Doctors Beyond Borders by Georgie Tyler

First of all, I'm amazed that this appears to be a debut novel. Surely this is an-already established author using a new pen name? I say this because the book contains none of the stilted, awkward, juvenile or fifth-grade writing I've come to expect in a first-time book, especially with a digital publisher. It's very well written.

If I were to complain about anything in this story, it would be too much sexual tension. It made for excellent relationship development and it's true that most books don't have any of this anymore and that's become a common complaint from me. Most of the time people just jump into bed together after catching each other's eyes, on page two. But though I was fully aware this was a romance, I was more interested in the background story involving doctors amid the political and social turmoil of Sudan, and I felt the constant sexual tension distracted from a greater issue. I just began to skim the story every time their body parts began doing things within their clothes and I also grew weary of being reminded of how hot the hero and heroine are, her slender legs, his muscular abs...etc, etc (I was like, "Okay already!" The constant hardening of his groin and dripping into her panties made them seem shallow at times--ESPECIALLY Ford (is that all there is to him, horniness?), though one could also argue that their lust is the only bright spot in rather dark conditions.

But moving on: I knew nothing about Sudan before picking this up. I didn't even know where it was, let along that there was a civil war. Through the heroine's eyes, we experience the sand, the mud from the sudden rains, learn of the disease and starvation and what's done to help the people, and feel fear when the warlords show up to do harm or steal supplies...or leave behind executed bodies.

The heroine doesn't come off as very strong at first. She's basically just running away from a failed relationship, which is kinda wimpy, but by the end of the novel, she's all about helping others, even if it means placing herself in peril. I guess what she does is dumb, but I saw it as brave too. I just wish she didn't end up needing a man to save her.

Conclusion: superb writing, lots (just too much for me) of romance, some educational bits, and overall, worth one's time. It fell kind of lukewarm for me because by the time the hero and heroine took care of their lusty feelings, I just wanted it to get to the point.

I got this on netgalley.