Jo-Anne Duffett’s Prescription for a Frozen Heart is an emotionally charged, slow-burn romance wrapped in medical drama, set against the backdrop of South Africa. It follows Dr. Charlotte “Charlie” Kriel, a brilliant but emotionally guarded sports doctor who avoids children at all costs, and Dr. Thomás Ribeiro, a single father with a past that’s left him emotionally unavailable. Their paths collide when Charlie meets Thomás’s inquisitive daughter, Emilía, whose presence cracks the icy barriers both doctors have built around their hearts. The book takes readers on a journey of healing, self-discovery, and the undeniable pull of love even when one fights against it.

Right off the bat, I was hooked by Charlie’s complexity. She’s strong and capable, yet vulnerable in a way that makes her feel real. The opening scene, where she panics over a child job-shadowing her, had me both sympathizing with her fears and chuckling at her avoidance tactics. The author does an excellent job of balancing her trauma with her competence, making her struggles with children feel deeply personal rather than overdone. When Emilía enters the picture, she is smart-mouthed and full of life, and you can feel Charlie’s carefully controlled world shift. The way she instinctively rubs her chest to stave off old wounds whenever faced with children? That small detail speaks volumes.

Thomás, on the other hand, is the perfect counterweight to Charlie. He’s intense, brooding, and smoking hot. But beneath his Arctic Ice exterior, as Charlie calls it, is a devoted father who would do anything for Emilía. The tension between him and Charlie is electric, not just because of their attraction but because of the fundamental differences in how they process their pain. His initial judgmental nature (calling Charlie unfit when she faints) made me want to throw something at him, but his protective instincts and slow unraveling into someone who actually listens made me forgive him.

The banter between Charlie and Thomás crackles with chemistry, and Emilía’s sharp wit keeps things from getting too heavy. The writing flows effortlessly, blending medical authenticity with deeply personal stakes. Some moments genuinely made me tear up, especially when Charlie wrestles with her longing for a child of her own while pretending she doesn’t care. Duffett weaves in medical details seamlessly, grounding the story in realism without bogging it down with jargon. It’s clear she knows the medical world well, and that authenticity makes the characters’ struggles feel even more tangible.

By the time the story reaches its climax, the emotional stakes are sky-high. Secrets are revealed, walls come down, and the push-and-pull between Charlie and Thomás reaches a breaking point that had me flipping pages like my life depended on it. And the ending? Satisfying as hell.

If you love slow-burn romance with depth, emotionally wounded yet resilient protagonists, and stories about found families, Prescription for a Frozen Heart will melt you. Fans of medical dramas like Grey’s Anatomy or heartfelt contemporary romances will eat this up. I’d especially recommend it to those who enjoy single-dad romances with a heroine who isn’t afraid to challenge her own fears.

Pages: 293 | ASIN : B0DSWHL48Y