By Your Side {by Candace Calvert}

Title: By Your Side

Author: Candace Calvert

Series: Crisis Team, #1

Genre: Christian fiction

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

Purchase: Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Source: publisher

 

ER nurse Macy Wynn learned essential, gritty lessons in the California foster care system: land on your feet and trust no one. She’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?

Last year, in my review of Life Support, I mentioned how I wanted Calvert's next series to start with Fletcher. And guys IT HAPPENED, I was so excited for this like you don't even know. And I am so glad that this story held up to my (probably high) expectations.

Fletcher has moved away from his home in Houston, to take care of his mother in California. Fletcher needs to move on from the girl he thinks he loves in Houston (whom you might remember from Life Support), but his mother's illness is also tearing at him. Being a cop, he is used to taking care of everyone and everything. Until he meets Macy Wynn, an ER nurse, who doesn't take anything from anyone. She's grown up hardened, and trusts no one.

I think what I love most about Calvert's books are the relationships between the characters. Not just the romantic ones (although thankfully, no insta-love here), but also between Fletcher and his mom, Macy and her fellow ER nurses, even the POV's we get from the chaplains. We get viewpoints from multiple characters, including the sniper, and I love how that ties together.

I also love how Macy and Fletcher have this sort of sweet buildup to their relationship. You get to know each of them, and I loved them together. They both had their issues they had to work through, but I felt as if it were more realistic.

And of course, the book wasn't just about their romance. There was a sense of mystery and intrigue surrounding the story, and of course I love the parts in the ER, which were very well explained and gave you a sense of actually being in there. Of course, some parts may seem predictable, including the identity of the sniper before it's revealed, but all in all, this was a great story and I can't wait to see how Calvert continues this series.
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Candace Calvert:

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Life Support {by Candace Calvert}

Title: Life Support

Author: Candace Calvert

Series: Grace Medical, #3

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
Purchase: Amazon / Barnes & Noble

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 forgive. 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?

So I could just feel that this was going to be my favorite in the series. Not sure why, but I just knew. And I was right. I also like how the author takes a secondary character in the previous book and makes them the main character in the next book, because Lauren was one of my favorite secondary characters and I'm glad we got her story as well.

I loved the characters. They definitely seemed real and believable. I think I liked Lauren more because I felt like I could relate to her. She spends so much time worrying about her sister and living up to her parents expectations that she's not really living life. Eli is a single father, fighting against his parents to protect his disabled brother. He is stubborn and yeah, maybe he does rub people the wrong way, but he has a good heart and only cares about taking care of his brother and daughter. And the secondary cast--Fletcher, Jessica, Gayla, Emma, Drew, the parents, everyone else--never seem secondary. They are as real and lovable as any main character.

I also love the different story lines that weave through the story. Calvert makes each story so complex, not in a way that would confuse the reader, but in a way that engages the reader's attention. Although the story is in third person, it shifts between focuses, and I love that we get to see a least some part from everyone's side (except, I realize as I type this, Jessica, which I think is significant). I especially love how she added a few scenes, albeit short, from Drew's perspective, bringing a voice to the mentally disabled.

This isn't just a medical chicklit type of book, or just a romantic fling. It is a deep, emotional book about faith and hope. Yet, it isn't all deep and serious. It is light, fun, and a very enjoyable read. I definitely loved this book (and since I've started working at a hospital since I read the last one, I understand all the things! Yay!). I would definitely recommend this book for someone looking for a fun, enjoyable read but with a more serious undertone.

And can her next series be a police one and start with Fletcher? Yes? Please? How do I make this happen? Who do I talk to about this?

*This novel is Christian fiction

I received an ARC from the publisher in exchange for my honest review. This does not affect my opinion in any way. 

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Candace Calvert:

Website | Blog | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads