21 July 2011

Road to Recovery - the review

Erin's asked me to apologise for her non-appearance today. This is due to adifficult and lengthy operation.  As she has no idea how long the operation will last, she has asked me to request the Review to her story be brought forward, and -no promises- she hopes to be here tomorrow.
Alyssa.



Title: ROAD TO RECOVERY
Author: ALYSSA FOX
Publisher: Pink Petal Books
Genre: Medical Romance
Length: 113 Pages
Heat: Sensual
Rating: 4 (out of 5)



Review:
In her debut novel ALYSSA FOX offers up two badly flawed central characters and invites her readers to share Dr. Erin Miller and Kyle Reynolds journey on their Road to Recovery as they compete for the prized mentorship on offer.

Not only does the author set up the conflict in the first couple of pages but she follows that with the hint of a scandal in Erin’s past.

If you enjoy medical romance, then this is a book well worth considering. The author either has a medical background or has researched her subject well. The details offered by Ms Fox creates an immediacy during the many crises the two doctors face on their race for the bigger prize. Vivid hospital scenes with plenty of attention to medical detail and hospital procedures mixed in with internal politicking and jealousies ratchets up the tension as a third doctor lurks in the background, his secondary role is well woven into the story, his dénouement seemed a little too contrived but it left a satisfactory sense of ‘justice done’.

If I have any nits, they are the occasional abrupt transition from flashback to the present that jerked me out of the book, plus a few too many repetitions which slowed down an otherwise fluently written story, and the hero’s abrupt changes of intention which drew me out of the story a couple of times.

The author quickly reveals her heroine, Dr. Erin Miller, is focussed on her job to the exclusion of a personal life. And the reasons are skilfully woven in as the book progresses. She is compassionate, longs for a family of her own but no longer admits this to herself until she meets the hero’s family. Faced with this dilemma she has some big choices to make, but will they be the right ones, and will Kyle be open to them or will he scorn her?

Dr. Kyle Reynolds is not a likeable character on first impression, and his opinion of the heroine makes him look like a jerk. It is the author’s skill that show the softer more compassionate side of this arrogant ‘A’ Lister. He has lost a daughter, Ava, and is now divorced from his wife, Amy, and not prepared to put himself ‘out there’ again, even for Erin who is slowly getting under his skin. (At one point I had to backtrack because of the similarity in the names of his ex wife and daughter.)

But as the story develops so did my empathy for Kyle. His priorities change and this brings about a whole new set of challenges for him and it is the way he handles then that endears him to you.

The sex scenes are explicit and fit well within each of their scenes.

Ms Fox’s writing style is a joy to read, her characters are enticing and her hospital background with its ‘in-house’ intrigues that she throws at her hero and heroine will keep you turning the pages. With the Road to Recovery, the author packs an emotional punch that will have you diving for the nearest box of tissues on more than one occasion. Equally there are smiles and laughs aplenty.

For readers looking for a medical romance with emotion, characters you can empathise with, and an enjoyable writing style, this book fits the bill.

Ms Fox is an author to watch out for in the future.

Review of Road to Recovery requested by author.
Review copy supplied by publisher.

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