Review: Unexpectedly wonderful. 6 STARS!
Rating: 5 out of 5
Date: 10 9, 2013
Nessa Cavanaugh's first day as a psychology intern on an oncology rotation couldn't have gone worse. Not only does she insult the father of a deathly ill child, but she also makes a fool out of herself in front of one of the oncology fellows. By tripping all over herself and staining his shirt in the process. As if that wasn't bad enough, he's devastatingly handsome and charming to boot.She scolds herself for the instant attraction because she needs to focus on her schooling and career now more than ever. Her dissertation demands her attention and the person in charge is making her research harder than ever. Not only does she have her career to worry about, but her mother is constantly hounding her for changes in her behavior. She has a one in five chance of having the same disorder that caused her father to commit suicide when she was fifteen: bipolar disorder.In spite of her head telling her heart to ignore the Swedish doctor, Aron Lindstrom, with the killer Viking body, she simply cannot stop thinking about him. I couldn't either - the guy sure knows how to flirt! That's also another thing - rumor has it that he's gotten around and does Nessa really want to get tangled with someone who can play her heart?The more time that they spend with another, the more that Nessa wants to say yes to everything he's offering. He's wicked smart, dedicated to his job, sensitive, handsome. The whole package.Soon, her time with Aron leads her down an emotionally charged roller coaster that has her wondering if she'd be willing to risk it all - for him.So I picked up this sneaky little gem with the intention of reading something that would probably engage my attention for a little Wednesday afternoon reading while it was free on Amazon. I'm thinking that I may have to return it so that I can buy it. That's how good it was.The beginning was utter perfection, the perfect amount of background and sensory detail. I cringed that entire first chapter because Nessa's embarrassment was so well-described. The medical terminology was perfect and I loved that added storyline. I'll admit some of the oncology patients had me tearing up. That's such a hard field to practice in.I couldn't help but be charmed by the enigmatic and personable Dr. Aron Lindstrom, just as Nessa was. Aside from a rash of one nighters the year before he seemed practically perfect. He was very straight forward about his feelings and was genuinely a great guy. His running through a lot of women actually comes with a great explanation, so don't write him off as another douchebag because he's really, truly not. This was also really refreshing, to have a nice guy read instead of a jerk. He's probably one of my top 10. Not only was he sweet and endearing, he was a doctor who wanted to help kids with cancer. Be still my heart.Nessa was a strong lead character and I really felt her from the first page. She's struggling to find her place in the work force and although she's still finding where she truly wants to go, she's not weak or flakey. She'd have to be strong to land one of the most important and most challenging internships in the country. She's intelligent, capable, strong willed, and relatable.Even the secondary characters feel three dimensional, they all serve a carefully constructed purpose and felt very real to me. The setting and description was absolutely on point and very vivid. I literally have no complaints about anything - and that's how I know that it'll be a 6-star rec for me. I know this is one of those books that I will reread countless times. Mila is definitely an author to watch out for and I will absolutely one click anything of hers that I see. Everything about their romance felt real, it wasn't rushed - in fact the story spans more of a year.There was a huge twist that I really should have seen coming but absolutely didn't and really even if you do, it's still an amazing book. The fact that I wasn't expecting it really amped up the conflict and tension. I don't want to say anything more because that'll take away from the read, but just know that it's so well done. The writing is some of the best I've seen. I'm literally still giddy thinking about it.The major conflict was painstakingly crafted, very realistically portrayed and it kept me riveted until the last page. Is it worth the risk for Nessa after everything she's worked for?