Maybe Its You: My Review

Maybe Its You

About the Book:

ER nurse Sloane Ferrell escaped her risky past—new name, zip code, job, and a fresh start. She’s finally safe, if she avoids a paper trail and doesn’t let people get too close. Like the hospital’s too-smooth marketing man with his relentless campaign to plaster one “lucky” employee’s face on freeway billboards.

Micah Prescott’s goal is to improve the Hope hospital image, but his role as a volunteer crisis responder is closer to his heart. The selfless work helps fill a void in his life left by family tragedy. So does a tentative new relationship with the compassionate, beautiful, and elusive Sloane Ferrell.

Then a string of brutal crimes makes headlines, summons responders . . . and exposes disturbing details of Sloane’s past.

My Comments:

Like Candace Calvert's other books, Maybe Its You features a nurse and is set in a hospital.  As we get to know her through the story, we realize that she is running from something and figure it is only a matter of time  until it catches her.  Calvert does a good job of making readers wonder who is working with the bad guy.  While the climax of the story was somewhat unrealistic, I enjoyed the romantic elements.

As it is published by Tyndale Press, Maybe Its You is considered Christian fiction.  However, the Christian elements are subtle--this is basically a clean medical romance.  

I'd like to thank the publisher for making a review copy available via NetGalley.  Grade:  B.  

By Your Side: My Review

By Your Side

About the Book:

ER nurse Macy Wynn learned essential, gritty lessons in the California foster care system: land on your feet and trust no one. Sehe’s finally located the fellow foster child she loves like a sister, but the girl’s in deep trouble. Macy’s determined to help, no matter what it takes. Her motto is to “make it happen” in any situation life throws at her—even when she butts heads with an idealistic cop.

Deputy Fletcher Holt believes in a higher plan, the fair outcome—and his ability to handle that by himself if necessary. Now he’s been yanked from Houston, his mother is battling cancer, and he’s attracted to a strong-willed nurse who could be the target of a brutal sniper.

When everything goes wrong, where do they put their trust?

My Comments:

I really enjoyed the contrasting personalities of the main characters in this book.  Macy counts on herself only; Fletcher knows that he is loved and that makes a difference in his life.  While this is a Christian romance, for the most part it means it is a clean romance.  It is full of hospital action and full of scenes between the two leads.  I've said before that Christian romance authors can't send their characters to bed to advance the relationship; they actually have to have them talk to each other and do things together.  Calvert does as good a job as any author at writing authentic romance with a Christian background.  Thanks to the publisher for making a review copy available via Edelweiss. Grade:  B+

Review: Life Support by Candace Calvert

Life Support (Grace Medical)

About the Book:

Nurse Lauren Barclay put her life on hold to keep a watchful eye on her troubled sister. It’s why she’s back in Houston. But that means confronting the brooding physician assistant who caused painful turmoil in her family—and left Lauren with memories her heart can’t forget.

PA and single parent Elijah Landry is no stranger to stormy relationships, including one with his father, who is threatening him with a restraining order. It won’t stop Eli from protecting his disabled brother—or from making peace with Lauren. He wants that and so much more.

But as Lauren and Eli draw closer, a powerful hurricane roars toward Houston. Survival instincts take priority and everything changes. Can hope weather the storm?

My Comments:

This was an enjoyable romance that touched on some serious issues--life issues regarding the disabled and mental health issues--without becoming bogged down with those issues.  While the level of engagement with those serious issues kept this book focused on the romance (and with a cover like that, there is little doubt that the romance is what is being sold) the fact that those issues were there brings a depth to the book that is often missing in romance novels.

The book is set in Houston during hurricane season.  Some of the characters are transplants from Louisiana and I'm afraid Calvert misses on at least one occasion with them.  They are eating muffulettas, which are described as a Cajun sandwich.  Nope, they are Italian.  They are served on a round loaf of Italian bread and are made from cold cuts, cheese and olive salad.  I can't stand them, but my husband made olive salad for years and also worked at a shop that was famous for them. Cajun they are not.  Also, I found her descriptions of hurricane damage to be more serious than would be expected from the category storm she had hit.  

Nevertheless, I liked the characters and enjoyed watching them grow to love each other.  

I'd like to thank the publisher for making a review copy available through the Tyndale Blog Network.  I was under no obligation to write a positive review.  Grade:  B.

Rescue Team: My Review

Rescue Team (Grace Medical)

About the Book:

Tired of running from her past, nurse Kate Callison intends to become Austin Grace Hospital’s permanent ER director and make Texas her home. Despite staff friction, she’s moving ahead. Then unthinkable tragedy wraps the ER in crime tape, bringing swarms of media, legal chaos—and a search-and-rescue hero who seems determined to meddle in her life. 

For Wes Tanner, nothing beats finding someone who’s lost; he’s known that helpless terror firsthand. So he’ll expand his team’s lifeline of hope: K9 tracking, swift water rescue, even horse-mounted searches. He’s ready for anything—except Austin Grace’s prickly and dismissive ER director. 

As Kate and Wes discover more about each other, new respect becomes something deeper. Kate wonders if her heart might have finally found a home. Then an unsolved missing persons case—and a startling new one—become catalysts that threaten the loss of all she and Wes have found.

My Comments:

While more religious than some of Calvert's other books, Rescue Team showcases a heartwarming romance between two people who have been both loved and abandoned in their lives, and who have made major decisions in their lives based on the abandonment.  Both need to learn to trust each other. Both need to realize that God won't abandon them.  

Kate's dad is a recovering alcoholic going through the twelve steps, including making amends to those he has hurt.  I cheered for him as he dealt with Kate's understandable detachment.  

Candace Calvert used to be a nurse and manages to put a lot of detail into the hospital scenes.  While I have no idea how accurate the scenes dealing with search and rescue are, they are interesting to read.  

The book is Christian fiction and we watch Kate make peace with God after a lot of years of fighting Him.  However, I wouldn't call it a preachy book and unless religion in books is an automatic turn-off, I don't think there is enough religion here to turn off those looking for a clean romantic read.

I'd like to thank the publisher for making a review copy available via NetGalley.  Grade:  B+

Review: Trauma Plan

Trauma Plan (Grace Medical)

About the Book:

Sidelined by injuries from a vicious assault, chaplain Riley Hale is determined to return to her former duties as an ER nurse. But how can she show she’s competent when the hospital won’t let her attempt even simple tasks? Determined to prove herself, Riley volunteers at a controversial urban free clinic despite her fears about the maverick doctor in charge.

Dr. Jack Travis defends his clinic like he’s commander of the Alamo. He’ll fight the community’s efforts to shut its doors, even if he must use Riley Hale’s influential family name to make it happen.

As Riley strives to regain her skills, Jack finds that she shares his compassion—and stirs his lonely heart. Riley senses that beneath Jack’s rough exterior is a man she can believe in. But when clinic protests escalate and questions surface about his past, Jack goes into battle mode and Riley wonders if it’s dangerous to trust him with her heart.

My Comments:

This is another winner by Candace Calvert.  While perhaps a bit more religious than her previous books, the book is far more about human romance than Divine love.  Both Riley and Jack are called to re-examine the goals they have for themselves and how they fit into God's plan.  

On the romance side the book embodies what I like best about Christian romance--because the author cannot send the characters to bed to show how and why they are attracted to each other, she has to actually build a relationship between them, and, hopefully, make it sizzle.  Calvert succeeds.  

There is a character that seems to get a lot of space on the page for what she adds to the plot and then ends up leaving town.  My guess is that Calvert's next book is about her.  I look forward to reading it.  

I'd like to than the publisher for making a review copy available via NetGalley.  I was not obligated to write a positive review.  Grade:  B+