I received an arc of this title from NetGalley for an honest review. This book was okay, but too predictable and it moved too slow in some parts.

DNF at 37% 


I just had no luck with this book, or maybe the book didn't have good luck with me. 

It was not awful, honestly, and maybe even better than an average rating shows, but it was also not great, and I was looking for something extraordinary ( I am still looking for it 😯). It was simply not the right book for a moment: I read it, got bored and put it aside, without planning to DNF it, then I picked it up again, and put it aside for a while, again, and it went this way for weeks...and then months. Until I lost any interest in it. 
But honestly, it was not that bad.

This was my first time with this author. I liked the synopsis so I gave it a try.

Josh takes a wrong turn lands at an accident and meets the frustrating Ian. From here the story begins.

I liked elements of the story. And I liked the passion of Ian and his clinic but at times the story was a bit forgettable.


2.5

I received this ARC from NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.

Thank you NetGalley!!

I'll start this off by saying I love medical books in general, so I was excited for this one!

This is a romance between Josh & Ian. An ER doc and a paramedic. There are some snags during the story that seemed a tad dramatic/over the top, but nothing to make me not like the book.
I'd definitely read other books by the author.

3.5⭐⭐⭐ A fun light romance about a ER doc who's been through a traumatic event and a paramedic who wants to make a difference to the marginalised people in town. There were some clichés of course, and Josh's reaction to finding out Ian had once had a drug problem seemed a bit over the top dispite his traumatic experience. But nevertheless I enjoyed seeing how the two of them worked things out for themselves and between each other and the chemistry between them was good.

Thanks to NetGalley and Riptide Publishing for a digital copy in return for an honest review.

3.5 - 4 I hit one or two... "snags" in The Doctor Takes a Detour, but not enough to keep me from enjoying the book.

I hit one or two... "snags" in The Doctor Takes a Detour, but not enough to keep me from enjoying the book... Basically, I adored Ian, but Josh? Not so much.

Josh had his reasons for being where he was and taking the job that he did, but honestly, he knew after the first meeting with the doctors at the concierge practice that his new job wasn't going to be a good fit. I hadn't even gotten a chance to get to know him at all and I could see it. Fear kept him planted there longer than he should have stayed. Ian saw it too, but once he got to know him, he knew Josh wasn't where he was supposed to be.

That was one of the "snags" I mentioned at the beginning of this review. Another was Josh's reaction to Ian's secret. Granted, Ian shouldn't have kept his secret from Josh as long as he did. He knew what Josh had been through. Josh did have the right to react, but not to the extreme that he did. The other snag pretty much had me wondering if Josh was worth Ian's devotion. Let's just say that Josh's ex wasn't one of my favorite characters. I know, that's a strong statement to make, especially since I did say I enjoyed The Doctor Takes a Detour, but it's honest. I did like the story and I'm glad that they finally worked things out, but that doesn't mean that there weren't times that I wanted to reach into the book and knock some sense into Josh.

This is my first book by Bren Christopher and I'm pretty sure it won't be my last. Despite the "snags", the characters were well developed and the writing flowed well and the story line, although frustrating at times, kept me interested.

Thank you to NetGalley, Riptide Publishing, and Bren Christopher for a copy to review. As always, an honest review from me.

Like:
- Short fun all encompassing read
- Good representation - gay men in medicine
- Also good representation of different facets of healthcare - ER, concierge doctor, GP, clinics, paramedics and more
- Steamy and sexy romance
- Josh and Ian’s personal lives are complex enough to make them seem like real people
- Set in sunny Florida - the setting is described extremely well so I that I feel as if I’m right there

Love:
- Beyond the romance, there’s substance to the story and the characters

Dislike:
- Josh’s judgment towards addicts - I know it comes from fear, but he’s a bit too adamant about all addicts being bad

Wish that:
- Some of the storylines weren’t so glossed/fluffed over - A few more pages would have allowed for further exploration of these storylines while still keeping all of the steamy romance

Overall, a short steamy romance novel that makes you want to head right to sunny beaches of Florida to find a hot doctor.

A lovely and sweet modern romance m/m story. Hart warming and Hart touching loved it, it's a keeper for me!!

The book was okay for it to be a first-time book by this author. The characters are likable and the book has an easy flow to it. It gives you an understanding of what the medical professionals have to deal with on a day to day base. Joshua and Ian have great chemistry together and the sexy times are hot. I hope you enjoy this book as much as I did,

A little predicable in parts but still a good read overall. I liked the characters and the story and will look to read other books by these authors.

Incredibly Emotional, Sexy journey for two men who meet on the side of the road. Dr. Josh Parker left New York behind but his demons still followed him. Ian Monalos left the Army and still carried his demons around but when they come together it's combustible, but is it something that could ever last?
So read worthy.

The cover is layered with two men and a blurred scene with an ambulance. While the title sounds like either a children’s book or cheesy porn, the synopsis is actually quite interesting. Title and author font are nicely legible against the doctor’s white coat. The cover did not really interest me beyond telling me it was a m/m. I’d never read anything from this author before, so that was not a factor either. It was the blurb that caught my attention and prompted me to request it.

POV ~> Third-person

Josh is a doctor from New York. He’d worked in the ER until he was injured on the job and thrown under the bus for it by colleagues and his fiancé. Deciding to uproot himself, he moved to Florida to become a personal house calls physician to an elite clientele. Taking a back road on his way to his new home, he discovered an accident and called 911.
Enter Ian. Ian was one of the paramedics responding to the scene. A former military medic with a guilty conscience and major atonement obsession, Ian opened a donor-funded and volunteer-based free clinic in the rural outskirts of town.
Outwardly, the two men could not be any more different but their hearts are both in the right place. They each wanted to just help people. The attraction between them was instant, but the buildup was a natural and gradual thing. Ian was a little more spontaneous and forthright where Josh was more of a calculating planner. They balanced one another out well. Secondary cast members were beneficial to the plot, adding depth and dimension without threatening to take over a scene.
There were some conflicts along the way that were met maturely and resolved in a timely manner. The concept of the plot was interesting and the delivery was smooth and well-written. I was not disappointed. Predictability was fairly low. The conclusion was solid enough to give the readers a sense of HEA in their future. I’d not be opposed to reading more in this world and receiving updates on their status in the background of another story, but it appears to be a stand-alone title.
.
Rating: [R] ~ Score: 4.275 ~ Stars: 4
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⭐ ⭐ **** Disclosure of Material: I received a copy of this book from @Netgalley and the Author/Publisher with the hope that I would voluntarily leave unbiased and unsolicited feedback. I was not asked, encouraged, or required to leave a review - nor was I compensated in any way. I am posting this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising". ***** ⭐ ⭐

It was an easy read and a little bit predictable. The chemistry between the MCs was good as well as how the author describes the medical community and the struggles of the healthcare profession.
I wanted more at the end, more conflict. Everything was resolved quickly and with an unrealistic 'bow'.

Did not enjoy this book. Too full of tropes, not believable chemistry, and it wrapped up so quickly that it was very disappointing.

What could have been a simple story of A to B is actually not.

The plot itself is basic itself, and that's not a bad thing, not everything you read has to be convoluted to be enjoyable.

But what makes this story stand out is the complexity of the characters. Ian and Josh, are both lovely, thoughtful men but they have their layers. They have rough edges, and past hurts that keep a hold of them .And seeing them surrender those hurts, learn to trust in each other, in order to gain a future together really makes this story rise up.

Things I Liked:
- the portrayal of the medical profession, including the use of terms without being condescending to the reader
- the chemistry between the MCs
- the compassion expressed for the un/underrepresented in healthcare

Things I Didn't Like:
- the immature bickering of the MCs
- the ex thrown in as sort of an afterthought to escalate the conflict
- the quick resolution of conflict

2.5* It's a 'it's a me-thing, not an author-thing' kind of read, I think. Oh, and the romance was a non-starter.

This was an interesting tale for me from one aspect and one only, as it showed me the extremes of the US healthcare system, from what we Brits see in TV shows such as ER and Grey's Anatomy, and our own shows such as Casualty and Holby City, to what we'd call private medical care, which in this book is called concierge care. The latter term to Brits is more along the lines of a service that makes one's lifestyle easier and more carefree, a paid-for service for the most, but it doesn't cover medical issues at all, so I had to apply myself to the tale. In the end, the concierge care was kind of like a placebo-pandering service, from what I made out based on what was depicted in the tale.

Both leads were what I think of as not-particularly-likeable. Admirable, yes, and each had his ingrained principles, but both were prickly, both had pasts that had changed them and influenced their views about the US healthcare system, and both had chips on their shoulders. Both were a bit 'damaged'; Ian from his military past and his... issues, and Josh from being injured whilst on duty at a big hospital that was undertaking budget cuts. Emotions were present in the tale, and yet were absent, too. I think they came where I didn't expect them to, and were absent on the romance front - where the romance is concerned, I didn't actually see or read any.

For me, *any* romance in this tale, and here my wording/emphasis is deliberate, was a non-starter. I couldn't see any interaction other than rubbing each other up the wrong way (not in a sexy way!), and them having opposing views about health. If the author had left out any romantic element, I think it'd have made for a better tale; it'd have been a tale about two admirable guys wanting to do the right thing by others, but having to overcome their demons, too.

There were a lot of side characters in this, including Josh's employers who kind of sounded like they might be bogeymen, though nothing of the sort panned out. Burke had sounded sort-of interesting, but both guys faded into the background, and even Josh's resignation was off-page. I was interested about the religion+church vs medical care that raised its head via little Tara and her immigrant family, but again that kind of faded away.

I'm not sure that this tale had the right balance. It had a lot in it and it was an interesting enough read for me, but perhaps not from the perspective that the author and the publisher might have wished? It really shouldn't be marketed as a romance, as these leads didn't have one.

ARC courtesy of NetGalley and Riptide Publishing, for my reading pleasure.

I'm always on the search for feel-good reads and had been hoping this new author would be one I could add to my list. Did they? Well...in a pinch...if I really want to check out...it is...fine? Does what it says on the tin.

That said, it hit a number of items that got ticked on my "do not do" list. You know. THAT list. Everyone has one and not everyone's is the same. My bugaboos:

MC's that go from fighting/arguing straight to kissing. Have you ever, I mean ever, in real life been pissed at someone and thought "Damn, if I don't want to stop what I'm doing to express affection right now..." Maybe you have had this experience? I haven't so when I read it, I don't buy it.

Along those lines, the catastrophic and instant dislike/annoyance to coincide with attraction. I like a good enemy to lovers trope along with anyone but it's a serial set of responses - you annoy me...you really annoy me...i cannot freaking stand you...(something redeeming happens)...huh, they have nice lips...and so forth. I mean, I could definitely get into the I'd f$#% them if they kept their mouth shut camp of opportunity but romance? affection? nuh-uh.

MC's who moved away from 'strong position' as soon as instalove kicked in, especially when one has that strong position after a traumatic event. Or one that presses against a hard limit when real/perceived safety is involved.

Almost all of these could have been resolved (as in 'delivered a better story') had the highs/lows of interactions been exchanged for greater tension, allowing them to linger on each other either during a scene or between scenes. As my singing coach says, you get a good song (story) when you present the elephant (big sound) but enrobe it entirely with silk, allowing the listener (reader) to search for hidden elements.

Back on the pro-side - if discounting the above, it was an easy read, easy to get into, and a nice enough escape. No big emotion but sometimes that's just what the doctor ordered. Would read another by this author in a pinch but would probably not say "you've GOT to read this" to a friend.