Star Quality

by Mary Burchell

Seeking a change of pace, star nurse Alma Miles takes a cruise to Canada but does not expect to meet a handsome yet demanding surgeon from her English hospital on board. Maxwell Perring was a surgeon with a special distinction about him; "star quality" it might have been called in another profession. Alma admired his work, but had never thought about him as a man. All her thinking of that sort was centered on Jeremy Truscott - and he was presenting quite a problem.

Genres: Harlequin, Romance

188 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1959

About the author

Ida Cook was born on 1904 at 37 Croft Avenue, Sunderland, England. With her eldest sister Mary Louise Cook (1901), she attending the Duchess' School in Alnwick. Later the sisters took civil service jobs in London, and developed a passionate interest in opera. The sisters helped 29 jews to escape from the Nazis, funded mainly by Ida's writing. In 1965, the Cook sisters were honored as Righteous Gentiles by the Yad Vashem Martyrs and Heroes Remembrance Authority in Israel.

As Mary Burchell, she published more than 125 romance novels by Mills & Boon since 1936. She also wrote some western novels as James Keene in collaboration with the author Will Cook (aka Frank Peace). In 1950, Ida Cook wrote her autobiography: "We followed our stars". She helped to found the Romantic Novelists' Association, and was its president from 1966 to her death on December 22, 1986.

Reviews

[JR · Rating 2 out of 5]

The synopsis above involving a cruise to Canada doesn't correspond with the back cover or content of this book- the story is actually set in the far more 'hum drum' environment of a private nursing home, run by the hero (surgeon Maxwell Perring), in London. The heroine is one Anna Miles, a nurse who goes to work for the hero while harbouring a romantic yearning for 'bounder' Jeremy Truscott who - having gotten himself involved in an accident outside said nursing home - is admitted as a patient.

In any event, this novel is one of Mary Burchell's much less inspiring works. Unusually, given some of her other novels I've read, the plot in 'Surgeon of Distinction' is flimsy and one-dimensional, featuring a heroine who is drawn to subjugation and who only 'comes to her senses' regarding the hero in an unconvincing fashion around 9/10ths of way into the story. The hero, inexplicably, we're asked to believe, fell for the heroine straight out of the gate notwithstanding her stomach-churning love for the patient suffering from amnesia (i.e. Jeremy Truscott). Also, making a poor plot line worse; the other woman trope- featuring the hero's ward - is tripe.

I would strongly recommend purchasing a DIFFERENT title from this author.

[Mudpie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I had not realised this was first published way back in 1959! It read more like a 1970s story, might even passed off as 1990s Mills & Boon! Other than going from London to New York via cruise/ ship rather than fly, it's a pretty timeless story! My first Mary Burchell book.

I have been bingeing on Betty Neels books lately and she's the Queen of Doctor-Nurse romances so when I saw this I had to give it a try just to see how other authors stacked up. Initially I thought it was typical of the era to have " clean" romances with only implied sex, but in this I was surprised to read about "love making" and rather lots of kissing! The love making here referred to kissing and small intimacies like hugging/cuddling/flirting (I hope!)

Now I have to confess by the middle of the book I wanted to roll my eyes and slap Alma! I'd like to jerk Jeremy the Jerk around too, head injury or no!!! My book cover had the doctor examining a patient...he looked like a retard and I think that's the perfect depiction of Jeremy the Jerk! Jeremy is always a weak name to me!

Spoilers Spoilers Spoilers




Can you believe that for 3/4 of the book, our heroine was going Jeremy this and that, whining and pining for him? She was very real though; when she thought she could have Jeremy back since he could not recall Geraldine and proceeded to give her the ring...it was realistic. A woman thinking she's in love but jilted, would have grasped this chance to get back with the man she thought she loved. However Alma did not let us down, her integrity won the day so she unloaded to someone she thought was objective in this mess, Max. She let him know the truth and keep the ring, and when Jeremy the Jerk got back his memory she absolved him of all responsibility, citing his amnesia made him forget himself!

But at 80% THEN she had her dawning realisation: what a Louse Jeremy was, and what a gem Max was! ALL along Max was the one man she admired (but never hero worshipped) and now she knew she loved Max, as a man!

I can understand her getting cold feet when her parents offered to host her in NYC for a couple of months. She accepted Max's proposal on te rebound, if she had not had this panic I'd think she's heartless or senseless! Being torn between finally having a chance to be family again with her father and stepmother, and not being able to just up and go for two months because she's engaged so suddenly. It WAS too much for her to process for sure.

Somehow I really disliked both Geraldine and Jeremy (they sound like sibling names!) but all I can say is I am glad they redeemed themselves by clearing the air and talking Max into his senses! Seeing how they'd be in-laws so I'm glad they did not fall out for good.

Can I say how much I love reading about our hero and heroine working together in perfect harmony? (ebony and ivory ...) Once Alma married Max she's bound to quit, so it's kind of bittersweet...The A team in theatre!

[Megzy · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 Stars

We get geography and romance combined in one book. Likable characters, max more than Juliet. He reminded me of Betty Neels' brooding doctors... not as old though!

[Aarathi Burki · Rating 2 out of 5]

This was an okish story.The heroine Alma a nurse is shown as sensible mature and practical women but she can't take a rejection and keeps going back to her old love when the Hero Max the surgeon offers her marriage and a respectable life . The story ends well with Max and Alma uniting but I couldn't like Alma much though Max was wonderful

[Reading with Cats · Rating 3 out of 5]

I loved Max! Alma, though, was a different matter altogether. She spent about 90% of the book pining for a cheating asshole making it very difficult for me to sympathize with her.

[Melody · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a good story, but not one of her best.

Alma is in love with Jeremy. She finds that Jeremy is in love with someone else. Max is the surgeon she works with. Max saves Jeremy's life. More details will spoil the story.

There wasn't as much character development as is typical of her writing, but I liked this couple. Sweet ending.

Grey eyes: Alma (heroine)

[Jane · Rating 3 out of 5]

I've gotten out of the habit of reading genre romances, but I've read quite a few in my life and I kept a box of them from when I was in high school and college. I'm going through them and reviewing them on goodreads.

Mary Burchell (Ida Cook) is my favorite romance author. According to Wikipedia, "Ida Cook and her sister Mary Louise Cook rescued Jews from the Nazis during the 1930s. The sisters helped 29 people escape, funded mainly by Ida's writing." Knowing this makes me enjoy her writing even more!

Many of her books have unusual main characters and plots, and more character development than in most short vintage romance novels.

Surgeon of Distinction is yet another book in which the heroine is in love with the wrong man for most of the book. Not one of Burchell's best, but worth reading if you are a fan.