Jay "Flash" Reynolds has a brilliant future as a trauma surgeon until a truck on a rainy night changes her life. Assistant chief medical examiner Olivia Price is more at ease with the dead than the living—at least the dead never lie. All she needs to do is listen to their stories. What she doesn't need is a surly new resident who would rather be somewhere else.
Two women, one with a damaged body, the other a damaged spirit, challenge each other to dare to live again.
Tally Dewilde forges her own path when she chooses to go into veterinary medicine and ignores her mother’s desire that she establish a boutique clinic for the pets of the wealthy in Manhattan. When she arrives in upstate rural New York to join Sydney Valentine’s animal hospital, the break with her old life seems complete on every level. Until an unwelcome reminder of the painful past arrives at her door in the form of Roman Ashcroft.
Rome Ashcroft was forced to give up her dreams when accused of a crime that cost her everything. She intends to start a new life as a PA at the Rivers community hospital, until a simple act of kindness throws all her plans into question. Her past, it seems, is not so easily forgotten when fate brings her and Tally Dewilde together—along with an attraction neither welcomes.
Dr. Lily Davenport is the poster child for burnout—physically and emotionally. All she wants is a few months of nondemanding work at a summer camp, of all places, so she can figure out what to do with the rest of her life. The last thing she expects is to run into a woman who awakens a passion she hadn’t even realized had died along with all those she’d failed to save.
Forest ranger Chase Fielder is not in the market for a relationship. Counting on people never leaving is for fools. A fling with Lily promises to be exactly what Chase is looking for—short-term, hot as a forest fire, and one Chase can extinguish whenever she wants. Now all she has to do is convince Lily they’re a perfect match.
Ren Dunbar is used to never fitting in—anywhere. Graduating high school at thirteen and med school at nineteen pretty much guaranteed she’d always have trouble proving she belonged, but she’s okay with that. She prefers the solitude of the lab over the raucous atmosphere in the OR, which would be fine except she’s a surgery resident. Winning the Benjamin Franklin Prize in surgery is just the proof she needs to show everyone she deserves to be part of their world.
Dani Chan knows she’s disappointed her family in choosing a mundane clinical career—in surgery no less—over the far more valuable world of medical research. When she wins the Franklin Prize and the national acclaim that comes with it, she’ll finally gain their approval, and maybe, at last, their affection.
Ren and Dani set out to win, no matter what it takes, but their unexpected attraction is an obstacle neither has counted on and love may be the final reward.
Dr. Bennett Anderson accepts a short-term contract at a rural medical center to fill the gap year before taking the high-profile job she’d put on hold while chasing a dream that had slipped away. In a deep-rooted community where everyone seems to know everyone else, Ben is an oddity—a stranger just passing through with no plans to build any ties.
Courtney Valentine is looking for a woman exactly like Ben—smart, sexy, and not in the market for anything serious. All she has to do is convince Ben that sex-without-strings is the perfect pathway to pleasure. What could be better?
Zoey Cohen spent a lifetime learning to hide disappointment and loss behind a mask of unshakeable calm and control, even when her longtime friend-with-benefits lover moves on for true love.
Declan Black returns to Philadelphia Medical Center after an accident costs her the life she’d built and her career. She’s resolved to protect herself from ever being vulnerable to past mistakes by rebuilding her life around her new role as an ER attending, and that life does not include love.
Zoey will never accept second place in matters of the heart, even when her rival is a career, and Dec has nothing left to give of herself or her heart. Sometimes change is a force more powerful than will.
Advance praise from Publishers Weekly: "Medical drama, gossipy lesbian romance, and angsty backstory all get equal time in Radclyffe’s fifth PMC Hospital Romance (after Passionate Rivals)...[F]ans of small community dynamics and workplace romance without ethical complications will find this hits the spot."—Publishers Weekly, 4/1/2021
Between ruling the night shift in the ER at the Rivers and raising her teenage daughter, Blaise Richeilieu has all the drama she needs in her life. When a dashing young attending appears on the scene and relentlessly pursues her, Blaise has plenty of reasons to say no—or at least she tells herself she does, despite Grady’s nearly irresistible charm. Even if Blaise had the slightest desire to play Grady’s game, the past she’s kept hidden from everyone is a secret she intends to keep buried. What Blaise doesn’t know is the barriers she constructs make Grady even more determined to find a way through them.
A great romance with an interesting storyline, that kept me turning the pages
By Netgalley.com on Jul 8, 2017 05:07
I'm a huge fan of Radclyffe, and am always excited to get my hands on one of her books. I especially love some of her earlier series like her Justice series and Provincetown series. When I heard this book was going to be full of Justice series people, I could not wait to read this. I am so happy this book was everything I love about the First Responders and Justice series.
They way the First Responders series is written, each book is it's own story. You can read them in any order. Now this book is a little different, because it is basically Justice Series 6.5 if you count the prequel A Matter of Trust. Can you read this book without reading the Justice Series first? Absolutely. The only problem is you will be learning a lot of new characters, and you will not have the connection to them, like I did reading all the previous books. I did not think Radclyffe would write another Justice book. It really was such a treat to be able connect to these women again. My only small complaint, there was only a little of Sloane and no Michael. Michael and Sloane are one of my favorite lesfic couples, so it was disappointing. I do understand it though, they would not have fit into the story as well, I still wanted a Micheal cameo though.
Beyond the Justice Series folks, the main story focuses on Jay and Olivia. Jay, if my memory is correct, was a secondary character in Trauma Alert, First Responders book 1. There are also a few appearances from Ali and Beau. You would not have to read that book first, and to add, it was nice to see Ali again. Anyway, Olivia is a new character, as far as my memory remembers. She is the Assistant Chief Medical Examiner, and takes her job very seriously. When Jay, a former trauma surgeon, shows up in her office for a job, Olivia thinks she is unqualified. Pressure from the top lands Jay the job. Can Jay handle the job? And can they keep working together despite the fierce attraction?
One of the things I enjoy about Radclyffe's writing, is her characters. She is really good at crafting characters that you would either want to hang out with or date. What was great about Olivia and Jay, their chemistry was off the charts. I mean totally smoking hot the two of them. I have not read that much chemistry in a while. The sex scenes were pretty intense also.
Not only was the chemistry and romance good, the overall story was good. I was riveted with all the medical examiner scenes. I never thought I woulds say that, but it was so damn interesting. With shows like CSI, crime scene techs get all the glory. But medical examiners are just as important, and I was extremely interested in all their scenes. They were very well written.
Overall, this book checked all the boxes that I look for in a good read. A great romance with an interesting storyline, that kept me turning the pages. I wish there could somehow be a sequel with all these same characters. I want more of the medical examiners, and the Justice crew. This is an easy book for me to recommend.
Reviewed by Lex Kent
I enjoyed very much
By Netgalley.com on Jun 29, 2017 03:06
This is the sixth book of the First Responders series written by Radclyffe. This time the plot focuses on situations within the medical examination department, where the causes of death are determined, instead of going into the frenetic pace of hospital urgencies, which is the usual environment in the medical novels of this author. As usual, too, secondary couples play an important role in the story, sometimes diverting us from the main plot... I have enjoyed very much the romantic story between Jay and Olivia. Although they have a very different background and despite the cold reception that Olivia has with Jay in the beginning, I liked the growing of their attraction, the respect with each other and with their decisions and the final acceptance of their feelings. In general and as always, the book made me have a very good time.
reviewed by Rosi DePlma
You wont be disappointed
By Netgalley.com on Jun 23, 2017 10:06
What a nice addition to the first responder series. You don't necessarily need to go in chronological order to enjoy this or any of the other books, I did. passion love and a little medical jargon thrown in for flair, you wont be disappointed when reading this next stage of Radclyffe series.
Reviewed by Paloma Vergara
I would certainly recommend this novel, an excellent read
By Netgalley.com on Jun 22, 2017 01:06
Radclyffe as always writes incredibly good novels and this one is no exception.
The characters Jay and Olivia are great, you can feel the chemistry between the two straight away.
This is a wonderfully written story, the romance between both enjoyable and the build up is heart warming.
The plot has it all romance, passion and tension.
To be honest she is one of my favourite Lesbian writers, I have been a massive fan of hers for a number of years which is why I found this novel so special, you get to catch up with some old favourites characters.
It isn't necessary to have read the books about the other secondary characters but it would add to your enjoyment, its made me go back and re-read them again.
I would certainly recommend this novel, an excellent read
Reviewed by Cathy Williams
As always, Radclyffe allows us to get lost in a fun and exciting medical romance
By Netgalley.com on Jun 22, 2017 10:06
This was great. As always, Radclyffe allows us to get lost in a fun and exciting medical romance. Both lead characters Jay and Olivia were enough to keep me wanting more. The chemistry between them was rousing and kept the pages turning. The secondary characters from a previous series were fun to revisit as well.
I don't think I will ever get enough of Radclyffe's story telling. Even a story about medical examiners, bodies and morgues was exciting and appealing. As all of Radclyffe's books, I will be recommending to my students.
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