Scarlet Wilson

Terrific story in an exotic setting. Three sisters made a pact to do something different for Christmas, with each sister's destination a surprise planned by the other two sisters. Eliza was excited and nervous to find herself in Costa Rica.

In the book's prologue, we discover that Eliza endured two bouts of leukemia, one as a child and one as a teen. She is now cancer-free and trying to catch up on the life she missed while ill. I also ached for her at the guilt she felt over the sacrifices her family made for her.

The fun starts when Eliza arrives in Costa Rica to discover the resort she's staying at nearly empty. The owner forgot she was coming and gave most staff leave for the holidays. Matt is apologetic and cancels his plans to be there for her. He made me laugh with his comments about his fear of her sister, Thea, and his corporate lawyer. Eliza is a little taken aback but jumps right into her search for adventure.

Matt is a workaholic who owns a line of sustainable-focused resorts. His primary focus has been earning money to help his parents and brother. His brother was injured as a child, and Matt blames himself. He carries a boatload of guilt all of the time. This has affected his willingness to enter any long-term relationship with women or spend much time with his family.

I loved watching the relationship between Matt and Eliza develop. Matt unexpectedly finds himself entranced by Eliza and her enthusiasm for life. Though he initially tries to keep distance between them, that doesn't last long. I loved watching Eliza pull Matt into her adventures, breaking through his worries about injury and fear of getting close. But beneath her zest for adventure, Eliza has an ever-present fear of having a relapse and becoming a burden, and that affects her growing feelings for Matt. When trapped in a cave overnight, they finally trust each other enough to share their rocky pasts. Trust and exposure of their vulnerabilities boost their attraction to each other. Unfortunately, Eliza's fears return in force the next day, and she pulls away. I ached for Matt, who had finally opened his heart. An unexpected discovery brings them back together in an intensely moving scene. I loved Matt's voicing his support for her and how he relieved her greatest fear. There was no epilogue showing their future, so I hope there will be a series epilogue in the next book that will show their future.

I loved the exotic setting of this book. The author's vivid descriptions of locations and activities made me feel like I was there. The ziplining description was terrific, to the point I could almost feel the wind in my hair as they flew down the line. My favorite scenes were the ones with the monkeys. Eliza's interest in them motivated Matt to take one of his most thoughtful actions. The result was fantastic, and I loved Eliza's joy.

I can't wait for the next book and seeing what is in store for sister Thea.… (mere)

Good second chance love story mixed with the intensity of a complicated medical specialty. Caitlin and Javier were intense rivals at medical school twelve years earlier, each trying to outdo the other. Neither admitted the attraction that simmered under the surface until the night of their graduation, when fueled by too much champagne, they spent the night together. They parted awkwardly the next morning and hadn't seen each other since.

Caitlin has been asked to do heart surgery on Javier's beloved younger sister, Natalia. She is stunned to discover Javier has taken leave from his work at the Madrid hospital to be with Natalia during this time. And to stay busy, he will be a guest surgeon working with Caitlin. Their meeting is somewhat contentious as Caitlin thinks he's there because he doesn't trust her to do the job. She's surprised to learn that he was the one who insisted that she was the best to perform the surgery.

I enjoyed seeing the rekindling of their relationship. Their connection is as strong as it was during medical school, and they soon work together seamlessly. Though they initially try to ignore their attraction, it isn't long before it's too much to resist. But there are complications. Javier plans to leave his work as a surgeon to take over running the family business. Natalia has been running it successfully for years, but Javier worries it will be too much for her now. Caitlin is horrified at Javier giving up his vocation to do something he never wanted. Just as she can't ask him to go against what he feels is right, Javier won't ask Caitlin to give up her work to come with him.

Caitlin and Javier put thoughts of the future aside and decided to live in the moment. The more time they spend together, in and out of the hospital, the closer they grow. I loved seeing how much they cared about each other and ached for the end they knew was coming. When gossip surfaces about Javier, Caitlin makes a boneheaded mistake that drives a wedge between them. It takes a bit of sisterly interference to bring two stubborn people back together in an emotional reconciliation. The epilogue was a great wrap-up, and look at their future.

I loved the parts of the book that showed Javier and Caitlin working. An intense episode involves a teenage athlete who receives a devastating diagnosis but gets kindness, compassion, and the best care from Javier. Caitlin saved the life of a pregnant woman and her baby in a heart-pounding procedure that had me glued to the pages until it was over.… (mere)

Sweet story. Fletch is a pediatrician who has come to Singapore on a two-year contract. He's lived there before and is pleased to be there again. His arrival gets off to a rough start because his apartment isn't quite ready yet, and he spends a night in a hotel. The next day, he heads to the hospital where he will work and encounters a harried young mother whom he helps to the hospital daycare. Afterward, she offers to show him around.

Madison is widowed and has twin preschoolers. Her work as a physiotherapist is satisfying, and she loves being a mother. She's at her wit's end with her son, Justin, who has not been himself lately, but nothing seems to be obviously wrong with him.

There were sparks between Madison and Fletch from the moment they met. This comes as a surprise to Fletch, who is a perennial bachelor. He loves women and is a serial dater who rarely lasts longer than six months in a relationship. He also parts with his girlfriends on good terms, remaining friends long past the end of those relationships. His childhood left him wary of settling down, though he can see it happening sometime in the distant future. But something about Madison appeals like no other woman has.

Madison hasn't dated since her husband's death, being too busy with work and kids. But she can't deny her immediate connection with the new doctor. He's upfront about his record, leaving her to decide if she wants to date him. She cautiously accepts, under the condition they keep their relationship under wraps. She doesn't want to hurt her in-laws or raise gossip in the hospital.

I enjoyed watching the relationship develop between Madison and Fletch. Fletch is a sweet, understanding, and romantic man. I loved his creativity when he set up their dates and could see the impression that they made on Madison. But things become complicated when Madison takes Justin to Fletch as a doctor. Suddenly, the lines between personal and professional lives are blurred. His relationship with Madison makes his determination to solve the mystery of Justin's illness that much more personal.

I loved Madison's trust in Fletch and how she came to depend on him. But that dependence came with complications when Fletch's presence in her life created tension with her late husband's parents. I ached for Madison, whose stress had her questioning everything happening, and for Fletch, who suddenly felt like he was on the outside looking in. I liked the advice Fletch received from one of Madison's friends and what he did with that advice. The ending was terrific, and Fletch's big moment was lovely. The epilogue was a sweet wrap-up for the story.

I enjoyed the Singapore setting. The date locations were described so vividly that I felt like I was there. I also liked the realism of the difficulty in diagnosing Justin's illness. The description of symptoms and behavior made it informative without preaching and more likely to be remembered.

#netgalley… (mere)