A great romance set around a medical background. Great characters which kept me turning the pages from start to finish.
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC in return for an honest review.

I flipping loved this book. It is so good when an author writes a genuine hate to love relationship that is filled with viscous insults, pranks and the relationship is always teetering on the edge of kill or f**k. Julian and Grace are the perfect couple for this - they were equally matched and neither was willing to back down.

Grace was my favourite in this - she's smart, spiky and determined to prove herself in a misogynistic environment and I was rooting for her all the way. Julian gets massive props from me for always standing up for her no matter how he felt about her personally.

I think the backdrop, the side characters and the hospital environment were incredibly well written and it felt like I was reading something like Grey's Anatomy.

A brilliant romance, fantastic characters and a great way to call out toxic, misogynistic work environments.

Thank you @netgalleyuk and @onemorechapter - I loved this book

THANK YOU NETGALLEY and Quercus books for this brilliant ARC. Debut novel? Really? Hats off to you Deidra Duncan!

Grace and Julian are first year residents in the same OBGYN program but they've gotten off on the wrong foot. There is a rumour at the hospital that one of the residents has slept their way in to the program and most assume it is Grace, including Julian, who worked tirelessly to get his spot. She's gorgeous and smart and he's handsome and talented but they can't get over their initial bad impressions or their underlying attraction to one another. Which feelings will win out?

This is a classic will they or won't they? And this book oozes of chemistry. It is palpable despite the fact nothing happens for so long. And when it does, it's fireworks off the page. I have high praise for open door intimate scenes that do not make me cringe and don't sound porny. This is some well written smut! And the characters never lose their tenderness. I'm adding Julian to my list of favourite MMCs ever - perfectly imperfect and real and brave.

Hands down you will love this if you were ever a fan of Grey's Anatomy but Love Sick holds it's own and I couldn't draw parallels with any GA characters. But I think fans of STEM romances such as early Ali Hazelwood will also love this. I frothed all the physiology and medical terminology and the humour around it. It felt like being a fly on the wall in the workplace.

I eagerly anticipate your next book Deidra.

**Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an advance copy in exchange for a fair and honest review**

I enjoyed this one. The classic enemies-to-lovers storyline set against the insanity of medical training in hospitals.

The misogyny that Grace (and the other female characters) faced was mindblowing and I truly hope no one has to go through the level of judgement and inequality that they did.

3.25⭐️
🌶️🌶️.5

Love Sick is a book perfect for fans of Grey’s Anatomy! The story follows Grace who has just started her OB-GYN residency, but there’s already drama - a rumour that she slept her way into the position. Julian is a frustratingly handsome resident with whom Grace has to set the record straight - cue slow burn romance.

The characters relationships, not just romantic but platonic relationships too, were very well written. I also think Grace’s character was really likeable and I was angry for her because of the rumour! The banter between Grace and Julian was top notch.

The only reason I didn’t rate this book higher is because of the third act break up. I knew it was coming but thought it could’ve been avoided. Overall this is a great read for fans of slow burn romances and Grey’s Anatomy.

Thank you to NetGalley for the eARC of this book. I leave this review honestly and voluntarily.

Love Sick by Deidra Duncan is an engaging enemies-to-lovers rom-com that strikes the perfect balance between heart and humour. Set in the high-pressure world of medical residency, it follows Grace Rose, a brilliant OB-GYN resident, as she navigates the turbulent waters of hospital politics and a damaging rumour about her personal life. Grace's battle with social anxiety adds another layer of depth to her character, making her journey even more relatable and heartfelt.

Julian Santini, her frustratingly handsome co-resident, becomes an unexpected ally, and as their mutual disdain turns into attraction, their chemistry builds in a way that feels both genuine and earned. The mental health representation in this book is spot on, which is something I truly appreciated, being a nurse myself. The exploration of the challenges women face in medical environments—particularly the double standards and gossip—is both timely and poignant.

The author does an excellent job of weaving together hospital dynamics, self-discovery, and budding romance, making Love Sick a heartwarming, emotionally resonant read. I loved this book for its honesty and the way it portrays the complexities of being a woman in a demanding career. It's a fun yet deeply relatable story that resonates with anyone who's ever faced professional challenges, personal growth, or the unpredictable nature of love.

Read more at The Secret Book Review.

Thanks to Netgalley and Quercus for a review copy of this book. A really enjoyable romance couched in the grim realities of the experiences residences endure in American hospitals today, especially if you’re a woman.

Whip smart Grace Rose starts her residency in Texas with hope for a new start only to find that rumours had already started circulating about her sleeping her way into the residency programme she’s in. With her first name Sapphire and her looks assumptions have been made about her in the past, but this time it’s doesn’t seem to go away. Julian Santini has his own problems and insecurities about his struggles with studying and the DO after his name that most find an inferior medical degree. But Grace can only see the charm that no one can resist combined with the conversation denigrating she overheard him participate in and she can’t see past her anger to understand what kind of person he really is. Grace’s struggles to prove herself a good doctor and Julian’s efforts to do the same, because of a different set of obstacles are unveiled amid realistic scenarios and experiences of being pushed through an American medical education system that seems broken. There is humour but underneath there’s also a strong message to those who would pick up on it. The relationship that develops between Grace and Julian is engaging and real and the characters that surround them are well drawn to create a really good enjoyable story.

First of all, I absolutely adore how Deidra has captured the feel of residency and medicine so accurately - I almost felt like I was reading my colleagues lives! I was very much invested in our two main characters lives and I loved seeing how they developed and changed over residency - I would have loved even more of this, but that may be the doctor in me wanting to know about their thoughts on patients and medicine!

I was instantly invested in the group of residents and their seniors. The camaraderie was beautiful and so well written. I loved how the secrets and rumours played out and how that storyline was so neatly wrapped up. My only minor minor issue with this book comes with the dialogue in the last few chapters - Julian suddenly became slightly too sweet and gushing compared to the rest of the book! I will be reading this story again and again and I hope it sparks a series so we can learn more about the other residents... and the attending?!

I love a romance in a hospital/healthcare professional setting, but unfortunately this was not for me. I found that Julian and Grace's perspectives felt more like 18 year old than medical interns and I felt that their dynamic didn't feel fleshed out more than wanting to sleep with each other.

This was SO freakin cute. It was less sexy than I think I was anticipating but I ADORED the main characters. Julian is my new book boyfriend for sure. I loved this. I absolutely devoured it in one sitting while giggling uncontrollably the whole way.

Like Grey's Anatomy in a book with a good helping of romance. I really enjoyed this book, I didn't like the characters to begin with but I soon grew to like them. This was proper enemies-to-lovers, where a good half of the book they spend loathing each other. There was a good amount of depth to the characters, I despise romance books which have no substance to them and are just purely romance. with no depth.

This book has the perfect balance of humor, heat, and heart. Grace and Julian’s constant tension is so palpable you’ll feel it in every page, and their dynamic is irresistibly engaging. The banter is sharp, the chemistry is sizzling, and their evolving relationship is filled with emotional depth and delicious tension. The setting of a high-pressure residency program adds the perfect backdrop for their complicated and often hilarious journey from rivals to something more. The way they slowly lower their defenses and discover each other’s vulnerabilities will keep you hooked.

What a book. Woah. I'm a bit lost for words to describe how much I adored Deidra Duncan's debut, Love Sick.

I could tell you about how great the writing was and how the words just flew off the screen. I could tell you about how I lost count of the times I snorted or laughed out loud while reading. I could also tell you about how much I appreciated a realistic romance set in a medical world. But I'll tell you two words: READ IT!

Julian and Grace were both amazing characters in their own rights. I loved the synergy of how their strengths and weaknesses were highlighted, and how they helped each other work on them. Their relationship was raw and real. Their banter was so delicious, fun and had me gleefully kick my feet multiple times.

The cast of secondary characters was so well-crafted. I adored Grace's parents 🥺 and Asher was actually my favourite character in the book. Sorry not sorry. Now, if there was an interconnected standalone with him as MMC... 👀 My little heart would be overjoyed.

Grace's doubts and insecurities sliced me in half. I felt for her so much, and really wanted her to her her happy ending. Julian was such a sweetheart.

Now, the thing that might make people uncomfortable: the eye-opening bullying, sexism and misogeny women experience in medicine. Sadly, that does happen. Yes, even nowadays. It isn't something that anyone successfully eradicated. Hurtful rumours can end careers and crumble people's lives. As furious as it made me, I appreciated the portrayal of it in Love Sick. Because if we talk about it, we have a hope to change things.

All in all, this was a spectacular debut and I can't wait to read Deidra's next book!

Thank you to the author, the publisher and NetGalley for this advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review.