Life and Death at St Luke's Maternity Hospital (Paperback) (ISBN-13: 9781917095464)

This is a romantic drama in a medical setting (a maternity hospital), with the medical incidents making an integral part of the storyline. The human aspect of the medical situations is always the dominant feature rather than the clinical and technical details, which makes the story suitable for all levels and types of readers.

The story is set in a busy maternity hospital in London where the lives of the staff and those of the patients are inexplicably intertwined. The fast-moving environment of the labour ward sees many events ending sometimes happily, sometimes tragically but often unpredictably. In this tense atmosphere, the relationships between the main characters of the story thrive or breakdown, with rivalries on occasions taking a sinister nature. What happens on the labour ward demonstrates in a unique way the best and the worst in human nature, such as sublime love and bitter hatred, total dedication and commitment, utter selfishness, acts of great kindnesses as well as sexual and emotional abuse.

The main love story is between two young doctors, Alison and Samy, who could not have been more different in personalities or circumstances. However, against all odds an overwhelming love engulfs them both and they hold on to each other through the trials and tribulations of life at St. Luke's Maternity Hospital. One of the senior consultants, Mr John Stewart, who is more than twice Alison's age, is utterly obsessed with her and for this reason he conspires to ruin Samy and remove him from the scene once and for all. Several other doctors, midwives and patients get involved in this complex love triangle with varying degrees of helpfulness or hindrance.

This novel will be of special interest to anyone who likes romantic novels in general or medical dramas. Men and women who are contemplating having a baby or have had babies before will enjoy the setting of this romantic drama and may identify with some of the events described. As having a baby is one of the most unique human experiences, this novel will be of interest to all, even those who never had one.

Robert Ray-Gregson has been working as an Obstetrician and Gynecologist in various maternity hospitals in the United Kingdom for over thirty years, progressing from a young aspiring trainee doctor to a senior consultant. He draws on this extensive experience to write realistically and interestingly about life and work in maternity units, He describes in plain and clear language how clinical events in pregnancy and labor can have tremendous impact on all those involved. The complicated love story in the novel develops hand-in hand with clinical situations as they ebb and flow.