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7 of 8 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Dramatic, romantic, sexy, tender: 3-1/2 stars, October 28, 2008
I enjoyed this book. My attentions were a bit split between the compelling new story of Tris and Jett and the dance they do to find belonging with one another, and the continuation of the joining of Honor and Quinn from "Fated Love" (with also a brief interlude in a story in "In Deep Waters 2" where we hear about Honor going into labor; we are also introduced to Tris in "In Deep Waters 2"). I love continuation. One of my favorite things is seeing what comes next, how couples who seem so right for each other actually work to carry out their lives together. How they really fit. Or how new experiences shape thier actions and reactions in the future. And the family life Honor and Quinn have created is precious, and a joy to behold.
But the center of the book for me was Tris and Jett. The medical back-drop Radclyffe creates is as colorful as always, providing for angst and drama and triumph and a catalyst to relationships between people in a life and death world. Jett has recently returned from flying helicopters in the Army, and it's striking the similarities between that world, and the world she and Tris inhabit while on night call.
In these two women Radclyffe has once again constructed two decent, competent, compelling characters with complex emotions and motivations. This author's skill at bringing to life women we care about is what makes her books such a pleasure to read. Tris has recently had something of an emotional/sexual awakening at the convention in Las Vegas, and tired of a long succession of "special friends" is drawn to the challenge of getting to know Jett better, to penetrate the walls and barriers that surround the somewhat aloof and isolated chopper pilot, something she feels paid off well in Vegas. For her part, Jett is undone by Tris' alternately gentle and probing actions, and fearful of the emotions they elicit.
An enjoyable read. Not quite as tightly plotted and consistently profound as Lonely Hearts Club, in my opinion, though it did have its moments. I enjoyed the sexual tension that simmered between Jett and Tris most of the book, as they each tried to hold back. But while the transitions between Tris/Jett to Honor/Quinn weren't jarring per se, they didn't quite mesh cohesively for me, their characters being at such different points in their lives, and their stories never really connecting beyond crossing paths in the same settings, and broader shared experiences in the hospital. It was more like two novelettes shoved together (but at least they were two good novelettes).
So if you haven't read "Fated Love" yet, I'd recommend doing so before reading this, not only because it's a compelling book in and of itself, but it will help lend depth and context to Honor and Quinn and their family. And you get introduced to Tris in "In Deep Waters 2," so if you're of a mind to, check that out also. Clearly my few criticisms are merely quibbles, and this book is still a cut above most, one I'll undoubtedly revisit in the future, so I'm comfortable displaying my review as 4 stars, even though it wasn't the strongest Radclyffe offering I've read. It was enjoyable revisiting this medical world with characters we've grown to love before, or been briefly introduced to in past stories. It's always a pleasure to put myself in this author's hands and just sit back for the ride. She makes reading effortless and fun.
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4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:
3.0 out of 5 stars
Predictable Radclyffe, November 27, 2008
Night Call is another Radclyffe novel based on an area that is familiar to her as a retired doctor, the medical profession.
Jett McNally is a helicopter pilot and a veteran of the Middle East war. She's having trouble getting over what she saw in combat, plus she's trying to mend from a broken love affair, so working the night call flying the medivac chopper at a local hospital suits her fine. She can live a shadow existence without attracting much attention, she thinks. Dr. Tristan Holmes is highly respected for her skills as an anesthesiologist and is well known for her "love them and leave them" lifestyle. She's not looking for a relationship, but can't help being fascinated about the enigmatic Jett when they start working together. She becomes determined to discover what makes this woman tick and finds, to her surprise, that she might be interested in more than just adding another notch to her bedpost. Drs. Honor Blake and her partner Quinn Maguire, introduced in earlier books, are central figures in this story. They provide a picture of wedded bliss and family ties that encourages Tristan to keep pursuing Jett, no matter how distant she seems.
Night Call is another romance written in the style that Radclyffe's fans have come to expect and enjoy. It tells a familiar story of two women who meet, overcome an obstacle and find each other, with some sex scenes to spice up the plot. There was real potential in this story for Jett McNally's situation to be explored. The role of US women in a combat zone is a new one with many complications of adjusting to those duties while not really being considered battle ground soldiers. This would have been a chance to examine the feelings of those women and the struggles they go through in a system that is confused about their status, but Radclyffe didn't choose to take that course except on a superficial level. The opportunity to tell a fresh and topical story was bypassed in favor of a more routine romance. That will certainly please the die hard fans, but the possibilities that are glimpsed in this book will make some readers wish Radclyffe had used her considerable talent as a writer to do something different.
If the reader is looking for a predictable story that hits all of the expected buttons, then Night Call fits the requirements. It's easy escapism for a few hours of entertainment.
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5.0 out of 5 stars
night call, June 23, 2009
the book was very entertaining. a page turner that keeps you not wanting to put it down
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