Lonely Hearts - Paul Gunnut

Trauma surgeon Aoife Martin embodies her name- beauty. Her green eyes, long red hair, and womanly curves make her very attractive. She moved from Ireland to rural Georgia to leave a life where everyone she loved died. Befriended by the genius and pretty blonde surgeon Elle McDonald, she makes a new start. Soon she meets the handsome and humble Dr. Ben Coley, who shares her Irish linage. The two hit it off and become the topic of lots of hospital gossip as they date. Ben unexpectedly dies before she can tell him she loves him, leaving Aoife alone and heartbroken. As she did in Ireland, she throws herself into her work.

Years earlier, Lincoln Cole met and married the love of his life, Florence. They have a happy marriage, then one day while at work as a teacher, Florence is critically injured in a bizarre accident.

Rushed to Mercy General Hospital, the prognosis for her is initially very poor. Aoife assisted by Elle work on her and save her life, but she doesn't wake up from the medically induced coma. Aoife meets Lincoln, or Link as his friends call him, and the two feel a spark, but neither acts on it.

Days turn to weeks, weeks to months, and finally a year passes. Aoife and Link grow close, but neither can or will talk about the elephant in the room. Their friends see the quandary and try to help them through it, but a new normalcy arises, with Aoife- no longer Florence's doctor- becoming Link's surrogate wife- everywhere except the bedroom.

Then one day Florence wakes up and a decision must be made...

If you enjoyed reading about the colorful characters of Ron, June, and Halsey, be sure to read Safe Harbor parts 1 and 2!