Reviewed by Jess

TITLE: The Doctor’s Secret

SERIES: Copper Point Medical #1

AUTHOR: Heidi Cullinan

PUBLISHER: Dreamspinner Press

LENGTH: 337 pages

RELEASE DATE:  April 23, 2019

BLURB:

The brilliant but brooding new doctor encounters Copper Point’s sunny nurse-next-door… and nothing can stand in the way of this romance.

Dr. Hong-Wei Wu has come to Copper Point, Wisconsin, after the pressures of a high-powered residency burned him out of his career before he started. Ashamed of letting his family down after all they’ve done for him, he plans to live a quiet life as a simple surgeon in this tiny northern town. His plans, however, don’t include his outgoing, kind, and attractive surgical nurse, Simon Lane.

Simon wasn’t ready for the new surgeon to be a handsome charmer who keeps asking him for help getting settled and who woos him with amazing Taiwanese dishes. There’s no question—Dr. Wu is flirting with him, and Simon is flirting back. The problem is, St. Ann’s has a strict no-dating policy between staff, which means their romance is off the table… unless they bend the rules.

But a romance that keeps them—literally—in the closet can’t lead to happy ever after. Simon doesn’t want to stay a secret, and Hong-Wei doesn’t want to keep himself removed from life, not anymore. To secure their happiness, they’ll have to change the administration’s mind. But what other secrets will they uncover along the way, about Copper Point… and about each other?

REVIEW:

I’m a huge fan of Cullinan’s work, and to this day, her books have never disappointed me. This story is a total page-turner, drawing you into the tiny, secluded world of Copper Point, Wisconsin and their understaffed, high-drama hospital. There’s tight medical action, slow wooing, and plenty of build-up for future stories set in this Midwestern town where everyone knows everyone’s business.

Dr. Hong-Wei Wu is a brilliant surgeon who needs to work somewhere a little less high-pressure before he completely burns out. Though there’s some expected culture shock moving from Houston to rural Wisconsin, he’s instantly charmed by Nurse Simon Lane, the sunny sweetheart who greets him when he gets off the plane. Though sparks fly right away, the hospital has a strict no-fraternization policy, putting both men’s jobs on the line if they get caught. But some well-meaning friends and the staff at a local Chinese restaurant keep putting Hong-Wei and Simon together when they need each other most, so instead of keeping apart, they have to learn how to keep their relationship a secret.

I first got a taste of Cullinan’s flair for writing characters in the medical field in her lovely holiday story, Winter Wonderland. Rather than the flashy personas we see on TV, her doctors, nurses, and caregivers feel real and whole, filled with heart and depth rather than bravado. Though Dr. Wu might seem perpetually suave and collected, his insecurities, fears, and anxieties can still get the best of him when he takes a step back from being the man of the hour. And while Simon is sweet, dreamy, and romantic, he’s an even-keeled and calm nurse, ready to be his doctor’s right-hand man. I was so absorbed in the first major scene of medical drama that I almost forgot about the budding romance until an explosive first kiss just made it all even better.

I’m used to a certain level of kinkiness in Cullinan’s stories, so I was surprised by how vanilla this romance ended up being. The loves scenes are steamy but focused more on romance than on the down-and-dirty, which Cullinan usually excels at. I can’t say I didn’t miss her usual heat level, but despite the slightly tamer vibe, Hong-Wei and Simon sizzle with chemistry on every page. They have such a wonderful protectiveness over each other, so seeing Hong-Wei defend Simon from a pushy, grabby surgeon or a nosy friend feels just as passionate as a kiss. They have that wonderful give-take, push-pull dynamic that makes them a formidable team, whether they are in the ER or shopping for furniture.

I also really love Hong-Wei as a main character. I appreciate how he is portrayed as more of an alpha-male type, taking charge and setting the tone of the room, rather than being seen as the quiet, conservative supporter many Asian characters are relegated to. His ties to culture, family, religion, and the concept of home are all relatable while still having significance to his Taiwanese heritage. I was less interested in Simon’s love for K-Pop and Asian dramas, though—they came off as a little cringey. But Hong-Wei’s baffled acceptance of it is sweet.

If you like slow, trope-filled romances with high stakes and happy endings (and a side of codes and gurneys), this is a must-read. Cullinan knows how to keep her readers hooked!

RATING:

BUY LINKS: 

Dreamspinner Press

Amazon