The life so short, the craft so long to learn. ― Hippocrates
Being a physician, the first thing that caught my eye with this novel was the well-done cover art. I must admit that I usually stray away from anything medical since I tell my friends that reading or watching anything medical is just like going to work for me. I usually wish to escape that if at all possible on my downtime. However, the premise of a hunky thoracic surgeon and an ICU nurse falling in love did catch my fancy. I live and work in the bowels of the radiology dungeon so I thought it would be fun to be transported into other areas of the hospital to see what actually occurs upstairs—or at least in Murphy’s imagination.
Mark is an ICU nurse who has had his fair share of heartbreak. Having been cheated on by his last boyfriend his heart doesn’t know if it is ready or capable of loving again. Trevor is a thoracic surgeon fellow who is new to the hospital and when Mark catches his eye, Trevor begins the pursuit of Mark—the handsome, ICU nurse. The story takes place in Atlanta, Georgia in and out of the hospital. Several minor characters come into play, but the thrust of this story clearly centers on Mark and Trevor.
I must applaud the author of this story for his medical acumen and the accuracy in which he handles the medical part of the story. Rarely have I come across a medical story in which the terminology, procedures and the day-to-day interaction of the medical personnel are portrayed so accurately. This novel, as I stated earlier, clearly centers around the two main characters and the development of their relationship. In fact, this story is only about their relationship and Mark’s struggle to let go of his fears of being hurt so that he can truly love what the fates have given him in the form of Trevor.
This story is about courtship, romance, love and gaining trust in order to love. There never is any doubt during the story that the two main characters will accomplish what is necessary to embrace their love and do what is necessary to be together. That fact is probably the only negative comment that I can make about this novel. The story can be a bit bland at times. The outcome is a logical one, and the main characters are both logical, intelligent persons so as a reader, the storyline at times can become rather uneventful and commonplace. All in all, this is a good romance and great effort by the author. The characters and the setting are fleshed out very well and this is a good read.
Reviewed By: Bruce
You can buy Stubborn Heart here: