The Doctor's Proposal

Castle at Dolphin Bay #1

by Marion Lennox

Tragedy has left Dr. Kirsty McMahon afraid to fall in love. So when she meets commitment-phobic single father Jake Cameron - Dolphin Bay's gorgeous doctor - she assures herself that the chemistry between them will never amount to anything.

Kirsty busies herself with getting to know the people of Dolphin Bay - and generally doing all she can to keep her mind off the handsome single dad. But when the attraction between her and Jake becomes too strong to ignore, they find themselves having to reconsider the rules they've made for themselves...

Genres: Romance, Harlequin

192 pages, Paperback

First published June 1, 2006

About the author

Writing romance sounds fascinating. Huh?

I'm a writer. I'm boring. Day after day I sit behind a word processor making up people in my head. Why do I do it? I love it. My husband, Dave, gets up in the morning, puts on a suit and heads out into the ice and cold of Ballarat's winter. (Sadly I live in one of the tiny parts of Australia that qualifies as cold.) I make myself another cup of coffee, head up to my study, choose what music I want and sit and daydream. And I get paid for doing it. Hooray!

My first attempt at writing romance, 'Dare To Love Again', a Medical Romance, was published by Harlequin Mills and Boon in 1990. It still stands today as a monument to my family's ability to survive on cheese sandwiches and spaghetti.

Since then I've written over 80 Romances for Harlequin Mills and Boon, with more on the drawing board. (I used a pseudonym - Trisha David - for the first few Romances but suffered with a split personality and have since reverted to being Marion Lennox all the time.) In between romances, I've co-authored a non-fiction history, (I love local history) done the odd (very odd) spot of housework and done a heap of travelling - research :-)

I come from a farming community. You can probably tell this from my books. There's not a skyscraper in sight. I'm very much a pets person. Chloe and Harry were my constant canine companions for many years as I wrote, demanding walks and air freshener at frequent intervals. Sadly I lost them, and for a while I vowed not to get another. My heart was broken and my study smelled so clean! But.. The cat and I missed them so badly we weakened and bought Mitzi. Mitzi's a black and silver mini-schnauzer who makes me and the cat laugh. Expect to find her in future stories.

If you're interested in formalities, I hold a Bachelor of Commerce degree and a teaching diploma. I have a couple of kids and a huge extended family who look on me with affectionate tolerance. Marion? The crazy one who talks to people in her head... I've had nine nominations for the Rita, winning twice, and fourteen for the Australian Book of the Year. After years of thinking of my writing as a hobby I guess I finally now qualify as a `real' writer.

Thank your for taking the trouble to check out my web page. Now try my books. We might even end up having fun together. And write to me. I show my family - `See? Real people do like the things that go in in my head.'

Reviews

[Tuti · Rating 4 out of 5]

Susie Douglas has no will to live after her husband Rory was killed in a car accident. Her twin, Dr Kirsten McMahon, drags a heavily pregnant Susie to Australia to meet Rory's uncle, Angus, hoping to get Susie back. Angus Douglas turns out to the the Earl of Loganaich, who is dying and also has no will to live after his wife's death. His physician, Dr Jake Cameron, concoct a plan to get both Susie and Angus better.

I haven't read this type of books a lot lately, and I forgot how entertaining they can be. Sure, Kirsty's and Jake's bullheadedness can be kind of annoying and I think there is a plot hole, but in general it's a nice light reading. There is no political undertone or non-subtle preachiness, which makes it quite a breath of fresh air.

[Kay · Rating 5 out of 5]

4 1/2 Stars! ~ Scared that her widowed pregnant sister will succumb to her depression, Dr. Kirsty McMahon decides the best thing for Susie is to find her late husband Rory’s family in Australia. Only when they arrive, Susie has a set back that put her in hospital for a month. When she’s finally fit to travel, Kirsty takes her to Dolphin Bay where they are both surprised to discover that Rory’s Uncle Angus is actually an Earl and lives in a Scottish castle he’d built for his wife. They’re greeted at the door by a very unwelcoming young man that turns out to be Angus’ doctor. Jake Cameron takes Kirsty and Susie as gold diggers jumping in for their share, but he tells them that Angus isn’t dead yet. After convincing, Jake realizes that Kirsty and Susie could be the miracle that Angus has needed. Kirsty as a doctor could be his caregiver, and Susie carrying Rory’s baby would be his joy to live for. Everything works brilliantly as Susie and Angus both begin to thrive again. This leaves Kirsty free to help Jake with his country practice. When Jake begins to have feelings for Kirsty he pushes her away and insists that in his life his twin daughters and his patients are all he needs. Which is fine with Kirsty because she doesn’t want passion in her life; she’d seen first hand how devastating that emotion can be and she wants no part of it.

This is a great read! Ms Lennox is a master at creating wonderful characters and charming locations. Jake is delectable! I live in the country; I’d love to have a doctor like him. Kirsty and Jake complement each other, two halves making a whole. But both are so gun shy they refuse to take a chance for happiness. It takes a very suspense filled situation to open their eyes. There is so much story packed into this book, its amazing that its only 192 pages! Great characters; great supporting characters; awesome locale; suspenseful tension; and even some very delightfully witty moments. I’m sure I’ll be rereading this one with pleasure over and over again!

[Andrea Guy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Talk about a sweet story that has everything. Three sets of twins, two doctors, a lumbering dog. A misplaced dying Scottish Earl, What more can you ask for? Oh and I have to mention one of those sets of twins has an evil one!

Kirsty MacMahon and her widowed and pregnant sister Susie end up at the Castle @ Dolphin Bay searching for Susie's husband's uncle Angus. When they find him, he's in failing health but soon when Kirsty and his country doctor get together things begin to change, and not just the health. Love starts to blossom for Kirsty and Jake, only both doctor's have their hearts dead set against falling in love for their own reasons.

Watching the two of them fall in love against their own wills as well as all the other color cast of characters at Dolphin Bay was wonderful fun. This book ended much too quickly for me. Definitely a must read!

[Estara · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'd been saving the Banksia Bay books, since His Miracle Bride, which sort of follows this duology. I really like Kirsty - the Scottish Castle with cheap furniture on the Australian coast - Jake and his kids and her interaction and the not-overdone use of medical issues and the respective specialties that these two doctors bring to the story.

The feeling of the set-up of a sister doing everything to get her sister, suffering from PTSD and trauma, to want to live again was really well done, too. It's a bit like the Outback Rescuer duology she wrote most recently, but Kirsty and her sister are very much their own people.

Also, Kirsty's sister just delivered her baby in this book, her child from the love of her life who died recently.

The books just a really good mixture of small town, drama, comedy (with dog) and romance.

[Li · Rating 3 out of 5]

Liked the chemistry between the h/h, but the setup was a bit too saccharine sweet for me.