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Mercy, Inc. #3
Temporary Dad
Will Temporary become Forever?
Hunter Phillips has to look after his baby niece for a month and is completely out of his depth! As if that weren't enough, he also finds himself working with his ex-fiancée, Amanda - the woman who left him when he told her he never wanted children.
Amanda Dunlap is on a mission to help people stay well. She's created curriculum for The Mending Hearts Club and is ready to test out her program on the first twenty candidates. When her mentor must back out last minute, she depends on Mercy, Inc. Admin to send a substitute. Only because she is out to prove herself to hospital administration, her parents, and the world, does she accept the man who broke her heart as the replacement.
Hunter is still fiercely attracted to Amanda, and she's amazing with baby Sophie. As they pretend to play at happy family, Hunter begins to realize that winning Amanda Back and having a family for real is what he wants most of all. All he has to do is convince Amanda.
Hunter Phillips has to look after his baby niece for a month and is completely out of his depth! As if that weren't enough, he also finds himself working with his ex-fiancée, Amanda - the woman who left him when he told her he never wanted children.
Amanda Dunlap is on a mission to help people stay well. She's created curriculum for The Mending Hearts Club and is ready to test out her program on the first twenty candidates. When her mentor must back out last minute, she depends on Mercy, Inc. Admin to send a substitute. Only because she is out to prove herself to hospital administration, her parents, and the world, does she accept the man who broke her heart as the replacement.
Hunter is still fiercely attracted to Amanda, and she's amazing with baby Sophie. As they pretend to play at happy family, Hunter begins to realize that winning Amanda Back and having a family for real is what he wants most of all. All he has to do is convince Amanda.
- GenresRomanceContemporary
212 pages, Kindle Edition
Published June 1, 2020
33 people are currently reading
88 people want to read
About the author
Lynne Marshall
212 books305 followersUSA Today Bestselling author, Lynne Marshall, used to worry she had a serious problem with daydreaming until she realized she was supposed to write those stories. A late bloomer, Lynne came to fiction writing after her children were nearly grown. Now she battles the empty nest by writing books which always include a love story and often medicine. She is a Southern California native, married to a New Englander for a long, long time. She is an adoring mother and grandmother, a dog lover, and an optimistic participant on this wild journey called life!
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 40 reviews
June 27, 2020
Temporary Dad by Lynne Marshall is book three in her Mercy, Inc. contemporary romance series.
Amanda Dunlap, a nurse practitioner, has created a health modification program, The Mending Hearts Club, that she hopes will educate people about the things they can personally do to improve their health. If she’s able to impress a few hospital administrators and her parents along the way, all the better. She just doesn’t expect the ex-fiancé who broke her heart to replace her mentor at the last minute.
Hunter Phillips M.D. has custody of his infant niece for a month but has no clue what he’s doing. Now he’s been asked to mentor his ex-fiancée. He’d decline if he could, because he hasn’t had any contact with Amanda in years. He’s still attracted to her but isn’t ready to face her after the way their engagement ended.
Amanda is great with baby Sophie and Hunter is a helpful mentor. Amanda and Hunter come to a positive business agreement. Can they do the same in their personal lives?
I enjoyed the character interplay and ultimately enjoyed the story, though it did lag in spots. I rate this novel 3 out of 5 stars and recommend it to readers of contemporary romance, especially second chance romance.
My thanks to the author and NetGalley for the opportunity to read an advance copy of this book. However, the opinions expressed in this review are 100% mine and mine alone.
Amanda Dunlap, a nurse practitioner, has created a health modification program, The Mending Hearts Club, that she hopes will educate people about the things they can personally do to improve their health. If she’s able to impress a few hospital administrators and her parents along the way, all the better. She just doesn’t expect the ex-fiancé who broke her heart to replace her mentor at the last minute.
Hunter Phillips M.D. has custody of his infant niece for a month but has no clue what he’s doing. Now he’s been asked to mentor his ex-fiancée. He’d decline if he could, because he hasn’t had any contact with Amanda in years. He’s still attracted to her but isn’t ready to face her after the way their engagement ended.
Amanda is great with baby Sophie and Hunter is a helpful mentor. Amanda and Hunter come to a positive business agreement. Can they do the same in their personal lives?
I enjoyed the character interplay and ultimately enjoyed the story, though it did lag in spots. I rate this novel 3 out of 5 stars and recommend it to readers of contemporary romance, especially second chance romance.
My thanks to the author and NetGalley for the opportunity to read an advance copy of this book. However, the opinions expressed in this review are 100% mine and mine alone.
June 4, 2020
Good second chance story. Three years earlier, Hunter and Mandy were engaged. Both were career-oriented and didn't plan to have children. But when Mandy thought she was pregnant, she realized that she did want children after all. When the two could not agree, they parted ways, both broken-hearted.
Now Mandy is a nurse practitioner on a mission. She created a wellness curriculum for heart patients and is ready to start the program. Unfortunately, she loses her mentor and has to depend on the hospital to provide a substitute. She is surprised when Hunter walked into the classroom and shocked to see him with a baby.
I liked both Hunter and Mandy. Each of them had issues that contributed to their problems. Hunter's background of growing up with parents who were emotionally distant made him unwilling to have children of his own. He is sure that he would be unable to give them what they need, so he will avoid the issue entirely. But when his sister, Jade, has to spend an extended time in the hospital, he steps up to care for his niece, Sophie. Mandy's parents were just the opposite. Because of her childhood health issues, they were overprotective and smothering. They also showed no confidence that she could achieve her dreams. As a result, Mandy pushes herself extra hard to prove that she can do it.
I liked the development of the relationship between Hunter and Mandy. At first, they were very uncomfortable around each other because of their history. Each felt that the other betrayed their love. Now that they are thrown together every day, both of them find that some of their old feelings begin to stir again. When Mandy invites Hunter and Sophie to stay with her during the six weeks of the program, both of them vow to protect their hearts. Neither one counted on the effect of sharing the care of little Sophie. Even though Hunter is certain he'd be a terrible father, it is evident to Mandy that he has all the right instincts. The problem is getting him to see it. There were some adorable scenes of Hunter and Sophie together, and I loved watching the three of them become a family of sorts.
Some trust issues exist between Hunter and Mandy. It takes a long time for her to get Hunter to open up about his life with his parents. She understands him a little better once he does. Mandy has some trust problems herself. She suffers from a heart ailment that she hasn't told Hunter about. She feels guilty about it but doesn't want him to start treating her as fragile, the way her parents do. Just as she makes up her mind to tell him, the decision is taken out of her hands. Hunter is left feeling betrayed by her lack of trust in him, and Mandy is heartbroken when he leaves her again. Both of them had to look hard at what they want from their lives before they can think of a future together. I loved the ending and seeing them both realize that with love, anything is possible.
This was an advance copy and had one problem that I hope was fixed before the book went to print. The author couldn't seem to decide if Hunter and Mandy had only been engaged or if they were divorced. In one place, Hunter refers to himself as her parents' "almost son-in-law," but on the next page identifies himself as Mandy's ex-husband. This happened multiple times during the book and threw me out of the story each time.
Now Mandy is a nurse practitioner on a mission. She created a wellness curriculum for heart patients and is ready to start the program. Unfortunately, she loses her mentor and has to depend on the hospital to provide a substitute. She is surprised when Hunter walked into the classroom and shocked to see him with a baby.
I liked both Hunter and Mandy. Each of them had issues that contributed to their problems. Hunter's background of growing up with parents who were emotionally distant made him unwilling to have children of his own. He is sure that he would be unable to give them what they need, so he will avoid the issue entirely. But when his sister, Jade, has to spend an extended time in the hospital, he steps up to care for his niece, Sophie. Mandy's parents were just the opposite. Because of her childhood health issues, they were overprotective and smothering. They also showed no confidence that she could achieve her dreams. As a result, Mandy pushes herself extra hard to prove that she can do it.
I liked the development of the relationship between Hunter and Mandy. At first, they were very uncomfortable around each other because of their history. Each felt that the other betrayed their love. Now that they are thrown together every day, both of them find that some of their old feelings begin to stir again. When Mandy invites Hunter and Sophie to stay with her during the six weeks of the program, both of them vow to protect their hearts. Neither one counted on the effect of sharing the care of little Sophie. Even though Hunter is certain he'd be a terrible father, it is evident to Mandy that he has all the right instincts. The problem is getting him to see it. There were some adorable scenes of Hunter and Sophie together, and I loved watching the three of them become a family of sorts.
Some trust issues exist between Hunter and Mandy. It takes a long time for her to get Hunter to open up about his life with his parents. She understands him a little better once he does. Mandy has some trust problems herself. She suffers from a heart ailment that she hasn't told Hunter about. She feels guilty about it but doesn't want him to start treating her as fragile, the way her parents do. Just as she makes up her mind to tell him, the decision is taken out of her hands. Hunter is left feeling betrayed by her lack of trust in him, and Mandy is heartbroken when he leaves her again. Both of them had to look hard at what they want from their lives before they can think of a future together. I loved the ending and seeing them both realize that with love, anything is possible.
This was an advance copy and had one problem that I hope was fixed before the book went to print. The author couldn't seem to decide if Hunter and Mandy had only been engaged or if they were divorced. In one place, Hunter refers to himself as her parents' "almost son-in-law," but on the next page identifies himself as Mandy's ex-husband. This happened multiple times during the book and threw me out of the story each time.
June 6, 2020
Received an Advance Reader Copy in exchange for a fair review
An interesting take on how healthcare professionals deal with their own diseases and how romance between them tends to be closely related to the passion with which they pursue their jobs, “Temporary Dad”, by Lynne Marshall, features leads with baggage and an adorable baby with her own crucial role on teaching both a life lesson.
I thought the author did a wonderful job depicting the hospital and health care world, how driven and goal-oriented health care professionals can be, the realistic details of an unusual condition and Amanda’s evasiveness about it.
Lynne Marshall shows how Hunter’s and particularly Amanda’s worlds were dull before they meet again and the way they are better together than alone.
“Dr. Dad” interactions with his niece are sweet and show a selfless man beneath the armor. I liked the main characters, but Sophie was my favorite character in this story about second chances (I was a bit confused about Hunter and Amanda previous relationship: engagement or marriage?).
An interesting take on how healthcare professionals deal with their own diseases and how romance between them tends to be closely related to the passion with which they pursue their jobs, “Temporary Dad”, by Lynne Marshall, features leads with baggage and an adorable baby with her own crucial role on teaching both a life lesson.
I thought the author did a wonderful job depicting the hospital and health care world, how driven and goal-oriented health care professionals can be, the realistic details of an unusual condition and Amanda’s evasiveness about it.
Lynne Marshall shows how Hunter’s and particularly Amanda’s worlds were dull before they meet again and the way they are better together than alone.
“Dr. Dad” interactions with his niece are sweet and show a selfless man beneath the armor. I liked the main characters, but Sophie was my favorite character in this story about second chances (I was a bit confused about Hunter and Amanda previous relationship: engagement or marriage?).
February 24, 2014
4 Stars ~ Their marriage had been a good one, balanced by busy successful careers. They'd agreed that marriage and careers were enough, that babies were not for them. At least until Amanda had a near pregnancy scare and her maternal instincts woke up. She'd never anticipated such a strong drive for a baby. When Hunter wouldn't budge on the 'no babies' rule, and thrown at her that she couldn't look after a house plant, so what made her think she could take care of a baby; their marriage ended bitterly. Now three years later, Amanda is putting her nurse practitioner experience to work and gets permission to launch a preventative heart program. Days before her clinic is to begin, a new physician partner is assigned, and it's none other than Hunter. Amanda's program has merit and had Hunter refused to become the physician partner, the program would have died before it could be launched. When he shows up for their first day, he's comes with a baby in his arms. His single mom sister has been hospitalized with severe postpartum depression and he's his baby niece's temporary guardian. Working with Hunter is bad enough, but watching him bond with a baby is almost too much for Amanda to bear. Commuting over an hour one way to participate in the clinic proves too much for both Hunter and baby, and soon Amanda finds herself inviting him to stay with her for the duration. Living in close quarters again, slowly wakes up long forgotten dreams and desires and they begin to wonder about a possible future.
I enjoyed this reunion story very much. Re-igniting their passion is easy, letting their hearts soar again is another matter. These two have to reach deep inside to chase away their past fears and find the courage to reach for a future together. Realizing they'd given up too easily on their marriage, Hunter and Amanda learn to fight for their HEA.
I enjoyed this reunion story very much. Re-igniting their passion is easy, letting their hearts soar again is another matter. These two have to reach deep inside to chase away their past fears and find the courage to reach for a future together. Realizing they'd given up too easily on their marriage, Hunter and Amanda learn to fight for their HEA.
June 7, 2020
The Mercy, Inc. series has featured numerous medical topics and even some nerve-racking episodes, and those created for TEMPORARY DAD came across with much realism and had me caring for those who were affected by any of the incidents. Lynne Marshall knows exactly how to combine her own imaginative ideas with genuine conditions to make her medical romances not only convincing but also contain true-to-life emotional reactions. Two individuals in this story find themselves unexpectedly working together, but their past history makes any time spent near each other very difficult, because it seems their feelings are not quite as buried as they had thought. I always enjoy a second-chance romance, and Lynne Marshall truly made me want the story for her conflicted couple to have a happy ending.
In order to potentially keep specific health problems from affecting the lives of those with preexisting disorders, Amanda Dunlap has gotten a group of people to volunteer for a study. A doctor will be assisting the nurse practitioner during the classes, but an unforeseen event has her choice withdrawing and another specialist is sent by Mercy, Inc. The substitute turns out to be Hunter Phillips, the man who was once Amanda’s fiancé. It has been three years since their disagreement about having children tore them apart, and seeing the other again brings up way too many memories, especially since he is caring for his very young niece.
When Amanda and Hunter were together before, they did care for one another, but both had some issues which kept them from being able to totally express their innermost thoughts. Time has passed, but the previous problems are still just as troublesome to their being in a relationship. As these two work toward helping people have healthy lives, they slowly come to know more about themselves and each other. I like how this author makes her main characters in this book seem so conceivable, as they could be someone whom I would actually meet in a medical situation. Amanda is very enthusiastic in making people aware of how to prevent an illness from occurring if possible, and I even felt as though I learned some valuable lessons while reading. Hunter is also a dedicated medial professional, and how he interacted with his niece is delightfully depicted with humor plus some seriousness. TEMPORARY DAD has lots of compelling emotional circumstances and an engaging couple. Rating – 4.5 Stars
In order to potentially keep specific health problems from affecting the lives of those with preexisting disorders, Amanda Dunlap has gotten a group of people to volunteer for a study. A doctor will be assisting the nurse practitioner during the classes, but an unforeseen event has her choice withdrawing and another specialist is sent by Mercy, Inc. The substitute turns out to be Hunter Phillips, the man who was once Amanda’s fiancé. It has been three years since their disagreement about having children tore them apart, and seeing the other again brings up way too many memories, especially since he is caring for his very young niece.
When Amanda and Hunter were together before, they did care for one another, but both had some issues which kept them from being able to totally express their innermost thoughts. Time has passed, but the previous problems are still just as troublesome to their being in a relationship. As these two work toward helping people have healthy lives, they slowly come to know more about themselves and each other. I like how this author makes her main characters in this book seem so conceivable, as they could be someone whom I would actually meet in a medical situation. Amanda is very enthusiastic in making people aware of how to prevent an illness from occurring if possible, and I even felt as though I learned some valuable lessons while reading. Hunter is also a dedicated medial professional, and how he interacted with his niece is delightfully depicted with humor plus some seriousness. TEMPORARY DAD has lots of compelling emotional circumstances and an engaging couple. Rating – 4.5 Stars
June 25, 2020
This was a charming story about soulmates who allowed their personal hang ups to derail their impending marriage. While engaged, Amanda had a pregnancy “scare” and when she and Hunter discovered it was a false alarm, she realized that she actually wanted children and he did not. Faced with a major difference in future goals, they went their separate ways, though they both loved one another.
Fast forward three years and Hunter is caring for his sister’s nine-month-old baby. Amanda helps him (for reasons that are best left to the author to explain) and they cannot deny that they still love one another. However, they still have some major issues to overcome personally before they will have the maturity to commit to one another again.
I like the writing, which describes medical procedures like someone with medical knowledge who understands most readers do not share that expertise. The feelings of Hunter and Amanda are described in such a way that I felt sympathy for each of them and understood their dilemmas. The plot was believable. Metaphors were unique. I loved this description from a patient who had just undergone open-heart surgery. “I feel like someone ripped my chest open, chewed on my heart and sewed me up with chicken wire.”
My biggest issue with the book was an editing issue. At some point, I believe Lynne Marshall wrote as if Hunter and Amanda had been married, but then changed it to an engagement. Unfortunately, not all instances of marriage were expunged from the final draft so a few times their relationship was described as divorced or ex-husband/ex-wife. There were a few other editing/proofreading mistakes, but this particular one was significant and should not have been overlooked. It detracted from the plot because it caused me to look back through to see if I had misunderstood something stated earlier. If this were fixed, I’d probably give the book 5 stars. Since I got this book from Netgalley, there is a possibility that it was fixed prior to final publishing so I definitely recommend reading it.
Fast forward three years and Hunter is caring for his sister’s nine-month-old baby. Amanda helps him (for reasons that are best left to the author to explain) and they cannot deny that they still love one another. However, they still have some major issues to overcome personally before they will have the maturity to commit to one another again.
I like the writing, which describes medical procedures like someone with medical knowledge who understands most readers do not share that expertise. The feelings of Hunter and Amanda are described in such a way that I felt sympathy for each of them and understood their dilemmas. The plot was believable. Metaphors were unique. I loved this description from a patient who had just undergone open-heart surgery. “I feel like someone ripped my chest open, chewed on my heart and sewed me up with chicken wire.”
My biggest issue with the book was an editing issue. At some point, I believe Lynne Marshall wrote as if Hunter and Amanda had been married, but then changed it to an engagement. Unfortunately, not all instances of marriage were expunged from the final draft so a few times their relationship was described as divorced or ex-husband/ex-wife. There were a few other editing/proofreading mistakes, but this particular one was significant and should not have been overlooked. It detracted from the plot because it caused me to look back through to see if I had misunderstood something stated earlier. If this were fixed, I’d probably give the book 5 stars. Since I got this book from Netgalley, there is a possibility that it was fixed prior to final publishing so I definitely recommend reading it.
June 2, 2020
Temporary Dad is the third book in Lynne Marshall’s Mercy, Inc. series. Three years seems like yesterday when Amanda Dunlap and Hunter Phillips find themselves in the same venue. Amanda is heading up The Mending Hearts club. The project requires a mentor physician and unbeknownst to her Hunter was chosen to assist.
Three years earlier they ended their engagement because she changed her mind and wanted children. Fast forward, Hunter enters her meeting not only surprising her with his presence but holding an infant. Amanda is taken aback and wonders how he could change his mind. Little does she know he’s taking care of his niece, Sophie.
Tension ensues and when he moves into her condo with Sophie her dreams resurface. As time passes, will he share the true reason behind his desire to not have a family? Amanda is also keeping a secret from him. Will she divulge her life altering secret before something happens to her? As Amanda and Hunter work through their pasts, can they recover the love they once had?
Temporary Dad is a heartwarming read. I thoroughly enjoyed this book and highly recommend reading it along with the other books in the series. I received an advance copy of Temporary Dad which I chose to read and review.
Three years earlier they ended their engagement because she changed her mind and wanted children. Fast forward, Hunter enters her meeting not only surprising her with his presence but holding an infant. Amanda is taken aback and wonders how he could change his mind. Little does she know he’s taking care of his niece, Sophie.
Tension ensues and when he moves into her condo with Sophie her dreams resurface. As time passes, will he share the true reason behind his desire to not have a family? Amanda is also keeping a secret from him. Will she divulge her life altering secret before something happens to her? As Amanda and Hunter work through their pasts, can they recover the love they once had?
Temporary Dad is a heartwarming read. I thoroughly enjoyed this book and highly recommend reading it along with the other books in the series. I received an advance copy of Temporary Dad which I chose to read and review.
June 18, 2020
Amanda and Hunter used to be engaged but because she wanted to have kids and he didn't she ended things between them. Now years later they meet up again when she is running a study and needs a doctor to replace the original one that was helping her. Hunter ends up being the one that gets the job and he shows up on the first day with a baby. Which sends her in a tailspin until he tells her its his sister's that he is taking care of temporarily. As they work together on the study and with his niece things slowly come together between them again. Soon they are living with Amanda to save them some travel time and Hunter and Amanda start enjoying each other's company again. However Amanda has a secret she hasn't shared with Hunter yet will it be something that will keep him from being with her?
This is a sweet story that will pull on all your heart strings. This is a well written and very entertaining story. I would recommend this book to any book lover.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
This is a sweet story that will pull on all your heart strings. This is a well written and very entertaining story. I would recommend this book to any book lover.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
June 8, 2020
This was a good read that I really enjoyed. This was a second chance romance with a HFN ending.
Mandy and Hunter were strong characters. I enjoyed watching the fight and argue, trying to best the other, but at the same time, hoping secretly to change the others opinion because they wanted a second chance. 3 years apart did not give their hearts time to heal and they found themselves denying their true feelings for each other. Each blaming their parents on the way they behaved.
Good story line, which needed a bit of tightening. Good characters that were easy to like. Didn't fall in love with the characters, but I did enjoy them. Easy to visualize descriptions to details, and engaging dialogue.
Written as a 3rd person, multi pov with a HFN ending.
Would I recommend this book? Yes
Would I read more from this author? Yes
Heat level 1/5
Sassy Beta Reading and Review
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Mandy and Hunter were strong characters. I enjoyed watching the fight and argue, trying to best the other, but at the same time, hoping secretly to change the others opinion because they wanted a second chance. 3 years apart did not give their hearts time to heal and they found themselves denying their true feelings for each other. Each blaming their parents on the way they behaved.
Good story line, which needed a bit of tightening. Good characters that were easy to like. Didn't fall in love with the characters, but I did enjoy them. Easy to visualize descriptions to details, and engaging dialogue.
Written as a 3rd person, multi pov with a HFN ending.
Would I recommend this book? Yes
Would I read more from this author? Yes
Heat level 1/5
Sassy Beta Reading and Review
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
June 3, 2020
The third book in the Mercy, Inc. series, a second chance story between Doctor Hunter Phillips and nurse practitioner Amanda Dunlap, she walked away when he did not want children. They meet again when she needs help with The Mending Hearts Club program. A substitute had to been found for her mentor Charles Beiderman who had to bow out of the program, so he found her someone to take his place. Amanda did not know it was to be her ex-fiance Hunter. Hunter is now looking after his niece Sophie so is late to their first meeting. But now Amanda is hiding something from him that she is not ready to tell him about.I enjoyed seeing their story come together. I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
May 31, 2020
This is a very good romance / love story / second chance story. It has a very good storyline and it was very clear that the author had done quite the research on heart conditions and treatments etc with the added bonus of being able to elaborate at will almost as it is a fiction and not real life story. But it was quite well written and the characters seemed to be somehow quite whole and true to the story. Overall this was a fine story to read and it is clearly not possible to give out any less than fabulous four stars for this story.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
June 2, 2020
Dr. Hunter Phillips and Nurse Practioner Amanda Dunlap were engaged at one time until she changed her goal oriented mind and wanted a baby and Hunter did not because of his own upbringing. They went their separate ways for three years and when she starts a medical study for a healthy way of life it is Hunter who ends up assisting her. Hunter at the time has taken his sister's nine month old Sophie while she is in the hospital and he is a natural at it but he still thinks he could not be a good dad but as Amanda watches him with Sophie she is not sure she can convince him that he is a good dad to Sophie. What will the future hold for Hunter and Amanda?
June 2, 2020
Amanda and Hunter have strong chemistry due to a shared history. They've come full circle, a baby came between them in the past and a baby brings them back together in the present. I enjoyed reading this story and would recommend.
Thank you Lynne Marshall and Booksprout for allowing me a forum to share my feedback.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Thank you Lynne Marshall and Booksprout for allowing me a forum to share my feedback.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
June 10, 2020
This was a sweet romance that introduced us to what happens when a man who thought he didn’t want children and lost the woman he loved comes to realize what a mistake he made. This is Hunter and Amanda’s storyline that has Hunter babysitting his niece Sophie with Amanda’s help. I loved everything about this book.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
May 31, 2020
This book pulled me in and kept me entranced till the end. The feelings of love, hate, and pain coming out in waves making you want to cry while you read. This was such a beautiful book! I loved the characters wholesomeness!
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
August 23, 2020
I thought Hunter and Amanda's story was a good well written really sweet romance and I really enjoyed it. While it is the third book in the series it can be read on its own. These two were great characters and really well suited they have tons of chemistry. This book flows well from the start and is well written with great chemistry between the characters. A great afternoon read.
May 23, 2020
A fastpaced and wellwritten book with a great storyline and intriguing characters. Love the chemistry and bond between Hunter and Amanda.
Would love to read more about this couple.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Would love to read more about this couple.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
June 9, 2013
This was perhaps the dumbest book I have ever read. The basic storyline was that a doctor and nurse (ex-husband and wife) are thrown together due to unfortunate circumstances for a project the nurse is working on. The reason for the divorce? After she misses her period, she decides she wants children but he adamantly refuses to have any, so they divorce. This is repeated in every.single.chapter. Really? We get it. They meet up again on the first day of the project where he walks in with a baby strapped to him. She thinks it is his only to find out that his sister has been institutionalized for a month after being diagnosed with PPD and he has offered to care for the baby because there is no one else who can. Again. Something that is repeated over and over. Oh. And the reason he doesn't want to have children? Because his parents never had time for him or his sister so he's convinced he will never be able to make time for children himself. And the reason she was willing to agree in the beginning? Because she was born a premie and her parents never thought she would amount to anything. Both repeated over and over again. Low and behold, in the end, they both decide that, after living together for a month and raising this baby together that they were wrong. They CAN have it all. All too predictable and repetitive.
August 10, 2016
I love this book, like all other books by Lynne Marshall. But this book had something that I loved it more, that was WPW, cause my own father had this syndrome for 14 years and thanks god this year he had ablation procedure and now he's all better. So when I read this I was like OH I know how that feels to be near someone with this syndrome. And I love, the love story part of it too. I just love Mrs. Marshall's works.
January 25, 2013
I really, really enjoyed this book! It was so cute, this is why I pick up Harlequin/Mills and Boon books. If I'm in a reading slump I can guarantee these will get me out of it! I thought the plot was really good even if it was predictable (Like most, if not all, of these books are) I still highly enjoyed it! I loved all the characters and all in all it was a really good book!
August 5, 2021
It was alright. I didn't like the fact that she was preaching about heart health, getting tests done, staying active and fit, yet she refuses to do the same. She does stay fit and healthy, but refuses to get a procedure done that would eradicate the problem. Nurses and doctors make the worst patients. That's the only main problem I had, but for some reason, the book didn't wow me.
August 15, 2011
This was the first Lynne Marshall I read and I raced through it. I loved the wit and the sense of humour. A book that made me laugh and choked me up at the same time.
November 18, 2021
*clean romance - well, cleanish. Fade to black* Not clean enough for those who want no sex in their books and not dirty enough for those who do want sex in their books.
The couple: Hunter and Amanda
Romance genre: Second chance
Series: Mercy, Inc.
Length: 176 pages
Plot: Amanda is a nurse working on developing a program designed to help people with their heart health. She has to have a doctor supervisor, and they send Hunter, who just happens to be her ex-fiance. It's tough for them to get along. They broke up a couple of years prior; they had originally agreed that they didn't want kids, and then Mandy changed her mind. Hunter refused to entertain the idea, and that was that. When Hunter showed up to help her program, though, he had someone in tow: his baby niece. Seeing him with a baby was a huge blow to Mandy, but she wants this program to succeed. She needs it to succeed not only for professional reasons, but also for personal reasons. Hunter and Mandy are trying to find their way back to each other, but it is a hard road to travel.
Commentary: I spent most of this book mad at Hunter. Okay, all of it. First, the arrogant man acted like once a person makes a decision, they can never ever change their mind:
In his view, changing your mind is equivalent to betrayal.
In addition, he was not supportive of Mandy in the ways that mattered. He supported her career because it matched up with his goals, but that was all:
It seems like he doesn't believe that she has the ability to do much beyond her job - he doesn't trust her as a person:
And worse, he doesn't see his feelings in that regard as harmful. He doesn't see his part in her perception of herself at all:
Then, when she's in the hospital, gravely ill and in danger of her life, his feelings are hurt that she didn't immediately confess to her ex-fiance that she was sick. So he leaves her:
What kind of man runs out on the seriously ill woman he "loves"? An asshole.
And this is why I don’t think she’s the bad guy in this situation. Yes she should have told him. But it seems she couldn’t trust him to treat her right - and his response here proves it.
So while the story structure was great and it was written well, I hated Hunter's character. He was arrogant, self-absorbed, judgmental and other things that I don't think I can say in polite company.
Next book in the series: A Second Chance
The couple: Hunter and Amanda
Romance genre: Second chance
Series: Mercy, Inc.
Length: 176 pages
Plot: Amanda is a nurse working on developing a program designed to help people with their heart health. She has to have a doctor supervisor, and they send Hunter, who just happens to be her ex-fiance. It's tough for them to get along. They broke up a couple of years prior; they had originally agreed that they didn't want kids, and then Mandy changed her mind. Hunter refused to entertain the idea, and that was that. When Hunter showed up to help her program, though, he had someone in tow: his baby niece. Seeing him with a baby was a huge blow to Mandy, but she wants this program to succeed. She needs it to succeed not only for professional reasons, but also for personal reasons. Hunter and Mandy are trying to find their way back to each other, but it is a hard road to travel.
Commentary: I spent most of this book mad at Hunter. Okay, all of it. First, the arrogant man acted like once a person makes a decision, they can never ever change their mind:
He’d been foolish to think they could have a purely physical relationship. Even if she agreed to sex, how could he trust she wouldn’t suddenly change her mind? He’d believed her with all his heart when they’d been engaged and she’d said her career and their future marriage were all she ever wanted. That sure had backfired. No, she couldn’t be trusted.
In his view, changing your mind is equivalent to betrayal.
In addition, he was not supportive of Mandy in the ways that mattered. He supported her career because it matched up with his goals, but that was all:
Hunter had always supported her academic dreams. Just not her in-the-family-way ones.
It seems like he doesn't believe that she has the ability to do much beyond her job - he doesn't trust her as a person:
He’d made it clear when they were engaged and she’d brought up the subject, that he didn’t think she could cope with a child and a career. And that was before she’d been diagnosed. Why would his attitude have changed now?
And worse, he doesn't see his feelings in that regard as harmful. He doesn't see his part in her perception of herself at all:
Do you have any idea what it’s like to be doubted every step of your life?” “Then quit doubting yourself.”
Then, when she's in the hospital, gravely ill and in danger of her life, his feelings are hurt that she didn't immediately confess to her ex-fiance that she was sick. So he leaves her:
After a reassuring conversation with the ER doctor, he took one last look at Mandy and walked away. Until she could be completely honest with him, there was no point in proceeding with his plans.
What kind of man ran out on a woman in the ER, leaving her to go home to the parents who’d never thought she’d thrive? A man who needed more time to think.
What kind of man runs out on the seriously ill woman he "loves"? An asshole.
But, come on, you should have clued me in to your condition.” “So you could treat me like my parents do?” Her point was well taken. They stared at each other for that touché moment, and he decided to take another tack.
And this is why I don’t think she’s the bad guy in this situation. Yes she should have told him. But it seems she couldn’t trust him to treat her right - and his response here proves it.
So while the story structure was great and it was written well, I hated Hunter's character. He was arrogant, self-absorbed, judgmental and other things that I don't think I can say in polite company.
Next book in the series: A Second Chance
June 2, 2020
Temporary Dad by Lynne Marshall
Have read the other stories in this series and love the ideas they have and knowledge I learn from reading them.
Start out with Amanda and she's at the facility and will teach others about how to avoid heart problems. She is to head the class with a doctor who's late.
When he does arrive he has a young baby in a sling with his briefcase and diaper bag. It also happens to be her ex husband Hunter.
Love the idea of the Mending Hearts and all it stands for-so much information on how a regular person can also gain the knowledge to prevent heart attacks.
They are to split the candidates, 10 women, 10 men in half and give them exams and get them set up with heart monitors. They put them through so many tests.
After a few days she sees just how exhausted Hunter is and she invites he and the child to stay at her place-get a few hours of rest/sleep.
He lives hours away from the satellite facility of Mercy, INC that after he leaves he soon returns as he needs a favor: pay her to stay there as it's just minutes from the facility and the baby can't tolerate the long drives with road work and collisions, delays.
She does accept them and they are able to still work together. She realizes that he'd make an awesome dad as he is with his sister's child who's going through depression.
Love how they are able to see early signs of heart disease and get the patients to the hospital in time. She is also able to talk to Hunter to find out where they went wrong...
She wants a child so bad but she's not told him of her life, the 3 years they were not together. Hunter is able to notify her parents when Amanda falls sick....
Enjoyed this book as I'm familiar with the series now, characters are all new but I can still learn useful medical knowledge of things crucial to our living style-there are so many aspects of good clean healthy lifestyle.
He also needs to get over his fear - a fear he learned from his father who could never tell him how proud he was of him.
Received this review copy from the author via NetGalley and this is my honest opinion.
#TemporaryDad #NetGalley
Have read the other stories in this series and love the ideas they have and knowledge I learn from reading them.
Start out with Amanda and she's at the facility and will teach others about how to avoid heart problems. She is to head the class with a doctor who's late.
When he does arrive he has a young baby in a sling with his briefcase and diaper bag. It also happens to be her ex husband Hunter.
Love the idea of the Mending Hearts and all it stands for-so much information on how a regular person can also gain the knowledge to prevent heart attacks.
They are to split the candidates, 10 women, 10 men in half and give them exams and get them set up with heart monitors. They put them through so many tests.
After a few days she sees just how exhausted Hunter is and she invites he and the child to stay at her place-get a few hours of rest/sleep.
He lives hours away from the satellite facility of Mercy, INC that after he leaves he soon returns as he needs a favor: pay her to stay there as it's just minutes from the facility and the baby can't tolerate the long drives with road work and collisions, delays.
She does accept them and they are able to still work together. She realizes that he'd make an awesome dad as he is with his sister's child who's going through depression.
Love how they are able to see early signs of heart disease and get the patients to the hospital in time. She is also able to talk to Hunter to find out where they went wrong...
She wants a child so bad but she's not told him of her life, the 3 years they were not together. Hunter is able to notify her parents when Amanda falls sick....
Enjoyed this book as I'm familiar with the series now, characters are all new but I can still learn useful medical knowledge of things crucial to our living style-there are so many aspects of good clean healthy lifestyle.
He also needs to get over his fear - a fear he learned from his father who could never tell him how proud he was of him.
Received this review copy from the author via NetGalley and this is my honest opinion.
#TemporaryDad #NetGalley
June 5, 2020
Temporary Dad!
Mandy and Hunter we’re engaged to be married, when she changed the “contract” by declaring she wanted children. Hunter didn’t have any desire for kids, and they didn’t seem willing to fight for their love. Years later, Mandy is running a preventative heart healthy program as a trial program and her mentor has had to back out. Hunter is pulled in to take his place, but he didn’t know this was Mandy’s program, and they have avoided each other for years since their breakup. When Hunter makes his first appearance at her initial meeting for her participants, he has an adorable baby in tow! That baby is in his care for a month while his sister recovers from postpartum. His niece is adorable, and Hunter takes the responsibility seriously. While the two adults grow closer again, Mandy’s desire to have children is still there, and while Hunter says he doesn’t want any, he’s starting to feel the richness of his life with his niece. And Mandy has a pretty big secret she doesn’t share with Hunter until she has no choice to tell.
I generally enjoyed this book. However, I found various spots with a discrepancy of their previous relationship. In spots it was ex-boy/girlfriend, ex-fiance and ex-husband/wife. Each of these made me stop for a minute to determine to whom they were referring. That took some of my enjoyment away from this story. I also found that Hunter having what I can only describe as an epiphany regarding children was very fast at the end. It felt rushed and forced. In between, there were some snippets of funny or sweet situations. I hope the discrepancy with their previous relation#hip is corrected prior to publication as I would have enjoyed this book much more without trying to figure that out.
I received an ARC of this book courtesy of NetGalley and the publisher. All opinions expressed in this review are my own and given freely.
Mandy and Hunter we’re engaged to be married, when she changed the “contract” by declaring she wanted children. Hunter didn’t have any desire for kids, and they didn’t seem willing to fight for their love. Years later, Mandy is running a preventative heart healthy program as a trial program and her mentor has had to back out. Hunter is pulled in to take his place, but he didn’t know this was Mandy’s program, and they have avoided each other for years since their breakup. When Hunter makes his first appearance at her initial meeting for her participants, he has an adorable baby in tow! That baby is in his care for a month while his sister recovers from postpartum. His niece is adorable, and Hunter takes the responsibility seriously. While the two adults grow closer again, Mandy’s desire to have children is still there, and while Hunter says he doesn’t want any, he’s starting to feel the richness of his life with his niece. And Mandy has a pretty big secret she doesn’t share with Hunter until she has no choice to tell.
I generally enjoyed this book. However, I found various spots with a discrepancy of their previous relationship. In spots it was ex-boy/girlfriend, ex-fiance and ex-husband/wife. Each of these made me stop for a minute to determine to whom they were referring. That took some of my enjoyment away from this story. I also found that Hunter having what I can only describe as an epiphany regarding children was very fast at the end. It felt rushed and forced. In between, there were some snippets of funny or sweet situations. I hope the discrepancy with their previous relation#hip is corrected prior to publication as I would have enjoyed this book much more without trying to figure that out.
I received an ARC of this book courtesy of NetGalley and the publisher. All opinions expressed in this review are my own and given freely.
September 14, 2021
I enjoyed this contemporary medical story with the two main characters that were Amanda Dunlap and Hunter Phillips. And also the rest of the characters too.
Amanda Dunlap has decided to find a way to help people to stay well. She has a problem that might help people. But before she can see this through her mentor has back out a the last minute. She wants this problem to be successful so she asks the program administrator to help find a substitute. She is surprised when the substitute does show up because she know him really well.
Hunter Phillips has been asked to substitute as a mentor. But after agreeing to help out his sister asks him to watch after her daughter. So he decides to take her along instead of getting a babysitter.
This was quite a bit of emotional through out the story. With different twist and turns.
I received a complimentary copy via Netgalley. This is my honest unbiased opinions.
Amanda Dunlap has decided to find a way to help people to stay well. She has a problem that might help people. But before she can see this through her mentor has back out a the last minute. She wants this problem to be successful so she asks the program administrator to help find a substitute. She is surprised when the substitute does show up because she know him really well.
Hunter Phillips has been asked to substitute as a mentor. But after agreeing to help out his sister asks him to watch after her daughter. So he decides to take her along instead of getting a babysitter.
This was quite a bit of emotional through out the story. With different twist and turns.
I received a complimentary copy via Netgalley. This is my honest unbiased opinions.
June 6, 2020
Amanda never wanted a baby, she and Hunter agreed between their careers and own families children were a no go until she thought she was having one then she and Hunter find their lives aren't as aligned as they thought. Fast forward 3 years and Hunter is looking after his sister Jades baby and Amanda has Hunter as her mentor for her program and both are torn on how they feel about each other and babies are still an issue. This has a little bit of slow burn to it which was great and you feel the struggle they are going through knowing they are still attracted to each other, but Amanda has a secret. There are some good laughs, sweet moments, lovable characters and a second chance that you hope will work out!
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
June 3, 2020
Mandy and Hunter broke up because she decided she wanted kids and he didn’t. A few years later they end working together on a heart healthy preventative program Mandy developed. It made me think about all the ways I can change my lifestyle to be healthier. The participants were a riot especially the fitness guy. Mandy still wants a family and thought Hunter would change his mind after caring for his niece, but she is keeping secrets about her own heart health. I thought in the story that they had never previously married by he refers to her as his ex wife and she thinks about when they were married. I was confused by that. This was a steamy second chance medical romance with plenty of funny, sweet, and some scary moments.
June 16, 2020
I'm a little all over with this one. Parts of it were cute but other parts were just ok. And other parts of it just confused me. Were they engaged or were they married because it is mentioned both ways in the book and I still don't understand which it was?? And not wanting to have kids is a major difference of opinion that you would think would have been discovered before ever getting to the point of either? But then other parts of it (like I said) were cute, like his interactions with his niece. And how they were all together. I can't decide whether I loved or hated it at this point.
June 3, 2020
I volunteered to read this ARC for an honest review. I enjoyed this story about Hunter and Amanda. They dated and were engaged but a disagreement about deviating from their original plans, saw them break up. Now three years later Hunter is takes with being a mentor for Amanda during her Mending Hearts project. Even his sweet niece gets in on the action. Great HEA in the works.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
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