Customer Reviews

Disaster Status (Mercy Hospital, Book 2)

5 star:		(22)
4 star:		(20)
3 star:		(10)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

DISASTER STATUS by Candace Calvert is an Inspirational Medical Romance set in modern day Pacific Mercy ER. It is the second in the Mercy Hospital series but is easily read as a stand alone. It is well written with depth and detail. The medical terminology is great, the detail exact. It has drama, forgiveness, guilt, snippets of humor, hope and faith. The characters are strong, pull you into the story and hold your attention. It is fast paced from the beginning to the end. If you enjoy medical romance and drama you will enjoy this one. This book was received for review from Tyndale and details can be found at My Book Addicton and More.

I would like to extend a heartfelt "Thank you" to Candace Calvert and her publisher for sending me a copy of "Disaster Status" to review for them. I have always been grateful for this generosity, and I am trying to improve at being consistent in taking the time to thank these wonderfully giving individuals in a public forum. I really appreciate your time, effort and expense in making a reviewer copy available to me.

Candace Calvert brings the ER of Pacific Mercy to life once again in the second novel in the Mercy Hospital series, "Disaster Status". In this hospital-come-to-life drama, ER Charge Nurse Erin Quinn is struggling with life. She wants nothing to do with her father, and thinks she knows what's best for her grandmother. In her professional life, she is dealing with a massive agricultural contamination that is keeping the ER full of poisoning victims. Enter Fire Captain Scott McKenna, who is battling demons of his own. His hero father's very public death haunts him, as does the accident that took his sister and her husband away from his young nephew. When these two meet, the sparks begin to fly, but will they lead to romance or will they just get burned.

I waited patiently for this book, and I am so glad it's here! Calvert is not only a good writer, her experience as an ER nurse adds life and credibility to her stories. I love this series, and will continue to keep my eyes peeled for more offerings from this amazing writer.

Disaster Status is another wonderful book in the Mercy Hospital series. Nurse Erin Quinn and firefighter Scott McKenna are highly sympathetic characters whose outer strength masks internal pain. When they're both forced to face the consequences of a toxic pesticide spill, they're challenged to trust themselves, each other and God. Fast-paced and filled with the accurate details of life in an emergency room, this book is a must for anyone who loves contemporary inspirational fiction.

This is a Christian value romance that will be loved by all Christians ! The story line centers on Erin, an ER nurse and an Scott, a fireman, responsible for the emergency services of Pacific Point. They meet when a chemical incident brings a young girl to ER and scares the community.

This is a nicely written romance and a note to the more orthodox: they actually kiss a few times. A rarity in Christian romances!

The rest, to my taste, is unfortunately Christian fiction gone overboard : incessant praying, religious poems, "perfect" Christian characters (to me, they always seems cartoonish), two main characters struggling with their relation to God, with forgiveness and guilt . I wish Christian writers would learn to tell a story without being so heavy handed and let the plot (which in this case was good and exiting) and the characters (both heroes were likable) carry the values for them.

I had first hear about the Mercy Hospital series on a fellow blogger's , Renee (a.k.a Steelergirl83), blogaversary and I instantly loved . Then, I heard from another friend that Tyndale was offering it up for review (Thanks Casey!), so I knew I had to put my name on the list. And I'm soooo glad I did. The story is about the strong and independent Erin Quinn, charge nurse at Pacific Point hospital. And Scott Mckenna, a hunky firefighter who lives by the proverbial book. And when they butt heads, oh my! do the sparks fly. Now, from the cover I was expecting half the city to be burning down but, the book centers mainly on the ER, and it alone had enough drama and excitement to write more then a couple books. I liked Ms. Calvert's writing style and how her story just flowed, and at a good pace that wasn't too fast, but that wasn't so slow that you'd fall asleep There were several different stories going on at the same time and yet the blending of them all into the one story plot, wasn't overwhelming or confusing. My only "thing" with Disaster Status was Erin Quinn. I LOVED all the other characters (well,...maybe not Sarge so much) but, Erin kind of grated on my nerves the way she was always so impatient and anxious. She just annoyed me little during the story but, perhaps that was the feeling Ms.Calvert was trying to illicit from the reader. And towards the end, Erin eventually won me over. Overall, Disaster Status is a great story that is full romantic tension, a little suspense, and charged with a whole lot of drama. And the ending of this book, had me in major need of an oxygen mask and maybe a gurney or two to faint upon. I would recommend this book to anyone who loves ER , House or a great dramatic romance.

This book didn't even make it to my "to be read" pile. It came straight from the bubble wrap and into my hot little hands.

What a novel! Medical dramas, can't even compare to DISASTER STATUS. I had the distinct feeling of standing in the middle of a trauma ward as everyone rushed around me. You don't have to understand medical terms to know what is going on. But this book wasn't just medical disasters, it was a love story and a story of life outside of trauma that made it jump to life.
There was a very real sense of immediacy throughout the entire novel. I felt like I was there and found it nearly impossible to stop reading. Making this probably the fastest book I have ever read, in just under 6 hours.

The characters were unique, coming alive on the page. I saw their growth. I cheered and I groaned. There was intrigue and action. Drama and love, but not the sappy inappropriate soap opera kind, the kind that makes you stand up and cheer or curl your toes in anxiety.

I can no longer watch medical dramas on TV. Only give me DISASTER STATUS and plenty of time to read!

This review is my honest opinion. Thanks to Tyndale publishers for my copy to review.

"Disaster Status" is a suspenseful medical drama that will appeal to both men and women. A hazardous material spill brings together two people whose coping mechanisms--picked up from their parents and grandparents--threaten to destroy any chance of a lasting relationship.

While there is a romance (more than one, actually), the author went beyond the "romance formula" to deal with deeper issues. No one else has ever made me shed a tear over a dying goldfish. (Read the story, and you'll understand. The author has a great fondness for symbolism, and she skillfully weaved it into this story.)

The novel was very well-written and was more polished than "Critical Care," the first novel in the series. You don't need to read "Critical Care" to understand this book, and you can read "Disaster Status" first without spoiling your enjoyment of "Critical Care."

The world-building was excellent. The details about the town and the ER brought the story alive in my imagination without slowing the fast pacing. The tension remained high throughout the story.

The likable characters were complex and realistic, and they faced realistic problems. It felt like this story really could have happened. I liked that the main characters were better people for having met the other and their strengths and weaknesses forced the other person to grow.

The main characters were Christians who were struggling with their perceptions of God and what God wanted from them. While this will probably appeal most to Christians, the novel wasn't preachy and I don't think non-Christians would be bothered by the religious content.

There was no sex. There was a minor amount of "he swore" style bad language. I'd highly recommend this well-written novel. I honestly don't think you'll regret giving "Disaster Status" a try.


I received this novel as a review copy from the author, but I was under no obligation to say nice things about it. The above is my honest opinion of the novel.

Reviewed by Debbie from Genre Reviews

This is one of the books that I have been anticipating the most in 2010 and I was not disappointed in the least. I LOVED this book and let me say that's a miracle for me because I don't normally enjoy any kind of novels set in hospitals and the ER! I knew I had to read it when I saw the cover...whew call 911 'cause that guy is smokin' and what's great is the story in between the covers is terrific too!

Erin Quinn was first introduced in Critical Care and I couldn't help but feel sorry for her getting her heart broken by a real sleazeball. I'm so glad she got her own "happy ending" in Disaster Status. And whew! who wouldn't love a hunky, brooding fire captain like Scott McKenna?! Combine these well rounded main characters with delightful secondary characters and a fish named Elmer Fudd and a yodeling Chihuahua, I couldn't help but be entertained.

As a former ER nurse herself it's easy to see that Candace Calvert knows her stuff. While the emergency scenes were accurate (to the best of my very limited knowledge) the terminology used wasn't over my head which I really appreciated. It made the story authentic and the little details like that, to me, are what makes for an all around awesome read! I can't wait to read what happens next in Book 3, Code Triage, but I will be VERY sad to see the end of this series.

I received my free review copy from the publisher.

CODE READ! Disaster Status is hot off the press. And once again, Candace Calvert has written a book that should be at the top of every triaged reading list. A sister hospital of Critical Care's Sierra Mercy, Pacific Mercy Hospital, on the northern California coast, is on high alert after a chemical spill sends an onslaught of patients through its doors. The adrenaline rises when ER Charge Nurse Erin Quinn and Fire Captain Scott McKenna's clashing personalities create a different sort of chemical reaction. Will it be strong enough to erode the emotional barriers they've each built around their hearts? While privacy laws prevent me from revealing the outcome, I will say that the prognosis depends on whether they allow the Great Physician to heal their scars. Candace Calvert has once again delivered the perfect prescription for the reader who enjoys a mixture of drama, romance, humor, and a bit of intrigue, along with a bustling medical environment. Her books are infectious - I can hardly wait to be exposed to book three!

Critical Care was wonderful (see my review here), but dare I say that Disaster Status was even better? Hmm....I could say that. But I think they are both EXCELLENT books and I LOVED them! Disaster Status is great in it's own way. It follows the medical field, as did Critical Care, but it's about Erin's story (which we saw her in Critical Care as Claire Avery's friend) and her move to Pacific Mercy Hospital where she meets First Responder/Fire Fighter Scott McKenna. These characters and their medical friends tugged at my heart in so many ways and I found my self praying for them constantly!

Disaster Status is a continuing story to Candace Calvert's debut story, Critical Care. As with book 1, Disaster Status beats all the medical TV dramas like House, ER and Grey's Anatomy. This books are so much better and cleaner than the TV medical dramas. This one is at the top of my recommendation list with 5 stars, although, I think it deserves so much more than 5 stars!

Candace Calvert researched this book well and added humor and God's mercy, trust and forgiveness, giving this the perfect blend with the wonderful characters who struggle with everyday problems like we do. Definitely recommended and it's got a permanent place on my bookshelf along side Critical Care. I highly look forward to book 3's release!