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Ben
He’s a young doctor with a kind heart…
In a busy London medical clinic, Ben Stein meets a pretty girl in a whole lot of trouble. She’s faking an asthma attack and begging for help, and he’s determined to find out why. There are strict codes of conduct that forbid any kind of relationship between a doctor and his patient – but Ben has missed out on love before, and he’s ready to believe the reward is worth taking the risk.
She needs his love and protection…
Layla is a shy, pretty, eighteen-year-old, who is owned - body and soul - by a London crime ring. She barely has the courage to utter two words when she first meets Ben; but those words draw him to her like a moth to a flame. She’s from a dangerous part of town where life is a roller-coaster of highs and lows and everything has its price. She’s aching for love and longs to get close, but she’s never let anyone get THIS close to her before. And to accept Ben's help means putting him in great danger too...
In a busy London medical clinic, Ben Stein meets a pretty girl in a whole lot of trouble. She’s faking an asthma attack and begging for help, and he’s determined to find out why. There are strict codes of conduct that forbid any kind of relationship between a doctor and his patient – but Ben has missed out on love before, and he’s ready to believe the reward is worth taking the risk.
She needs his love and protection…
Layla is a shy, pretty, eighteen-year-old, who is owned - body and soul - by a London crime ring. She barely has the courage to utter two words when she first meets Ben; but those words draw him to her like a moth to a flame. She’s from a dangerous part of town where life is a roller-coaster of highs and lows and everything has its price. She’s aching for love and longs to get close, but she’s never let anyone get THIS close to her before. And to accept Ben's help means putting him in great danger too...
ebook
First published November 8, 2014
639 people want to read
About the author
Cody Young
17 books71 followersCody Young has written nine books. She has a UK passport, an Italian husband, Kiwi kids, and an American smile. She finds time for writing by stealth, subterfuge and ignoring the laundry. She studied English and History at university, graduating with a Ph.D in 2001. She enjoys reading suspense, romance, thrillers and teen fiction.
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Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews
December 10, 2014
3.5 British Thugs and Forbidden Love Stars * * * 1/2
Do you like dark British drama... brooding men and women they want to save.... if overcoming the odds and a touch of the forbidden is something which intrigues... then this story will hold your interest.
We are in the Rookeries, a type of projects... where all inhabitants belong to the gangster, Mr. Birch... he rules with violence and fear...with the police in his pocket and hopelessness spread like jam on toast.
This is the location of the Clinic Ben just transferred to...He is highly educated; practiced at the Royal Hospital, comes from a well to do family and wanting to make a difference. He wants to right the world's wrongs.... and also run from an obsessional love... one which gutted him. To see her everyday with her new husband, happy... was too much to bear... so Ben finds himself here...being told to administer medical care in 7 minute increments.
At the end of his first day, his last patient is a young girl with a cagey older man... Ben can see the fear in her eyes... the man is asking to do STD testing on her to see if she is clean... Layla is silently pleading with him no. When he starts to discuss statistical facts, such as her age... Layla panics and distracts with an "asthma" attack. Behind the curtain away from the man... Ben discovers Layla is hiding a secret... to help her survive in the Rookeries... he keeps the secret and in doing so... starts to cross that Dr./patient line....
Ben has Layla come back to see him... and schedules it during a time he knows the man will never be able to come... Layla does come back and in her honesty with her plight...her knowing the clock is ticking and soon she will be another casualty of forced prostitution...Ben slips deeper into his feeling for her...clouding all reason...
Ben is a man who sees himself as one who made mistakes in the past... not fighting hard enough for what he wanted... this time he will not let go of his desire... this time he decides he will save Layla from her destiny .... and if she should feel for him the way he feels for her...then life will be good.
These characters were the perfect catalyst for this story... What was very interesting was who had the most strength of character... You would think Ben, the learned Doctor would be the one who had all the answers and be the force to reckon with... but in actuality... the strength and heart of this tale came from Layla. She was the one who understood life... and decided she was not going to be another hopeless female doing whatever was expected of her without thought or fight. She was the character I liked... and I liked her all the way through.
Ben was harder... for although his heart seemed to be in a righteous place.... he was often times more awkward and naive in understanding the reality of this economic world at 28...it was if he had lived in a bubble his whole life and didn't get that things he thought were little could put Layla in danger. He also fell into the insta- lust for me- where as it made sense for Layla to be drawn to him deeply... she had experienced so little affection or care in her 18 years.
What did work was the writing... the descriptions and details of the locations... from the projects and sleaze to the over the top estates and landscaping. The description and feel of the early morning flower-mart was especially strong and I wished to have been there to see the sight.
There are moments where the reader needs to suspend their disbelief.., but if you are able to envision that BBC drama/romance you are hooked on... then buckle up and take the ride.
A gifted copy was provided by author/publisher for an honest review.
For more Reviews, Free E-books and Giveaways
Do you like dark British drama... brooding men and women they want to save.... if overcoming the odds and a touch of the forbidden is something which intrigues... then this story will hold your interest.
We are in the Rookeries, a type of projects... where all inhabitants belong to the gangster, Mr. Birch... he rules with violence and fear...with the police in his pocket and hopelessness spread like jam on toast.
This is the location of the Clinic Ben just transferred to...He is highly educated; practiced at the Royal Hospital, comes from a well to do family and wanting to make a difference. He wants to right the world's wrongs.... and also run from an obsessional love... one which gutted him. To see her everyday with her new husband, happy... was too much to bear... so Ben finds himself here...being told to administer medical care in 7 minute increments.
At the end of his first day, his last patient is a young girl with a cagey older man... Ben can see the fear in her eyes... the man is asking to do STD testing on her to see if she is clean... Layla is silently pleading with him no. When he starts to discuss statistical facts, such as her age... Layla panics and distracts with an "asthma" attack. Behind the curtain away from the man... Ben discovers Layla is hiding a secret... to help her survive in the Rookeries... he keeps the secret and in doing so... starts to cross that Dr./patient line....
Ben has Layla come back to see him... and schedules it during a time he knows the man will never be able to come... Layla does come back and in her honesty with her plight...her knowing the clock is ticking and soon she will be another casualty of forced prostitution...Ben slips deeper into his feeling for her...clouding all reason...
Ben is a man who sees himself as one who made mistakes in the past... not fighting hard enough for what he wanted... this time he will not let go of his desire... this time he decides he will save Layla from her destiny .... and if she should feel for him the way he feels for her...then life will be good.
These characters were the perfect catalyst for this story... What was very interesting was who had the most strength of character... You would think Ben, the learned Doctor would be the one who had all the answers and be the force to reckon with... but in actuality... the strength and heart of this tale came from Layla. She was the one who understood life... and decided she was not going to be another hopeless female doing whatever was expected of her without thought or fight. She was the character I liked... and I liked her all the way through.
Ben was harder... for although his heart seemed to be in a righteous place.... he was often times more awkward and naive in understanding the reality of this economic world at 28...it was if he had lived in a bubble his whole life and didn't get that things he thought were little could put Layla in danger. He also fell into the insta- lust for me- where as it made sense for Layla to be drawn to him deeply... she had experienced so little affection or care in her 18 years.
What did work was the writing... the descriptions and details of the locations... from the projects and sleaze to the over the top estates and landscaping. The description and feel of the early morning flower-mart was especially strong and I wished to have been there to see the sight.
There are moments where the reader needs to suspend their disbelief.., but if you are able to envision that BBC drama/romance you are hooked on... then buckle up and take the ride.
A gifted copy was provided by author/publisher for an honest review.
For more Reviews, Free E-books and Giveaways
October 25, 2015
Gets off to a great start. Really gripping and makes you want to read on and find out exactly what kind of mess Layla is caught up in.
It's very easy reading, was free, and for a romance, it actually does have a decent plot behind the obvious. Those are the good points, now the stuff I had issues with:
I felt like some of it fell into caricature (for example, the smack addicted mother and the situation with Layla's back - I mean really, wtf? Who would write that on their own back, let alone a child's, ditto to the tattoo "artist" who did it). And other bits like Ray just moving in. And the father in prison.
Plus Layla being far too young for Ben, and he her doctor. Even though he's a good guy, I felt like he was a bit of a douche too. There was a bit of an ick factor.
I also didn't like him getting blind drunk on their first date - I couldn't buy that for a second. I could see Layla being nervous and drinking too much as a young girl, but not a supposedly sophisticated doctor who knows full well he is meant to be driving. It added nothing to the plot, either, so I didn't see the point of that. Maybe it was to show Ben is flawed. Well, we already know that, he's gawping at a 17 year olds boobs during a medical examination. Not exactly the stuff of fantasies.
I have been doing a lot of travelling this week and finally going through the many freebie books I have downloaded. Many I read a chapter of and just deleted. This I read in a day and it did keep me entertained, so hopefully my ragging doesn't put anyone off. It has issues, but as a romance, if you enjoy that genre, I would recommend this one as something free or cheap to download.
It's very easy reading, was free, and for a romance, it actually does have a decent plot behind the obvious. Those are the good points, now the stuff I had issues with:
I felt like some of it fell into caricature (for example, the smack addicted mother and the situation with Layla's back - I mean really, wtf? Who would write that on their own back, let alone a child's, ditto to the tattoo "artist" who did it). And other bits like Ray just moving in. And the father in prison.
Plus Layla being far too young for Ben, and he her doctor. Even though he's a good guy, I felt like he was a bit of a douche too. There was a bit of an ick factor.
I also didn't like him getting blind drunk on their first date - I couldn't buy that for a second. I could see Layla being nervous and drinking too much as a young girl, but not a supposedly sophisticated doctor who knows full well he is meant to be driving. It added nothing to the plot, either, so I didn't see the point of that. Maybe it was to show Ben is flawed. Well, we already know that, he's gawping at a 17 year olds boobs during a medical examination. Not exactly the stuff of fantasies.
I have been doing a lot of travelling this week and finally going through the many freebie books I have downloaded. Many I read a chapter of and just deleted. This I read in a day and it did keep me entertained, so hopefully my ragging doesn't put anyone off. It has issues, but as a romance, if you enjoy that genre, I would recommend this one as something free or cheap to download.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 9, 2016
Actual rating: 3.5 stars
This book twisted so it's a good thing it has a happily ever after.
This book twisted so it's a good thing it has a happily ever after.
September 12, 2022
Excellent book!!!
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews