I feel like I’ve been lied to. This book is not a romance. There’s crushing. There’s a little sex. There is five flipping year’s worth of hospital residency life filled with surgeries, conferences, and some sort of monthly diversity meetings. There’s a happily ever after but all the in between of a love story where two people meet and fall in love is missing. All of this is from Neil’s point of view until the epilogue which is Eli’s point of view.
I mentioned in the above paragraph five years. Necessary Medicine begins while Neil is still in school. This is the first time he ever lays eyes on Eli. Eli is there giving a talk on transplants or something and of course it is love at first sight for both of them. This is where the choppy life happenings that are the majority of the book begin. Well over three quarters of this book is moments in Neil’s life at the hospital. It was jerky. This manner of story telling did not flow well for me at all.
From the blurb I was expecting some sort of Grey’s Anatomy (tv show) like tale with some sneaky man on man loving going on in the call room. I knew there would be a slow burn aspect to the story. Didn’t get slow burn, I barely got a fizzle. The romance was severely lacking. Neil and Eli are friends. They don’t even hang out as friends that much. Nope, not a romance.

I really liked the blurb on this and was looking forward to this book. Unfortunately the execution did not work for me at all. It was dry and filled with tedious descriptions of medical procedures, conferences and committees. It is excessively filled with medical terms and medicines and I don't know how the author expects the average to reader to understand half of what she was talking about. I work in the medical field so I did understand it and I was still bored. I was not surprised to find in the author's bio at the end that she is in medical school. It is clear she understands how hospitals work and has a good grasp on medical information but it was like chart notes. Facts, facts, facts. Nothing but facts. No opinions, no observations, nothing that would help readers to build a rapport with the MC's. I did not ever get to know Eli. Neil we learned more about since it's his view were getting but I didn't love him. His behavior was childish and immature in parts in regards to his relationship with Eli. Their friendship and budding relationship is short burst of information. A scene here, a scene there. More like diary entries. They don't get together until close to the end (80% or so) and I just didn't care anymore. The last 10% of the book then throws them fast forward into this hea that I didn't feel one emotion about. It would have been so much better for me had the author cut out 75% of the tedious medical facts and used all that to show these guys building their friendship, falling in love and then getting their hea. That last chapter or two of the book is not the time to do all of that.

The technicality of the writing was fine. As a result I'm rounding up to 2 stars. I would have dnf'd this though if it was not a review book.

**ARC provided through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review**

Necessary Medicine is super sweet and nice... and in my head that sounds like a bad thing. But it isn't. It's not bad at all... just nice.

To break it down a bit, this is a long story with a super slow burn of attraction between Neil and Eli. And just to say, I had a hard time at first separating the two, only because their names sound so similar in my head. But this is all from the POV of Neil. Anyway, the slow burn is so slow. It lasts the entire book. When they finally get together I thought I would explode. When they finally say I love you, I thought OMG it is about damn time! The point when passion and angst and UST finally comes to a head, it's so good because A LOT of the book is just glances and looks, wishing and wanting.

It was seriously frustrating.

So what this book is not? It is totally not insta love. Not even close. It's not even that much of a romance in what I would consider one. There is too much medical stuff going on for that, and not enough of that romance fun. But the slow burn is there so...

But what this book is? It's just sweet and nice and kinda lovely in the way the slow burn moves. This follows Neil all the way through med school, right up to when he decides on where he's going to finally work. It's a slow road... I know I already said slow, but gosh, it really is. But it feels necessary at the same time. It never really bothered me all that much. I just wanted them to move forward. I was anxious because they're so cute together.

So I enjoyed this a lot. It might not be for everyone as it reads, um, slow. But if you're into those hospital drama shows on TV, it might be something you're interested in. Just maybe keep Google handy... there are a lot of medical terms used while both doctors are going through rounds and doing surgery. It only irradiated me a bit, but that's because I already knew what about 90% of the terms were. If you're unfamiliar with some of the medical stuff, it could slow you down even more.

Still... I enjoyed this. It isn't perfect, but it was still good.

I received an ARC via NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.

Unless you have a medical background or have interest in medicine, then pull out some books or grapple with the internet cus this one is definitely medically based. Almost always I gravitate toward medical books...I am in the field, so it interests me in how others view it. The author is a part of the profession, and so has written what is known.

I liked the premise of the book; medical student highly attracted to a superior, but ethics keeps them apart. Happens more often than you think in hospitals (yeah, TV romanticize and goes overboard, A LOT!)

I went into this book knowing it was slow burn, but Oh. My. Gawd!!! This was sheer torture, and yet, on I read, because I was invested and I needed to see the angle the author (new to me and the world) would spin.

And as frustrated as I was at times, I really enjoyed this book. The setting mainly took us back to the hospital of practicing cardiologist Eli Newcombe, who you can tell from the first chapter was grappling with his affections for future surgical doctor Neil Carmona.

As told from Neil POV until the last chapter, we see the former English Lit major as he journeyed through medical school and five long torturous years of training to one day become the doctor in the field he had chosen.

We were introduced to a cast of characters who kept the book interesting and helped shaped both men's lives. It was good to see camaraderie between each person and how they filtered through life and friendship, sometimes skirting on the outside, other times in the heart of the matter, helping and developing.

Eli and Neil were meant to be, no doubt about it. I shared their loss of so many years wishing, hoping and wanting and that hotel room scene...shattered me. But with one true friend in their corner, Neil's perceptor, there was no way they were going to play footy under the table forever.

No, this book may not be for everyone, but it was a good read for me and I applaud the author in entering this foray into romance and writing.

I enjoyed this book a lot and would look for this author again.

Necessary Medicine is a stunning debut novel by M.K. York. It delves into the private and professional lives of doctors in a west coast teaching hospital. If you enjoy TV shows such as Grey’s Anatomy or the older series Scrubs you will love this novel. Part medical drama, part romance, this is a sensational story that is enjoyable and exciting.
We follow Neil through his five years as a surgical resident, facing his doubts about his abilities as a doctor but more so as a human being trying to find a balance between work and life. Add to that Neil is a gay man on the rebound after being rejected by his boyfriend, but develops an intense crush on one of the attending doctors. This is an infatuation that Neil absolutely cannot pursue for a number of reasons: Eli is heterosexual, he’s Neil’s superior, such a relationship is unethical, and he’s 12 years older.
Eli, an attending cardiologist, is recently divorced but seems on good terms with his ex-wife. However, he did leave his last hospital position because he couldn’t bear to be near her. Eli seems to have no interest in dating or even pursuing friendships. His work is his entire world, as he says and demonstrates all the time. Eli and Neil are not in the same field of medicine but the see each other around the hospital and at meetings of an important committee both serve on.
The story has a number of settings, the hospital, infrequent social occasions at bars or restaurants, committee meetings, and as Neil progresses through the resident system, learning conventions. The reader has a choice as medical jargon is heavily used in the story: either ignore the terms you don’t know and wait for context to fill in meaning, or spend a lot of time on Google looking them up. I used a combination of the two, mostly allowing context to explain terms and acronyms. The author does a reasonably good job of clarifying terms that are important to the story and letting others slide.
There are a number of secondary characters, two of whom are critical to story and character development. Neil’s best friend Mark is also a resident and Neil’s mentor Pete is an attending doctor in the radiology department. It turns out Pete is a long-time friend of Eli. I loved the development of the main characters and their changes through time, especially Neil’s development as a surgeon and how that affects his personality. M.K. York is not content to leave the character development to the MCs, however, and makes sure Mark and Pete are critical to the story and we know enough about their backstories to understand what’s motivating them. When both men are in peril due to different causes it is up to Neil and Eli to try to do something about the situations. Whether they are successful or not, you will have to read the story to find out.
I had to read more slowly that I usually do, because of the difference in the terminology to the books I usually read for pleasure, but I could not put this book down. It was thrilling, highly entertaining, and when the romance sparks and bursts into heat it becomes as scorchingly hot as any romance novel trying to achieve an HEA ending. Necessary Medicine is a book I highly recommend and hope you will find as enjoyable as I did.

This is a superbly crafted story, impressive for a debut author, and fans of any medical procedure show like ER or Grey's Anatomy will, no doubt, love it for the level of detail it goes into.

It's not, however, a true romance, the romance doesn't happen until the very final 20% of the book, although there is plenty of UST in the lead up to that, but more of a passing thing as part of the general story of how hard it is to be in the final stages of medical training to become a surgeon.

This book is eminently readable, it's engaging and Neil, the protagonist, is a very likable chap, he's dedicated to his calling, he's frustrated at his lack of personal life and he's aching with the attraction he has for a senior colleague.
But nothing happens, absolutely nothing at all, for pretty much three quarters of this book. Yes we get glimpses into Neil's head and his pining for Eli, but that's it, apart from one stolen kiss which causes all sorts of angst.

The romance, when it does eventually come, is so well done I felt cheated to have not had more of it. Neil and Eli eventually realise that love is something that they should be willing to fight and make sacrifices for and, if they don't, they could end up an eminently respected - but incredibly lonely - medical expert.

And the epilogue does go a long way to making up for the earlier deficit. This truly is a slow burn which takes place over a number of years. If you are a fan of those medical dramas, this book will be absolutely perfect. I enjoyed it but I'm not sure I could say it satisfied the romance element for me completely.

I couldn't get into this one. I found the story just not my style.

Note to the reader: There are a few medical acronyms and jargon throughout the story. So, if you do not like looking up words occasionally, this may not be the book for you.

Okay I'm probably the outlier here, but I really enjoyed this book. Call me crazy, but I am still going to call this a romance. It might not be the cookie cutter romance that you're use to, but it is there. So, if you haven’t guess it yet this is a very slow burn. In addition, don’t expect any 'one and dones’ because: A) there is no time for that and B) it really doesn’t suit Neil’s character.

As the author takes us through eight plus years of Neil’s life we get to know his small group of friends and his family when he has time to visit them. We get to know his likes, dislikes, temperament, snarkiness and insecurities. And through it all we get to know a few of the other characters like Bob and Mark, that influence his life. Through all of this, the author does a good job getting the reader to understand how hectic and time-consuming it is for a med student/resident. How hard it is to have a relationship and to have said relationship survive.

The story is told from Neil’s perspective. So, while we might not know every single thought that goes through Eli’s head about his feelings towards Neil; we can see it through his actions. From when they first ‘meet’ up until their first kiss; it is there. It does get a bit angsty, but it works well with this story. I do understand the reason for Eli’s hesitation. However, when something happens to someone he is close to, he has an awaking so to speak. From that point on he doesn't look back. Every single moment between Neil and Eli is right there. It might not be spelled out for you and in flashing lights, but it’s there. When you read about the whiteboard, you will understand.

After everything Neil and Eli have gone through, they do indeed get their HEA; which was beautifully written. Just remember every love story isn’t the same. Because if it were, wouldn't life be boring?

This is M.K. York's debut novel, and I for one will be keeping an eye out on future works by this author.

Rating: 4.25 stars out of 5

necessary-medicineWith intelligence and humor, debut male/male author M.K. York delivers an emotionally charged slow-burn romance set in a prestigious Bay Area teaching hospital

In the high-intensity world of hospital residency programs, there's no room for romance. So it's a good thing for first-year surgical resident Neil Carmona that his crush on the gorgeous cardiologist Eli Newcombe is sheer fantasy. Not only is the sexy doctor Neil's superior, he's also recently divorced.

As Neil's skill as a surgeon grows, so does his friendship with Eli, and his silent, hopeless longing for more. It isn't until Neil's final year that Eli at last admits his own deepest desires. But Neil's joy is short-lived: Eli has no intention of pursuing a relationship. Their positions in the hospital would make it unethical, even if he was emotionally ready for someone new.

Wounded and furious, Neil is determined to forget about Eli once and for all. But when a near-tragedy strikes, a new question arises: Is a life without love—without Neil—a greater risk than laying his heart on the line?

Well, I just adored Necessary Medicine by M.K. York, probably because it hit so close to home as a close family relative lived with us during his residency here. During that time period I got an up close look at his hours, his total exhaustion and the dedication it took to get him through those years (and all those rotations). York knows that world intimately and brought it back to me so vividly I almost got on the phone to relive it with my cousin again. Almost!

First-year surgical resident Neil Carmona felt so believable in every way. From his fumbling through the different rotations, to his trying to find some semblance of ties to other people to ground him, I understood this man completely and loved him. And when transplant surgeon extraordinaire appeared during one of his lectures, I could see the crush coming his way. Neil's world is an insular one and York does a fine job of describing its pressures and incredible around the clock adrenaline rush of procedures, stress, and Expectations that bombard residents so that we can see why he wants to reach out to someone he's attracted to so badly even though it might be the worst idea ever.

Eli Newcombe is more of an enigma, at least at first. Its when we meet up with him a second time that we get to know the man behind the reputation and realize that perhaps that, beyond the chemistry these two have, there just might be a future.

This is a slow burn sort of relationship that's has its foundation in the reality of a teaching hospital. York gives us not only Neil and Eli but Neil's mentor (and Eli's friend), other residents and Neil's small circle of friends and the insular world of surgery and the transplant field. I think this book is a marvel, and I found so many things about it fascinating. Yes, I did remember my cousin's similar stories from his internship and they pretty much measured up to the ones here. I wonder who York has been talking to.

However, if you're not a fan of things like tv medicine show dramas with ensemble casts and romances, this book might not be your thing. But it was absolutely mine. As I said I adored it. I so hope M.K. York write more like this as the author has found a fan in me.

Cover art works but I'm not a fan of reds like this in cover art. I find it offputting.

I really wanted to like this book. However, the story dragged on for me. One of the reasons, it's all from Neil's POV. And if I am being honest, Neil and Eli were just kind of boring. I did like the premise of the book. The setting in a hospital, between two doctors, I love the idea. But, the reality did not play out the way I was hoping. I guess, I was hoping for more play, less work, and this book was all work, little play. I assume it's very realistic in the life of doctors but I need more....attention to the relationship details. It's described as a slow burn, and it is indeed, a slow burn. It takes over 75% of the book before these two finally get together, and then, it felt a bit rushed from there.

I understand that this is the first book from this author? The book itself was written well, but I would have at least preferred more from Eli's POV.

Not terrible. A bit like a gay Grey's Anatomy, to be honest.

[book:Necessary Medicine|33826022] was an interesting book by newbie author, [author:M.K. York|16292114], and I have lots of <i>thoughts</i> about it.

For one, I could have told you before reading the author bio at the end that the author was a doctor, or at least on the way to becoming one. As someone who has gone through dental school, which mirrors medical school in many respects, and who has had a hospital residency, which included anesthesiology, emergency medicine, and OR rotations, I recognized a kindred spirit here. The way [author:M.K. York|16292114] talks about medicine and the terminology that she uses would be extremely hard for a non-medical person to achieve. There is a <i>comfort</i> with the subject that clued me in, unmistakably.

Now, I was very familiar with all of the medical terms and procedures in this story, but most readers won't be. Not only am I a dentist, but I come from a medical family, with a cardiologist for a father and cousins/in-laws in the medical field. <b>What is interesting about this story versus some other stories that feature doctor MCs is that this book is really mostly about medicine. </b>It is about the MC's journey through his residency, and the mental and physical toll it takes on him. Sure, there is a love interest and an eventual romance, but <b>this book truly reads like more of a residency memoir than anything else.</b>

And that, my friends, is where I think the author misstepped.

<b>[book:Necessary Medicine|33826022] is, plain and simple, not a category romance.</b> Yes, there is a romance in it, and yes, it is sweet at the end, but the storyline is really not based on the romance. I wish, actually, that the author had just written this book as a medical genre book instead, maybe adding in a little less romance and a little more harrowing patient stories. I think that would have been more compelling, and perhaps found it's target audience.

For me, though I could follow along with the medical aspects of the story easily, it was a little too dreary and a little too slow for me to fully engage. Interestingly enough, <b>I thought that the writing was really good</b>. The author doesn't make newbie mistakes, and comes across way more polished than I would have guessed. I also adored the fact that one of the MCs knew he was bisexual and categorized himself as such, even though he had never been with a man until his mid-40s. Just hammered home the message that your <b>sexual orientation and sexual actions aren't one and the same</b>. Kudos for that!

I would read this author again in a heartbeat, but I hope she changes her romance-writing to be more focused on the romance, which really only happened in this story in the last 15%. Still, lots of promise there.

Oh, and that cover is <i>terrible</i>. Doesn't fit the story at all.

*Copy provided for an honest review*

I liked Necessary Medicine it is a good medical story however not quite a romance. The characters were great and the storyline good but I would have like to see a bit more romance to go along with the drama. I will read more by this author as I did enjoy this book overall

This book is slow in the beginning if your not use to reading Doctor books. When the character start coming together it ok.

A 3 1/2 Star review......

A story that mirrors some of the many infamous medical T.V shows; Necessary Medicine regales readers with tales of internships, lack of sleep and the everyday trails of budding young doctors serving their 5-year stint in a teaching hospital.

Yes, Neil has a crush on Eli; but if you’re expecting a full on romantic storyline, then this is not the book for you. The romance between these two doesn’t blossom until very late in the book, however when it does, it’s wonderful.

Unfortunately, I don’t believe promoting this story as a romance is an accurate depiction.

DNF. I feel like this book is better suited for those who are interested in the medical field. There's too much science and not enough romance happening for me and I have absolutely no interest in science.