The Doctor Is In Love: a medical romance anthology

by Suzette de Borja, Angeli E. Dumatol, E.K. Gonzales

Walk along the corridors of Sta. Gianna University Hospital for a glimpse into the lives of its doctors as they heal the sick, serve those in need, and fall in love in this medical romance anthology.

FIRST CUT BY ANGELI E. DUMATOL
Tags: rivals to lovers, there is only one residency slot
Heat Level 0

Fresh from the medical boards, Sage is determined to get into the prestigious neurosurgery residency program at Sta. Gianna University Hospital. Unfortunately, only one first year will be accepted, and for that slot, she has to compete with Rainier, son of the renowned neurosurgeon, Dr. Acosta. Pre-residency finds the two of them going head-to-head in a showdown of knowledge and skill, but Sage and Rainier soon realize that the coveted residency slot isn’t the only thing they want anymore. They also want each other.


THE DAYS OF RAIN AND FLOWERS BY EK GONZALES
Tags: there is only one bed, friends to lovers
Heat Level 2

Rain finds themself having lost a hotel room reservation for the out-of-town medical conference. But suddenly their crush Toni takes them as roommate during the conference. Being so close together while so far from the hospital, things are finally talked about, finally said, finally done…


FINALLY HOME BY CELESTINE TRINIDAD
Tags: friends (research partners) to lovers, second chance romance
Heat Level 0

Mayumi and Joaquin were not only research partners and co-fellows back during Mayumi's brief stay in the US for her fellowship, maybe they were more, so much more--until she left him to go back home to the Philippines. They meet again two years later, when they are both invited as speakers in an out-of-town medical conference of the Sta Gianna University Hospital. Awkwardness ensues, yet feelings also return. Will they also get another chance at love?


STATUS: IN A FAKE RELATIONSHIP BY SUZETTE DE BORJA
Tags: friends to lovers, fake dating
Heat Level 3

OB GYN Guia Carlos is afraid her best friend pediatrician Dominic Carpio is going to get his heart broken all over again. His glamorous ex-girlfriend is back in Manila and is going to the same out-of-town medical conference in Subic he will be attending. If protecting him from another heartbreak requires tagging along to a weekend conference and posing as his new girlfriend, then Guia was going to protect Dominic, even if it might just be at the cost of her own heart.

Content warnings: depictions of a broken healthcare system and government corruption, mention of deceased parents, mentions of homophobia concerns and toxic masculinity

273 pages, Kindle Edition

Published May 30, 2021

Reviews

[Megan]

A sweet, very enjoyable romance anthology featuring stories about doctors written by doctors. The stories are lightly connected around an oncology conference being held by the hospital these characters work at, though each story stands alone. I liked them all, and I especially adored the push-and-pull dynamics and character development in Angeli E. Dumatol's opening story about two rivals for a single residency slot, and the aching yearning (+ made-me-LOL Linkin Park interruption) in Celestine Trinidad's second-chance reunion romance.

(And different readers need different things, but I want to mention that there's no Covid-19 in these stories, so if--like me--you like medical romances and stories that value health care professionals but want some escapism from the exact specifics of the current pandemic, these stories might work for you.)

[Ailla Magcamit · Rating 5 out of 5]

Actual Rating: 4.5

I love anthologies. I love medical drama and romance. I love #romanceclass.

So it totally makes sense that I've been anticipating this ever since #RxLandian was first teased - and I am so glad it delivered!!! (I'm not even surprised)

While I enjoy the occasional medical drama (despite their inaccuracies as pointed out by medical professionals), it feels refreshing to see stories about doctors BY DOCTORS. I am not in the same field but reading through this anthology feels more genuine and portrays the profession in a more realistic lens (e.g. being TIRED all the time, the emotional strength needed to keep fighting)

And don't even get me started on the romances. It contained some of my all-time favorite tropes (rivals to lovers, there's only one bed, second chance romance, fake dating, and FRIENDS TO LOVERS SUPREMACY) and it's so difficult to pick a favorite pairing because they're all so well-written! Live-tweeting thread here

I need more of this in my life, no lies. Congratulations #romanceclass docs! 🥰

[Catherine Dellosa · Rating 5 out of 5]

Just like the foreword says, this book is a love letter to the field and to healthy, happy romances. There is nothing toxic about the relationships here, which is a breath of fresh air for love stories today. I love how the main characters have very positive views about love and their career, but at the same time, they all have incredibly relatable flaws and issues that anyone can understand, even if you're not in medicine. There's also no shortage of good vibes here, as every Love Interest is kilig-worthy indeed:) I can't stress how much I enjoyed reading this book. It's an absolute recommendation for anyone who enjoys love in all its messy, frustrating, but beautiful forms. Kudos to the authors, and more please!

[Mary]

The professional lives of the doctors in this anthology were more interesting than their love lives. Honestly, I wasn’t drawn in by their romances. The one with the most chemistry would probably be Mayumi and Joaquin, and incidentally that was my favorite story of the bunch.

[Arystine · Rating 4 out of 5]

Overall rating: 4.25⭐️