Book Review of 'The Doctor's Christmas Dilemma' by Danielle Thorne

Happy Tuesday Bookworms!

I first want to say a special HAPPY ANNIVERSARY to my mom and stepdad who are celebrating their third wedding anniversary today. I love you both and hope you have a wonderful day together!

It seems like the holidays are already here with the cooler weather blowing in and the time changing so I thought it would be fitting to get a head start on my holiday reading this year to get into the holiday spirit early and am starting off with the latest Love Inspired romance from Danielle Thorne that was just released!

I hope you enjoy my thoughts on this sweet holiday read and don't forget to scroll down to the bottom of this post for an awesome giveaway from JustRead Tours!

Welcome to the Blog Tour for The Doctor's Christmas Dilemma by Danielle Thorne, hosted by JustRead Publicity Tours!

About the Book

Title: The Doctor's Christmas Dilemma
Author: Danielle Thorne
Publisher: Love Inspired
Release Date: October 24th, 2023
Genre: Inspirational Romance

Home for the holidays…

Or home for good?

Once upon a time, Ben Cooper left his hometown to follow his dreams of becoming a big-city doctor. Now he’s back to run his father’s clinic and spend Christmas with his daughter, not to fall for McKenzie Price, the woman who broke his heart. But when McKenzie steps in to help Ben reconnect with his little girl, and old sparks begin to ignite, will Ben give up city life for a second chance at love?

From Love Inspired: Uplifting stories of faith, forgiveness and hope.

My Review

I am feeling the pull to the holiday season early this year and decided to dive into my holiday reads with a sweet Love Inspired romance.

Ben and McKenzie have both lost sight of what matters in their lives. Ben is too focused on his career to be bothered by his young daughter, leaving her with his parents while he pursues his medical aspirations. McKenzie is working the same job in the same small town she’s worked at since high school and has allowed her fear to keep her frozen instead of moving forward. The pair were friends in high school but grew apart when Ben confessed feelings that weren’t reciprocated and then moved away. Now he’s back in town for the holidays and they are again back in one another’s lives.

Their story is sweet but there wasn’t really anything that made this novel special. I was hoping for something more that never came, which made me a little wistful. Ben’s character really rubbed me the wrong way. He comes across as selfish and self-centered and honestly, he never truly redeemed himself to me. I am glad that his eyes were eventually opened, especially when it came to sweet little daughter Megan, but I still found myself struggling to like him. I know that him and McKenzie have a past friendship and, not to be harsh, but I didn’t see much for her to fall in love with. I did, however, see how well McKenzie balanced Ben out, as she is a selfless and giving individual, and she truly one of the characters that redeemed this story for me.

The dance classes brought me right back to my dance classes as a child, making me feel all the nostalgic feels, and I loved that! The recital especially brought back bittersweet memories for me, but it was my favorite part of the entire novel. Ben stepping up and doing what he did solidified his relationship with his daughter, which is what I was rooting for most of all, and to see it come to fruition was wonderful.

Overall, this was a nice, relaxing escape. I would’ve loved to have seen a little something unexpected, even if it was something small. The characters are truly what makes this novel, and I adored the picturesque small-town setting. I absolutely adored Megan and Bailey and the dance aspect brought back fond memories that I had long forgotten about. I just wish there had been a little something more.

My Rating: ★★★★

About the Author

Danielle Thorne writes happily-ever-afters set in the South for Harlequin Love Inspired. A graduate of BYU-Idaho, she also writes stories about Regency ladies, pirates, and not-so-distressed damsels from her home south of Atlanta. Free time is filled with documentaries, too much yard work, and not enough travel. When not writing wholesome romances, Danielle hangs out with friends or chases cats. She enjoys the outdoors and serving in her church and community. Danielle's been married to the same fellow for thirty years, has four sons, four bonus daughters and two grandbabies. She loves them more than life.

Connect with Danielle by visiting daniellethorne.com to follow her on social media and sign up for email updates.

Tour Giveaway

(1) winner will win an autographed print copy of The Doctor's Christmas Dilemma, a bookmark, and a $25 Amazon gift card!

Full tour schedule linked below. The giveaway begins at midnight November 7, 2023 and will last through 11:59 PM EST on November 14, 2023. Winner will be notified within 2 weeks of close of the giveaway and given 48 hours to respond or risk forfeiture of prize. US/CAN only. Void where prohibited by law or logistics.

Giveaway is subject to JustRead Publicity Tours Giveaway Policies.

Enter Giveaway

Follow along at JustRead Tours for a full list of stops!