4.5/5 rounded up

I don't work in healthcare, and nowhere near an emergency room. In fact, we often joke in public relations that what we do is "PR not ER." But I have provided media and communications support to two companies who experienced a multi-fatality incident. That meant sitting with families who had lost loved ones, communicating loss with care to the people left behind. It's been long enough that I don't wear my feelings on my sleeve as much as I used to, but close enough that the experiences of Metro General, and Delaney and Cameron, were powerful for me.

Dr. Delaney Ward and Dr. Cameron Lee are two lonely hearts working side by side in an emergency room. They both wear protective armor, but are drawn to each other. Like recognizes like. Cari Blake's writing brings her characters to life. Cameron and Delaney's loneliness and isolation feel real. Blake shines when she brings us into the ER. She never dumbs things down, but always brings the reader along.

There was some insta-love and some minor repetitive beats but none of it derailed the read. I finished this book in less than 24 hours.

The mass casualty incident anchors the book and you should know that going in. Blake doesn't shield you from anything and you have to bear the weight of Delaney and Cameron's choices under pressure, and their trauma.

Blake's husband's note at the end sharing his appreciation for his wife's work as a charge nurse was perfect. Their lived experiences in the ER beat through every page of this book. You leave with more appreciation for first responders than you came in with.

While Code Blue Hearts has come to a close, I look forward to more stories from this pair.