky decor and football. While I enjoy the first three, my husband is enamored by all four! Every October 1st he pulls out all his Halloween decorations, which expands every year. He spends most of the day laying out our ever-growing collections of skeletons, blow ups and spooky decor. Then he spends the rest of the month searching for more – that he will only buy on November the 1st when it goes half off.
But October also brings American Football. My husband is a devoted Cleveland Browns fan. For those not in the know, the Browns have a storied history that involves a loyal fan base and team that rarely wins a game.
Last year that started to change. They had their first winning season in thirteen years (seriously). They even made the playoffs…where they were promptly sent home after the first game. Somehow this success is tied to our blowup Jack Skelton from A Nightmare Before Christmas, that my husband put a Browns scarf on last year. I do not understand the connection, but my husband swears it is so!
Jack Skeleton blow up wearing Browns scarf
Jack stayed up long after Halloween last year and I’ve already been warned that if the Browns go to the Super Bowl (he is ever the optimist), that Jack will be up until February.
Happy October! Here in Canada we’re gearing up for our Thanksgiving (it’s a month earlier than our American friends to the south) and Spooky Season is upon us. It’s my favourite time of the year.
We have six fabulous reads for you.
Congratulations to our milestone authors this month. Juliette Hyland with her 5th book Reawakened in the South Pole and Me (Amy Ruttan) with my 30th Falling for His Runaway Nurse.
Could a runaway bride… …be the one to tempt him? Brooding Thatcher Bell enjoys the anonymity of life as a cruise ship doctor. But when beautiful Lacey Greenwood storms into his life—wearing a wedding dress!—to take up the vacant post as nurse, he’s shocked by their instant chemistry. Lacey is obviously escaping something, and Thatcher recognizes some of the pain she’s hiding behind her dazzling smile. But as they set sail, there’s no way of running from their real and ever-growing feelings!
An antarctic adventure and a reunion of a lifetime… ER nurse Helena Mathews wants just one thing: to show her parents that she’s no longer the fragile, premature baby they cradled in the NICU. So her new South Pole–based job is the perfect way to break free! But Dr. Carter Simpson’s arrival proves that you can’t just erase the past. Her one-time best friend may have left without a trace after a life-altering discovery, but he never left Helena’s heart…
“I just want to talk.” Is he ready to hear her secret? Nurse Thurza had pictured this day thousands of times. The day that Dr. Logan would return. Still, nothing could have prepared her for the real thing… Why? Well, when a mix-up led a brokenhearted Thurza to falsely believe that he had abandoned her and their unborn babies, she said goodbye to Logan—forever. But, as their past and the truth begin to unravel, will Thurza let Logan back in?
A past kiss… …A happy-ever-after? For former army surgeon Mysti, a return to Forgotten Point was not in the cards…until a tragic accident while on duty leads her home. Her physical wounds may have healed, but it’s the invisible scars that remain. So the last thing that Mysti needs is to bump into Dr. Jesse: her unexpected new colleague and the one that got away. Now Jesse’s a single dad with his own hidden pain. Can they heal—together?
A forgotten past… An unforgettable future? In this Reunited at St. Barnabas’s Hospital story, former workaholic Dr. Gil Alexander is happy with the slower-paced life he was forced to adopt following his traumatic brain injury. The only things missing are his memories of just before the accident. But when Dr. Clemmie Francis is temporarily assigned to his rehabilitation center, he can’t shake the feeling he’s met this captivating yet cautious doctor before…and that this isn’t the first time he’s experienced their explosive chemistry! Reunited at St. Barnabas’s Hospital duet Book 1 – Twins for the Neurosurgeon by Louisa Heaton Book 2 – The Doctor’s Reunion to Remember by Annie Claydon
Two tiny heartbeats… …will change their lives forever! In this Reunited at St. Barnabas’s Hospital story, top neurosurgeons Samantha Gordon and Yanis Baptiste spend one unforgettable night together in Paris. Their reunion in London proves even more explosive when they discover Sam is pregnant with twins! Neither Sam nor Yanis is prepared for parenthood, but those two tiny heartbeats could help them find the family neither of them believed they would ever have…
Reunited at St. Barnabas’s Hospital duet Book 1 – Twins for the Neurosurgeon by Louisa Heaton Book 2 – The Doctor’s Reunion to Remember by Annie Claydon
Hello! It’s Hannah here. I’m the Assistant Editor for the Mills and Boon Medical Romance team. I’m so excited to be back on Love is the Best Medicine and to talk all things Medical Romance.
First things first! How was your summer? It’s been a busy – but exciting! – time at True Love Towers. From the Love to Write competition in search of romance writers from underrepresented ethnic backgrounds (the deadline is Monday 4th October so, aspiring authors , you still have time to submit!) to the Mills and Boon team’s return to the office, we were hit (as we always are!) by just how lucky we are to work in the world of romance.
So, as we soak-up the last of the late-September sun (after the soggiest summer ever in the UK!), we thought now was the perfect time to show that just because Autumn in fast approaching, it doesn’t mean that the chance to travel the world (through Mills and Boon Medical Romance’s latest books!) – has. Here’s your ticket to unlimited armchair travel!
Island Fling with the Surgeon by Ann McIntosh
From fake to forever?
When Dr Genevieve convinces nurse Zach to enter a fake relationship to help keep her meddling mum at bay, she’s confident there’s no danger of it turning into more. But is their ‘fake affair’ at risk of becoming all too real?
Hawaiian Medic to Rescue His Heart by Annie O’Neil
Tempting the single dad!
Firefighter and paramedic Zach is looking forward to a quieter life in Hawaii and building a brighter future for himself and his son. But his beautiful, kind, vibrant new colleague, Lulu, has the potential to derail all of his plans…
Reawakened at the South Pole by Juliette Hyland
A reunion of a lifetime!
ER Nurse Helena wants to break free from her parent’s perception of the fragile premature baby she once was. Her new, South Pole-based job is the perfect solution. But, Dr Carter’s arrival proves you can’t erase the past. He once disappeared from her life, leaving no trace, but he never left her heart…
Costa Rican Fling with the Doc by Traci Douglass
Temptation in paradise!
For single mum Sara, life has been all about raising her now adult son. But, volunteering for a medical charity in Costa Rica, it’s finally the nurse’s chance to focus on her passions. Only her guarded new boss, Gabe, sends all her senses into overdrive, for once, sensible Sara can’t help wondering – what if they didn’t resist temptation?
What destination is #1 on your bucket list? We’d love to know!
Cover of Reawakened at the South Pole By Juliette Hyland
Five medical romances, five books with my name on them! When Reawakened at the South Pole comes out on September 28th it will be my fifth medical romance, almost exactly two years to the date from when I signed my first contract. A dream come true to say the least. I loved writing Helena and Carter’s happily ever after. I know I say that about all my characters (mostly because it’s true, writing happily ever afters is the best job ever!).
It’s available for pre-order now and until September, you can enjoy this short excerpt.
“I am angry that anyone could think that you were anything less than one of the strongest people they’d ever met.”
His finger traced a line along her chin, burning her as his gaze gripped hers. “You are gorgeous, Helena.”
She let her gaze linger on his face. Drinking in the soft look of his eyes, the roughness of the stubble on his cheeks and the fullness of lips that she yearned would caress her.
“Kiss me.” Her demand poured from the depths of her soul. These were the words she wanted to say all those years ago, the words she wished she’d stated last night.
Carter’s fingers slipped to the base of her neck as he pulled her close. The little distance between them evaporated as his lips met hers. The kiss was firm, not demanding as one hand pulled her hips tighter to his.
Wrapping her arms around Carter’s neck, Helena deepened the kiss. She’d waited far too long to know how Carter Simpson kissed, and she would not waste this moment. The world tumbled as his tongue dipped along her bottom lip.”
“Carter.” Her head fell back as he traced lines of kisses first along her jaw and then down her neck. But as his fingers slipped along the edge of her shirt, Helena froze.
He pulled back immediately and smiled as he dropped a light kiss on the tip of her nose. “I want you, Helena. I’ve wanted you for weeks. Years, if I’m being honest. But this goes only as far as you want it to.” He swallowed and held her close.
Blood pounded in her ears as Carter gripped her. His fingers skimming across her back in soothing motions. She wanted him. He’d seen her scar—at least part of it—and hadn’t recoiled. Swallowing the last bit of fear, Helena looked up and kissed him.
Long before I saw my name on the spine of a book, I liked to say that my puppies were my co-authors. No, they didn’t add much to the story line, but they were always there to snuggle when a rejection note came in and later helped keep me company on late nights writing for deadline. A few weeks ago, I had to say goodbye to one of my dear friends, and I wanted to give a farewell to one of the goodest boys ever.
Domino was a pound puppy. When we brought him home, the shelter told us he was a six month old Lab and Dalmatian mix, and they thought he would be around 50 pounds. I still remember the vet’s face as she asked if it was okay if he was bigger. I said yes, but what are we talking?
He was a three month old Great Dane mix. We had many conversations over the years about the fact that just because he could put his head on the table, didn’t mean he got too. A lesson made more difficult when my girls came along. As toddlers they believed it was their mission in life to ensure he ate at least a part of their dinner every night. A mission he fully supported.
Domino was my gentle giant. He never met anyone who wasn’t a friend. In his younger years, he accompanied us on walks all over town, gladly taking any of the pets on the head offered. He barked whenever the doorbell rang and then promptly ran up the stairs to avoid whatever mischief might have been behind the door (brave was not an accurate adjective).
Agnes Sligh Turnbull is quoted as saying, Dogs’ lives are too short. Their only fault, really. And I couldn’t agree more.
He was not great at editing, in fact he couldn’t tell a run on sentence from an expertly crafted one. But he was always at my feet while I typed away. Or laying his head on my lab to beg for a treat – which worked almost always (writers do love to procrastinate).
We still have out Abby girl, and a rescue near us has a lovable big guy that we are going to visit. But Domino will always hold a very special place in my heart, as all my lost fur buddies do.
So here’s to Domino…may the fields be green and the tennis balls plentiful until we meet again.
In the midst of the hurricane… …will she find safety in his arms? Vet Lucy Miller is happy with her quiet, ordered life. But when a tropical storm bears down on her Florida Keys animal sanctuary, the arrival of devastatingly gorgeous, yet equally guarded, emergency medic Jackson Durand brings disorder—and desire! He’s there to rescue her, but Lucy suspects her red-hot reaction to Jackson will be much more dangerous than the storm raging overhead… A First Response in Florida novel
First Response in Florida duet Book 1 – The Vet’s Unexpected Hero Book 2 – Her One-Night Secret
The wrong time… …to meet Mr. Right? Why is pediatrician Tessa all work and no play? Well, she’s far too used to people not believing in her. Still, Tessa can’t resist one—incredible!—night in nurse Gabe’s arms…and the chance to feel wanted. But it’s not just Tessa who is battling her past. Widower Gabe has his own scars to heal. So when Tessa discovers she’s pregnant, he’s determined to look after her! But is Tess ready to trust Gabe?
Life pulled them apart… …Can fate bring them back together? The minute nurse Natalie met Dr. Will, it was love. Still, that didn’t make the constant disapproval from Will’s wealthy family any easier to bear… At breaking point, Natalie ended their relationship. So, when they’re tasked with planning a charity gala—together!—Natalie is stunned. How can she work with the man she never stopped loving? And what happens when one last night leads to a lifetime of consequences?
A return, a reunion… …A shocking revelation! Firefighter Stacy Williams knows two things about her return to Key West. Her promotion gives her the security she needs to raise her son, and it will be almost impossible to suppress the memories of her passionate night with Dr. Luis Durand. Almost…until working on the hurricane response team brings an encounter with the tall, dark and nomadic doc! And the chance to make her life-changing confession… A First Response in Florida novel
First Response in Florida duet Book 1 – The Vet’s Unexpected Hero Book 2 – Her One-Night Secret
His runaway date is back… …for good? When Laura and Tom find themselves competing for a job in Yoxburgh Park Hospital’s ER, it’s, well, awkward! Last time they met, Laura ran…before they could become more than friends. But with just one job on offer, what’s the harm in giving in to temptation? They’ll hardly be working together. Right? Wrong! And when Tom gets a life-changing diagnosis, can Laura convince Tom that she’s ready to be by his side—always?
From partners… …to parents! Paramedic Theo Finch is a confirmed bachelor—with his life spent caring for others, from his sisters to his former army buddies, he doesn’t need any romantic entanglements. So why can’t he get his new colleague, paramedic Sophie Westbrook, out of his mind? Sophie is pregnant and going it alone, so Theo knows he should stay away… But could this brand-new life help them find a brand-new beginning—together?
It’s April, and in the Hyland house that means it’s time to try not to kill the veggies my girls have been begging me to grow for years. Here is the thing…I covet my neighbor’s beautiful bounty, but my thumb has no touches of green. I joke that plants see me coming and push their nearly dead friend forward.
Come on Fred…take one for the team!
This year my brother-in-law (an avid gardener) set my girls up with twelve seedlings…each. So there are now twenty-four plants spouting on a table in my dining room. My co-authors have both voiced their displeasure that the plants are taking up prime window sun space.
If all goes well, we will have cantaloupe, cucumbers (my oldest wants to make pickles), tomatoes, watermelon, carrots and lettuce. Plus, I promised I would buy strawberry plants. May as well go all in right? Anyone else trying their hand at gardening? Or do you have a bright beautiful green thumb?
While I have never been a big gardener, I have always been impressed by them (and secretly jealous). So my next medical, The Pediatrician’s Twin Bombshell, has a heroine that loves creating green spaces.
I know that it is February. I know that in Ohio, February often means cold…and snow. However, the Texan in me is NOT a fan. I prefer the cold to be in my books and if forced to deal with the white stuff, I like to do it from the comfort of my living room with a warm cup of coffee and fuzzy socks.
My children and husband have a very different view! So over the last several days they have been taking full advantage of sledding and snow ball fights. Though the snow we have is not the heavy wet stuff that is best for building snow men and snow balls. I had no idea there were multiple types of snow, and what the building properties of each was, until I fell in love with a man who yearns for cold winters!
I enjoy the pictures of my girls having fun in the snow. But I am the queen of having hot cocoa ready for when the chill eventually drives them back in (usually within thirty minutes for my youngest and after I have to warn my oldest, she could get frostbite if she stays out any longer).
What about you? Do you yearn for sledding and snow fort building? Or are you more partial to the less wet, warm and toasty inside? (Yes, this was a biased way to ask the question – and I stand by it.)
Hope everyone is having a lovely winter, if you’re in the Northern Hemisphere. And for those of you in the Southern Hemisphere, please feel free to send a bit of your summer heat this way!
Happy February and as I prep this blog for release on February 3rd, it’s actually February 2nd and Groundhog Day, which is a thing here in North America. There are 3 main ground hogs I’m watching today, Puxatawny Phil, Shubencadie Sam and my local hero Wiarton Willie.
Anyways, I digress (you know the level of lockdown is bad when you’re talking about rodents excessively).
On to the new releases. Whether we get an early spring or 6 more weeks of winter, these medicals will get you warm and cozy.
A man she’ll never forget!After her failed engagement, a relationship is the last thing on junior doctor Isla Sinclair’s mind. She’s focused on her forthcoming new life, working aboard a prestigious cruise ship. But before she even reaches the gangplank, she meets Nikhil… Their connection is unlike anything Isla has experienced before! But Nikhil is clear. One—unforgettable!—night is all he can offer…leaving Isla wholly unprepared for their unexpected reunion aboard ship!
Forever with a prince!Four years ago, Dr. Daniel Dimosa disappeared and left nurse Libby McDonald with a broken heart…and a tiny life growing inside her. Now, unexpectedly reunited in the Caribbean, Libby’s in for another shock: Daniel, the father of her little boy, is a prince! Stuck together on assignment, Libby and Daniel discover that keeping the past in the past isn’t quite as easy as it sounds…
…with each other?After the tragic death of his wife, horse trainer Kern MacKinley shut himself off from the world—and love. Until the arrival of vet Ruby Day… Ruby may be reserved, but she has an unrivaled way with animals. Soon Kern discovers it’s not just her patients that Ruby has the ability to heal. But once he lets Ruby in, there’s no going back… Can he heal her, too?
…for the surgeon to take a chance!Pediatric surgeon Lachlan doesn’t do emotion. Until nurse Flick comes crashing into his orbit! She may be poised and professional, but it’s Flick’s warmth that tempts Lachlan to open up. Now, as his world begins to crumble, Lachlan knows she may be the only person he can trust with his secrets. Can Flick also show him they deserve a future—together?
From Harlequin Medical: Life and love in the world of modern medicine.
…risk it all?Midwife Quinn Davis and Dr. Milo Russell have been friends forever. So why is it now that they’re working together things have become…awkward? Quinn can’t get Milo out of her mind—and when they share an explosive kiss, she’s left questioning everything! Free-spirited Quinn never planned on settling down…and Milo has a life plan of his own. Are they ready to think about a new life—together?
…be the answer to their dreams?Nurse Stevie hates feeling out of her depth. But with a new job and a son who’s struggling to settle in, she needs help. She just didn’t expect it to come in the shape of her boss and one adorable dog! On paper, Josh is everything Stevie should avoid. But beneath his charming exterior is a heart also in need of rescuing…
From Harlequin Medical: Life and love in the world of modern medicine.
Twins Reunited on the Children’s Ward
Book 1: A Pup to Rescue Their Hearts
Book 2: A Surgeon with a Secret
I hope you’re all staying safe this month! Check in, how are you doing so far?
Let’s talk tropes! My sister and I love reading romance books and we’ve had more than one discussion on the tropes we love and hate. In fact, I still wish I had the discussion we had while I dished on my enjoyment of paranormal fated mate stories and her utter horror of the trope on tape! It was hilarious as I tried (in vain) to convince her of their wonderfulness. I still claim that if she could only find the right fated mate story…but I digress!
When I started A Stolen Kiss with the Midwife, I knew I was going to play with my sister and mine’s favorite tropes. She loves midwife stories and I will read anything with a best friends turned lovers tropes. What was born was Quinn and Milo’s happily ever after.
I have never had a book that was so easy to write. I think if I spent all my time writing best friends I’d be my happiest self. Though my editor might have something to say about it.
Quinn and Milo’s story is a February release, I hope you enjoy this short excerpt. You can find it from your favorite online seller here: https://bit.ly/StolenKissMidwife
Excerpt from A Stolen Kiss with the Midwife:
A hot cup of coffee pressed against her fingers and Quinn lifted it to her lips without opening her eyes. The black coffee was bitter, and a bit burned, but the caffeine kick was what she needed. And she was grateful for any distraction.
“Seriously, Quinn. What’s going on?”
A knee connected with hers as Milo slid into the chair across from her, and Quinn ignored the tingles that slid along her leg. She was tired, worried, and her emotions were tangled. That was the only reason she was reacting to Dr. Milo Russell this morning, she told herself, ignoring the fact that she’d felt those same tingles yesterday morning…and every other day since she’d walked into his arms at the airport eight months ago. Such a simple welcome that had shifted everything in Quinn’s soul.
Almost a year later and she still couldn’t explain the feelings.
Or why those emotions hadn’t made her pack her bags and flee.
Luckily, Quinn’s brain was too full of other worries to let that one take residency in the front of her mind today. Not that it ever wandered away for long, though…
Opening her eyes, Quinn tipped her cup at Milo as he took a seat beside her on the lounge chair. His jade eyes bore through her and she barely kept herself from leaning into him. Milo was her friend. Her best friend. He was the reason she’d leaped at the opportunity to work at St. Brigit’s.
Sure, he was gorgeous. Stunning. His deep dimples were the stuff of legend. She’d heard more than one single lady talk about what it might take to get those dimples to appear outside the birthing center. But Quinn never swooned over anyone. Not over her cheating ex-fiancé and certainly not over Milo. At least, that had been true until she’d moved back to California. Now she yearned for any contact with him.
Quinn and Milo had always just been Quinn and Milo. They’d been best friends since grade school when Quinn had refused to name the person who had started the epic food fight. She’d stood in the principal’s office, refusing to out the new kid, when Milo had marched in and declared that he’d thrown the first nugget. In truth, neither had thought tossing a few hard chicken nuggets would result in pandemonium and pudding on the walls—but they’d cleaned it together. And they’d had each other’s backs ever since.
Even when wanderlust had taken her to the other side of the country or the other side of the world, she and Milo always kept in touch. Video calls, emails and social media had meant they were only ever a GIF away. He was the one constant in her rambling life. Always there to make her laugh, to bounce ideas off about her next move, to make her happy.
He’d always just been her friend Milo and working together at St. Brigit’s was a first for them. She’d enjoyed every minute of it, even if she was in a constant battle to get her body to stop substituting friendly feelings with romantic ones.
