Grace Rose is a first-year medical resident, excited for her new start. Due to an unfounded rumor that she slept her way into the program, which has made it rounds at the hospital (pun intended!), she is often treated poorly and given less opportunities than other residents. Unfortunately for Julian, he is the first one she hears repeating the rumor, so she decides he is a misogynist. Forced to work together and hangout with their fellow residents outside of work, they end up with a sort of love-hate relationship. Can they overcome it?

I found the couple’s dynamic interesting and fairly realistic. While we, as the readers, can see the characters individual POVs and the mistakes that led to the misunderstandings and animosity, I felt like their reactions were believable. With hurt feelings and stubborn pride, the couple took a long time to realize the other wasn’t really a bad person.

The twist towards the end pleasantly surprised me! I won’t spoil it, but I thought how the main characters handled it made sense.

This book was cute and fun. I loved the medical aspect. This book is unique and different. I enjoyed the journey of Grace and Julian. They had great chemistry. This is a slow burn enemies to lovers book centered around the struggles medical students face in the real world. These two are OB interns. I super appreciate the correct medical terminology. The story was a quick read. Both characters have solid back stories. I didn’t love it, but it was definitely a fun way to pass the day. I look forward to more by this author. Both narrators did a good job bringing this story to life. I received this book from Harlequin Audio and Netgalley. All opinions are my own.

This is a cute story about a group of residents training to be OBGYNs. Overall, it was very cute and enjoyable. The narration for the audiobook was really good. There were some parts of the storyline that I found to be a bit immature, but once I realized that the author is an OBGYN in real life, I assume that, sadly, there may have been a good bit of this immature stuff in her actual experience.

4 stars for story / 5 stars for performance
Dual narration by Meg Sylvan and Eric Yang
Tropes: Medical romance, Rom-com, Enemies to Friends to Lovers

I put off listening to this for a while and am now kicking myself that I waited so long. This was such a fun medical romance but with serious undertones that really drove the plot and allowed for massive character development. The story follows a group of residents over a couple years including Grace, our FMC, that doesn't have the best reputation (unearned), and Julian, our MMC, who has his own set of insecurities. The ups and downs they go through are sometimes fun, sometimes sad, most of the times unpredictable but always entertaining. Some of the internal monologue had me cracking up.

The dual style narration was performed so well by both narrators. All the emotions came through and gave so much personality to the characters, main and side included. I definitely recommend experiencing this one on audio if that's an option.

What a cute little rom-com that’s perfect! Just in time for summer, you can’t go wrong with taking this book to the beach! Cute and quirky with a twist at the end!

First thing’s first: thank you Netgalley for the ALC of this book!

Love Sick by Deidra Duncan had a lot of potential, but unfortunately I didn’t really enjoy this one. The characters were flat and I never felt any chemistry between them. The conflicts were really forced and felt unnatural/manufactured even if you suspended reality a little bit. There was a lot of telling, not a lot of showing. I really had hoped this one would be great, but for me it wasn’t.

2.5⭐️

Grace starts her OBGYN residency with a bang. Right away, she finds out there is a nasty rumor circulating about her potentially tarnishing her reputation. The rumors are false; she worked her butt off to get where she is today and she is full of frustration. She attempts to confront the situation, and, in the process, she meets a fellow resident, Julian. Grace thinks he is involved in the mix-up and their first encounter is full of so many different emotions.
From the start you would think the two hate each other, but once they begin working side by side their relationship becomes more vulnerable and down to earth.

I thoroughly enjoyed the medical humor and the realistic display of work relationships and conversations. Playful banter, workplace gossip, sexism and the scrutiny constantly aimed at Grace it all formed the perfect RomCom.

Loved it all.

✨🩺👩‍⚕️Love Sick 👨‍⚕️🩺✨
By Deidra Duncan

Genre: Contemporary Romance
Format: 🎧
Steam: 🌶️
Published: 5/13/25
Publisher: Canary Street Press
Audiobook: Harlequin Audio
Narrators: Meg Sylvan & Eric Yang

Grace Rose enters her OB‑GYN residency determined to debunk a rumor that she “slept her way in,” only to find herself clashing—and eventually connecting—with fellow resident Julian Santini amid chaotic shifts, hospital politics, and mutual imposter syndrome.

I started this book with high expectations. As someone who works in the medical field, I was particularly excited to read a story penned by an OB/GYN, especially one featuring an intelligent, driven, and strong female protagonist. The initial chapters were promising! However, my enthusiasm waned as the story unfolded. It was difficult to believe that a single rumor could fuel so much conflict throughout the narrative. I felt that Grace Rose used this rumor and issues in a past relationship as a convenient excuse for poor behavior instead of just addressing issues head on as you would expect a doctor in their twenties to do. She came across as very juvenile to me in how she handled work challenges and her approach to relationships and friendships. While I can relate to imposter syndrome, her approach to challenges made it hard for me to empathize with her situation or root for a relationship with Julian.

The portrayal of medical residents and hospital staff in Love Sick also felt broadly generalized, leaning heavily into a dynamic of partying, hormonal teenagers rather than dedicated professionals. Many characters frequently engaged in gossip, while a majority of the male characters came across as overtly misogynistic. While I don't doubt that these behaviors can occur in the hospital and a residency program and that this is a problem, the book's depiction felt too sweeping. In my own experience, I've had the privilege of working alongside countless incredible medical professionals—doctors, nurses, therapists, CNAs, etc—who embody compassion, empathy, and a deep passion for their work and their patients.

I did enjoy parts of this book; it kept me interested throughout. It was well written & had accurate medical details. If you are looking for a medical romance that includes high drama and gossip, then this is your book!

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️

🙏 Thank you to Netgalley, Harlequin Audio, and Deidra Duncan for this ALC in exchange for my honest thoughts. Love Sick published 5/13/25. 💖

Thank you to the author, Harlequin Audio & Netgalley for an alc in exchange for an honest review.

Absolutely obsessed with this medical romance. It delivers all the Grey’s Anatomy energy with the perfect mix of hospital drama, sharp chemistry, and slow-burn tension. Grace is a stressed-out queen, Julian is the ultimate book boyfriend, and their banter is genuinely top tier. Meg Sylvan and Eric Yang nailed the narration—at times it felt like they were living the story.

My only complaint: the heavy use of modern slang in the first half took me out of it a bit. But otherwise, this was heartfelt, funny, and packed with scrubs, sass, and swoon-worthy moments.

Read if you love: enemies to lovers, workplace romance, forced proximity, and a story full of heart.

“Love Sick” is an enemies-to-lovers witty romance involving two OB/GYN trainees as they struggle through residency.

I have to admit, I was initially drawn to this book purely for the residency nostalgia. Deidra Duncan does an amazing job capturing so much of that experience - from “group therapy” drinks with co-residents to the ASCOM phone that never stops ringing. It was so wonderful to read a love story set in the place that I spent my 20s, unlike most other stories on bookshelves today. And I loved that she snuck in the names of surgical instruments and OB maneuvers as the names of her characters!

The book starts with Dr. Sapphire “Grace” Rose nervously pulling up to her first social event as an intern, excitedly anxious about starting the next step in her career. It unfortunately unfolds into a nightmare as a rumor spreads throughout the hospital and clouds the start of her residency. She runs into her co-intern Dr. Julian Santini and immediately gets off on the wrong foot. Their back-and-forth banter as they mutually insult each other entertains in the first half of the book.

The second half of the book was less fun and more of a window into the misogyny that still pervades the healthcare industry. While I do think some of what happens to Grace is a bit over-the-top, there definitely is still a culture problem in medicine and the male hierarchy often trumps all.

Overall, this was a sweet love story in a unique setting that many people don’t get to see the inner workings of; Duncan did a great job translating OB and residency lingo to reach a broad audience.

Thank you to NetGalley and Harlequin Audio for providing me a copy of this audiobook in exchange for my review!

Book Review: Love Sick by Deidra Duncan

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (5/5)

Short Summary:
Love Sick follows Grace Rose, a first-year OB-GYN resident who is trying to clear her name after a rumor spreads that she slept her way into the program, which is completely false. She struggles with social anxiety and the pain of past heartbreak while dealing with Julian Santini, a fellow resident who has his own challenges proving himself. Forced to work together through long, exhausting shifts, their constant bickering turns into unexpected chemistry. This enemies-to-lovers workplace romance is smart, heartfelt, and funny, capturing the ups and downs of life in a busy hospital.

My Thoughts:
I received this book as an audiobook ARC through NetGalley from Harlequin Audio. The first thing that caught my attention was the cover. As soon as I saw it, I knew it was going straight on my TBR. I am always drawn to an enemies to lovers trope, so I was immediately interested. The description compares it to Grey’s Anatomy and The Hating Game, and I can definitely see the influence of both in this workplace romance.
The story follows a group of students beginning their journey to become doctors, starting from their time as interns. At the center is a young woman navigating her first year in the program. Throughout the book, we watch her come into her own while facing insecurities, mental health struggles, past relationships, and the intense demands of her career.
I really enjoyed the writing style. This was my first book by Deidra Duncan, and I will definitely be looking out for more from her in the future. The pacing is slower since the story spans a few years, but it works well and allows the characters and their relationship to grow naturally. The romance felt realistic, with all the ups and downs that come with it. The narrators were captivating, and I absolutely enjoyed the way they carried the story. They brought the emotions and tension to life in a way that made the audiobook experience even more engaging. The author also did a great job making the characters relatable in a way that genuinely pulled at my heartstrings.
If you are looking for a slow burn romance with emotional depth and a Grey’s Anatomy feel, this is a great pick. I will definitely be thinking about this story for a while and would happily recommend it to others.
Thank you, Deidra Duncan and Harlequin Audio, for providing this copy in exchange for an honest review!

There was a lot of good to this book. It's probably the best med romance out there right now in a small but growing genre, and I'm so happy to see more of these. The medical descriptions are great and accurate and I loved the tension of the male character being a DO not an MD and the stigma that has followed him. I do wish that he would stop calling her by a name that she clearly finds derogatory and offensive since she has asked him multiple times to stop. Also, there was quite a bit of pop culture dropping everywhere, which I'm sure many people loved but wasn't my favorite, the way it happened. But the chemistry between the leads was sizzling and I cannot wait to see more from this author!
Also the narrators were terrific. Really nailed the voiced of both protagonists.

The FMC had to deal with an insane amount misogyny in this book & while I realize that’s a common experience, especially in a male-dominated industry, it just took me out of the story too much. She also “squees” a lot & that was incredibly annoying.

Additionally, as an avid Harry Potter fan, why were there at least 12 references to HP? That’s not an over exaggeration btw & there were a bunch of other pop culture references too.

This might have been cute if it wasn’t for the above mentioned things, but sadly I couldn’t get into it for those reasons.

Thank you to NetGalley for the opportunity to read an ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Unfortunately, this was not a good fit for me. I was really hopeful because I have definitely enjoyed some medical dramas in my time, but this didn’t hit for me.

Firstly, I found Grace to be pretty unlikable for the entirety of the book. Julian was initially unlikable, but grew to be extremely endearing. I feel like Grace did not become a better character, though she did start making better decisions. And it sucked because I really wanted to like her, and I really felt for everything she was experiencing, but I just did not connect with her.

I feel like there were a few ends that did not get resolved, the third act break up was brutal and left some holes, and the side characters just did not do it for me. It felt like some of the things that could have and should have had more depth, barely got explored. Versus there was a lot of detail put into things that I feel like could’ve not been so detailed.

Also, it felt weird that this book was riddled with Harry Potter references. Like I feel like we could’ve conveyed the same things without constantly referencing Harry Potter and sometimes it doesn’t bother me if it’s mentioned like once or twice because it’s obviously a piece of pop culture that is super ingrained but sometimes there were like three Harry Potter references per chapter! It was a lil cringe.

The audiobook performance was excellent. Meg Sylvan and Eric Yang both did amazing work and the production was excellent.

Thank you to NetGalley and Harlequin Audio for the audiobook in exchange for an honest review.

This was such a cute book! I’m a nurse practitioner by trade and the medical references were spot on in this book. He falls first and the enemies to lovers tropes are all I could ever want! The OB references are also hilarious. I’ll be recommending this book to all of my colleagues!

I liked this but it was nothing revolutionary or mind blowing to me. I hate a third act breakup but I did like the tackling of sexism and double standards. If you’re looking for a cute romance (and maybe check trigger warnings) I’d definitely recommend!

- 2.5 ⭐️
2 ⭐️s bc I managed to finish it. However, ALL the characters annoyed me. It went on far too long. Enemies to Lovers. & I wanted to like it but I couldn’t. The slut shaming was redic in my opinion (her best friend didn’t even speak up? K.) & the best part of the book was at the very end when she FINALLY decided to tell Jullian why she was cold.
.5 ⭐️ bc she mentioned a Twilight marathon 56% in. 👏🏼


Thank you NetGalley for a chance at this ARC.

I really struggled with this book, primarily because of the main character, Sapphire (who also goes by Grace). From the very beginning, she comes off as incredibly overdramatic and emotionally exhausting—and unfortunately, that never lets up. Her initial dislike of Julian feels wildly unjustified, and the resolution of their relationship arc was even more frustrating. The moment where she asks him to “promise her forever” only to immediately reject the idea felt manipulative and nonsensical. It was hard to root for her when her emotional reasoning felt so immature and inconsistent.

This book leans hard into drama—sometimes to the point of parody. Alicia eloping felt like it came completely out of left field, and much of Sapphire’s conflict seems rooted in toxic friendships that are never truly addressed. Honestly, some of her friends felt more like villains than supporters. And the sister? A whole other level of frustrating.

There are also some oddly familiar lines lifted almost directly from Grey’s Anatomy, which pulled me out of the story. (“You don’t get to be mad about how he heals what you broke”? That’s Meredith Grey-level quoting.)

Ultimately, I found myself asking why nearly every female character was written to be emotionally manipulative, selfish, or straight-up cruel. The interpersonal dynamics never felt grounded or satisfying, and I was left more irritated than invested.

Thank you to NetGalley and Harlequin Audio for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Honestly, such a great book to bring me out of the deep, dark depths of a summer slump. This book was so so Grey Anatomy coded and I loved the complex emotions of the characters. Julien is such a good book bf, though I wish we would have gotten a bit more from him. Grace has the real emotional and mental growth in this. The central conflict of the story was layered and made so much sense to the environment!

Would definitely recommend for anyone looking for a nice, slightly spicy romance! The narrators were fun and I loved their expressiveness.

Thank you Netgalley and Harlequin Audio for this ARC.

Thank you to NetGalley and Harlequin Audio for this ARC! Grace is starting off on the wrong foot in residency as a rumor spreads she was unfairly admitted into the program. Enter her nemesis Julian and their need to work together against the toxic environment that is their hospital. While I greatly appreciated the medical setting, I had a hard time with the writing style of this book.