The Billionaire's Christmas Wish - Tina Beckett (HMED #998 - Dec 2018)

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.

 

The Army Doc's Christmas Angel - Annie O'Neil (HMED #997 - Dec 2018)

Series: Hope Children's Hospital (Book 3)

Letting go of his past…

…to embrace their future!

In this Hope Children’s Hospital story, pediatrician Dr. Finn Morgan keeps himself fiercely private -- after losing his leg in Afghanistan, he pushed everyone away. So his unexpected attraction to his colleague, physiotherapist Naomi Collins, infuriates him! Something in her stunning eyes tells him she’s a survivor, too. Christmas is a time for healing. Maybe they’ll both find what they’ve been looking for -- in each other’s arms…

Good story about two people, hurting from traumatic pasts, who are brought together by their desire to help a little boy. Finn is a surgeon who lost his leg in Afghanistan.  While recovering, he was so determined to do it himself that he pushed away everyone who cared about him. He didn't want sympathy or pity, just to be left alone. That attitude has continued, as his reputation around the hospital is respect for his work but that he doesn't get close to anyone. Naomi is a physiotherapist who is known for her cheerful attitude and excellent results with her patients. But she is haunted by her past which makes it difficult for her to get close to anyone.

Finn and Naomi were tagged to work together to help a young boy who was the victim of violence in his home country in Africa. As the boy's surgeon and an amputee himself, Finn felt that he was in an excellent place to help Adao face the changes in his life. Naomi was the physical therapist who would help him adjust, but having come from a similar situation, she also connects with him on a deeper level. I loved the first encounter between Finn and Naomi. Sparks flew as they clashed over Adao's needs. Those sparks also revealed an underlying attraction that surprised both of them. Finn isn't happy about his attraction to Naomi. He has spent a long time burying his emotions and being around her stirs them up. Naomi doesn't believe that she deserves to be happy.

I enjoyed the development of their relationship. It got off to a rocky start with Finn behaving like a jerk to Naomi. Something about her throws him off balance and he lashes out in response. When Naomi stumbled across Finn outside of the hospital, she saw a very different side of him. I loved the scene of him with the kids and how relaxed he was around them. Finn was also further drawn to Naomi, intrigued by the pain he saw in her eyes. I loved how being around her made him realize that he was ready to start living again. The more he got to know her, the deeper his feelings for her grew. Naomi also felt her feelings for Finn growing and changing, but she was afraid to give in to them. The trauma of her past left her believing that she didn't deserve to be loved by anyone. I liked seeing Finn slowly break down her walls so that she would trust him with her story. His support of her gave her hope, but she was still wary. I liked how Finn also realized that he had to face his past before he could move on. His conversation with his ex-wife was eye-opening for him. I loved that he didn't give up on Naomi and showed her what she meant to him. Naomi's realization that he understood her and her fears gave her the courage to look forward instead of backward.

I loved the story of Adao and seeing his progress through the book. It was through him that bits and pieces of Finn and Naomi's stories were revealed, as each of them related to what he experienced. I ached for the little boy being so far from home and missing his family. It was heartwarming to see how many people rallied around him and the effect it had. I especially loved seeing him with Doodle, the therapy dog.

The epilogue was a fantastic ending to the story. We got to see how Finn and Naomi's relationship is progressing, with a very nice surprise for Naomi at the end of it. There was also a fantastic scene with Adao. I loved seeing him with his family and the difference in him from the beginning of the book. This was the first book of this series that I read, and I definitely want to go back a read the first two, as well as the next book (Theo's story).