My mother would have loved LIFELINES even more than I did. As a nurse, she would have enjoyed the detailed and real hospital scenes and medical procedures. As someone who became ill when someone else oozed blood or vomited, I grimaced but kept on reading. The story kept my attention, and I had to know what happened next.

CJ Lyons brought her knowledge as a pediatric emergency room physician to her book. The plot deals with Doctor Lydia Fiore arriving for a new position at a hospital across the country from the streets of Los Angeles, where she grew up, lived, and trained. Angels of Mercy Medical Center doesn’t welcome her with open arms, but associate her with the mysterious death of the head of surgery’s son.

As Lydia struggles to clear her name and save her job since the surgeon blames her for his son’s death, she and paramedic Trey Garrison discover each other romantically. With his help and that of new friends from the hospital, Lydia battles to save lives and to be allowed to work in the hospital which becomes a part of her life.

I would give LIFELINES 10 quills if I hadn’t gotten confused during the explosion scene. I could not tell for sure where the blast originated. Otherwise, I followed the intriguing plot quite well. I had to finish the whole book at one sitting because I could not put it down.

Reviewed by Vivian Zabel
© March 2008