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Echo Lake #2
Heart Like Mine
ONLY LOVE CAN HEAL A BROKEN HEART
Delaney Blair loves her job at Echo Lake’s Mercy Hospital, where she’s developed a reputation for being smart, fair, and driven. When she’s assigned to cut funding, she has to temporarily relocate her office, put on borrowed scrubs, and go toe-to-toe with Dr. Joshua Mackenzie, the interim head of the pediatrics department. His killer smile and rock-star body are distractions Delaney could do without, but she’s determined to stay focused while she brings his budget into line. It’s not working.
Beloved by his colleagues and patients alike, Josh is too busy caring for sick kids to talk numbers with the sexy, stiletto-clad Delaney. Every time they talk business, tensions run high…but so does a powerful attraction neither of them can ignore. When an emergency brings Mercy to its knees, Delaney and Josh must work together to save lives. But can they also find a way into each other’s hearts?
Don't miss Heart Like Mine, the second Echo Lake novel from Maggie McGinnis!
364 pages, Kindle Edition
First published April 5, 2016
280 people are currently reading
884 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 133 reviews
August 11, 2016
Ahhhhhhh ..........what a beautiful, thoughtful, romantic story. I was hooked from page one and did not want it to end. Loved how the romance blossomed between Josh and Delaney. The entire cast of characters were very engaging and delightful. I have read every book Maggie has published and she never disappoints. Can't wait for her next "Echo Lake" novel.
June 6, 2016
4 - "This isn't how this was supposed to go." Stars!
Heart Like Mine is the second full length novel in Maggie McGinnis’ Echo Lake series. I so, so enjoyed this book. This is McGinnis writing at her absolute best for me and she nailed it with Delaney and Josh’s story.
I am not a reader that requires all of the books I read to be full of sexy times, if an author can deliver a well-rounded story with a likeable couple, that have a noticeable emotional connection, I am quite happy for the sexy-times to be left 'behind closed doors'. I have found though over the years, that there are very few authors that manage to do this with every book they write, sometimes something feels amiss because the lack of that area of a relationship being explored in more depth, Maggie for me is one of those authors that takes the time to develop her stories and characters enough that this is never an issue.
We also touch on a subject that is very close to the hearts of anyone who has had a loved one that has struggled with their health, in that Delaney has been charged with looking at ways to cut the budget for one of the most important departments at Mercy Hospital, the unit that Dr. Josh Mackenzie oversees; pediatric care. The loss of funding to provide adequate medical care for the children in his unit causes a lot of sparks to fly between them after their initial meeting, and I loved the fact that he challenged her to work on the unit with him and his staff to see exactly what they did and how they worked whilst already stretched to their limits, with the funding they currently had.
This is a very current issue across the globe nowadays and it was nice to see it addressed in an informed and compassionate way. Acquiescing to Josh’s request, pushes Delaney completely out of her comfort zone, stepping out of her top floor carpeted office with a view, to get involved on the wards and with the patients is not something she wants to deal with initially or is emotionally prepared for due to issues from her own past, but the more time she spends with Josh, the nurses and their patients, opens her up to the rewards and sense of achievement she feels from working in a more front of house role.
He was ready to stop wishing, maybe she was more than a colleague.
Slow building, the author really took the time to let this couple get to know each other as well as their friends and family, even though the bulk of the book actually takes place over the space of two weeks, it didn’t feel like it, so much is going on between them as their connection deepens, as well as in the hospital it really was just a beautifully put together story.
"I’m looking for the nine-to-five guy, not the five-to-nine one."
You have the inevitable tipping point between them in the latter stages of the book, it stands to reason it is going to happen, when professional ethics and personal wants are bought into play and called into question, the lack of ability to potentially compromise, not to mention a meddling snake in the grass trying to come between them. The author again played it out perfectly, in the length of time it took to play out and the level of involvement it had in the overall story arc, in that it wasn’t dragged out.
This series is starting to grow into a keeper for me, the town and people of Echo Lake are starting to build nicely. I am hoping at some point the author looks to give Molly Bellini a book, she has played an integral part in every book so far, yet hasn’t really had any hint of romance for herself yet. She’s Got a Way is due for release in August this year, and I am looking forward to seeing where Maggie takes the series next.
ARC generously provided via Netgalley, and it was my pleasure to provide the above honest review.
Heart Like Mine is the second full length novel in Maggie McGinnis’ Echo Lake series. I so, so enjoyed this book. This is McGinnis writing at her absolute best for me and she nailed it with Delaney and Josh’s story.
I am not a reader that requires all of the books I read to be full of sexy times, if an author can deliver a well-rounded story with a likeable couple, that have a noticeable emotional connection, I am quite happy for the sexy-times to be left 'behind closed doors'. I have found though over the years, that there are very few authors that manage to do this with every book they write, sometimes something feels amiss because the lack of that area of a relationship being explored in more depth, Maggie for me is one of those authors that takes the time to develop her stories and characters enough that this is never an issue.
We also touch on a subject that is very close to the hearts of anyone who has had a loved one that has struggled with their health, in that Delaney has been charged with looking at ways to cut the budget for one of the most important departments at Mercy Hospital, the unit that Dr. Josh Mackenzie oversees; pediatric care. The loss of funding to provide adequate medical care for the children in his unit causes a lot of sparks to fly between them after their initial meeting, and I loved the fact that he challenged her to work on the unit with him and his staff to see exactly what they did and how they worked whilst already stretched to their limits, with the funding they currently had.
This is a very current issue across the globe nowadays and it was nice to see it addressed in an informed and compassionate way. Acquiescing to Josh’s request, pushes Delaney completely out of her comfort zone, stepping out of her top floor carpeted office with a view, to get involved on the wards and with the patients is not something she wants to deal with initially or is emotionally prepared for due to issues from her own past, but the more time she spends with Josh, the nurses and their patients, opens her up to the rewards and sense of achievement she feels from working in a more front of house role.
He was ready to stop wishing, maybe she was more than a colleague.
Slow building, the author really took the time to let this couple get to know each other as well as their friends and family, even though the bulk of the book actually takes place over the space of two weeks, it didn’t feel like it, so much is going on between them as their connection deepens, as well as in the hospital it really was just a beautifully put together story.
"I’m looking for the nine-to-five guy, not the five-to-nine one."
You have the inevitable tipping point between them in the latter stages of the book, it stands to reason it is going to happen, when professional ethics and personal wants are bought into play and called into question, the lack of ability to potentially compromise, not to mention a meddling snake in the grass trying to come between them. The author again played it out perfectly, in the length of time it took to play out and the level of involvement it had in the overall story arc, in that it wasn’t dragged out.
This series is starting to grow into a keeper for me, the town and people of Echo Lake are starting to build nicely. I am hoping at some point the author looks to give Molly Bellini a book, she has played an integral part in every book so far, yet hasn’t really had any hint of romance for herself yet. She’s Got a Way is due for release in August this year, and I am looking forward to seeing where Maggie takes the series next.
ARC generously provided via Netgalley, and it was my pleasure to provide the above honest review.
April 26, 2016
:: 5 Pretty Little Stars ::
Once again, Maggie McGinnis writes a beautifully crafted romance that leaves readers falling in love all over again. Ever since reading the first Echo Lake novel (Forever this Time) I have fallen for Maggie’s work. Each novel depicts real life situations and incorporates characters that have true hearts and souls. Her novels are touching, romantic, and utterly beautiful. I tend to categorize her novels as “classic love stories” as they don’t revolve around sex, bad boys, and power like a lot of the romance novels out there today. Rather, Maggie’s stories, like this one, revolve around true human emotions without all the fake stuff that really just doesn’t happen. Don’t get me wrong, I love the romance stories that are being written today, but for a breath of fresh air I will turn to Maggie’s stories – and this one hit the nail on the head, its exactly what I needed!
In HEART LIKE MINE, Dr. Joshua Mackenzie (a pediatrics doctor at Mercy Hospital in Echo Lake) is feeling down in the dumps due to upcoming budget cuts and the long and hard hours he works to make the department run well. Delany Blaire has some hard decisions to make. Sure she loves the pediatrics department and she knows how much budget cuts can hurt them, but it’s her job to make the cuts. If she doesn’t, her job may be on the line. But when she meets Joshua Mackenzie to discuss budget plans for the future, she doesn’t expect to be thrown into the department to see for herself how much they will lose if her proposed plan goes through. So the two come up with some decisions that will help all. But when I spiteful person throws these plans at the department heads anyway, will the relationship that developed between Delany and Josh turn sour? Or will forgiveness overcome all the problems thrown their way?
Once again, I LOVED this novel. It’s everything I needed to get me out of the rut I have been in lately in terms of all consuming love stories. This one just makes sense. Its real, delicate, and sweet. If you haven’t read a novel by McGinnis yet, then you need to get on it! AS I said before, they are classic romances that are all about real life situations and pure love. This is a beautiful story and I highly recommend it!
Once again, Maggie McGinnis writes a beautifully crafted romance that leaves readers falling in love all over again. Ever since reading the first Echo Lake novel (Forever this Time) I have fallen for Maggie’s work. Each novel depicts real life situations and incorporates characters that have true hearts and souls. Her novels are touching, romantic, and utterly beautiful. I tend to categorize her novels as “classic love stories” as they don’t revolve around sex, bad boys, and power like a lot of the romance novels out there today. Rather, Maggie’s stories, like this one, revolve around true human emotions without all the fake stuff that really just doesn’t happen. Don’t get me wrong, I love the romance stories that are being written today, but for a breath of fresh air I will turn to Maggie’s stories – and this one hit the nail on the head, its exactly what I needed!
In HEART LIKE MINE, Dr. Joshua Mackenzie (a pediatrics doctor at Mercy Hospital in Echo Lake) is feeling down in the dumps due to upcoming budget cuts and the long and hard hours he works to make the department run well. Delany Blaire has some hard decisions to make. Sure she loves the pediatrics department and she knows how much budget cuts can hurt them, but it’s her job to make the cuts. If she doesn’t, her job may be on the line. But when she meets Joshua Mackenzie to discuss budget plans for the future, she doesn’t expect to be thrown into the department to see for herself how much they will lose if her proposed plan goes through. So the two come up with some decisions that will help all. But when I spiteful person throws these plans at the department heads anyway, will the relationship that developed between Delany and Josh turn sour? Or will forgiveness overcome all the problems thrown their way?
Once again, I LOVED this novel. It’s everything I needed to get me out of the rut I have been in lately in terms of all consuming love stories. This one just makes sense. Its real, delicate, and sweet. If you haven’t read a novel by McGinnis yet, then you need to get on it! AS I said before, they are classic romances that are all about real life situations and pure love. This is a beautiful story and I highly recommend it!
April 5, 2016
Heart like Mine by Maggie McGinnis is a 2016 St. Martin's Press Publication.
The author did a fantastic job of creating a lifelike situation that depicted all angles of a story. The dynamic between Delaney and Josh is a little tricky at first because, naturally, they see themselves as adversaries, in a way. I loved the nurses and secondary characters who added a lot of insight and humor to the story.
I love stories which depict situations that mirror real life problems because the characters tend to be more realistic and mature, and not so overly dramatic or selfish, with the angst levels set in low gear, giving the story so much more depth. We don’t get enough of these, in my opinion.
This review is the copyrighted property of Night Owl Reviews. To read the full review, click on this link: https://www.nightowlreviews.com/V5/Re...
The author did a fantastic job of creating a lifelike situation that depicted all angles of a story. The dynamic between Delaney and Josh is a little tricky at first because, naturally, they see themselves as adversaries, in a way. I loved the nurses and secondary characters who added a lot of insight and humor to the story.
I love stories which depict situations that mirror real life problems because the characters tend to be more realistic and mature, and not so overly dramatic or selfish, with the angst levels set in low gear, giving the story so much more depth. We don’t get enough of these, in my opinion.
This review is the copyrighted property of Night Owl Reviews. To read the full review, click on this link: https://www.nightowlreviews.com/V5/Re...
April 4, 2016
4.5
This is a slow-burn romance about a financial analyst, Delaney, who is given the job of cutting the budget for the pediatrics department at the hospital, a department that is run by sexy pediatrician Dr. Josh Mackenzie. This isn't an insta-love story, of course there's an instant attraction, but there is a wonderful amount of build up between Delaney and Josh. Josh wants Delaney to see what really goes on in the pediatrics department before she starts recommending cuts so he invites her to come stay on their floor for 2 weeks and shadow the department. Delaney is resistant at first, she has her reasons for her avoidance of the pediatric floor, but she wants to make the best decisions for the kids and the department so she agrees to stay. I loved the way Josh and Delaney got to know each other but also how they got to know things they didn't know about themselves as well. They were wonderful characters with big hearts. This was not a steamy romance, it was fade to black but there was very strong chemistry and a great connection between these characters. I really enjoy this author's writing and the way she brings her characters to life. I can't wait to read the next book in this series!
This is a slow-burn romance about a financial analyst, Delaney, who is given the job of cutting the budget for the pediatrics department at the hospital, a department that is run by sexy pediatrician Dr. Josh Mackenzie. This isn't an insta-love story, of course there's an instant attraction, but there is a wonderful amount of build up between Delaney and Josh. Josh wants Delaney to see what really goes on in the pediatrics department before she starts recommending cuts so he invites her to come stay on their floor for 2 weeks and shadow the department. Delaney is resistant at first, she has her reasons for her avoidance of the pediatric floor, but she wants to make the best decisions for the kids and the department so she agrees to stay. I loved the way Josh and Delaney got to know each other but also how they got to know things they didn't know about themselves as well. They were wonderful characters with big hearts. This was not a steamy romance, it was fade to black but there was very strong chemistry and a great connection between these characters. I really enjoy this author's writing and the way she brings her characters to life. I can't wait to read the next book in this series!
September 7, 2020
3.5
"Mein Herz schlägt für dich" ist der zweite Teil der Echo Lake Reihe und hier treffen wir den Kinderarzt Josh wieder, der zum einen im Kinderkrankenhaus arbeitet, sich aber auch um die Patienten im Avery Haus kümmert, welches seine Freunde Josie und Ethan leiten.
Ich fand den zweiten Teil ein wenig schwächer als den ersten, was vor allem daran lag, dass ich mit der Protagonistin Delaney nicht so richtig warm geworden bin. Sie wirkte sehr kühl und distanziert und passte mit ihrer analystischen perfekt in ihren Job in der Finanzabteilung des Krankenhauses. Josh war mir zwar sympathischer, aber gerade als Kinderarzt fehlte mir auch bei ihm eine etwas emotionalere Seite. Die beiden haben jedoch gut zusammen gepasst und es gab auch einige sehr schöne Momente.
Das Buch selbst ist unterhaltsam und ich habe es gerne gelesen. Das Setting im Krankenhaus war ebenfalls interessant und bot jede Menge Emotionen und auch Dramatik. Jedoch habe ich den weihnachtlichen Vergnügungspark von Josies Eltern ein wenig vermisst. Echo Lake ist ein richtig gemütliches Setting und man fühlt sich in dem kleinen Ort einfach wohl.
Ich bin nur sehr gespannt auf den dritten Teil der Reihe, auch wenn ich ein wenig gehofft hatte, dass dieser von Molly handeln wird.
"Mein Herz schlägt für dich" ist der zweite Teil der Echo Lake Reihe und hier treffen wir den Kinderarzt Josh wieder, der zum einen im Kinderkrankenhaus arbeitet, sich aber auch um die Patienten im Avery Haus kümmert, welches seine Freunde Josie und Ethan leiten.
Ich fand den zweiten Teil ein wenig schwächer als den ersten, was vor allem daran lag, dass ich mit der Protagonistin Delaney nicht so richtig warm geworden bin. Sie wirkte sehr kühl und distanziert und passte mit ihrer analystischen perfekt in ihren Job in der Finanzabteilung des Krankenhauses. Josh war mir zwar sympathischer, aber gerade als Kinderarzt fehlte mir auch bei ihm eine etwas emotionalere Seite. Die beiden haben jedoch gut zusammen gepasst und es gab auch einige sehr schöne Momente.
Das Buch selbst ist unterhaltsam und ich habe es gerne gelesen. Das Setting im Krankenhaus war ebenfalls interessant und bot jede Menge Emotionen und auch Dramatik. Jedoch habe ich den weihnachtlichen Vergnügungspark von Josies Eltern ein wenig vermisst. Echo Lake ist ein richtig gemütliches Setting und man fühlt sich in dem kleinen Ort einfach wohl.
Ich bin nur sehr gespannt auf den dritten Teil der Reihe, auch wenn ich ein wenig gehofft hatte, dass dieser von Molly handeln wird.
August 15, 2020
Ich habe dieses Buch seit meinem Geburtstag im April auf meinem SUB liegen und keine Lust verspürt es zu lesen. Doch nachdem ich es jetzt gelesen habe Breeze ich es ungemein, da es mir total gut gefallen hat und ich es liebe ein Buch über Vermont zu lesen. Ich habe mich in diese Gegend verliebt. Ich werde Band 3 auf jeden Fall so schnell wie möglich lesen.
4,5 Sterne
4,5 Sterne
April 1, 2016
Rated 4.5 - A doctor and a financial analyst, plus good friends who can't keep their opinions to themselves, make for some laugh-out-loud moments mixed with poignancy to win your heart. Great contemporary series with likable characters.
Read more reviews from the Contemporary Romance Challenge I'm participating in for 2016 at my site, The Zest Quest.
Delaney Blair gets called into the CFO's office at Echo Lake's Mercy Hospital, fully expecting to lose her job, just like the six other poor souls who passed through that door ahead of her this week. Instead, she's given an impossible ultimatum as a financial analyst - to reduce the pediatric department's budget by a ridiculous amount of money or look for another job. As the interim head of pediatrics, Dr. Joshua Mackenzie is overworked and lacks patience for a financial office that doesn't have to ensure good patient care with unsatisfactory funding.
Within the first three chapters, we're shown Dr. Mackenzie's compassion for his patients by his willingness to stay up all night rocking a sick child. He's stretched thin at the hospital but he still finds the time to work with his friends Josie and Ethan at Avery's house. Joshua's compassion and dedication to his job, in addition to his good looks, make him the hospital's most eligible bachelor.
Delaney has settled in her career as a financial analyst and hopes to earn the CFO position in a few years. Having gone to medical school but unable to stomach the work, Delaney's choice of career has always been a bone of contention with her skilled surgeon father. After a couple weeks spending time with patients, Delaney begins to see a possible new future that might truly make her happy.
Delaney doesn't expect to fall in love with pediatrics and Joshua doesn't expect to fall in love with Delaney. Will their inability to keep a professional distance cost them both their jobs?
HEART LIKE MINE started off as a solid 3.5 rated book but toward the middle it soared to a 4, ending as a 4.5. A hospital setting isn't normally my first choice for contemporary romance so it took me a bit to connect. But I fell in love with the pediatric patients and caregivers. Author Maggie McGinnis has a talent for layering that makes me care for her characters. When a hero and heroine are on opposite sides of a situation, I usually dislike one of them because I end up siding with one more strongly. Delaney and Joshua were equally likable and I felt invested in their happiness, not just in their careers, but also as a couple.
HEART LIKE MINE has excellent, subtle layering and texture that builds the relationships of all the characters in this novel. Delaney and Joshua each have their friends and co-workers who support them so their dilemma becomes a team effort. The patients are so precious and I loved the scenes when Delaney talked or worked with one of them. Delaney has a huge heart and it really shines through. Toward the end, the tension grew and I was nervous about how it would be resolved. I was quite pleased when their hearts and ambitions matched and comingled. There are some excellent plot devices in this novel, even when they're formulaic, because of their variances.
Maggie McGinnis succeeds at exploring emotion well-loved by romance readers. I was surprised by the emotional impact between Delaney and her parents as I didn't expect it, or how it affected me as a reader. I love those well-played surprises. Some of the characters' sense of humor cracked me up, which offset the children's stories which were especially heartrending.
There was one scene with an irate father that I felt was unnecessary and a little over the top. It felt disjointed and unexpected. I thought the book held its own without that element, but it also did not ruin the book for me. I mainly wondered why it was there.
HEART LIKE MINE is a sweet romance that will satisfy behind-closed-doors romance lovers. This couple has plenty of chemistry and they're not innocent in their relationship, but it's tastefully done without graphic details. Fans of the series will enjoy a solid revisit with favorite characters from FOREVER THIS TIME. If you've skipped the first book, some of the friendship scenes might lose their sparkle if you're not familiar with the characters, so I suggest reading this series in order for the entertainment value. Even though I suspected how the financial problems for the pediatric floor would be resolved, I still found the progress and results a very interesting way to create conflict.
HEART LIKE MINE is a heartwarming addition to the ECHO LAKE series. I can hardly wait to read SHE'S GOT A WAY (releasing August 30, 2016) which includes primitive camping with some bad students in the heroine's care, camping being one of my favorite situations for conflict. If you're looking for well-written characterizations that make you care about their outcome, grab the ECHO LAKE series for a sigh-worthy weekend of reading.
Review by Dorine, courtesy of Romance Junkies and The Zest Quest. Print ARC provided by the publisher.
Read more reviews from the Contemporary Romance Challenge I'm participating in for 2016 at my site, The Zest Quest.
Delaney Blair gets called into the CFO's office at Echo Lake's Mercy Hospital, fully expecting to lose her job, just like the six other poor souls who passed through that door ahead of her this week. Instead, she's given an impossible ultimatum as a financial analyst - to reduce the pediatric department's budget by a ridiculous amount of money or look for another job. As the interim head of pediatrics, Dr. Joshua Mackenzie is overworked and lacks patience for a financial office that doesn't have to ensure good patient care with unsatisfactory funding.
Within the first three chapters, we're shown Dr. Mackenzie's compassion for his patients by his willingness to stay up all night rocking a sick child. He's stretched thin at the hospital but he still finds the time to work with his friends Josie and Ethan at Avery's house. Joshua's compassion and dedication to his job, in addition to his good looks, make him the hospital's most eligible bachelor.
Delaney has settled in her career as a financial analyst and hopes to earn the CFO position in a few years. Having gone to medical school but unable to stomach the work, Delaney's choice of career has always been a bone of contention with her skilled surgeon father. After a couple weeks spending time with patients, Delaney begins to see a possible new future that might truly make her happy.
Delaney doesn't expect to fall in love with pediatrics and Joshua doesn't expect to fall in love with Delaney. Will their inability to keep a professional distance cost them both their jobs?
HEART LIKE MINE started off as a solid 3.5 rated book but toward the middle it soared to a 4, ending as a 4.5. A hospital setting isn't normally my first choice for contemporary romance so it took me a bit to connect. But I fell in love with the pediatric patients and caregivers. Author Maggie McGinnis has a talent for layering that makes me care for her characters. When a hero and heroine are on opposite sides of a situation, I usually dislike one of them because I end up siding with one more strongly. Delaney and Joshua were equally likable and I felt invested in their happiness, not just in their careers, but also as a couple.
HEART LIKE MINE has excellent, subtle layering and texture that builds the relationships of all the characters in this novel. Delaney and Joshua each have their friends and co-workers who support them so their dilemma becomes a team effort. The patients are so precious and I loved the scenes when Delaney talked or worked with one of them. Delaney has a huge heart and it really shines through. Toward the end, the tension grew and I was nervous about how it would be resolved. I was quite pleased when their hearts and ambitions matched and comingled. There are some excellent plot devices in this novel, even when they're formulaic, because of their variances.
Maggie McGinnis succeeds at exploring emotion well-loved by romance readers. I was surprised by the emotional impact between Delaney and her parents as I didn't expect it, or how it affected me as a reader. I love those well-played surprises. Some of the characters' sense of humor cracked me up, which offset the children's stories which were especially heartrending.
There was one scene with an irate father that I felt was unnecessary and a little over the top. It felt disjointed and unexpected. I thought the book held its own without that element, but it also did not ruin the book for me. I mainly wondered why it was there.
HEART LIKE MINE is a sweet romance that will satisfy behind-closed-doors romance lovers. This couple has plenty of chemistry and they're not innocent in their relationship, but it's tastefully done without graphic details. Fans of the series will enjoy a solid revisit with favorite characters from FOREVER THIS TIME. If you've skipped the first book, some of the friendship scenes might lose their sparkle if you're not familiar with the characters, so I suggest reading this series in order for the entertainment value. Even though I suspected how the financial problems for the pediatric floor would be resolved, I still found the progress and results a very interesting way to create conflict.
HEART LIKE MINE is a heartwarming addition to the ECHO LAKE series. I can hardly wait to read SHE'S GOT A WAY (releasing August 30, 2016) which includes primitive camping with some bad students in the heroine's care, camping being one of my favorite situations for conflict. If you're looking for well-written characterizations that make you care about their outcome, grab the ECHO LAKE series for a sigh-worthy weekend of reading.
Review by Dorine, courtesy of Romance Junkies and The Zest Quest. Print ARC provided by the publisher.
March 21, 2016
Heart Like Mine by Maggie McGinnis not only highlights a lot of the issues health care faces, but it brings two people who at first appear to be opposites vividly to life.
I really liked Delaney. She was doing a challenging job she was good at with no apologies, and tried really hard. I liked the layers to her, that she didn't beat around the bush, and yet she didn't toot her own horn. I liked Josh a lot too. He also has a challenging job, one he gives his heart to. There is an immediate attraction between Delaney and Josh despite conflict and tension, and it simmers well to a boil! Despite their differences, they are really quite similar. Both of them are dedicated, caring, and compassionate people. Neither is looking for love (no time!), and they try valiantly to resist the passion between them. I enjoyed the banter between them. The pieces of humor mixed with deep emotion were well written in and very realistic. I was enchanted as they got to know each other and each other's work on a deeper level. While neither of them thinks a romance between them is a good idea or that it would work, I liked the progression and pace of their relationship. It was believable. I liked how these characters grew and developed over the course of Heart Like Mine, and felt like I really got to know them as they got to know each other and even worked together.
The main plot, the cuts Delaney is expected to find in Josh's department created a lot of strain at times between them. I liked how this was dealt with and what Delaney and Josh did to try to work things out. Heart Like Mine is not a stereotypical medical romance and it was refreshingly unique.
It was fun being back in Echo Lake and seeing previous characters. I liked how they were woven into the story seamlessly tying into Delaney and Josh's world, making Heart Like Mine easily a stand alone book. There are a few unexpected twists that Maggie throws in that really livens things up even more!
I found Heart Like Mine to be a well paced read flowing with emotions. I liked where Maggie went with this journey for Delaney and Josh. Heart Like Mine also highlights for me, the differences in health care systems and made me even more grateful for the health care system where I live! I'd recommend Heart Like Mine to any romance reader!
I really liked Delaney. She was doing a challenging job she was good at with no apologies, and tried really hard. I liked the layers to her, that she didn't beat around the bush, and yet she didn't toot her own horn. I liked Josh a lot too. He also has a challenging job, one he gives his heart to. There is an immediate attraction between Delaney and Josh despite conflict and tension, and it simmers well to a boil! Despite their differences, they are really quite similar. Both of them are dedicated, caring, and compassionate people. Neither is looking for love (no time!), and they try valiantly to resist the passion between them. I enjoyed the banter between them. The pieces of humor mixed with deep emotion were well written in and very realistic. I was enchanted as they got to know each other and each other's work on a deeper level. While neither of them thinks a romance between them is a good idea or that it would work, I liked the progression and pace of their relationship. It was believable. I liked how these characters grew and developed over the course of Heart Like Mine, and felt like I really got to know them as they got to know each other and even worked together.
The main plot, the cuts Delaney is expected to find in Josh's department created a lot of strain at times between them. I liked how this was dealt with and what Delaney and Josh did to try to work things out. Heart Like Mine is not a stereotypical medical romance and it was refreshingly unique.
It was fun being back in Echo Lake and seeing previous characters. I liked how they were woven into the story seamlessly tying into Delaney and Josh's world, making Heart Like Mine easily a stand alone book. There are a few unexpected twists that Maggie throws in that really livens things up even more!
I found Heart Like Mine to be a well paced read flowing with emotions. I liked where Maggie went with this journey for Delaney and Josh. Heart Like Mine also highlights for me, the differences in health care systems and made me even more grateful for the health care system where I live! I'd recommend Heart Like Mine to any romance reader!
July 27, 2020
Mitreißend und Herzerwärmend
“Mein Herz schlägt für dich” ist der zweite Band der Echo Lake Reihe von Maggie McGinnis, in dem wir dem Kinderarzt Josh wieder begegnen. Er hat sein Privatleben quasi auf null gestellt und kümmert sich aufopfernd um seine kleinen Patienten im Krankenhaus. Da kommt ihm Delaney aus der Finanzabteilung mit ihren Budgetkürzungsplänen natürlich gar nicht recht.
Das Buch ist wunderbar lustig, die Dialoge zwischen den beiden spritzig und witzig, aber es geht natürlich auch sehr romantisch und emotional zu. Denn beide Charaktere haben so ihre ganz eigene schwierige Vergangenheit, welche sie antreibt, gerade in Bezug auf die Kinder. Dazu kommen viele liebenswerte Charaktere, die man schon aus dem ersten Band der Reihe kennt. Man kann das Buch aber auch gut eigenständig lesen. Die Autorin schafft es, den Leser mit der emotionalen Geschichte wirklich mitzunehmen, einige Wendungen halten auch einen gewissen Spannungsbogen aufrecht.
Ein herzerwärmender und sehr unterhaltsamer Roman, der einen mitreißt mit der starken Geschichte. Das Buch ist definitiv ein Lesehighlight und macht Lust auf die gesamte Reihe.
“Mein Herz schlägt für dich” ist der zweite Band der Echo Lake Reihe von Maggie McGinnis, in dem wir dem Kinderarzt Josh wieder begegnen. Er hat sein Privatleben quasi auf null gestellt und kümmert sich aufopfernd um seine kleinen Patienten im Krankenhaus. Da kommt ihm Delaney aus der Finanzabteilung mit ihren Budgetkürzungsplänen natürlich gar nicht recht.
Das Buch ist wunderbar lustig, die Dialoge zwischen den beiden spritzig und witzig, aber es geht natürlich auch sehr romantisch und emotional zu. Denn beide Charaktere haben so ihre ganz eigene schwierige Vergangenheit, welche sie antreibt, gerade in Bezug auf die Kinder. Dazu kommen viele liebenswerte Charaktere, die man schon aus dem ersten Band der Reihe kennt. Man kann das Buch aber auch gut eigenständig lesen. Die Autorin schafft es, den Leser mit der emotionalen Geschichte wirklich mitzunehmen, einige Wendungen halten auch einen gewissen Spannungsbogen aufrecht.
Ein herzerwärmender und sehr unterhaltsamer Roman, der einen mitreißt mit der starken Geschichte. Das Buch ist definitiv ein Lesehighlight und macht Lust auf die gesamte Reihe.
April 15, 2016
4.5 Stars!
It's been so long since a book hooked me completely from the first page and made me drop everything to finish it, but HEART LIKE MINE did just that. I have read a few books by Ms. McGinnis but this is by far her best. It is such a beautiful, tender, sweet romance that warmed my heart and left me smiling and I think she rocks at writing classic love stories.
As a financial analyst at Mercy Hospital, Delaney Blair has been give the difficult task of slashing the budget for Pediatrics or risking the loss of her job, but the head of the department isn't going down with a fight, especially since the current budget isn't sufficient and dares Delaney to relocate her office to his department for a couple of weeks to observe firsthand how its run before making her recommendations. While this isn't exactly her first choice, she has her own reasons for wanting to keep the department funded.
Dr. Joshua Mackenzie is determined to do right by his patients and will take on the clueless managers from the top floor who have no idea of how things are really run on his floor, but he's definitely not expecting Delaney and her commitment to doing right nor her effect on him, but she surprises him because of how she throws herself into helping out on the floor in spite of her very personal reasons for not wanting to be there.
Both Josh and Delaney are dedicated and passionate about what they do and find common ground in their desire to keep the doors open, and soon find themselves putting their heads together to find ways to fund the department independently. All the time spent together allows them to get to know each other better and draws them even closer.
This romance is of the smoldering variety and while the attraction between them is intense, it's the emotional connection between them that powers this story and will have readers rooting for them, especially when their professional ethics clash with their personal desires.
I enjoyed this book so much that even before I finished it I was already checking out the rest if the series because of how good it was. This should definitely go on the keeper shelf.
Disclaimer: I received this book for free from the Publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
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It's been so long since a book hooked me completely from the first page and made me drop everything to finish it, but HEART LIKE MINE did just that. I have read a few books by Ms. McGinnis but this is by far her best. It is such a beautiful, tender, sweet romance that warmed my heart and left me smiling and I think she rocks at writing classic love stories.
As a financial analyst at Mercy Hospital, Delaney Blair has been give the difficult task of slashing the budget for Pediatrics or risking the loss of her job, but the head of the department isn't going down with a fight, especially since the current budget isn't sufficient and dares Delaney to relocate her office to his department for a couple of weeks to observe firsthand how its run before making her recommendations. While this isn't exactly her first choice, she has her own reasons for wanting to keep the department funded.
Dr. Joshua Mackenzie is determined to do right by his patients and will take on the clueless managers from the top floor who have no idea of how things are really run on his floor, but he's definitely not expecting Delaney and her commitment to doing right nor her effect on him, but she surprises him because of how she throws herself into helping out on the floor in spite of her very personal reasons for not wanting to be there.
Both Josh and Delaney are dedicated and passionate about what they do and find common ground in their desire to keep the doors open, and soon find themselves putting their heads together to find ways to fund the department independently. All the time spent together allows them to get to know each other better and draws them even closer.
This romance is of the smoldering variety and while the attraction between them is intense, it's the emotional connection between them that powers this story and will have readers rooting for them, especially when their professional ethics clash with their personal desires.
I enjoyed this book so much that even before I finished it I was already checking out the rest if the series because of how good it was. This should definitely go on the keeper shelf.
Disclaimer: I received this book for free from the Publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
Want more? Subscribe to my Newsletter on The Sassy Bookster.
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April 6, 2016
Slick's review posted at Guilty Pleasures Book Reviews
4.5 stars
Somewhere along the way I missed a book in this series and I will go back and read it because I love being a part of Echo Lake! After reading the first book in this series, I knew I'd want to return and author Maggie McGinnis has outdone herself again with Heart Like Mine. Two people on opposite sides of an issue work to solve the problem all while fighting their intense attraction. I loved the sexual tension between them, they easy way their lives became intertwined and the fact that knowing they shouldn't be together couldn't keep them apart. Character driven from the two main characters to each and every supporting character this book was heart-warming, beautifully written and impossible to put down.
When hospital finance officer Delaney Blair is given the task of slashing the pediatrics budget drastically, a unit she has worked to keep funded, she has no choice but to put pen to paper and see what she can come up with. Little does she know that meeting with the temporary head of pediatrics, Joshua Mackenzie will change he life in more ways than one.
It was very interesting watching Delaney tackle the pediatric ward on Joshua's dare, not only for professional reasons but personal ones as well. She amazed me with her overwhelming spirit and need to help and I know that she surprised Joshua and his staff at how easily she jumped in and made herself at home. And all the while she was trying to do the right thing by the pediatric department as well as figuring out how to not lose her job. In addition the overwhelming attraction makes it hard for them to keep things on a professional level further jeopardizing everything she's worked towards.
I loved seeing the characters from previous books, Josh's amazing staff in the hospital as well as some very special kids in the ward. All of these characters added so much to an already amazing story making if even better.
This is romance on the sweet side and while the lovin' takes place behind closed doors, it doesn't lessen the enjoyment of this story in the least. I loved the realism of this story, the emotional connection between the characters and watching two very deserving people find the perfect one.
Review copy provided for an honest review.
4.5 stars
Somewhere along the way I missed a book in this series and I will go back and read it because I love being a part of Echo Lake! After reading the first book in this series, I knew I'd want to return and author Maggie McGinnis has outdone herself again with Heart Like Mine. Two people on opposite sides of an issue work to solve the problem all while fighting their intense attraction. I loved the sexual tension between them, they easy way their lives became intertwined and the fact that knowing they shouldn't be together couldn't keep them apart. Character driven from the two main characters to each and every supporting character this book was heart-warming, beautifully written and impossible to put down.
When hospital finance officer Delaney Blair is given the task of slashing the pediatrics budget drastically, a unit she has worked to keep funded, she has no choice but to put pen to paper and see what she can come up with. Little does she know that meeting with the temporary head of pediatrics, Joshua Mackenzie will change he life in more ways than one.
It was very interesting watching Delaney tackle the pediatric ward on Joshua's dare, not only for professional reasons but personal ones as well. She amazed me with her overwhelming spirit and need to help and I know that she surprised Joshua and his staff at how easily she jumped in and made herself at home. And all the while she was trying to do the right thing by the pediatric department as well as figuring out how to not lose her job. In addition the overwhelming attraction makes it hard for them to keep things on a professional level further jeopardizing everything she's worked towards.
I loved seeing the characters from previous books, Josh's amazing staff in the hospital as well as some very special kids in the ward. All of these characters added so much to an already amazing story making if even better.
This is romance on the sweet side and while the lovin' takes place behind closed doors, it doesn't lessen the enjoyment of this story in the least. I loved the realism of this story, the emotional connection between the characters and watching two very deserving people find the perfect one.
Review copy provided for an honest review.
April 7, 2016
4 stars
I really enjoyed Heart Like Mine.
The storyline was sweet, heartwarming, entertaining and held my interest throughout the book.
I really liked Delaney & Joshua, they were passionate, selfless, honest, stubborn and the chemistry between them was smoking.
I loved watching their relationship develop, I enjoyed how they dealt with their feelings and how they helped one another open themselves up to life outside of work. Together they were able to find a balance between work & life and find happiness and unconditional love.
Heart Like Mine was a beautifully written contemporary romance with wonderful characters that will bring out all the feels, I highly recommend this book and the Echo Lake series. https://www.goodreads.com/series/1454...
Thank you to St. Martin's Press via NetGalley for the advance copy.
I really enjoyed Heart Like Mine.
The storyline was sweet, heartwarming, entertaining and held my interest throughout the book.
I really liked Delaney & Joshua, they were passionate, selfless, honest, stubborn and the chemistry between them was smoking.
I loved watching their relationship develop, I enjoyed how they dealt with their feelings and how they helped one another open themselves up to life outside of work. Together they were able to find a balance between work & life and find happiness and unconditional love.
Heart Like Mine was a beautifully written contemporary romance with wonderful characters that will bring out all the feels, I highly recommend this book and the Echo Lake series. https://www.goodreads.com/series/1454...
Thank you to St. Martin's Press via NetGalley for the advance copy.
May 2, 2022
I really enjoyed this book, my first for author Maggie McGinnis. It was sad at times, especially when we hear the kid's stories. Then there's the dangerous situation at the end that's scary. But for the most part, it was lighthearted and enjoyable.
Delaney works in finance for Mercy Hospital in the Exec suite. She's been tasked with making major budget cuts to the Pediatrics Department. That's when she runs into Dr. Joshua Mackenzie, a hot young doctor with a heart of gold and love for his patients and what he does. Of course, he's not having any part of the budget cuts. He tasks Delaney with spending a week on the Pediatrics floor to see just what goes on in his department and why any budget cuts would be detrimental to patient safety and care. She reluctantly agrees to it since she lost her little brother at a young age and has PTSD every time she thinks about visiting the Pediatric floor. But she has to work with him to make budget cuts or she won't be up for that CFO position she's aiming for when her boss retires (her dad is a big surgeon at the hospital, by the way, so she also has high expectations to live up to).
I loved seeing Delaney come to life around the patients. She was such a natural with the kids, keeping them calm and offering them companionship when they're surrounded by nurses and doctors always wanting to run more tests or deliver more bad news. She was the comfort they needed in a crappy place.
Joshua was such a great doctor, albeit one who was overworked. But there was no denying his dedication to his patients and profession. I loved seeing him with Delaney and watching them both give into temptation and give a relationship a try. I mean, it went against hospital policy and they both knew it was a bad idea. But I still like that they decided to give happiness a try instead of allowing work to continue to rule their lives. It backfired, of course, but in the end, they get their HEA.
Speaking of their HEA, the author kind of left us in a bind by not updating us on what happened with Kevin and the budget issue. Kevin was after her job, he blatantly lied to try and make her look bad. But we never found out what happened to him! Do we just assume he will end up being the CFO despite being terrible at this job and a lying douche? What happens with the funding for Pediatrics? Does the money get the board off their back for a while? I really hated that the author just abandoned that part of the plot given it was the plot, outside of the romance, of course.
Despite those loose ends, I still found this a good book to read while I was on vacation. The intimate scenes aren't even fade to black, since they pretty much don't exist. I mean at one point Joshua asks her if they can go to bed so he can make love to her, then the next day we're told they did. Nothing in between to build up to it before it fades to black. Some may be okay with this. After all the intense flirtation, I expected a little more heat and details. But again, this was my first time reading this author, so maybe that's the norm.
Delaney works in finance for Mercy Hospital in the Exec suite. She's been tasked with making major budget cuts to the Pediatrics Department. That's when she runs into Dr. Joshua Mackenzie, a hot young doctor with a heart of gold and love for his patients and what he does. Of course, he's not having any part of the budget cuts. He tasks Delaney with spending a week on the Pediatrics floor to see just what goes on in his department and why any budget cuts would be detrimental to patient safety and care. She reluctantly agrees to it since she lost her little brother at a young age and has PTSD every time she thinks about visiting the Pediatric floor. But she has to work with him to make budget cuts or she won't be up for that CFO position she's aiming for when her boss retires (her dad is a big surgeon at the hospital, by the way, so she also has high expectations to live up to).
I loved seeing Delaney come to life around the patients. She was such a natural with the kids, keeping them calm and offering them companionship when they're surrounded by nurses and doctors always wanting to run more tests or deliver more bad news. She was the comfort they needed in a crappy place.
Joshua was such a great doctor, albeit one who was overworked. But there was no denying his dedication to his patients and profession. I loved seeing him with Delaney and watching them both give into temptation and give a relationship a try. I mean, it went against hospital policy and they both knew it was a bad idea. But I still like that they decided to give happiness a try instead of allowing work to continue to rule their lives. It backfired, of course, but in the end, they get their HEA.
Speaking of their HEA, the author kind of left us in a bind by not updating us on what happened with Kevin and the budget issue. Kevin was after her job, he blatantly lied to try and make her look bad. But we never found out what happened to him! Do we just assume he will end up being the CFO despite being terrible at this job and a lying douche? What happens with the funding for Pediatrics? Does the money get the board off their back for a while? I really hated that the author just abandoned that part of the plot given it was the plot, outside of the romance, of course.
Despite those loose ends, I still found this a good book to read while I was on vacation. The intimate scenes aren't even fade to black, since they pretty much don't exist. I mean at one point Joshua asks her if they can go to bed so he can make love to her, then the next day we're told they did. Nothing in between to build up to it before it fades to black. Some may be okay with this. After all the intense flirtation, I expected a little more heat and details. But again, this was my first time reading this author, so maybe that's the norm.
August 6, 2020
Rezension
Buchname: Echo Lake - Mein Herz schlägt für dich: Roman (Echo Lake-Reihe, Band 2)
Autor: Maggie McGinnis
Seiten: 400 (Print)
Verlag: Lübbe; Auflage: 1. Aufl. 2020 (28. Februar 2020)
Sterne: 5
Cover:
Das Cover ist richtig schön gestaltet worden. Der Buchtitel steht in hellen Buchstaben im oberen Bereich. Man sieht ein Pärchen, einen See und die Berge und einem Wald im Hintergrund auf dem Cover. .. Auf dem ersten Blick ist das schon mal sehr ansprechend.
Klappentext: (aus Amazon übernommen)
In Echo Lake ist Herzflimmern garantiert!
Delaney liebt ihren Job im Krankenhaus von Echo Lake - bis ihr Chef sie beauftragt, auf der Kinderstation Einsparpotenziale ausfindig zu machen. Bei ihrer Recherche trifft sie auf Kinderarzt Josh, der vor lauter Arbeit nicht weiß, wo ihm der Kopf steht, und sie deutlich spüren lässt, für was er sie hält: eine junge Frau, die von nichts eine Ahnung hat. Als es plötzlich um Leben und Tod eines jungen Patienten geht, arbeiten Delaney und Josh jedoch Seite an Seite. Finden auch ihre Herzen zusammen?
Schreibstil:
Der Schreibstil der Autorin ist total flüssig, liest sich super und ist sehr leicht verständlich.
Charaktere:
Die Hauptprotagonistin ist Delaney
Der Hauptprotagonist ist Josh
Ich fande alle Charaktere von Anfang an total sympathisch und liebenswert. Des weiteren gibt es noch ein paar andere Charaktere. . Meiner Meinung nach sind alle Charakter sehr gelungen und haben einen sehr guten Platz im Buch bekommen.
Meinung:
!!!! Achtung !!! Könnte Spoiler erhalten!!!
Mir hat die Geschichte rund um Delaney und Josh richtig gut gefallen. Der Liebesroman hatte für mich alles. Die ganze Art und Schreibweise von der Autorin waren sehr gut zu lesen. Locker flockig leicht. Interessante und authentische und sympathische Charaktere. Tolles Setting. Die Story war auch sehr gut. Ich bin sehr gut in die Geschichte gekommen, obwohl ich Band 1 nicht kenne. Aber das stört hier überhaupt nicht, da es um ein anderes Pärchen geht. Für mich ist „ Echo Lake - Mein Herz schlägt für dich“ ein absoluter Wohlfühlroman. Deshalb bin ich nur so förmlich durch die Seiten geflogen. Aber man muss auch Romance bzw Liebesromane im allgemeinem mögen, sonst ist das Buch für einem nichts. Ja es ist sehr vorausschauend und im Prinzip immer das Gleiche, aber mich stört so was nicht. Ganz im Gegenteil ich finde es sehr beruhigend. Von mir bekommt „ Echo Lake - Mein Herz schlägt für dich“ daher auch sehr verdiente 5 Sterne und eine klare Leseempfehlung.
Buchname: Echo Lake - Mein Herz schlägt für dich: Roman (Echo Lake-Reihe, Band 2)
Autor: Maggie McGinnis
Seiten: 400 (Print)
Verlag: Lübbe; Auflage: 1. Aufl. 2020 (28. Februar 2020)
Sterne: 5
Cover:
Das Cover ist richtig schön gestaltet worden. Der Buchtitel steht in hellen Buchstaben im oberen Bereich. Man sieht ein Pärchen, einen See und die Berge und einem Wald im Hintergrund auf dem Cover. .. Auf dem ersten Blick ist das schon mal sehr ansprechend.
Klappentext: (aus Amazon übernommen)
In Echo Lake ist Herzflimmern garantiert!
Delaney liebt ihren Job im Krankenhaus von Echo Lake - bis ihr Chef sie beauftragt, auf der Kinderstation Einsparpotenziale ausfindig zu machen. Bei ihrer Recherche trifft sie auf Kinderarzt Josh, der vor lauter Arbeit nicht weiß, wo ihm der Kopf steht, und sie deutlich spüren lässt, für was er sie hält: eine junge Frau, die von nichts eine Ahnung hat. Als es plötzlich um Leben und Tod eines jungen Patienten geht, arbeiten Delaney und Josh jedoch Seite an Seite. Finden auch ihre Herzen zusammen?
Schreibstil:
Der Schreibstil der Autorin ist total flüssig, liest sich super und ist sehr leicht verständlich.
Charaktere:
Die Hauptprotagonistin ist Delaney
Der Hauptprotagonist ist Josh
Ich fande alle Charaktere von Anfang an total sympathisch und liebenswert. Des weiteren gibt es noch ein paar andere Charaktere. . Meiner Meinung nach sind alle Charakter sehr gelungen und haben einen sehr guten Platz im Buch bekommen.
Meinung:
!!!! Achtung !!! Könnte Spoiler erhalten!!!
Mir hat die Geschichte rund um Delaney und Josh richtig gut gefallen. Der Liebesroman hatte für mich alles. Die ganze Art und Schreibweise von der Autorin waren sehr gut zu lesen. Locker flockig leicht. Interessante und authentische und sympathische Charaktere. Tolles Setting. Die Story war auch sehr gut. Ich bin sehr gut in die Geschichte gekommen, obwohl ich Band 1 nicht kenne. Aber das stört hier überhaupt nicht, da es um ein anderes Pärchen geht. Für mich ist „ Echo Lake - Mein Herz schlägt für dich“ ein absoluter Wohlfühlroman. Deshalb bin ich nur so förmlich durch die Seiten geflogen. Aber man muss auch Romance bzw Liebesromane im allgemeinem mögen, sonst ist das Buch für einem nichts. Ja es ist sehr vorausschauend und im Prinzip immer das Gleiche, aber mich stört so was nicht. Ganz im Gegenteil ich finde es sehr beruhigend. Von mir bekommt „ Echo Lake - Mein Herz schlägt für dich“ daher auch sehr verdiente 5 Sterne und eine klare Leseempfehlung.
February 28, 2016
This isn't your typical hospital romance book that has Er scenes and doctors and nurses hooking up and that's why I enjoyed it. This novel has one very hot pediatrics doctor that falls for the woman who is about to cut his budget into shreds.
If you ever been to the hospital you pretty much know the day to day things that happen but in this story McGinnis gives you a behind the scenes peek on what happens with budget cuts and the process before that even happens. I loved learning more about what happens behind the scenes and so glad McGinnis had the story revolve around that.
Joshua and Delaney don't start off on the right foot but right away you can see how attracted they are to one another. Josh spends all his time working and Delaney doesn't want to fall for a man like her father who happens to be one of the top surgeons at the hospital. Josh has his own reasons of why it won't work but the more time they spend together the more those reasons go out the window.
I felt this book was well written and the characters were just the icing on the cake. They are both smart and driven individuals that in the end just want a loving happy family and are willing to work towards that goal.
Let's talk sex scenes... There are none and believe me I pouted over this long and hard. I'm not saying this couple doesn't have sex because it's implied that they do but we just don't get any details. So I would say this novel is definitely more of just two people falling for one another and getting to their HEA. Hopefully the next book will contain some even if they are just very basic fade to black scenes.
Since this is book 2 in this series I was glad that the previous characters from book 1 make an appearance throughout this story since Joshua is close with them and besides I really liked knowing what they were doing and how their lives were going.
Molly has to be one of my favorite characters just because her personality is awesome and she is super funny. I'm really hoping her story will come next in this series because her family just sounds like a real hoot!
If you're looking for a sweet romance that has slow kisses and a heart warming adventure to a HEA I would highly recommend meeting the characters of Echo Lake!
If you ever been to the hospital you pretty much know the day to day things that happen but in this story McGinnis gives you a behind the scenes peek on what happens with budget cuts and the process before that even happens. I loved learning more about what happens behind the scenes and so glad McGinnis had the story revolve around that.
Joshua and Delaney don't start off on the right foot but right away you can see how attracted they are to one another. Josh spends all his time working and Delaney doesn't want to fall for a man like her father who happens to be one of the top surgeons at the hospital. Josh has his own reasons of why it won't work but the more time they spend together the more those reasons go out the window.
I felt this book was well written and the characters were just the icing on the cake. They are both smart and driven individuals that in the end just want a loving happy family and are willing to work towards that goal.
Let's talk sex scenes... There are none and believe me I pouted over this long and hard. I'm not saying this couple doesn't have sex because it's implied that they do but we just don't get any details. So I would say this novel is definitely more of just two people falling for one another and getting to their HEA. Hopefully the next book will contain some even if they are just very basic fade to black scenes.
Since this is book 2 in this series I was glad that the previous characters from book 1 make an appearance throughout this story since Joshua is close with them and besides I really liked knowing what they were doing and how their lives were going.
Molly has to be one of my favorite characters just because her personality is awesome and she is super funny. I'm really hoping her story will come next in this series because her family just sounds like a real hoot!
If you're looking for a sweet romance that has slow kisses and a heart warming adventure to a HEA I would highly recommend meeting the characters of Echo Lake!
April 7, 2016
We all read romance for different reasons, but primary among those reasons is the characters: we want to understand them and feel what they do, and we want to be entertained. Occasionally a story comes along that will provide just that: two characters that you want to have as friends, and see all the potential for them as a couple.
Delaney is a financial analyst, brought into Mercy Hospital to help improve their bottom line, and the department that is most important to the ‘powers that be’ is Pediatrics. The interim head of Pediatrics is Dr. Josh Mackenzie: competent, capable, and utterly devoted to his work and his patients. He wants to prove that his department is doing solid work for the kids and the community, and Delaney seeing just what they do is a key part.
Wanting to give every department a fair shot, Delaney knows she should see what Josh has to offer, but past experiences makes her unable and unwilling to spend time in the department.
These two are adorable together: Delaney hides a deep wound behind a competent and businesslike exterior, but every time she and Josh come into contact to discuss budgets and expenses, they can’t ignore the attraction, or that they are at cross purposes where the budget is concerned.
These two are so very much alike: dedicated, passionate and commited to doing their very best in every situation. Slowly developing, the story reveals a relationship that develops over time, allowing the characters to grow and share information about themselves while strengthening their connection to one another. Far from smooth, the story brings up areas of conflict and compromise, showing our couple working to find real answers in an all too complicated system of healthcare finance.
A lovely story that fits nicely into the series while standing on its own without issue.
I received an eArc copy of the title from the publisher via NetGalley for purpose of honest review. I was not compensated for this review, all conclusions are my own responsibility.
This review was originally posted on I am, Indeed
Delaney is a financial analyst, brought into Mercy Hospital to help improve their bottom line, and the department that is most important to the ‘powers that be’ is Pediatrics. The interim head of Pediatrics is Dr. Josh Mackenzie: competent, capable, and utterly devoted to his work and his patients. He wants to prove that his department is doing solid work for the kids and the community, and Delaney seeing just what they do is a key part.
Wanting to give every department a fair shot, Delaney knows she should see what Josh has to offer, but past experiences makes her unable and unwilling to spend time in the department.
These two are adorable together: Delaney hides a deep wound behind a competent and businesslike exterior, but every time she and Josh come into contact to discuss budgets and expenses, they can’t ignore the attraction, or that they are at cross purposes where the budget is concerned.
These two are so very much alike: dedicated, passionate and commited to doing their very best in every situation. Slowly developing, the story reveals a relationship that develops over time, allowing the characters to grow and share information about themselves while strengthening their connection to one another. Far from smooth, the story brings up areas of conflict and compromise, showing our couple working to find real answers in an all too complicated system of healthcare finance.
A lovely story that fits nicely into the series while standing on its own without issue.
I received an eArc copy of the title from the publisher via NetGalley for purpose of honest review. I was not compensated for this review, all conclusions are my own responsibility.
This review was originally posted on I am, Indeed
May 8, 2016
I totally loved this story from the beginning to the end it pulls you in grabbing at your heart. Everyone sees Laney as a wonderfully strong woman who is very successful. People she works with highly respect her. What they do not see is her past how it haunts her and the heartache it brings. She isn’t a people person and doesn’t do well interacting with them. When she is forced to interact with people she faces her fears by trying to find away to make the budget work with the cuts they have given her. To do this she must spend time with the head of pediatrics Dr. Mackenzie.
Josh loves children they make his job worth doing and he makes it his life to help others the best that he can. They are working on a shoe string budget as it is now the men upstairs wants to cut it even more. He is put to the challenge meeting a budget he can’t met as he works on away to get what they need trying to make the men upstairs happy. How can this be happening he just doesn’t have time for this?
Laney and Josh come head to head as they go over the proposed budget cuts Laney proposes. Arguing is getting them nowhere, Josh challenges Laney to spend two week on the pediatrics floor hopefully showing her how overworked the staff is and what they truly need to take care of the children. Laney has no choice but to take the challenge as she fights with her memories.
This was a touching romance with wonderful characters. This author did an amazing job of how the hospital is run with all the red tape they have to go through. The characters were outstanding they are normal people dealing with normal issues that will touch your heart. This was a wonderful story with a powerful meaning that the author adds humor to give you a very well put together story that will touch you. There was nothing I didn’t like about this from the plot, characters and the writing style of this author. I feel sure this will be a much loved and wanted read.
*********************
Josh loves children they make his job worth doing and he makes it his life to help others the best that he can. They are working on a shoe string budget as it is now the men upstairs wants to cut it even more. He is put to the challenge meeting a budget he can’t met as he works on away to get what they need trying to make the men upstairs happy. How can this be happening he just doesn’t have time for this?
Laney and Josh come head to head as they go over the proposed budget cuts Laney proposes. Arguing is getting them nowhere, Josh challenges Laney to spend two week on the pediatrics floor hopefully showing her how overworked the staff is and what they truly need to take care of the children. Laney has no choice but to take the challenge as she fights with her memories.
This was a touching romance with wonderful characters. This author did an amazing job of how the hospital is run with all the red tape they have to go through. The characters were outstanding they are normal people dealing with normal issues that will touch your heart. This was a wonderful story with a powerful meaning that the author adds humor to give you a very well put together story that will touch you. There was nothing I didn’t like about this from the plot, characters and the writing style of this author. I feel sure this will be a much loved and wanted read.
*********************
July 19, 2016
An Amazing, Amazing story of life and love !
I loved every page of this book that Maggie McGinnis put together ! Stellar !
I borrowed this from the library after a long wait for my name to come up to sign it out.
Now a huge must ... go back and read Book 1 of this wonderful series :Echo Lake.
The flow of the story was so smooth it made page turning so easy... but ... I couldn't read it fast enough.
The most perfect spot for me is on Page 351 .... yup all kind of emotional tears... happy... melding moment which settled my heart somewhat prior to pounding out of my chest .. Sigh. !!! Delaney pulled this one together.
Delaney and Joshua .... 5 star .. and all the support characters in the this book fit wonderfully.
I loved meeting Oscar .... so smooth and wonderful.
Laughter, humour, heartache,grief, hope, suspense, tragedy, happiness and love and even being cheesed off for several different reasons .... It covered all the 5 senses for me ....I literally felt a part of this story, living in this town , enjoying Echo Lake, on the hospital ward, in a restaurant :eating, enjoying a speciality drink made by a wonderful Italian restaurant owners, greeting, and wondering, on a mountain, in a car, enjoying the view of a lake at sunset, sunrise, swimming, a boat, for a walk, a jog... heartache, love and appreciation of making the best of a situation and improving upon it. This is a wonderful romance novel. and I too fell in love with children and wanting to do more for them !
This Echo Lake Novel is a wonderful love story of two people and their love, hope and doing the best they can make of situations, realizing change and learning to accept what cannot change. ....
If you have not read a Maggie McGinnis novel ... pick this one up because ... this is a must read.
I loved every page of this book that Maggie McGinnis put together ! Stellar !
I borrowed this from the library after a long wait for my name to come up to sign it out.
Now a huge must ... go back and read Book 1 of this wonderful series :Echo Lake.
The flow of the story was so smooth it made page turning so easy... but ... I couldn't read it fast enough.
The most perfect spot for me is on Page 351 .... yup all kind of emotional tears... happy... melding moment which settled my heart somewhat prior to pounding out of my chest .. Sigh. !!! Delaney pulled this one together.
Delaney and Joshua .... 5 star .. and all the support characters in the this book fit wonderfully.
I loved meeting Oscar .... so smooth and wonderful.
Laughter, humour, heartache,grief, hope, suspense, tragedy, happiness and love and even being cheesed off for several different reasons .... It covered all the 5 senses for me ....I literally felt a part of this story, living in this town , enjoying Echo Lake, on the hospital ward, in a restaurant :eating, enjoying a speciality drink made by a wonderful Italian restaurant owners, greeting, and wondering, on a mountain, in a car, enjoying the view of a lake at sunset, sunrise, swimming, a boat, for a walk, a jog... heartache, love and appreciation of making the best of a situation and improving upon it. This is a wonderful romance novel. and I too fell in love with children and wanting to do more for them !
This Echo Lake Novel is a wonderful love story of two people and their love, hope and doing the best they can make of situations, realizing change and learning to accept what cannot change. ....
If you have not read a Maggie McGinnis novel ... pick this one up because ... this is a must read.
June 29, 2016
Reviewed on Musings and Ramblings.
I have become a fan of Maggie McGinnis' work with A Cowboy's Christmas Promise and Snowflake Wishes. Always a sucker for a Christmas story, these works transcended the holiday and still managed to tell a great story. So when I was offered the opportunity to read another Echo Lake novel, I was all over it. And I wasn't disappointed. This time though, the setting was a small town hospital, specifically, the pediatrics ward.
I am going to straight up say, that I have no idea how true to life the story was in regards to doctor's and nurses working in a small town hospital. And you know what, I didn't care. Because in it the setting seemed idealistic, yet realistic, and just how I would want the pediatric ward to run if I had a young family member there. I also liked how both sides of the clinical versus clerical (ivory tower) were shown. There is a reason it takes both to keep things running smoothly in a hospital, as well as why both sides need to work together and have more open communication.
I liked Delaney from the beginning. She wasn't some cold fish that I had to warm up to, but a woman who had let fear guide herself for too long. Seeing her come out of her shell with the kids on the pediatric ward was touching. Delaney and Josh were great as a couple. They took their time getting to know one another, and it just worked for me.
Though I missed a book in the Echo Lake series, the book did a fairly good job of standing alone. This was a quick, fun read that still managed to tug on my heart strings. I gave this book 4 stars.
Thanks to Netgalley and St. Martin's Press for the opportunity to read and review the book.
I have become a fan of Maggie McGinnis' work with A Cowboy's Christmas Promise and Snowflake Wishes. Always a sucker for a Christmas story, these works transcended the holiday and still managed to tell a great story. So when I was offered the opportunity to read another Echo Lake novel, I was all over it. And I wasn't disappointed. This time though, the setting was a small town hospital, specifically, the pediatrics ward.
I am going to straight up say, that I have no idea how true to life the story was in regards to doctor's and nurses working in a small town hospital. And you know what, I didn't care. Because in it the setting seemed idealistic, yet realistic, and just how I would want the pediatric ward to run if I had a young family member there. I also liked how both sides of the clinical versus clerical (ivory tower) were shown. There is a reason it takes both to keep things running smoothly in a hospital, as well as why both sides need to work together and have more open communication.
I liked Delaney from the beginning. She wasn't some cold fish that I had to warm up to, but a woman who had let fear guide herself for too long. Seeing her come out of her shell with the kids on the pediatric ward was touching. Delaney and Josh were great as a couple. They took their time getting to know one another, and it just worked for me.
Though I missed a book in the Echo Lake series, the book did a fairly good job of standing alone. This was a quick, fun read that still managed to tug on my heart strings. I gave this book 4 stars.
Thanks to Netgalley and St. Martin's Press for the opportunity to read and review the book.
October 6, 2016
Heart Like Mine had the potential to be a wonderful romance, but it failed miserably IMHO, and I place the blame on Ms. McGinnis' editor. This book had so many loose ends that were left blowing in the wind: Charlotte, Kevin, gun totting papa (why have this? so stupid!) and the budget. I don't want to spend time explaining, because of spoilers and I just don't care.
Another problem was the time constraint, I didn't buy it, a month to figure out a budget, fall in love, repeatedly break-up and find one's calling, there was just not enough time for all this to happen organically. Had Delaney been told "You need to cut the budget or find a new cash flow by the next quarterly board meeting" I could have found three months believable. As it was everything happened too quickly.
Some of the interaction on the pediatrics floor was well written and sometimes very sweet though unlikely or very accurate. Millie the "no-nonsense" head nurse and the hardworking Dr. Mackenzie are great, but for one slight mention, you would of thought Josh was the only doctor working in pediatrics. Very unrealistic. The family dynamics sketched by the author were too vague and actually didn't make much sense to me. Most of all I hate the "big misunderstanding" in romance and this one was especially irksome because it was so unnecessary. There was no reason at all for the Kevin character and his theft and antics, none at all. One of so many little details that repeatedly took me out of the story, like why does Delaney have an assistant, but not Kevin. What was the point of Megan in the story anyway all she did was cheer-lead or sing "extra extra read all about it!" I found her and another character Molly superfluous. It really is too bad so much potential was just wasted, a good editor would have cleaned it up and between them a DIK could have happened.....just too darn bad.
Another problem was the time constraint, I didn't buy it, a month to figure out a budget, fall in love, repeatedly break-up and find one's calling, there was just not enough time for all this to happen organically. Had Delaney been told "You need to cut the budget or find a new cash flow by the next quarterly board meeting" I could have found three months believable. As it was everything happened too quickly.
Some of the interaction on the pediatrics floor was well written and sometimes very sweet though unlikely or very accurate. Millie the "no-nonsense" head nurse and the hardworking Dr. Mackenzie are great, but for one slight mention, you would of thought Josh was the only doctor working in pediatrics. Very unrealistic. The family dynamics sketched by the author were too vague and actually didn't make much sense to me. Most of all I hate the "big misunderstanding" in romance and this one was especially irksome because it was so unnecessary. There was no reason at all for the Kevin character and his theft and antics, none at all. One of so many little details that repeatedly took me out of the story, like why does Delaney have an assistant, but not Kevin. What was the point of Megan in the story anyway all she did was cheer-lead or sing "extra extra read all about it!" I found her and another character Molly superfluous. It really is too bad so much potential was just wasted, a good editor would have cleaned it up and between them a DIK could have happened.....just too darn bad.
December 26, 2024
Set in a hospital, on the paediatrics' ward mostly, what is there not to like and be ready to read and enjoy. Delaney the heroine of the story has a Dad who is a well known surgeon, she herself wanted to be a doctor but settled for being a financial administrator at the hospital. She is good at it but she is about to find that getting down and dirty in the paediatric's ward with the small patients might just attack her heart in a way that up until now she has been carefully avoiding. A long time ago she lost a small brother and her own family has never been the same since.
Josh is a very caring, dedicated doctor. His patients come first and he spends long hours at the hospital. When Delaney is tasked with cutting back expenditure for the ward as the hospital has to make cut backs. (Sound familiar! Seems like many hospitals are in the same boat). Josh challenges Delaney to spend time down on the ward and shadow the staff to see what is involved. Reluctantly taking up the challenge, she discovers it is not so easy to protect your heart when you are up close and personal with young patients. Yet... she is good at it.
I enjoyed the romantic sparks that happen between Delaney and Josh. Learning about their backgrounds and family circumstances endeared them to me. There are a few ups and downs, and one mean financial administrator who seems determined to get in the way of Delaney coming up with a solution for the budget for the ward.
The young patients themselves were delightful and some of the other minor characters were great - take the assistant that Delaney has, she has spunk.
A light beach read with just the right balance and note of happily ever after. #2 in Maggie McGinnis' Echo Lake series.
Josh is a very caring, dedicated doctor. His patients come first and he spends long hours at the hospital. When Delaney is tasked with cutting back expenditure for the ward as the hospital has to make cut backs. (Sound familiar! Seems like many hospitals are in the same boat). Josh challenges Delaney to spend time down on the ward and shadow the staff to see what is involved. Reluctantly taking up the challenge, she discovers it is not so easy to protect your heart when you are up close and personal with young patients. Yet... she is good at it.
I enjoyed the romantic sparks that happen between Delaney and Josh. Learning about their backgrounds and family circumstances endeared them to me. There are a few ups and downs, and one mean financial administrator who seems determined to get in the way of Delaney coming up with a solution for the budget for the ward.
The young patients themselves were delightful and some of the other minor characters were great - take the assistant that Delaney has, she has spunk.
A light beach read with just the right balance and note of happily ever after. #2 in Maggie McGinnis' Echo Lake series.
March 8, 2016
Maggie McGinnis is a terrific storyteller, and as a result, I read Heart Like Mine from cover to cover in less than a day. This entertaining and emotional narrative captured my heart from the very beginning with its engaging plot, lively characters and Vermont landscape. I loved the busyness of the hospital setting, the dedication of the staff and the friendships that developed and stood the test of time.
This is the love story between financial analyst Delaney Blair and interim chief of pediatrics, Dr. Joshua Mackenzie. Both work for the same local hospital that is operating in the red. It is Delaney's job to figure out how to refine the pediatric department's budget, which causes her and Josh to spend a lot of time together. They both teach each other about the trials and tribulations of their respective jobs, while falling for each other in the process. Furthermore, Delaney realizes her true calling may not be in finance.
Overall, this is a well-written, emotionally charged book with a great cast of characters. Ms. McGinnis perfectly combines sexual tension, drama and angst into this romantic story. I immediately connected with both Delaney and Joshua, and there was never a moment that I did not want them to be together. I felt honored to be a part of their lives and romance. Megan, Delaney's assistant and best friend, is a fun personality. Her spunky antics and ability to read a situation added a bit of comic relief to this intense read. Overall, this is a terrific book with a happy ending that will leave a smile on your face.
Complimentary copy provided by the publisher via NetGalley.
This is the love story between financial analyst Delaney Blair and interim chief of pediatrics, Dr. Joshua Mackenzie. Both work for the same local hospital that is operating in the red. It is Delaney's job to figure out how to refine the pediatric department's budget, which causes her and Josh to spend a lot of time together. They both teach each other about the trials and tribulations of their respective jobs, while falling for each other in the process. Furthermore, Delaney realizes her true calling may not be in finance.
Overall, this is a well-written, emotionally charged book with a great cast of characters. Ms. McGinnis perfectly combines sexual tension, drama and angst into this romantic story. I immediately connected with both Delaney and Joshua, and there was never a moment that I did not want them to be together. I felt honored to be a part of their lives and romance. Megan, Delaney's assistant and best friend, is a fun personality. Her spunky antics and ability to read a situation added a bit of comic relief to this intense read. Overall, this is a terrific book with a happy ending that will leave a smile on your face.
Complimentary copy provided by the publisher via NetGalley.
March 13, 2018
Grey's Anatomy not delivering enough happy endings for you? Boy, have I got a swoon-worthy alternative. I loved Josh and Delaney on sight, as individuals and as foils/eventual partners for each other, and was glued to the page for their every interaction, many of which take place on the pediatric ward floor and give you a real slice of what hospital life is like there.
Actually, I liked most of the people on sight, but have a special place in my heart for Head Nurse Millie Swan, who clearly runs the ward and bosses everyone (including Josh) around in a manner reminiscent of Miranda Bailey, despite being a "dead ringer for Betty White without the smile." If you like small towns with well-patronized local restaurants and groups of high school friends who are still close in adulthood, it's got those too. The natural beauty of rural Vermont is described breathtakingly, and the only things that beat it are the gorgeous historic homes referenced within.
The best part is that this book talks a big game about how the sexy leads are sexily distracting each other so much with their sexiness that they hook up roughly two weeks after meeting, but the actual adult content is about as explicit as your average 8pm sitcom. Which I am in favor of.
Overall, while I started to burn out on Delaney's backstory and and the friend group/restaurant scenes, the whole thing was just really feel-good. And when the book ultimately featured a I was just in paroxysms of "what are all my favorite tropes come true" glee.
Actually, I liked most of the people on sight, but have a special place in my heart for Head Nurse Millie Swan, who clearly runs the ward and bosses everyone (including Josh) around in a manner reminiscent of Miranda Bailey, despite being a "dead ringer for Betty White without the smile." If you like small towns with well-patronized local restaurants and groups of high school friends who are still close in adulthood, it's got those too. The natural beauty of rural Vermont is described breathtakingly, and the only things that beat it are the gorgeous historic homes referenced within.
The best part is that this book talks a big game about how the sexy leads are sexily distracting each other so much with their sexiness that they hook up roughly two weeks after meeting, but the actual adult content is about as explicit as your average 8pm sitcom. Which I am in favor of.
Overall, while I started to burn out on Delaney's backstory and and the friend group/restaurant scenes, the whole thing was just really feel-good. And when the book ultimately featured a I was just in paroxysms of "what are all my favorite tropes come true" glee.
October 25, 2021
Auch der zweite Band der „Echo Lake“-Reihe hat mir gut gefallen!
Erneut zog mich das Kleinstadtfeeling in seinen Bann,
dieses Mal gemischt mit einer beachtlichen Portion Krankenhausalltag
und natürlich einer lauschigen Liebesgeschichte.
Josh & Delaney sind mir sehr sympathisch gewesen.
Auf den ersten Blick wirken sie recht verschieden.
Delaney verschanzt sich lieber hinter Zahlen und Statistiken,
während Josh seinen kleinen Patienten stets zur Seite steht.
Wie diese zwei Welten aufeinander prallen,
und sie sich dabei besser kennen lernen,
und sogar näherkommen, war echt schön zu beobachten
und hinterließ ein warmherziges Gefühl.
Mit der Kulisse im Krankenhaus,
der finanziellen Notlage und der angespannten Situation auf der Kinderstation,
bekam die Story eine gehörige Portion Realität und Gehalt.
Aber auch in der Vergangenheit der Protagonisten ließ sich wieder genug Tiefgang finden.
Einzig in der Liebesgeschichte hätte ich mir manchmal noch mehr Gefühl gewünscht.
Alles in allem, aber wieder eine ganz bezaubernde und liebevolle Story
mit vielen schönen & rührenden Lesemomenten.
4,5 Sterne.
Erneut zog mich das Kleinstadtfeeling in seinen Bann,
dieses Mal gemischt mit einer beachtlichen Portion Krankenhausalltag
und natürlich einer lauschigen Liebesgeschichte.
Josh & Delaney sind mir sehr sympathisch gewesen.
Auf den ersten Blick wirken sie recht verschieden.
Delaney verschanzt sich lieber hinter Zahlen und Statistiken,
während Josh seinen kleinen Patienten stets zur Seite steht.
Wie diese zwei Welten aufeinander prallen,
und sie sich dabei besser kennen lernen,
und sogar näherkommen, war echt schön zu beobachten
und hinterließ ein warmherziges Gefühl.
Mit der Kulisse im Krankenhaus,
der finanziellen Notlage und der angespannten Situation auf der Kinderstation,
bekam die Story eine gehörige Portion Realität und Gehalt.
Aber auch in der Vergangenheit der Protagonisten ließ sich wieder genug Tiefgang finden.
Einzig in der Liebesgeschichte hätte ich mir manchmal noch mehr Gefühl gewünscht.
Alles in allem, aber wieder eine ganz bezaubernde und liebevolle Story
mit vielen schönen & rührenden Lesemomenten.
4,5 Sterne.
March 26, 2016
Absolutely fantastic! This story is filled with emotion and kept me reading late into the night. I just couldn't put it down. I loved returning to Echo Lake and catching up with the characters and really getting to know Josh. With the hospital charged with making severe budget cuts no department is immune. Even Josh's beloved pediatrics. Delaney has the misfortune of being the person charged with finding areas that can be cut in the already understaffed and underfunded pediatric department. She and Josh have some heated discussions on the topic when Josh throws out the challenge - Spend one week on the floor getting to know the patients and overseeing the staff to get a good handle on how things operate then decide what area can be cut. While Delaney isn't sure this is a good idea because first there is that pesky attraction to Josh, and second, she's not sure her heart can handle seeing those sick kids every day.
I highly recommend you grab this one and enjoy the emotional roller coaster that it delivers.
I highly recommend you grab this one and enjoy the emotional roller coaster that it delivers.
January 15, 2016
Heart Like Mine by Maggie McGinnis is an outstanding novel. I was impressed with the plot and its amazing characters. Hospitals are scary enough without a budget cut to stress over. That's exactly where readers will find the incredible heart melting people like Delaney Blair and Dr. Joshua MacKenzie. Two good people fighting to save the pediatrics department and the innocent lives that need their help.
Maggie McGinnis has beautifully woven together a realistic threat to small-town hospitals like Mercy. Inside, readers will get a first hand experience in what it's like to cut budgets in places that you don't want to cut from as well as trying to save your own butt from being dismissed. Then there's the instant attraction that happens between a pediatrics doctor and the woman in charge of handling the budget maintenance. Heart Like Mine is definitely a sweet and inspirational romance that will tug at every reader's heart. Overall, I highly recommend this well-written contemporary romance to readers everywhere.
Maggie McGinnis has beautifully woven together a realistic threat to small-town hospitals like Mercy. Inside, readers will get a first hand experience in what it's like to cut budgets in places that you don't want to cut from as well as trying to save your own butt from being dismissed. Then there's the instant attraction that happens between a pediatrics doctor and the woman in charge of handling the budget maintenance. Heart Like Mine is definitely a sweet and inspirational romance that will tug at every reader's heart. Overall, I highly recommend this well-written contemporary romance to readers everywhere.
March 1, 2016
What do you do when your assigned to trim the budget of a hospital department that you feel absolutely passionate about, that is already understaffed and underfunded and you know the funds are going to be cut regardless of the proposal you make. Oh and the head of the department that needs to be cut happens to be the hottest, most eligible bachelor in the hospital. Delaney and Josh met under a less than ideal situation but yet there is no denying the attraction between them. However, because of the nature of their jobs, they also can't act freely on the attraction. This second novel in the Echo Lake series was a great contemporary romance featuring a host of real-life situations that made for a very readable romance.
ARC received in exchange for an honest review.
ARC received in exchange for an honest review.
March 29, 2016
This is the first book that I have read by Maggie McGinnis and I will definitely be reading more of her work.
Even though I haven't read any of the other books in this series, I didn't feel lost at all. Josh the hot pediatrician at Mercy Hospital is trying to manage his department with bear-to-the-bone staffing.
Delaney is giving the pediatric floor to make budget cuts on and she struggles with that floor, because of someone in her past. It is all she can do to just go to the floor and on top of that she has to deal with Dr. McDreamy.
I love how their relationship develops naturally, but what they have to face together will put a lot of things into focus and will make them think about what they want in their future.
ARC provided by NetGalley for an honest review.
Even though I haven't read any of the other books in this series, I didn't feel lost at all. Josh the hot pediatrician at Mercy Hospital is trying to manage his department with bear-to-the-bone staffing.
Delaney is giving the pediatric floor to make budget cuts on and she struggles with that floor, because of someone in her past. It is all she can do to just go to the floor and on top of that she has to deal with Dr. McDreamy.
I love how their relationship develops naturally, but what they have to face together will put a lot of things into focus and will make them think about what they want in their future.
ARC provided by NetGalley for an honest review.
April 1, 2016
A little slow at the beginning,but despite of that,Heart Like Mine is wonderful story :)
*eARC provided by publisher and author via NetGalley for honest review*
*eARC provided by publisher and author via NetGalley for honest review*
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