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The Assignment
Emerging from the ashes of a stagnant long-term relationship, Dr. Savannah Dawson finds the adrenaline rush of the emergency room has dulled to a monotonous routine. It’s her best friend Lacey who nudges her out of her comfort zone, convincing her to take a leap into the unknown with a new job in Barcelona. However, Savannah soon discovers she’s signed up for more than she anticipated, finding herself entwined in a century-old family coca business that demands she apply her sharp wits and judgment beyond the ER.
Tomas Rey IV, a man who holds the title of the decade’s most eligible bachelor, becomes her most challenging puzzle: a man who might just fulfill her dreams or plunge her into a nightmare. With the aid of serendipity and a loyal group of friends, Savannah navigates the complexities of a new country, a foreign lifestyle, and a covert role she’s intent on keeping under wraps. As she adjusts to this unexpected chapter, she hopes to stay beneath the radar, all while the stakes grow ever higher.
Tomas Rey IV, a man who holds the title of the decade’s most eligible bachelor, becomes her most challenging puzzle: a man who might just fulfill her dreams or plunge her into a nightmare. With the aid of serendipity and a loyal group of friends, Savannah navigates the complexities of a new country, a foreign lifestyle, and a covert role she’s intent on keeping under wraps. As she adjusts to this unexpected chapter, she hopes to stay beneath the radar, all while the stakes grow ever higher.
248 pages, Paperback
Published March 1, 2024
1 person is currently reading
19 people want to read
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December 5, 2025
The Assignment by Shayla C. Freeman – An Engaging Medical Drama with Room for Minor Tweaks
The Assignment by Shayla C. Freeman is a contemporary romance with a strong medical focus that manages to keep the reader hooked from start to finish, thanks to a complex protagonist and a plot that blends ethical dilemmas, romance, and personal growth.
The story follows Dr. Amelia Grant, a surgical resident who, after a serious mistake in her past, is given an unconventional “assignment” as a path to professional and emotional redemption. The author, herself a physician with nearly a decade of experience, brings impressive credibility to the hospital scenes: the procedures, the hierarchy between residents and attendings, the exhaustion of 36-hour shifts, and even the technical vocabulary all feel completely authentic. Anyone who has read about or works in healthcare will immediately recognize these details and feel immersed in the hospital environment.
The book’s greatest strength is undoubtedly the protagonist’s development. Amelia is not the typical flawless heroine; she carries real guilt, makes questionable decisions, and evolves organically throughout the pages. The supporting characters, especially the love interest and the tough mentor, also have enough depth to avoid feeling like mere accessories. The narrative flows well most of the time, and the pacing picks up noticeably in the second half, leading to a satisfying and emotionally honest conclusion.
If there is room for improvement, it lies in the dialogue formatting. The author chose to start a new line with an em dash for every single piece of dialogue, even when the same character continues speaking in the next paragraph. This creates constant visual breaks and makes the reading feel somewhat fragmented. In several moments, especially early on, it slightly disrupts the natural flow and can confuse less experienced readers. Another minor point is that the first chapter takes a while to fully situate the reader in the timeline and context of Amelia’s past mistake, causing mild initial confusion that only clears up around page 50 or so.
In terms of editing, I found only two or three minor typos or accent errors (nothing that affects comprehension), and the Portuguese translation/adaptation is very well done overall.
In the end, The Assignment delivers exactly what it promises: a realistic medical drama with just the right amount of romance, human characters, and a beautiful message about second chances and work-life balance. It’s the kind of book you finish with a sigh of “finally, a protagonist who actually makes mistakes and learns from them.”
Final rating: 4 out of 5 stars
I highly recommend it to anyone who enjoys Grey’s Anatomy with less over-the-top drama and more emotional depth, or to readers who love stories of professional redemption in the medical world. Despite the small issues I mentioned regarding dialogue formatting and the slightly slow start, the quality of the plot and the authenticity of the medical experience make it very much worth the read.
The Assignment by Shayla C. Freeman is a contemporary romance with a strong medical focus that manages to keep the reader hooked from start to finish, thanks to a complex protagonist and a plot that blends ethical dilemmas, romance, and personal growth.
The story follows Dr. Amelia Grant, a surgical resident who, after a serious mistake in her past, is given an unconventional “assignment” as a path to professional and emotional redemption. The author, herself a physician with nearly a decade of experience, brings impressive credibility to the hospital scenes: the procedures, the hierarchy between residents and attendings, the exhaustion of 36-hour shifts, and even the technical vocabulary all feel completely authentic. Anyone who has read about or works in healthcare will immediately recognize these details and feel immersed in the hospital environment.
The book’s greatest strength is undoubtedly the protagonist’s development. Amelia is not the typical flawless heroine; she carries real guilt, makes questionable decisions, and evolves organically throughout the pages. The supporting characters, especially the love interest and the tough mentor, also have enough depth to avoid feeling like mere accessories. The narrative flows well most of the time, and the pacing picks up noticeably in the second half, leading to a satisfying and emotionally honest conclusion.
If there is room for improvement, it lies in the dialogue formatting. The author chose to start a new line with an em dash for every single piece of dialogue, even when the same character continues speaking in the next paragraph. This creates constant visual breaks and makes the reading feel somewhat fragmented. In several moments, especially early on, it slightly disrupts the natural flow and can confuse less experienced readers. Another minor point is that the first chapter takes a while to fully situate the reader in the timeline and context of Amelia’s past mistake, causing mild initial confusion that only clears up around page 50 or so.
In terms of editing, I found only two or three minor typos or accent errors (nothing that affects comprehension), and the Portuguese translation/adaptation is very well done overall.
In the end, The Assignment delivers exactly what it promises: a realistic medical drama with just the right amount of romance, human characters, and a beautiful message about second chances and work-life balance. It’s the kind of book you finish with a sigh of “finally, a protagonist who actually makes mistakes and learns from them.”
Final rating: 4 out of 5 stars
I highly recommend it to anyone who enjoys Grey’s Anatomy with less over-the-top drama and more emotional depth, or to readers who love stories of professional redemption in the medical world. Despite the small issues I mentioned regarding dialogue formatting and the slightly slow start, the quality of the plot and the authenticity of the medical experience make it very much worth the read.
Displaying 1 of 1 review