The Heart Switch: An enemies to lovers tale

The Hartman Family #1

by Jezabel Nightingale

For Bridget Blanchet, balance is a medical textbook in each hand . Determined to be the best doctor she can, and fighting to achieve what her mother couldn’t, she has no time for friends or socialising, let alone a relationship. At twenty-three, she’s never even been kissed. She’ll just push that anxiety down and hope it goes away.

The biggest anxiety in Giles Hartman’s life is trying to make sure the women he meets understand he’s a ‘one-and-done’ kind of guy. His parents have the perfect marriage, but that doesn’t mean he ever will. He’ll be happy being the fun uncle and eschew the responsibility he’s always felt being the eldest of four.

Thrown together throughout their medical degree, Bridget is convinced Giles is a mediocre white male, and, over the years, she has developed a hatred of him. However, outside classes, they are drawn together, and both start to wonder if perhaps the other might be onto something with Bridget’s planning and dedication to study and Giles’ carefree attitude. The initial disdain Bridget has for Giles soon melts as long-held beliefs are challenged, friendships are formed, and an unexpected sad event brings them closer.

Their pasts may be a world apart, but is their future together?

This enemies to lovers romance between two almost doctors is a slow burn, but it sizzles once guards are let down. Please check out content warnings at the start of the book, but also note there is no cheating, and there is a guaranteed happily ever after

Genres: Enemies To Lovers

296 pages, Paperback

Published July 5, 2023

About the author

Jezabel Nightingale is an emerging author of contemporary romance. She wears so many hats, including nurse, mother, wife, writer, and scholar. In her spare time you’ll find her cheering on AFL football, in the kitchen baking a cake, or reading a spicy romance novel. It is not unusual to find a gin and tonic in her hand, or something chocolatey in her vicinity. She will blame these vices for her overuse of exclamation marks and commas, because, why not‽

She lives on the East Coast of Australia with Dr Nightingale, her spunkrat of a husband, her cats, and her kids who keep popping home, despite officially having moved out.

If she's not writing, or nursing, you'll possibly find her in her Facebook group, Jezabel's Joint.

Reviews

[ᗩᑎᗪᖇᗴᗯ · Rating 5 out of 5]

Bridget and Giles are med students studying in Brisbane, Australia. Both are horrified when a professor assigns them to work together as partners on a course component.

Giles is a womaniser, a "one and done" man who never goes on a second date. Bridget is focused only on her studies and future career, with no room for romance in her meticulously planned life.

Over a year, Giles grows up and Bridget opens up. Along the way, they experience some harrowing stuff, and potential readers should check the content warnings at the start of the book. It's a slow-burn romance, but it's absolutely worth the wait once they get there!

This is the first book in a series of four, with each of the others focused on one of Giles' siblings, who are all introduced in this book, though it can be read as a stand-alone.

[Mary · Rating 4 out of 5]

I feel very sheltered saying this, but I can't remember reading a book set in Australia before. :D In a nuteshell: Med student/early career doctor Giles is a serial one-night-stander; classmate Bridget is study/career-focused; an unlikely friendship forms and develops into something more.
I think the writing style is solid. It is heavy on the sex side of things, so if that's what you're looking for, it seems quite thorough. There are other things happening and the story structure is decent, but you will be reminded at every opportunity that sex is a thing.
There is a lot of info dumping at the beginning about family members, but I assume that's because it's a series and they'll all be getting their own stories. But it took me back to reading Baby-sitters Club where they had to cram all the girls' bios into the first chapter, every time.

[Melita Adair · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love The Heart Switch. This one get me right in the feels several times mostly with Bridget and her past. It took me a bit to connect with Bee, but I felt a connection with Giles from the start. This book was wonderful and dealt with a wide variety of touchy subjects in a fantastic way with such lover and understanding and absolutely no judgement.

I felt for both of them so much as they grew with each other and through their therapy. I felt they relationship made them both better people and the fact that they could see that and understand it was amazing wonderful.

As I said it did take me a bit to really get into the book but once I did I couldn’t put it down and read from the 50% mark to the end in one sitting.

Overall a great debut novel that took me on a wonderful emotional journey.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[AnnaRobyn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Rating ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Spice 🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️
Swoon 🫦🫦🫦🫦
LMAO 🤣🤣🤣🤣
Tears 🥹🥹🥹🥹🥹
Banter 😉😉😉😉

Medical Romance / Enemies to Lovers / Slow Burn / HEA

Bridget Blanchet has her nose to the grindstone, studying is everything and nothing will get in her way to becoming the best doctor she can be. Giles Hartman is the eldest son of famous cardiologist parents. He’s going through the motions to get through his studies but he’d rather be the playboy … mister one and done and no relationships. He and Bridget are in their fourth year and have been paired up for an assignment; one which backfires on him and messes up his social life. These two are a most unlikely pair, but I found myself rooting for them. I was approached by the author to read/review this book and I am so happy I agreed. I laughed, I cried, I applauded and fell in love with these characters. Thank you so much for reaching out.

[Rita · Rating 5 out of 5]

A heart-warming story. Giles and Bridget are both starting their 5th year of doctor training. While Giles is busy sewing his wild oats and partying hard, Bridget is focused on studying hard with no time for any social life. However, life events change both of their outlooks. Bridget becomes friends with a group of girls after helping one of them and Giles decides to change his ways when he fails to help his roommate, Fitz. When Bridget and Giles both work together they become closer and eventually find out they both want the same.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Shanna Zielstra · Rating 4 out of 5]

First time reading this author. This was a steamy enemies to lovers romance. It does touch on rape, alcoholism, suicide but this author did resources at the end. Took me a min to get used to some of the word changes and spelling differences. I would have loved a glossary of Aussie terms at the end but great book I’m ready to read more from the author and hopefully from the Hartmans

[Katy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Debut novel

A debut novel from Jezabel Nightingale, The Heart Switch is a tale of two medical students, both dealing with their own issues, both finding it’s easier with someone else. It is a definite slow burn with very low angst. Sometimes, that’s what you need as a reader. This is a solid debut novel. Looking forward to what comes next.

[Kristy Hurst · Rating 4 out of 5]

I could easily relate to Bridget, and loved seeing her evolve. There are some steamy scenes peppered throughout, but were not to be outdone by things that made me laugh. Overall a wonderful read!

[kandy.readz · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5/5😊 I ADORED this book!

I would say the trope is giving like a *enemies* to lovers workaholic woman meets a carefree college man (yk exactly what I'm talking about*wink wink*) and he falls SO HARD for her.

I love books where the men change their ways for the person they love and outwardly show their love for them. The trust they built with each other as the story went on really kept me drawn in and made me start getting emotionally attached to the characters.
It took me a min to get sucked in at first but when I did, oh boy. I was determined to finish it in one sitting when I really got into it.

When Giles found his roommate overdosed it just really hit home on a personal level because when I was growing up I was exposed to things I shouldn't have so I saw a lot of stuff like that. I think I relate with Bridget on the aspect of putting her school in front of everything else because she wants to be what he mother couldn't and my mom never even made it out of high school so it just made me feel like me and the characters had something in common.

Note to the author: Girl please forgive me for being so late. life is so cray cray rn. but I could not thank you enough for writing this book. to be able to see myself in characters really just gives me a feeling I can't even explain. you did such a fantastic job and I'm so proud of you! keep writing and doing things that make you happy💕 Love Kandy.readz ❤

[Ily Scott · Rating 4 out of 5]

I admittedly struggled a bit with this book, especially in the beginning where the pace was slow. Once through the first 30% or so, I was fully in the zone with reading this book and really enjoyed it. Some tough subject matter at times, but I thought it was all very well handled.

I look forward to seeing what else this debut author has in store for us because I think we're off to a very solid start!

Thanks to Book Boyfriend Buzz for the ARC.

[Odetteandbooks · Rating 4 out of 5]

Tropes:
🩺 Opposites attract
🩺 Reformed playboy
🩺 Popular hero x Goody-two-shoes heroine
🩺 Slow burn
🩺 Medical students
🩺 Group project / Forced proximity

If you’re looking for a slow, slow burn story, you’ll love the heart switch. If I had a coin for every time I screamed “just kiss already!” during this story, I don’t know how many coins I’d have, but there’d be a lot of them.

Bridget and Giles are as opposite as they can be:
Giles is the popular, socializing playboy who doesn’t want a relationship. And when I say playboy, I really mean he’s a womanizer who’s never slept more than once with a girl. His family is royalty in the medical field, and whilst he initially studies medicine to follow in his family’s footsteps, little by little he discovers how much he likes his job.

Bridget on the other hand is the encyclopedia definition of a goody-two shoes: she’s organized to a fault, likes to follow routines and she doesn’t have a social life. Due to not having a family nor friends, she’s a loner, contrary to Giles. Her bluntness when it came to interacting with other people was funny as hell, because she had no filter whatsoever, even if that bluntness came from a place of not socializing and understanding human interactions.

Even if they’ve known each other for some time, due to them studying the same degree, they’ve never interacted much due to her mild dislike for him and her lack of socializing. This all changes when they are coupled up for a group project and when they’re placed at the same hospital in their last year of college.

The character development of these two once they start coming closer is extraordinary. Thanks to Bridget, Giles starts to mature, realizing his partying persona is not the person he wants to be anymore and growing distant of his old friend due to him still being stuck in that lifestyle. He also starts studying harder and realizing he may not be as scared to commitment as he thinks. But it’s Bridget’s character development the one I really liked seeing. For one, she started getting friends and socializing with them, learning that work is not all there is to life. Thanks to Giles, she discovered it was possible to have fun and to push aside routines occasionally.
Not only did they slowly start to open up to each other, but Bridget and Giles were also there to support one other when they needed it the most, from Gile’s friend dying and Bridget comforting him, to Giles letting her stay over when her apartment complex catches on fire.
These two made the other the best version of him/herself, all while being sincere about their feelings towards one another (so if you’re not a fan of the miscommunication trope, this one’s for you).

The last thing I want to highlight about this story is how much I adore Gile’s family.
Contrary to Bridget, who doesn’t have a family, Gile’s parents are the definition of the picture-perfect family: Successful, well-off, still in love after years of getting married and supportive of their kids. The interactions between the siblings were some of my favorites, but the best scene in the whole book, was by far when Gile’s father interrupted him and Bridget whilst they were undressing each other. When he made the comment about the bra laying in the couch, I couldn’t stop cry-laughing.

All in all, if you’re looking for a reformed playboy, opposites attract story with a slow, slow burn, give The heart switch a try! I cannot wait to read Henry’s story next!

[curly_book_worm · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Heart Switch - by Jezabel Nightingale (The Hartman Family -1-)
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (5/5)

Hero: Giles Hartman - 23 yrs - Med Student
Heroine: Bridget Blanchet - 23 yrs - Med Student

Summary:
Bridget is desperate to be the best doctor, so she spends all her time studying and has no time for friends or love. She harbors a strong dislike for Giles, a classmate who spends most of his time with women. One day, their professor pairs them for a medical role play, and Giles tries to be funny by suggesting an STD scenario. The rumor spreads quickly, and soon the entire campus is avoiding him. As a result, Giles isn't fond of Bridget either. Despite their mutual dislike, an undeniable attraction simmers beneath the surface.

Tropes:
🥼 Dual POV
🥼 Enemies to Friends to Lovers
🥼 Reformed Playboy
🥼 NA
🥼 He Falls First
🥼 Slow Burn
🥼 Forced Proximity
🥼 Found Family
🥼 No 3rd Act Break Up

My opinion:
This is a hidden gem! 💎

👱🏻‍♀️ Bridget is a hard worker, smart, strong, independent woman. But she prefers to have no social life, so she's a complete loner with no friends, no family members, and believes that marriage isn't for her. Also, she's blunt and sounds so clinica. But the more you read, you'll get used to her.

Her reasons to live her life like this are completely valid. I loved how resilient she's with all of the tragic past she had. All in all, she needed Giles.

🧑🏻‍🦱 Giles is your typical Playboy, charismatic, fun, cocky, and relationships aren't exactly his thing. He's also outgoing and spontaneous. Bridget really changed him for the best! He was becoming a better med student.

I loved that he cried! I could rarely remember reading about a hero who cried. He has a sweet side to him, that he's gentle with her and kind.

I liked that him respected her boundaries and took it at her pace. He didn't only like her looks but her smart head.

👩🏼‍🤝‍👨🏻 Their relationship is so healthy and realistic! They both go to therapy and discuss their problems and concerns with both each other and the therapist. It's also went at a realistic pace.

📚 The book is around 300 pages with long chapters (not boring at all). I loved that the author clarified a lot of details about the book since it took place in Australia. Which I believe is new for most of us.

I enjoyed the vibes! Going out with friends and family. Enjoying the university life. So it's not all about love. You also got an insight into their day to day life as a university student. Giles' parents are so fun, let alone his siblings.

As I was a med student myself, I can relate to most (if not all) of the problems they were facing about studying in med school. This made me wonder if the author works in the medical field because that was so accurate!

🌶 The first chapter is steamy! So it started with threesome with him and two other girls. Then there's a long pause from spice. But when they got together it was good! An 🍑 scene was included.

⭐️ Perfection

🔖 Highly recommended, especially if you're a med student or just craving a healthy realistic relationship with normal people that you can relate to!

Tw❗️:
Alcoholic Parent
SA (not the heroine)
Death of loved ones
Suicide (not the hero nor the heroine)

[Sherley's Reading Corner · Rating 4 out of 5]

Overall Rating: 4.0/5.0
Spice Level: 3.5

𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐇𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐭 𝐒𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐜𝐡 was a really good medical romance and reminded me so much of Grey’s Anatomy.

Set in Brisbane Australia, 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐇𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐭 𝐒𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐜𝐡 tells the story of Bridget Blanchet and Giles Hartman. Bridget is a loner. Her first and only priority is her studies and as a 5th year medical student, her single goal is to become a doctor; she refuses to let anything, or anyone get in her way. Giles is the complete opposite. He is a playboy who likes to party and is anti-relationship. Mr. “One and Done” is also a medical school student but he’s only here because, as the child of two cardiologist, this is what’s expected of him in life. Well, you know what they say…opposites attract!

There is so much I liked about this book. First, let’s talk about the characters. I loved that these two were flawed. Bridget, when we meet her, is rigid, judgmental, and sometimes rude. But when you get to know her and her backstory, you can’t help but understand her and feel for her. Giles on the other hand, is immature and single-minded (only thinking about his carnal desires above all else). What I like is that as the story progresses, we see the characters change and grow and become better people. They had great chemistry and were relatable and realistic characters.

I also really liked the secondary characters and how they were written. Like the main characters, they were well developed and because this is the first book in a series that will feature Giles’ siblings and family, I felt like the author gave a good intro of the siblings and parents. The different members of the Hartman family provided comedic relief and those parents were hot, hot, hot for each other. I loved them so much and really liked that Bridget found a family in them.

The world building and plot was excellent. I enjoyed the different scenes of them in class and while they were at clinicals and working at the different rotations at the hospital.

There were some tough subjects discussed in the book and I think it is very, very, very, important to be aware of the TW before reading. The pacing was also a little slow. In my opinion, things didn’t really get going until about halfway into the book, but I am glad I kept pushing because the middle and the end of the book was really good!

Overall, this was a wonderful introduction to the Hartman family, and I am so excited to read the remaining books in this series.

*I enjoyed reading 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐇𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐭 𝐒𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐜𝐡 and I would recommend it to all lovers of:

🏥Medical Romance
🩺Medical Students
👨Playboy MMC / Reformed Playboy
🇦🇺Set in Australia
⚕️Opposites Attract
👩‍⚕️👨‍⚕️Forced Proximity
🥼Dislike to Friends to Lovers
💙He Falls First
🔥Slow Burn
🧑‍⚕️Reversed Grumpy/Sunshine
🌶️Spicy

*Please read TW before reading.

[SherrecePQ Tanner · Rating 5 out of 5]

First, thank you to Jezabel for reaching out and asking if I would be interested to read and review. Of course, being a fellow nurse myself, I believe nurses can be great story tellers, and draw on some of our experiences no doubt, so of course I said yes. And, I always support Indie Authors. This is the first book in this series.

Bridget is our FMC, virgin, never been kissed and weighed down by her past. Her desire to strive, and be the absolute best at everything is the absolute polar opposite of our MMC, Giles. They are both medical students in their fifth year, and thanks to their professor, they are thrust together as partners in class. Bridget sees Giles as the "love em and leave em" guy, with no ambition, and merely getting thru on his name alone. Bridget works hard, study's hard, and has no time for Giles. But, she cannot deny that he is attractive (right down to her biological, text book descriptions with everything), and Giles knows, that there is more to Bridget than what she portrays.

With time spent, both of them slowly show their cards, and Bridget, thru socialising with other women (something she has not done before, having friends), they both explore a relationship which is more than just friends. Of course, with Bridgets influence, Giles himself changes, but there is an awful consequence, something which Giles both struggles with and has to come to terms with. And, Bridget is there.

There was something endearing about Bridget's personality, and dare I saw, relatable for me? And, I think we could all relate to a Giles we may know, or have known. The side characters added to this story. Please be aware, that there is some triggers that may bring up things from your past, so be cautious, but I think Jezabel has treated those with a level of respect, invoking both a conversation, and sadly, a realism, because those of us in the know, it may have been something you have experienced during your own training. I loved the spice that levelled up as Bridget and Giles explored that side of the relationship, and Bridget's character grew alot, and I loved it. I would highly recommend, and I look forward to reading more from Jezabel.

[Unnati Maharjan · Rating 4 out of 5]

I got to read the arc of the book and got to read it for free and I did not know what to expect when getting into the book but I was pleasantly surprised and thoroughly entertained. The plot starts painfully slow and it takes until 80 to 100 pages to catch a pace and this slow start of the book is the only thing that bothers me about the book. However, despite the slow pace, the story keeps you entertained and invested in the book. I think the slow pacing at the start of the book reflects on the characters and especially the protagonist because their dialogs seem to be very repetitive and not much explanation is provided for their personality, however, after the book starts to pace up a bit a lot more is explained and the characters become fleshed out instead of seeming like a stereotype or a trope. The contrast in the personality of the protagonists is also something that kept me entertained. There were aspects of Bridget and Gale - the female protagonist- that reminded me of Bella and Edward and for me, that is a huge win. Bridget is studious, and academically motivated and often came off as being too self-serious at the start of the book. In contrast, Gales is very comfortable in his lifestyle as a playboy and follows the philosophy of 'one and done’ until his relationship with Bridget starts to grow. For both the characters they make choices that are uncomfortable and unusual considering their personality, however, it only shows how much the characters actually care for each other, and by the end of the book they become more of a person. However, I found Gale very annoying at the start because his playboy personally eclipsed every other aspect of his humanity. After all, every conversation he ever has, every interaction made in regards to him somehow lead to the same point; He is a Massive Rake, and this seemed like a huge overkill to me.
Moreover, there are a lot of events happening in the book and while a disclaimer was given I was not expecting the stakes to be that high. While I am glad that topics of SA, Death, and grief are brought up, I was left wishing for a better execution of such topics, instead of being limited to a convenient plot device. I hope the author will work on these aspects of the book because I look forward to continuing reading and knowing what happens in the future.
Overall, I would recommend this book to people but also recommend pushing through the first few pages of the book as it is a fun read.

[Minnie · Rating 5 out of 5]

RC review

5⭐|3🌶|12%

This book took me through a lot of roller coasters 🙈
First, it reminds me that I'm not a native English speaker. I had trouble getting into it, BUT and yes, capitalized, BUT! So, BUT I was so hooked by the story and Giles and Bridget, that I couldn't stop reading it. I would have put other books down for sure 🙈 But it just wasn't possible with this one. And it's definitely not the book's/author's fault. Every person has their own writing and for a none native speaker, it's more recognizable than for natives.
And on my second day, it already was so much better for me 😁 So yes, I learn with every book.

I know that's nothing to do with a review, but as I said, the book is just too good, that I couldn't put it down.
More rollercoasters came with the story. I laughed so hard at the beginning 🤣 The banter between Giles and Bridget, perfect 🤩
Then it switched to more sentimental topics and they are heavy topics. From 🍇 to ☠️. I love such books. Not just the easy life.

Bridget isn't an easy character. It felt like she is a wallflower with a stick in her 🍑 🙈 But I think it's just her being not very social, she is an extreme introvert. For her, the only important thing is studying. Studying the whole day. She wants to be the best doctor she can be. But it also gave her problems with other things. I loved to see her changing.

Giles thinks he is easy. With him being a man-who... and full playboy. But on the inside, he isn't that easy. When he realized it, it got hard for him.
He is 🔥🔥🔥 so really 🔥 😉 and when he realized he falls for Bridget. He changed so much. Fully reformed playboy mode 😍

I'll definitely read the other three Hartman siblings. I'm so excited to read their story. I'm already in love with Henry 🩷 Even though I'm not big into MM, but I really need to read his story 😎


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[Frances Thompson · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was really excited to read this debut novel by Jezabel Nightingale, but I have to be honest and admit I was a little less excited when I found out it was a medical romance. Having grown up with a GP mother, I am only too aware of the stresses, strains, trials and tribulations of working as a medical professional (in the NHS, no less), so I was a little anxious about reading about it in a romance. However, I was wrong to be so cautious and in many ways the medical setting (university and hospitals) was one of the things I liked most as it really grounded the story, gave the characters something to bond over and it was clear the author drew from her own experience and expertise to make it very authentic.

I also liked the dynamic between our two MCs and really couldn't imagine them getting together at the beginning at all (which always hooks me onto a book). But again credit to the author for having some excellent character development because by the end, I was like "duh, of course!". I also have to admit that I wasn't sure I liked both characters at first - Giles being a huge player and carefree to the point of obnoxious and Bridget being quite uptight and restrictive - but again the story helped reveal more about them and made them much more likeable. Both characters' evolution was well thought out and crafted, and I also loved that this is a book set in Australia (my partner is Aussie) and so appreciated all those nuances. We don't have enough romance set in Oz so I am excited to see the author help change this with future books. Also the spice, once it came between the two MCs, was super delicious!

In short, if you like medical romances, strong character development, well-written spicy scenes, and opposites attract romances, this is a book for you! (Please do read content warnings before starting as the story doesn't avoid difficult topics and traumatic experiences so do read with care.)

[blakeereads · Rating 3 out of 5]

If you enjoy a new adult with a playboy MMC and a smarty pants FMC then this could be for you!

Bridget, our FMC is not wanting to make the same mistakes as her mother so she throws herself into her studies, not having many friends or social life.

Giles, our MMC is the one and done kind of guy, not taking anything too seriously, and despite being the oldest, he decides the only responsibility he wants is that of a fun uncle even though, his siblings are finding their loves and his parents have a great love and marriage.

They are constantly thrown together throughout their year in med school and even though they are complete opposites…they attract.

WHAT YOU GET :

- Med Students
- MF
- Opposites Attract
- Reformed Playboy
- Slow Burn
- Reverse Grumpy Sunshine

THANK YOU to the author for sending me a copy of her book!

MINOR SPOILERS BELOW!!

Reading is completely subjective so keep that in mind with what I didn’t care for in this book and that this was the authors debut novel and has since released multiple other books



****MINOR SPOILERS BELOW****

- MMC voice was immature (I’m a millennial so maybe that’s why I found it to be that way)

- MMC had a couple of partners on page before the FMC, which I just don’t like. Not to mention the threesome with someone who was very standoffish at first then all in two seconds later just threw me off.

- some of the triggers that were mentioned in the book were talked about in what *I* felt was almost too casual of a way

- I am all for girl power but I also don’t agree with some modern day feminist ideology so the toxic masculinity comment and the mediocre white man comments are a bit much for my tastes HOWEVER she did come to conclusion he wasn’t that mediocre after all.

[Keri · Rating 4 out of 5]

Jezabel Nightingale's The Heart Switch was not even on my radar until recently because I don't usually read Australian authors or medical romances, but I'm so glad to have read this funny, heartwarming, and steamy story that is not only well written but also refreshing due to its characterization of the MCs and depiction of dark themes, including mental health issues.

I'll admit that I didn't warm up to the FMC or MMC at first, as Bridget comes across as insensitive and rude for the first half of the book, while Giles comes across as immature and self-centered. However, as the book progressed, I came to empathize with these flawed and intriguing characters and understand that they have damn good reasons for their behaviors, emotions, and fears of intimacy and love.

Jezabel did a wonderful job demonstrating the growth of Briget and Giles, who turn out to be dynamic and relatable characters. Their slow-burn classmates-to-enemies-to-friends-to-lovers romance feels authentic to them and provides lots of opportunities for heart, heat, and humor. I also appreciated Giles's parents and siblings, who provided several comforting moments and comic relief.

The Heart Switch's only drawback is that I loved the second half but only liked the first half due to Bridget's and Giles's underwhelming first impressions and the slow pace of their evolving relationship, even though the pacing was realistic. That said, the book's ending is perfect and reinforces that even people who are considered strange or unlovable deserve happiness, love, respect, and understanding.

Having liked this series starter so much, I look forward to reading the other books in the Hartman Family series and seeing where they take Giles's siblings.

[Kell X · Rating 4 out of 5]

I truly enjoyed this story! It was my first book by this author and I'm sure it won't be the last.
I really liked her writing style and how she developed both the story and characters.
There was so much character development in this story and I loved it! We could watch them evolve and grow throughout the book.
Bridget was kind of a socially awkward nerd, that had little social skills. Maybe her uprising had something to do with that, but she always felt that she didn't need other people.
Giles came from a family of doctors and was following his parents steps, but he made sure to enjoy life and women. If he could have it (and them) all, why not?
When they are forced to work together some might think it was a recipe for disaster. Both of them thought that on several ocasions. But what if Bridget's drive and ambition started to influence Giles in a way where he started to care more and try to be a better student and doctor? And what if Giles laid back personality and social skills started to open Bridget up in a way that she started enjoying other people's company and began having friends and not only living for her work?
And then their perspective on life, other people, friends and love turned 180°. But in such a good way!!
I found myself glued to the pages rooting for them as a couple and I really (and I mean really) liked Giles. He was a sweethart to the core, even if at first he didn't seem kne. He was a gooey marshmallow always trying to make sure she was safe, happy, and even loved. I adored him.
I loved seeing them change and interact and open up to each other. It was such a good love story!
I'll be reading more about this family for sure!

[KatReadsRomance · Rating 4 out of 5]

A thoughtful first book!

I volunteered to be an ARC reader for Jezabel Nightingale, whom I met in the ether, through a book group. I don’t know if I’ve ever reviewed a first book before at time of publishing, but I feel a kinship to anyone who decides to do it. Writing a book and baring one’s soul to critique has to be the hardest thing to do (besides marketing oneself)!

This book has loads of wonderful storytelling in it. Jezebel Nightingale (a lovely pen name!) hails from Australia and it was lovely to hear about another distant land.

The female main character, Bridget is an odd duck who has taken up the torch for her mother, who had to give up her dreams of being a doctor, when she had Bridget. She has few social skills and difficulties reading the room (actually, she IS my doctor, so I just realized she’s who I had in my head the whole time I was reading!). It’s almost as though she is neuro-divergent. But as much as I didn’t find her sympathetic at the beginning, I grew to like that she said what she meant and meant what she said. Unlike many other female main characters, she doesn’t hide anything, which works well for her.

Giles is a playboy, of sorts. He is completely forthright with his partners that he only does ‘one and dones’. He doesn’t want the responsibilities that come with relationships and he doesn’t think he could ever have the kind of love his parents have. But, he’s also a very kind and considerate person, in the bedroom and outside of it. When he gets partnered up with Bridget in class, and she doesn’t fall to her knees for him, he starts to see her for the best that she is. He is smitten. Giles goes through substantial changes, due to a tragedy in his life.

Bridget is smitten too, but is so unfamiliar with men that she doesn’t recognize it. But so much happens to humanize her through the book (without her losing her essential truth-speaking self) that it really makes this first effort worth reading. I wish the author had written more to make Bridget more relatable and likable at the beginning, but towards the middle of the book this lovely story becomes a classic romance.

A romance with a ‘wobble’ rather than a breakup. Hallelujah! I’m officially calling this a trend! I love this trend. Leave it to Bridget to trust Giles even as she discovers him in a questionable situation. I’m talking total belief and so more a blip than a wobble.

I highly suggest you keep reading through this book if you’re tempted to put it aside, so that you can see the growing humanity of both these characters.

[Jen · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Heart Switch is the first book in The Hartman Family romance series. Giles Hartman is following in his parents’ footsteps and studying to become a doctor, but that doesn’t mean all he does is study. Giles is the definition of a player and has no interest in settling down anytime soon, but when Bridget Blanchet crossed his path everything might chance. Bridget has no interest in anything but studying and has no time for men. Giles Hartman is just a mediocre white male that she has no interest in and wants nothing to do with, but Giles is out to prove her wrong. Will Giles and Bridget be exactly what the other needs? Will they be able to change enough to make a relationship work?

I really wanted to like this book, but I just couldn’t connect with it. The story was well put together and flowed decently, but I couldn’t get into it. I didn’t particularly like either of the main characters, which probably had a lot to do with my inability to get into this book. This book was a quick and easy read, which was nice. The book is set in Australia and some of my disconnect with the characters could have had to do with that, but I think it was more their personalities. Anyway, the book was well written and the story was put together nicely. The characters just weren’t for me. Just because I didn’t connect with this book doesn’t mean you won’t. I’ve looked over the reviews and there are a lot of people who loved this book, for me it was just so-so. I would be open to reading something else by this author though, I’m just not sure this medical romance series is for me.

[Books_and_coco · Rating 4 out of 5]

🩺 The heart Switch - Review🩺

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

First off, a huge thank you to the author @jezabel.nightingale for sending me this book 💕i!

Funny thing but his was the first book I've ever read set in Australia 🇦🇺, and it only fueled my desire to visit this beautiful country even more. The stunning backdrop added so much to the story!

⚠️ A quick note for potential readers: definitely check the content warnings at the beginning of the book. It touches on some heavy topics like rape, alcoholism, and suicide, but I appreciated that the author included resources at the end. For me, these difficult subjects were handled with care and felt very naturally woven into the story, so they didn’t weigh the book down.

It took me a while to connect with Giles, but Bridget? I clicked with her right from the start. Some of the things she said could’ve easily come out of my own mouth 😂! I loved her bluntness, and she brought such a fresh energy to the story. I felt deeply for both Bridget and Giles as they grew not just as individuals, but together through their journey and therapy. Their relationship made them better people. As for the romance, it's a slow burn, but trust me, it's absolutely worth the wait once they finally get there.

Can't wait to see where the rest of the series takes all of Giles' siblings! I’m definitely planning to take my time reading the others—I have so many ideas and questions about each of them, and I can’t wait to dive into their stories!

[Alicia · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was such a cute book! Thank you to Ms. Nightingale for sending me a copy of your book.

This was a charming reverse grumpy sunshine book, with an Aussie Grey's Anatomy twist. I love how you think Giles (out MMC) will be the playboy she’ll try to change, when in fact it’s Giles who is the Golden Retriever vying for Bridget (our FMC)'s affection!

While this is a slow burn romance, there is some good spice right off the bat which can keep you entertained in the meantime. The spice once it happens is great and worth the wait. I really fell for Giles honestly, and once you read it you'll know why. He may be this hunky dude who doesn't take life too seriously at first, but his transformation is what we love to see in romance novels. I also love that it wasn't just one person changing for the better; watching Giles break down Bridget's walls with not just love but friendship was so real and sweet, making the HEA that much more satisfying.

Sweet, funny, sexy and heartfelt. I definitely recommend. My only critique would be to maybe come out with a new edition cover, because no offense to the model on the front, I just don't see him as Giles and it threw me off every time I saw him. (I also know some readers like more discreet covers for their books.) This is just my personal opinion though!

[Katslovesbooks · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a great slow romance built around two people that weren't looking for love but finding it anyways.

Bridget and Giles were complete opposite and while both were medical students the only thing that they had in common is that they didn't want to be in a relationship or finding love. Bridget was always studying to become the best doctor she could ever be while Giles was in school to socialise and go from woman to woman.

While sharing a class, they get pair up and from there things get interesting. Their banter is hilarious and little by little they really get to know each other building first a friendship that blossoms into something more that either were expecting.

I love how Giles falls first and how he is able to break Bridget's strict wall and I love how Bridget opens up and stars living her life outside her books and study.

The plot at the beginning of the book its a bit slow but gives you the opportunity to really understand Giles and Bridget in a deeper level. Once this couple really start exploring each other, things get heated.

Things happened in the book that makes this couple stronger together (please read trigger warnings) but at the end I really enjoyed how they were what each other needed.

[Jan Camille · Rating 5 out of 5]

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️


I absolutely loved Giles and Bridget. Their relationship was well written. Jez really poured warmth and even comfort to their story. The romance was a slow burn, yet it still got me hooked. Emotions were felt through the pages. Giles’ fun and playfulness together with Bridget’s straightforwardness and no nonsense personality just blended perfectly together. The bantering between the two were just hilarious. There was no drama and the communication between the two was crystal clear. Bridget’s growth from the first chapter up until the end got me in tears. Reading on how cheerful and on how she slowly found peace in her life, especially after what she went through filled me with happiness. It was also touching on how kind and loving the Hartman family is to Bridget. They immediately took a liking to her and accepted her as their own right away. 🩵

After finishing the book, and also the bonus scene, I just wanted to read more of Giles and Bridget’s life. Their story will catch your attention and will get you hooked up until the end. 😉 It’s truly worth the read 🩵.

[Zoey Day · Rating 5 out of 5]

BOOK REVIEW
The Heart Switch By Jezabel Nightingale
Five Stars 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟
Wow! I really enjoyed how different Bridget and Giles were. Two very different people who are strong in their own ways but also needing something different in their lives. I really enjoyed how they both brought each other out of their shells and own worlds. A very enjoyable story of two people striving to become doctors that started in different worlds but came together. This was an incredible story. I loved Giles mom and her Women's day speech. I loved that Bridget always spoke her mind and throughout the whole story Giles grew from a playboy to someone who cares for not only himself but for Bridget and learned about her. He helped her open up which was sweet. They were literally meant for each other. I felt bad for Giles when he found his friends Fitz and loved that Birdget was there for him through everything. The time she spent with his family was amazing. My favorite thing was how Giles was going to be there for Bridget in chapter 23 and how he started making plans. Their love is so beautiful. Their ending was amazingly written.

[Gabby · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was so good, I finished it in one sitting.

Bridget is a fifth year medical student who has a routine that she does not deviate from and relationships, friends or romantic, is not on the schedule.

Giles is a notorious playboy that is in Bridget’s class and also has no time for relationships, besides one and done.

After being partnered up in class, routines are about to change.

Bridget was the best in this book.
She was literally the one of the most honest characters I’ve ever read about.
And Giles seriously just going along with whatever Bridget says.

These two were so refreshing with their communication and truly a story about when you find the one, life starts to fall into place.
My favorite part is the found family aspect.

These two definitely didn’t have an easy road to get their HEA but they were so open with each other and leaned on one another.

Thank you again Jez Nightengale for sending me this book!
I will definitely be read the rest of the Hartman family books!

[Mary (Marysnoveljourney) · Rating 5 out of 5]

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
🔥🔥🔥🔥

🩺medical romance
❤️medical school
🩺mental health rep
❤️enemies to lovers
🩺slowish burn
❤️spicy

Oh my goodness this book was such an emotional read for me! These two characters have gone through IT! Wow!

Bridget was such a strong FMC. I loved that she was going after what she wants. The character arc in both her and Giles was great to see. They both went through so much in this book, changed in some ways while still staying true to themselves. Giles was an interesting MMC. He starts off living this immature, playboy lifestyle. I love how we really got to know him and watch him become the best version of himself. He and Bridget were just perfect for each other.

This book was a sweet, spicy and emotional ride. I absolutely adored it. Thank you to Jezabel Nightingale for the copy of this book!

[Torey · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have not previously read a book set in Australia but I found it enjoyable. I dream of visiting there one day. This book was very slow to start and took a bit to get into. I did enjoy the medical aspect of it. I do wonder if maybe Bridget has a few undiagnosed mental conditions. I had a hard time picturing the two of them together and couldn't feel the chemistry as well as I had hoped to. Not saying I didn't enjoy the story because It was very enjoyable. I liked how literal and straight forward Bridget is and how accepting Giles is of her personality and doesn't try to change her.

Id say this is a solid 3.5 stars. Could be more but the slowness of the story and the constant changing from proper name to nicknames threw me off and I wasn't always sure who was being spoken about.