Sticks and Stones by Susie Tate is a friends-to-lovers medical romance that packs in angst, humor, and a whole lot of emotional intensity. The story follows Lou, the vivacious and outspoken heroine who has been in love with Dylan Griffiths since medical school.

From the very first time she laid eyes on Dylan across a cadaver table, Lou was a goner. The problem? Dylan only ever seemed to have eyes for her best friend Frankie, dismissing Lou as too brash, too high maintenance, and not his type. For over a decade Lou hides her feelings, masking her pain behind banter and smiles, while Dylan obliviously continues on his man-whoring ways, regarding her as nothing more than a friend.

Lou is a heroine who immediately stands out. She is bold, extroverted, the life of any gathering, and yet beneath the surface she carries deep scars from an abusive childhood. That trauma shapes so much of her character, making her both fiercely independent and deeply vulnerable. I loved how she was never afraid to speak her mind to fight for her patients, or to throw down when the moment called for it. At the same time, her hidden insecurities and her unrequited love for Dylan gave her a poignancy that made me ache for her.

Dylan, on the other hand, is the quintessential self-entitled prick at the start; gorgeous, arrogant, a womanizer through and through, with more charm than discipline. As a surgeon he lives for his power tools, and he resents the stint he is forced to do in Elderly Care where Lou also works.

For years he convinces himself that Lou is not for him, clinging instead to the fantasy of Frankie. But the more time he spends with Lou, the harder it becomes to ignore the pull he feels toward her. Watching him slowly realize the depth of his feelings, even as he repeatedly hurts Lou with careless words and actions, was equal parts maddening and compelling.

Their relationship is an absolute rollercoaster of unrequited love, betrayal, misunderstandings, and simmering attraction. Lou’s decade-long pining and Dylan’s blindness to her worth made for a tension-filled dynamic that had me alternately wanting to shake him and hug her. The turning point in their story, where Dylan’s words cut Lou to the bone and she finally walks away, was gutting but so necessary. What followed; his groveling, his jealousy, his slow fight to win her back, gave the story its raw edge. Add to that the interference of toxic colleagues, family trauma, and an unexpected danger that puts Lou in real jeopardy, and you have a romance that keeps you glued to the pages.

What I loved most was Susie Tate’s ability to balance humor and heartbreak. Lou’s outrageous banter and the camaraderie of the group of friends, all of it added warmth and lightness to an otherwise heavy story. The plotting was brilliantly done, weaving past and present seamlessly, and the characterization was top-notch.

My only gripe is that this was very much once again a closed-door romance. After so much buildup and sexual tension, it felt like a missed opportunity not to see more of Lou and Dylan on the page once they finally came together. And while I adored Lou, I sometimes found myself frustrated at how quickly she forgave Dylan despite the depth of his cruelty. But perhaps years of pining would do that to any of us.

Recommended for: readers who enjoy angsty, friends-to-lovers romances, medical settings with plenty of humor and drama, and strong heroines who overcome childhood trauma.

Final Verdict: A smart, emotional, and fiery romance with brilliant characterization. Despite its closed-door intimacy, Sticks and Stones delivers on angst, banter, and heart.

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