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Book Review of Scent of Lilacs

Scent of Lilacs
Scent of Lilacs
Author: Jane Bonander
Genre: Romance
Book Type: Paperback
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This book makes a point to showing how underwhelmed male doctors and the population at large were with the first females who became doctors. Because animals were the source of most farmers/ranchers cash income, they tended to be just as worried about their livestock as their families. Male and female doctors were called upon to serve as veterinarians, as well as healers of humans.

The story opens with Jake Westfield. He is devastated by the death of a pregnant woman and her unborn baby. Although he is in love with the beautiful and shallow Megan Tate, he goes to her sister (and fellow medical student), Lexy Tate. Jake seeks solace with Lexy; because she has been in love with Jake for years, Lexy takes him to her bed. Suddenly, Jake calls Lexy by her sisters name and Lexy is devastated. She demands that Jake leave immediately and forever.

Now doubly upset, Jake makes the rash decision to leave medical school and begins to wander. Megan marries Jakes best friend Max; after Maxs graduation, he and Megan go to California, as physician attached to a fort. A year after Lexys graduation, Max begs Lexy to come take care of Megan. She is going to have a baby and he is often called away for weeks at a time. Lexy agrees.

When Lexy arrives, she finds that Max is away but Jake Westfield is there, taking care of Megan as though they are an old married couple. Her second shock is to find that Jake finished medical school in California and has a practice near Max and Megan.

Lexy comes West to start a new life as a physician. It is amusing to see her grappling with the concept of accepting hens, a cow and a piglet in payment for her services.

Both Jake and Lexy carry burdens from their pasts. This is a well-told tale about two strong people who face complex problems (on their own) but who decide to let the other help them to cope and then thrive.