Trauma Plan

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. Agent: Natasha Kern. (May)