Heather’s Bookshelf: June
Author: Vicki L. Coppen
Released: 03/15/23
Genre: Contemporary Romance
“It had been four years since Ian had died, and she had only been out on group outings since then. June was too busy in nursing school and learning her trade to even think about dating. Now, she was too old to compete with all those younger women. Alex did seem to be interested, though. Her mind was reeling and her heart racing from the ‘almost’ kiss. She smiled, grabbed Spike and Buttons, and headed to bed.”
“June” introduces the title character, a trauma nurse who finds herself as a patient in her own ER after an assault at a nearby gas station.
Even though it’s a new career for her, June’s a gifted trauma nurse. She’s also a recent widow and learning to stand on her own two feet since her husband died. So when the handsome Sergeant Alex Jett takes over her case, she’s a little apprehensive at first. Her deceased husband was controlling and has left his mark on her confidence and her psyche.
A situation at her home pulls Alex into her life and this time she agrees to go out with him. Meanwhile, June’s introduced to Alex’s friend Travis, an ex-cop who now runs a security business including self-defense classes. Will Alex find June’s assailant and will June find love throughout it all?
Trigger Warning: violence, sexual situations
Overall, I enjoyed this story. June is super relatable in her fears, desires, and hesitations about herself. She’s motivated, smart, and flawed (no thanks to her deceased husband). The combination makes you want to see June find happiness. I enjoyed her as a protagonist and found myself hoping she’d find happiness. A majority of the tale is told through June’s POV, but every once in a while another POV popped up. I found this a little confusing and probably unnecessary as June’s voice and observations did a fine job in hinting at the other’s emotions and desires. Their connection felt natural and I liked how the author incorporated emotional and physical connections as a lot of romance novels lean into only one or the other. There were some ancillary characters in the tale that were not as well developed as June and I thought the self defense courses could have really been better shown than told with incorporation of some comedy. There was an element of mystery/suspense throughout the tale which provides a nice counter to the romance as well. The ending wraps everything up nicely, though I felt it was a little abrupt. I would love to see more stories about June in the future.
Full disclosure, I work at the trauma hospital where the author recently retired from. Regardless of this, I found a lot of the comradery of the medical professionals, the exhaustion, and the “war stories” to be perfectly accurate. I also laughed at a couple of the comments like how “no one can drive in the rain” and the setting for the assault at the story (as I’m pretty sure I know that gas station).
I received a copy of this story in exchange of a fair and honest review.
OVERALL REVIEW:
Elements of working at a trauma hospital and a bit of mystery highlight this contemporary romance with an endearing protagonist.
Want to learn more about the author?
Check out my interview with Vicki Coppen
Interested in checking out the book for yourself?
Find it for purchase here and Kindle Unlimited
Interested in submitting your book for review? Visit my review page for guidelines and submission requirements.
