This book won the 2015 RITA in the best short contemporary category. After reading that other (horrible) RITA-nominated book, I wanted something palate-cleansing, and this book definitely delivered. It is the last of a trilogy focusing on three Texas brothers, but I didn't need to have read the other two to enjoy this.

This wasn't in my TBR for long, but I was having trouble finding something I could read for the TBR Challenge for August. It was an impulse buy, at least!

The heroine, Diana Connor, is a real-estate agent who is offered her boss's ticket to a fancy charity event. There she meets Dr. Quinn McDowell, a workaholic cardiologist (is there any other kind), who she tries to set up with various attractive and eligible women as dance partners. This sets the tone for the novel: Diana can't imagine that she has anything in common with the rich, handsome, well-connected doctor. She's working class, he's silver-spoon.

Quinn, of course, is smitten with Diana because she's not like his usual dates. And she sees through his stiff upper lip to his pain when a beloved patient dies, which leads to a one-night stand. Quinn wants to take it further, but Diana refuses to go along with the compartmentalized relationship that Quinn takes as a given. Of course this makes her even more appealing to him, so they embark on a "real" relationship.

This is not the type of story I usually gravitate toward, but the author does a good job with the setting and Quinn is a believable and yet sympathetic character. He's driven and committed to his career, but he tries to be honest and honorable with the women he dates. Diana was a harder sell for me. She was so very insecure and unwilling to be honest emotionally. She is portrayed as kind to everyone and always putting on a happy face, but you can't live a full life like that and you can't be honest with other people. It's great that she devotes herself to animals and people in need, but it's clearly at her own expense. Diana doesn't really have friends, just people who show up when she provides food and entertainment. And the rich people (aside from Quinn's family) are pretty awful, especially the women.

On the plus side, the setting is well done, and the writing is good. The romance itself is fun to read even though I didn't really believe in the long-term viability of the relationship. I can see why this got high marks, though. There were moments while I was reading where I was really immersed in the story, and it's only when I sat down to write out my reactions that I realized the underlying problems.

I'd recommend this if you like opposites-attract, dogs, and self-aware alpha-ish heroes. But you'll have to take the overly needy and insecure heroine along with the package. ( )

This review first appeared on Tales to Tide You Over.

I received this book as part of the Tell Harlequin group for reader feedback, something I’ve been a part of for more years than I can remember. I’ve been reading Harlequin since my early teens, so trust me when I say every criticism leveled against Harlequin novels has an example or two to support it. The reason I keep reading them is that there are as many examples to dismiss the notions as well.

The Bachelor Doctor’s Bride is one of these.

Diana is a small time realtor when she’s not volunteering at the shelter. Her boss sent her to this event to make contacts because he didn’t want to go, but she feels out of place in this gathering of upper society. Diana’s determined to enjoy the once in a lifetime opportunity of a fairytale ball despite her dress seeming shabby compared to the understated elegance around her.

Sounds like a standard rich and poor romance on the surface, but from that starting point comes a delightful story about a very unique woman.

Diana is a sensitive, intuitive soul who makes it her life’s work to help others find happiness. Sure, her talents are usually engaged with matching homeless dogs to those who would make a good fit, but she’s not the type to let a simple fact like that stand in her way when she decides to find a perfect match for the one sour face at the fancy charity gala, and things spiral out of control from there.

She’s the type who leans over to make a suggestion to a frazzled woman in a flower shop and ends up with a friend for life despite the differences in their circumstances. She’s quick to act on the problems she sees and is determined to make the world a better place for everyone.

What makes the story deeper is both how she goes about identifying and resolving the problems, and how you quickly learn that while she’s out saving the world, inside she’s afraid to live for herself.

Enter Quinn, the oldest brother of an ambitious family who has singlehandedly been keeping the family business, a medical practice, running and doing well. One of his brothers just returned to share the burden, but he doesn’t know what to do with himself when not working.

Diana’s determined to find him the person best suited to his position in life, his drive, and sheer awesomeness. The only trouble is he doesn’t need a perfect match to who he was. He needs to learn who he wants to become.

The characters are well-written, the challenges between the person who gives so much they leave nothing for themselves and the workaholic, as well as the culture clashes between their stations are well written and enjoyable. But Diana is the masterpiece here. Her ability to diagnose a situation and come up with a treatment plan mirrors a doctor’s work, only she boosts confidence, helps resolve conflicts, and even finds love for those in need. Rather than treating the body, she treats the soul, and it’s a delight to watch.

You might have guessed I enjoyed this book. The combination of a bright, optimistic mood and a more complicated psychology behind it drew me in and made me not want the story to stop. ( )

Good book with two people who seemed to be total opposites. Quinn is a serious guy. As a heart doctor he deals with science, not emotion. As a member of the family that founded the hospital, he has spent the last couple years trying to keep it going, leaving little time for any kind of relationship. He's also not a fan of these required functions, so this charity ball is something to just be endured. Then he is accosted by the perky Diana, who is determined to see him have a good time. Diana hates seeing people unhappy and has a talent for matching them up with just what they need. She notices him right away and is compelled to change his evening.

I thought the ball scene was a lot of fun. Quinn has realized that there is something missing in his life after watching his brother dance with his wife. Perhaps it is time to look for a wife of his own. It shouldn't be a problem to find someone suitable. But with Diana finding women for him to dance with, he's more interested in her than anyone else, which baffles him. She's nothing like anyone he's ever been interested in before. I loved the way he relaxed with her and just enjoyed himself. That enjoyment turned more intense by the end of the evening.

I loved seeing Diana's joy in helping people have a good time. It was fun seeing her get Quinn dancing. I also enjoyed seeing her reactions to him and how much she liked him. It wasn't so much fun seeing how sure she was that she was all wrong for him herself. She always seemed so surprised when he would do or say something nice to her. She also had a wonderful sensitivity to other people's distress. She could tell that something was bothering Quinn and when she found out what it was she was determined to be there for him. I loved seeing their attraction heat up.

Quinn was very confused at how much he wanted to keep Diana in his life. She was so different, but she made him feel so good. He also had trouble treating her the same way he had previous relationships. Those he had always kept separate from his professional life, but Diana refused to be kept apart. She wanted to hear about his day, and she had no trouble sharing him with his job. I loved seeing her stand up to him when he tried to keep her separate. He also started to get to know her and tried to understand her.

Diana lost her mother when she was born, and only had a single letter she had written to remember her by. Her mom talked about making other people happy and not being selfish. So Diana keeps trying to give Quinn up for someone she thinks would be better for him, but Quinn refuses to go. He sees that they could be happy together, but he has to convince her. There are a couple great moments where he stands up for her against some really snotty people, and I have high hopes that she will start to see that she deserves to be happy too. But there is one more hurdle she has to overcome, and I loved seeing that it was Quinn who gave her the ability to do it. The ending was sweet. ( )