I liken The Antidote for Everything, by Kimmery Martin, to a very long, intense episode of the TV show Grey’s Anatomy! The backdrop for the book is a small-town
clinic/hospital, where a lot of people, especially management, are a bit too
rigid, nosy, and small-minded. Those who go against the grain tend to be the
fun ones, but also the ones who get labelled as “troublemakers.”
Doctors Georgia Brown and Jonah Tsukada are the fun ones. They are also best friends. Without any close family members to count
on, Jonah is the most important person in Georgia’s life. And the same is true
for Jonah. They love and support each other through it all: long days at work,
bad days at work, rough relationships, or whenever they need a shoulder to cry
on.
As Georgia heads overseas for a conference, Jonah receives some
startling news. His job and potentially his reputation are at risk. The
hospital no longer wants to treat transgender patients, or anyone in the LGBTQ
community for that matter. Doctors who don’t go along with this policy will be
fired, and Jonah is the first up on the firing squad. As a gay man,
refusing to care for members of his own community is too much for Jonah to
take. He intends to fight the hospital, and Georgia intends to be right there
with him. She feels guilty for being away when her friend needs her the most,
despite Jonah telling her not to. More so because she might have just met the
man of her dreams, the handsome Mark. Even Jonah knows a relationship is just
the thing Georgia needs!!
Be honest doesn’t this sound like a plot line from Grey’s Anatomy!
Nursing a budding relationship proves to be a blessing and a
curse for Georgia. Mark is attractive, attentive, kind, and most important of
all a good listener. He listens to her anguish over Jonah’s situation and isn’t
the least bit put off by her devotion to her friend.
It’s admirable how much
Georgia and Jonah care about each other. But is there a line? Georgia and Jonah
are willing to go the extra mile to help him keep his job, but at what costs?
Both put a plan into action that has deep repercussions. And at the end of the
day, will it be worth it?
Many times as I was reading this book I thought: what is the
endgame? Where is this book going? What is the point? I realize sometimes I
approach each book like I’m reading a thriller. Like, get to the juicy part!
Where’s the action? It’s a hard habit to break. I really just need to read the
book and enjoy. I did enjoy this book, once I understood its meaning:
friendship. In my opinion, this book is about the power of friendship. It can
make you do almost anything, even blind you to what’s right and what’s wrong.
But in the end, it’s friendship that can save your life!
Rating: Give it a try
Note: I received a copy of the book from the publisher (Berkley) in exchange for an honest review.
