Heart Failure by Richard Mabry

When her fiancé’s dangerous secrets turn her work upside down, a beautiful doctor must choose between her own safety and the man she loves—and thought she knew.

Dr. Carrie Markham’s heart was broken by the death of her husband two years ago. Now, just as her medical practice is taking off, her fresh engagement to paralegal Adam Davidson seems almost too good to be true . . . until a drive-by shooting leaves Carrie on the floor of his car with glass falling around her.

When he confesses that Adam isn’t his real name and that he fled the witness protection program, Carrie is left with an impossible choice: should she abandon the fiancé she isn’t sure she really knows, or accept his claim of innocence and help him fight back against this faceless menace?

While Carrie struggles to decide whether to follow her heart or her head, the threats against them continue to escalate. Her life—as well as Adam’s—depends on making the right choice . . . and the clock is ticking.

My Review:
I enjoyed this Christian fiction suspense novel. The characters are believable, and the plot is fast-paced. There's just enough connection between Carrie and Adam for those who would choose a romance novel. Suspense kept this reader turning the pages. I finished the book in two days. The ending came as a surprise to me.

The fact that the author is a physician helps the medical parts come alive. I liked learning medical school tidbits like "When you hear hoof beats, think horses, not zebras" (137) when diagnosing a patient. I know that I'm not fully explaining it here, but when you get the book, you'll see for yourself the wisdom in this statement.

The book is almost perfect. The second paragraph on page 114, Carrie has a "d" on the end of her name. A simple mistake, but a jarring one.

Nonetheless, I highly recommend this book. Includes Reading Group Guide.

Thank you to Booksneeze and Thomas Nelson Publishing for my copy.

Stress Test by Richard Mabry

They may not have enough evidence to convict him, but they have enough to ruin his life.

Dr. Matt Newman thought he was leaving his life in private practice for a better one in academic medicine. But the kidnappers who attacked him as he left his last shift in the ER have no such plans—they just want him dead. Bound and in the trunk of his car, Matt's only thought is escape. He does so, but at a price: a head injury that lands him in the ICU . . . where he awakens to discover he's being charged with murder.

Sandra Murray is a fiery, redheaded lawyer who swore she was done with doctors. But when Matt calls, she knows she can't walk away from defending someone who is truly innocent.

Matt's career is going down the drain. His freedom and perhaps his life may be next. But with the police convinced he's a murderer and the kidnappers still trying to finish what they started, finding the truth—and the faith to keep going—will be the toughest stress test Matt has ever endured.

My Review:
Poor Dr. Newman. He can't "catch a break." He's kidnapped, escapes, only to find himself in the hospital with a serious head injury. He loses his job, his girl friend, the police think he's a murderer, and someone wants him dead! Thankfully, he latches on to a good attorney--a pretty one too. That bit of romance plus the fact that he slowly rediscovers God makes for a good story.

I especially liked reading about how Matt tries and tries again to restart his life. The medical aspects as well as the aspects of the law were well told.

There are some times I held my breath as I read. I usually read quietly, but once, I exclaimed out loud, "Oh!" when I saw what just happened. I did manage to guess the ending; however, I enjoyed this book. The final pages felt a bit rushed, but overall, a really good read.

Thank you to Booksneeze and Thomas Nelson Publisher for my copy.