Doctor to the Rescue / Her Holiday Fireman

Title: DOCTOR TO THE RESCUE

Author: Cheryl Wyatt

Publisher: Love Inspired

January 2013

ISBN: 978-0373877904

Genre: Contemporary romance

Bri Landis is desperate to save her mother’s memory—and her mother’s favorite place on Earth, a lodge. But with her brother in combat and Bri all alone, the job seems overwhelming—especially since the lodge is being repossessed unless she can fix it up and rent out every available space in less than a month to earn the money to pay what is owed. The job is beyond impossible—especially when Bri falls from a nine foot ladder and breaks her arm bad enough to require surgery.

Ian Shupe is a former combat doctor, best friends with Bri’s brother, and in a nasty custody battle for his little girl. As the doctor on duty when Bri comes in, Ian goes above and beyond the call of duty to make her comfortable, and even offers to work without pay to help her fix up the lodge—if she’s willing to babysit his daughter while he works.

Rumor has it that Ian is attracted to Bri, which is why he is brusque. Coming out of a bad relationship with a brusque man, Bri is leery of letting Ian too close. But what will it take for two people with deep hurts and ongoing trauma find a lasting relation—especially when a troubled child is involved?

DOCTOR TO THE RESCUE is the second book in Ms. Wyatt’s Eagle Point Emergency series, but it easily stands alone.  I couldn’t help but feel for Bri and her problems, and Ian just reached out and wrapped himself around my heart strings and tugged. I felt for him deeply.

I enjoyed reading DOCTOR TO THE RESCUE and highly recommend it to anyone looking for a great contemporary romance. The action never slows down. Fast paced, and I had to keep reading to see what happens next. Discussion questions are included at the end of the book. $ 6.75. 224 pages.

***

Title: HER HOLIDAY FIREMAN

Author: Kathleen Y’Barbo

Publisher: Love Inspired

November 2012

ISBN: 978-0-373-87779-9

Genre: Contemporary romance

Leah Berry’s father has recently been put into a nursing home. Leah is struggling to run her daddy’s restaurant and fend off developers who want to buy her family home. Well, the land. Ocean front property is pretty valuable, and since the pre-Civil War era house burned, Leah is living in a small shack beside the sea.

Ryan Owan has lost his wife. Now, on what would've been his one year anniversary, he’s sitting as far away from what he’d known as possible. Acting as fire chief in this new-to-him community on the sea, it would’ve been perfect—if his wife were by his side.

 From the moment Ryan met the beautiful redhead, Ryan knows he’s in trouble. He came to town to heal. Not looking for a new lover. When Ryan shuts down Leah’s Daddy’s restaurant due to fire code violations, Leah is infuriated. Will Ryan and Leah learn to let go—and let God?

HER HOLIDAY FIREMAN is Ms. Y’Barbo’s latest romance. My heart broke when I found out Ryan’s story.  Leah is kind to Ryan even without knowing his story, when he inconveniences her and her employees at the restaurant, and that won points with me. Both Ryan and Leah were struggling with loss, Leah with more material things (though with her daddy’s Alzheimers, there is definitely some physical loss) and Ryan with the loss of his wife. 

I couldn't help but fall for these two hurting characters and wanted them to find healing. But first they must learn to tolerate differences. A fun addition to the story was Ryan’s dog and Leah’s cat, because they too much learn to tolerate others. Discussion questions are included at the end of the book.  $5.75. 214 pages.