Only Yours-Susan Mallery

Only Yours
Susan Mallery
Harlequin HQN, Aug 30 2011, $7.99
ISBN: 9780373775941

In Fool’s Gold, California Montana Hendrix enjoys her job training therapy dogs. She is working with Fluffy who sees a mom and son with a hot dog. The canine goes for the food and takes off afterward with a stunned Montana in pursuit. Her boss Max Thurmon already decided Fluffy was not a good choice, but now the escapee enters a hospital causing havoc before plowing into highly regarded visiting plastic surgeon Dr. Simon Bradley who works with burn victims around the world. Simon rips into Montana as infection in the burn ward kills.

The mother of his nine years old patient Kalinda Riley asks Simon to allow her daughter to pet the dog. Mayor Marsha wants Montana to charm Simon into staying, but she explains that “A stick up his butt” Simon hates her after the travesty. However, Simon asks Montana to provide a therapy dog for his patient. CeCe is perfect for the little girl and Montana is falling in love with the nasty doctor who until now avoided relationships since his scarred childhood.

The canines and the burn victims (and their family) refresh the second Hendrix sister Fool’s Gold romance (see Only Mine). The lead couple is an interesting pairing of a local dog trainer and a globetrotting physician whose emotional issues stick out on his face. However, it is Kalinda, her mom and CeCe who make for a poignant medical romance.

Harriet Klausner