Bedside Manners

Breakup Doctor Series #2

By: Phoebe Fox

Narrated by: Joell A. Jacob

Brook Ogden's counseling practice as the Breakup Doctor is so busy that she's expanded to offer group sessions. Her radio show and advice column have made her a local celebrity, and even her personal life, after some gruesome breakups of her own, is in recovery: Ben Garrett started out as a revenge date against an ex but has turned into so much more.

But when sizzling-hot Chip Santana, an old client she once shared a rather unprofessional midnight roll in the sand with, comes back into her life asking for her help, Brook can't say no. While she's busy stitching up his relationship troubles, Chip reveals much more than a therapeutic interest in her. In the standoff between her heart and her hormones, Brook's cool, collected Wise Therapist persona begins to crack like thrown wedding china. She's yelling at recalcitrant cheating husbands, offering crazy advice to radio callers, and even hugging her clients. When the situation goes critical, Brook's forced into a decision she isn't ready to make, and the Breakup Doctor has to decide what kind of casualties she's willing to accept.

©2015 Phoebe Fox (P)2016 Tantor

Creepy Start to Annoying Story

This book starts with therapist Brook following one of her clients to a BDSM club where Brook was afraid the young girl would get hurt. Once inside the club, Brook was groped, pinched and molested by aggressive patrons before finding the girl in a dangerous scene.

After barely escaping the club without being raped, Brook suddenly makes jokes about FSOG sex games and how she would never judge what consenting adults do to make their sex lives more interesting. Really? It was too bizarre for words...

I thought Brook, the so-called mental health professional, was desperately in need of intensive counseling. She became personally involved with Chip, a former client who blithely admitted to abusing every woman he ever dated. Brook (32) seemed incapable of making rational, mature decisions or forming healthy relationships with men.

The book had no real conclusion, just stopped with nothing resolved. By that point I was bored and frustrated but still hoping from some kind of ending. Very annoying!