When a Man Loves a Woman

I really enjoyed Alina Adams' WHEN A MAN LOVES A WOMAN for many of the same reasons I loved her prior romance, ANNIE'S WILD RIDE: great writing, well-drawn and realistic characters, believable dialogue and story-telling. It is just one of those increasingly rare examples of romances, where the love story at the center of the book in and of itself is actually interesting and compelling enough to support an entire book. There's no need for extras: psycho-killer/suspense element so popular in many contemporary romances or the campy supernatural/mystical setting. The characters are ordinary and have real problems and issues which are not going to be magically resolved, that draw the reader in. Also, as both h/h are doctors, the medical profession is nicely utilized as background material, which provides added depth to this book.

Can friendship become love? That is the question for Doctors James Elliot and Deborah Brody. They've known each other since their freshman year of medical school, and though they characterize themselves as friends, in many ways they are more like siblings who have together weathered the trials of that institutional family substitute called The Medical Profession. Twenty years into their relationship, Deb is suddenly widowed, and the delicate balance between them abruptly changes. Elliot (they can't call each other by their given names - too intimate, perhaps?) has never married, Brody is suddenly available, and neither one of them seems able to negotiate the overwhelming possibility that they might actually love each other as man and woman.The strength of this book lies in Alina Adams' written dialog and character development. There is no big suspense or mystery subplot, and not a lot of technical medical narrative - just the halting and sometimes painfully realistic unfolding of a relationship between two people who are very cerebral and who long ago had to learn how to suppress feelings and spontaneity in the service of their profession. In this respect, it's a romance in its purest form, and if you are used to a lot of action in your stories, you may find this one a little more challenging to read. It's a story that can't be read in one sitting because it's too intense, and at times, I had to put it down to take a breather. However, I found I couldn't abandon it. Brody and Elliot stuck to me like cockleburrs, and I had to find out what they were going to do about their dilemma. These characters are not starry-eyed and suddenly smitten; instead, there is a fairly pervasive sexual tension between them throughout the book. This story is also different in that the characters are older and more experienced than is usual in this genre - both are in their early 40's and entering the height of their professional achievement. AA's book reminds us that love blooms at any age and in the most unanticipated places - a really nice story.

Long after you finish the last page, this book will stay with you. If you like your books light, with lots of dialogue, this one may not be for you. But if you enjoy a book that really delves into people's minds and into the 'why we do what we do' then you will enjoy this book.I found it slow-going at times, with lots of introspection. But Ms. Adams' writing kept me interested and made me *want* to know how things would all turn out for Elliot and Brody, both sympathetic characters in a very believable situation. The backdrop of a big city hospital and Ms. Adams' description of it and the roles both Brody and Elliott played enhanced the story and made it real. This is the first time I've read an Alina Adams novel, but it certainly won't be the last.

This book is unbelievably entertaining! Doctors Brody and Elliot are so well defined and developed, I started looking for them at my local hospital! The repartee between the characters is so witty and the dialogue so real the characters literally come to life. It is a love story beyond compare. Reading a story like this makes me forget my mundane existence and hope for a love like theirs that transcends 20 years! Bravo Alina Adams!

During the early eighties, James Elliot and Deborah Brody became best friends as they attended medical school together. James secretly loves Deborah, who remains faithfully devoted to her understanding husband Max, a commodity trader.In 2000, both work at Los Angeles Valley Hospital. Elliot runs the renowned pediatric trauma medicine department while Brody heads up the Pediatric Neurosurgury Department. They remain close friends, though Deborah still loves Max. However, the unthinkable occurs when Max suddenly dies from a heart attack. Elliot supports his best friend through her grief, but one night they lose it and make love. While she wants to return to being buddies, he wants her to be his bosom buddy forever.WHEN A MAN LOVES A WOMAN is an entertaining contemporary romance that centers on friendship between the genders. The lead characters drive the story line as their strong friendship turns into a passionate love. Though the two doctors are a charming couple, Max is the rare character that gains reader respect. He not only approves his spouse's friendship with Elliot; he encourages it because he trusts her with every cell in his body. Alina Adams provides readers with an enjoyable medical romance that will send the audience seeking ANNIE'S WILD RIDE.Harriet Klausner