Chaplain Riley Hale is still recuperating from a vicious
attack in the hospital parking garage a year ago. Her
dominant hand and arm are still weak and there isn't much
feeling. She feels unfulfilled in her role as trauma unit
chaplain, since her training is in ER nursing. She's worked
hard this past year to get back to that place in her life,
but with no way to practice her nursing skills, it's not an
easy task.
Dr. Major Jackson Travis works a couple days a week at Alamo
Grace Hospital in San Antonio, where Riley is a chaplain.
Their first meeting is in the conference room where Riley
has been practicing her CPR skills on "dummies" and Jack is
stitching up his own knee. She also doubles as Safety
Officer and questions what he is doing. Jackson is very
abrupt with her, and she's not sure she cares much for him.
On their second meeting, Riley is called in to help with an
elderly woman who is in diabetic shock. Jack informs her he
only needs a chaplain if someone is dead or dying. He
doesn't understand the need for a trauma chaplain in cases
like this. But Riley proves her worth when she quiets the
woman and gets her to open up to her. Things in Jack's past
have left him questioning why God allows bad things to
happen to good people. He's shut God out of his life. But,
when he discovers who Riley is related to, he decides they
can help each other out.
Jack runs a free medical clinic downtown and needs
volunteers. Riley needs a place to practice her nursing
skills if she's going to get back to her real passion --
nursing. They come to a mutual understanding that they can
help each other. But the more Riley and Jack are together,
they more they learn about each other and want to spend time
together outside of work. Each has suffered tragedies in
their lives and is searching to something. Jack has an
emptiness and issues with God. Could Riley help, or would
the past be too haunting?
Candace Calvert takes us back to her Grace Medical series
with this wonderful hospital drama. Riley and Jack are the
principal characters, but there are many others who are
well-developed and endearing in this captivating story. It's
a story about overcoming past hurts and mistakes and having
the courage to move forward, realizing that the past cannot
be changed. If you enjoy medical drama, inspiration and a
little romance on the side, TRAUMA PLAN is a great read for
you.
Injured in a brutal attack and uncertain whether she still
can perform as an ER nurse, Riley Hale hopes for
reinstatement while serving as a chaplain, offering comfort
and prayers to patients at Alamo Grace Hospital, the setting
for a new series from Calvert (Mercy Hospital series). To
hone her skills, Riley volunteers at a clinic run by
daredevil doctor Jack Travis, who battles his mysterious
past—and hostile neighbors seeking to shut down the clinic,
which brings clientele to the community considered
“undesirable.” A budding romance between Riley and Jack is
nicely balanced by the couple’s interactions with family,
patients, and co-workers, all toting their own baggage
packed with fear, ulterior motives, and past mistakes.
Calvert, herself a former ER nurse who was sidelined by an
injury, infuses her story with detailed medical procedures
and terminology along with honest questions about faith that
anyone might ask in the face of difficulties. The characters
are likable and receive rich and thorough development in
this enjoyable “hope opera” page-turner.