With a really good bance of humour and chemistry, it entertained me throughout the book love both main characters who are likeable and relatable. The banter is top notch and my favourite part of the book. Enjoyed the setting and enemies to lovers trope which is my fave. I don’t think I ever read a romcom with doctors? All in all 4 🌟 and highly recommend it for summer reading!

What a debut!!
This was a great mix of fun and lighthearted banter and a serious underlining issue of workplace rumours and how that can impact professional perceptions, particularly when aimed at women and even more so in a male dominated environment. Whilst that can be a heavy topic this is not forced nor overwhelming in it's seriousness but it gets the point across well!
Our love interest characters are equals and are interesting in their own right.
Deidre Duncan is an author I will keep an eye out for and will certainly want to read again.

I received this book as an ARC and provide an honest review

When I picked up this book, the Grey’s Anatomy comparison immediately caught my eye—and it certainly delivers. There are passionate doctors, a group of unsure interns trying to find their place, rumours already doing the rounds, and a brilliantly frustrating mix of residents and attendings making life that bit more difficult.

I read Grace and Julian’s story in one go—I was completely absorbed. It’s a great balance of emotion, heat, humour, and plot. The angst is definitely there, even as their initial loathing slowly shifts into something far more complicated.

What really stood out, though, was how well the story explores the impact of gossip and rumours. It’s cleverly woven into the narrative and adds real depth to the drama.

Love Sick is a slow burn, residency STEM, workplace, rivals to lovers romance with spice, lots of banter and friendship.

This was my first medical romance, and if all of them are just half as good as this one, I think I have found a new favourite.
I don’t even know where to start…

THE CHARACTERS… Rose is so cool, despite being surrounded by rumours and gossip, she works her hardest and does everything to be the best resident she can be. Her outward attitude is very no-nonsense though she is a gentle soul, and it is perfect!
Julian is the perfect counterpart for Rose. Having lived most of his life primarily surrounded by females and experiencing how they are treated in healthcare, he goes into OB-GYN. He works hard, but cannot help falling in love with his downstairs neighbour.
And their chemistry??? It is sizzling and just chef’s kiss! Like read it for yourself:
“ “That!” She points at my mouth. “That’s the nosmile.”
Um.
No.
That’s eye fucking.
And now I know I have a tell. “

Also, all the side characters are so good - there is literally a little bit of everything one could ever want.

The setting is so good! It feels so realistic and inviting, and it made it so easy to be swept off one’s feet, and so hard to put it down - I just wanted more.
The fact that we get to follow their entire residency is everything and it just rounds the story out so well.

I have grown up watching Grey’s Anatomy, and always loved the feeling that the show gave me. Deidra has captured it in writing. It gives comfort, hope, breaks your heart, makes you smile and cry.

This book should be on every romance reader’s bookshelf.

Thank you to Netgalley and Deidra Duncan for the free advance review copy for which I am leaving this review voluntarily.

Greys anatomy is one of my favourite shows so when I saw that this has Greys meets The Hating Game vibes I had to read it. Let me tell you, this romcom delivered! I could not get enough. Absolute perfection!

I love a slow burn, enemies to lovers romance. In this book you could practically feel the tension and chemistry between them, and the banter was hilarious!

I instantly fell in love with these characters. Told in dual POV, you get an insight in to their thoughts and I loved the inner voice shown for each, sometimes arguing in their head. Grace with her anxiety when her thoughts spiralled really hit home. It was great to have accurate representation of that. Especially seeing how she is perceived by others when she is struggling socially.

It delves in to the cruel truth of bullying within the workplace (especially the medical field), highlighting how rumours can destroy a woman's reputation and how people will treat you differently even without any shred of proof. This was heartbreaking to read and I wanted to climb in the book to defend her.

The side characters were well developed and I would definitely be snatching up a book if it was written about one of them, especially Asher 👀.

Thank you to Quercus Books for this NetGalley ARC

3.5 stars
I loved the concept for this book, and I adored the beginning of it. I loved the chemistry between Grace and Julian. I loved their chemistry and how they argued with each other. I loved that they helped each other and that they made each other better. I loved the relationships and the friendships in this book, and I loved that it felt like Greys anatomy. The only reason I didn't rate this higher is because the end 3rd of this book fell flat for me. Something about it felt disconnected and off. The relationship between Grace and Julian felt lacking, and their chemistry seemed off.

Love Sick is the debut novel of Deidra Duncan. She is an OB/GYN herself and so she writes about what she knows!

The story revolves mainly around Julian and Grace, who are residents in a hospital along with three others in their group. Julian and Grace start off with a  very oppositional relationship. The other three are used to the sparks flying. But after some time passes, Grace and Julian find they are really drawn to each other. However Grace has a past relationship that has scarred her and her past haunts her.  It is an open door romance but if that's not for you, there is always the skip ahead button!

As well as the relationship we follow Grace and Julian as they make their way through residency. The story shows the way gossip in the workplace can be both wrong and soul destroying. It shows the long hours residents work and the way that males still dominate hospital ways.

I am always partial to a medical themed story, I prefer them to T.V. shows where I have to close my eyes to the dramatised medical emergencies. This story has the ring of authenticity to it. I liked both Grace and Julian, and many of the other characters. I would certainly read another book by the author.

This was pitched for fans of "Grey’s Anatomy", so I was expecting high-stakes drama, complicated relationships, and maybe a bit of swooning. Instead, I spent most of the book feeling frustrated, annoyed, and occasionally furious.

The hospital in this story felt like one of the most toxic workplaces imaginable. The way cruel and unprofessional behaviour was brushed off as “gossip” was infuriating. It’s bad enough that 'slut-shaming" exists at all, but seeing it thrive in a professional environment -and be so central to the plot -made the whole thing feel exhausting. Not exactly the kind of setting that makes for a compelling romance.

It’s a fast read, and I kept going in the hope there’d be some kind of fallout or consequences for how people treated each other. No such luck. So, not one for me.

2.25/5 ⭐

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the eARC in exchange for my honest review.

A great combination of hard-hitting topics and a swoony romance!

This was a very quick read, but it wasn't as easy as I thought it would be! There were many important topics discussed throughout the book — how much damage rumors can make and how that affects a person's career, how men are never the focus of rumors, how women are looked down upon for something they never did, how much work and abuse young doctors have to endure, traumatic relationships and how they leave a very deep, very painful mark... And there's more. However, these hard topics are perfectly balanced with a sweet, funny romance! Grace is a very strong character, going after what she wants despite many, many obstacles in her way. I connected with her immediately, and needed her to finally get everything she wanted and needed. While Julian had his issues as well, he was like the sunshine beaming through all of these dark themes. I loved him. Their banter was extremely funny and I loved seeing them progress from slight enemies to friends, and finally, to lovers.

You can immediately tell that the author is in the medical field, because she knows what she's talking about, and she also knows how to present it to readers without them feeling lost. It was very entertaining to get a glimpse into this life and these work relationships! This was a great debut, I would definitely be interested in any future books written by this author!

Wholeheartedly recommend this one, but definitely check the trigger warnings first!

This debut romance is heavy on medical drama, but there’s also chemistry and pining and a fair bit of angst for Grace and Julian. Both are first year of their OB/GYN studies in a large teaching hospital.

When they meet they rub each other up the wrong way and it takes months for their snarky banter to become something kinder. A big part of the plot is the misogynistic treatment of Grace, which is awful to read – the bullying and sexism she is subjected to is appalling. There’s plenty of secondary characters doing their thing, friendship in their cohort, families in the background and through it all Grace is navigating not just her treatment at work, but the aftermath of a toxic relationship.

Julian is a beta hero, he’s gorgeous - especially to Grace, but is struggling with the theory side of his training, managing ADHD and the unrelenting demands of the program. Grace is very clever, but she finds the practical and surgical stuff more difficult and she misses learning opportunities because of the hospital rumour mill. They help each other out and that kindness is what kept me reading, along with how much I wanted justice for Grace. It’s a slow burn, but they are well matched and it’s so good when they get together. A third act breakup is necessary, but painful.

This is a promising debut - I’m keen to see if Deidra sticks with the medical setting - she’s all over it😃 Recommended!

Thank you Deidra Duncan, Quercus Books and NetGalley for the ARC, opinions are my own.

- medical workplace romance: OBGYN residents
- dislike to love
- secret romance
- he falls first
- 🌶️🌶️/5
- dual pov
- dual narration by Eric Yang and Meg Sylvan

Love Sick is like stepping back into the early seasons of Grey’s Anatomy!

Grace and Julian immediately get off on the wrong foot thanks to a rumour about her that he believes. Their animosity towards each other is more on the fun side, with jokes, banter, and ridiculous (flirty) texts to each other. But it definitely heightens the tension and their chemistry before things get spicy and secretive.

Julian falls first and hard, allowing Grace to set the pace but showing her he's all in. However, Grace's past relationship causes her to have major trust issues, which ultimately breaks them apart before she tells him everything and they move forward together.

With flying false accusations, a focus on misogyny in the workplace, a deep dive into the chaos of the first two years of resident life, and an eclectic supporting cast, this truly does feel like you're reading Grey's Anatomy.

As for the audio, Eric Yang and Meg Sylvan are fantastic narrators. They handle the dual narration so well, and I would 100% listen to them again.

My slightly lower rating is for minor things: the pace slowed down for me toward the end, and I wanted more depth. Duncan touches briefly on Grace's social anxiety and Julian's suspected ADHD. But without more focus, it's one of those situations where they feel like they're added to tick boxes.

Thank you, Quercus Books, for the early copy!

I really enjoyed this book!! Definitely gave me Greys Anatomy vibes! I loved the banter and flirting between Grace and Julian and how the dynamic of their relationship changed, loooooved the slow burn!
The sexism and misogyny depicted in the workplace was really hard to read, makes me angry that these things are so real in the world!
It really showed us what life is like in the hospital and how many sleepless nights and stress goes into it!
All in all a really enjoyable read!!

A quick love story that sucks you in from the first page. The characters both have a lot off debt and growing together and alone. The pages just kept turning.

I don't usually read workplace romances so was very hesitant on reading this. However, I saw the enemies to lovers trope and was immediately locked in.

Julian was actually such a sweetheart. The way he thought and spoke was just eurgh, The flirting coming from both him and Grace had so much chemistry it was unreal. I just loved the way Grace held herself together.

This gave me Greys Anatomy vibes for sureeee.

There’s a lot of really good reviews and I wouldn’t say this is a bad book, the writing was good, the premise of the story is promising, so I wouldn’t not recommend it to people, it just wasn’t for me

Unfortunately I had to dnf this one.. the sexism was HEAVY in the first few chapters and I understand from reading other readers reviews that this topic is addressed throughout and is meant to highlight the seriousness of sexism in the workplace/power dynamics etc. and as much as I know and appreciate that sexism is very real, I don’t particularly want to read a book that has that much sexism in the first few pages. I don’t know, I felt uncomfortable and couldn’t read anymore.

Grace Rose has won a place on the program she wanted, but the odds are stacked against her. Her first name, her looks, and an unsubstantiated but persistent rumour all make her residency even more difficult than average. Meanwhile Julian Santini is struggling his own issues as part of the program - oh, and he completely messed up his first meeting with Grace, turning them into instant enemies. The resulting tension between them has to be resolved one way or the other…
I liked how this book takes place over years, really allowing the characters to develop. Grace and Julian have sizzling chemistry from the outset, whether they’re sparring or teasing or edging towards flirting. Both are realistic and flawed and complement each other perfectly, and watching them fall for each other is incredibly satisfying. There’s a decently-sized supporting cast who are all distinctive and three-dimensional, and just the right amount of medical detail: enough to make it believable but not so much that impeded the flow of the story. I was surprised at the viciousness of the rumour mill and the sheer amount of awful behaviour by senior doctors towards the residents - I’m sadly aware that misogyny is still alive and well but it seemed like almost everyone had it out for Grace to the point of being over-dramatic. Nevertheless, this is extremely well written and balances humour, friendships, mental health, work pressures and romance in a way that is truly impressive for a debut novel.

3.5 stars

I breezed right through this enjoyable tale set in a Texan hospital during the first two years of a medical residency. However, as much as I enjoyed the bickering and banter between Grace and Julian, the characterisation seemed contradictory at times, especially with Julian who is supposedly raised by three sisters but believed the rumours and was because he felt she was shortcutting her way into the residency. Huh? Then he had the temerity to get angry because she lashed out after overhearing her new male colleagues and their seniors slutshaming her? It didn’t make sense, especially given his sister berated him later. Also, given she was sensitive about her real first name because of the stripper connotation I didn’t think it was endearing. That said I really started to get into the romance once they started helping each other and you could see the sweet Julian who adored feisty Grace, but also understanding she is anxious and internalises everything.

I got very invested and loved being drawn into the hospital world (the summary describing all the major players at the start was hilarious). The misogyny and the boys club felt very realistic and I have no doubt is happening in hospitals everywhere.I was truly disgusted by the so-called good men who did nothing to help Grace when the rumours started becoming more and more insane. Some of the aftermath was realistic (ie Grace never trusted them again) was another lot of victim blaming ‘why didn’t she tell me?’. No, it was obvious via your group chat she was bending excluded from opportunities the rest of your cohort got, like surgery for two years! You heard more outrageous rumours and did nothing.

Overall, I really enjoyed fun, witty debut and am looking forward to seeing where this new author goes next.

Thanks to Quercus and NetGalley for the ARC.

When Grace Rose arrives to begin her first year of residency as an OB-GYN resident, she discovers that a rumor that she slept her way into the program is circulating. Grace sets the record straight by putting on her devil-red lipstick and putting her rude - and frustratingly handsome - co-resident, Julian Santini, in his place. However, no amount of studiousness restores her reputation, which is ironic since she hasn’t had a relationship since her ex broke her heart in med school.
Julian is exhausted from years of studying, but he is determined to prove he deserves the residency position he narrowly landed. However, he finds himself preoccupied by Grace, whom he unintentionally offended on day one. Stuck together as residents, Grace and Julian begrudgingly set aside their mutual hatred to focus on training, and as their attraction grows, the cracks in the thin ice between love and hate start to appear.
I must admit that I struggled with the misogynistic atmosphere in this book. Grace does her best to overcome the innuendos and horrid comments about her, which I found commendable. Julian is definitely misunderstood by Grace at the start, but he redeems himself and is so sweet. There are plenty of witty exchanges between them as they endeavor to work together. Even though she had experienced terrible sexism, I did find Grace’s insecurities a bit of a challenge when it came to Julian and their relationship. A good read overall.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book from NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Saying that this is a crossover between Grey's Anatomy and The Hating Game is a disservice to Love Sick because I enjoyed this way more than the latter. I was obsessed with this book, so much so that I read it in a day. I'm not usually a fan of workplace romance, as I tend to find the reasons for the feud to be ridiculous but you could actually feel the tension between the main characters and couldn't help but root for them to be together. This was a solid debut and I'm looking forward to reading more by Deidra Duncan.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
ARC Review

This book was complex and slightly frustrating at times, but only due to the fact it was a SLOW BURN, and I mean SLOWWWWWW.
But it was well worth it in the end! We meet Grace and Julian, who start of as enemies to lovers but morph into something beautiful. This book covers their 4 years in residency and their journey together.

This was a bit nerdy (YES), very heavy on the medical references, which I personally didn't mind and romantic!

A big thank you to Netgalley and Quercus Books for the gifted copy!