Out September 5th, 2025
The Night Shift is a charming, emotionally resonant romance that blends humor, heartbreak, and healing with a deft touch. Nancy Peach introduces us to Alice—a junior doctor navigating the chaos of hospital life and the messiness of her own heart. When she reconnects with a former flame under the fluorescent lights of the ER, sparks fly, but so do ghosts from the past. Peach’s writing is witty and warm, with dialogue that crackles and characters who feel like old friends. The medical setting adds urgency and depth, grounding the romance in real-life stakes and tender moments of vulnerability.

What sets this novel apart is its balance: it’s romantic without being saccharine, funny without undercutting its emotional weight. Peach explores grief, identity, and second chances with sensitivity and insight, making The Night Shift more than just a love story—it’s a story about finding your footing when life throws you curveballs. Perfect for fans of Josie Silver and Mhairi McFarlane, this book is a late-night read that lingers long after the final page.

Thank you so much to NetGalley and One More Chapter for this ARC!

Violet is a foundation year doctor who calls things as she sees them. Her bluntness and borderline autistic tendencies make it hard for her to connect with patients and staff, and she fears that she’s not cut out to be a doctor after all.

She volunteers to work the night shift over Christmas week so she doesn’t have to admit to her overachieving doctor parents that she’s failing as a doctor.

And then she meets Gus, perhaps the nicest doctor on staff, and definitely the handsomest, who volunteered to work nights so he can maintain the illusion that his life and romance are sunshine and roses.

Together Violet and Gus find that they are exactly what they didn’t know they needed.

Beautifully written. As it’s set in the UK, I had to look up a number of phrases and medical terminology that are different than we use in the US.

Violet reminded me of Dr. Shaun Murphy from Thr Good Doctor tv show.

I laughed out loud, I cried a bit, and overall I had a good time with this one. I sat down to read this expecting it would take a few days but I actually flew through it!

Gus, the MMC, is a wonderful, handsome doctor with an outgoing personality and a few secrets. Violet is a neurospicy, whip-smart and no-nonsense junior doctor thrown in at the deep end. It's Christmas, they're on nights and their lives become entangled. Shout out to both characters not only having realistic flaws but choosing to actively work on them!

Can we talk about neurodivergent rep that is so accurate and also not overbearing? Violet questions her neurodiversity in a very realistic way. There is a lot of introspection that resonated with me so while the pacing is on the slow side story-wise, there is a lot of character growth which compensates for that.

Violet and Gus are doctors who work in a hospital and so there is a good bit of medical terminology, which didn't bother me. Due to the medical setting, there are some things like cardiac events, dementia, patients being very unwell and passing - it's handled sensitively, shows the reality of being a doctor and also their very human side - but just a heads up for readers who might not be looking for that right now.

With thanks to NetGalley and One More Chapter | Harper Collins UK for the advanced copy in exchange for an honest view.

Thank you netgalley for this arc in exchange for an honest review. I was very excited to read this book, but unfortunately it fell a bit flat for me. The first half of the book was a little slow for me and honestly I found myself a bit overwhelmed with the amount of medical terminology within it. I really loved holiday books, but I could not connect with Violet or Gus. There wasn’t anything inherently wrong with the book per say, but I just didn’t really see the connection between the characters. The story was okay to follow but I do feel like the author tried to cover too many topics at once.

Holiday romances, best part of the season but very hit or miss. The Night Shift unfortunately leans towards the “miss” side of the spectrum for me. Don’t get me wrong, I loved this plot of falling in love across consecutive shifts, I loved reading Violet’s struggle with her career and her growth. However, the Gus part of the story did not do it for me. Holiday romances usually require a level of suspension of disbelief and usual logic that could not be applied to this story because the real world factors were far too present. Violet should not be with him, he is too grown to still be people pleasing and I cannot suspend my disbelief enough to believe that he won’t fall right back into old patterns next week. I really do adore Violet though. 3 stars.

This book had me hooked from the start. It was really obvious this book was written by someone who has actual experience of working in a hospital/nightshift, it was really easy to picture myself in Violet's shoes! That made the book even more enjoyable for me. I loved Violet and Gus' emerging relationship - it was heady, fast, passionate and ultimately, exactly what they needed. I loved Violets neurodivergence representation - the way Violet is able to explain her experiences/feelings and relationships, was so well done. A great passionate romance, I loved it!

Thank you to NetGalley for providing this ARC.

I really struggled to get into this book as it starts off really slowly. It's also really heavy on medical jargon with zero explanation. 

I would have been able to get over all that if I was really rooting for the main characters, but I didn't really connect with either of them and their love felt way too insta-lovey. 

This book also focused way too much on really heavy topics for something that I expected to be a fun romcom to take my mind off the real world.

I'm not always a huge fan of romances in medical/healthcare settings, but this sucked me in right away. This is set in a UK hospital during Christmas, featuring newly qualified doctor Violet Winters (I feel like she is the equivalent of a resident in US hospitals?) who is on nights for the first time and is struggling mightily with the transition from the academic study of medicine to the actual practice of working with patients. Violet is pretty clearly neurodiverse, and that representation felt really important here. She starts chatting with the more experienced, popular, and super hot doctor Gus Jovic, and they hit it off. There's a lot of growth that happens with both characters here, which I thought was handled well - in most situations I would think "that couldn't happen in one week!" but in a week of 12 hour night shifts in a busy hospital at Christmastime, it felt pretty believable. Content warnings for a violent assault against a side character (presumed to be an anti-LGBTQIA+ hate crime) as well as workplace sexual harassment that crosses into attempted assault. I felt like that second one particularly wasn't really dealt with as much as I would have liked to see, but overall I thought this was a solid and interesting read.

As an aspiring doctor, I was so excited for a medical romance book. I did enjoy the medical aspects of this book, but I felt like everything else moved to fast. The fact that the characters fell in love before a week had passed just seems unrealistic to me. Besides that, I did enjoy the book and found it fun.

I didn’t care much for the characters. I did enjoy Violet’s character development, but again, it felt too fast. I feel like it takes more than one week to change certain aspects about yourself and your personality. It was refreshing to read about a struggling doctor that is trying to work on patient skills and not just medical skills. One thing I didn’t like about Violet was how clumsy she was. To me it felt like the author was trying too hard to make her quirky and different. Gus was fine, but he was way too indecisive. Again, I think it should take more than a week to get over an ex and then go back to her. I did enjoy the side plots a lot and thought they added important aspects. For example, Martin and Dev added a fun side of the story and Mr. Zeller helped us understand Violet more and see her character development.

I liked that this was a fun, fast paced book. Not much happened, but a lot happened at the same time. I enjoyed how there were only a few different settings, which made it easy to follow and seem more fast paced.
I would recommend this book to romance and medical drama lovers that want a quick read.

This is one of the reviews that are hardest for me to write. There is nothing inherently wrong with the book, but I failed to be swept away. The characters are well written, and Nancy Peach tackles a host of important topics. While I found Violet and Gus to be compelling characters, something about their central love story fell short for me. However, I look forward to reading whatever comes next from Nancy Peach.

I thought this book was charming. I am, in fact, married to an anesthesiologist so this one was particularly close to home, in a good way! Storyline was engaging and characters well-written

Thank you to NetGalley and the Publisher for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

An enjoyable read. The main character was very interesting by her perspective and also her directness. Loved how the story unfolded and how the various characters interacted

I really enjoyed this - a great read with a hospital setting that is mostly uplifting, and themes of romance, second chances, neurodivergency and more.

The main characters are relatable and have great banter between them. They both have some personal issues to get through, but they're delivered with warmth, reality and wit.

This isn’t a sugary romance - it’s thoughtful, kind and very uplifting.

And now I'm off to buy the writer's other books... :)

Thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for an advance copy in exchange for an honest review

Working in a busy hospital is never easy at any time of year, missing out on social events, birthdays, anniversaries etc. This year Gus and Violet choose to work the night shifts over the Christmas period, both trying to avoid and hide from their families and their messy lives.

What neither of them planned for was to bump into each other and feel instant sparks. Gus is drawn to Violet with her no nonsense, straight talking and direct approach. Violet is drawn to the only guy to ever ignite feelings within her, one she can’t keep her mind off of.

I loved that both characters had their skeletons and that they were always easy to guess, the relationship between Gus and Violet felt like it developed naturally and I really wanted them to get together and be happy!

Of course, with any romance there are twists, I hated Barney with a passion - he can get in the bin!! I was really worried in this scene but Violet really stood her ground and I felt a huge sense of relief for her

It was a cute romance with some themes that link to some deeper topics around family, love and life after death. I loved the way that this story came together. Even though I don’t work within the medical sector, I think the book portrayed difficulties faced by workers in this sector.

If you’re looking for a work based romance, neurodivergent FMC, forced proximity themed book then this is one for you!

Junior Doctor Violet is a straight A student but struggles when dealing with patients and staff as she is too direct. I felt Violet was a great character and very likeable. Her relationship with Mr Zeller was just perfect and showed her true character and I loved seeing Violet grow as both a person and as a doctor as the book progressed.

I enjoyed how the book was told from both Violet and Gus’s point of view as I felt this added to the story.

The ending was perfect and the final letter brought a tear to my eye.

A heartwarming romantic read which I would recommend.

Thanks to NetGalley, Nancy Peach and Harper Collins UK, One more chapter for an advance copy in exchange for an honest and unbiased review.

3.5 rounded up to 4.

This enjoyable title by Nancy Peach features Violet and Gus working the Night Shift during Christmas week at a NHS hospital. Each are avoiding home and family during the holiday season. Violet is an awkward, blunt 1st year doctor, while Gus is an easy-going, charmer anesthetist. And what do you know, opposites attract!

My first Nancy Peach book to read, I thoroughly enjoyed her use of actual medical terminology(she’s a physician) and BTS look at hospitals, particularly in NHS. Both of the main characters in the Night Shift were completely relatable and realistic. They had fears and short comings and normal life problems. Her side characters were with the exception of one, full of life and personality too. I particularly loved Mr. Zeller and Cindy.


A couple of things didn’t work as well for me. I’m not a fan of instalove, and this one leaned a little too far in that direction. I also found the inclusion of so many social justice angles distracting. I’ve said it before—I wish every book didn’t feel the need to double as a platform for reform, even when I agree with the message. That said, I really appreciated the inclusion of topics like DNR and letting people die with dignity.

If medical rom-coms, or just rom-coms with realistic characters are you thing, I highly recommend you read The Night Shift.

Thank you to NetGalley and Harper Collin’s for the advance copy. All opinions are my own.

Thank you to NetGalley and HarperCollins UK | One More Chapter for the ARC!

I picked this up because I’m not a fan of cheesy Hallmark or Lifetime Christmas movies, but I do enjoy reading stories with a similar cozy vibe. While this book is set during the week of Christmas and New Year’s, the holiday theme is fairly light. Most of the story takes place in a hospital, since both main characters are doctors.

I really liked Violet as a character. She’s a straight shooter when it comes to communication, and you always know where you stand with her. In a world full of vague communicators, that was refreshing. Her communication style eventually raises questions about possible neurodivergence, which I wish had been addressed earlier in the book. It felt like a significant detail to leave until the end, even though it does lead to some meaningful moments with her family.

As for the romance itself, it all happens in the span of just one week, and during night shifts at a hospital, so it felt a bit rushed to me. I also wasn’t a fan of the classic third act “break up” moment that tends to pop up in romance novels. Still, it had its cute moments.

Overall, this book was okay as long as you don’t overanalyze the pacing or timeline of the romance. Violet reminded me a bit of Lexie Grey from Grey’s Anatomy (a personal favorite), so if you're a Grey’s fan looking for a light hospital-set romance, this might be worth picking up.

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC. This was an enjoyable read about the romance between Violet, a new doctor, and anesthetist Gus, as they bonded over their time together on night shifts the week of Christmas. The author created a sweet and heartfelt relationship between the two, with some tension in the form of workplace sexism and his ex. If you like romance in the workplace setting, particularly hospitals, and a slow burn romance this is a great read for you !

Oh, this is so fantastic! Violet is a frank, refreshing character and seeing her growth throughout the book is satisfying and uplifting. The chemistry and romance between the two leads is fantastic as they bounce off one another and the author walks the perfect line of being funny, astute and emotional without being too earnest.
I laughed, I swooned and I cried a lot at the end (in a good way). Writing this review at 4am should tell you something about how much I enjoyed this book.

I absolutely adored The Night Shift for its honest, empathetic portrayal of a neurodivergent heroine. Violet isn’t shaped to fit an ideal; she’s real, complex, and deeply relatable. It’s refreshing to see a story where her neurodivergence isn’t something to “fix” but something that adds richness to every interaction and moment of growth.
Set in a hospital, the novel beautifully anchors Violet’s struggles in her professional environment and showcases both her fraught and then increasingly thoughtful interactions with nurses and patients to the nuanced rhythm of daily life. The micro-details were spot on and made everything feel immersive and authentic.
Gus, the love interest, deserves his own praise: he’s not just kind; he actively learns how to show up for Violet. He listens, he observes, and he meets her where she’s at, with understanding that feels earned rather than performative. Their emotional journey is subtle, tender, and affirming in every way.
The supporting characters shine too. They’re not there just to move the plot forward and they genuinely enrich Violet’s arc through moments that showcase the quiet power of empathy, especially in a clinical setting.
Heartfelt, grounded, and impossible to put down—this is a must-read for anyone craving romance with soul, substance, and stunning authenticity.