Grey’s Anatomy meets The Hating Game in this witty, enemies-to-lovers romance set in a high-pressure OB-GYN residency. Grace Rose enters her first year facing malicious rumors and crippling social anxiety, while Julian Santini battles his own self-doubt and stubborn charm. Through chaotic shifts, biting banter, and slow-burn tension, they discover connection and compassion amid the chaos—all while navigating systemic bias and the rigors of medical training.

Realistic, heartfelt, and filled with sharp humor—this debut is both steamy and emotionally grounded. A stellar pick for fans of STEMinist rom-coms with substance.

Love Sick by Duncan was a fun rom-com with a look into medical training. It felt at times like an episode of Scrubs or Grey's Anatomy, but with a trueness to medical training that some of these lack. While I feel like the overarching conflict may have been exaggerated from the typical day-to-day conflicts in the hospital, as someone who very recently finished residency and is currently in a sub-specialty fellowship program, I was able to pick up that the author really knew the ins and outs of being a medical trainee. I certainly hope that this is not based on real life though, because several of those attending physicians and people in power need to be fired :)

I would recommend this story to anyone who wants a rivals-to-lovers story on the background of medical training. I also really liked the whole cast of characters, including the co-residents, because truly the best part of training is the group of friends you come out of it with.

Thanks to NetGalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing | Canary Street Press for access to the eARC in exchange for an honest review.

I want to thank netgalley and the publisher for this earc. I adored this book. Grace and Julian's enemies to lovers was electric. The slow move to lovers was even better.

The story puts the 2 of them with their fallacies together as residents at a hospital, and Grace has to instantly deal with a lot of rumors because she is smoking hot. Workplaces still diparage and undermine women who look good, which obviously really affects her, and Julian's change to finally understanding the pressure she is under and supporting her is so well done. The supporting characters are all excellent, and I can't wait to read Deidra's next books.

From the first pages, I was captivated by Grace and Julian’s witty banter! Their laugh-out-loud exchanges and text messages had me hooked, but it was their evolution from rivals to friends, and eventually something more, that truly stole the show.

I read and listen to Love Sick. The narration by Meg Sylvan and Eric Yang is perfection! Sylvan perfectly captures Grace’s indignation over the rumor that shadows her arrival, along with her humor and sass. Yang brings Julian to life with charisma, portraying his insecurities and yearning for Grace. Together, they deliver the banter, chemistry, and slow-burn tension that make this story shine.

While Love Sick is a rom-com at heart, it skillfully explores the darker side of rumors and their insidious impacts in a tight knit, high pressure environment. Duncan bravely tackles issues of misogyny and reputational harm, adding layers that enhance the story.

All of the supporting characters are equally memorable. There’s a great camaraderie among the residents. I can’t wait to dive into Asher’s story next. This world is one I’m eager to revisit!

If you’re looking for a heartfelt, engaging listen that balances humor with poignant themes, Love Sick is for you!

This novel was a quick paced read. However i think the writing style wasn't exactly for me. Overall it's perfect for fans of Grey's Anatomy and it had great banter between the characters.

Thank you to Harlequin Trade Publishing and to NetGalley for this e-arc in exchange for my honest review.

This was a pretty cute, hate-to-lovers (not enemies by any stretch) romance with doctors and well - the chemistry was really well done from the beginning.

I loved the dual POV's and the perspective from both sides - it made it far easier to see their growth together and I just really loved the natural ebb and flow of getting together that was allowed to happen.

What I loved most about this book was the (accurate) depictions of hospital work life - the discussions on abusive power-trip relationships, sexual harassment and how it is used to abuse power, and just how hurtful the rumors that circulate a hospital can be. Being a nurse for many, many, many years can say it's really all correct and well written.

As a healthcare worker, I really appreciated how accurately the hospital setting was portrayed—it added a layer of authenticity that made the story more engaging. It was enjoyable to see all the different aspects of hospital life woven into the narrative.

That said, the characters didn’t fully land for me. While I know many readers have felt strong chemistry between the leads, I personally didn’t connect with it. Grace, in particular, just didn’t vibe with me as a main character. I also found some of the female-related jokes to be a bit cringe, which pulled me out of the story at times.

I loved the "grey's anatomy" vibes, but I honestly found the book to be SO cringey. The "feminine' jokes were a little much.

Thank you @htp_hive @htpbooks @bookswithnopictures and @just_talking_to_my_shelf for my opportunity to read the traveling arc! Love Sick is out now.

If you remember the absolute magic of the early seasons of Grey’s Anatomy, I have the PERFECT book for you! This is my favorite of all the traveling arcs I’ve participated in.

Sapphire “Grace” Rose is the victim of a salacious rumor before she even starts her residency rotations. She puts Julian in his place at her first opportunity, but the rumors continue to follow her. They start as rival enemies because of this, but they begin to see how they can actually help each other. Julian excels at the real life procedures and Grace is a master at studying the theoretical (her flash cards!). Julian and Grace especially are such well developed characters; I felt like knew them personally. It was a treat to watch them fall in love.

I loved all the side characters such as Asher and Kai. I also loved getting into Julian and Grace’s backstory, including Grace’s abusive ex-boyfriend. This book is an excellent reminder of how rumors can do real reputational damage. My heart broke for Grace as she’s forced to deal with things so far out of her control.

This an absolutely amazing debut and I can’t wait to read more from this author. I heard a rumor (or wishful thinking) of Asher’s story next? Please be true! 🙏🏼

A slow-burn medical, workplace romance between two OB-GYN residents where the chemistry was electric, the tension thick, and passion heavy between Grace and Julian. A true representation of the drama and trials of residents—long hours, oddly weird cases, exhaustion and hardly no social life brought to life along with some banter, humor and spice to lighten the storyline.

Took me a bit to get into, literally Grace’s first chapter though had me hooked and rooting for her. The love/hate/relationship between her and Julian was everything I needed. The found family with the residents? Obsessed. Absolutely hated the slight backstabbing/how long it took for one of the residents to squash the rumors that followed Grace despite claiming to be best friends with her.

I lowkey enjoyed this. Duncan appears to draw upon her own personal expertise as a practicing OB/GYN to present the romance community with this stunning debut. Fans of Ali Hazelwood should be grabbing their copy - stat!

4.5, rounded up, since this is a debut. I really loved the overall setting. I found the presentation of our characters, L&D doctors in the midst of residency, a refreshing change from the standard. The themes were very fascinating to me (maternal health and sexism in the workplace), and I found that despite the heaviness of these topics, they were expertly stitched into the story.

This book does make one fatal error and that is insta-love. Although this does feature the enemies to lovers trope, its dropped like a hot potato. It is a common complaint I have with many rom-coms.

This was enjoyable, especially as a healthcare worker. I enjoyed seeing all the aspects of the hospital, and it was pretty accurate! The characters weren't my favorite, and I know a lot of people could feel their chemistry, but I personally didn't. Grace really did not vibe well with me as a main character. But overall, I think it was a great debut, and I will consider reading more from this author in the future! Just don't think this one was for me personally. thank you netgalley!

Uh. This was okay, but I already forget what it was about except the the dislike I had for both MCs.

As a nurse, I loved the attention to medical details in this book. The problems Grace was facing are very prevalent and relatable, and I was cheering her on throughout the story. This was a great enemies to lovers book with two characters who made themselves better together.

Love Sick definitely gave off Grey’s Anatomy vibes, and I absolutely loved it! The story beautifully balances friendship, romance, and drama in a way that keeps you hooked from start to finish. The characters feel real and relatable, and their connections, whether messy or heartwarming, make it impossible not to get invested. If you enjoy stories with complex relationships, emotional twists, and the same kind of addictive drama you’d find in Grey’s Anatomy, this book is for you. I highly recommend it!

I absolutely loved this book! I went into it pretty much blindly, and I was pleasantly surprised. I loved Julian & Grace (both main characters) and also loved everyone in their friend group. I'm also a nerd when it comes to medical terminology so if you're interested in that field this will definitely be a hit for you!

Thanks so much Netgalley & Harlequin Trade Publishing for my ARC copy of this book! All opinions are my own

Julian is an OB-GYN resident beginning his first year as an intern in a hospital in Texas. He is a D.O., the only one in his program. He has a lot to prove and not a lot of faith in himself. He struggled significantly to be accepted into the program and knows he's going to have to work really hard to make it. He has four older sisters who would be appalled at the misogyny and chauvinism that he is subjected to from some of the other BrOB-GYN staff.

Grace has always wanted to be a doctor. It means that she is successful and has accomplished something worthwhile in her life and should be taken seriously. She's in Texas from California and trying to escape her past. Her given name is Sapphire Rose, but since that sounds like a stripper, she opts to go by Grace with her new colleagues. All she wants to do is work hard and prove herself despite her crippling social anxiety and past trauma.

Julian and Grace have a meet-cute after literally bumping into one another at the residency mixer where he accidentally spills wine on her shoes. There is instant attraction and lust between the two. But as soon as Julian learns that Grace is really Sapphire, he immediately tucks tail and runs away from her. Unfortunately, there is a rumor going around that one of the interns was only accepted into the program because she slept with someone in the Graduate Medical Education office. With a name like Sapphire Rose, everyone just assumes its Grace. What no one knows though is that Grace is the exact opposite of a slut. She hasn't slept with anyone for two years and definitely didn't sleep her way into the program. Upon learning about the rumor, she immediately confronts Julian and calls him out on his behavior. He attempts to apologize, but it falls upon deaf ears. Afterwards, the two enter a battle to see who can drive the other more crazy.

I really enjoyed the evolution and growth of the characters. The side characters all added more depth to the story and were enjoyable as well. I loved how Grace didn't back down from the unfair treatment she was subjected to and that she always stood up for herself even if it made horribly uncomfortable. Julian always seemed to defend her as well even though he loves driving her crazy but hates seeing her upset about what others say about her. I love how hard both Julian and Grace worked to grow and find success. She had to overcome a lot of baggage and was terrified, but Julian was so patient with her and supportive. There were moments in the book that made me laugh and others that made me cry. It was such a beautifully written story about overcoming obstacles and not giving into fears or external stress and pressure.

Read if you enjoy:
Workplace Romance
Forced Proximity (they work together and live in the same apartment complex)
Enemies to Lovers
Tension and Angst
Slow Burn
Witty Banter
Grey's Anatomy vibes

Thank you to NetGalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing for the advanced reader copy. All thoughts and opinions expressed in my review are my own.

I’m a sucker for a good medical drama, but I haven’t read many books with a medical setting. That’s what first drew me to Love Sick! Love Sick was a pretty fun, easy read. The characters were fleshed out enough to get me interested in their lives, and I thought that some of their banter was really delightful.

Unfortunately, it never quite grabbed me as much as I wanted to. I was never desperate to pick it up to see what happened next! While the romance had some fun moments, I just never felt memorable or super exciting to me. Perhaps I just wasn’t in the mood for a contemporary romance? Love Sick truly did have all the right elements that normally draw me in, so it really could be that.

I can tell that Deidra Duncan is a talented author, and I would absolutely love to give another one of her books a try! This one just didn’t quite work for me.

Thank you so much to Harlequin Trade Publishing, NetGalley, and Deidra Duncan for the free eARC in exchange for my review!

Spicy medical romances with some tea sprinkled in are my JAM and let me tell you, this one didn’t disappoint.

First year of OBGYN residency starts off with a bang with a spicy rumor that someone slept their way into the program. Throw in an instant enemies to lovers trope set up with two fellow interns immediately hating each other, and this book had me HOOKED 🤌🏻

Once we got into the enemies hinting at potentially becoming lovers, I was giggling and kicking my feet at how fun and cute this was.

I LOVED the characters, I feel like our main two were so fleshed out, it was very easy to bounce back and forth between the POVs.

Highly recommend this one! 5 easy stars from me!

Thank you to NetGalley for this ARC!