Trauma Plan - by Candace Calvert

Sidelined by injuries from a vicious assault, nurse chaplain Riley Hale is determined to return to ER duties. 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.

I know that anybody who reads this review is going to be a reader, so this question should resonate with all of you.  Have you ever read a book by an author and at the end of it wanted to smack yourself upside the head and scream, "Why haven't I taken the time to read his/her books before?"  Well, that's where I was when I finally put this down a couple of minutes ago.  I've had Candace's books in our library for awhile now and never found myself pulling them off the shelf.  I can tell you, though, after finishing this book I'll definitely make the time to read her other series.

Riley Hale is coming back from a vicious attack.  Dr. Jack Travis feels like his whole life is under attack.  Throw in a lovable side-kick and his trusty canine companion, plenty of personal secrets and some well planned criminal mischief and you have yourself the recipe for a terrific story.  Riley needs to be cleared by her doctors and plenty of practice to ever think she will be considered for another ER position.  Jack just wants to get his low-cost neighborhood clinic up and running and avoid unpleasant run-ins with the residents of the community surrounding the clinic.  The neighbors have taken up the "Not In My Back Yard" mentality and are determined to run him off.  Once secrets are revealed, secrets that Jack had hope no one would ever find out, will this be the end of Riley and Jack?  Will the clinic overcome the obstacles of the neighbors and succeed? When or when will the next book be published?  Not going to tell you, you'll have to read the book just like I did :)

The message at church this morning centered around the time when Jesus fed the crowds with the 7 loaves of bread and a few fish from Mark 8.  This follows the first time when they fed the multitude with 5 loaves of bread and 2 fish.  In the message, our pastor pointed out that God will teach us a lesson again and again until we get the point.  I thought of that today when I was reading about Jack.  Jack had a personal secret that had shaped his believe in God.  Because of this, he never allowed God to become a part of his life again.  He filled his life with doing good for others but never built that relationship with Him again.  It was only when Riley came into his life and he saw her convictions was he able to entertain a relationship with Him again.  How many times do we blind ourselves to situations that we should be learning from, ones that should take us on a better journey with Him?  Jack's friend, Bandy, summed it up correctly (hope Candace doesn't mind me plagiarizing from her book), "We all make mistakes, Doc.  We're only human.  That's where grace comes in!".

Is this book a "man's book"?  There are parts of the book where the relationship building between Riley and Jack are the forefront of the story, but it flowed so smoothly with the rest of the storyline.  Men will identify with Jack as he was "raised by wolves", so we can all see ourselves in his character.  I think any man will enjoy this book, as I did, and look forward to the next book in the series.

I received this book from the author in exchange for writing a review that contained my honest opinion.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Former ER nurse, wife, Mom and proud grandmother, Candace Calvert believes that love, laughter and faith are the best medicines.  Her popular medical fiction offers charismatic characters, pulse-pounding drama, romance, humor, suspense -- and a prescription for hope.  Think, "Grey's Anatomy finds it's soul".  She is...

A Northern California native who spent several years in Hill Country Texas -- where she learned to check her shoes for scorpions and plucked an armadillo from her swimming pool.  Thinks cruising is the best way to travel; honeymooned in Venice; swam with stingrays; rode a camel at the pyramids and sang (badly) with a Newfoundland country band.  She's passionate about cooking, loves bird watching, gardening and gets goose bumps when her handsome husband hits the low notes at karaoke.  She writes inspirational fiction because.....

God blessed her with a quirky wit, buoyant optimism and a contagious sense of fun - but she didn't come to know Him until after the Triple Whammy that turned her life into a bad country song.  A painful and unexpected divorce, the Northern California floods of 1997 and (just when she was coping like a champ, no problem) an equestrian accident that left her with fractured ribs, a bleeding lung, broken back, neck fracture and a spinal cord injury.  She'll tell you that God took drastic measures to get her attention.  In the months of rehabilitation, Candace healed in body and spirit.  And came to fully understand the difference between being a strong woman and a woman of strength.  The difference is faith and that lesson has been her biggest blessing.  Her story, "By Accident", appears in Chicken Soup for the Nurse's Soul, and launched her writing career.  Now....

She is honored to bring readers medical fiction that offers exciting entertainment and a healthy dose of hope.

Candace has graciously agreed to provide a copy of this great book to a random commenter on this blog.  I'll let this run til Wednesday evening and then draw a winner.  Please leave a comment and a way to get in touch with you in case you are the winner!  Good luck and spread the word!