Thank you to NetGalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing for the advanced reader's copy of Love Sick by Deidra Duncan. I received this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Love Sick follows first-year medical students Sapphire "Grace" Rose and Julian Santani. Grace has trouble trusting others after a bad relationship during med school, and her walls go up even more after overhearing Julian and a few other classmates spreading a rumor about her at a mixer. Julian, who was raised by a single mom and has four sisters, doesn’t agree with the rumors and stands up for Grace when he can. This eventually leads them to start tutoring each other.

Overall, I thought the book was good—it’s a quick, easy read with some really enjoyable banter between Grace and Julian. The enemies-to-lovers trope definitely adds charm and makes it easy to root for the characters. That said, I’m not sure it’s a book I’d revisit. Aside from the banter, not much else stood out for me, and when I finished it, my reaction was more like, “Okay… that’s it?”

⭐⭐⭐

TROPES
🥼 Enemies to Lovers
🥼 Close Proximity
🥼 Workplace Romance
🥼 Dual POV

I have been watching all the new medical dramas like The Pitt and Pulse, and as someone who has followed Grey’s Anatomy for a while, I was excited for this book. With how into medical series I am at the moment, I wanted to read something similar, and remembered this eARC.

I won’t lie, this book was a bit of a let down for me. While I loved the main characters Grace and Julian, and love that this book is written by a professional in the field so the medical accuracy of going through an OB-GYN residency is there, the major theme surrounding Grace and how she starts the program fell incredibly flat for me. Because of what her first name actually is, and something that is happening in the department, she’s subjected to misogynistic rumors that impact her ability to do her job at multiple points within the story. While there is effort made as part of the plot progression to give this a more empowering ending, I don’t think it succeeds. This is something that impacts so many women or male-dominated fields, or literally any field, and for the “solution” to be tied up in something that was incredibly predictable and doesn’t actually help Grace in the slightest was frustrating. I was hopeful to see a real impact made, but instead it was tied up in a “reveal” that ultimately did more initial harm than good.

That said, the relationship between Grace and Julian itself was wonderful to read. Having chapters in the style of each month of residency helped show the passage of time in a way that made their story more realistic while also causing me as the reader to root for them and just hope they would somehow realize what was going on between them despite the messy meet cute they experienced. It was nice that, despite both of them having difficult relationship histories, only one of them let that impact what was happening in the present. When it impacts both, it often falls into miscommunication in a predictable nature, but that wasn’t the case here. Grace is the one struggling with it more, and she was the correct choice, based on what was revealed about her previous relationships, and her reasons for being emotionally where she’s at are real and heartbreaking.

The medical aspect of this story was so well throughout and felt authentic to what a residency track for OB-GYN would look like.
I enjoyed that it had a full cast of characters and explanations for terms that are not really used outside of the medical field.

This book is a captivating and immersive read from start to finish. The writing is engaging, the pacing well-balanced, and the characters are richly developed with relatable emotions and motivations. The story unfolds in a way that keeps the reader hooked, offering just the right mix of tension, heart, and thought-provoking themes. Whether you're looking for an emotional journey, a thrilling plot, or simply beautiful prose, this book delivers. It's a standout example of great storytelling and leaves a lasting impression long after the final page.

✨ Me at 3AM: emotionally wrecked, hopelessly in love, mentally paging Dr. Julian STAT. ✨

📚 TROPES
💉 enemies ➡ friends ➡ LOVERS
💉 SLOW. BURN. 🔥🔥🔥
💉 Medical romance that hit harder than a code blue

Grace + Julian = pure CHEMISTRY 🫀
The tension. The care. The way they chose each other again and again? I’m not okay 😭

📖 Devoured in a DAY. That’s how good it is.

👩‍⚕️ If you love Grey’s Anatomy, The Good Doctor, Chicago Med — say hello to your new obsession.

📢 To the author: If you're seeing this… just know I’d 100% fake a consult to hang with Grace and Julian in the OR. 💘

🩺 Huge thanks to NetGalley + Canary Street Press for the e-ARC

This was one of those stories that instantly pulls you in & refuses to let go. This book was so bingeable and the banter was absolutely top-tier. Deidra Duncan nailed it, delivering witty and heartfelt dialogue that had me giggling and kicking my feet the whole time. So well done. (Extra bonus points for the fact that Deidra is a doctor herself, and this novel was born out of her own passion and experiences. I love!)

The plot follows a group of medical residents over their 4 years of residency - we get insight to their struggles, wins, and growth as individuals and professionals. We get dual POVs from our main characters Grace and Julian - and for me, this absolutely slapped. I loved being able to hear what both of our main characters were thinking. The longing and pining after one another made me SWOON. The chemistry & slow-burn of it all had my heart just bursting.

I feel like all of the character development was very well done (even the side characters) and I loved the pacing of the story. The development of each character felt so thoughtful and realistic, and I genuinely cared about all of them by the end. (I mean, come on, the group therapy!?! I'd read a whole book just on THAT.)

I also feel like, although it can be uncomfortable, it is important to talk about the bullying, sexism and misogyny women experience in medicine. This was unfortunately, not surprising, but eye-opening for me to read about.

The only reason this is a 4.5 rather than a straight-up 5-star read for me is the dreaded third act breakup. I feel like I understand why it needed to happen, but at the same time I feel it could have been avoided entirely with a still-as-satisfying resolution at the end.

Thank you NetGalley, Deidra and Harlequin Trade Publishing for the ARC in exchange for my thoughts & review.

READ IT. 4.5/5 stars

I absolutely adored this book!! The banter and tension between Grace and Julian kept me hooked. The build-up for them was worth the wait!!

This a medical romance about doctors written by a doctor so you know its gonna be good and a lot more accurate than others. I really enjoyed how the book puts a focus on both the characters' careers and their individual growths. We have an FMC with anxiety and an MMC with ADHD so we see their struggles and how they come to grow.

I would say this book is a halfway point between open-door and closed-door spice. There is one scene that is written out but not to a full extent. In the case of this story, that made it better!! I wasn't reading for spice because I fell in love with the characters and their dynamic. I can't say enough how I loved everything about this book and I look forward to other projects by this author!!

Love this workplace romance!
As a healthcare professional myself, I was immediately drawn to this book.
Julian and Grace have tremendous chemistry and the characters are very well written. Their banter was fantastic. I enjoyed how they developed throughout the book.
Warning for a slow burn, but worth the pace.
Mental health representation is hard to write but it was done so perfectly here.
The plot is structured well and kept me reading.
If you are in healthcare, love a good workplace romance, and a slow burn, this is for you! Grab this book! Such a fun read for this nurse!

Thank you to NetGalley for this ARC!

Thank you NetGalley and The Future of Agency for an ARC of this book. The comparison of Grey's Anatomy and The Hating Game had me hooked. I love a medical romance story! I felt that there was a lot of potential for this story but it didn't quite reach the mark for me. I enjoyed the first half of the book. The characters were likable, the setting was engaging, and the plot was interested. However as the book continued I connected less and less with the characters. The pacing of the story began to feel off as well. By the second half of the book my interest was lost although I did finish the book. Overall this is a sweet romance book that fulfills the gap for a cute read. If that is the book you're looking for, then it's the perfect read for you!

This was a fun book! Following Grace as goes through medical school she is determined not to let her rumored past ruin her experiences during her residency. However, things don't always go as planned and she must continue learning while also ensuring she will be able to graduate with a side of 'forbidden' dating in there. Adorable with a little drama sprinkled in, a recommendation for anyone that loves Grey's Anatomy, Scrubs and all the others in between!

First things first, thank you NetGalley and Canary Street Press for providing this ARC in exchange for my review!

I was instantly hooked with this book. I really loved a good medical drama and I think that translated well to this story. The main characters felt very real and I was obsessed with their chemistry. I loved the banter that was written between Grace and Julian.

Thank you to NetGalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing for this ARC! Grace is starting off on the wrong foot in residency as a rumor spreads she was unfairly admitted into the program. Enter her nemesis Julian and their need to work together against the toxic environment that is their hospital. While I greatly appreciated the medical setting, I had a hard time with the writing style of this book.

This was like Grey’s Anatomy meets Big Bang Theory! A lot of medical romances have an unequal or taboo dynamic and I really appreciated that this one was between two equal, consenting professionals. It explores topics such as misogyny, gossip, and false perceptions. There were a lot of pop culture references, some of which I didn’t fully understand, but the story was enjoyable and entertaining.

This one was definitely a book beyond what I’d normally read. The fact it was written by authors who are quite literally in that realm was AMAZING. I loved the character building, the character relationships, and how much they all truly cared for one another. The twists were things I did NOT see coming, however, they added great drama to the storyline and explained a few of those “hmm?” moments. I really enjoyed seeing Grace and Julian really take the bull by the horns and make a change in their lives to better themselves and prove to others they could do the damn thing. It was a wonderful story overall and could hardly be improved. Thank you so much for the opportunity to read this!

I don’t think there’s any amount of words to truly express how much I LOVED this book! It’s one thing when a story is written by someone who’s passionate about what they’re doing, and that combined with someone who has first hand experience, in this case the medical field, adds an entirely different level of realism to the book.

From the very first chapter you could tell that all of these characters are based on real people the author has met at least once in her life. I find it hard to believe that anyone hasn’t honestly. I’m sure I could name a few myself. I loved that the characters, side and the main love interests, felt like real people and not imaginary like some feel. They had depth and a real presence on every page.

Another thing that really stuck out to me was the slow burn aspect of the love story. I’m a sucker for them and I felt like it came very organically and wasn’t rushed. I also really loved Grace and Julian! Their relationship mixed with both of them starting residency added to a lot of the realism of the plot and I felt like that was really needed for a setting like this. I also loved that the topic of misogyny and sexism came up so much. Well- not loved it obviously but it’s something that is so common in hospitals with patients and with doctors in the workplace. It’s nice seeing it addressed in such a bold way and not ignored.

I saw a lot of people comparing it to Grey’s Anatomy, and while I can agree that it does have some aspects of the show I would compare it closer to Scrubs because of the banter and humorous parts of the books. Either way if you enjoy reading anything medical related I’m sure you’ll love this one!

Overall I do not think this book was for me. I liked the idea of a workplace romance, learning about the medical field as someone who has no prior knowledge. However I don't think the interpersonal relationship between these two characters just fell flat. The banter was good at times, but the lack of respect for the fmc when the mmc was consistently calling her by a name she did not want to be known by, really rubbed me the wrong way. I just didn't understand the draw but overall it was fine, just not for me

The two main characters start off as ‘enemies’ which leads to teasing and banter but later develops into something more. Julian and Grace are such wonderful characters that I was just waiting for the moment they finally got together. Julian was understanding with Grace and Grace was kind and helpful. I would definitely recommend this book!

Thank you Netgalley for the arc of this book, I really appreciate it.

Lovesick is what happens when Grey’s Anatomy and The Mindy Project have a messy, chaotic, slow-burn baby. It’s enemies-to-lovers, it’s found family, it’s banter so good I highlighted half the book just to reread it later and giggle like a lunatic.

Julian? Golden retriever in scrubs.
Funny. Flirty. And absolutely ruined me with one line. A man who makes you laugh, makes you swoon, then drops the proposal of all proposals like it’s NBD.

The only thing I side-eyed was the workplace rumor drama—but that’s just me. I’m built different. I hear gossip and immediately go buy snacks and enjoy the show. But for anyone who actually cares what people think? It’ll hit.

Bottom line: if you love Ali Hazelwood but wish the jokes hit harder and the men fell faster, Lovesick is your next obsession.

Thank you Netgalley and Canary Street Press for the ARC.

🌟🌟🌟🌟

An excellent enemies to lovers romance set in an ultra competitive OB-GYN program. Grace and Julian have a truly terrible first impression that causes them to despise each other while also fighting the chemistry between them. Forced to work together, the two realize they may be perfect for one another.

This romance had excellent chemistry while also dealing with real issues in healthcare. I enjoyed both aspects of the story. I can’t wait to see what the author writes next.

ARC was provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

I was lucky enough to get to read this book as an ARC. I loved every heart wrenching minute of this book! It sparked some great conversations between my husband and I about what residency was like for him. As a medical professional myself, I can definitely relate to several of the topics of rumors happening in the hospital system amongst staff. Overall I loved this book! I can’t wait to read more by the author!