ABOUT THE BOOK
Sarah Livingston is a recent graduate of the Medical School at the University of Nebraska.
Her older sister, Rachel, who’s been put on bedrest as a result of a difficult pregnancy, has asked Sarah to run her medical practice for her. Sarah decides to take the chance, even though it will put her relationship with Doctor Grant McCall on hold.
While in Hoonah, Alaska, Sarah meets and locks horns with Jake Roundtree, a Physician’s Assistant with his own ideas as to how the practice needs to be managed.
Will these two find a common ground? Or will Sarah kick the dust of Hoonah off her feet and hightail it back to her boyfriend, and to her lucrative career?
MY REVIEW
When Sarah agreed to run her sister’s clinic for 6 weeks, she never expected to be face to face with grizzlies and an infuriating and handsome physician’s assistant. The remote Alaskan wilderness becomes the backdrop as Sarah navigates through the challenges of her new location, new job, and a turbulent personal life back home with her fiancé, Dr. Grant McCall, prioritizing his ambitions over their relationship.
Jake Roundtree is a widower and single dad who works hard as a physician’s assistant in the clinic. Jake is a beloved figure in the community earning the trust of the local patients and a genuine, tender approach to caregiving, However, Sarah is another matter. Her superior notions on his medical background is critical and makes him angry, but he sees a vulnerability under all that haughtiness.
Sarah’s character is naive and unlikeable, with her rigid and judgmental demeanor affecting her interactions with Jake and others. Her character left me skeptical of Jake’s growing attraction to her. Yes, she may be “beautiful”, but her attitude is ugly. On the other hand, Jake emerges as a patient and kind-hearted character, ultimately falling for Sarah despite her personality and engagement to Dr. McCall.
Unfortunately, the gradual development of Sarah and Jake’s relationship failed to keep me engaged. The progression from animosity to affection felt rushed and lacked a sense of growth, leaving the enemies-to-lovers transformation feeling unnatural. The suspenseful elements introduced to bring the couple together come across as too little, too late, failing to compensate for the underdeveloped romantic connection.
While the Alaskan landscape provides a breathtaking setting and the plot promises intrigue, the love story fell short for me.
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ABOUT THE AUTHOR
One night, when Denise Gwen was thirteen years old, her mother kept her up half the night, in order to edify her and make her aware of the many charms and talents of Jane Austen.
Her mother then proceeded to act out key scenes from a copy of Emma, which her mother then presented to her as a gift. Denise read Emma and didn’t really ‘get’ Jane Austen. Not right away, in any event. It wasn’t until she read Pride and Prejudice, that Denise finally ‘got’ Jane Austen, and instantly became a convert and worshipful admirer of all things Austen.
Denise hopes that one day her writing will reach the same sublime level as a Jane Austen novel; all she can do in the meantime, however, is continue to work at her craft.
Denise Gwen lives in Cincinnati with her husband and two cats, one of whom is an excellent mouser, the other one, not so much. The cat, you know.
