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Taming Her Navy Doc

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Finally the injured Navy SEAL brought to surgeon Erica Griffin in the dead of night has a name: Captain Thorne Wilder – her new commanding officer! Five years on he’s just as gorgeous as Erica remembers – and still totally off-limits! She might be as wary of relationships as he is, but fighting temptation will be the biggest battle of all...

Kindle Edition

First published June 23, 2015

3 people are currently reading
59 people want to read

About the author

Amy Ruttan

326 books213 followers
Born and raised on the outskirts of Toronto, Ontario Amy fled the big city to settle down with the country boy of her dreams. When she's not furiously typing away at her computer, she's a mom to three wonderful children, who have given her another job as a taxi driver.

A voracious reader, she was given her first romance novel by her grandmother who shared her penchant for a hot romance. From that moment, Amy was hooked by the magical worlds, handsome heroes and sigh worthy romances contained in the pages and she knew what she wanted to be when she grew up.

Life got in the way, and after the birth of her second child, she decided to pursue her dream of becoming a romance author.

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5 stars
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Displaying 1 - 26 of 26 reviews
Profile Image for Nas Dean.
835 reviews38 followers
September 1, 2015
TAMING HER NAVY DOC by author Amy Ruttan is August 2015 release by Harlequin Mills & Boon Medical Romance series.

Captain Thorne Wilder was the man who had haunted her for the last five years!

Surgeon Erica Griffin had him on a stretcher when she first saw him and then she’d amputated his infected leg. Now face to face with him as her commanding officer, would he recognize her? Did he blame her for taking his leg?

TAMING HER NAVY DOC is a story which would hook a reader in and keep her glued to the pages till the end. Author Amy Ruttan brought this amazing setting of surgeons on army base which I enjoyed. It was fast paced and kept me engrossed in the story. I loved the emotional tension and the chemistry of Thorne and Erica.

Highly recommended for all readers of medical romance.
Profile Image for Jessica.
2,212 reviews51 followers
June 25, 2015
Erica helped save a John Doe on a need to know basis that left this soldier with an amputated leg. Its been a while she and never knew what became of him until she was set up that was until she finds that he is knew new commanding officer. She was attracted to this man and now its becaome a bit difficult for her because she has had a relationship with a past co-worker and he had made things difficult and she wont make that mistake again.

Overall I thought that this was a short and sweet little escape into this book. I loved watching the connection between Erica and Thorne . The story was very well written with very interesting characters. I loved getting to know these two characters for the short while of reading this book. Overall I recommend you lovely readers to check out this book.
Profile Image for Jen.
586 reviews17 followers
August 10, 2015
Perfect book if you're looking for a quick read. Erica is a great heroine. She works hard in a male dominated world, and even though she's had to deal with some pretty bad hits to her reputation, she never gives up. Her connection with Thorne is so much more than a strong attraction, she is also the doctor responsible for amputating his leg. This obviously complicates their relationship. Overall, this is a good story, my only complaint are that is was short and their thoughts about why they were not interested in a relationship were a bit repetitive.

I received an ARC via NetGalley for the purpose of an honest review. I was not compensated for this review, all conclusions are my own.
Profile Image for Amber.
489 reviews64 followers
August 16, 2015
This was such a sweet and easy read. A beautiful love story with strong characters and a great storyline.

Erica and Thorne are both battling demons from their pasts and neither want a relationship but cant help be drawn towards one another.

I love how strong and determined Erica was. She's in a male dominated field but wasn't going to let that deter her from her goals. Her and Thorne balanced each other out very well and I was so glad when they finally started letting their walls down and each other in.

The authors writing flowed very well and made for a really great read.
Profile Image for Robyn Rychards.
Author 8 books75 followers
August 22, 2015
Taming Her Navy Doc was a sweet, emotional story. I liked reading about such a strong, heroine, Erica, having the grit and determination to advance her career in a male dominated world, as well as hold her own with the hero, Thorne, whose leg she amputated years earlier. I couldn't help but fall in love with Thorne for his scars and his ability to love a woman who was not only his equal, but who'd made the decision to amputate his leg. Something that changed his life and his career and which lots of people wouldn't be able to get past. If you love Medical Romance, you'll love this one!
Profile Image for Megan.
3,623 reviews45 followers
December 20, 2015
Really loved this one. Was such a happy read and made me feel all awwy when that he doesn't hate her and has 'forgiven' her for what she did to him even though it was the right thing to do.

Profile Image for Hsiau Wei.
1,846 reviews7 followers
July 4, 2022
Erica was the one who amputated his leg. Five years later they met again and Erica wonder whether he remember her. Thorne knew who Erica is even before her request to work was approved. Both of them battling their own demons and neither of them want long term commitment but couldn’t help when they were attracted to each other.


It is a sweet and emotional read for me. The storyline is well written about how love heal two people who really have been through some tough times and found found the happiness they deserve at the end. Loved watching the chemistry between Erica and Thorne.
Profile Image for Hina Tabassum Khatri.
677 reviews117 followers
August 19, 2015
A John Doe is what he was when Erica first operated on him in the middle of the night. A man who was hell bent on serving his country and damn the consequences.

Though she had some words to say, he was taken out of her care as he was a part of a covert operation. Years passed and she still thought of that time with a man she did not even know the name of. The blue eyes haunted her still.

Erica works hard to make a name in the still male dominant profession of being a Navy Commander and hopes to one day being a Captain. To lead and not just be the second in command.

On her posting to Okinawa, as Commander, she come face to face with those haunting blue yes that she remembers so vividly. She had believed him to be dead as the infection had been very severe when she had operated on him but he had made it. He lived and now she was his second in command. A man she has not only seen at the most vulnerable but also a man she was highly attracted to. The man is Captain Thorne Wilder.

Thorne knew who Erica was before her request to work in Okinawa was approved. He remembered the achingly beautiful and compassionate woman who had saved his life and sort of taken away the life he wanted to live with one decision that she made. He wanted to hate her for what she did but being a surgeon himself, he understood why she did what she did.

The moment she reported to him and he saw her, he started feeling the loss he had to bear at her hands again. Calling himself all kinds of fool for getting her here, irrespective of her being one of the best trauma surgeons, he decides then and there to make her life miserable here so that she file for a different posting.

What he finds out later is that she is one stubborn woman ready to bear all that can dish out and still stand her ground. Her ambitions and zeal are far too strong to be broken in this manner. A woman who respects herself enough to know how to remain tough when in line of fire.

What these two have never thought their future held was a life of love and happiness because both of them believe they do not deserve it and both of them are wrong.

These two people who have sacrificed for the love of their country and for the love of the people they call their own, deserve all the happiness that their tomorrows together promise to bring.

Recommended to every Romance Reader.
Profile Image for Helen.
2,919 reviews65 followers
August 24, 2015
This is a great story that will have you turning the pages the setting is so lovely a Navy hospital and SEAL training base in Okinawa, Japan.

Erica Griffin grew up a Navy brat with her father a SEAL but she lost him when she was young in tragic circumstances and decided that she wanted to join the navy herself but be a Doctor and she is nothing but strong and determined and has made her way up the ranks although not without some problems. She has served on the hospital ship Hope for some years and has treated many patients but there is one that has stayed in her mind for five years he will never be forgotten even though she never knew his name, but now it is time to make a move to a new workplace on the Japanese Island of Okinawa little realising that this will change her life forever.

Captain Thorne Wilder has been through a few tragedies in his life and is now determined to be a loner he is a Doctor and a very good trauma Doctor but has been a SEAL as well until an accident changed that for him. He is now in charge of the hospital on Okinawa and they need a new second in command someone who is good at what they do. He has never forgotten the face of the Doctor who operated on him five years earlier and changed his life and now he will actually get to meet her when she arrives to become his new second in command.

This is such a beautiful and emotional story of how love can help heal and bring happiness to people who really have been through some tough times and then to come out showing such strength I loved how Erika always stood up for what she wanted and thought was right no matter how much Thorne pushed her and to see their beautiful HEA bought tears to my eyes while smiling.

This really is a story that I highly recommend to see two people overcome such tragedy with such strength and happiness.

1,340 reviews33 followers
July 8, 2015
I received and ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review, and here it is.

This was certainly a different take on the usual wounded warrior tale. Erica, is a Navy surgeon stationed aboard a hospital ship. One night a wounded man arrives by helicopter. He has no name, and no history--he was injured during a covert op, and sadly, Erica finds that it is medically necessary to remove his left leg, although he begs and pleads with her not to do so. She sees no other option, and operates. Erica tries her best to convince his commanding officer to allow him to remain aboard and heal, but his commanding officer refuses and 8 hours after surgery, he's whisked away, without her ever leaning his name or whether he survives.

Five years later, Erica is moving up the ranks, albeit slowly, after having been betrayed after a relationship with her superior, who blackens her record out of spite after a breakup, accusing her of being mentally unstable. She receives a transfer to a Naval hospital in Okinawa, and is surprised when it turns out that her new commanding officer is that same wounded soldier on whom she operated 5 years earlier, and she finally learns his name, Thorne.

What follows is a gripping story about two wounded warriors, strongly attracted to one another and both struggling to come to terms with the darkness in their pasts--PTSD and survivor guilt are just a couple of their issues, and since a relationship between them is both prohibited by Navy regulations and something neither of them is ready for.

The writing is good, although there were a number of grammatical errors, which I hope were caught and corrected prior to publication. I'll be interested to read other books by this author, as she was a new one for me.
Profile Image for Reads by Starburst.
321 reviews17 followers
July 15, 2015
In Taming Her Navy Doc by Amy Ruttan,Erica Griffin is a Navy surgeon and she once saved the life of a soldier wounded gravely in a secret operation but sadly that operation left the soldier with an amputated leg.She could never know the soldier's name as he was whisked away soon after the operation.Now five years later,the injured navy SEAL turns out to be her new commanding officer and she finally learns his name: Captain Thorne Wilder.He is still gorgeous but totally off limits!

Thorne has been left damaged, brooding and untamable after the loss of his dreams—and beautiful Erica is an unwanted complication! She might be as wary of relationships as he is, but fighting temptation will be the biggest battle of all…

This was a well written romance with some really amazing medical details and well constructed characters.Erica is a strong heroine whom I admired very much because of her dedication towards her craft.She had been in a past relationship before but it had ended badly leading to disastrous consequences. Thorne was a bitter,tortured hero given what he had gone through in the past.Both the characters were unwilling to have an relationship because of their professional and personal restraints and therefore there was a lot of will they or wont they moments.It was frustrating at times because neither of them was willing to accept their feelings.They do come around but after a lot of resistance and denial.The chemistry between the characters was great and the story setting was interesting and different.

Overall,this was a different and enjoyable romance.
Profile Image for Books and Spoons.
1,612 reviews32 followers
July 6, 2015
The story starts with an intense and heart wrenching way, when Navy surgeon Erica gets called to duty in a middle of the night, and she has to amputate a leg from a navy SEAL, who's bullet wound is infected during the mission. They have an obvious connection, before he is swept away, before Erica even learns his name, as everything is under covert ops.
Five years later Erika learns the name, Thorne, when the former patient turns out to be her new captain.
The attraction is immediate, they are drawn together, but they both have their reason to avoid the relationship. Thorne doesn't do relationships because of the twin brother he lost in the battle, and because of his leg being amputated, he doesn't want anyone see him that vulnerable.
Erica focuses on her career, after a mistake she made in the beginning of it, that ended up costing her dearly,putting her future in the navy in danger.
They are both strong and stubborn, like a two halves of a whole, a perfect match. And even though they give up to their feelings and passion for a weak moment, the relationship between them is impossible, or so they think.
I felt the back and forth went on for a little too long, they stubbornness and persistent to denial of their feelings causing too much trouble in the hospital, as it started to affect their work. But the story was interesting, the set up unique, with surprising twists in the plot
~ Three Spoons with a teaspoon on the side
Profile Image for TashNz.
729 reviews21 followers
September 14, 2015
Can I give a star just for our Hero's name? Thorne Wilder #sigh Or for the magnificent location description of beautiful Okinawa, Japan #devine But then that would mean there would be only three stars left for a story that I couldnt put down and this story deserves more than three stars. The reason I give Taming Her Navy Doc five stars is because the plot is so unique from everything else in this genre that I was hanging in there until the very last page to find out how on earth Erica and Thorne #DoubleSigh are going to get their happy ever after!

A sensational beginning has our surgeon heroine making the descision to amputate a stranger's leg. As he's part of a covert op with the Navy and that's all she knows. This mysterious stranger is "the one" you never forget. Life goes on and Erica transfers to Okinawa, Japan #AgainDoubleSigh and discovers Thorne is her Commanding Officer. Navy rules are strict and their love/hate (ok it's way more love than hate) is basically a no no, a losing your career no no!

I've read about scarred heroes, cripple heroes, blind heroes but never amputee heroes and I think Thorne #yesSigh was portrayed well, his amputee d leg was part of his issues and Erica isn't short of her own problems either. Mixed with a beautiful setting, enough road blocks to cause a traffic jam I really really enjoyed the journey Taming Her Navy Doc took me on.

Amy Ruttan is becoming a firm fave!
Profile Image for Cheryl Steckling.
318 reviews1 follower
September 7, 2015
“Taming Her Navy Doc” by Amy Ruttan
Amy Ruttan did it again! Another great story!! Medical Romance!!
The night Navy Surgeon Erica Griffin was woken in the middle of the night to help an injured Navy SEAL while she was aboard a hospital ship. She made the decision that his leg had to be amputated. The Navy Seal came in as a John Doe arriving by helicopter and had his surgery and his commanding officer removed him 8 hours after surgery. He had begged her not to amputate his leg.
Erica remembered him and always wondered if he lived and of course so did the Navy Seal.
Five years later Erica moved up the ranks and was transferred to a Naval Hospital in Okinawa. Turned out that her new commanding officer is that same wounded soldier. She finds out his name is Thorne Wilder.
Captain Thorne Wilder was looking for a 2nd in command and her name had been first suggested. Erica grew up as a Navy brat with a father that was a SEAL.
Thorne knew who Erica was before her request to work in Okinawa was approved. He remembered the beautiful and angel like woman who had saved his life.
As much as both tried to not get involved you would have to read to find out what happens. These two people have sacrificed for the love of their country.
710 reviews12 followers
August 20, 2015


Erica Griffin Is a surgeon with the Navy and on one night a patient is brought to her that haunts her for years. A Navy seal is injured so badly that she must amputate his leg knowing that it will probably end his career in special ops but she must save his life. All she remembers is his eyes as he begs her not to take his leg. When she goes to check on him he has been removed and has no idea who he was or where he has gone. This haunts her for years and when she is newly stationed in Okinawa she comes face to face with her past, Captain Thorne Wilder the man who's eyes she never forgot. These two have an attraction to each other but both are struggling with their past PTSD and survivor guilt but on top is the restriction of no relationship between officers. What starts as a heartbreaking story turns to a warm story of two officers that love what they do and find love in each others arms. Its a lovely story and Ms. Ruttan has given the reader a wonderful look into the special ops and Navy Seals. I enjoyed it and will be anxiously awaiting her next book. A medical romance with just the right amount of medical and a wonderful romance
Profile Image for Donna Porter.
1,034 reviews9 followers
July 21, 2015
Erica Griffin is all Navy. She is in it for the career as a top surgeon. Working aboard the ship Hope she has a lot of experience. Some mystery patient is brought in by helicopter and she has to amputate his leg, the infection is so bad. All she remembers is his beautiful blue eyes. He is swept away right after surgery and she never saw him again. Five years later she is stationed in Japan and her captain is Thorne Wilder. Now she has a name for her mystery patient. He is no longer a Navy Seal but he was able to stay in the service. She recognizes him but doesn't let on because she doesn't think he remembers her. He does he just hadn't said anything. Thorne is very attracted to Erica but her being his second in command they try to keep it business. One night after fighting the attraction she gives in and then she walks away. Neither on wants a relationship they are totally set on their careers. This is a good story and it isn't real long. It does have some sex scenes in it.
Profile Image for Spunky N Sassy.
5,402 reviews119 followers
August 27, 2015
SNS Rating: 4.0

~~~~~~~~~~Sharlene's ★★★★✰ Review~~~~~~~~~~

This story is a mixture of military and medical contemporary romance. Erica and Thorne both serve in the Navy. They meet in passing but don't know who each other are until 5 years later when Erica gets restationed under the command of Thorne. Both have strong personalities and character (obviously if they are both in the military) but they are also both stubborn. Neither one can seem to let go of their pasts long enough to enjoy the present and possibly future. This was a quick and easy read. The scenery is set beautifully. So much that I now want to visit Okinawa. The characters are developed including the secondary ones. I especially liked Scooby!

This can be read as a stand alone and does have an HEA.
6 reviews
July 27, 2015
Couldn't stop reading

Very entertaining love story. I couldn't put it down, I wanted to see how they would work it out considering their circumstances. It was sad to see Thorne beat himself up over and over thinking he didn't deserve happiness. The author sure doesn't want you to forget his guilt over his brother's death. It was so repetitive it became a bit annoying. But it gave more insight into Thorne.

I liked Erica as a heroine. Working and striving to be a Captain and not allowing her feelings to somewhat cloud that judgement or opportunities that arose. It was great to see her get the promotion and the man without sacrificing her goals.
Profile Image for Janie.
1,530 reviews15 followers
August 19, 2015
"Taming Her Navy Doc" by Amy Ruttan leaves the reader enthralled in wanting to learn what will happen next. This is a 'Medical Romance' and tells us the story of Erica Griffin and Captain Thorne Wilder. The first meet when she is called in to amputate the leg of a Navy SEAL. He tells her not to amputate but infection has set in and there is nothing she can do to differently. Fast forward 5 years and he is now her commanding officer.

There is quite a bit to this story that I am leaving out for the reason that it is a great read, and deserves to be read rather than me telling you about it. It is a quick read, and I really liked it.
Profile Image for N. Kuhn.
Author 65 books410 followers
July 21, 2015
*I received this book free in exchange for an honest review*
I loved this story! It felt like a real romance. You felt them building up to something. The emotions, the actions. Erica was an awesome character. She had to put up with a lot to get to where she was. She fought and worked hard for it! I actually admired her character.
Thorne, well, he's your typical hottie ex-SEAL, but damn, even considering his situation, he sure almost blew things! I loved this book! It was a wonderful way to spend a sunny afternoon!
Profile Image for Karie.
374 reviews11 followers
September 11, 2015
This was a fast paced enjoyable read. Thorne and Erica are first brought together when both are in the field. Neither forget the other over the years after Thorne was whisked away due the secretiveness of his job. He requests her specifically to be stationed with him as his number two in Japan. Together they find a way to accept the past and allow their broken hearts to heal with each other. 4/5 Cross posting to My Reading Reality
3,180 reviews3 followers
September 15, 2015
45%. I like this story, but the hero's "I can't get involved because of my job" motivation is weak. he has a desk job! good grief.

finished it. it was an interesting story with some motivations that were questionable. a solid 3.5
Profile Image for Wendy.
62 reviews5 followers
November 22, 2016
This story was wonderful. I cried a little, smiled and got a little ticked off. In the end I was sighing. It was a fun, intelligent and romantic read that left me feeling completely satisfied. Amy Ruttan books are always easy to read, hard to put down and always leave me in a good mood.
Profile Image for Beena Tabassum.
20 reviews4 followers
September 23, 2015
The story was fun, both the leads having their past shadowing their present... but finally they passed their past and were ultimately together leaving behind their fears and their guilt...
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