Bedside Manner

by A.K. MacBride

He was supposed to be off-limits.

The brilliant, ruthless doctor who diagnosed the impossible without breaking a stride, and broke hearts without a second thought.

Including mine.

I came to Siera Mercy to shadow Sebastian Walker. To study his methods, absorb his wisdom. But he's nothing like the mentor I expected. He’s cold, unyielding, and dangerously magnetic. A merciless perfectionist who pushes me to my breaking point, only to watch me unravel with a look that promises he'd gladly take me apart piece by piece.

I despise the way he effortlessly strips away my control. Despise how much I crave it.

Every infuriating smirk, every heated gaze, every ruthless correction drags me deeper under his spell. I know I should run, should escape before it's too late. But every time those dark eyes pierce mine, my heart whispers stay—even if it means breaking in the end.

** Please Bedside Manner was originally published in 2020 as Egotistical Jerk under Cocky Hero Club but has since been reworked, revamped, and lovingly updated after rights reverted back to the author. This spicy standalone comes with no cliffhanger, no third-act breakup, and a guaranteed happily ever after.

382 pages, Kindle Edition

Published October 30, 2025

About the author

Introducing A.K. MacBride, a passionate wordsmith with an insatiable love for crafting heartwarming love stories. She brews tales as tantalizing as her coffee and indulges in the bittersweet world of dark chocolate, all while savoring life's sweetest moments in a quaint South African town.

When she's not creating intricate tapestries of love, longing, and untold desire, you'll often find her lost in the aromatic embrace of freshly brewed coffee—her trusted companion in moments of reflection and creativity. As the rich aroma permeates her writing sanctuary, she lets her imagination soar, conjuring captivating characters and delightful encounters that leave her readers yearning for more.

But it's not just coffee that sets her heart aflutter. A connoisseur of the finest dark chocolate, she indulges in the velvety decadence, allowing its rich flavors to inspire her characters' intense passions and the intricacies of their relationships. Just as the delicate balance of flavors dances on her taste buds, her writing tantalizes the hearts of her readers, leaving them craving the sweetness of true love.

Amidst the joyous chaos of her literary world, she finds unwavering support and endless love in her husband and daughter. They are the pillars of her existence, a constant reminder that true romance is not only found within the pages of a book but also in the tender moments shared with loved ones. With their presence in her life, her stories overflow with authenticity, depth, and the promise of happily ever afters.

So, grab a cup of coffee, savor a piece of dark chocolate, and lose yourself in the tender embrace of A.K. MacBride’s enchanting tales. For within the pages of her novels, love blossoms, hearts mend, and extraordinary journeys of the heart await, all crafted with the delicate touch of a romance author who understands the power of a perfectly brewed love story.

Reviews

[Daniela French · Rating 5 out of 5]

For ONCE in my life… I actually preferred the Doctor to the Cowboy!!!😉💗😍 But in all seriousness I love the Walker brothers!!!!!❤️ This book hit close to home for me because of Mia and her Father’s tight knit relationship. It made me think of my own Dad and all the grief I’ve been navigating since he passed away, much like I saw Mia dealing with. It felt so relatable but made me cry, it was very therapeutic to see how beautifully AK touched on this sensitive topic❤️ That really pushed it to a 5 star read for me❤️ xx

[adeela_books ❁ཻུ۪۪ · Rating 5 out of 5]

5 stars

Doctor Sebastian Walker it was such a pleasure meeting you 😂
I haven't read a medical romance before but I throughly enjoyed my first. It gave off major medical drama vibes and I loved it. Kinda made me wanna go back to watching them.

Mia was such a great fmc and of course the perfect pairing for Sebastian. I shipped these 2 together and they had me invested in their romance that's for sure.

The banter, delicious tension and electrifying romance were all perfectly executed, it made this such an enjoyable reading experience.

The typography cover too is so soft & pretty. I love that Walker ranch/gang made an appearance. I especially appreciated the diversity created amongst the side characters like the other fellows on the medical team!

I hope Arjun btw gets his own story to shine in coz I loved him and the way he called Seb out on his bullshit. Bro was so real! I also liked Laney, she has spunk. It'll be interesting to see who she ends up with.

Btw that club scene had me turning the pages so fast. The chemistry between those two is unreal. Seb has all of the markers that creates an epic grumpy book boyfriend *swoon!*

I have no words for how much I love him & Mia together and how perfectly they fit,like puzzle pieces meant for each other.

It's always wonderful when I find myself liking both the mmc and fmc (not referring to them as a couple coz yall know I already ship them) but as individuals.

Macbride knows what she's doing and I can't wait to read her upcoming releases. She's an auto-read author. So proud of her 💖

This one has extra spice btw so I skipped/skimmed some of those scenes. Tho the love & sparks between Seb & Mia will have you adoring this duo.

• Thanks author for the arc & pr box •

[Emily Arriola · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really liked Bedside Manner! It reminded me so much of Grey’s Anatomy! The tension and chemistry between Sebastian and Mia was off the charts! This was the perfect addition to The Hard To Handle series and I loved getting to know Sebastian more!


🩺workplace
❤️caretaking
🩺hate to love
❤️grief/healing

[Daisy Magnolia · Rating 5 out of 5]

The tension, the heartbreak, the emotional destruction... This story has it all. Scrubs, patients, family mess and let's not forget the drama 😏 And Mia is a badass you can't help but root for 🔥

A 5☆ read. And Sebastian? Feral. Clinically feral. Someone help 🙈

[Felicia Finley · Rating 4 out of 5]

*ARC Review* I really enjoyed this story. Macbride does a great job of focusing on the individual characters story and also their story together. Bedside Manner is an easy to read story with like able characters and a good balance of emotion, story, growth, and laughter.

Although it is the second book in a series you do not need to read the first book to understand the second.

[Anah Grindrod · Rating 4 out of 5]

Arc review

Rating: 4 stars

Review incoming

[Carli.Reads.A.Latte · Rating 4 out of 5]

Bedside Manner is a masterclass in tension, delivering a high-stakes, deeply emotional, and intensely spicy workplace romance. This novel tackles the classic "Ice King boss falls for the fiery subordinate" trope, layering it with themes of professional grief and the cost of emotional control. It is a story about finding balance—between strict protocol and necessary human empathy—and the explosive chemistry that ignites when two brilliant minds finally stop fighting each other and surrender to the inevitable.

​The Conflict: Ice King Meets Fire
​The story immediately establishes an electrifying, antagonistic dynamic between Dr. Mia Phillips, the passionate and empathetic diagnostics fellow, and Dr. Sebastian Walker, the brilliant but notoriously cold department head, often referred to as "Dr. Frosty"

​Their conflict begins dramatically when Mia saves a patient's life by performing unauthorized CPR in the hospital lobby moments before her shift starts. For Sebastian, Mia’s impulsiveness and disregard for protocol represent everything he fears: chaos and loss of control.
​Their professional relationship quickly devolves into public sparring. Sebastian, fueled by an intense, unwanted attraction to the one woman who challenges him, attempts to push Mia away by undermining her brilliance and assigning her menial tasks. Mia, still grieving a past loss and determined to prove herself, refuses to back down. This professional cruelty becomes agonizing foreplay, building explosive tension that is impossible to ignore.

​Characters and Chemistry
​Dr. Sebastian Walker: Sebastian's journey is one of beautiful decompression. He is a character defined by control, having built impenetrable emotional walls around himself since a painful past betrayal and the fear of failure. Mia’s chaotic energy and honesty are a direct threat to his ordered world. His cruel attempts to maintain professional distance only highlight his staggering sexual possessiveness, creating a dark, desperate need that is utterly captivating. His vulnerability shines through in moments when he admits his fear, cementing his arc from controlling monster to a man willing to fight for love.
​Dr. Mia Phillips: Mia is a force of nature—brilliant, deeply compassionate, and unable to filter her emotions. Her empathy for patients, particularly the ailing Cheryl, defines her humanity but also leads to her biggest crisis. Her arc is about learning to forgive herself for what she couldn't control and understanding that her passion is her greatest strength, not a weakness. She matches Sebastian move-for-move, both in the boardroom and the bedroom, demanding respect even when consumed by desire.

​The Chemistry: The sexual tension is the star of this book. It is raw, palpable, and beautifully executed. The forbidden nature of their relationship (boss/subordinate) combined with Sebastian’s desire for control and Mia’s defiant spirit leads to some truly unforgettable scenes. Notably, the scene where Sebastian utilizes ice and heat to push Mia to the brink showcases the methodical intensity of his passion and the deep level of trust and surrender he demands—and receives—from Mia. The moments where Sebastian's control cracks—such as the intense confrontation in the alley, the shocking act in his office, and the emotional intimacy of the shared bath—are powerfully written and deeply satisfying.

​Themes: Healing and Home
​The true heart of the novel lies in the profound theme of healing. When Mia's grief reaches a breaking point and she quits her job, Sebastian drops everything to take her to his family ranch in Montana. This change of scenery is pivotal. Stripped of their professional armor, they are forced to confront their emotional baggage.

​Sebastian finally opens up about his strained family history and his mother's death, while Mia finds forgiveness for her father's passing through Sebastian's understanding. The ranch provides an authentic backdrop for their love story to evolve beyond pure desire and into a foundation of trust and vulnerability. The moment Sebastian chooses to put Mia’s career and well-being ahead of his own—giving the hospital board an ultimatum—is the ultimate proof that the Ice King has permanently thawed.

​Recommendation
​This book is highly recommended for readers who enjoy:
​High-Heat Workplace Romance: The tension and spice are off the charts, driven by a compelling power dynamic.
​Broody Heroes with Deep Emotional Arcs: Sebastian's journey to vulnerability is extremely rewarding.
​Medical Drama and Found Family: The supporting cast, especially the wise patient Cheryl and Mia's hilarious best friend Laney, add tremendous warmth and humor.
​It is a story that proves the greatest risk often leads to the greatest reward, resulting in a well-earned and beautiful "Happily Ever After" on the Walker Ranch.

[Read_withchan · Rating 5 out of 5]

ARC Review

🩺 Bedside Manner by A.K. MacBride
#Miastian forever!
There are books that make you swoon… And then there are books that rip your heart out, hold it hostage, and somehow make you thank them for it.
This one? Yeah, it’s that book.
A.K. MacBride didn’t just write a story—she carved open the human heart and showed us every raw, beautiful, broken piece. Bedside Manner is an emotional gut-punch wrapped in a white coat and a stethoscope.
Mia… God, she’s the kind of heroine you feel in your bones. Smart, stubborn, and quietly falling apart in all the ways that make her so damn real. Watching her navigate grief, pressure, and her complicated relationship with her father hit me harder than I was ready for. It mirrored my own pain—my brother lost his fight with lymphoma in January 2024—and seeing Mia’s strength, her love, her heartbreak… it was like seeing my own grief on the page. It broke me, but in that beautiful, necessary way that stories like this do.
And Cheryl—that woman is pure light in the darkest room. Her humor, her resilience, the friendship she shares with Mia… it’s the kind of bond that makes your heart ache and heal all at once. I adored her with my whole chest.
And then there’s Sebastian Walker.
The man is clinical chaos wrapped in a lab coat. He’s cold, brilliant, and untouchable—until he isn’t. Because when that man unravels? Lord have mercy. The tension between him and Mia could sterilize a surgical suite. The way he pushes her, the way he worships her control before shattering it… yeah, I’ll be thinking about that office scene and the ice cube moment until further notice. 🔥
This book gave me it all—the heartbreak, the grief, the humor, the healing, and the kind of spice that has you blushing in public and rereading like your life depends on it.
Also, someone please alert the ER because Sebastian Walker is dangerously addictive. Bradley may have had my heart before, but his brother just claimed full custody. Sorry, not sorry.
Oh, and A.K.? I’m begging—Sawyer and Arjun’s story next, please. I’m on my knees.

Here’s what you’ll get:
🩸 Emotionally wrecked perfection
💔 Grief, healing & found family
🔥 “Off-limits” doctor energy that’ll ruin you
🥶 Ice cube scene (send oxygen)
🏥 Forbidden workplace tension
💉 Dual POV brilliance
💋 Spice + heartbreak = pure magic
💍 Mia x Sebastian = forever my downfall
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
🌶️🌶️🌶️

[Debra Ludlow-Wilson · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is my first medical romance book and I really enjoyed it! I absolutely devoured this book, I love MacBrides books. It delivered all the emotional depth, sizzling tension and heartfelt romance I had hoped for and love from her books.
Dr. Mia Phillips is just wonderful. She’s brilliant, passionate and not afraid to stand her ground, even on her very dramatic first day at Sierra Mercy Medical Center. And her backstory adds such a touching layer to her character and her motivations, I just love her.
And Dr. Sebastian Walker. What a perfectly crafted stubborn MMC! He's the brilliant, intimidating and emotionally walled off mess of a man! He sees Mia as "Trouble" from the moment she arrives and I loved watching them grow and develop as I read!
He's infuriating and demanding but A K Macbride does a fantastic job slowly peeling back his layers.
The chemistry between these two is simply electric. The push and pull of their professional rivalry and undeniable attraction is a delicious slow burn. It’s not just about lust, it’s a true meeting of two brilliant minds who challenge each other at every twist and turn. Their journey from combative colleagues to something much, much more is paced so perfectly.
I also have to say that this story has real heart. The patient storylines were also incredibly moving and added so much substance to the plot.
If you love a well written workplace romance with plenty of emotional depth and heat, I can't recommend Bedside Manner enough. Just remember though it is medical and emotional! (Dr Walker is my favourite yet.. not bias.. much..)

[Samantha · Rating 5 out of 5]

My first doctor romance read and it did not disappoint.

Having met Sebastian briefly in Broken Roads, I was delighted to find how different he is to his brother Bradley, the cowboy.

Sebastian Walker a brilliant diagnostician with an icy reputation and high level of control, Mia Phillips just entered the program to get a position on his team, she is caring as well as brilliant. Sparks fly from their first run in that threaten to shatter Sebastian's carefully crafted walls he built around himself.

The chemistry between the two of them crackled the whole way through. The story flowed nicely, side characters were amazing and memorable. Mia has her best friend Laney who is there for her, supports and teases her. Sebastian has his best friend Arjun who knows him so well and not only is a rock, but sees through his BS and calls him out on it in the best kind of way.

Enjoyed the story, it had patients, losses, wins, romance, family, grief and healing.

Must just highlight the office scene. I loved it. IYKYK

[Emma (thecaffeinatedbookaholic) · Rating 5 out of 5]

This one brought some big feels. Sebastian & Mia are everything! From the start, I was here for Mia’s confidence and the way she went head-to-head with Sebastian. She’s a badass, and I want to be like her. Sebastian’s grumpy and a bit of a jerk. He’s definitely salty about having any kind of feeling for Mia, and these two have a spark from the beginning. The pull between these two is so much stronger than his need for boundaries and professionalism, and I loved that Mia had him breaking all the rules! My heart shattered for Mia and her story–her grief was so raw. I loved the way Sebastian showed up for her–the man was all in once the rules were broken, and I loved seeing a different side of him (also the mouth on him?!). I also loved getting to see more of Sebastian’s family! I really enjoyed this one!

[ARC review]

[Chante Stuart · Rating 4 out of 5]

***ARC READER***

Although it is the second book in a series you do not need to read the first book to understand the second.

Dr. Mia Philips is smart, ambitious, and ready to prove herself in the hospital. She handles patients with skill and navigates tricky professional dynamics, though I wish the story showed more of her working with patients and colleagues.

Still, the book delivers intense mentor-mentee tension, steamy chemistry, and enough hospital backdrop to keep the story grounded. Mia’s growth and competence make her a strong heroine, even if her professional life could’ve been explored in more depth.

💥 Why You’ll Love It:

- Ambitious, capable heroine
- Dominant, compelling hero
- Mentor-mentee tension with steamy chemistry
- Some hospital and professional interactions
- Guaranteed HEA

If you want a passionate, character-driven romance with hints of medical drama, this one’s worth a read.

[Zoey’s Review Corners❤️ · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ok I’ll admit it this book had me hooked in a few sentences. Totally forgot I read the first book till a few chapters later which resulted in a short chuckle from me. It was cute and adorable. Hated Seb when he was treating Mia like shit and he honestly needed to grovel a bit more but that did not ruin my enjoyment of the book. I wish the PoVs were explicitly stated before the beginning of the chapter because it got bit confusing as you had to read a couple of sentences before you understood whose PoV it was. Love the Bradley and Hailey cameo. Mia honestly needed to deal with her trauma because damn some of her reactions to what was happening was like what? Aren’t you a doctor. Enjoyed myself honestly.

[Nathalie DeSousa · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a grumpy/sunshine story with a touch of hospital policies in it. Mia is a doctor aspiring to advance, she is caring competent, independent. Sebastian is Mia's mentor, the ulitmate grump who is willing to help Mia as she starts to break his walls. Between close proximity, their electric chemistry, the fast action of the hospital, the lines of professionalism start to blurr, and he will have to make an ultimate decision, Mia or the hospital?

A great read with a tension, passion, mature characters, a bit of drama and the chance for a HEA.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[arieste323 · Rating 5 out of 5]

Love it! I am a huge fan of medical dramas and this checked all the boxes. It's full of drama, heat, emotion and wonderful characters. I literally was hooked from the first chapter and didn't want to put ut down. Sebastian and Mia have amazing chemistry and I was rooting for their HEA the whole way. Definitely a 4.5 star must read.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Maritza · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was giving the spiciest version of Meredith Grey and Derek Shephard.

Wow, just wow. This book got me out of my reading slump!

The mouth on this man?! I can't even dealllll.

Sebastian and Mia's story was just elite and everything I needed from a medical romance. I felt like I was there, I could here the machines beeping, I could feel the tension. This might have been even better than Broken Roads!

[Bernie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Love this,

Short description of the vibe this book gives,
Take House and Greys Anatomy mix it and sprinkle a bit of Virgin River into it...

This was really well written medical Romance with just the right amount of build up between Sebastian and Mia...

Perfect read when u are looking for something light and quick in-between those thick and long series for a pallet cleanser

[Linda · Rating 4 out of 5]

I've fallen in love with a Walker! Sebastian Walker!

I enjoyed Mia too!

With what Mia's dealing with, will she be able to handle Sebastian too?

I love a great family drama, and this hit all my buttons!

This was emotional!
It was healing too!
So realistic!

Loved it!

[Dee Mac · Rating 5 out of 5]

Emotional
This story brought out all the feels. Mia and Sebastian are realistic and engaging, their early connection pulled me into their story.
This has family, angst, tension, drama, grief, healing, growth, steam, humour and romance.

[A Murphy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Bedside Manner book 2 of Hard to Handle series. The story is a great, steamy, slow burn medical romance with characters that were likable and enjoyable to read about. I enjoyed reading this romance.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Deb · Rating 4 out of 5]

An enjoyable story with likable characters who have an interesting start to their relationship. I enjoyed the evolution of the storyline. I found the chemistry between them believable. I loved the energy between them as well.

I received a copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[P.L. Waites · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book kept me hooked all the way. I loved it so much. Sebastian Walker is now my new book boyfriend. Just loved these characters.

[Cindy Palmer · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sebastian & Mia's story. Mia has so much confidence and sassy-ness and so not afraid to go up against Sebastian and his grumpy jerk-ness. This is a good grumpy sunshine story and I enjoyed the read.