Karen Rose Smith, The Good Doctor

The Good Doctor

Karen Rose Smith

Signature Select, Oct 2005

ISBN: 0373389302

In Red Rock, Texas sisters Linda and Stacey Clark remind their older brother thirty-nine years old paediatric neurosurgeon Dr. Peter Clark that he will be sold to the highest bidder at the bachelor auction to raise money to purchase high tech equipment for the paediatric wing of the hospital. As his siblings leave, New York based neurosurgeon Dr. Violet Fortune visits Peter for the first time. She explains that her relative Ryan is suffering from headaches and a tingling in his arm that he wants to hide from his wife Lily until he knows what is going on. Peter agrees to see Ryan at the doctor's house.

Peter and Violet begin to see one another as both are attracted to each other. He also introduces her to Celeste, a patient whom he loves as if she was his biological daughter. As the two doctors fall in love, they both worry about Ryan and Celeste, people they care who are very ill. Still love may prove not enough as she is big city New York and he is small town Texas.

The return to the Red Rock and the Fortunes of Texas (see the SECRET ADMIRER anthology by this author, Ann Major and Christine Rimmer) is a delightful contemporary romance that deals with people with serious health issues and how it impacts on people who love them.. The story line contains two subplots; the obvious romance between Peter and Violet and a powerful deep look at individuals especially children (but also Ryan) suffering from ailments. Fans' hearts will go out to Celeste just like the lead duo's strong feelings towards the young girl. Karen Rose Smith provides a gripping select tale that readers will appreciate.

Harriet Klausner