BLURB;
Johanna Gordon devotes her time and energy to her job as Director of Nursing at Hudson Community Hospital. With budget cuts hanging over her head, Johanna suspects the CEO of scheming a plan that threatens her job as well as the hospital, and she’s determined to find out why.
The choices she’s made for herself and her career leave her with no social life until she meets Dylan Connelly. He’s everything she’s always wanted, loving, devoted to his kids and everything she’s never had. Just when she finds love with the new man, an old flame returns with promises of a life together. Johanna has to decide between security and companionship, while trying to recapture the past, or moving forward with her new life.
Reviewed in the United States on December 5, 2016
Janet Lee Walters has provided her many fans with still another conflict-driven story that's filled with a realistic, edgy medical setting, a plucky proactive heroine, and a cast of secondary characters that portray all the foibles of the human condition. Joanna Gordon, Director of Nurses at a community hospital is faced with tough choices. She must stand up to the unscrupulous CEO, doing what she knows in her
heart is right, even if it costs her her job. Joanna grapples with choices in the romance department as well. While she is the epitomy of a driven career woman at the hospital, when it comes to matters of the heart, she's much more the soft kitten, just like her pet kitty at home. The book held my interest right until the end as I kept reading to know which man would win out. I wasn't disappointed!
All-in-all, this an enjoyable read that deserves a 5 star rating.
heart is right, even if it costs her her job. Joanna grapples with choices in the romance department as well. While she is the epitomy of a driven career woman at the hospital, when it comes to matters of the heart, she's much more the soft kitten, just like her pet kitty at home. The book held my interest right until the end as I kept reading to know which man would win out. I wasn't disappointed!
All-in-all, this an enjoyable read that deserves a 5 star rating.
Excerpt:
Johanna jumped to her feet. The kitten tumbled from the curb and landed between two
parked cars. After righting itself, the animal darted into the street. Without a glimpse at traffic,
Johanna followed. Seconds later, she scooped the bit of fur from the pavement.
A car horn blared. She froze. How dumb. Visions of being a patient in the intensive care unit
flashed through her thoughts. An arm caught her around the waist and pulled her from the path of
an oncoming car. Brakes screeched.
“Lady, there are better ways to commit suicide. Lucky thing I stepped out for a breath of air
before the lunch crowd descends. What in heaven’s name made you dash into the street like
you’d been shot from a cannon?”
Johanna’s feet touched the sidewalk. Her rescuer’s arm remained around her waist. He
pulled her toward Blarney’s. The deep voice continued scolding. Unable to speak without
revealing how scared she’d been, she studied his hands. Tanned, square fingers, short nails.
The kitten squirmed. Needle claws raked furrows on her arms. They reached the door of
Blarney’s. Instead of allowing herself to be dragged inside, Johanna sank on a bench. Reaction to
the earlier surge of adrenaline made her body shake. She looked up and her eyes widened.
He was like and unlike the warrior in her fantasy world. His unruly, auburn hair needed a
trim. Green eyes tinted with blue reminded her of the sea. His rugged face bore laughter lines.
“I’m waiting for an explanation of your rush toward oblivion.” His voice held concern and
amusement. “Hope it wasn’t thoughts of the food.”
Her cheeks heated. How could she deal with the glint of humor she saw in his eyes? “The
kitten ran into the street.”
“And look what the ungrateful creature’s doing to you. He’s not feeling an ounce of
remorse. You’ll be lucky to escape with your skin intact.”
Johanna tried to contain the kitten on her lap. “Guess it was a foolish thing to do.”
9
“An act of kindness.” He plucked the animal from her hands. “See here, my boy, you’ve got
to treat this lady with more respect.”
Johanna smiled. She wanted to say something, but she didn’t know what would end the
tension that pulsed between them.
He put one foot on the bench and held the squirming kitten. “Dylan Connelly at your
service. Next time you need a rescue, be sure to call me.”
A bubble of laughter escaped. “Johanna Gordon.”
“Aha. Hudson Community’s Director of Nursing. My niece has told me a lot about you.”
“Your niece?”
“Bridget Long.”
When he laughed, Johanna knew her expression showed dismay. Bridget was a talented
nurse and the most vocal of the union leaders. Johanna wondered if she and the younger woman
would ever agree about anything.
“Don’t look so shocked. The girl likes you.” He reached for Johanna’s hand. “You’re
needing to see to your wounds. No telling where the wee beast has been.”
Without a protest, Johanna rose. She frowned. Why was she following him? In ten minutes,
she could be home using her own first aid supplies. When he opened the restaurant door, cool air
rushed over her flushed face. She blinked to adjust to the dim light.
Empty stools lined the curved oak bar. A younger version of the man whose hand cupped
her elbow slid wine glasses into a rack above the bar. Dylan Connelly ushered her to the ladies
room and vanished down the hall. Johanna attacked the multitude of scratches with soap and
water.
Dylan tapped on the door. “Peroxide. I’ve bandages if you need them. We have our share of
kitchen mishaps.”
“No need for them.” Probably not for the peroxide either, but she took the bottle.
“I’ve boxed the kitten.” He paused with one hand on the door. “Would you be interested in
joining me for a bit of lunch before you leave?”
Not sure what she saw in his eyes or his smile, she nodded. “I’d like that.”
“Then you’re on. I’ll put in our order.”
“But—” The door closed leaving her with second thoughts. He hadn’t given her a chance to
choose her meal. She poured peroxide on her arms. What had she done? When the liquid no
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longer foamed, she patted dry. She had to tell him she’d changed her mind. She opened the door
and stepped into the hall. Maybe she could slip away.
Dylan leaned against the wall across from the door. “I was wondering if you’d gone out the
window.”
She frowned. “There’s no window.”
“Good thing you noticed before you tried to escape.”
Had he read her mind? Johanna felt thankful the hall was dimly lit. “I wanted to be
thorough.”
He grinned. “Your lunch awaits.”
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