Heart Like Mine: An Echo Lake Novel

Great author, easy read, held my attention!

I’ve read everything published from this author and it seems like each book the author writes only becomes better than the last and that’s really saying something because I’ve loved everything she’s put out. In Heart Like Mine, Delaney needs to make some budget cuts at the hospital and the department she gets assigned to is the pediatric floor. Too bad Doctor Josh, has something to say about her ideas of what to cut. You have two people who immediately clash. She’s concerned about numbers and he’s concerned about his patients. Can they work together to do what’s best for the hospital or will their differences keep them apart? This book will grab your attention and not let go until the very last word. I highly recommend Heart Like Mine to anyone who loves a good romance.

his is the first book u have read from Maggie McGinnis and I can tell you right now it won't be the last. Heart Like Mine kept me thoroughly captivated through the entire book. I didn't want to put the book down. The imagery the author uses made it easy to picture the book happening in my head. I loved how the author both Delaney and Joshua's point of view. It was nice knowing exactly what they were both thinking and feeling. If you want a story that has heart ache as well as the warm and fuzzies, this is the book for you.

4 - "This isn't how this was supposed to go." Stars! Heart Like Mine is the second full length novel in Maggie McGinnis’ Echo Lake series. I so, so enjoyed this book. This is McGinnis writing at her absolute best for me and she nailed it with Delaney and Josh’s story. I am not a reader that requires all of the books I read to be full of sexy times, if an author can deliver a well-rounded story with a likeable couple, that have a noticeable emotional connection, I am quite happy for the sexy-times to be left 'behind closed doors'. I have found though over the years, that there are very few authors that manage to do this with every book they write, sometimes something feels amiss because the lack of that area of a relationship being explored in more depth, Maggie for me is one of those authors that takes the time to develop her stories and characters enough that this is never an issue. We also touch on a subject that is very close to the hearts of anyone who has had a loved one that has struggled with their health, in that Delaney has been charged with looking at ways to cut the budget for one of the most important departments at Mercy Hospital, the unit that Dr. Josh Mackenzie oversees; pediatric care. The loss of funding to provide adequate medical care for the children in his unit causes a lot of sparks to fly between them after their initial meeting, and I loved the fact that he challenged her to work on the unit with him and his staff to see exactly what they did and how they worked whilst already stretched to their limits, with the funding they currently had. This is a very current issue across the globe nowadays and it was nice to see it addressed in an informed and compassionate way. Acquiescing to Josh’s request, pushes Delaney completely out of her comfort zone, stepping out of her top floor carpeted office with a view, to get involved on the wards and with the patients is not something she wants to deal with initially or is emotionally prepared for due to issues from her own past, but the more time she spends with Josh, the nurses and their patients, opens her up to the rewards and sense of achievement she feels from working in a more front of house role. He was ready to stop wishing, maybe she was more than a colleague. Slow building, the author really took the time to let this couple get to know each other as well as their friends and family, even though the bulk of the book actually takes place over the space of two weeks, it didn’t feel like it, so much is going on between them as their connection deepens, as well as in the hospital it really was just a beautifully put together story. "I’m looking for the nine-to-five guy, not the five-to-nine one." You have the inevitable tipping point between them in the latter stages of the book, it stands to reason it is going to happen, when professional ethics and personal wants are bought into play and called into question, the lack of ability to potentially compromise, not to mention a meddling snake in the grass trying to come between them. The author again played it out perfectly, in the length of time it took to play out and the level of involvement it had in the overall story arc, in that it wasn’t dragged out. This series is starting to grow into a keeper for me, the town and people of Echo Lake are starting to build nicely. I am hoping at some point the author looks to give Molly Bellini a book, she has played an integral part in every book so far, yet hasn’t really had any hint of romance for herself yet. She’s Got a Way is due for release in August this year, and I am looking forward to seeing where Maggie takes the series next. ARC generously provided via Netgalley, and it was my pleasure to provide the above honest review.

4.5 Stars Sexual Content: Subtle/Sensual Language (Profanity/Slang) Content: None Violent Content: None In the second Echo Lake Novel, we get to really know Dr. Joshua Mackenzie. He’s serving as interim head of pediatrics at Mercy Hospital as well as volunteering at Avery’s House. Delaney Blair is on her way to being the next CFO of Mercy Hospital…but she’s been tasked with making substantial cuts to the peds budget. Everyone agrees it’s a terrible assignment, but she’d rather do it than have her nemesis putting them on the chopping block. Delaney starts to learn firsthand what makes the peds floor run so smoothly, as well as getting to know the sexy Dr. Josh a little better. As tensions rise between them, sensual sparks start to fly, too. And in an emergency, they have to work together to save lives—will they be able to save their hearts? First and foremost, I want to let readers know that this book stands fully on its own. You are given the information you need from the prior book in order to keep up with this one. For returning readers, you’ll love getting a few glimpses back into Avery’s House when Josh spends time there. We really learn more about Josh’s past and how his parents, his friends, and even how Avery affected his life and steered him to his calling as a pediatrics doctor. He’s got a huge heart and would do anything for “his kids.” He’s definitely the sort of doctor you would want to have looking out for your child and his genuine caring and warmth really brings extra life to the story. Delaney doesn’t realize how far she’s gone away from the days when she planned to be a doctor. She knows that her floor is thought of as sitting in an ivory tower, but she knows she’s good at her job and how critical it is to keep the hospital in the black. So when Dr. Joshua Mackenzie refuses to answer her calls or meet with her, she heads down to peds to let him know her plans for the budget. As she spends more time on the floor, we see her own past wounds start to heal and a whole new side of the princess in the glass tower starts to emerge. When Delaney starts to become comfortable with the operations of the floor, we start to see a whole new side to her personality that she’s keep buried for a long time. The transformation is incredible and she truly becomes a heroine worth reading about. I was so thrilled to get to return to Echo Lake and see what has been happening there. I loved the first book with my whole heart. This book is just as well written and will keep you engaged from start to finish. It isn’t a tear-jerker like the first book, and that is just fine. It’s a beautiful story that will weave you into the pages as you go, and leave you waiting for the next opportunity to revisit Echo Lake. -- ROBYN All books reviewed by Once Upon a Romance are furnished by the publisher or publicist for a fair and honest review.

I REALLY ENJOYED THE BOOK . IT HELD MY INTEREST ALL THE WAY THROUGH