I truly enjoyed this book! I listened to the audiobook and the male narrator is from New Zealand so Jack's accent is authentic (swoon). Grab your tissues though, this one might make you cry.

ER nurse Sophia Mitchell is a recently divorced single mom. Paramedic Jack McKenzie has always had a crush on her, but when he realizes she's no longer in her toxic marriage, he transfers to another station to see her more. His good looks, smiling kindness, medical competence, and his New Zealand accent hook Sophia, and their romance blossoms quickly and he's great with her daughter Madison. Except Jack is keeping a secret from her that could destroy everything they're building if he doesn't come clean!

My husband works in healthcare, and all of the scenarios and medical terms they use are accurate... it shows that the author has a medical background. Which is a nice change of pace!

The audiobook is done in dual narration; each narrator voices all of the characters in their chapters. It works well for the most part... My one very small complaint about the male narrator is that he does unnecessary accents for a few of the side characters and his other accents aren't great. He gives his coworkers O'Malley and Rodriguez Irish and Hispanic accents, but I know plenty of people with those last names that do not have any kind of accent when speaking English. Plus his accent when voicing Rodriguez sounds like a Spaniard combined with count Dracula. Fortunately, there are very few scenes where that is an issue, so it was pretty easy to overlook.

Thanks to Netgalley, the author and the publisher for the ALC I received in exchange for my honest review.

Sophia and Jack have such a sweet love story. Sophia is a divorced single mom with a toxic ex. Her daughter, Madison, is a spunky 15 year old which is all too charming. Sophia is a lead nurse in the ER where she meets and works with Jack, a paramedic who gets her attention both professionally and personally. Jack is the sweetest with showing Sophia attention and affection, and being great with Madison, even protecting her. However, Jack has a another version of himself back in New Zealand that threatens their future.

Jack's sisters are an amazing support system and Madison is very influential in helping Sophia and Jack getting their HEA.

Thank you to NetGalley, the author, and publisher to read this novel for an honest review. I am excited to now read their holiday novella to get just a little more of these characters!

I really enjoyed this book. From someone who works in healthcare, the author has tapped into a niche audience who will really respond to this. The conflict is a bit forced (boohoo, my boyfriend is rich) but I’m looking forward to reading the next books in the series.

4.5⭐️ 1.5🌶️ 5🎧

I love when a divorced women made to feel unwanted, gets treated the way she deserves by a wonderful, wonderful man.

Jake and Sophia are so great together, and his deception broke my heart for her. Madison is wise beyond her years and was so kind to her mom, and is such a cool kid! Thank goodness she takes after her momma and not her terrible father. While I hated the circumstances of the 3rd act, how they came back together was beautiful.

This was my first time listening to Arya Jacobs and Kieran Rayner narrate a book and they did a great job, I really enjoyed this listen!

This audiobook was the first exposure I had of this author, and after listening to it, I have become a fan of the author.
Sophia Mitchell is an ER nurse at Metro General, who handles the ER with efficiency and compassion. She’s still recovering from a toxic marriage and as a single mom to sweet Madison, she has no desire to get involved with anyone. At the moment, Sophia’s heart is very well guarded after all she went through with her ex.
New Zealander Jack McKenzie is a former firefighter and nowadays EMT who occasionally delivers patients to the ER and is fascinated by Sophia. In a move to get to know her better, he transfer to the EMT group that frequents the hospital.
As much as he tempts Sophia , she keeps him at arm’s length. That is, until he invites Sophia and Madison to New Zealand.
But there is a secret that Jack has kept from them. A secret that upon meeting his family and being exposed to the family winery, will likely destroy the friendship and a possible future for them.
Will Sophia forgive Jack’s lies by omission ? What happens when the ex is found to be worse than what he appears?
This was an engaging and entertaining story about trust, family and second chances at life and love.
The narrators Arya Jacobs and Kieran Rayner bring the story to life.
I was entrusted a copy of this audiobook by Netgalley. The opinions expressed are solely my own.

There are so many wonderful things about this audiobook that it is hard to know where to start. It’s about fully functional grown people who are trying to keep it all together in the best way they can, shows so much well deserved love and respect to nurses and paramedics, highlights the scary dark side of the online manosphere, family dynamics, divorce, the mother daughter relationship. family business, navigating new love, secrets and when they come into the light, wonderful characters, sweet, but overwhelmingly nosy and immature funny colleagues and more.
Sophia Mitchell keeps calm no matter what is happening in her personal or professional life. She’s a charge nurse in one of the busiest ERs in the country, trying to navigate dealing with her narcissist ex-husband who is not a good person and is an even worse father and is trying to navigate new potential love while dealing with her wildly nosy and invasive colleagues. She’s an incredible woman, friend and mother. Jack is amazing, but he holds some really important things a little too close and is trying to figure it all out. Can they navigate it all when secrets rise to the surface? Of course as this is a romance so we get the happily ever after we read these for, but this one was fabulous and I really hope the rest of the series is released on audio as well. This was my intro to this author and I really enjoyed her work. Definitely going to be reading and or listening to more of her work.

This is one of my favorite romances I’ve picked up this season!

The story opens fast: a chaotic ER, sharp adrenaline, and immediate chemistry between Sophia and Jack. The dual POV is tight and purposeful, giving both of them emotional dimension without slowing the pace. I love that the romance doesn’t hesitate or rely on slow-burn dithering. These two meet, connect, and lean into it like adults with history and damage, and it works.

The audiobook is exceptional. Arya Jacobs, an accomplished Australian-Filipino performer now based in the U.S., gives Sophia a grounded, vulnerable strength that fits the character perfectly. Kieran Rayner, an award-winning Kiwi operatic baritone, brings Jack to life with a warm New Zealand accent and effortless switches into American and even Southern inflections. Their performances carry the chemistry, tension, and tenderness between the characters in a way that feels natural, not theatrical.

The writing itself is crisp and emotionally intelligent. The pacing stays tight, the early relationship unfolds with momentum and clarity, and the “one of them has a secret” tension adds the right kind of pressure instead of cheap drama. I appreciate a romance that respects the reader’s time without stalling, no contrived misunderstandings. Just two well-drawn characters navigating attraction, fear, and vulnerability.

Highly recommended for anyone who:

- prefers romance without slow-burn drag
- enjoys dual POV that actually enhances the story
- wants a believable, emotionally mature connection
- loves audiobooks where both narrators elevate the material
- likes early-relationship exploration with real stakes

I’m loving every minute of this audiobook and already know I’ll be recommending it widely.

I throughly enjoyed Under Southern Stars by Cari Blake. This is the first book in the Code Blue Hearts series. It follows a recently divorced ER charge nurse who is a devoted mom learning her new coparenting norms, and a paramedic who is from New Zealand. Our couple meets through their shared proximity and passion for emergency care. I found myself tearing up from the intensity and realism Blake crafted in her of the medical scenes.

The love story was heartwarming and I found myself squealing and kicking my feet at their banter. I appreciated the world building and I am eager to continue onwards in Code Blue Hearts.

I’m such a sucker for a narrator with an accent.

I eagerly took the opportunity to utilize an ALC from Netgalley.

This was a solid four stars for me. Since I'm no longer even close to being in my twenties I have a hard time relating to those stories of young but somehow smart in love 21 year olds. This was so refreshing to meet a FMC with a 15YO looking for love and finding it (even in man four years her junior). I enjoyed the dialogue and the setting of the ER, I even could have had more interactions there but maybe I was a Greys fan for too long.
Anyway! I'm looking forward to reading the rest of this series, my only critique is that I truly wish it was longer with even more character building. The book was released last year but the audio is new and was great, bonus to anyone enjoying a New Zealand accent.
Thank you to NetGalley and Audio ARC provided by Victory Editing NetGalley Co-op for the advanced audio book in exchange for my honest review.

Is having a second chance in life a fairytale or is it a reality ?

Can you fall in love again while working under pressure as a Nurse ??

Toxic marriage, lust and love. This book has it all

This highly produced audiobook brings love, life, happiness and joy and life’s challenges all in one, narrated beautifully and the whole characters, settings and the theme of the book fits in very well.

This is a audiobook which is perfect for your evening or night time read.

Beautifully written and narrated. Highly recommended for all.

I love this story. A medical drama with a sweet romance to go with it? Delightful!

Sophia is a baddie! She is a rock star at her job even when Jack is flustering her. She is a rock star parent with an excellent relationship with her daughter, Madison. Her ex husband sucks.

Jack knows what he wants to do in life and his really stepping out to make it happen. Starting with doing something that his parents are not so sure about, to making sure he gets in Sophia’s path more often. His struggles with his childhood and family are ones that may seem like they wouldn’t be a struggle, but they are told in a way that really makes you see how he struggled, how he ended up where he is and how he made the right choice!

Madison is a sweetheart with curious and observant presences.. I really enjoyed her and Jack’s easy communication.

The story shows different aspects of life with two medical workers, one with a child & one with a family across an ocean!

Listened at 1.3x speed
Arya Jacobs and Kieran Rayner narrate

Arya has an excellent voice that keeps me in the story.
Kieran has a beautiful kiwi voice and a hilarious annoying ex-husband voice.. I cackled every time he talked.
These two do an excellent job together and kept the chemistry of Sophia and Jack alive!

Thanks Cari and Netgalley for the alc. Listened. All opinions are my own.

This is a super cute emergency medical romance.
Sophia, a single mom of a teenager, is a ER charge nurse. The father of her daughter and ex husband is the definition of a toxic male. At work, she meets Jack, a paramedic, from New Zealand. Their relationship moves quickly, but Jack kept secrets from her, and her trust issues from the past gets in her way. Will Jack and Sophia have a HEA?
I really like Jack and the way he not only treats Sophia, but her daughter as well.

I absolutely loved this book. Two emotionally damaged people find each other and despite their previous hurt and other complications, they fall in love. Add to this typically nosey and interfering co-workers and family complications, there isn’t anything missing. With great characters, a truly wonderful love story and a swoony narrator, it has everything I look for in an audiobook.

I enjoyed reading this novel. The characters were well developed and interesting. I look forward to reading more by this author.

Thank you NetGalley and publisher for the opportunity to read and review this novel.

I’m a sucker for medical romance, and Under the Southern Stars hit all the right notes. The ED setting felt realistic and grounded, which I loved, and the descriptions of New Zealand were so gorgeous they made me want to pack my bags STAT! (pun intended)

Sophia is an ER nurse who’s survived a toxic marriage and a brutal divorce, now juggling single motherhood like a champ. Jack is a paramedic from New Zealand trying to escape his family’s wealth and find a life that actually feels meaningful. Used to people seeing the money and not the man, he chooses not to be completely upfront with Sophia about where he comes from, shattering the fragile trust she’s only just begun to rebuild.

Jack and Sophia’s banter is witty, natural, and full of chemistry, and I adored seeing two older, more established characters connect in a way that felt real. It’s such a refreshing change from the usual twenty-something romance leads. That said, I felt the drama over Jack hiding his wealth felt a little overblown and could’ve been solved with one honest conversation. However, it didn’t take away from the overall heart of the story.

This is a charming, heartfelt romance with stunning settings, lovable characters, and just the right mix of humor, heart, and spice. Fans of medical romance and stories with a touch of wanderlust will find a lot to enjoy here.

Under Southern Stars by Cari Blake (2025)
Code Blue Hearts #1
10h 5m narrated by Arya Jacobs and Kieran Rayner, 334 pages

Genre: Medical Romance

Rating as a movie: NC-17 or XX for sexual content depending on editing

My rating: 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟⚕️🩺🏥🚑🇺🇸🇳🇿⚽️🏉

My thoughts: 📱2% 9h 53m left Chapter 2 Jack - I finally took everyone's advice and signed up for Netgally and this is my first read. It seems to be a recently published audiobook for a series that already has I think 3 books out and is available on Kindle Unlimited. Unfortunately, my Kindle is maxed out so I will not be able to read it today but the audiobook is fantastic. When I saw book 2 was available on Kindle Unlimited I was immediately thinking, I'm gonna have to read that book after this, but by the end of chapter one, I knew there is no way on doing this series without the audio. These narrators are phenomenal it is like watching a show in my head it kind of reminds me of a game Operate Now: Hospital. This book is very exciting, I’m going to have to read this series with my husband.
📱7% 9h 25m left Chapter 5 Sophia [five sophia Page 22 of 334] - I got the ebook, did a little reading along [dual reading] but this is actually better as an audiobook. The print is good, but busy compared to the audio, which sounds like a television show.

I read a book, [which was fantastic - 5 stars], just so I could free up a spot on my Kindle Unlimited and get this ebook. The audio book is fantastic it does not need an e-book but I did not feel like dictating the awesome quotes I wanted to use in my review. This book is fantastic I cannot believe I was unaware of this author before now. I don't know why there aren't more medical romances out there, if there are I need to find them. I already know I'm going to read everything in Cari Blake's catalog. Book 2 is already available but I am so torn because the story is great but the narration was chef's kiss so I really want to experience the audio for the next book. I don't know if I'll be able to wait that long, we will see. This one is going on the list for a group read. This book is not as spicy as the content rating makes it seem but if you are telling us exactly where your tongue is going then that's beyond R-rated so I had to give it some Xs. The author has a medical background so I'm not surprised that the scenes are realistic and accurate, I am blown away at how well she articulates in an entertaining style, that is a gift. I have come across several medical thrillers and Sci-Fi fiction stories that get so clinical it's boring in the middle of what should be an exciting scene, which never happens here. I'm looking forward to reading more from this author and sharing her work with my friends. Thank you to NetGalley for this audiobook in exchange for an honest review.

Recommend to others: Absolutely! I want to reread this one with my husband, and I'm choosing it as a group read.

Code Blue Hearts
1. Under Southern Stars (2025)
2. No Greater Love (2025)
2.5 A Southern Stars Christmas (2025)
3. Burn Notice (2026)
4. Breaking Point (2026)

Full Review in the link

Under Southern Stars is the first book in Cari Blake’s Code Blue Hearts series. ER charge nurse Sophia Mitchell is on the positive side of a difficult divorce from controlling Troy Bentley. While he gaslighted her for years, she came to her senses when it became obvious her teenage daughter Madison was next in his crosshairs. Now Sophia leads a busy life with a challenging career and a busy teenager, but still must navigate a relationship with her ex where Madison is concerned.

One thing Sophia has no interest in navigating is another relationship, but when first friendship then more develops between her and the handsome Kiwi paramedic that is subject to change. Jack McKenzie not only plies Sophia with strong black coffee but also shows interest in her daughter, including attending her soccer games. In fact, Jack invites Sophia and Madison to go with him to his family home in New Zealand over Madison’s spring break as his guest. But how is a paramedic able to treat them to this trip? Can he really have accumulated enough miles for luxury plane seats, fancy cars and lodging, and can that truly be his family’s vineyard? The last thing Sophia needs is another manipulative man, but was it really manipulation?

This is a very well written story with an intricate plot and well developed characters. I very much enjoyed this story and look forward to the rest in the series. I do recommend it!