This was a rollercoaster of emotions all packed into several hundred pages of book. This looks at misogyny, sexualisation of women notably in medicine and the power dynamics that come with that, Grace and Julian start off hating each other, judging each other coming to their medical training with their past bruises, baggage and pains. The book made me smile at the pure romance, but also cry at how people and situations can hurt others and how gossip really can ruin lives. Friendships are put under the microscope both in the positives as well as feeling let down.

Greys anatomy is one of my favourite shows so when I saw that this has Greys meets The Hating Game vibes I had to read it. Let me tell you, this romcom delivered! I could not get enough. Absolute perfection!

I love a slow burn, enemies to lovers romance. In this book you could practically feel the tension and chemistry between them, and the banter was hilarious!

I instantly fell in love with these characters. Told in dual POV, you get an insight in to their thoughts and I loved the inner voice shown for each, sometimes arguing in their head. Grace with her anxiety when her thoughts spiralled really hit home. It was great to have accurate representation of that. Especially seeing how she is perceived by others when she is struggling socially.

It delves in to the cruel truth of bullying within the workplace (especially the medical field), highlighting how rumours can destroy a woman's reputation and how people will treat you differently even without any shred of proof. This was heartbreaking to read and I wanted to climb in the book to defend her.

The side characters were well developed and I would definitely be snatching up a book if it was written about one of them, especially Asher 👀.

Thank you to Quercus Books for this NetGalley ARC

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Love Sick is a great debut. The author writes about this medical setting in an easy way to follow for people like me who are not in that world. I thought that the beginning was a bit slow, however it picked up and stayed solid all through the rest.
I loved both Grace and Julian, they both had their flaws. I think that Julian could have stood up more for Grace at times, and I think that Grace should have trusted Julian more. That being said, circumstances justified their behaviors, so it was not difficult for me to root for them. Their story was at times angsty too, which I absolutely love!
Love Sick deals with misogyny in the workplace, and how it affects women. This is always frustrating and not easy to read about, and absolutely awful that it happens in today's world.
If you love medical dramas, this will be a fun one to read about.
Although the Starbucks and Gal Gadot references made me want to barf (pls let's stop doing that), I quite enjoyed this story, and would love to see what the author writes about next.

Thank you to the publisher for the ARC via Netgalley. All opinions are my own.

Unfortunately dnfed at 5% because the mmc is a fun is a Gyno. As the recent things that have happened ( with male gynos being responsible for SA against women during their checkups . I cannot read this .

Also the very fact the guys in this book were being misogynistic towards the fmc at the start is not it.

Im sorry but this is not for me

When rumours have started before you even begin your medical residency, based on nothing but your name. It's hard to let barrier's down especially when you bring baggage from a previous relationship.
Grace goes by her middle name and hears the rumours at the first social gathering of her colleagues. Calling out the rumour and leaving she is stopped by Julian. Apologies don't cut it and they are antoginistic towards each other.
Can romance and love triumph in the four years of residency?
A story that will make you hopeful that the future can be better than the past.

I thoroughly enjoyed hanging out with Julian, Grace, and their "group therapy" friend group, see them master the challenges of their first years of residency and fall in love with each other despite misconceptions and past relationship traumas. With great insights into medical residency, a slow-burn rivals-to-lovers arc, plenty of banter between the protagonists and a good mix of spice, drama and humour, LOVE SICK is the perfect read for fans of Grey's Anatomy, The Hating Game and Ali Hazelwood's STEMinist romcoms.

Call me biased (I’m a medical student and a hopeless romantic) but a medical romance (especially one written by a medical doctor) will never not hit!



Sapphire Grace Rose, a first-year resident, starts off her first year as the victim of the hospital rumor mill. And it’s not just an insignificant rumor. No. People are saying she has slept her way into the program. This leads to some inappropriate but also frosty first encounters. Julian Santini , a first-year resident like Grace, falls into the latter category. Over the months of working in the hospital their banter grows but weirdly, so does their attraction…

I had such a fun time reading this book! The banter between Grace and Julian was very enjoyable to read, it was humorous and witty but the book had so much depth as well. We have two residents who start out in the hospital, a time where insecurities are at an all time high. The book really encompasses the stress, anxiety and sleepless nights that come with a medical career while also showing the heart and hard work that goes into it. It also highlights how women still have to deal with misogyny. My heart broke for Grace.



Between showing the issues and injustice that women in health care experience, the author manages to write a very cute and witty romance. Julian and Grace’s banter but also the silent love and attention they pay each other throughout the book was a delight to read. Their love develops slowly but steadily, I found the pacing just right.

 Truly a beautiful debut novel!

Thank you to Quercus and NetGalley for an earc in exchange for an honest review!

I’ve loved Grace and Julian so much!! It was a lovely story (although infuriating - all too realistic unfortunately, but very well written) and I enjoyed it a lot. I found Grace very easy to relate to and I very quickly wanted the best for her, and it was so good to see Julian being so protective of her. He respected her need to take things slow, letting her set the speed of their relationship and following her lead. He was gentle with her and give her all the time she needs to trust him.

After terrible terrible first impressions, Grace and Julian begin their medical internship at loggerheads, but as they spend more time together and their undeniable attraction grows, past and present traumas threaten to tear them apart. This was a slow-burn, enemies to lovers romance that was difficult to put down. The dual POV romance between Grace and Julian was sweet and often achingly romantic as they broke down their barriers and got to know each other outside of first impressions and public perception. Some heavy topics are explored and at times I felt a little frustrated with the dramatic arc or character choices, but on the whole their actions felt convincing within their narrative experiences. Overall, the intimate glimpses into understanding a person wholly, and the journey of healing to find self-love, as well as romantic love and trust, made this a heartwarming and worthwhile read.

I enjoyed most of this novel but was ever so slightly uncomfortable with 27 years olds behaving a bit like school children when it came to being mean to each other in dating, I am not sure this is a positive way to role model and thank goodness for the fact something seemed to be hinted at about work placed harassment/ bullying in the latter pages! That said, if you can switch off the niggles, the dual narrative worked well and I was engaged throughout. I’d give 4 starts but for my slightly uncomfortable feeling, and I know this was the point but I’m not sure it was all hitting the mark. Maybe I need to give it a second read because there were times the author really tried to show the male lead as feminist and those times did work.

I thoroughly enjoyed Deidra Duncan’s novel *Love Sick* and thought it had the perfect balance of tension, romance, humour, and seriousness. *Love Sick* tells the story of four newly appointed resident doctors, with the majority of the story focusing on characters Grace and Julian. The story follows the residents from the beginning of their first year all the way through to the end of their fourth year. As a reader, I really enjoyed following them on this journey and watching not only their personal growth but also the relationships that developed between them.

From the beginning of her residency, Grace faces incredibly harsh and untrue rumours that she got her place in the program by sleeping with her superiors. From the moment she steps foot in the hospital, her life becomes increasingly difficult as she is left trying to defend and save her reputation. The author writes about this issue incredibly well and, through her writing, portrays how unfairly women can be treated—not only in the medical field but in all areas of life.

The banter and communication between the resident doctors were wonderful. It was so wholesome to watch them form such a tight connection with each other and find their own sense of family within their group. Although Julian and Grace hit it off on the wrong foot, the playful banter between the two of them is entertaining to read about. It sets them up for the well-loved ‘enemies to lovers’ trope, and the novel becomes very exciting when they begin to develop feelings for each other. The tension, yet attraction, between them is very evident, and as the novel progresses, it is beautiful to watch them work through it.

Julian was a very likeable character. Raised with four sisters, he has been brought up with great morals and has his head screwed on straight. One thing I really liked about Julian was that he was a struggling resident doctor. He found studying hard, struggled to pay attention, and often felt like he wasn’t as smart as his fellow residents. I thought the author did a fantastic job creating Julian’s character, as it made the story feel more diverse and realistic. He didn’t follow the typical “I’m a doctor, so I must be a genius” trope, which I thought was brilliant. What he lacked in the classroom, Julian made up for with his natural surgical skills. The female main character, Grace, was also very likeable. She was quiet, studious, and desperate to keep her name out of the rumours that circulated the hospital.

As a lover of all things medical, I was beyond excited to read a novel set in the medical field. As mentioned above, this book follows the lives of four junior resident doctors working in the OB/GYN specialty. The author has done a fabulous job of writing a medical-themed novel and has described all aspects of hospital life in meticulous detail. Upon finishing the book, I learned that the author is actually a board-certified OB/GYN herself, which makes a lot of sense in explaining how she produced such a realistic novel. I would 100% recommend this book to fans of *Grey's Anatomy*, *Chicago Med*, *The Good Doctor*, and other similar medical dramas.

This is a book that I would 100% recommend to my followers. Readers who are fans of the following tropes will love this read: enemies to lovers, workplace romance, and "he falls first." Readers who also have a special interest in medical dramas will love this book, as it is written by a doctor about doctors working as OB/GYNs. It is very realistic and accurate and will be appreciated by many readers.

Thank you to NetGallery, the author Deidra Duncan and Quercus for gifting me a copy of this book. Check out @brydzandherbooks for more bookish content and reviews.

A great romance set around a medical background. Great characters which kept me turning the pages from start to finish.
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC in return for an honest review.

I flipping loved this book. It is so good when an author writes a genuine hate to love relationship that is filled with viscous insults, pranks and the relationship is always teetering on the edge of kill or f**k. Julian and Grace are the perfect couple for this - they were equally matched and neither was willing to back down.

Grace was my favourite in this - she's smart, spiky and determined to prove herself in a misogynistic environment and I was rooting for her all the way. Julian gets massive props from me for always standing up for her no matter how he felt about her personally.

I think the backdrop, the side characters and the hospital environment were incredibly well written and it felt like I was reading something like Grey's Anatomy.

A brilliant romance, fantastic characters and a great way to call out toxic, misogynistic work environments.

Thank you @netgalleyuk and @onemorechapter - I loved this book

THANK YOU NETGALLEY and Quercus books for this brilliant ARC. Debut novel? Really? Hats off to you Deidra Duncan!

Grace and Julian are first year residents in the same OBGYN program but they've gotten off on the wrong foot. There is a rumour at the hospital that one of the residents has slept their way in to the program and most assume it is Grace, including Julian, who worked tirelessly to get his spot. She's gorgeous and smart and he's handsome and talented but they can't get over their initial bad impressions or their underlying attraction to one another. Which feelings will win out?

This is a classic will they or won't they? And this book oozes of chemistry. It is palpable despite the fact nothing happens for so long. And when it does, it's fireworks off the page. I have high praise for open door intimate scenes that do not make me cringe and don't sound porny. This is some well written smut! And the characters never lose their tenderness. I'm adding Julian to my list of favourite MMCs ever - perfectly imperfect and real and brave.

Hands down you will love this if you were ever a fan of Grey's Anatomy but Love Sick holds it's own and I couldn't draw parallels with any GA characters. But I think fans of STEM romances such as early Ali Hazelwood will also love this. I frothed all the physiology and medical terminology and the humour around it. It felt like being a fly on the wall in the workplace.

I eagerly anticipate your next book Deidra.

**Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an advance copy in exchange for a fair and honest review**

I enjoyed this one. The classic enemies-to-lovers storyline set against the insanity of medical training in hospitals.

The misogyny that Grace (and the other female characters) faced was mindblowing and I truly hope no one has to go through the level of judgement and inequality that they did.

3.25⭐️
🌶️🌶️.5

Love Sick is a book perfect for fans of Grey’s Anatomy! The story follows Grace who has just started her OB-GYN residency, but there’s already drama - a rumour that she slept her way into the position. Julian is a frustratingly handsome resident with whom Grace has to set the record straight - cue slow burn romance.

The characters relationships, not just romantic but platonic relationships too, were very well written. I also think Grace’s character was really likeable and I was angry for her because of the rumour! The banter between Grace and Julian was top notch.

The only reason I didn’t rate this book higher is because of the third act break up. I knew it was coming but thought it could’ve been avoided. Overall this is a great read for fans of slow burn romances and Grey’s Anatomy.

Thank you to NetGalley for the eARC of this book. I leave this review honestly and voluntarily.

Love Sick by Deidra Duncan is an engaging enemies-to-lovers rom-com that strikes the perfect balance between heart and humour. Set in the high-pressure world of medical residency, it follows Grace Rose, a brilliant OB-GYN resident, as she navigates the turbulent waters of hospital politics and a damaging rumour about her personal life. Grace's battle with social anxiety adds another layer of depth to her character, making her journey even more relatable and heartfelt.

Julian Santini, her frustratingly handsome co-resident, becomes an unexpected ally, and as their mutual disdain turns into attraction, their chemistry builds in a way that feels both genuine and earned. The mental health representation in this book is spot on, which is something I truly appreciated, being a nurse myself. The exploration of the challenges women face in medical environments—particularly the double standards and gossip—is both timely and poignant.

The author does an excellent job of weaving together hospital dynamics, self-discovery, and budding romance, making Love Sick a heartwarming, emotionally resonant read. I loved this book for its honesty and the way it portrays the complexities of being a woman in a demanding career. It's a fun yet deeply relatable story that resonates with anyone who's ever faced professional challenges, personal growth, or the unpredictable nature of love.

Read more at The Secret Book Review.

Thanks to Netgalley and Quercus for a review copy of this book. A really enjoyable romance couched in the grim realities of the experiences residences endure in American hospitals today, especially if you’re a woman.

Whip smart Grace Rose starts her residency in Texas with hope for a new start only to find that rumours had already started circulating about her sleeping her way into the residency programme she’s in. With her first name Sapphire and her looks assumptions have been made about her in the past, but this time it’s doesn’t seem to go away. Julian Santini has his own problems and insecurities about his struggles with studying and the DO after his name that most find an inferior medical degree. But Grace can only see the charm that no one can resist combined with the conversation denigrating she overheard him participate in and she can’t see past her anger to understand what kind of person he really is. Grace’s struggles to prove herself a good doctor and Julian’s efforts to do the same, because of a different set of obstacles are unveiled amid realistic scenarios and experiences of being pushed through an American medical education system that seems broken. There is humour but underneath there’s also a strong message to those who would pick up on it. The relationship that develops between Grace and Julian is engaging and real and the characters that surround them are well drawn to create a really good enjoyable story.

First of all, I absolutely adore how Deidra has captured the feel of residency and medicine so accurately - I almost felt like I was reading my colleagues lives! I was very much invested in our two main characters lives and I loved seeing how they developed and changed over residency - I would have loved even more of this, but that may be the doctor in me wanting to know about their thoughts on patients and medicine!

I was instantly invested in the group of residents and their seniors. The camaraderie was beautiful and so well written. I loved how the secrets and rumours played out and how that storyline was so neatly wrapped up. My only minor minor issue with this book comes with the dialogue in the last few chapters - Julian suddenly became slightly too sweet and gushing compared to the rest of the book! I will be reading this story again and again and I hope it sparks a series so we can learn more about the other residents... and the attending?!

I love a romance in a hospital/healthcare professional setting, but unfortunately this was not for me. I found that Julian and Grace's perspectives felt more like 18 year old than medical interns and I felt that their dynamic didn't feel fleshed out more than wanting to sleep with each other.