REVIEW: The Shy Nurse’s Christmas Wish by Abigail Gordon

In The Shy Nurse’s Christmas Wish by Abigail Gordon, Darcey Howard is ready to be a part of the Seahaven community and leave her past behind. However, she never imagined that when she arrived in the small seaside town, she would fall in love with surgeon Daniel Osbourne. Will Darcey take a chance on Daniel or will she do everything to keep her heart safe from a man that could very easily break it?

“You don’t have to apologise, Dr Osbourne,” she said stiffly. “I have no wish to be involved in your private life and neither do I want to be made a laughing stock by those who are so interested in it.”
He groaned softly and reaching for the door handle ready to depart said, “I can hardly blame you for feeling like that. My sister has yearnings to see me at the altar every time a possible candidate appears, but she knows how small the chances are of that happening, and if she hadn’t, I would have soon put her right.”

This is the first book I’ve read by this author and I’ve got to say that I really enjoyed this book, as the heroine is looking for a fresh start after everything that happened in the past now that her brother no longer needs her and Seahaven seems like the perfect place. Will she be happy in Seahaven? The way this story started had me liking the hero and heroine immediately, as Daniel is intrigued by Darcey and wants to know more about her. Will he introduce himself to her, considering the moment they first meet? However, it was from the moment the hero and heroine come face-to-face for the second time where this story really comes alive, as there’s some serious chemistry between these two that provides some wonderful tension between the pair. Will they be able to work well together?

As for the dialogue, it was entertaining due to the main characters back stories, their growing relationship and the medical emergencies these two handle that had me liking the hero’s willingness to continue to do his father’s good work when it came to the boat rescues he did when people got into trouble on the water. Will he have to make the difficult decision between continuing his dad’s work and a future with the heroine? Moreover, I really liked both the main characters, as neither are looking for a relationship, but find themselves unable to resist each other.

”So what do you think of that for an idea, buying the manor house?” he said as they were about to separate. “I’ve had it in mind for some time and would like your opinion.”
“Why me?” she croaked.
“Why do you think?” he said softly. “I want you to be the mother of my children one day.”
“And that’s it?” she questioned flatly. “Expecting me to be the mother of a one-parent family if you don’t come back from a lifeboat callout? I’ve endured that kind of thing for over ten years with Alexander after our parents went in a flash and left us alone, and I can’t bear to make another commitment of that kind, Daniel.”

With the heroine, she’s strong and brave in doing what she did for her younger brother, but now it’s time for her to live her life for herself, even though it’s hard for her to have such distance between her and her brother. Will she be able to accept that her brother doesn’t need her as much anymore? I also liked the decisions the heroine makes throughout this story and I could understand why she isn’t willing to risk a future with Daniel; knowing how easily she could lose him when she’s already lose so much. While the hero, it’s understandable why he doesn’t want happy ever after due to what happened in his past. Yet, in saying that, I liked how determined he was to win the heroine over, even though — at times — he went about things the wrong way, especially when it came to them talking about a future together.

Overall, Ms. Gordon has delivered a really good read in this book where the chemistry between this couple was strong; the romance was heart-warming and had me liking that these two took a chance on each other; and the ending had me worried for one of the secondary characters, but had me liking how the emergency makes Darcey realize that there are no guarantees in life and that love is worth fighting for. However, it was the epilogue that wrapped this story up nicely, as the hero and heroine are so happy together. I would recommend The Shy Nurse’s Christmas Wish by Abigail Gordon, if you enjoy medical romances, the mysterious strangers trope, workplace romances, or books by authors Amy Ruttan, Janice Lynn, Emily Forbes and Dianne Drake.
 

Book Info:

Publication: September 18th, 2018 | Harlequin Medical |

From shy nurse…To Christmas bride!

Darcey Howard has come to the beautiful seaside town of Seahaven for a fresh start. Working over Christmas in the children’s ward at Oceans House will help her forget her traumatic past. But her quiet, safe existence is shattered by gorgeous surgeon Daniel Osbourne. Enigmatic Daniel is the last man she should fall for, but he’s just too tempting to resist!