It’s a Calling by Mara Ismine (27 pages)Jock is an older doctor, late 50's maybe, who once his wife has died and children grown, retires to explore the world a bit and ends up back home on a Scottish island, remembering his first love whom he left behind and who remarkably shows up at their special place as if waiting for him. There's a paranormal element that kind of surprised me here which to be honest I'd like to know more about.
Breathe Into Me by Jenna Jones (33 pages)
Salesman Caleb is suffering from high blood pressure and his sister convinces him to try yoga. By chance, her instructor is his old boyfriend from high school. He wants to hook up again but Sasha refuses because Caleb refuses to take care of his health and he doesn't want to get involved only to have him drop dead. It was an interesting premise and I enjoyed this one. It was nice to see Caleb "get it" about his health and make the changes he needed to.
El Cedral by Kiernan Kelly (25 pages)
In an effort to escape a bad break-up and his high pressure big city doctor life, Derek agrees to his former classmate Juan's request that he come to his small island in Mexico and help him at the pediatric clinic there. Derek is in shock, they pay in chickens for god's sake. But he soon comes to love the people and he and Juan reconnect in ways he never imagined. I loved the sense of the small village in Mexico and Derek's changing priorities.
Another Border by KIL Kenny (18 pages)
Jeff and Ed have been together for many years. Ed works in an Alzheimer's wing and had a rough night. Jeff wakes and tries to find a way to soothe him including a foot rub and some slow loving. You could sense the calm love between people who know each other inside out and Ed's frustration and sadness dealing with his patients. I have to confess I may have sniffled just a titch at the end.
Where a Hand is Always Needed by Kara Larson (14 pages)
This is a prequel to Sliding Down the Pohutukawa Root. Graeme, has been sent to the Outback to his Aunt and Uncle after being expelled from school. The air doctor is coming and when the plane goes down, Graeme goes along to help and realizes that the doctor and nurse are a couple and it confirms what he suspected about himself, that he's gay and wants to be a doctor (which he does in later stories). It's just a little taste of a young man's first exposure to a gay couple and cementing his own understanding of his sexuality.
I have to say so far the stories have been quite different and I've enjoyed them all. Of course some more than others but I think the topic is broad enough you don't get doctor burnout. At least not yet. :-)

























