CHOC-LIT - Edwina Martin-Arnold
The Chocolate Romance Series (Book #4)
Independently Published
BUY
Brenda Larnell (A)
CONTEMPORARY ROMANCE
REVIEW: Once again, we find ourselves in the throes of the recent Pandemic of the Covid 19 Virus, and with that, Ms Martin-Arnold creates a graphic and engaging story set in Seattle, Washington. in two hospital settings that are battling the deadly virus. Dr. Brian Madison and Nurse Ingrid Russell, PhD, are at the center of this fight. I love the author’s writing style. Her message is loud and clear, her characters are innovative and believable, and the storyline is well-written. We are plunged into their world of incredibly long work shifts, ventilators, face masks, intubation and death. Having said that, ladies and gentlemen, the Prologue is a kicker! It introduces us to the shero, Ingrid, and it has nothing to do with Covid or hospitals, or pandemics. Yet, it tells us a lot about Nurse Ingrid as a woman. It’s an intriguing start to an enjoyable story.
The story is told using the duo POV structure. It is through this structure that we get to know Dr. Brandon Madison and Ingrid Russell as well as see their mutual attraction for each other unfolds, along with their incredible work ethic. First, that mutual attraction is “LIT”! After the subtle flirtation they enjoy, the real deal happens after they are asked to assist at a hospital that is in crisis in a more agricultural area of Washington. Ms. Martin-Arnold pulls no punches as we become voyeurs to the Brian-Ingrid love affair. They are off-the chain; this older man-younger woman. The other half of the quartet assigned to travel to the hotspot area are Dr. Jian Patu and Dr. Maria Anderson, who have their own story in CHOCOLATE DROP, Book #3. They each bring their own area of expertise to help quell the crisis that is out of control in Eastern Washington. Nurse Ingrid stands out as the inventor of a particular piece of equipment that gains national headlines. She gains a lot of notoriety that becomes a curse rather than a blessing. I’ll allow you to discover the consequences that occur after she exposes an unscrupulous industry that is at the apex of the Covid crisis in that area of the State.
The minor characters contribute to the intrigue of the story and the development of the main characters. I like Brian’s family, along with Ingrid’s mother. The Epilogue will grab you just like the Prologue. It’s a wonderful HFN for our star couple.
I enjoyed this timely story. The storyline was smooth, seamless and coherent which allowed me to move smoothly from start to finish. CHOC-LIT is the fourth and maybe final story of this series. I recommend it for your reading pleasure, as well as the other three books that comprise The Chocolate Romance Series.
31st October 2022 | romcol@caribsurf.com

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