The Doctor's Secret

Reviews by the Wicked Reads Review Team

Sarah – ☆☆☆☆
I’ve been a huge Heidi Cullinan fan for years and I was so excited to see that she’s written a medical romance trilogy. And this is ROMANCE complete with love at first sight, big dramatic declarations, and loads of chemistry. Full of references to Asian dramas and K-pop music, I think this is as light, fluffy, and kink-free as Cullinan gets.

I love Hong-Wei as a leading man. His experiences and struggles as a first-generation immigrant ring true, as do his professional struggles. Simon provides a lovely counterbalance to Hong-Wei’s anxieties. He loves his work but chose a less demanding path as a nurse. Simon enjoys the lifelong friendships he shares with his best friends and a close relationship with his family. The connection between Hong-Wei and Simon is instant and I love the way these two balance each other perfectly. I also love that there is a refreshing lack of angst between Simon and Hong-Wei. Together they are up against a hospital no-dating policy, but they work together and not against each other.

This story offers an interesting look at medicine in small town America. Cullinan is always brilliant at details and St. Ann’s medical centre comes alive beautifully. As always with American books, I was horrified by the idea of critically ill patients having to pay or go into debt for care but I loved the staff and enjoyed the politics and relationships between the doctors, nurses, and management.

This story will appeal to romance fans – it’s a softer, gentler side of Cullinan’s writing that I haven’t seen before. It’s sweet and full of small town feels and quirky characters. There is a tiny bit of heat, but it is pretty much kink free. I will always enjoy Cullinan’s writing, but I have to admit that I love her kinky side best. This isn’t my favourite of her books, but the writing is still brilliant and if anyone can win me over with a fluffy vanilla romance it will definitely be Cullinan.


Ruthie – ☆☆☆☆
This is the first in a series set in a small town, based in its hospital. There is some world building, but it is mostly done within the story – and that is facilitated by the lead, Dr. Hong-Wei Wu being a newcomer to the town, so we learn about the politics and the people in part through his eyes. We also get to experience some of the racism that he experiences, but also some of the richness of his Taiwanese family and values.

Overall this story has a sweet and smooth romance, with an issue of a hospital policy against relationships between staff, but plenty of Simon's friends are supportive and careful to help the men try to maintain their privacy until the issue can be resolved. The camaraderie is vital to the story. As we start to understand the dynamics and politics within the hospital, we can see that there are some serious issues which are affecting the success of the organisation. Knowing who is on your side and who can be trusted is very important. It sets up some excellent storylines for future installments too.

I enjoyed the fact that the romance is centred around a tight knit group of friends, all working in a small hospital. The arrival of the new super-talented doctor and the reasons for his relocation all add to the interest in this new romance. I am moving directly onto book two!

Reviewers were provided a free copy of this book to read and review.

Loved this book from start to finish. Clever, romantic & smart.

Even though I had already purchased the ebook when I saw this was available at Audible I picked up the audio version. The narration is well done and doesn't distract from the story at all.

There is much these men must overcome. Each has their own baggage and on top of that they must deal with the rules of the hospital board. I get the idea that you need to "keep secrets" or be less than your true self in the interest of holding down a job and it really made me feel for both of these men. I also like the fact that once they are all in they don't look for the easy way out. I like how they were ready to fight but also have a strong backup plan. I also like the way the other characters start to stand up to board for them even when they hadn't been willing to do it for themselves. Can't wait for the next installment in this series.

Dr. Hong Wei Wu is a brilliant surgeon promised to a brilliant career until the pressure burns him out and decides to accept a surgeon post at St Anne’s hospital, in Copper Point, Wisconsin.
Simon Lane has spent his whole life at Copper Point. He’s a surgical nurse at St Anne where he works with his two best friends and roommates, Owen and Jared.
Simon and Hong Wei are immediately attracting to each other, but St Anne has a strict non-dating rule that can put Simon out of a job if he dates Hong Wei. They will have to find a way to work together, to be together and to keep their jobs in the process.
The Doctor’s secret by Heidi Cullinan, is book one in the Copper Point medical series.

I enjoyed this book. It was well written, dynamic, funny and fluid.

Simon is a fan of the Asian culture—he loves K-Pop and Asian’s comedies. He loves his job, and he hopes to have a “good” surgeon to work with. He’s sensitive, professional, a hopeless romantic and wears his heart in his sleeve. He’s afraid to have an affair with Hong-Wei. He doesn’t want to leave his town and his family. I loved Simon—he’s so sensitive and kind. I loved his romantic side, I loved his shyness and his fragility until it comes to his man, then he’s protective and supportive of Hong Wei, and he’s ready to step out of his comfort zone for him, to change his entire life for him.

Hong Wei is a surgeon, one of the best of his generation but the pressure burns him out, and he runs away from the brilliant career in a big hospital to practice in a tiny hospital in the middle of nowhere. He doesn’t expect to be madly attracted to his sexy nurse, and to find a family and friends in Copper Point. I adored Hong Wei, and I especially adored how strong and sensitive he can be. He’s confident and strong in the hospital, he’s the one in charge, however, he’s fragile and sensitive with his family. I loved this duality about him. I adored him.
I really enjoyed this book. The plot was captivating. The first part of the book is about Hong Wei and Simon’s relationship, and the second part is about how they find a way out of the non-dating rule. I particularly enjoyed all the explanations about Asian culture that Heidi Cullinan puts in the book—it was very interesting and enlightening. I loved the themes she put in her story like racism, family, integration, and acceptance. The secondary characters are loveable, and I can’t wait to read more about them.

It was a good first start for this new series, and I will happily read the next book.

4 Stars for the Surgeon and his nurse.