The Doctor Wore Spurs
Grade : C

I wish I had liked The Doctor Wore Spurs more than I did. I was charmed by Tyler Logan, the doctor of the title. He's a sweetheart, and a good natured flirt. He's also a compassionate doctor who loves his patients - who are all children - very much and is devoted to their welfare. I sympathized with Jill Hershey, the heroine. Jill is a fine young woman with emotional baggage that is very understandable and not at all exaggerated. Jill and Tyler were both very likable individuals. My problem with them was that they did not jell for me as a romantic couple.

Tyler Logan is a pediatric cardiologist in Fort Worth, Texas. The hospital where he is on staff is hoping to build a new wing dedicated to pediatric care. Jill Hershey is recommended to the hospital personnel as a wizard at public relations and fundraising, so Tyler turns all of his considerable charm on her. Jill initially does not want to be involved with the project but Tyler is very persuasive and soon she is on board.

Jill's problem with working with child-related projects goes back several years when she was seven months pregnant and lost her baby in an automobile accident. Her husband, who was a charming and flirtacious man much like Tyler, could not take the pain of loss and they were divorced. As much as she is attracted to Tyler, Jill fears that he may be a clone of her husband.

Most of The Doctor Wore Spurs involves Tyler pursuing and Jill retreating. The problem was, Jill kept retreating for almost the entire book. Long after it should have been clear to even the most obtuse woman in the universe that Tyler was more than just a charming flirt, Jill kept running and I got more and more exasperated. I wanted to ask Tyler what he saw in this skittish creature.

When Tyler and Jill were not interacting as a couple, I liked them both better. Leanne Banks knows how to add little touches that illuminate a character. One that I particularly liked was how Tyler kept a small stuffed bear on his stethescope so his young patients could pat the bear while he was listening to their hearts. The scenes where Jill becomes friendly with a motherless little boy who is in the hospital are also very well done. They are sweet and tender and not mawkish.

It's only when Jill and Tyler are interacting as a couple that the book falls flat. They simply do not make a convincing couple. I could not understand what Tyler saw in Jill and I could not understand why Jill kept fleeing from Tyler. Even the love scenes in this book, and Leanne Banks normally writes some of the best love scenes in the business, were not up to her usual standard.

Despite my reservations with this book, I will still continue to get Leanne Banks' future titles. Even when she is not at the top of her game, she remains a very good storyteller and when she is in her best form - well, read Bride of the Bad Boy or A Date With Dr. Frankenstein to see how good she can be.

Reviewed by Ellen Micheletti
Grade : C
Book Type: Series Romance

Sensuality: Warm

Review Date : March 28, 2000

Publication Date: 2000/03

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Ellen Micheletti

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