The Other Side of the Horizon by K. Lynch

Release date: 2008 / 111 pages

Synopsis (from back cover): “Dr. Jack Eisner has a reputation for saving lives. So when the emergency-room physician goes home from Blakemore General Hospital one night after treating a particularly tough Level III trauma case, he chalks up another “save.” But some problems take time to show themselves. And when the patient dies a short while later, hospital administrators blame Dr. Eisner, pointing to an apparently foolish error. Now, amid hospital recriminations and threatened lawsuits, Dr. Eisner — still smarting from a painful breakup with his beloved Sophia — makes a break with civilization, piling his life into a 1950s sailboat and setting off for wherever the wind takes him.”

First line: “Jack Eisner, MD, sat slouched in the frayed desk chair in his small office in the back of the Emergency Room.”

Review: I accepted this book for review because I was so intrigued by a male doctor who writes romance novels… And I felt as if this was an interesting outline or skeleton for what could so easily become an intriguing action-adventure film.

My passion is for character development, usually found in spades in romance novels, and I was surprised to find a fast-paced plot-driven story of intrigue, complete with corrupt Cuban officials, semi-automatic weapons, gold doubloons, and other high seas adventure.

Personally, I wanted more background on Jack, Sophia, the hospital administrators, etc. I kept wanted to ask the characters “why?” “Why did you do/think/say/feel that?” And maybe this is simply a reflection of how well I fit my gender… A male reader may have felt this story was satisfactorily developed…? Or maybe I am simply playing into cultural or generational stereotypes of gender!

Either way, if you would like to give this unconventional romance a try, simply leave me a comment and I’ll put you in the running!

Now, here’s a special offer…  Two for one!  Soon after I received The Other Side of the Horizon, Lynch mailed me another one of his novels: The Million Dollar Therapist.  This, too, is a fast read (at 154 pages) and would be perfect for vacation.  In fact, I really liked this one even more than the one I requested!!