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St. Elizabeth's Children's Hospital #8
Changing Lives
Restoring faith in love...
Peggie O'Neill is thrilled to be appointed resident, working for Gareth Davies, for his surgical skills are legendary. But he is convinced she's too flippant to be dedicated, and she thinks he's too overbearing. Gareth abruptly realizes he's treating Peggy exactly as he's been treated in the past--something he'd vowed never to do. And she's sure he must be married, but the truth isn't as simple as that...
Peggie O'Neill is thrilled to be appointed resident, working for Gareth Davies, for his surgical skills are legendary. But he is convinced she's too flippant to be dedicated, and she thinks he's too overbearing. Gareth abruptly realizes he's treating Peggy exactly as he's been treated in the past--something he'd vowed never to do. And she's sure he must be married, but the truth isn't as simple as that...
186 pages, Paperback
First published December 1, 2000
5 people want to read
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September 28, 2023
On her first day at St Elizabeth's, 24 year old Senior House Officer (resident) Peggie O'Neill, fresh from Ireland, cannons into her new boss, consultant plastic surgeon Gareth Davies, sending his briefcase flying into a muddy puddle. The brilliant but irascible Gareth Owen Davies, nicknamed God (his initials) by his staff, does not like female doctors ('too emotional'). For the next two weeks he has her do nothing but read files. The usually conciliatory Peggie confronts him and, to the surprise of them both, he apologises. He remembers how his own first consultant had treated him like dirt and he had vowed that he would never treat anyone that way. He had been the butt of jokes at university because of his second-hand clothes and thick Welsh accent. Peggie is also the child of poor farmers.
Unexpectedly they are drawn to each other. Peggie sees his human side. Gareth is rattled by her air of vulnerability and also recognises her budding talent as a plastic surgeon. After giving her a lift, he kisses her passionately but then avoids her as much as possible. Colleagues say that he is unmarried and does not date but when Peggie phones him at home one night a woman answers and calls him 'Darling'.
One night Gareth calls at Peggie's flat and makes love to her, not undressing and insisting on the lights being out. He's shocked to find that she's a virgin. Next day he takes her to his home and introduces her to his mother, whose face is badly disfigured. He tells her that, as a four year old, he had been shaking a box of matches like a rattle when it had ignited. His mother, rushing to save him, had tripped over a can of kerosene. He then strips naked and she sees what he has been hiding. He has been severely burned from chest to mid-thigh. He tells her he's had two previous long-term relationships but both women eventually ended them because they could not bear the sight of his body. Gareth knows that if he ever saw that look on Peggie's face it would destroy him. For the next three weeks he distances himself from her. When her attempt to seduce him in his office goes awry he agrees to marry her.
I have two quibbles: if he was holding the match box in his hand when it ignited, wouldn't his hands and face have been burnt? And, if his previous partners rejected him after long relationships, would he agree to marry Peggie when they had only made love once?
Overall, though, I enjoyed the book. It was very touching in places. I also enjoyed the subplot about their colleagues Jack and Sally.
Unexpectedly they are drawn to each other. Peggie sees his human side. Gareth is rattled by her air of vulnerability and also recognises her budding talent as a plastic surgeon. After giving her a lift, he kisses her passionately but then avoids her as much as possible. Colleagues say that he is unmarried and does not date but when Peggie phones him at home one night a woman answers and calls him 'Darling'.
One night Gareth calls at Peggie's flat and makes love to her, not undressing and insisting on the lights being out. He's shocked to find that she's a virgin. Next day he takes her to his home and introduces her to his mother, whose face is badly disfigured. He tells her that, as a four year old, he had been shaking a box of matches like a rattle when it had ignited. His mother, rushing to save him, had tripped over a can of kerosene. He then strips naked and she sees what he has been hiding. He has been severely burned from chest to mid-thigh. He tells her he's had two previous long-term relationships but both women eventually ended them because they could not bear the sight of his body. Gareth knows that if he ever saw that look on Peggie's face it would destroy him. For the next three weeks he distances himself from her. When her attempt to seduce him in his office goes awry he agrees to marry her.
I have two quibbles: if he was holding the match box in his hand when it ignited, wouldn't his hands and face have been burnt? And, if his previous partners rejected him after long relationships, would he agree to marry Peggie when they had only made love once?
Overall, though, I enjoyed the book. It was very touching in places. I also enjoyed the subplot about their colleagues Jack and Sally.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
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