Series: Hope Children's Hospital (Book 4)
Only a Christmas miracle…
Will make his wish come true.
In this Hope Children’s Hospital story, since losing his wife Theo Hawkwood hasn’t enjoyed Christmas, and now his daughter Ivy is ill, he has even less reason to celebrate. Unless visiting diagnostician, Madison Archer, can perform a miracle… While Madison works to find a cure, Theo is fighting a growing attraction to her… Is Madison the miracle he’s been waiting for?
Good conclusion to the series. This is the fourth book in the series and the second one I have read. It can be read as a stand-alone with no trouble. Theo's daughter Ivy has gotten progressively sicker, and no one has been able to figure out why. His greatest hope is that visiting diagnostician Madison can solve the mystery. Theo drew me in from the beginning, as I couldn't help aching for him and all he has been through. He lost his wife to a drunk driver at Christmas time four years earlier, making that time of year difficult for him. With Ivy's illness, it was even harder to pretend to enjoy the holidays.
I liked Madison. She is something of a loner having had only herself to depend on for most of her life. Her drive to solve the puzzle of Ivy's illness was intense. She is also kind and caring, which is shown by her interaction with various patients, especially little Ivy. There were some very moving scenes between them, such as the one with Ivy's Christmas list.
I enjoyed the development of the relationship between Theo and Madison. There were sparks between them from the beginning, but both tried to resist them. Madison has been let down so often in the past that she has built up walls to protect herself. All of Theo's attention has been on Ivy, so he was surprised at his attraction to Madison. But he is her boss, so involvement would not be a good idea. He was also carrying a boatload of guilt from his marriage, believing that he was a neglectful husband. As Theo and Madison spent more time together, the chemistry between them grew. I liked seeing the hints of protectiveness that Theo felt for Madison as he found ways to look out for her. I loved seeing them both let go a little bit as they escaped the hospital for their friends' wedding. But when Ivy took a turn for the worse, Theo's guilt made him lash out at Madison. I ached for them both as Madison ran from her broken heart, and Theo confronted his own feelings. I loved the bit of luck that brought them back together at the end and seeing both of them overcome the pain of their pasts to look at a future together. The epilogue was sweet, and I loved Theo's surprise for Madison.
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