Critical Care (Mercy Hospital, Book 1) [Paperback]

Candace Calvert (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: May 20, 2009

After her brother dies in a trauma room, nurse Claire Avery can no longer face the ER. She's determined to make a fresh start—new hospital, new career in nursing education—move forward, no turning back. But her plans fall apart when she's called to offer stress counseling for medical staff after a heartbreaking day care center explosion. Worse, she's forced back to the ER, where she clashes with Logan Caldwell, a doctor who believes touchy-feely counseling is a waste of time. He demands his staff be as tough as he is. Yet he finds himself drawn to this nurse educator . . . who just might teach him the true meaning of healing.

Editorial Reviews

Review

“Good-bye, ER. Hello, Critical Care! Candace Calvert delivers a wonderful medical romance that peeks inside the doors of an ER to discover a cast of real-life characters who learn to love and live and discover God’s truths, all in the high-stress world of medicine. If you like ER and House, you’ll love Logan and Claire and their friends at Sierra Mercy. Give me another dose, and soon!”
—Susan May Warren, award-winning author of Happily Ever After and Nothing but Trouble

“I’ve always said if I weren’t an author, I’d be in the medical field, so it’s no wonder I ate up Candace Calvert’s new book Critical Care. I lived and breathed the problems and struggles in ER along with the characters. Terrific story and terrific writing. Can’t wait for the next one!”
—Colleen Coble, author of Cry in the Night and Lonestar Secrets

“Finally, a reason to turn off ER and Grey's Anatomy. Here is a realistic medical drama with heart. Candace Calvert gets it right with page-turning prose, a heartwarming love story, and hope. Don’t make us wait too long for the next one!”
—Harry Kraus, MD, best-selling author of Salty Like Blood and Could I Have This Dance?

Product Details

• Paperback: 304 pages
• Publisher: Tyndale House Publishers, Inc.; Original edition (May 20, 2009)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1414325436
• ISBN-13: 978-1414325439
• Product Dimensions: 8.2 x 5.4 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8.8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (75 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #498,082 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Candace Calvert is an ER nurse who landed on the "other side of the stethoscope" after the equestrian accident that broke her neck and convinced her love, laughter--and faith--are the very best medicines of all. The inspirational account of her accident and recovery appears in Chicken Soup for the Nurse's Soul, and launched her writing career.

Her popular medical drama series (Mercy Hospital and Grace Medical) offer readers a chance to "scrub in" on the exciting world of emergency medicine, along with charismatic characters, pulse-pounding action, tender romance, humor, suspense--and an encouraging prescription for hope. Think "Grey's Anatomy finds its soul"!

A native northern Californian, mother of two and proud grandmother to seven, Candace enjoys cruise travel, Bible study, bird watching, hiking, gardening, cooking, and being her husband's biggest karaoke fan. Please visit her website at: www.candacecalvert.com.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

27 of 28 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars CRITICALLY WONDERFUL!!!, December 1, 2009

By 

Julie Lessman (St. Louis) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Critical Care (Mercy Hospital, Book 1) (Paperback)

Hospitals have never held much charm for me ... until now! I have discovered the cure with Candace Calvert's Mercy Hospital Series and suddenly, the ER is my favorite place to be. Seldom has an author hooked me in so quickly and completely as Ms. Calvert has with her exceptional debut novel, Critical Care, a heart-wrenching glimpse into the gritty reality of a trauma center and characters so flesh and blood, that I literally teared up three times in the first 38 pages. With true-life medical drama, magical prose and enough romantic tension to spike a high-grade fever, Ms. Calvert is, hands-down, one of the best authors I have read in a long, LONG time.

17 of 17 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars A terrific, easy read, June 24, 2009

By 

Holly (United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Critical Care (Mercy Hospital, Book 1) (Paperback)

Christian ER/Grey's Anatomy, without the sex and with McSnarly instead of McDreamy.

Claire Avery leaves ER nursing after her brother dies in the trauma room, on her watch. Wanting to make a fresh start she finds a position in a small hospital, focusing on nursing education and stress counseling, rather than ER nursing. As she works to find her place among the staff, she finds herself clashing with Logan Caldwell, the ER doctor. Logan doesn't like counseling or soft staff. He's tough and focused and expects the same from his nursing staff. When staffing issues force Claire back into the ER, she finds herself both at odds with Logan and drawn to him at the same time.

From my limited medical understanding, I found the ER setting realistic and believable. The story shifts between Claire and Logan and two other nurses on the ER staff. Predictably, all of their stories wrap up neatly at the end. As with most Christian fiction, at least one person must reestablish their faith in God before the anticipated happy ending. Themes of abortion and SIDS are explored, as well as divorce and forgiveness.

An easy, light read. Perfect for an afternoon of escape. I look forward to reading the rest of the series.

11 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Just What the Doctor Ordered!, May 17, 2009

By 

Mocha with Linda (Texas, United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Critical Care (Mercy Hospital, Book 1) (Paperback)

This book quickly found its way to my shelf of favorites. Admittedly, I've loved medical fiction since I was a kid reading Cherry Ames and Sue Barton. But some books in this genre can be ridiculously and annoyingly unrealistic and need to be classified as DNR (Do Not Resuscitate). Not this one. Candace Calvert shows she has a talent for crafting a wonderful story in an accurate setting, portraying believable characters with real-life crises and issues. The medical detail was authentic without being horrific. And the personalities are spot-on. I loved how the nurses referred to Dr. Caldwell (behind his back, of course!) as McSnarly. Unfortunately, I've worked with a doctor or two like that! As the events unfold and the characters work through the circumstances of the story, the patients aren't the only ones who experience healing.

For an infusion of hope, get this book STAT - read it, & repeat dosage as necessary! I can't wait until the next one, Disaster Status, comes out!