I absolutely loved this book. It’s so well written and has so many of my favorite tropes—rivals to lovers, workplace romance, slow burn. I flew through it and already miss Julian and Grace as if they were real people.

Grace is a first-year OBGYN resident navigating rumors that she slept her way into the program while carrying emotional baggage from a past relationship. Julian is a fellow resident, and after a rough first impression, the two are thrown together again and again. There’s so much tension and their banter had me grinning. The story unfolds over two years, which made their slowly building relationship feel even more satisfying.

What made this book stand out to me was how grounded and real it felt. I loved the mental health representation. Grace’s internal struggles were portrayed with such care and honesty, and Julian was the perfect mix of grumpy and deeply supportive. Their chemistry was fantastic and I really felt the weight of what they were going through.

The pop culture references (especially the Harry Potter ones) felt a little overdone to me, but it didn’t take away from how much I loved the story. I didn’t expect to get emotional over this one, but I definitely teared up a few times. This is easily one of my favorite romance reads this year.

The audiobook narration was really great as well! I enjoyed both narrators.

If you like Grey’s Anatomy and rom-coms, Love Sick is a perfect book for you. It has alternating chapters from each character and the audiobook has a different narrator for each one which I loved. Many narrators are good at doing multiple voices but it’s just not the same as having a male and female narrator. The enemies-to-lovers trope in this book works like a charm, and you are just waiting for someone to make a move….

Thanks to NerGalley and Harlequin Audio for this audiobook advance copy. #netgalley #harlequin #lovesick

I listened to the audio in addition to reading it on my kindle. I was really excited when I heard about this one! I love the Grey’s Anatomy drama, but sometime the narrators were a little too dramatic when reading some of their lines. It was giving high school play versus narration. I thought that the story was cute but the narration took away from it a bit.

Thank you NetGalley and HarperAudio for the audio copy in exchange for an honest review.

3.5/5 stars. I know nothing about the medical field but this read just like I was watching a medical comedy/drama and I enjoyed that! I think the switch from “feuding” to “lovers” was nicely paced. But I hate a third act breakup AND the epilogue/ending being what it was - to me it’s a tad corny and overdone. I would gladly pick up another book by this author.

This was such a fun book! I loved the rivals to lovers trope between Grace and Julian. Their chemistry was off the charts! I also liked the hospital setting and the way the author talked about gender disparity in the medical field. The double standard between male and female doctors was so frustrating, but it made me root for the FMC. I highly recommend this book!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️Love Sick by Deidra Duncan! Releases May 13th!!

I was so excited for this one, and it did not disappoint. 💜It was cute, emotional, and absolutely perfect. I lovedthat both of the characters had distinct personalities that were unique and fit together extremely well.
I truly loved that this book outlined the FMC and MMCs lives over a significant period of time, not just a couple months. I feel like this was extremely realistic.

I personally never watched Grey’s Anatomy or any of those medical shows however, this made me feel like maybe I should. I loved the medical setting, and the two main characters helping each other be better doctors. They truly supported each other, and worked through challenges together!

This book is one hell of a slow burn, but in the best way! I loved the emotional depth of the characters, and there lived experiences. It was so raw and real. Overall highly recommend tot add this to your TBR!

Review for the audiobook: It’s hard to describe, but I personally loved consuming this via audiobook. There’s a scene where the female main character is laughing while she tries to talk, and the voice actor was able to portray that moment, and it just made it feel so much more real and much more enjoyable. Highly recommend!

This was so sweet and spicy! It was described as greys anatomy vibes and that is 100% correct! The enemies to loves vibes were so good and the banter between grace and Julian was SO GOOD!

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Out of all the medical shows I’ve seen, I don’t know why this is reminding me of Grey’s Anatomy. Maybe because it’s a medical drama where people have preconceived ideas about characters? Then I looked and saw this was actually written by a doctor which is freaking cool.

Rumors and reputations played a really big part in this book and I personally wanted more of the romance. I loved their banter in the beginning and wanted it to continue further in the book.

Audiobook-
I actually don’t hate when Meg Sylan does the MMC voice. That’s a freaking win in itself. But I do just also like her as a narrator. I don’t think I’ve heard Eric Yang before but I liked him too.

Love Sick by Deidra Duncan is a compelling romantic comedy set in the high-pressure world of OB-GYN residency. The story follows Grace Rose, a determined first-year resident, and her complicated relationship with fellow resident Julian Santini.

Duncan, a practicing physician, brings authenticity to the medical drama, realistically portraying the challenges and intensity of residency life. The book explores themes of workplace dynamics, overcoming adversity, and the power of connection amidst demanding circumstances. With its blend of humor, heartfelt moments, and engaging banter, Love Sick offers a captivating reading experience.

Skilled narrator effectively captures the characters' personalities, the emotional depth of the story, and the vibrant hospital setting. The witty banter between Grace and Julian, in particular, is a highlight of the listening experience.

I officially love this couple and love Julian! He is absolutely book boyfriend material. This book was so much fun and had me laughing out loud, but the love story between them is so sweet. The struggles Grace (or Sapphire) went through are so sad but Julian's reactions were perfection.

Deidra Duncan set out to write the most accurate medical rom com out there: as a physician herself, it's clear she went to great effort to ensure the representation of residency in her novel was accurate. No over-the-top plot points or romanticizing of medical training like Grey's Anatomy here.

The book is set in a fictional Texas hospital and its OBGYN residency program. Julian and Grace are two of the new residents, who unfortunately get off on the wrong foot. Rumors of Grace's promiscuity have infiltrated the residency program even before her arrival and threaten her relationship with peers and faculty. Seeing Julian as an instigator of the rumors, she gives him the cold shoulder. Over time, he becomes a trusted a confident and friend and Grace begins to wonder if maybe she has feelings for him afterall. The ghost of her past relationship haunts her and prevents her from fully leaning into their connection. This coupled with escalating rumors and gossip push her to a breaking point that cause her to reevaluate her career and capacity for love.

There's a lot that works in "Love Sick:" the setting is believable and realistic, which is rare in these kinds of medical rom-coms. Duncan does not simplify or gloss over the more menial details of medical training for the sake of her audience. The language is accurate and precise, which I think will go a long way for readers who work in this kind of setting. The slow burn is slooooooow. Julian and Grace's chemistry is good with plenty of development and high stakes. The friendship between co-residents creates a fun cast of characters. My two main qualms are: the length of the book, which drags on a bit longer than necessary, and the surprisingly negative representation of health care providers. The faculty and residents are mean with little care for honesty or integrity until they are forced to face consequences. Maybe this was the author's real life experience which I want to respect, but I don't see this book as doing a lot to increase readers' trust in their obgyn. There's a decent amount of scenes mocking patients. And in addition to the aforementioned cattiness of the residents/faculty, it just made me feel kind of grossed out by the whole operation. I think this is a great book for other physicians who enjoy seeing their experiences reflected or who want something that really puts its finger on the terrible abuses that occur in residency. However, as a general, non-medical, reader these themes took away from what I was hoping would be a light-hearted and fun romance.

The audiobook was well done with dual narration for Grace and Julian's parts. I did find it disappointing that some words were mispronounced like "peds" (pronounced like "keds" in the audio, when it should be "peeds") and also, ironically, "uterine."

Tropes: enemies to lovers, forced proximity, third act break-up. slow burn

Spice: 2/5 (mostly closed door)

Love this workplace romance!
As a healthcare professional myself, I was immediately drawn to this book.
Julian and Grace have tremendous chemistry and the characters are very well written. Their banter was fantastic. I enjoyed how they developed throughout the book.
Warning for a slow burn, but worth the pace.
Mental health representation is hard to write but it was done so perfectly here.
The plot is structured well and kept me reading.
If you are in healthcare, love a good workplace romance, and a slow burn, this is for you! Grab this book! Such a fun read for this nurse!

Update 4/30/25: I also received an ARC of the audiobook and I still enjoyed this book! Love it!

Thank you to NetGalley for this ARC!

I picked this ALC because my favorite trope is enemies to lovers and I love medical MCs. This book did not disappoint. The narrators did a lovely job! Their narration really made the story entertaining and engaging. And I love how the author’s own experiences as a resident was naturally woven into the story.

Tropes:
🩺He falls first
🩺Forced proximity
🩺Enemies to lovers
🩺Medical MCs
🩺Who did this to you?
🩺Pop culture references
🩺Dual POV

I genuinely have high respect for doctors and this book is yet another reminder of that. The amount of work they do to save lives is well articulated in this story even though this is primarily a romance. This story also shows how incredibly damaging gossip can be. Especially how damaging it can be to a woman’s reputation.

The story was well written and entertaining throughout. There were no boring moments and it all played like I was watching a movie. Loved the banter between the leads as well as the pop culture references.

Oh and Julian the MMC? literally perfect book boyfriend. He’s kind, understanding, funny, handsome, hot, and above all love the FMC in a way that’s healing and powerful. Our FMC Grace has had a difficult life and I was rooting for her from start to finish. I was frustrated with some of her decisions but equally understood the reasoning as to why she’s the way she is. I also wanted to punch some of the side characters who are cringy and obnoxious. Looking for an enemies to lovers romance with some drama and personal discovery and healing? This will get you covered. Such a great debut!

Alternative title: Grace and her Garbage Friends. Wowza. It is no wonder she has her heart locked up tight. I loved Grace and Julian’s chemistry and banter so much. I liked his backstory as well, but hoped he would have done more to stand against the BrOB-GYN nonsense. Still, he did right by Grace and for that, gold stars to Julian. Audio note: Really good performance by both narrators !!

I read the audio version and while I enjoyed the story, there were times when the narration was flat. Also, I didn't love the teasing from the MMC at the beginning. It's too much and Grace gives a clear boundary which he continues to cross. It felt disrespectful and icky, especially for someone who claims to be a feminist. I also didn't like the breakup. I'm not sure what I would have done in it's place but it was lacking emotion. I may have even rolled my eyes during that part. I have read other romance books with breakups and this is the first one that didn't seem convincing. Other than those things, I enjoyed the book. I really liked the female narrator and felt the male narrator was pretty monotone. If I didn't read this through the audio version, I probably wouldn't have finished it.

Thank you NetGalley and Harlequin Audio for sending this book for review consideration. All opinions are my own.

This one got me. I even choked up a couple times. It is like if Grey’s Anatomy didn’t have unbearable characters and ended the series at the good and right time.

I have to say I’m not usually into medical reads, just having worked in the field for so long that you want to distance from it sometimes. HOWEVER, this book just sounded so fun and right up my alley with the enemies to lovers and such a great plot. Well, let me tell you I am SO glad I didnt let this one pass me by. I was on the edge of my seat at work and once I got home listening to this book because I was so hooked. I want to start with I love the fact that the author is actually an OB and wrote things from experience and knowledge, I really appreciated that. I also enjoyed the battle from the start with Grace and Julian then the kindled friendship and eventual love. I also enjoyed the foreshadowing and everyone just knowing that they would end up together and married, throughout the whole book. I always enjoyed MOST of the characters except for Maxwell for really all reasons and Alicia for you know or you will find out reasons! I am proud of Grace for overcoming all of the rumors, distrust and falters that happened to her throughout the book and for Julian always being a good guy and sticking true to him. I am giving this book a 4/5 stars and I want to give it a full 5 stars but I am just so angry at things that happened in this book and some of the characters that it’s holding me back but this was seriously an amazing book and I would highly recommend it to everyone! Thank you NetGalley and Harlequin Audio for allowing me to listen and review this book with my own thoughts and opinions! Also a big shoutout to the narrators Meg Sylvan and Eric Yang you truly made this listen so enjoyable!

Thank you to NetGalley and Harlequin Audio for this review copy of Love Sick.

Love Sick tells the story of Grace, a resident OBGYN who due to a rumor going around the hospital is accused of sleeping her way into a job. Another resident, Julien hears this rumor and accidentally starts a fued between them when he asks not get involved in her drama.
What follows is a romance between the two as Grace deals with the drama she faces.

Overall, I’d give it 3.5 stars. There were parts that were super cute, and really clear the author works in the hospital herself, but other parts that felt too cartoonish to be taken seriously. A lot of characters weren’t given depth in order to make Grace the true victim of apparently a horrible hospital staff. Overall I’d say it’s a good debut novel, I just didn’t feel like it should have been a romance. It would have made a great literary fiction book instead, focusing on Grace’s journey through rumors, and accepting herself.

I binge-listened to the audiobook at work and let me just tell you how deeply I sighed and eye-rolled at every phone call that made me press pause on this story.

Grace and Julian were flawed, lovable characters with amazing chemistry. Their initial hatred was justified, but the BANTER?! My ears were warm from the heat. I love a good enemies-to-lovers and this DELIVERED. Plus, seeing Grace and Julian support each other despite their initial first impressions and eventually becoming friends, then lovers, was heartwarming. Regardless of Julian having insecurities over being a DO, not an MD, and Grace having the nastiest of rumors spread about her, they made the most of their residency and their relationship. Grace had a lot of trauma from her past and I understand why she behaved the way she did, even if I really didn't agree with her behavior at times. I wasn't expecting the plot reveal with a certain someone toward the end of the book, but I was SO proud of Grace for allowing herself to forgive this person but still keep them at a distance; her character development by the end was admirable. This book truly brought to light the struggles of working in the medical field, trying to heal from past trauma, the detrimental impact of rumors on the psyche and how difficult it can be to accept the love we don't think we deserve. I greatly appreciated the writing and the perspective from an author who is an OB/GYN herself; it really helped me feel immersed in the story. I also need to point out what a phenomenal job the narrators did. Eric Yang and Meg Sylvan told this story so beautifully, I felt like I was listening to the characters themselves at times.

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Harlequin Audio for providing me with an ARC in exchange for my honest review!

This was such a good debut! I’ve been reading a lot of STEM romance books recently and this one did not disappoint.

I really enjoyed the banter between Grace and Julian. It had me kicking and giggling. My main irritation was the excessive calling her by a name she doesn’t prefer. I just don’t like that microtrope. (This could also due to me not enjoying when people call me any nickname instead of my full name.)

I loved that the romance was more of a slow burn and that it wasn’t just “I hate you now I love you.” It definitely made it seem more believable.

I thought the audiobook was great! It was able to bring the banter to life in a great way.

Tropes: workplace romance, enemies to lovers, forced proximity

Okay I’m off to go watch Private Practice because I don’t have it in me for 21 seasons of Grey’s Anatomy.

Thank you to NetGalley, Harlequin Audio, and the author for the ALC ✨