She didn’t plan on celebrating Christmas… Can he change her mind? Nurse Harmony Kinkaid grabs the chance to spend Christmas working on a remote Scottish island. Without her beloved grandmother, the season won’t be the same. But her organized world is thrown off balance by her fierce attraction to daredevil Dr. Cameron MacRurie. He’s her complete opposite — she’d be foolish to fall for him. … to fall for him. Yet as Christmas lights begin to shine, Cam becomes a temptation impossible to ignore…
“Author Ann McIntosh brought this story with emotions and medical drama. A reader would stay glued to the book till the last page to find what happens next…. Highly recommended for all readers of medical romance.”
— Goodreads on The Surgeon’s One Night to Forever
“This is the first book I’ve read by Ms. McIntosh and I’ve got to say that I was absolutely charmed by her writing. Her characters were entertaining, the dialogue a wonderful combination of intense moments….”
— Harlequin Junkie on The Nurse’s Pregnancy Miracle
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Not bad, not great.
I personally could have done without all the medical words that I fought to NOT look up. They didn’t add to the story at all in my opinion. That being said I loved Harmony and Cam. The CI ladies just added to the joys of the season. Harmony and Cam both had their struggles with the holiday due to memories past. Losing loved ones is never easy.
I loved this book. Harmony escapes the city and her grief over her grandmother’s death by taking a job on a remote Scottish island. With her mother spending Christmas with her new boyfriend, Harmony has zero Christmas spirit and plans to lose herself in her work. Having recently ended a two-year relationship, men are also off her wishlist. But all her plans are thrown off-kilter by her temporary boss.
I loved both Harmony and Cam. I ached for Harmony because she was so unhappy. She missed her grandmother fiercely and felt cast adrift by her mother’s plans. But she has a good heart and refuses to make her mother feel guilty about moving on. I found it interesting that she stepped so far outside her comfort zone to take this job. She is a woman who likes her life stable and logical, and she doesn’t like change. Much of her attitude stemmed from the loss of her father when she was a small child. He was into many different extreme activities and died doing one of them. She doesn’t understand how anyone can put their lives at risk for something so ridiculous.
Cam is a doctor who lives a full and adventurous life. Diagnosed with diabetes as a child, he suffered from a fearful and overprotective mother until his doctor grandfather taught him how to manage his disease. Since then he has thrown himself into anything that caught his interest, from medical aid work to skydiving. At home on MacRurie island, he cares for the health needs of the islanders in between his adventure trips.
I loved the first meeting between Cam and Harmony. She witnessed one of his daredevil stunts as she arrived on the ferry and was dismayed to discover that he was her new boss. Though she was immediately attracted to him, she couldn’t hide her disapproval. Cam was puzzled by her reaction to him but bowled over by her beauty. I loved his cheerfulness and how he tried to make things better by talking about Christmas. This only made things worse as she shuts down any holiday talk too. She’s determined to do her job and nothing else.
I enjoyed the development of their relationship. Cam is pretty easygoing, which is a good thing, as Harmony can be very intense. Used to big city doctor’s offices, Harmony doesn’t quite know how to deal with the more laid-back attitudes of Cam’s practice. Some sparks flew as Harmony’s intensity and occasional bossiness ran up against Cam’s easier way of doing things, but eventually they developed a good working relationship. That quickly grew into friendship as Cam learned more about why Harmony was so prickly. The attraction between them continued to grow, with both trying to resist it. Cam, because she worked for him, and Harmony because she couldn’t see a future with someone like him. Eventually the sparks grew out of control, and they decided that enjoying each other for the time they had would be okay.
Of course, the connection between them was more than just physical. I ached for Harmony as she realized that she had fallen for him, but couldn’t bring herself to accept his lifestyle. Her fear of losing him the same way she lost her father wouldn’t allow her to take a chance. Cam, too, realized he’d fallen hard for her, but wasn’t sure he could give up something that was such an intrinsic part of him, even for her. A conversation with her mother gave Harmony a different perspective and something to think about. I loved Cam’s big moment at the end, and the thought and effort he put into it showed the depth of his love for her. I loved seeing what could happen when two people accept each other for who they are and find that love can overcome any obstacle.
The vividness of the descriptions of the island made me feel as though I was there. From the crashing waves during Cam’s rescue of the boy, where I could almost feel the iciness of the water, to the descriptions of the Manor in all its Victorian beauty, I easily pictured each setting. I also loved each of the Crafty Islanders, with their individual quirks. It was fun to see them embrace Harmony and pull her into island life. I especially enjoyed the part each of them played in Cam’s surprise for Harmony.