Love and Other Side Effects: A Novel

by Deidra Duncan

Two best friends start a collision course toward something more in this emotional romance for fans of Ali Hazelwood, Abby Jimenez and Gray's Anatomy.

Asher Foley is an imposter. Or rather, he feels that way sometimes. The "MD" after his name should mean he's got his life together, that people take him seriously, but as a lover of practical jokes, he can't shake the feeling he'll never lose his reputation as a jokester.

Jocelyn Maddox is a paradox - a confident, affectionate woman who refuses to love. After losing almost everyone she loves to tragedy, she's unwilling to open her heart and risk being hurt again. An anesthesiologist with zero pain tolerance. Who'd have thought? But that's why Asher's the perfect best friend. He's far too lighthearted to be a threat to her walls.

When a surgical complication compels Asher to confide his insecurities to Joss, she uncovers a whole new side to him. A deeper, more fascinating side. In soothing him through his self-doubt, Joss realizes Asher has struck a crack in her walls. With a storm brewing in the Caribbean and their friendship evolving into something else, she must face her demons head on, but the fortress around her heart may be too sturdy for even a hurricane to break.

Genres: Romance, Adult, Contemporary, Friends To Lovers, Stem

395 pages, Kindle Edition

Expected publication April 14, 2026

About the author

Deidra Duncan spends her days (and some nights) living the dream as a board-certified OB/GYN, where every minute is either routine monotony or sheer terror. She lives in Florida with two human tornadoes and the wonderful man who helped make them. She’s usually dressed in either scrubs or glitter, and would love for someone to magically combine them. She devotes every rare moment of free time to writing or reading.

Reviews

[⋆˚୨ৎ˚⋆ Kim ⋆˚୨ৎ˚⋆ · Rating 2 out of 5]

જ⁀➴ 2.5 stars

"The man saved my life. Shattered my glass walls...I'm in awe. And so immutably in love with him."

Thank you to Harlequin Trade Publishing | Mira Books, Deidra Duncan, and Netgalley for this eARC in exchange for an honest review. Love and Other Side Effects will be officially published on April 14th, 2026!
⋆｡‧˚ʚ 🍍 ɞ˚‧｡⋆ ˚ʚ 🍍 ɞ˚‧｡⋆ ˚ʚ 🍍 ɞ˚‧｡⋆ ˚ʚ 🍍 ɞ˚‧｡⋆ ˚ʚ 🍍 ɞ˚‧｡⋆ ˚ʚ 🍍 ɞ˚‧｡⋆ ˚ʚ 🍍 ɞ˚‧｡⋆ ˚ʚ 🍍 ɞ˚‧｡⋆
(I promise the pineapples in my little divider make sense when you read the story lol)

As some of you may know from Instagram, I got into Harlequin's The Hive influencer program about a month ago! That comes with an auto-approval on NetGalley for their entire catalogue, so having read the author's first book, Love Sick, earlier this year, I knew that when I saw this book on NetGalley I HAD to get the book. I was originally going to read this later on when it was closer to the publishing date, but as soon as I realized this was about Asher, one of my favorite side characters from Love Sick, I had to read it right away! So...I started and finished this ARC in one day over the weekend haha.

Unfortunately, as much as I love Asher as an MMC—although I will say he wasn't without his flaws either—, I was not a big fan of Jocelyn, our FMC. I felt like Asher honestly deserved better than her and I had an extremely hard time trying to believe they were supposed to have chemistry.

✎𓂃Full, detailed review to come soon (closer to publishing date)!
⋆｡‧˚ʚ 🍍 ɞ˚‧｡⋆ ˚ʚ 🍍 ɞ˚‧｡⋆ ˚ʚ 🍍 ɞ˚‧｡⋆ ˚ʚ 🍍 ɞ˚‧｡⋆ ˚ʚ 🍍 ɞ˚‧｡⋆ ˚ʚ 🍍 ɞ˚‧｡⋆ ˚ʚ 🍍 ɞ˚‧｡⋆ ˚ʚ 🍍 ɞ˚‧｡⋆

[cat · Rating 4 out of 5]

But ... What exactly are you looking for?"
For a moment, I pause to consider, sipping my beer. What am I looking for? My attention strays to Jocelyn's face. The pool-frizzed blond wisps at her temples. The tawny brown in her eyes. The arch of her eyebrows, a few shades darker than her hair.
My heart thumps once, twice, before I shrug. "I'll know it when I find it."

This friends-to-lovers story definitely kept me turning the pages. (More emotional than I expected 😭) The tension between Joss and Asher had me hooked, even when things got messy. 👏🏼

I loved watching their friendship slowly shift into something more, how little moments, private conversations, and unexpected confessions revealed deeper sides of both of them. The hospital scenes were a standout for me, they made the story feel so real, with high-stakes moments and glimpses into their professional lives that grounded the romance in a believable way.

Now I have to admit, Jocelyn drove me absolutely crazy. I get that she’s been through a lot, but she was so self-focused at times 😭. All the “I can’t” moments and stringing him along were frustrating because… SHE LITERALLY COULD. And the way she kept worrying that others might judge her for her feelings or her choices? (Girl, that was all in your head 🙄🤚🏼) It made some parts harder to fully enjoy.

Asher, on the other hand, is basically perfect. He’s emotionally intelligent, caring to everyone, and knows what he wants without being pushy. I loved how he respected Joss’s walls while quietly hoping for more. I just wanted to hug him through the whole book.🥺😭

Also the writing style threw me off a little at times, especially in Asher’s POV, where there are these really blunt, pronoun-free sentences that felt abrupt. I’m assuming it was purposeful but I really don’t know. 😭

Overall, I’m giving this 4 stars. It was so close to 5, but Joss’s behavior kept it from being perfect. That said, the ending was satisfying, the growth she showed was meaningful (finally). The story itself was really compelling. The slow burn, emotional stakes, and evolving relationship all came together nicely, and I am so intrigued about what’s next… Ashton’s story better be coming soon because I need more of him!

-♡-♡-♡-♡-♡-favorite quotes-♡-♡-♡-♡-♡-

“Her scent is overpowering. Drugging. Have I ever been this close to it? Hints never picked up before sing across my senses. Indescribable. Sweet.”

“Time speeds and lulls. Lights smear. Everything
blurs together.
Everything but her.
The luster of her dress. The silvery-white of her hair. The mysterious smile on her lips. She's like a comet among the flashing lights and glittering casinos, leaving a sparkling silver trail everywhere she goes.
I follow blindly. The world around us is filled with people. Dopamine-inducing bells. Distracting electric displays. But she's the most distracting of them all.”

“Why did the universe have to make her so beautiful? It's a little annoying at this point. She's like the dessert tray at a restaurant, all look but don't touch, smell but don't taste.”

“I'm charming," I mutter, annoyed that Joss noticed anything about Julian at all. Bro steals too much attention for himself. It's like he's the groom of this wedding or something.”
(spoiler… Julian WAS the groom 😂 he’s so jealous i was giggling so much)

-♡-♡-♡-♡-♡-♡-♡-♡-♡-♡-♡-♡-♡-♡-♡-♡-

things to know about the book ↓

🩺 friends → lovers
🩺 workplace romance
🩺 slowburn
🩺 dual POV

A huge thank you to Netgalley, Harlequin Trade Publishing, and Deidra Duncan for allowing me to read this arc. These are all my honest opinions in this review.

spice rating:【 🔥🔥 】
swearing: yes

[Kat Mackenzie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read an Arc of this and adored it! Asher was a lovable side character in Love Sick, and now we get to see the real him in this dual-pov romance! And boy does he pine deliciously for Joss!

This book is a snarky, angsty, slow-burn, friends-to-lovers joy-ride and you're going to love every minute of it! Just wait until you get to that epic, swoony ending!

[Lena Bahret · Rating 3 out of 5]

I’m conflicted on this book. I liked how the author built the relationship from the beginning with Asher and Jocelyn but I did sometimes find myself cringing at the language. The excessive use of nicknames in particular were a lot for me to get past. I also found Jocelyn to be so infuriating, I was rooting for her but I was also wondering how much more she could put Asher (and therefore me) through before she realized she was the problem. I did really like the comic relief in Geoff, Yayoi and Ali. And no spoilers but the ending was actually really solid. How Deidra Duncan tied everything together and wrapped up the story was one of the better romance endings I’ve read in a while.

3.5/5 ⭐️

**Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC**

[Chelsea · Rating 5 out of 5]

So… I’m addicted to this. I enjoyed every single minute and honestly didn’t expect it to hit me as hard as it did.

Asher is an OB/GYN who quietly does an incredible job caring for his patients while doubting himself at every turn. From a medical perspective, watching him handle a particularly messy case had me cringing, not because of him, but because a coworker who absolutely should have stepped up… didn’t. Still, as the story unfolds, it becomes clear that Asher is not only a talented doctor, but a thoughtful teacher and deeply personable physician, and watching him finally start to believe that about himself was so satisfying.

Jocelyn, his best friend and an anesthesiologist, is confident in her career but deeply guarded in love. Her past is devastating: losing her parents young, then her brother, then a boyfriend, each loss traumatic in its own way. She’s convinced that loving someone means eventually losing them, so why risk it?

Through flashback snippets, we get to see how their bond formed early on, making it impossible not to root for them. These two have been more than friends for a long time, even if Jocelyn’s walls are thick and stubborn.

Enter a hurricane (thanks… unfortunately thanks?), and suddenly the timing is right. Seeing them finally come together was everything. Tender, emotional, and deeply earned.

This book was an undeniable joy, cute, heartfelt, and full of care for both the romance and the medical world it’s set in. I’m absolutely looking forward to reading more from this author.

[book.obsessed.jess · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5/5 ⭐️
2/5 🌶️

Well this was absolutely freakin’ adorable. Hospital coworkers. Witty banter. Friends to lovers. *chefs kiss*

Each character pulled at my heart strings. I could relate to each one. Jocelyn has lost so much - it’s no wonder she has so many walls up and struggles to let anyone in. As someone who has experienced grief in that way, it’s really tough and it can have lasting effects. As for Asher, the poor guy over analyzes every conversation he has (and as an introvert I do the exact same so I could totally relate). Once your mind goes down the rabbit hole, it just doesn’t stop. Once they get out of their own way and see the potential between them - ughh my heart.

I loved the dual POV in this one and I really enjoyed that towards the end that there was a “high stakes” moment that really kind of put everything into perspective for the characters. I wish there was more of a epilogue but maybe we’ll get another book that has interconnecting characters?! 👀🤞🏻

Overall, super cute. This was actually my first read from the author and it definitely won’t be my last!

Thank you so so much Harlequin & Netgalley for the eARC!

What to Expect:
🩺Dual POV
🩺Workplace Romance
🩺Banter
🩺Friends to Lovers

[Hailey · Rating 4 out of 5]

Asher you absolute angel!!! Obsessed! This was so good, total Grey's Anatomy vibes! I really loved Love Sick by Deidra so I was super excited when she announced this, honestly even better than the first book. I loved reading about everything Joss over came and healed with in herself and Asher is just the best I loved this!

Thank you NetGalley, Harper Collins Publishers, and Deidra Duncan for this adorable eRC!

[Jessica · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you to NetGalley and HarperCollins for the eARC of Love & Other Side Effects.

I absolutely loved Love & Other Side Effects. Finished it in a single day. This friends to lovers slow burn with STEM themes was so good. Asher, our MMC, is an absolute cinnamon role. He also is just this lovable golden retriever type of character. There were some really good one liners throughout this story that had me laughing out loud. If you like Ali Hazelwood books, this one will be right up your alley. Highly recommend!

[Sarah 🌌]

I need this like I need air!!!!!!!! Although maybe more!!!!

[Kaye the Cake]

okay give me it

[Jaylah · Rating 2 out of 5]

As a medical professional, I was incredibly excited for this given it was written by a board certified OB/GYN. I've gotten to the point where I tend to stay away from "medical dramas" both in writing and TV because it's hard to enjoy something where you can point out the inaccuracies. And while I had zero issues from a medical standpoint, it was extremely relatable on that front, I did have other issues with the story. I genuinely wanted to love it more. It was fun. It made me laugh. I loved the personalities of both Joss and Asher, but it was incredibly slow moving. The story took too long to progress for me and I found it to be very, very repetitive. They each had their hang ups and I felt like I was reading the same inner monologue from each of them throughout most of the book.

For Asher, he never felt like he was good enough, be it as a doctor or as a romantic partner. He had imposter syndrome as an MD and took it hard when his patients preferred his older partners or had trouble trusting him with their care. He also struggled with being single and finding someone who wanted a relationship beyond just the physical.

For Jocelyn, she was terrified of letting someone in. She preferred to avoid attachments for fear of getting hurt or experiencing loss. She'd lost a lot of people that she cared about in her life and so she built and reinforced those walls to avoid letting someone in again. To her, the risk was not worth the reward.

Truly, I understood where they were both coming from and I even expected it to take a minute for them to get together because they had to not only work through their own traumas, but to be willing to put their friendship at risk as well. However, it was really Jocelyn that limited things and made it frustrating for me. Even though she was eventually willing to admit that her feelings for Asher weren't just platonic about half way through, she really struggled to get beyond her past until quite literally the end of the book. And I've personally never been one to enjoy a relationship that is hot/cold, on/off, back/forth and that's what we have here between Joss and Asher. In chapters that take place in the past, we see that they've considered crossing that friendship boundary, but never quite make the jump. It isn't until about 50% that we get a little action between them, then awkward tension, and then 70% where there's more (but very glossed over) and then more awkward tension until the end. It made it feel like I spent the whole book reading this push and pull between them only to get almost zero gratification from it because we never got to see them together in an actual relationship that wasn't disguised as friendship. So, yes I found that very disappointing.

I also wasn't the biggest fan of the writing style when it came to Asher's inner monologues in particular...a lot of incomplete sentences. For example, "don’t want a hook up. Want something real.”
This isn't something that I noticed much from Joceyln's point of view.

But again, I will say that it was very relatable and accurate on the medical aspect. From the EMR to Dragon Training to MAs to those crazy stories that you just can't make up to difficult patients....all of it.

I honestly don't think that this is a bad story. If you like more a slow burn, I definitely think you'll enjoy this more. If you're a medical professional and are interested in a medical read that you can relate to and you don't mind a slow burn, this could be for you. If you're someone who really enjoys the spicer aspect of novels, I probably wouldn't recommend this one unless you're in the mood for something different. However, if you're someone who doesn't enjoy the back and forth nature between characters, I would probably avoid.

Thank you to Netgalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing for allowing me access to this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

[Veronica Salib · Rating 3 out of 5]

3 out of 5 Stars

Love and Other Side Effects is a sweet contemporary romance that revolves around Asher and Jocelyn, two best friends and co-workers who have been dancing around a mutual attraction to each other for years. While Asher is a hopeless romantic, Jocelyn has her walls up a mile high. After a lifetime of trauma and loss, she doesn’t want to let anyone else in, but when she met Asher years ago, it was no use; he weasled his way into her heart and became her closest friend.

When Asher is invited to his former girlfriend’s wedding and admits to Jocelyn that he has been feeling lonely, Jocelyn offers to go to the wedding with him as his fake girlfriend. Between the two events, it becomes glaringly obvious that there is more than just friendship between the two.

Let’s start with the characters. I honestly think that the characters in this book were really interesting. Asher, being a hopeless romantic and a golden retriever who was still struggling with imposter syndrome after becoming a rather successful physician, was an interesting direction for a character and not one that I have seen many authors take. On the other hand, Jocelyn’s trauma was so intense and really added a lot of emotional depth to her character. Her sadness and loneliness, masked as fierce independence, were also really interesting to watch.

The overall plot and characters were great. However, where the story fell short for me was in the dialogue. The author wrote the characters really well independently, and their inner thoughts were rather interesting, but I felt like the dialogue was trying too hard to be hip and incorporate slang and trendy terms, which detracted from the rest of the book. I understand that slang and trends are often incorporated into the books, but the writing didn’t feel organic here. I would have liked the dialogue to sound more like the character’s inner thoughts.

Thank you to Harlequin Trade Publishing and NetGalley for the eARC in exchange for an honest review.

[Jade Ellis · Rating 3 out of 5]

What really stood out to me about this book was how it balanced a light, easy-to-read tone with genuinely meaningful emotional depth. Beneath the banter and warmth, both main characters are carrying real trauma that actively shapes who they are and how they approach relationships. Jos’s experience surviving Hurricane Katrina manifests in her fear of attachment and loss, while Asher’s insecurities around his age and how others perceive him give his character a quiet vulnerability. These elements added emotional weight and made their romance feel more poignant.

Even knowing I was heading toward a happily-ever-after, I found myself genuinely invested in the relationship’s development. That said, the pacing was a little uneven. There were moments where the story dragged, and by the final stretch the will-they-won’t-they tension began to feel tired. At that point, I was more than ready for them to finally get on with it.

I’m not always a huge fan of friends-to-lovers romances, but this one largely worked for me thanks to how enjoyable Jos and Asher’s friendship was. Their banter felt natural, their dynamic easy and affectionate, and I loved how other characters already viewed them as a unit. The friendship was one of the strongest aspects of the book, and I found myself hoping that same dynamic would carry over once they became a couple.

As a huge Grey’s Anatomy fan, I also loved the medical references sprinkled throughout. Foley’s name being a nod to the Foley catheter was particularly fun, and the author’s background as an OB/GYN clearly shines through. One early line—“It’s a great day to remove a uterus”—felt like a clear wink to Derek Shepherd’s iconic “It’s a great day to save lives.”

Overall, this was a fun, emotionally grounded read that I really enjoyed. While it won’t be a standout of my year, I’d happily recommend it to fans of Grey’s Anatomy and friends-to-lovers romances. ⭐️ 3.5 stars.

#BookReview #FriendsToLovers #GreysAnatomyVibes #RomanceReads #Bookstagram

[Kelsie Bowler · Rating 4 out of 5]

Dating beyond your 20s is weird. Okay dating is weird no matter when, but once you get out of your 20s it gets stranger right? I know that I am a catch, but like I can’t help but wonder why exactly am I still on the market? Maybe there is something wrong with me?? In Love and Other Side Effects Deidra Duncan was like “I got you girl” and wrote me a story that was the warm hug I needed to help me remember that dating isn’t just a simple straightforward line.

Asher and Jocelyn have been workplace-and-beyond friends for years. He hides his insecurities behind a lighthearted attitude and practical jokes and she masks her fear of loving loved ones by just not letting anyone get that close. Luckily, a few events get them to open up to each other and possibly push their relationship to the next stage, if they can get over their individual struggles.

Initially, the pacing was strange for me but we got in the flow of it and were able to get to know these characters and their very real struggles. Has Asher been a catch for his entire life? Probably! But has he had some things that he has needed to work through himself which made it so that his dating progression wasn’t that easy, straightforward line? For sure. He confides in Jocelyn in a moment where I knew that this book was going to leave me feeling understood.
“Asher, I don’t think you see yourself clearly. You are such a good man. And you’re nice and successful. And you’re pretty to look at. Any girl would be lucky to have you—”
“Then why am I alone?” The words erupt from me, and I hate them the second they’re out in the universe.

There is so much more than being “a catch”, and yes, I am still working believing this with my therapist. I am so happy that this message it out there in a romance book because I do believe that I can’t be the only thirty-something person out here needing it’s warm embrace.

[Lina · Rating 4 out of 5]

arc review:

📚LOVE AND OTHER SIDE EFFECTS by Deidra Duncan
💘thank you harlequin trade publishing | mira for this arc

Ohhhhh Asher the man that you are!! I absolutely LOVE how Deidra writes her characters. They are full of depth and layers and can be both so fun but also devastating. It’s a wonderful combination and develops the romance so well and gives color to the actions the character take. The pacing is exactly what I love. It’s a sort of fake-dating wedding date romcom but that’s just a small part of their story, you get so much more. And of course, it’s so amazing to read the perspective of doctors knowing that knowledge is first hand from the author (she's an ob-gyn)!!

Asher is easy one of my favorites of all time - like the absolute greenest of flags, major golden retriever but also a hot and charming doctor. He makes me want to giggle and kick my feet and blush. I love love love the banter and their friendship. Such a fun friends to lovers done so well in a way that still has tension from the start. Living in Jocelyn’s POV felt very relatable and tragic in so many ways it makes your heart hurt. And it’s so fun to see this couple fall in love with their actions and behavior way before either of them realize it themselves. Sooooo goooood!

The only thing that couldn’t get me to a 5 star is some of the language at times. It’s very millennial? Like I feel that I can recognize that as a millennial. And it just takes me out of the story a bit - like the “FML” or “you da bomb” things like that as part of the characters' monologue. While I like the short choppy sentences, it reads well for them but there was just enough of the ~slang~ that it was hard not to notice it.

Regardless, as a whole I loved this one so much and I am absolutely yearning for more doctor romances from Deidra!

[Sofia C · Rating 4 out of 5]

Rating: 4 stars

Love and Other Side Effects delivered exactly what it promised to, a fun yet messy friends to lovers following two physicians. Joss is an anesthesiologist who has a haunting past which cause her to struggle to form meaningful relationships. Asher on the other hand, is a golden retriever OBGYN, who is convinced no one will ever take him seriously enough to be anything more than casual (no matter how much he may want it).

While I'm not personally that big of a fan of friends to lovers OR a golden retriever type MMC, I still found myself really enjoying this one. This to me is a huge testament to Duncans skill as an author.

Side note - but as a medical student currently taking women's health, I absolutely loved reading about the medical aspects of this book! It was literally perfect and I cannot wait to read more of Deidra Duncans books. (Can I count reading this book as exam studying???!)

What I loved most about this book was these two characters and their depth. They felt so real and their emotional struggles were deep and navigated so well.

Joss and Asher had such palpable tension and I loved seeing them grow throughout the book. It was beautiful to see how they helped each other heal from their practically opposite traumas.

I did however, find that the ending resolution between Asher and Joss was not as satisfying as I wanted. While I understand she went through a shock that changed her perspective, I just wish she had groveled a bit more. He was genuinely perfect to her the entire book while she continued to hurt him (not even just hurt him but strike right where his deepest insecurities are). It would have also been nice to see them actually be together a bit more, I would have liked to see how they navigated their relationship as coworkers with all the drama going on in that hospital.

I also love a romance book with high stakes and this one actually shocked me at the end with that! I expected it to be a lot more lighthearted, so I was pleasantly surprised by the intensity of it.

Overall, I absolutely loved this book! Despite my tiny personal qualms, it proved to be an incredibly immersive and adorable read. I fell in love Joss and Asher, and they will go down as one of my all time favorite friends to lovers. I highly recommend this book to anyone who loved STEM/Medical romances like me. And if you aren't big on STEM romances, anyone who enjoys friends to lovers would also love this one!

Thank you Netgalley and MIRA books for this ARC in exchange for my honest review!

[Lindsayrosereads · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to NetGalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing for the ARC!

Love and Other Side Effects was my first Deidra Duncan novel, and it definitely won’t be my last. This friends-to-lovers medical romance follows Asher, a kind-hearted OB-GYN with a jokester reputation, and Jocelyn, a guarded anesthesiologist who has built her life around emotional self-protection. Their friendship is built on mutual understanding and loving each other’s flaws, which made their slow-burning romance feel grounded, tender, and deeply human.

Asher is a total sun shiny cinnamon-roll best friend, warm, loyal, and quietly insecure about not being taken seriously, while Jocelyn is the grumpy counterbalance, wrestling with trauma and fear of emotional loss. I loved the dual POV, which gave insight into both their inner conflicts, and the use of texts and modern references made everything feel current and realistic. Watching Joss slowly confront her walls while Asher grows into his confidence was genuinely satisfying.

The middle of the book did lose me a bit. The emotional push-and-pull and central conflict started to feel repetitive, and at times it wasn’t always clear what was motivating some of Joss’s more frustrating decisions. Still, the slower pacing allowed for meaningful character development, and it never dragged enough to ruin my overall enjoyment.

Ultimately, this is a soft, emotionally driven slow-burn that prioritizes healing and vulnerability over flashy drama. With its medical setting, best-friends-to-lovers tension, and character-focused storytelling, fans of Ali Hazelwood, Sarah Adams, Amy Daws, and Grey’s Anatomy vibes will likely find a lot to love here. I’ll definitely be going back to read Love Sick and more of Duncan’s work. 💕

[Caroline · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you so much to NetGalley for the ARC!

As a Hurricane Katrina victim, this one was not the light romance I was expecting. That being said I think if you didn't experience a major hurricane at a young age, this book isn't too heavy. So many romance books deal with overwhelming topics as part of the building blocks of characters, so it wasn't the fact that there was trauma it was just this specific trauma and the way I had no way to tell going in. That being said if you're afraid of hurricanes, drowning, or family members all dying at once ... maybe this isn't for you.

That being said, I think this character exploration was handled really well. I didn't DNF even though it was something more sensitive to me, handled with grace and care for sure.

Even though it is not currently marketed as such, this is a standalone interconnected romance in succession to Love Sick which I read earlier this month on the off chance that it might be. I am so grateful that I read it first. Being introduced to Asher in advance really added to the experience, especially considering his journey of imposter syndrome and not feeling like it's ever his story or his moment. It's really fun to read a friends to lovers about adults who were adults and had their own pasts before they met. I think the medical setting allows for a lot of interesting side plots and moments and creates a space of vulnerability that these characters definitely needed. I cannot imagine them operating in a lower stakes environment, and Duncan's knowledge of the medical field because she's apart of it made it feel very authentic but easy to swallow.

[Lani · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received a complimentary copy of this book through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

This is a friends-to-lovers story about two people who have been best friends for years. Early on in their friendship, they made it clear that they didn’t want to be more than friends, and they stuck to that. But now, feelings start to develop, and things slowly begin to change.
I really enjoyed the first half of the book. I loved the story, the dynamic between the characters, and their friendship. Everything felt comfortable and natural, and I was invested in them.
Unfortunately, once the story moved from friendship into romance, it felt way too rushed. The transition from friends to something more happened very quickly, and I wasn’t fully convinced by it. I wish that part had been explored more, because it felt a little too short compared to how long their friendship was built up.
Later in the book, a more traumatic event takes place, and that actually changed how I felt about the story. Seeing how the characters supported each other during this time made their bond feel much deeper and more real. Because of that, I connected with them a lot more emotionally.
However, this happened very close to the end of the book. I just wish that I had felt that connection much earlier, then the entire book would’ve been much more enjoyable for me.
Overall, I think this is a good book. I enjoyed it, but I do think some readers might feel the same way I did, especially when it comes to the pacing of the romance and the emotional connection developing a bit late in the story.

[Jillian · Rating 3 out of 5]

Rating: 3.5

Where is the sign up sheet for a boyfriend like Asher Foley because put me first on that list!

Love and Other Side Effects was a dual-POV, friends to lovers romance with co-workers of an OBGYN doctor and an anesthesiologist. This was full of high tension and slow burn, dragging out the inevitable of these two incredibly close best-friends Asher, the OB-GYN doctor, and Jocelyn, the anesthesiologist. Intertwined with the high emotional stakes was witty banter galore.

I wish I had read 'Love Sick' first as I've now learned that's where you are introduced to Asher and begin to love him there. Asher gives major golden retriever energy. Jocelyn however was a harder character to fall in love with. I found myself getting annoyed at her repetitive and self-focused behaviors. I understand Joss went through some traumatic losses in her life but I felt like it was at the point as a reader where it was damaging the flow of the story with her repetitive statements and I kept sighing in her self-sabotage. One other thing that kept taking me out of the book was that for two grown adults I felt like Asher and Joss acted very immature with their nicknames and overall behaviors. It was hard for me to believe that two grown professionals as themselves would talk the way they did. At one point there were quotations with Asher saying "Hehe" and I found myself unfortunately cringing at.

Overall though I found the ending to be solid and I was glad that Joss FINALLY broke down her walls and learned to let love in again.

A huge thanks to NetGalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing for an early eARC for review!

[Jazelle · Rating 3 out of 5]

Love and Other Side Effects Book Review 🦇

What was the last slow burn romance you enjoyed?❓

I absolutely adored reading Love Sick last year, and it was a joy to return to this world with Asher and Joss. Deidra Duncan does a wonderful job at demonstrating the realities of the medical profession (the joys it can bring, the stress it can cause) while spotlighting the importance of mental health rep. I adored how Joss and Asher broke gender stereotypes (Asher being the supposedly playboy but wanting to settle down, Joss being the relationship-phobe who preferred one-night-stands) and how well paired they were as opposites. The character growth here is beautifully done, both Asher and Joss hiding their scars and attempting to battle their insecurities, only to learn how to do so side-by-side. I do think a few of Joss's insecurities are voiced without prompting, but Asher was already through the fortress of walls she used to protect herself, so it's not entirely farfetched. I was also grateful for the quick reappearance of Grace and Julian, but better yet, seeing them from Asher's POV.

A romantic read that will have you rooting for a HEA!

Recommended for fans of The Ripple Effect, The Love Hypothesis, and The Pitt. 🦇

The Vibes ✨
Slow Burn 🩺
Best Friends to Lovers 🩺
STEM / Medical Romance 🩺
Workplace Romance 🩺
Forced Proximity 🩺
Grief / Trauma / Healing 🩺
Mental Health Rep 🩺

Major thanks to the author and publisher for providing an ARC of this book via Netgalley. 🥰 This does not affect my opinion regarding the book. #LoveandOtherSideEffects 🦇

[Ana · Rating 4 out of 5]

💙🩺 It’s very Grey’s Anatomy meets friends-to-lovers, with lots of medical chaos, emotional baggage, and slow-burn longing.

😬 I’ll be honest — the pacing felt off at the beginning. Around 20% I was bored and confused about why Asher was portrayed as this super-attractive, universally loved “masculine dream guy” while acting… kind of goofy? 😂 His nicknames and over-the-top friendliness took me out of it a bit. And their friendship was so intensely intimate that I kept thinking, “How is this not already a relationship??”

✔️ BUT the story really picks up after that.
Their first kiss ➝ their “we shouldn’t have done that” moment ➝ the wedding hookup… everything unfolds slowly and naturally as their feelings start to surface. Jocelyn’s emotional walls (because she’s lost so many people she loves) were frustrating but realistic, and Asher being patient yet vulnerable made their journey feel worth it. The storm/flood sequence near the end added tension in a realistic way, and the way they finally acknowledge their feelings felt steady and earned, not overly dramatic or “grand gesture”-like. And the spice? Totally fine for me, not overly detailed, and some scenes were pleasantly brief.

“She’s Pride and Prejudice-ing me, and her hands are cold.” 💕😂

📖 Overall: a heartfelt, medical-romance friends-to-lovers story with a great emotional payoff once it gets going.

Thank you to HarperCollins Publishers for the ARC via NetGalley! 💙

[Lauren · Rating 5 out of 5]

Love and Other Side Effects
by Deidra Duncan

Love and Other Side Effects is a quiet, emotional friends-to-lovers story that lingers long after the final page. Asher is an OBGYN who hides behind humor, forever seen as the funny one instead of someone worthy of being taken seriously. After a failed declaration of love years ago, he’s exhausted from being temporary and longs for something real—something lasting.

Joss carries her own scars. Having lost everyone she’s ever loved, commitment feels like a risk she can’t afford. She’s built walls around her heart brick by brick, determined to protect what’s left of it. But Asher—her best friend, her safe place—has been standing right there, slowly breaking through those defenses.

When they finally begin to open up to each other, the shift is inevitable and heartbreaking in the best way. A trip to a wedding forces buried feelings to the surface, stirring jealousy, longing, and the fear of not being chosen. Asher struggles with feeling like he’ll never be enough, while Joss wrestles with the terrifying possibility that love might be worth the pain.

Tender, vulnerable, and deeply relatable, Love and Other Side Effects captured my heart. This was an emotional 4.5-star read, and Deidra Duncan has firmly secured her place as an auto-buy author for me. I can’t wait to see what she gives us next.

Thank you to NetGalley and Harlequin for the opportunity to read Love and Other Side Effects.

[Kelsey Fredericks · Rating 4 out of 5]

Love and Other Side Effects is an interconnected stand alone with Love Sick. This book follows Asher from Love Sick. He is a charming, kind OBGYN looking to find a serious partner. He is having trouble because he is fun loving and kind and so women don't always take him seriously and use him as a "good time guy". Jocelyn is an anesthesiologist at the hospital where Asher works and they have become best friends. Joss is only interested in something casual and can't imagine having a serious relationship due to past trauma. When Joss agrees to accompany Asher to a friend's wedding, things start to change between them.

I really enjoyed this book, but at times it was very frustrating. Asher was wonderful and I appreciated his struggle in finding a partner and the friend that he was to Joss. I also appreciated Jocelyn for who she was, but the push pull between her wanting Asher and running away was exhausting by the end. I empathized with Joss and her traumatic past and I really appreciated some of the insights brought to Joss by Asher and her sister.

I highly recommend this book! I loved that there was a high stakes ending. I really enjoyed all of the medical cases included in this book and the interdepartmental relationships within the hospital that were depicted.

Thank you NetGalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing for the ARC!
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

[Brittany Steminist Booknerd]

STEM FMC: anesthesiologist; STEM MMC: OB-GYN
DNF at 11% for personal reasons due to the nature of the content of this book.
I have read the first book in this series and didn't have an issue, so I'm surprised by the content of this book. I didn't see any content or trigger warnings on NetGalley or in the ebook that was provided otherwise I would not have signed up to read it because I know that I have a trigger for hurricane related content. I reached out to the author directly to ask about the book content, and it sounds like there are several scenes that would be too heavy for me to deal with emotionally. Although this is a medical romance, there is a focus on hurricanes in this book, and I just can't manage to read about it after what I have been through in my personal life.
With that said, what I was able to read looked really good, and I'm sad that I'm not going to get the story because I loved Asher in the first book. He was the same sweet character at the start of this book as well, and I really wanted to see him get his HEA. We also got a nice update on the characters from the first book, and I would have loved to see them again later in this book.
I want to be clear that I'm not DNF'ing because of an issue with the writing style or the characters, I just have PTSD and severe anxiety with hurricanes.

[Brittany Baker · Rating 5 out of 5]

ARC Review
4.5/5 ⭐️
1/5 🌶️

This….this was absolutely lovely. As not only a healthcare professional, but a mother that has been through a traumatic pregnancy/birth…I have such an appreciation for the OBGYN field and healthcare in general. This hit home in so many ways.

Asher & Jocelyn’s story was so unique. Both characters faced many obstacles personally and together; the character growth was refreshing. While their journey was unique, it was realistic. With real life, every day obstacles as healthcare providers with real life patient stories; all while being humans themselves with real life experiences & struggles. This book had allll the emotions - grief, hurt, humor, anxiety, love… it was a great representation.

“𝓖𝓻𝓲𝓮𝓯 𝓲𝓼𝓷’𝓽 𝓵𝓲𝓷𝓮𝓪𝓻. 𝓘𝓽’𝓼 𝓪 𝓬𝓲𝓻𝓬𝓵𝓮.”

I loved the medical humor; some I’m sure only someone with a medical background could appreciate - but I was so here for it.

“𝓛𝓔𝓖𝓔𝓝𝓓𝓐𝓡𝓨 𝔀𝓲𝓵𝓵 𝓰𝓸 𝓭𝓸𝔀𝓷 𝓲𝓷 𝓱𝓲𝓼𝓽𝓸𝓻𝔂 𝓪𝓼 𝓷𝓸𝓽𝓱𝓲𝓷𝓰 𝓫𝓾𝓽 𝓪𝓷 𝓮𝓹𝓲𝓬 𝓯𝓪𝓲𝓵𝓾𝓻𝓮.” - lol I see what you did there 😉

“𝓣𝓱𝓮 𝓮𝓿𝓲𝓵 𝓮𝓶𝓹𝓲𝓻𝓮 𝓽𝓱𝓪𝓽 𝓲𝓼 𝓟𝓻𝓮𝓼𝓼 𝓖𝓪𝓷𝓮𝔂 𝓪𝓷𝓭 𝓽𝓱𝓮𝓲𝓻 𝓹𝓪𝓽𝓲𝓮𝓷𝓽 𝓼𝓪𝓽𝓲𝓼𝓯𝓪𝓬𝓽𝓲𝓸𝓷 𝓼𝓾𝓻𝓿𝓮𝔂𝓼...”

🩺 Medical Romance
🌊 OBGYN x Anesthesiologist
🩺 Bestfriends to Lovers
🌊 Trauma & Grief rep
🩺 RomCom
🌊 One Bed
🩺 Slow Burn

Thank you for NetGalley, Harlequin Trade Publishing, Harper Collins Publishers & Deidra Duncan for the ARC 🫶🏼

[Katie Lavoie · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 stars rounded up - a great read for those who grew up loving Scrubs and/or Gray’s Anatomy.

In Duncan’s second book in her standalone interconnected series, she created a delightful love story full of banter, yearning, and all the heart. I adored the friends to lover trope, as both Asher and Joss struggle to acknowledge, hide, and ultimately come to terms with their feelings. I also loved their individual growth - Asher coping with an inferiority complex, Joss drowning in grief, especially as her crutches start to crumble. Last, but not least, I also appreciated Duncan’s humor and writing style. Everything from the jokes and the one-off-references (e.g., How to Train a Dragon) to the dialog (which actually felt believable).

There were several instances the pacing confused me, making me pause and have to figure out if I was missing something. But I was happy to over look it given my enjoyment in everything else.

Ultimately, this is the happily ever after I wanted so badly for Asher. I’m glad he got it, even if it was heartbreaking (for him and readers) to get there!

Thanks to Deidra Duncan, MIRA, and NetGalley for providing me with an advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review.

[Kimberly (Kimsbookaddiction) · Rating 3 out of 5]

✨ARC Review✨

This friends to lovers, slow burn was a cute read. I loved the banter and prank war between Asher and Jocelyn. The medical situations that Asher got to endure were also fun parts of the book.

I’m not a stickler for grammar, but the sentence fragments in this book were odd. It felt like the author was trying to have their own style of writing but to me, it felt off. I also wished that the texts between Asher and Joss were labeled so you knew who was saying what. Sometimes it got a little confusing.

Mental health was heavily represented in this book. I loved that each chapter started with quotes from their therapists. I’ve never read about a character who dealt with PTSD from Katrina which is odd because it impacted so many people. Both she and Asher both had inner monologues about their insecurities that were relatable.

What I did not appreciate was Joss poking at Asher’s biggest insecurities to push him away. Did it make sense because it was a defense mechanism, yes. But also he is still your friend and you hurt him so bad. I also don’t believe a near death experience just healed her avoidant attachment. She needs way more therapy to be ready to be Asher’s partner. I also wanted WAY more from the epilogue. It felt very unfinished.

[Kate Laycoax · Rating 2 out of 5]

I really loved Love Sick, so I went into Love and Other Side Effects with high hopes, but unfortunately, this one left a lot to be desired. My biggest issue was Asher. I just didn’t like him at all. He came off weird and oddly written, and not in a charming or endearing way. He wasn’t at all what I expected after the first book, and it made it hard to root for the romance.

The pacing felt off throughout, and the story didn’t flow as smoothly as I wanted it to. The writing itself felt weaker this time around, and the chemistry between Asher and Jocelyn was… strange. They were somehow too close while also not feeling emotionally connected enough, which made the transition from friends to lovers feel awkward rather than natural.

Overall, it was just okay. That said, if you’re a big Grey’s Anatomy fan and enjoy medical drama with romance layered in, this might still work for you. It just didn’t hit the same way Love Sick did for me.

Thank you to NetGalley, Deidra Duncan, and Harlequin/MIRA for the eARC of this book.

[Bethany Wouters · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thank you, NetGalley and Harlequin, for the eARC in exchange for my honest review!

I'm a bit of a hypochondriac so I tend to stay away from medical media, but I figured a romcom about doctors would be fine, and I was right! Love and Other Side Effects is a cute, friends-to-lovers story for anyone who enjoys reading about two people who are probably closer than they should be as adults realizing they've been in love with each other throughout the course of their friendship.

I want to be honest, I had a hard time connecting with Asher and Joss. I understand a lot of Joss' wounds and trauma, especially after witnessing her parents' death as well as all the other losses she experienced, and I empathized with Asher's imposter syndrome, but I was pretty annoyed with both of them at different points. Am I happy there's an HEA? Absolutely, but the payoff wasn't really worth it, IMO, because it was push and pull, back and forth for the last third of the book, and it got to be repetitive and frustrating and not in a good way.

It may just be me, though, and maybe you'll like this book more than I did. I hope you do!