A Very Special Surgeon

Healing Hearts Behind Closed Doors

When brilliant but guarded surgeon Dr. Helena St. James is transferred to the bustling emergency department of St. Giles Hospital, she expects long hours and life-and-death decisions—but not to encounter Lara Bennett, the fiercely independent paramedic whose skill and compassion she reluctantly admires. Assigned to collaborate on a groundbreaking trauma protocol, Helena and Lara find themselves thrust into a whirlwind of high-pressure cases, from multi-casualty pileups to daring air-lift rescues. Each shared victory in the operating theatre chips away at Helena’s carefully maintained defenses, while Lara’s unwavering dedication to her patients forces Helena to confront the walls she’s built around her own heart.

Scalpels, Secrets, and Second Chances

Amid the fluorescent glare of operating lights and the hum of life-saving machinery, Helena’s meticulous world begins to unravel. A medical crisis involving a young single mother challenges her clinical detachment, and Lara’s unorthodox approach to patient care ignites professional friction. As they work side by side through adrenaline-fuelled shifts and clandestine late-night consultations, professional respect evolves into something deeper. Yet both women harbor secrets: Helena’s fear of vulnerability after a past betrayal, and Lara’s struggle to balance a demanding career with the family she barely knows. When a critical decision pits protocol against instinct, their relationship—and the very protocol they’ve designed—hangs in the balance.

Rewriting the Rules of the Heart

As a high-stakes medical conference looms and their protocol gains national attention, Helena and Lara must decide whether to preserve the emotional distance that once protected them—or to trust the unpredictable healing power of love. With careers and reputations on the line, they discover that the bravest operation of all may be the one that opens their hearts. In an emotionally charged finale against the backdrop of a life-changing surgery, both women learn that true healing often begins when you let someone else in.

. Laura MacDonald is a bestselling Mills & Boon author celebrated for her compassionate medical romances, richly drawn characters, and the profound portrayal of love’s resilience amid life’s greatest challenges.