Top-Notch Doc, Outback Bride

by Melanie Milburne

When Dr. Kellie Thorne arrives in the Outback she's prepared for the sun's heat--but not for her sizzling attraction to brooding new colleague Matt McNaught!Matt knows people think he's arrogant, but that's the way he likes it--his work comes first. The death of his fianc?e left him shattered and, six years on, he still prefers being alone. Until Kellie whirls into his life! A breath of fresh air, she sees through his tough exterior....But Kellie's stay is meant to be temporary. Matt must figure out how to make this new light in his life permanent....

Genres: Harlequin

192 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 1, 2009

About the author

I grew up on a small farm on the outskirts of Sydney and as a keen horse rider, often competed in local gymkhanas and even broke in a few horses from time to time. As I was surrounded by animals, I decided at an early age to become a nurse, however I couldn’t stand the sight of blood and so opted for a career in teaching. It’s a bit ironic that I married a surgeon.

I read my first Mills & Boon novel when I was 17 and that encouraged me to continue reading romance novels; the lure of the tall dark handsome hero, who in reality I fell in love with and knew I was going to marry on our second date! After marrying a year later, we moved to Scotland with our six week old baby so my husband could work and study for his MD in surgery. After the birth of our second son we came back to Australia to settle in Tasmania.

I went back to University and up-graded my teaching diploma to a degree and then went on to do a Masters but still I felt as if something was missing. I sat down one day and began writing and everything clicked into place - I had finally found ‘my brilliant career’! I used to write from instinct rather than a specific plan, but now, so many books later I find a loose plan doesn't go astray. An idea will pop into my head, sometimes it will be just a simple phrase or a what if question and I'm away.

Writing is a skill that can be learned and the best way to learn it is to read and to write. So many people feel they have a novel in them and very probably they are right-the only trick is to get it out. My advice to ‘would be’ writers is to write, write, and write even more. Carry a notebook at all times and jot down ideas. And like any other activity the more you do, the more it feels comfortable.

I hope you enjoy my stories and look forward to hearing from you.

Reviews

[Andrea · Rating 2 out of 5]

What a struggle to read! I found myself rolling my eyes so often that I just gave up and couldn't finish the book... Kellie is self-absorbed, quick to judge and makes rash ill-considered decisions. She's just too annoying believing her own limited life experience means she can make gross generalisations about people and situations. Seems unlikely in a doctor who believes they can live and work in the outback. Like I said, just too much eye-rolling.

[Kellcifer · Rating 2 out of 5]

1.5 Stars.

What did I just read? It was bumping along okay, the hero and heroine getting to know one another a bit, him opening up about his dead fiancée, and then after some minor sexy times between them the hero is almost completely ignoring the heroine. Then he goes away for several weeks with no contact and shows back up with no warning declaring his love and proposing marriage. Then end. What? It just needed so much more to the story to make the ending sensible.

[Amee · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good story overall, a bit of suspense, and a couple of twists. Didn't like the ending though. I feel like the author ran out of pages and went, oh yeah, need to add in the HEA. Boom, done!

[Puna · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.5 stars

Female MC was an annoying know-it-all who spent a great deal of time telling the hero how to grieve.