Blew right through this one!

Kind of like Season 1 of Grey’s Anatomy set at a Philadelphia hospital instead of at Seattle Grace.

Loved the main character Norah and enjoyed getting to know everybody in her orbit.

( )

Oh, man. I have so many mixed feelings about this book. The comp - Grey's Anatomy X Scrubs - was a huge draw, as I'm a longtime fan of medical dramas (and likewise, fiction), and heaven knows I could use some humor right now.

The author does a great job of swinging from serious topics to a more lighthearted tone. I liked the premise (albeit, a stereotypical one) - medical intern under tremendous pressure from her family to be successful - and get married. She's torn between the demands of her work and the needs of her recently widowed mother who needs support = more than her expecting sister-in-law and brother can provide. She also does a great job at portraying the pressures that residents endure (without going all hot in the break room like Grey's does). In fact, I didn't really see this as a romance. To me, it's women's lit, as our MC Norah is juggling cultural, personal, and professional expectations, and doing it all quite badly, to be honest.

Norah makes some mistakes, loses confidence and begins to second-guess herself. The bigger problem is that Norah isn't always all that likeable, and neither are her fellow residents. Her relationship with her friends is rocky, The first half of the book moves slowly, and the medical dilemma mentioned in the synopsis doesn't actually happen until the last part of the book. The issues she has with her family at the beginning kind of fade out in the middle and return at the end. The resolution isn't at all what I was expecting (not in a good way) - it felt sudden and left a lot of loose ends.

The author did keep me reading, and it was engaging at times, but the ending was really disappointing. I'm giving this three-and-a-half stars.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for providing an eArc of this book for review purposes; all opinions are my own. ( )

The White Coat Diaries gives us a peek behind the curtains into the world of hospital residency. The unglamorous life both at the hospital and also the struggle to balance life outside the ER doors are major themes of Sinha's smart and witty debut novel.

We follow along with Norah, as she tries to balance with personal and professional struggles including family expectations and dynamics, and the relatable journey of navigating life in your 20s. I loved that it featured a highly motivated woman protagonist who is balancing medicine and her South Asian culture.

I read this in the beginning of August and was super excited to see what my fellow readers thought of this one because I really enjoyed it. Unfortunately, author Madi Sinha took a big misstep mid-month and attacked a reviewer on Twitter for their honest review and perfectly respectful DNF review (they had been gifted an advanced copy through a giveaway on Goodreads).

While I understand that it takes a lot of work and time to write a book, everyone is entitled to their opinions and reviews are part of most any content you put out into the world. People make mistakes but unfortunately, Sinha did not take accountability for her actions which really was the most harmful part. I can't support authors who behave in this way and no longer will be recommending this book.

I do appreciate the advanced copy from Berkley in exchange for an honest review and as always, all thoughts and opinions are my own. ( )

White Coat Diaries by Madi Sinha is a 2020 Berkley publication.

Realistic medical drama

Norah Kapadia has just entered her residency, with a combination of excitement and nerves. Right off the bat, she makes a horrible mistake, magnifying her self-doubt. To complicate matters her family obligations tug at her, as do the many things in life she has yet to experience, causing her second guess her career choice.

As time passes, Norah will live and learn, leading her to an ultimate crisis of conscience that will decide her future.

When I added this book to my reading list, the top genres Goodreads users placed the book in was 'contemporary romance/fiction', adding the word Medical into the mix, which gave the impression, this was a medical drama-ala Grey’s Anatomy, with some degree of romantic elements included.

Once I finished reading the book, my first thought was that it was mislabeled. A little digging on other sites shows the book categorized simply as 'Medical Fiction" which is a far more apt description- in my opinion.

As the saying goes- ‘Write what you know’- and that is what Madi Sinha has done here. As a medical professional she gives readers a close up and personal view of all the drama that goes on behind the scenes in the lives of doctors and exposes hospital politics, some of which blur ethical lines.

The story is compelling on several levels- the cultural expectations Norah has to contend with, the intense pressures on health care professionals, the risks, the human mistakes and the coping mechanisms physicians use, as well as the enormous possibility of severe burnout- certainly gave me something to chew on.

Unfortunately, the drama depicted never grabbed me emotionally, nor did the characters. While I felt Norah’s frustrations, self-doubt, and her palpable crisis of conscience, no matter badly I wished for it, I didn’t find her character inspirational enough to worry about her or to root for her. I did see her character evolve as she goes from a green resident to a more wise, mature woman- which was a plus- and I did applaud the decisions she made at the end of the day.

The ending was also a bit ambiguous and I would have preferred an epilogue or something that hints at Norah's future contentment.

Overall, this book turned out to be a little different from what I was expecting. There is plenty of sudsy hospital theatre here, ala Grey’s Anatomy- as the blurb suggests- but it lacked the angst, urgency, and passion, I was craving.

Other than Norah, the characters are not especially likeable, and I hoped Norah would achieve healthier relationships, both personally and professionally.

Overall, despite the detachment I felt while reading this novel, I do think it is a solid debut. I did enjoy the authenticity the author brought to the table, and the insight into the medical profession, including the various factors that go into patient care- including the machinations of doctors and administrators, behind the scenes. It was interesting, to be sure.

3 stars ( )

I can not think of the words to describe my love of this book. This book is going on my re-read shelf and may even make it onto my comfort read shelf! These books are the ones I re-read when life is kicking you in the face, and you need something that will help you destress.

At first glance, this sem to be a typical coming of age novel. For a while, it even seemed as if it was going to be a typical romance. However, it is much more than that. At first glance, the protagonist appears to be your typical ethnic caricature, but she develops into so much more than that. Norah really grows into a woman of worth. Her ride is a bumpy one. For a while, I lost a little of my faith in Norah as a good person. The author soon clears the air, and you finally see Norah as what she could have been all along if circumstances had been different.

I hope that this author thinks about writing a sequel to this book and that Norah might get a happily ever after.

*ARC supplied by the publisher and author. ( )