would like to thank netgalley and the publisher for letting me read this book

the first time veronica saw cassie when she was astride a patient rushing into surgery..... and though it wasnt proper procedure she was allowed to do the life saving surgery

but cassie was up the job that veronicas protégé was up for.... and veronica wanted him to get the position

when cassie became head of surgery it was just another thing to annoy veronica

what she hadnt expected was how well the both performed in surgeries together...

not a bad storyline with plenty of intrigue to keep you reading right to the end....

So I've found my romance niche, and it's Lesbians With Interesting Jobs. I very much enjoyed the first WLW romance I tried from Lola Keeley and Ylva Publishing, Slammed, but I think Major Surgery is even better. This one stars two high-flying surgeons working in trauma and acute care in a major London hospital. Veronica is a no-nonsense, ambitious department head with a penchant for red wine. Cassie is an army major whose worked as a battlefield surgeon and is now returning to civilian medicine.* Major Surgery starts more slowly than Slammed, but the pacing builds very effectively, and its shorter length felt just right. The chemistry between Veronica and Cassie is palpable, and Keeley writes a convincing slow-burn that doesn't rely on stupid misunderstandings. Because I'm a medical/hospital bureaucracy geek, I'd actually have liked more of the financial mismanagement plot, which emerges quite abruptly in the second half of the novel. But otherwise, no notes, and you can bet I'm going to read Keeley's The Music and the Mirror, which is lesbians + ballet.

*I'm sure I wasn't the only one getting Berena vibes here. This feels like a deliberate homage to my favourite ever Holby City couple - especially when we get another sneaky reference to a terrifying female surgeon who works in cardio.

I enjoyed the story and the humor injected by the characters, but the character chemistry left a lot to be desired as well as the financial aspect of the story. 3 stars

I received an ARC from Ylva Publishing and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Another solid read from Lola Keeley
The opening scene of the story is unlike anything I've ever read; the first impression each of the main characters make is truly illuminating to say the least. There is no shortage of hospital or medical based romances on the market (even in lesfic) but this one distinguishes itself from the rest by being set in London, within the NHS (UK health care system), and using British vocabulary and medical lingo/procedures so the reader always knows this isn't an American story in any way. It's clearly written by one who lives in London and does not resort to contriving ways to insert famous landmarks into the story in order to give non-locals a frame of reference or sense of familiarity with the setting. What is familiar are the complex relationships between characters and the skill with which they've been written. Add to that an ex-military doctor, mixed race romance, shady dealings in the hospital along with the usual workplace gossip and drama, a stark depiction of harassment of people of color by the police and issues faced by illegal immigrants when it comes to health care, and the result is another solid read from author Lola Keeley.
The story is full of dry wit and sarcasm in the dialogue which had me laughing frequently out loud. Aside from the comedic moments, the romance unfolds in an interesting way and a hospital intrigue subplot rounds out the daily events for the medical staff. There is rarely a dull moment for any of the characters or the reader. Cassie and Veronica have explosive rapport but not always in the way you'd expect them to have if their relationship turns romantic; I appreciated that their differences were subtle aside from one having a military background, and that both are professional equals so there is no imbalance there. The ending is a good one that makes perfect sense and with all plot threads tied up neatly; a followup story feels possible but not a certainty. Special mention to the editor of the story for the great job done in that regard. I had been eagerly waiting for this second book from the author after loving The Music and the Mirror; it still remains my favorite by the author so far. While reading Major Surgery, I found myself stopping at the end of a chapter or series of chapters and being okay with the break from reading rather than wishing I could continue reading, but am not sure why that occurred. I still recommend Major Surgery though for the topics it covers, the humor it delivers and the entertaining story it tells in multiple plot lines, and look forward to reading more by this author in the future.
I received an advance reading copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
(Reviewed February 8, 2019)