Step by Step - A Review

Published - February 2016, Tyndale House
Series - Crisis Team Book 2
Author - Candace Calvert
Title - Step by Step
Format - ebook, paper
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Widowed ER nurse, Taylor Cabot is determined to move on after three years. She is slowing checking things off of her survival list. She moved to San Diego in the hopes of starting back over without the painful memories that still haunt her. She's even considering the possibility of dating again, and is in a relationship, of a sort, with a plastic surgeon. When crisis chaplain, Seth Donovan, steps back into her life, Taylor is forced to confront the unanswered questions surrounding her husband's death. Seth's in San Diego to train the crisis volunteers. He wants to get to the truth behind the surface reasons Taylor has given for taking herself off of the crisis team. When a crisis hits the community and several lives are at stake, both Taylor and Seth must work together for the sake of the community. But is is possible that hope can be added to the survival list and have a chance at blossoming in the midst of adversity?

First of all, I just have to say that I love this cover. Of all of the books I've read by Candace Calvert, this cover is my favorite.

For some reason, most of Candace Calvert's books are hard for me to get into. I'm not sure why. I'm happy to say that this one wasn't hard to get into at all. I had met both Taylor and Seth in the first book, and so getting to know them better in this book was a plus.

Taylor made me laugh at the way that she's just crossing off items on her list. But as I got to know her, I realized that she was hurting, and only really going through the motions. I loved Seth from the moment that he set foot on the page. I also loved how he was with Taylor. He didn't let her get away with easy answers.

I received the Kindle copy of this book from Tyndale via NetGalley for the purpose of reviewing. My thoughts and opinions are my own.

Recommended to fans of women's fiction, medical romance, Candace Calvert, Denise Hunter, Colleen Coble

Rating - 4 stars

By Your Side - A Review

Note from Dawn: Friends, if you are looking for a Top Ten Tuesday post today, you're out of luck. There are a couple of reasons for that - 1 I didn't care for the topic and 2 I've got SEVERAL book reviews that MUST get posted. Look for the TTT next week. :)

Published - February 2015, Tyndale House Publishers
Series - Crisis Team Book 1
Author - Candace Calvert
Title - By Your Side
Format - ebook, paper
Find on Amazon 

Summary (from Amazon):
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?

My Thoughts:
I've read several of Candace Calvert's books in the past and this one kept my attention the best. Maybe because I've come to know what to expect from one of her books, but I found this one to be better than some of the others of hers I have read. 

I found the book to be very fast-paced. In fact, it starts off with a bang, literally. And as the book progressed, I found that the action remained steady, which was good. 

I liked both Fletcher and Macy. I liked how they were real and struggled. Some of the other characters I actually liked a bit better, but their relationship with Fletcher and Macy served to develop the couple as dynamic characters.

I'll admit that I don't usually read medical related books. Maybe it's because I remember watching ER so much in high school that made me not want to be bogged down in medical details. But this one didn't go over the top with medical terminology. 

Fans of contemporary fiction will enjoy this book.

I received this book for free from Tyndale House Publishers for the purpose of reviewing. My thoughts and opinions are my own.

Recommended to fans of DiAnn Mills, contemporary fiction, Irene Hannon

Rating - 4 stars