This heartfelt story follows Tamsin, a transplant surgeon haunted by a painful family past, and Max, a pediatric surgeon with commitment issues. Both convinced love isn’t in their future, they reluctantly enter a fling that soon stirs unexpected feelings. Their deepening connection, fostered by shared time and ordinary moments, leaves Tamsin wary as she struggles with guilt over her sister’s fate.

Max, however, begins to reconsider his stance on commitment. Their emotional journey hits a rocky point when his desire for more conflicts with Tamsin’s insecurities. A compelling subplot around Tamsin’s transplant patient not only drives her passion for her work but adds depth to the story. Their story culminates in a powerful resolution, with Max and Tamsin finding love despite their fears and pasts.

This was an emotional story about two people whose pasts cause them to believe that romance and love are not in their futures. Their journey from fling to forever was filled with attraction and anxiety.

Tamsin is a transplant surgeon who chose her career because of the effects of her own transplant on her and her sister, Emily. The backstory is heartbreaking and leaves Tamsin blaming herself for what happened to Emily. While romance is not welcome, the occasional one-night stand is okay. So, when sparks fly between her and pediatric surgeon Max during a working trip to Edinburgh, she gives in. But the deep connection she feels freaks her out, and Tamsin quickly distances herself.

Max has his own reasons for avoiding commitment, but there is something about Tamsin he's unable to forget. When aftercare for her transplant patient brings her back to Edinburgh, Max wants to pick up where they left off. Tamsin is wary but sets her doubts aside when they agree to a short-term, no-strings fling.

I enjoyed watching Max and Tamsin's relationship develop. It's evident from the start that their connection is more than just physical, but neither wants to admit it. They soon spend just as much time outside the bedroom, enjoying being together. The scenes of ordinary activities of being a couple raise red flags in Tamsin, but she doesn't want to lose what they have. She knows she's getting in deep when Max introduces her to the children at the orphanage where he grew up.

I liked watching Max open up and reconsider his no-commitment stance. But Tamsin is still mired in her guilty feelings, which drives a wedge between them when he wants more. I ached for both as harsh words were exchanged. Can Tamsin take Max's advice and mend the rift with her family before it's too late? I loved the ending and the intervention that brought Max and Tamsin to their big moment.

The medical theme of this book is transplants and what happens before and after. I loved how Tamsin's past made her so passionate about her work. The transplant patient at the center of the story was a terrific way to explain the process without feeling like a med school lecture.