The Surgeon's Engagement Wish

Alison Roberts

Литагент HarperCollins EUR

Nurse Beth Dawson has come to the small town of Hereford, New Zealand, for a bit of peace and quiet after a tumultuous time. The last person she expects to meet is Luke Savage – the high-flying, career-minded surgeon she was engaged to years ago.Luke was always determined to be a cardiac surgeon at the top institutions in Europe – so why is he serving this tiny seaside community in rural New Zealand? Eventually, Beth sees Luke has changed; he's mellowed and has realized what's important in life. But will he forgive her for leaving him? And will Beth give Luke the love and commitment he's never stopped wanting?

Would Beth have turned her face up toward his like that if she hadn’t wanted him to kiss her?

Would he have wanted to kiss her if he’d known what it would be like? If he’d known that the lock would disintegrate on that part of his heart that had been so well protected for so long? That all the old feelings would still be there so completely?

Except they hadn’t been complete, had they? Because now he could add the painfully gained wisdom of so many years. And the forgiveness, and understanding of why it had happened.

His hands held her close; his lips moved over hers gently. This wasn’t about passion—though that was only a heartbeat away. It was about finding a connection again, and asking whether that connection could ever mean enough to make it worth exploring further.

Dear Reader (#ulink_411955c2-404a-5644-b901-4be36acc03c3),

Stories can begin to grow from an amazing variety of starting points. A character or a place or a conflict can all provide a flash point. Sometimes, as happened with The Surgeon’s Engagement Wish, something comes from way out in left field. I was leafing through a motoring magazine, of all things, when I saw a picture of a whale rescue.

We get a few mass strandings of whales in New Zealand so it’s not that unusual, but it got me thinking about how emotional such an experience would be, and how much depth it could add for a pair of central characters that were already having problems.

Not that I’ve ever helped with a whale rescue, but I have a friend who works in the Department of Conservation and she was able to help with the research. Thank you, Sandra!

My stranded whales and their rescue became very real for me and the story of Luke and Beth grew in both directions from that point.

I wonder what my next starting point will be?

Happy reading!

Love,

Alison

The Surgeon’s Engagement Wish

Alison Roberts

www.millsandboon.co.uk (http://www.millsandboon.co.uk)

CONTENTS

Cover (#u247984a9-d073-5353-9d18-97a79d1e1452)

Excerpt (#u8c10106f-b19b-5a38-b998-de5a4e78f759)

Dear Reader (#u65ed8dbb-6296-5900-b7ee-dd104685dd74)

Title Page (#u5f7443e3-ed8c-5d4d-8257-75f4b04d6e54)

CHAPTER ONE (#u71f890d9-df0a-5bfc-8cd2-a03942d55ce9)

CHAPTER TWO (#ue47f5c73-2dd6-5eee-b84c-644eac19fdae)

CHAPTER THREE (#ubcac8986-5955-5b7f-a551-a4b1fa416d39)

CHAPTER FOUR (#litres_trial_promo)

CHAPTER FIVE (#litres_trial_promo)

CHAPTER SIX (#litres_trial_promo)

CHAPTER SEVEN (#litres_trial_promo)

CHAPTER EIGHT (#litres_trial_promo)

CHAPTER NINE (#litres_trial_promo)

CHAPTER TEN (#litres_trial_promo)

Extract (#litres_trial_promo)

Copyright (#litres_trial_promo)

CHAPTER ONE (#ulink_38686b61-c0f7-50a1-a01b-42891525bc90)

THE car should not have been there.

In the small car park adjacent to the emergency department of Ocean View hospital, yes. In the space reserved for the ambulance, even, if the emergency was dire enough.

But three quarters of the way through the wide electronic doors that led into the reception and triage area?

No way!

Nurse Elizabeth Dawson’s astonishment rapidly gave way to alarm. The car would have been suspicious enough tucked neatly into an acceptable car-parking slot. An ancient, rusting hulk of a V8. A status symbol amongst the elements of society who p