The Hopeful Romantic

Masterlist | Max & Sienna | Wattpad Mal or Lia. Soulmates & Happy Endings Fiction Writer. Open Heart Fanfic.

[liaromancewriter]

Welcome to The Hopeful Romantic!

My friends call me Mal and my family calls me Lia (I respond to both). I write romance and relationship-focused stories. I believe in soulmates, happy endings and finding 'the one'.

I always dreamed of becoming a writer but knew early on that I wasn't meant to be a starving artist in a garret. So, I built a career I'm proud of and wrote whenever time allowed (which was almost never for the longest time).

During the pandemic, I realized that I was tired of waiting for the stars to align to pursue my writing. So, I created this account to initially share my original novel, Happy Ever After. And then I started writing fanfiction for Open Heart, and the rest is history.

Aside from fics and edits, I post positivity quotes and coffee memes, swoon over Hallmark movies and share random musings.

I enjoy answering questions, so don't be shy. I also take fic requests -- anons are open!

ps. This is a drama-free blog.

Latest Works

Beautiful Mess - Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3

A Doggy Love Story

Neurological Responses

Closing Time

Better Than Fantasy

Surprising Revelations

Twin Shenanigans: Emoji Edition 📱

Friendly Observations

Parent Trap

Coffee & Chaos 📷

Special Privileges

So High School

Romance Vibes 📷

Fair Play 📱

[liaromancewriter]

Beautiful Mess – Part 3 of ?

Series Premise: Ethan and Cassie are first-year residents at Edenbrook Hospital, competing for the coveted prize of being mentored by Dr. Banerji.

Chapter Premise: Dr. Banerji takes notice of Ethan and Cassie, but for all the wrong reasons.

Fandom: Open Heart Pairing: Ethan Ramsey x F!MC (Cassie Valentine); feat. Naveen Banerji Rating/Category: Teen. AU Words: 1,750

Part 1 | Part 2

Dr. Naveen Banerji hadn’t always been a teacher. When he first became a doctor, it was all about showing his colleagues that a brown man from Kolkata with an accent could out-diagnose any of them.

That had changed, though—somewhere between the accolades for his research and his name appearing in The New England Journal of Medicine so often that they joked it should just be called the Banerji Journal of Medicine.

He chased the flashiest cases, took risks that netted the biggest rewards. Then, one day, he realized that all his medical prowess couldn’t save the one person who mattered more to him than any case.

After his sister’s death, he had taken a long, hard look at his life and decided it was time for a change.

Now, as the interns (his fourth cohort) filed into the hallway outside Edenbrook’s community clinic, coffee cups in hand, clipboards tucked beneath their arms, he thought this might just be the strongest crop of residents in recent years.

Ramsey and Valentine, in particular, had all the makings of one day becoming excellent diagnosticians. They just had to stop fighting each other long enough to realize it wasn’t about them, but the patients.

“Good morning, doctors, and welcome to Clinic Day,” Naveen said, scanning the faces before him.

“As you can see,” he nodded to the waiting room behind the glass doors, “we have a full house. So, no more sitting on the sidelines as observers.”

Naveen grinned at the excited murmurs that rippled through the group. Normally, residents were allowed to treat patients only after intern year. But Naveen didn’t see why interns couldn’t handle the run-of-the-mill cases that came through the clinic.

He’d won the argument, and here they were. In the days leading up to Christmas, the clinic’s patient load always ballooned. Today wasn’t an exception.

“You’ll be working in pairs,” he announced, raising his voice to get everyone’s attention before looking down at his notebook where he’d already written down the pairings.

The excitement quickly dissolved into groans.

“Medicine isn’t a solo sport,” he continued without looking up. “If you intend to become diagnosticians, learn to use every resource available to you. Including each other.”

“Carrick. Varma.” He began reading names. “Greene, you’re with Emery. Ramsey. Valentine—”

“Actually, sir,” Ethan interrupted, throwing Cassie a frown. “I’d work more efficiently alone.”

“I don’t bite, Ramsey,” Cassie said with an amused smirk. “But, hey, if you don’t want to work with me, that’s your loss. I certainly don’t need you.”

Naveen peered at them above the rim of his glasses. “It’s either pair up or finish your shift in the morgue.”

Silence.

“Excellent.” He smiled inwardly at the matching looks of confusion on their faces. “I’m sure today will be a valuable learning experience for both of you.”

Ethan waited until after Dr. Banerji finished with the assignments before stomping over to Cassie. She folded her arms across her chest, tilting her head back to stare suspiciously at him.

“Let’s just get this over with,” he bit out, ignoring the way her green eyes narrowed in steely-eyed determination.

“I don’t know why you hate me, Ethan, but I won’t let you ruin today for me.”

Ethan stared in shock at the hurt in her voice.

“I… I… Cass—”

She held up one hand. “Forget it. Let’s just get to work.”

She brushed past him toward the exam rooms.

Ethan watched her go.

Christ.

She actually thought he hated her. The realization sat like a stone in his chest.

He couldn’t say why, but her stubbornness was a large part of her appeal. And her just walking away rather than calling him out didn’t sit well with him.

“Hey, Ramsey. Shouldn’t you be in Exam Room Three with your partner? Or has Valentine already figured out you’re dead weight?” Tobias called out in a mocking tone.

Ethan flipped him off in response, earning a laugh from Carrick before marching off to see his first patient.

Cassie didn’t turn around as he entered the room. A woman in her early sixties sat on the exam table, a thick winter coat beside her.

“I’ve had this cough for weeks,” she was saying, waving one hand toward her chest. “Probably just another Boston winter.”

Cassie smiled. “Tell us about it while my colleague, Dr. Ramsey, listens to your lungs.”

Looks like he was second chair on this, thought Ethan, reaching for his stethoscope.

Cassie settled onto the stool beside the patient. “When did it start?”

“Any fever?” Ethan asked briskly.

“Thanksgiving, and a little, mostly at night.” The woman nodded and then her eyes softened. “My grandson’s coming for Christmas. He’s a teacher, and I don’t want him catching whatever I’ve got.”

Cassie leaned forward. “Any weight loss?”

“Maybe a few pounds, but I’ve been so busy getting the house ready for the holidays. I haven’t had time to eat a proper meal, and….”

The woman’s voice broke off as she started coughing into her hands.

“Thoughts?” Dr. Banerji prompted. He had quietly slipped into the room midway through the exam.

“My leading diagnosis is pneumonia,” Ethan said without hesitation.

“How would you confirm it?”

“Chest X-ray. CBC. Pulse oximetry.”

Cassie frowned. “Maybe.”

“What do you mean ‘maybe’?” Ethan countered.

“Would you excuse us a minute?” Dr. Banerji said pleasantly to the patient. “Valentine, Ramsey, let’s step outside to discuss.”

Outside the room, Ethan whirled around to glare at Cassie.

“Productive cough. Fever. Crackles in the right lower lobe,” he listed the symptoms on his fingers. “It’s pneumonia.”

“I don’t think she’s telling us everything,” Cassie said. “She mentioned her grandson before she mentioned herself.”

“So?” he shot back.

“So,” Cassie said slowly, enunciating each word as if talking to a child, “I think she’s minimizing her symptoms.

“It’s textbook, Valentine.”

“Ahem.”

Ethan and Cassie both turned to face Dr. Banerji, who was watching them with an exasperated look on his face.

“If you two are done arguing?” Dr. Banerji raised an eyebrow.

Cassie looked down, while Ethan felt the tips of his ears turn red.

“Valentine, get more of the patient’s history. Ramsey, order a chest X-ray and blood test. I agree it’s most likely pneumonia, but let’s rule out RSV just in case.”

Their next few cases were simpler and they both agreed on the diagnosis for the most part. Remembering how Dr. Banerji had chastised them, Ethan was careful to include Cassie in his thinking. And she did the same.

By Ethan’s count, they were neck and neck.

They both played nice until their next patient, an elderly man in a threadbare coat who looked somewhat embarrassed to be here.

“The clinic is free, right, doctors?” he asked, wheezing slightly.

“Absolutely,” Cassie replied, smiling gently. “Now, what brings you here today?” she looked down at the chart. “Mr. Gray.”

“Charlie’s fine,” he said. “Well, doctor, I can’t seem to walk without falling over. Almost got run over by a car the other day.”

Ethan pulled Cassie aside after the man finished answering their questions.

“Could be neurological,” he said, keeping his voice low.

“I don’t know,” she said, staring at the man’s feet. “Something isn’t adding up for me.”

“What’s not adding up?” he prodded. “You and I both know falling over repeatedly is usually a precursor to neurological issues.”

“Let’s run a test,” Cassie said, turning toward the patient. “Charlie, can you walk in a straight line from there to here?”

Charlie took a few steps before he started wobbling. Ethan rushed to catch him before he could fall.

“Satisfied?” he frowned at Cassie, helping their patient settle back on the exam table.

“Not quite,” she said. “Now, Charlie, please take off your boots and walk toward me.”

He did without wobbling, back and forth, twice.

“Would you look at that?” he exclaimed in surprise.

“What are you thinking, Dr. Valentine?” Dr. Banerji asked from behind her.

Cassie lifted one of the boots. “Charlie, what’s your shoe size?”

“I’m a size eleven.”

“These boots are a size thirteen,” she said, looking up at Ethan and then Dr. Banerji. “I noticed your shoes seemed a bit disproportionate for a man of your size and stature.”

“They were the only ones left at the Goodwill,” Charlie explained.

“Excellent observation, Valentine,” Dr. Banerji praised her after Charlie was discharged with instructions to find shoes his size.

And then he looked up at Ethan. “Sometimes, Ramsey, it’s easy to reach for the flashy illness without recognizing that poverty is its own disease. It’s our job to treat the whole patient—not just the disease..”

Ethan nodded slowly, shooting Cassie a frustrated sideways look.

The rest of Clinic Day settled into an uneasy rhythm.

Patients came and went in a blur of coughs, sprained wrists, sinus infections, and winter viruses. Somewhere along the way, Ethan stopped trying to beat Cassie to every diagnosis. She, in turn, stopped treating every diagnosis as a debate to be won.

By the end of the afternoon, he was no closer to figuring out who was ahead.

Later, as the community clinic shut down for the day, everyone gathered in the empty waiting room.

Naveen scanned the tired and hungry faces of his residents, secretly pleased.

“Congratulations on your first proper Clinic Day,” he said pleasantly. “Good news is that you get to do it all again next week.”

The groans, when they came, were as predictable as flu season.

“Contrary to what I observed today, today wasn’t about diagnosing as many patients as possible,” he continued, his voice hard as steel now.

“Anyone can memorize symptoms or build a differential. You’re doctors. If you didn’t have those skills, you wouldn’t be here, and certainly not at Edenbrook.”

He paused a beat, letting his words sink in.

“Curiosity. Compassion. These are skills we can’t teach you.” He looked around the room at some of the worst offenders today. “I don’t care how brilliant your diagnosis is if the patient no longer believes you care.”

His gaze settled briefly on Ethan and Cassie.

“The two of you spent half the day trying to beat each other.”

Ramsey clenched his jaw while Valentine looked abashed.

“And yet—your best work came when you stopped competing.”

“Neither of you noticed because you were too busy keeping score.” He smiled faintly. “Perhaps you two need to figure out why that is before the next Clinic Day.”

He tucked the notebook beneath his arm and walked away, leaving the interns alone with their thoughts.

---------

All Fics & Edits: @bluebelle08 @jerzwriter @josiesopenheart @kyra75 @lady-calypso @potionsprefect @quixoticdreamer16 @snoopdogcone

Submissions: @choicesficwriterscreations @openheartfanfics

Ethan & Cassie only: @custaroonie @youlookappropriate

[liaromancewriter]

I’m always refining my headcanons, especially for Ethan and Cassie. I feel like I know them and their relationship better now than I did back in mid-2021. I know their voice, what they’d do and not do, and how their social media presence plays out. This is especially true for Ethan, who we know from canon is not a Pictagram fan.

At the time, I was new to transmedia storytelling and didn’t always know how to show characters when the only media is Pictagram. So, I often had people making comments they wouldn’t have later on, or even having Ethan’s voice not be “him” in a few posts.

In Lia Land, Ethan’s relationship to social media is minimal. He has a Picta account that he uses to check in on what Cassie’s doing and posting. He might comment sarcastically later in their relationship when he sees an opportunity to troll her publicly. But most of the time, he’ll save his comments for private DMs or texts.

When Ethan does comment, it’s usually something dry humor and witty/sarcastic, or coming from a place of gratitude. Likewise, his posts are rare and his captions one liners.

“No personality,” as Cassie would say with a shake of her head.

It’s also an established hc in Lia Land that Cassie co-manages Ethan’s Picta account over time. The description literally says:

Posting only under duress. Account co-managed by Cassie Valentine (@cass_valentinemd)

Case in point. I originally created their wedding fic as told through social media in June 2021. As I read it again, I’m rethinking and revising how I interpret it.

Ethan wasn’t commenting on some of the posts. It was Cassie logged in as Ethan because she knew it’s not his style to do so. Or his interest either.

I mean, Ethan Ramsey using a kiss face emoji? Or being effusive on Picta? So not him. 😆

These are a few Cassie posted. In the first post, Cassie sent him “suggested” text. He copy-pasted it without looking.

The first comment was Ethan. The second comment was not. 🤭

Ps. Ethan absolutely knew what she was doing. And let her. There might have been a few “Christ!” uttered when he saw what she had done. But it was his wedding night and he got distracted 😉

[creativepromptsforwriting]

More Injury Dialogue Prompts

"Don't look at it, just look at me."

"You're so lucky it's not worse."

"This is going to hurt a lot, but we need to clean it."

"At least, it's still attached to you."

"No, no, no, don't get up!"

"That looks bad. Like really, really bad."

"We should get you to a hospital. Right now."

"How did you manage to do so much damage?"

"Okay, we should all stay calm and not panic."

"What were you thinking, putting yourself into so much danger?"

"You should definitely let me carry you."

"That's what you get for playing the hero."

"On the bright side, that scar's going to be a great conversation starter."

"That was so stupid. You could have died!"

"Could I interest you in a band-aid? Or a trip to the ER?"

"It's okay, just... don't look at it."

"You can't go on like this!"

"Like five centimeters to the left and you would be.. I can't even think about it."

"As soon as the adrenaline is gone, you will definitely feel it."

"Not as bad as we all thought it would be."

More: Injury Dialogue Prompts

If you like my blog and want to support me, you can buy me a coffee or become a member! 🥰

[liaromancewriter]

Beautiful Mess – Part 2 of ?

Series Premise: Ethan and Cassie are first-year residents at Edenbrook Hospital, competing for the coveted prize of being mentored by Dr. Banerji.

Fandom: Open Heart Pairing: Ethan Ramsey x F!MC (Cassie Valentine); feat. Sienna Trinh Rating/Category: Teen. AU Words: 930

Part 1

Chapter Premise: Cassie is determined to make Ethan notice her the way she does him.

Cassie Valentine loved being a doctor. Medical school hadn’t been easy—both getting in and the day-to-day grind—but she had survived, more determined than ever that she had chosen the right path for her.

Medicine wasn’t what her family would’ve chosen for her, but she knew they were proud of her nonetheless.

If someone asked why she wanted to become a doctor, she often said it was the mystery of the human body that fascinated her. But really, it was patients themselves.

She saw people at their worst, and if she could play even a small role (as an intern, that role was minuscule at best) in turning that around or giving them comfort, then it was all worth it.

Several people in her class, and even in residency for that matter, treated patients as a name on a chart, or the sum total of their condition. But for Cassie, they were human beings that just wanted their doctor to listen and take their concerns seriously.

Cassie was used to hyper-competitive environments courtesy of Harvard, but she hadn’t expected residency to be so… cutthroat.

Ever since Dr. Banerji announced the intern rankings, with mentorship under him as the prize, all of her fellow residents had become unrecognizable as each tried to sabotage the other to get ahead.

Well, almost all, she thought with a sideways glance at Ethan Ramsey tugging on his scrub top over a long-sleeved shirt.

She suspected he cared less about the rankings than everyone else did. Winning seemed almost incidental to him. Being right—and helping patients—was what truly drove him.

And that made Cassie like him even more. He could be… aloof… (yep, that was the right word). But he was also smart and funny with a dry sense of humor that always made her laugh.

Not that he was funny around her. Ethan didn’t like her, and hadn’t ever since she had cracked the case of Nigel the P.I.T.A. that had left him stumped. Whereas she had been crushing on him since the first day of residency.

It was shallow of her, but she’d been attracted to his looks first. He was handsome with laser blue eyes and dark brown hair with a lock that flopped across his forehead when he was tired.

His personality left a lot to be desired. He was intense, competitive, and determined to show off how much medicine he knew already. And that made Cassie want to flirt with him more. His mind was infinitely more alluring than his looks.

Ethan had no such qualms. He ignored her most of the time, and was downright rude the other times.

So, she decided to kill him with kindness. Greeting him in the morning, inviting him to Donahue’s for Happy Hour with the other interns, making sure she was at the coffee cart when he was.

Of course, Ethan showed up at Donahue’s often, but only to have a drink with his frenemy Tobias Carrick and to beat him at pool. And he spent the time waiting in the coffee cart line going over his patient notes or reading some journal article on his phone.

Still, her plan was going to pay dividends. She was sure of it. Valentines were excellent planners, after all.

“Hi, Cassie.”

Cassie turned to face Sienna Trinh, the pediatric intern she had met on the first day of residency. Theirs had been an instant connection, and they’d become roommates shortly after.

“Hey, Si. How was night float?”

“Long! I can’t wait to get home and just crash.” Sienna reached inside the locker for her street clothes.

“Well, there’s some leftover lasagna from last night, in case you’re hungry,” Cassie told her, swinging the stethoscope around her neck before closing her locker door. “We’re finally doing clinic hours today, so I’ve gotta get going.”

“Not so fast, bestie,” Sienna said steely-eyed as she scanned their surroundings before dropping her voice. “Don’t think I didn’t notice you ogling Ethan just now.”

“Well, he is a gorgeous specimen of a man,” Cassie said breezily. “I’m not the only one here who noticed.”

“Still determined to wear him down with kindness?” Sienna teased, her voice muffled as she pulled her tee shirt over her head.

Cassie shrugged. “Any day now.”

Sienna rolled her eyes. “I know he’s gorgeous and a literal genius, but he’s scary intense. ”

“I know,” Cassie nodded, her voice softening.

She glanced at the clock on the wall and quickly straightened. “I better go. Don’t want to be late and give Ethan the satisfaction.”

“Next day off, we’re talking about this,” Sienna called out after her.

Cassie waved that way without turning around.

She liked Sienna, but was not ready to sit down and dissect her feelings for Ethan. He might be “scary intense” but, as far as Cassie was concerned, that was a mask he wore.

She’d seen it slip once when he’d lost a patient last month.

“Leave me alone,” he said angrily when she tried to comfort him. “I’m fine.”

His voice had been gruff from unshed tears. Cassie had watched him stomp off, and followed discreetly until he ducked into the supply closet.

She almost followed him inside, but knew he’d bite her head off if she did. So, she walked away, giving him the privacy to grieve. Later, she pretended not to notice the redness around his eyes.

There was more to Ethan Ramsey than his carefully constructed façade suggested, and she was determined to find out what. Even if he was equally determined to keep her at arm’s length.

----------

All Fics & Edits: @bluebelle08 @jerzwriter @josiesopenheart @kyra75 @lady-calypso @potionsprefect @quixoticdreamer16 @snoopdogcone

Submissions: @choicesficwriterscreations @openheartfanfics

Ethan & Cassie only: @custaroonie @youlookappropriate

[watchinghallmark]

Get a first look at the all-new season of "Mistletoe Murders" starring Sarah Drew and Peter Mooney! Coming this Countdown to Christmas, streaming next day on Hallmark+.

[theaawalker]

Alternatives to "Saw"

ᚑ      ᚑ

When a character notices something quickly:

»-♡→ Spotted »-♡→ Caught sight of »-♡→ Glimpsed »-♡→ Noticed »-♡→ Detected »-♡→ Clocked »-♡→ Picked out »-♡→ Espied »-♡→ Observed »-♡→ Sighted

...or if they're searching for something:

➺ Scanned ➺ Surveyed ➺ Examined ➺ Inspected ➺ Searched ➺ Swept their gaze across ➺ Looked over ➺ Studied ➺ Pored over ➺ Scrutinized

...or if they're admiring something:

➵ Beheld ➵ Gazed at ➵ Admired ➵ Marveled at ➵ Took in ➵ Drank in ➵ Appreciated ➵ Feasted their eyes on ➵ Reveled in ➵ Absorbed

...or if they're shocked or horrified:

̗̀➛ Witnessed ̗̀➛ Stared at ̗̀➛ Gawked at ̗̀➛ Recoiled from the sight of ̗̀➛ Bore witness to ̗̀➛ Froze at the sight of ̗̀➛ Locked eyes on ̗̀➛ Gaped at ̗̀➛ Couldn't look away from ̗̀➛ Found themselves staring at

ᚑ      ᚑ

Follow me if this was helpful :)

[davidjamesgandy]

[choicesficwriterscreations]

CFWC F/AtoW: July 19 – 25, 2026

✒️= Fanfic | 📱= Text Fics/Edits | 🎨 = Fanart Ⓜ️ = Mature Content 18+ | 🔥 = Explicit/NSFW 18+ 🏳️‍🌈 = LGBTQIA+

CRIMES OF PASSION

Eggs and Oranges ✒️ | M!Trystan Thorne x F!MC - @housofwomn

IMMORTAL DESIRES

Protection and Danger: A Tale of Two Charms ✒️ | F!Cas Harlow x F!MC, M!Gabe Adalhard x F!MC - @storyofmychoices

OPEN HEART

Beautiful Mess (Series) ✒️ | Ethan Ramsey x F!MC - @liaromancewriter Part 2

THE ROYAL ROMANCE

After The Kiss ✒️ | Liam Rys, Olivia Nevrakis - @littletiger243

First impressions on her 🎨 | Multiple Characters - @littletiger243

[liaromancewriter]

Beautiful Mess – Part 2 of ?

Series Premise: Ethan and Cassie are first-year residents at Edenbrook Hospital, competing for the coveted prize of being mentored by Dr. Banerji.

Fandom: Open Heart Pairing: Ethan Ramsey x F!MC (Cassie Valentine); feat. Sienna Trinh Rating/Category: Teen. AU Words: 930

Part 1

Chapter Premise: Cassie is determined to make Ethan notice her the way she does him.

Cassie Valentine loved being a doctor. Medical school hadn’t been easy—both getting in and the day-to-day grind—but she had survived, more determined than ever that she had chosen the right path for her.

Medicine wasn’t what her family would’ve chosen for her, but she knew they were proud of her nonetheless.

If someone asked why she wanted to become a doctor, she often said it was the mystery of the human body that fascinated her. But really, it was patients themselves.

She saw people at their worst, and if she could play even a small role (as an intern, that role was minuscule at best) in turning that around or giving them comfort, then it was all worth it.

Several people in her class, and even in residency for that matter, treated patients as a name on a chart, or the sum total of their condition. But for Cassie, they were human beings that just wanted their doctor to listen and take their concerns seriously.

Cassie was used to hyper-competitive environments courtesy of Harvard, but she hadn’t expected residency to be so… cutthroat.

Ever since Dr. Banerji announced the intern rankings, with mentorship under him as the prize, all of her fellow residents had become unrecognizable as each tried to sabotage the other to get ahead.

Well, almost all, she thought with a sideways glance at Ethan Ramsey tugging on his scrub top over a long-sleeved shirt.

She suspected he cared less about the rankings than everyone else did. Winning seemed almost incidental to him. Being right—and helping patients—was what truly drove him.

And that made Cassie like him even more. He could be… aloof… (yep, that was the right word). But he was also smart and funny with a dry sense of humor that always made her laugh.

Not that he was funny around her. Ethan didn’t like her, and hadn’t ever since she had cracked the case of Nigel the P.I.T.A. that had left him stumped. Whereas she had been crushing on him since the first day of residency.

It was shallow of her, but she’d been attracted to his looks first. He was handsome with laser blue eyes and dark brown hair with a lock that flopped across his forehead when he was tired.

His personality left a lot to be desired. He was intense, competitive, and determined to show off how much medicine he knew already. And that made Cassie want to flirt with him more. His mind was infinitely more alluring than his looks.

Ethan had no such qualms. He ignored her most of the time, and was downright rude the other times.

So, she decided to kill him with kindness. Greeting him in the morning, inviting him to Donahue’s for Happy Hour with the other interns, making sure she was at the coffee cart when he was.

Of course, Ethan showed up at Donahue’s often, but only to have a drink with his frenemy Tobias Carrick and to beat him at pool. And he spent the time waiting in the coffee cart line going over his patient notes or reading some journal article on his phone.

Still, her plan was going to pay dividends. She was sure of it. Valentines were excellent planners, after all.

“Hi, Cassie.”

Cassie turned to face Sienna Trinh, the pediatric intern she had met on the first day of residency. Theirs had been an instant connection, and they’d become roommates shortly after.

“Hey, Si. How was night float?”

“Long! I can’t wait to get home and just crash.” Sienna reached inside the locker for her street clothes.

“Well, there’s some leftover lasagna from last night, in case you’re hungry,” Cassie told her, swinging the stethoscope around her neck before closing her locker door. “We’re finally doing clinic hours today, so I’ve gotta get going.”

“Not so fast, bestie,” Sienna said steely-eyed as she scanned their surroundings before dropping her voice. “Don’t think I didn’t notice you ogling Ethan just now.”

“Well, he is a gorgeous specimen of a man,” Cassie said breezily. “I’m not the only one here who noticed.”

“Still determined to wear him down with kindness?” Sienna teased, her voice muffled as she pulled her tee shirt over her head.

Cassie shrugged. “Any day now.”

Sienna rolled her eyes. “I know he’s gorgeous and a literal genius, but he’s scary intense. ”

“I know,” Cassie nodded, her voice softening.

She glanced at the clock on the wall and quickly straightened. “I better go. Don’t want to be late and give Ethan the satisfaction.”

“Next day off, we’re talking about this,” Sienna called out after her.

Cassie waved that way without turning around.

She liked Sienna, but was not ready to sit down and dissect her feelings for Ethan. He might be “scary intense” but, as far as Cassie was concerned, that was a mask he wore.

She’d seen it slip once when he’d lost a patient last month.

“Leave me alone,” he said angrily when she tried to comfort him. “I’m fine.”

His voice had been gruff from unshed tears. Cassie had watched him stomp off, and followed discreetly until he ducked into the supply closet.

She almost followed him inside, but knew he’d bite her head off if she did. So, she walked away, giving him the privacy to grieve. Later, she pretended not to notice the redness around his eyes.

There was more to Ethan Ramsey than his carefully constructed façade suggested, and she was determined to find out what. Even if he was equally determined to keep her at arm’s length.

----------

All Fics & Edits: @bluebelle08 @jerzwriter @josiesopenheart @kyra75 @lady-calypso @potionsprefect @quixoticdreamer16 @snoopdogcone

Submissions: @choicesficwriterscreations @openheartfanfics

Ethan & Cassie only: @custaroonie @youlookappropriate

[liaromancewriter]

I haven’t been following the Choices drama lately. So what’s this about?

[liaromancewriter]

I’m a little disappointed so far that IDOL doesn’t have Platinum-level songs. It’s not a bad book, but I wanted music.

Maybe it changes later.

[liaromancewriter]

Beautiful Mess – Part 1 of ?

Series Premise: Ethan and Cassie are first-year residents at Edenbrook Hospital, competing for the coveted prize of being mentored by Dr. Banerji.

Fandom: Open Heart Pairing: Ethan Ramsey x F!MC (Cassie Valentine) Rating/Category: Teen. AU Words: 560

Chapter Premise: It’s halfway through intern year, and there’s only one person standing between Ethan and his goal.

A/N: I was reading one of my old headcanons where I mused about Ethan and Cassie being residents together and likely competing over each diagnosis. And then I started wondering what that would actually look like. I was just going to do a one-shot, but I feel like I need time to explore the concept.

There was something about Cassie Valentine that made Ethan Ramsey revert to his six-year-old self again. If they had been on a school playground, he would have likely pulled her ponytail before running off while secretly hoping she’d chase him to get even.

But they were interns at Boston’s Edenbrook Hospital, one of the premier teaching hospitals in the Northeast. And pulling your fellow resident’s hair was frowned upon.

Not to mention, she was much too proper to chase him around the maze-like hallways they had finally learned to navigate.

Of course, there was nothing stopping him from fantasizing about it or imagining the shock on her face if he actually managed to do that.

Cassie wasn’t so nice that she wouldn’t complain to Dr. Banerji. And that might get him placed on probation or, worse, thrown out of the residency program.

Ethan sipped his coffee as he swiped through the staff entrance, stomping the snow off his boots. Forecasters were calling for a White Christmas, maybe even a Nor’easter on New Year’s Eve.

He didn’t care about any of that. On New Year’s Day, Dr. Banerji would select the top-ranked intern to shadow him for a whole month.

There was only one problem. Ethan and Cassie had been going head to head for the last three months. Unless he stepped up or got extremely lucky, she would edge him out.

“Good morning, Ethan.”

Lost in thought, he didn’t hear the cheerful greeting until Cassie repeated it, a shade louder so that a few heads turned with interest.

Ethan felt his ears turn red with embarrassment.

Not bothering to stop, he threw her an annoyed look over his shoulder. “No need to shout, Valentine.”

Cassie just rolled her eyes and half-jogged up to walk beside him.

“Did you do anything fun last night?” she asked pleasantly. “We missed you at Donahue’s.”

“I was studying,” he said, gaining perverse pleasure when she had to practically run to match his long-legged stride.

With her long blonde hair, sparkling green eyes and soft smile, she looked more like a princess than a doctor. Unless she was advocating for a patient or arguing with him over differentials. Then, she was a pure shark.

It had taken Ethan only one day—the first day of residency when they’d been paired up for a patient—to come to the conclusion that Cassie would be his fiercest rival over the next three years; their shared love of coffee notwithstanding.

On the surface, they should’ve gotten along well.

They had graduated at the top of their classes at medical school. Him at Hopkins, her at Harvard. They believed in understanding the whole patient, not just focusing on the obvious symptoms. And they had both chosen Edenbrook for a chance to work with Dr. Banerji and his diagnostics team.

Therein lay the issue. Dr. Banerji always chose only one intern to mentor. Both Ethan and Cassie were determined to be the one.

“I love Clinic Day!”

Ethan realized that Cassie had been talking to him this whole time while he'd been too busy wondering what it was about her that made him want to grit his teeth one moment and kiss that infuriating grin off her face the next.

He froze as they entered the residents’ locker room.

Christ. What made him even think about kissing her?

-----------

All Fics & Edits: @bluebelle08 @jerzwriter @josiesopenheart @kyra75 @lady-calypso @potionsprefect @quixoticdreamer16 @snoopdogcone

Submissions: @choicesficwriterscreations @openheartfanfics

Ethan & Cassie only: @custaroonie @youlookappropriate

[choicesficwriterscreations]

CFWC F/AtoW: July 12 - 18, 2026

✒️= Fanfic | 📱= Text Fics/Edits | 🎨 = Fanart Ⓜ️ = Mature Content 18+ | 🔥 = Explicit/NSFW 18+ 🏳️‍🌈 = LGBTQIA+

IMMORTAL DESIRES

What's Wrong With A Gift Card? ✒️ | Lewyn Junius x F!MC - @aria-ashryver

OPEN HEART

A Doggy Love Story ✒️ | Ethan Ramsey x F!MC - @liaromancewriter

Beautiful Mess (Series) ✒️ | Ethan Ramsey x F!MC - @liaromancewriter Part 1

[liaromancewriter]

Beautiful Mess – Part 1 of ?

Series Premise: Ethan and Cassie are first-year residents at Edenbrook Hospital, competing for the coveted prize of being mentored by Dr. Banerji.

Fandom: Open Heart Pairing: Ethan Ramsey x F!MC (Cassie Valentine) Rating/Category: Teen. AU Words: 560

Chapter Premise: It’s halfway through intern year, and there’s only one person standing between Ethan and his goal.

A/N: I was reading one of my old headcanons where I mused about Ethan and Cassie being residents together and likely competing over each diagnosis. And then I started wondering what that would actually look like. I was just going to do a one-shot, but I feel like I need time to explore the concept.

There was something about Cassie Valentine that made Ethan Ramsey revert to his six-year-old self again. If they had been on a school playground, he would have likely pulled her ponytail before running off while secretly hoping she’d chase him to get even.

But they were interns at Boston’s Edenbrook Hospital, one of the premier teaching hospitals in the Northeast. And pulling your fellow resident’s hair was frowned upon.

Not to mention, she was much too proper to chase him around the maze-like hallways they had finally learned to navigate.

Of course, there was nothing stopping him from fantasizing about it or imagining the shock on her face if he actually managed to do that.

Cassie wasn’t so nice that she wouldn’t complain to Dr. Banerji. And that might get him placed on probation or, worse, thrown out of the residency program.

Ethan sipped his coffee as he swiped through the staff entrance, stomping the snow off his boots. Forecasters were calling for a White Christmas, maybe even a Nor’easter on New Year’s Eve.

He didn’t care about any of that. On New Year’s Day, Dr. Banerji would select the top-ranked intern to shadow him for a whole month.

There was only one problem. Ethan and Cassie had been going head to head for the last three months. Unless he stepped up or got extremely lucky, she would edge him out.

“Good morning, Ethan.”

Lost in thought, he didn’t hear the cheerful greeting until Cassie repeated it, a shade louder so that a few heads turned with interest.

Ethan felt his ears turn red with embarrassment.

Not bothering to stop, he threw her an annoyed look over his shoulder. “No need to shout, Valentine.”

Cassie just rolled her eyes and half-jogged up to walk beside him.

“Did you do anything fun last night?” she asked pleasantly. “We missed you at Donahue’s.”

“I was studying,” he said, gaining perverse pleasure when she had to practically run to match his long-legged stride.

With her long blonde hair, sparkling green eyes and soft smile, she looked more like a princess than a doctor. Unless she was advocating for a patient or arguing with him over differentials. Then, she was a pure shark.

It had taken Ethan only one day—the first day of residency when they’d been paired up for a patient—to come to the conclusion that Cassie would be his fiercest rival over the next three years; their shared love of coffee notwithstanding.

On the surface, they should’ve gotten along well.

They had graduated at the top of their classes at medical school. Him at Hopkins, her at Harvard. They believed in understanding the whole patient, not just focusing on the obvious symptoms. And they had both chosen Edenbrook for a chance to work with Dr. Banerji and his diagnostics team.

Therein lay the issue. Dr. Banerji always chose only one intern to mentor. Both Ethan and Cassie were determined to be the one.

“I love Clinic Day!”

Ethan realized that Cassie had been talking to him this whole time while he'd been too busy wondering what it was about her that made him want to grit his teeth one moment and kiss that infuriating grin off her face the next.

He froze as they entered the residents’ locker room.

Christ. What made him even think about kissing her?

-----------

All Fics & Edits: @bluebelle08 @jerzwriter @josiesopenheart @kyra75 @lady-calypso @potionsprefect @quixoticdreamer16 @snoopdogcone

Submissions: @choicesficwriterscreations @openheartfanfics

Ethan & Cassie only: @custaroonie @youlookappropriate

[liaromancewriter]

They could’ve at least removed the Edenbrook name, if not the logo, from the background 🤦🏻‍♀️

Thankfully, they didn’t dishonor Dr Ramsey.

[liaromancewriter]

Ethan & Cassie's Return to Beacon Hill

Way back when (2021 to be precise), I shared this newly wed home tour. Then I shared Cassie’s home exteriors and interiors throughout the years as part of MC Monday.

Since then, I’ve been slowly updating my headcanons and refining them too.

One of them is that when their twins are around 7, they start to realize that their waterfront penthouse is no longer sufficient and they need more space. The girls currently share a bedroom, but eventually will want their own space (Sophie and El disagree because sharing a room is like having a sleepover with your bestie every night).

Cassie’s career in medical advocacy and diagnostics has garnered her enough national acclaim (and commitments from board, advisory and research work) that she needs a dedicated workspace at home instead of taking over Ethan’s office. She also doesn’t want to be an absentee mom who’s always away from the home because she can only get work done in a hospital, so having a home office becomes pressing as the girls get older.

So, they start looking at their options and exploring neighborhoods, and end up back in Beacon Hill. They buy one of the Greek Revival townhomes (brownstones) on Vernon Street. It’s a quiet enough side of the neighborhood, but not too far from the Common, and coincidentally closer to Edenbrook. It’s also a few blocks from where Cassie lived with the Roomies. I actually referenced it in Parent Trap.

The place has several bedrooms (for family to visit), a rooftop terrace with views of the skyline, a lovely backyard patio off a chef-style kitchen and enough space for Ethan and Cassie to have their own work spaces. They convert one of the family rooms on the main level and an existing office into two offices with a French door connecting the two spaces. The door is often open so they can talk to each other while working. Sometimes, it feels like the old Diagnostic team days.

The girls each get their own bedroom to decorate how they want to, but it takes them time to adjust to being separated. In the first few months, one of them always ends up in the other’s room. Eventually, they start getting comfortable in their own rooms, but are most likely to be found hanging out in the family room/game room on the fourth floor.

As Cassie had in her bedroom during high school, Sophie gets a mirror and a barre along one wall for her ballet exercises. Eloise is the big reader in the family and she asks for a reading nook. Their rooms reflect their personalities completely.

Ethan and Cassie’s lives change over the years, and their homes reflect that. They’re still both city people, but realized that as their girls grew older, it meant apartment living was no longer feasible.