Melting the Ice Queen's Heart

by Amy Ruttan

It started with a kiss...Having left his humanitarian posting in Africa to raise his two orphaned nieces in San Francisco, Dr Gavin Brice has enough on his plate without an inconvenient attraction to his new boss, the frosty Dr Virginia Potter. Especially considering that, ever since his arrival at Bayview Hospital, she's clearly disapproved of his maverick ways. But when Virginia meets his adorable girls and sees what makes the renegade surgeon tick, her relationship with him soon deepens into something unexpected. And with one amazing kiss lonely Virginia can feel the ice around her heart slowly beginning to thaw...

Genres: Medical

170 pages, Hardcover

First published December 17, 2013

About the author

Born and raised on the outskirts of Toronto, Ontario Amy fled the big city to settle down with the country boy of her dreams. When she's not furiously typing away at her computer, she's a mom to three wonderful children, who have given her another job as a taxi driver.

A voracious reader, she was given her first romance novel by her grandmother who shared her penchant for a hot romance. From that moment, Amy was hooked by the magical worlds, handsome heroes and sigh worthy romances contained in the pages and she knew what she wanted to be when she grew up.

Life got in the way, and after the birth of her second child, she decided to pursue her dream of becoming a romance author.

Reviews

[Desere · Rating 5 out of 5]

Any reader will know that when reading a book and it's the kind that makes you sit upright the one minute and makes your eyes gleam like you just found gold and the next your eyes are filled with tears and it feels like your heart is breaking, it's the kind of book that goes down in reading history without so much as a shimmer of doubt!

The new read from Amy Ruttan is that and so much more. The read tells of Virginia Porter and her frosty heart that hates everything there is about Dr Gavin Brice and his maverick ways, but when his kisses start melting away the ice surrounding her heart she's all about forgetting hate and focusing on love but letting it all slot into place proves harder than creating ice in the desert heat!

I loved this read from start to finish ! It felt as if I was right there with the author chipping away at the ice that surrounds Virginia's heart. I was overwhelmed with the intensity of the various emotions the author was pushing her characters through.

The characters were so realistic, that at one stage during the read I wanted to grab Virginia slap sense into her because she made me so extremely furious, then the next I wanted to grab her, hug her and congratulate her on being so brave! It was as if I was truly right there living the all the emotions.

The read was absolutely perfect in every way, the author kept my attention, had me grabbing onto every word, living every scene and truly letting me feel and live it all.

I have only read one other book by this author and the first time around I was blow away with her brilliant work, but as it happens so many times for us readers, the second time around is a strike out as the author makes this huge impact on us in the first book and the second time around it seems to fall flat and the reads are lifeless and dull.

This was so not the case in this read., the author did it even better than the first time!! Stunning heartfelt emotion, sweet sensual passion, vivid descriptions, beautiful characters and a mind blowing story that delivers an always memorable message.

Surrounding your heart in ice is sometimes the only way to protect it from being ripped to shreds, but when the right person shows up ready to melt the ice no matter how frozen your heart may be, shut-up, take notes and go with the flow!

I highly recommend this read for all fans of romance reads with amazing absolutely breathtaking scenes, to die for dialogue and everything else that is needed to make this a beyond awesome and WOW read!

5/5 star review
"Heated kisses melt away her frozen heart"

[Nas Dean · Rating 5 out of 5]

MELTING THE ICE QUEEN’S HEART by author Amy Ruttan is a February 2014 release by Harlequin and Mills & Boon Medical Series.

Dr Gavin Brice was a maverick doctor whose constant rule-breaking irked Dr Virginia Potter. She just wants her department to run smoothly. But Gavin is like no other man she has ever met. Why is she feeling the chemistry sizzle between them?

Would Gavin manage to melt the ice around Virginia’s heart?

MELTING THE ICE QUEEN’S HEART is a fast-paced medical drama. Author Amy Ruttan brought to live a gorgeous and sensitive hero and strong heroine readers would just love.

Highly recommended for all lovers of medical romance.

[TashNz · Rating 5 out of 5]

Melting Her Ice Queens Heart by Amy Ruttan has left me feeling moved. It's a classic love story where two strangers, opposites of every thing they know, are attracted to each other, they embrace their differences and allow their differences to enhance their relationship rather than divide it.

Dr Virginia Potter is Chief of Surgery and in the opening scene is taking her hospitals investors through the emergency and trauma departments which she's desperately trying to save from closure. The last thing she needs to find is Dr Gavin Brice up on top of a patient inserting tubing into him to save him.... whilst NOT in the operating theater, in act he's right there in the middle of everything.

Dr Brice doesn't give a rats when he's called to account about where he was... all that matters to him is that he's saving a life. He's in a world completely foreign to him and he doesn't understand why if a life needs saving he can just do it without getting hassled by hospital bureaucracy. Dr Brice has been out on the field, working with a team of mostly 10 at any one time in the remotest parts of the world delivering medical help to all who need it. Everything is within reach. He can be a surgeon and save lives on the dirt fields of places you and I would never dream of going to. Being in the middle of a Hospital in San Franciso is akin to a farmer being asked to work in an office.

So being introduced to the investors leads the book down one path, Virginia has a drive to save the hospital which has a pro bono budget. She has a passion to deliver medical assistance to those who cant afford it for personal reasons... last thing she wants is a plastics surgery ward. She wants to save her staffs jobs and above she thinks it's time to dig deep and visit her family. Then we learn why Gavin is in town at a hospital that he doesn't want to be in and this is the other main theme in the book. And thru a chance meeting Virginia discovers the reason and some how over seafood chowder the two form a bond which continues to grow over the story.

Of course there's always a hiccup and this comes towards the end and the reason why I'm going to give this book 5 stars, I felt moved and quietly felt a tear run down my cheek!

Unlike most medical romances this book doesn't focus on the amazing medical drama's, it focus's more on Virginia and Gavin and their world inside and outside of the hospital. It's a sweet, warm and very moving story which was written in such a lovely way I will defiantly be coming back for more.

Melting Her Ice Queens Heart is a brilliant example of a love story that's still enjoyable without including all the fighting and make-up sex ;) (dont get me wrong, i love those too lol)

[Shirley Buchanan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Growing up poor and losing her sister to sub standard medical care had made her life's decision for her, but was it the right one? She was no longer sure.

Chief of Surgery Dr. Virginia Potter was the consummate professional: cool, aloof and all business. For her, job security equaled financial stability. To achieve that goal, a career was what she wanted, even if she had to sacrifice having a family. Only sometimes she wondered if she had made the right choice. Her practical side dealt with rules and regulations, schmoozing with the board to save the hospital's ER and delivering the finest surgical care. Her feminine side dreamed of a husband, family and a bustling home. Had she chosen wisely? Her practical side said you can't have it all. Her feminine side said you want the quintessential “bad boy”, Gavin. Could she? Would she? Did she want to try?

Unorthodox and intense, Dr Gavin Brice has spent the last years on the front lines in developing countries with Border Free Physicians. He considered it his life's commitment, but a sudden guardianship of his nieces changed his mind. Regardless of the “suffocating regimented environment” he works in, he would provide the love and stability they needed. An instant family, death of a dream and new responsibilities were now his reality, but something was missing. Someone to share it with. At first glance, put together, feminine Virginia appeared to be a candidate, but the illusion was shattered because she only considered rules and regulations important. Could he change her mind? Was there a way to melt the Ice Queen's heart?

Truly excellent book. A well written plot was woven with the well developed characters to give an intense sensual story of two people trying to find love in their life. The medical field provided an intense background to the story from the first page to the last. I laughed, cried and sympathized with the characters as I followed their journey.

I would highly recommend to all romance readers. I was given a copy by the author for an honest review.

5/5 Stars Was it possible to melt the Ice Queen's heart?

[Pam · Rating 4 out of 5]

Dr. Virginia Potter has a job to do and she doesn't let anything stand in her way. She has goals she wants to see finished and she knows the others call her the Ice Queen. It doesn't bother her. She takes a chance when she hire Dr. Gavin Brice. He is unconventional and his only goal is to save lives. Some don't like his methods. Gavin isn't used to staying in one place but for the sake of his orphaned nieces he is willing to take the change in his life. He never planned on being attracted to Virginia but their is something between them. They both have secrets they hide and have to work on understanding each other if they are to have a chance.

Virginia seems like she is cold inside to a lot of people but she is far from it. She has had lost in the past and doesn't talk about it. She keeps it bottled up. She is a hard worker and will do whatever she can to save her ER department. She is a very loving caring person it's just that not many people get to see that side of her. Gavin is a wanderer but he is also a wonderful uncle. He will do whatever it takes to keep his nieces. He is an excellent Dr. but doesn't have a lot of people skills. He is a very private person. I liked both of these characters.

I enjoyed this story as it has great characters. Both Gavin and Virginia have more in common than they know and keep things hid. I have to say I connected to Virginia right away and felt her pain. I almost had the same thing happen to me that caused her to lose her sister. It is something you don't hear a lot about anywhere and I was glad to see it in this book. Gavin's nieces will just have you wanting to grab them and hold them close and even bring out the pink nail polish. This book is a very good read and both main characters have to learn to open up and trust each other. They have many things to work through if they hope to have a chance. I will say it had a different ending than what I figured. It was better than I thought it would be. If you enjoy a romance book with engaging characters and a great plot try this one.

[Jackie · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is my first book by Amy Ruttan, and it was a wonderful read, the storyline between Dr Virginia Potter also known as the ice queen being chief of surgery and Dr Gavin Price head of ER was fantastic, Gavin slowly melts Virginias heart but without spoiling, they both have a past to contend with. Thank you Amy 10/10.looking forward to reading more of your books.

[Rhonda · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 STARS

This is a good short read. Lots of drama, cute kids that steal your heart, characters that I liked. There is one love scene that I skipped over. It also had a character that I wanted to shout out at.

At first Dr. Gavin Brice character I did not like. The more I got to know him and his background the more I liked him. He is a emergency doctor that does not care what others think of him. He wants to save lives not play politics. He does not want to be working in San Fracisco at a hospital.

Dr. Virginia Potter is called the ice queen. She is youngest Dr. in charge of hospital. She works hard to save her hospital and keep its doors open. Her job is all she cares about. The more we see her the more I liked her.

Both Gavin and Virginia are really affected by their childhood to live the life different than they were brought up in.

Lily is 8 years old. She is sweet. Lily acts so grown up at times.
Rose is only 4 years old. She has not spoken since her mom died. She does communicate though.

The hospital board wants to shut down the emergency room of the hospital. Dr. Potter is doing everything to keep it going strong. She can't tell anyone how close they are to closing. She tries to have a fundraiser to help keep it.
On her day off she is down at pier and runs into Dr. Gavin Brice and his two nieces. No one at hospital knows he is raising them. Lily and Rose really take to her.

I was rooting for everyone. I really enjoyed Lily and Rose.

I was given this ebook to read and in return agreed to give honest review from Netgalley and Harlequin

[Sheri · Rating 4 out of 5]

Dr. Gavin Brice would rather be in Africa performing surgery and saving lives, but he’s needed in San Francisco to be Mr. Mom to his nieces, so he needs his job even if he doesn’t like it.
All the while Dr. Virginia Potter is his boss and known as the Ice Queen because she’s made the decision that career is all she needs, except that Dr. Brice tempts her.

I feel like Virginia lives a pretty lonely life and I liked her character because I saw lots of growth and change in her. I enjoyed the easy way that Virginia took to his nieces.

This is a great book, it’s a delicious medical romance and I felt like the author really does her research. I highly recommend this story.

I received a copy in exchange for an honest review. I was not compensated for my review.

[Janie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Dr. Virginia Potter Chief of Surgery has a thorn in her side and his name is Dr. Gavin Brice. What some would call unethical I would call saving a person's life through any means possible. This story is more than boy meets girl and falls in love. There are many hurdles along the way. Can Dr. Potter's heart melt enough to allow Dr. Brice in? What will happen to the Emergency Department if the board of directors get their way? This is a great read. Pick yours up today.

[Xandra James · Rating 4 out of 5]

Melting The Ice Queen's Heart was a surprise. A good plot that had me itching to keep reading, and a heroine I could relate to, this book's a win!

The inner battle of the heroine throughout was really quite sad, and I found myself empathising with the situation she found herself in. I thought the hero blew hot and cold a little bit too much - but this didn't detract too much from the story.

I'd definitely read more medical romances by this author :)

[Laura · Rating 5 out of 5]

It is a heart-warming romance and fast-paced medical drama. I loved the emotional and sensual tension between the characters.

I recommend this story to readers.