Meet Officer Nick Stathos . . .

From the back cover:

Dr. Leigh Stathos likes her ER shifts fast, furious and adrenaline-infused, “Treat ‘em and street ‘em” with no emotional complications. Life’s taught her a soul-rending lesson: nothing lasts forever, including marriage. The clock is ticking toward the end of hers. Then an unwelcome confrontation with “the other woman” begins a whole new set of lessons.

San Francisco police officer Nick Stathos never gives up, whether protecting his patrol neighborhood, holding fast to faith—or trying to save his marriage. Seven days is all he has to reach Leigh’s heart. But when a desperate act of violence slams Golden Gate Mercy Hospital into lockdown, it starts a chain of events that will change lives forever.

I'm grateful for these generous quotes from stellar authors:

"Talk about fiction first aid! Nobody writes a prescription for heart-pounding medical drama/romance like Candace Calvert. A gritty glimpse into the heart and soul of Mercy ER and its men and women in the trenches, Code Triage is an adrenalin high with professional realism ripped from today’s headlines and enough romantic tension to spike your pulse. An ER (exciting read!) experience you will never forget ... I loved it!"

--Julie Lessman, the Daughters of Boston series

"Candace Calvert paints medical scenes that ring with authenticity and drama, while giving us a glimpse into the lives and hearts of the people behind the stethoscope. This is great writing that’s full of faith and hope."

--Richard Mabry M.D. author of Code Blue

"If you need an infusion of hospital drama, Code Triage is just the prescription!"

-- Irene Hannon, bestselling author, Heroes of Quantico series

So there you have it, my official unveiling of the cover image, back cover copy, and first (gracious) reviews of Code Triage, the third book in my Mercy Hospital series. To my surprise, it's already available as a pre-order via ChristianBook. Since these things have a way of developing momentum very fast, I thought I'd better get crackin' if I wanted to let you folks have the first glimpse of this newest cover.

For those of you who have already read Disaster Status, it's no surprise that the hero and heroine of Code Triage are Nick and Leigh Stathos--you "met" them in that second book. But if you haven't yet gotten your hands on a copy of Disaster Status: no worries--you're not "behind." It's barely out of the chute after all, and Code Triage isn't scheduled for release until September 1st. So you have plenty of time to read the second book--and Critical Care is still available as well.

Three exciting medical dramas--a trio of hunky heroes. How's that for a summer reading line up?

A big thank you to authors (and first readers) Julie Lessman, Richard Mabry and

Irene Hannon for your kindness in reading early copies of this book.

Kudos to very talented Tyndale House cover designer Mark Anthony Lane II--you've done it again!

And to my readers: I can't wait to share this story with you!

So . . . Nick Stathos. What do you think?