Love Calls the Shots by Deb Gardner Allard is a romantic novel containing issues to do with love, sacrifice, and learned constraints. The plot revolves around the two main characters, Dr. Gray Addington and Dr. Saige Westbrook, brought together by their passion and duty as doctors but held apart by the unbearable burden of realities. They first meet under weird circumstances, but their relationship starts when they both work at a volunteer clinic with needy people. Both have dysfunctional interactions—Gray with the manipulative Lilith, whom he dates to please his parents, and Saige with her long-time friend Aiden, who sees her as more than just a friend. The conflict portrays the fight between the heart and the head regarding what society and particularly their families want them to do. Developments in the main characters' family relationships, finances, and in themselves hold readers’ attention as the novel contemplates love, betrayal, and pursuing happiness.

The novel is interesting and offers a sweet romantic narrative intertwined with a more profound commentary on society. Deb Gardner Allard presents love in a complex story that touches upon important matters of class, family overdetermination, and personal identity. Gray and Saige are developed particularly well, as both of them struggle with the choice between societal roles and personal fulfillment, with Gray being a tough persona just for business and Saige still in touch with her feminine side and passions. The flow is good, and the story arcs add to the narrative as a whole. The difference between true love and fake relationships is evident from the message of the novel, which states that one should be themselves regardless of pressure. Love Calls the Shots presents an entertaining romance and elements of social relations; a worthwhile story for romance fans.

Saige has her heart set on the kind, dark-haired hero who rescued her when she had a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to work with the widely acclaimed Dr. Edgar Addlington as a cardiologist. She stumbled on her heels and crashed into a Christmas party filled with the crème de la crème of the medical world. Fleeing her disgrace, Saige didn’t even have time to thank her hero or look him in the eye. Dr. Gray is attracted to the beautiful doctor volunteering at the free clinic. She is playful and caring, yet fiercely loyal, in contrast to his controlling, snobby childhood friend, Lilith. But with Saige’s best friend proposing a relationship with her, Dr. Gray finds himself competing for her affection and attention. May the best man win in Love Calls The Shots by Deb Gardner Allard.

Love Calls The Shots is a heartwarming, clean medical romance that captures the warmth of Christmas. There is a realistic portrayal of the busy life of doctors, with themes like a strong sense of family, friendship, and the importance of never settling for less in love. There are funny banters, heart-stopping surgeries, and illogical misconceptions that Deb Gardner Allard ties up neatly at the end. Dr. Gray’s character growth is particularly remarkable among the trio, but I wished there was an answer as to why Aiden acted the way he did. It would be fun to pick sides between Aiden and Dr. Gray for Saige and root for them. This book is perfect for fans of love triangles and medical romance.