Good book about two people who meet when they attend the same medical conference in Prague. Mac and Hanna have very different outlooks on life, but their chemistry is undeniable.

Mac is a trauma specialist in high demand as a conference presenter. He is methodical in everything he does, believing that staying in control prevents unpleasant surprises. That control also applies to his emotions, and my heart breaks for him as his reasons are slowly revealed. He looks forward to his stay in Prague because of his lifetime fascination with its astronomical clock. When he arrives, one of the first things he does is sign up for a tour that includes the clock. While looking out his hotel window at the clock, he notices the arrival of another hotel guest, a beautiful young woman who looks around her with joy.

Hanna is an emergency room nurse who has also come to Prague for the conference, after which she will take a few weeks of vacation to explore Europe. When it comes to travel, Hanna is a free spirit who prefers to "follow her nose." Too much planning takes the fun out of it, so she goes wherever her whims take her. The one thing she planned for this trip was a walking tour of Prague to get a feel for the city.

Mac and Hanna bond when they assist their walking tour guide during a medical emergency. They continue the tour independently and spend the day wandering around Prague. I especially enjoyed this part because it brought back terrific memories of my visit there. They didn't expect to see each other again when they parted after the tour. But after encountering each other in the hotel hall, they shared a bottle of champagne, followed by a terrific night together. Imagine Hanna's surprise when she discovered Mac was the lead presenter at the medical conference! I liked the disaster scenario they did together and Mac's respect for Hanna's abilities.

Mac and Hanna realized they weren't ready to part ways when the conference was over. This is where their differing personalities come to the surface. Hanna joins Mac on his scheduled tour, but her influence on him gets them kicked out for breaking the rules. So Mac goes along with Hanna's "follow your nose" method, and they find themselves in Barcelona (another city I love). But their growing closeness freaks out Mac, who has spent years protecting his heart, and he pulls away. Though he's tempted to ask for more, he isn't sure of her feelings, so he says nothing. Hanna knew she was falling for him and knew there was no future for them, so she said nothing to him.

When she arrives home after her holiday, she's trying to recover from missing Mac and realizing her loneliness without him. She's stunned to find him in her ER, serving as a temporary replacement for a doctor on maternity leave. After an awkward reunion, Hanna is first fearful of what his appearance means to her heart, then hopeful that it means he wants to be with her. Mac is still cautious about admitting, even to himself, that she has stirred emotions in him that he fights to control. I loved watching them combine their work relationship with their growing personal one. However, they are still thinking in temporary terms.

Mac and Hanna have been clear about their lack of interest in marriage or children, creating an extra connection between them. Then an emergency delivery of a friend's baby makes Hanna realize she's not as anti-children as she thought. Mac sees this and decides that it is incompatible with his views and that he needs to pull away from Hanna. An emergency with another baby stirs emotions in both, and Hanna accepts that she can't push Mac into accepting his feelings for her. I loved her sensitivity, even in the face of her heartbreak.

But there's one last surprise for Mac as Hanna helps him connect with a bit of his past. A car accident opens Mac's eyes to his feelings for Hanna and his need for her. I loved the emotional scene where they finally opened up about their feelings and made plans for the future. I loved the result of Hanna's surprise for him and the difference it made in his life. The epilogue was fantastic, and I loved the glimpse into their future and the changes in both.

As always, the medical scenes in this category of romances were fascinating, and I always learn something new. From disaster prep to complicated births to signs of child abuse, this book was fascinating. ( )