Dr. Hugo Patterson has his life just how he wants it – a rewarding job at a small but busy New Zealand hospital and an undemanding relationship. Until a flame-haired firebrand called Maggie Johnston bursts into his life…and turns it upside down. The sparky paramedic finds Hugo's reserved charm irresistible, and she's determined to help him loosen up, but there's no way the dedicated doctor could ever fall for someone like her. She has no idea what she's started….
Author
I was born in Dunedin, New Zealand. My father's medical career took us overseas when I was five, and I went to school in London for a year before moving to Washington, D.C. Eventually we returned to Dunedin, where I finished school and then trained as a primary school teacher. After I married my husband, who works as a doctor, we moved to Christchurch where I worked for a time as a research technician in a hospital and indulged my academic interests by taking University courses in early European history and philosophy. This was followed by another move - to Glasgow, for two years. This provided me with the perfect opportunity to pen my first novel - a medical thriller with a good dash of romance! Our return to New Zealand began a new chapter in my life, with my creative efforts being channelled into entertaining a baby daughter, renovating a very old farmhouse with an enormous garden and caring for a menagerie of donkeys, sheep, hens, dogs and cats which I happily began to collect. My writing led to a new passion in life when I went to research the ambulance service and fell in love with the job. I became a qualified paramedic and spent many hours on the road. I also spent many hours as a pony club mother as my talented daughter became an awesome eventer and broke in her own yearling who lived with us on another country property that became home after my marriage ended. The massive earthquake in Christchurch in 2011 was life changing for many of us and I’m currently embracing a new lifestyle in Auckland. Writing continues to be my touchstone passion and I’ve added a non-fiction element as part of my new part-time job as a clinical educator in the department of Paramedicine and Emergency Management at an Auckland university. My brilliant daughter, Becky, is now an amazing young sculptor who lives in Melbourne. Apart from my writing, family and friends the other passions in my life are dancing (Ceroc – so much fun!) and learning French. My dream is to spend a year or two in France in the not too distant future so that I can get really fluent. It should be great research for new stories as well :-)
