Medical Romance and Amy Andrews

The Italian Count by Amy Andrews (Harlequin Medical Romance)

While I impatiently await the arrival of my March medicals, I saw Debiw's wonderful blog on one of my favorite medical romances and my favorite romances of any time, The Surgeon's Meant-To-Be-Bride. Anyhow, I did read an international edition of The Italian Count's Baby last year but Debiw's blog had me thinking about Amy Andrews, so I hope it's ok to just repost something I wrote last year (not vcounting it in my numbers). I just have to say, the whole Medical scene for me adds a new dimension to this romance. I was a still a new MR reader when I wrote this so I may not have really captured the essence of this book. All I can say is I can't wait to have some spoiler discussions about these two MedSurg books, Debiw.

The Italian Count's Baby

Nurse Katya Petrova spent one night with the playboy Count Benedetto Medici when they served on the MedSurg team. Money and materialistic trinkets are NOT the kind of thing that impresses Katya but when an unexpected phone call brought him devastating news, her heart could not resist. Now, months later that one moment has consequences --- and unintended pregnancy. The last thing Katya can handle in her life is a baby! Now she is on a mission of love for her baby ---a trip to exotic Italy to see Benedetto in his natural surroundings and determine if he would be a good father. At first glance, Benedetto is captivated by the spunky, beautiful Katya -- she is unlike any woman he has ever known --- the only woman NOT to be impressed by his money or titles. When Katya proposes to hand over her baby to Benedetto, he has something entirely different planned for both Katya and the soon-to-arrive baby. Can these two somehow find their way beyond bargains and past hurts to love?

The Italian Count's Baby starts off with the exotic location, the crazy situation and electric hot passion sizzling between the hero and heroine....but The Italian Count's Baby has so much more! Tender moments and dark scenes of loss and sadness juxtaposed with patient scenes make this romance a deeply heart-moving romance. Amy Andrews writing is tight and beautiful. The care for young patients brings a whole new side of the hero and heroine that extends beyond the romance to the outside world, instilling a tone of compassion for others in the reader. At the same time, the patients change the hearts of the hero and heroine, expanding their hearts and their self-knowledge as well. The whole reading journey of this book is filled with oohs and aaahs for me, watching how Amy Andrews used plot and characterization and scene to express both an internal growing of love and a growing sense of compassion that moves outwards towards others. The characterization of the babies and children makes Katya a multi-dimensional character --- a woman who changes and evolves as she is faced with new situations. Very nice!!!! The re-introduction of the MedSurg background of both Katya and Benedetto, first introduced in The Surgeon's Meant-To-Be-Bride, adds a history and depth to the hero and heroine in The Italian Counts Baby. The reader now learns what led them to join the MedSurg team, how their medical mission at MedSurg affected them, and how it changed their whole idea of medicine once they returned and practiced medicine away from MedSurg. The two books can be read as stand-alones but are wonderful together! The Italian Count's Baby is an Amy Andrews classic!

AKA Merri
Family Challenge Team: The Spine Breakers with my dh Glenn AKA Phaedrus