Best Friend to Husband? by Louisa Heaton, book one in the Cotswold Docs series, is a sweet, second chance story between a middle-aged couple. Lorna and Oliver had been best friends during medical school but who lost touch with each other upon graduation and obtaining jobs in the real world. Each married another and divorced after unsuccessful IVF attempts put stress on their relationships. Neither knew about the others’ battle with IVF until years later when they unexpectedly meet up again when Oliver takes a job at the Clearbrook Medical Practice where Lorna worked, healed, and became part of the community. Neither was looking for romance yet, feelings that were once hidden during their school days, reappeared bringing these two together and sparking flames. They will need to decide if risking their friendship is worth the price of having something more; together, forever.

I enjoyed the fact that an older couple was the focus of this story. Having a shared past helped with the reconnection as did the revelations of their difficult marriages, making this an enjoyable and realistic story.

I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book.
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Good friends-to-lovers story with the bonus of older characters discovering it's never too late for love.

Lorna and Oliver were study partners and friends in medical school. Underneath their friendship were sparks of attraction, but neither gave in to them. Oliver had a girlfriend whom he cared for through her cancer treatments, and Lorna was determined to concentrate on her studies. Though they intended to stay in touch after graduation, their careers took them in different directions, and they drifted apart. Each went on to marry, then later divorce.

Many years later, Lorna works as a GP at a thriving village medical practice in the Cotswolds. Several fellow doctors have either retired or moved away, and new doctors hired to take their places. Excited that Oliver is one of those doctors, Lorna looks forward to catching up with her old friend.

I enjoyed seeing Oliver and Lorna's relationship develop. They picked up their friendship like they'd never been apart, spending time together cooking, running, and hanging out. While catching up on their past lives, they discover similar relationship breakdowns have made them reluctant to risk another romance and reinforce their "just friends" intentions.

However, the more time Lorna and Oliver spend together, the blurrier those lines between friendship and love grow. I ached for both as the desire for more fought with the fear of ruining their friendship. The emotional ending showed what is possible when you let go of the past.

I liked the small village setting and the look at the lives of the doctors there. There was a nice variety of medical scenes, and I enjoyed the personal touch Oliver and Lorna provided to their patients.

Cute little second chance story set in the Cotswalds with MCs in their 50s. Two doctors who were friends in medical school reconnect and build upon the sparks they felt but never acted upon.