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Falling for Her Miami Rival
After battling for the same promotion, two ER docs find their rivalry is just the surface of their feelings for each other… Read more in the latest Harlequin Medical Romance novel by Luana DaRosa!
TENSIONS ARE RISING IN THE ER!
Dr. Jamie is the backbone of Palm Grove Hospital’s ER. Raised in foster care, she has always striven to prove her worth at work. So when the promotion that Jamie has worked tirelessly for is given to newcomer Dr. Allegra, the sting of rejection is hard to ignore. Still, Jamie knows that she must push her sore feelings aside and support enigmatic Allegra. And as their professional bond blooms, a personal bond also bursts into passionate life! But when Jamie learns that Allegra is fresh out of a messy divorce, it’s best they remain rivals…right?
From Harlequin Life and love in the world of modern medicine.
TENSIONS ARE RISING IN THE ER!
Dr. Jamie is the backbone of Palm Grove Hospital’s ER. Raised in foster care, she has always striven to prove her worth at work. So when the promotion that Jamie has worked tirelessly for is given to newcomer Dr. Allegra, the sting of rejection is hard to ignore. Still, Jamie knows that she must push her sore feelings aside and support enigmatic Allegra. And as their professional bond blooms, a personal bond also bursts into passionate life! But when Jamie learns that Allegra is fresh out of a messy divorce, it’s best they remain rivals…right?
From Harlequin Life and love in the world of modern medicine.
- GenresRomanceLGBTContemporary
240 pages, Mass Market Paperback
Published May 27, 2025
3 people are currently reading
11 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews
October 12, 2025
The setting was well sold. Atmospheric without me drowning in medical jargon or detail. I like we see the relationship develop. There are a couple of potential plot bumps shadowed, certainly enough to keep me interested.
However about half way I felt slightly less interested, I think pacing fell slightly. Which is odd because the mains were just moving things forward. Perhaps I felt too secure with them, they had discovered each other and threats to the relationship ( boss) hadn't really been made much of.
They then hit a bit of a rough patch and I still wasn't that invested. I continued as an outside observer rather than feeling part of the mains situation. From the brief conversation with the ex continuing with the run in with big boss things picked up again. A solid 3.
However about half way I felt slightly less interested, I think pacing fell slightly. Which is odd because the mains were just moving things forward. Perhaps I felt too secure with them, they had discovered each other and threats to the relationship ( boss) hadn't really been made much of.
They then hit a bit of a rough patch and I still wasn't that invested. I continued as an outside observer rather than feeling part of the mains situation. From the brief conversation with the ex continuing with the run in with big boss things picked up again. A solid 3.
November 14, 2025
This was such a fun easy read with some open door scenes. On occasion I like to pop my head up from some of the angst I antagonize myself with and this book was a perfect breath of fresh air for that!
I really liked the sunshine\ice queen trope here, and I especially loved how incredibly compassionate both Allegra and Jamie were towards people in their community. I also really enjoyed the slow cracking open toward each other, and the mini melt downs. Totally on point.
The one thing that would have earned an additional star would be to cut some of the repetitive motivations for each of their actions. Both characters had life situations that had shaped them as individuals, but I just found always bringing it back to those two specific points unnecessary. There are moments where in a scene their actions or emotions relate back, but then at a later time they clue in, but it had been established they had already known. That is really the only thing that pulled me out of it.
Either way, it was really enjoyable, and having family and friends in the medical field, I know how clique like a hospital environment can be, so that added some really interesting layers.
All in all, I enjoyed this, and am grateful to have received a free advanced copy. I am leaving this review voluntarily.
I really liked the sunshine\ice queen trope here, and I especially loved how incredibly compassionate both Allegra and Jamie were towards people in their community. I also really enjoyed the slow cracking open toward each other, and the mini melt downs. Totally on point.
The one thing that would have earned an additional star would be to cut some of the repetitive motivations for each of their actions. Both characters had life situations that had shaped them as individuals, but I just found always bringing it back to those two specific points unnecessary. There are moments where in a scene their actions or emotions relate back, but then at a later time they clue in, but it had been established they had already known. That is really the only thing that pulled me out of it.
Either way, it was really enjoyable, and having family and friends in the medical field, I know how clique like a hospital environment can be, so that added some really interesting layers.
All in all, I enjoyed this, and am grateful to have received a free advanced copy. I am leaving this review voluntarily.
May 27, 2025
Falling for Her Miami Rival is what I expected out of a Harlequin romance and I am delighted that we see more sapphic romances being published by them. It is a fast read that can make for a nice beach read while remaining cute and balancing the stakes and tension so it wasn't too soft or stressful. I would have done with a dash more passion but it didn't seem like that kind of book.
Following her messy divorce, West Coast Dr. Allegra is hired as the head of ER in Miami instead of Dr. Jamie despite all her qualifications. and while Allegra turns our to be a good fit, the staff isn't warming up to the outside forcing Jamie to intercede in her favour, turning the whole rivals to lovers trope on its head and they grow closer from this experience.
As someone uncomfortable with too graphic medical details, this was the right amount of information to keep the romance light while still giving me the feel of the ER and medical atmosphere. I rarely read medical romance but I appreciated this change of setting for myself.
Allegra is labelled as an ice queen several times (by herself or rather what she thinks others perception of her are) but she's nothing but nice and helpful throughout the book so I'm not sure what we're supposed to get from this. Like I get that Allegra is meant to be perceived as stand-offish but this never transpires in either POV. At best she's sometimes a bit socially awkward but that's it.
Jamie is one of those characters that you are told are out and proud queer and you are meant to assume she's a lesbian even if the text won't give you the satisfaction of confirming it. On the other hand, Allegra is fresh off her divorce with her man but never questions her attraction to women in her own POV. From Jaime's POV, she notices that Allegra is attracted to her and has taken part in queer fundraisers and ends up assuming she's bisexual and it's not brought up again. No self-discovery arcs needed.
Following her messy divorce, West Coast Dr. Allegra is hired as the head of ER in Miami instead of Dr. Jamie despite all her qualifications. and while Allegra turns our to be a good fit, the staff isn't warming up to the outside forcing Jamie to intercede in her favour, turning the whole rivals to lovers trope on its head and they grow closer from this experience.
As someone uncomfortable with too graphic medical details, this was the right amount of information to keep the romance light while still giving me the feel of the ER and medical atmosphere. I rarely read medical romance but I appreciated this change of setting for myself.
Allegra is labelled as an ice queen several times (by herself or rather what she thinks others perception of her are) but she's nothing but nice and helpful throughout the book so I'm not sure what we're supposed to get from this. Like I get that Allegra is meant to be perceived as stand-offish but this never transpires in either POV. At best she's sometimes a bit socially awkward but that's it.
Jamie is one of those characters that you are told are out and proud queer and you are meant to assume she's a lesbian even if the text won't give you the satisfaction of confirming it. On the other hand, Allegra is fresh off her divorce with her man but never questions her attraction to women in her own POV. From Jaime's POV, she notices that Allegra is attracted to her and has taken part in queer fundraisers and ends up assuming she's bisexual and it's not brought up again. No self-discovery arcs needed.
January 14, 2026
A Competent LGBT Hospital Romance
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
Falling for Her Miami Rival by Luana DaRosa is a sapphic romance set in a Florida hospital, between two doctors who went for the same job as head of the Emergency room.
One Allegra, the one who has worked at the hospital for ages as well as doing the job on a temporary basis, and Jamie, who has crossed the USA for a new job after divorcing the son of a powerful family in the hospital she worked for.
If you are looking for a sapphic romance set in a hospital then, Falling for Her Miami Rival by Luana DaRosa will tick all the boxes, however if the novel does more than that for you is more of a debate.
While both individuals have great background stories and are fully developed individuals with a romance that feels real which is what you want as the basics for a romance novel.
Luana Darosa never took these building blocks and completed all the parts of a novel.
For example, part of the tension between Jamie and Allegra at the start was that they both were up for the same job so one of them was subordinate to them as well as being disappointed.
Giving some tension, so if not an enemies to lovers at least rivals to lovers, while the role of relationships in the work place between a supervisor and someone they are in charge of. It was more or less solved in the first few chapters.
It even became where Jamie tried to smooth Allegra’s path in her new role, The story does not need to be full of arguments or disruption but a little fiction would have added to the story.
In fact Allegra getting over her divorce was the major issue of the story.
While Falling for Her Miami Rival by Luana DaRosa is a romance novel set in a USA hospital the medical system was part of the story in the same way if it was called Falling for Her Manchester Rival and set in the UK it would need to have at its basis the medical system.
Although it did not feel preachy just showing how the medical system affected a couple of individual doctors based in Florida.
It felt that the novel covered this more than the romance, while this made each character more rounded, it felt that it was over the romance part of the novel.
Which meant that tension of the couple getting together and third act break up is not all that it could have been.
This is not to say that the subject of working conditions and the health care system, should not be in a medical romance.
It is just that as the book is only 239 pages these were choices made by the writer which may have helped the novel in its main objective as a romance novel.
Having said that, Falling for Her Miami Rival by Luana DaRosa is still a romance novel that would scratch the itch of anyone who loves Sapphic romance novels in a hospital setting.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
Falling for Her Miami Rival by Luana DaRosa is a sapphic romance set in a Florida hospital, between two doctors who went for the same job as head of the Emergency room.
One Allegra, the one who has worked at the hospital for ages as well as doing the job on a temporary basis, and Jamie, who has crossed the USA for a new job after divorcing the son of a powerful family in the hospital she worked for.
If you are looking for a sapphic romance set in a hospital then, Falling for Her Miami Rival by Luana DaRosa will tick all the boxes, however if the novel does more than that for you is more of a debate.
While both individuals have great background stories and are fully developed individuals with a romance that feels real which is what you want as the basics for a romance novel.
Luana Darosa never took these building blocks and completed all the parts of a novel.
For example, part of the tension between Jamie and Allegra at the start was that they both were up for the same job so one of them was subordinate to them as well as being disappointed.
Giving some tension, so if not an enemies to lovers at least rivals to lovers, while the role of relationships in the work place between a supervisor and someone they are in charge of. It was more or less solved in the first few chapters.
It even became where Jamie tried to smooth Allegra’s path in her new role, The story does not need to be full of arguments or disruption but a little fiction would have added to the story.
In fact Allegra getting over her divorce was the major issue of the story.
While Falling for Her Miami Rival by Luana DaRosa is a romance novel set in a USA hospital the medical system was part of the story in the same way if it was called Falling for Her Manchester Rival and set in the UK it would need to have at its basis the medical system.
Although it did not feel preachy just showing how the medical system affected a couple of individual doctors based in Florida.
It felt that the novel covered this more than the romance, while this made each character more rounded, it felt that it was over the romance part of the novel.
Which meant that tension of the couple getting together and third act break up is not all that it could have been.
This is not to say that the subject of working conditions and the health care system, should not be in a medical romance.
It is just that as the book is only 239 pages these were choices made by the writer which may have helped the novel in its main objective as a romance novel.
Having said that, Falling for Her Miami Rival by Luana DaRosa is still a romance novel that would scratch the itch of anyone who loves Sapphic romance novels in a hospital setting.
September 25, 2025
I gave this book three and a half stars. I did enjoy elements of it, although I would have preferred a longer slow burn before they got together. The story is set in a small for profit hospital in Florida. The area has a large population of undocumented immigrants, as well as a bigger Spanish speaking population. In walks Allegra a recently widowed doctor who is now head of the emergency room. The problem is Jamie thought the job had been promised to her, and did most of the staff. There’s tension between the two doctors, and Allegra and the whole emergency room staff because Jamie is so popular.
Of course they end up working together, and have been “noticing each other” as Allegra works in the emergency room, trying to win over everyone by showing her dedication. Who doesn’t love an enemies to lovers medical romance?!
This is the first sapphic Harlequin romance I’ve ever read. I didn’t even know they existed, but I have an eARC and I’m voluntarily leaving this review. I did feel the romance was too hurried, and the third act breakup felt a little too forced for me. I would have also preferred an epilogue or a few more chapters to show how it all went after the meeting because it wrapped up too quickly and I didn’t feel like I got enough resolution. There were things left up in the air at the end that I always find distressing.
I am sure there are plenty of people who will enjoy this. It’s a low stress, quick read. The tropes used are enemies to lovers, found family, instant attraction, age gap romance (based on career experience), medical romance.
May 2, 2025
4 stars. More sapphic Harlequin romances! I don’t typically go for their medical line but I was so incredibly happy to see this arc available and it did not disappoint. I liked the writing and the drama in this was so good. I love a good sapphic medical drama.
Allegra and Jamie (awesome name, by the way) were both likable characters. They’re both smart and stand offish when it comes to love. Allegra because of her recent divorce, Jamie because of how she grew up within the foster system. I understood and empathized with both women. They had really good chemistry together and it was so incredibly satisfying watching them realize how much they cared for each other and their desires to make things work between them. This was a fast paced and entertaining read and I thoroughly enjoyed it.
*I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
Allegra and Jamie (awesome name, by the way) were both likable characters. They’re both smart and stand offish when it comes to love. Allegra because of her recent divorce, Jamie because of how she grew up within the foster system. I understood and empathized with both women. They had really good chemistry together and it was so incredibly satisfying watching them realize how much they cared for each other and their desires to make things work between them. This was a fast paced and entertaining read and I thoroughly enjoyed it.
*I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
July 9, 2025
This f/f with bi rep romance is for fans of shows like Grey's or ER, where there's a solid mix of romance and medical drama. I was actually surprised by how much detail the patient procedures went into! Being set in the US, it also went into hospitals as profit centers (rage inducing) and providing healthcare to undocumented people. I'm neither American nor in healthcare, but it felt appropriately handled and hopeful.
The romance instant sparks from-a-touch chemistry with a side of power imbalance (new boss vs employee) that I don't always love but had no issue with in this book. Both women have a heavy past (tw: controlling ex-spouse, foster care system), and have to wade through their feelings of inadequacy to find their way to an HEA.
This quick, open door romance was my first read by Luana DaRosa and I'll definitely be picking up more!
The romance instant sparks from-a-touch chemistry with a side of power imbalance (new boss vs employee) that I don't always love but had no issue with in this book. Both women have a heavy past (tw: controlling ex-spouse, foster care system), and have to wade through their feelings of inadequacy to find their way to an HEA.
This quick, open door romance was my first read by Luana DaRosa and I'll definitely be picking up more!
August 17, 2025
The description of the book immediately drew me in, and the hospital setting definitely added to the appeal. The main characters are a pleasure to get to know and share a real connection, even though their interests sometimes conflict. Both still have lessons to learn about themselves, and the way they handle this—with ups and downs—felt relatable.
The storyline about getting the ER fully back on track may not have been explored in the greatest depth, but the relationship between the protagonists and the connection they establish from the very beginning made the story believable.
Overall, this was a delightful book to read, with just the right balance of depth and spice.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
The storyline about getting the ER fully back on track may not have been explored in the greatest depth, but the relationship between the protagonists and the connection they establish from the very beginning made the story believable.
Overall, this was a delightful book to read, with just the right balance of depth and spice.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
September 21, 2025
Allegra was a new to the hospital where she will be in charge of the ER where the other MC Jamie works.
This is a cute read about 2 doctors and the difficulties faced being new to a job that the they thought she had in the bag, the staff resentful that their colleague didn’t get the job and finally the community as a whole that can’t always afford healthcare or access it if they’re undocumented.
It would have benefited from an epilogue to see how the two got along after the events of the last couple of chapters.
This is a cute read about 2 doctors and the difficulties faced being new to a job that the they thought she had in the bag, the staff resentful that their colleague didn’t get the job and finally the community as a whole that can’t always afford healthcare or access it if they’re undocumented.
It would have benefited from an epilogue to see how the two got along after the events of the last couple of chapters.
September 22, 2025
The book was decent, typical of what you'd expect from a Harlequin romance. It’s nice to see that they are beginning to include the LGBT+ community. However, I found the story somewhat lacking and a bit unrealistic. Overall, it’s a quick and easy read. I recommend it if you're just looking for something light to enjoy at the beach.
I received an arc
I received an arc
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews