Treatment of Choice: Book #1 in The McFadden Series
by Mary King
Publisher: Mary King
Published: July 15, 2013
ASIN: B00DZ11G68
Amazon Synopsis:
New England and the Berkshire Hills of western Massachusetts
provide the perfect setting for The McFadden Series, by author Mary King.
Treatment of Choice, the first novel in The McFadden Series, introduces Dr. Lauren McFadden, and her husband, Bryan. As the story begins, Dr. McFadden has survived the December explosion that nearly took her life at the New Choice Women's Center, but not all of her injuries healed without complications. She returns to work and resumes her position as Chief of Orthopedics at Saint Michael's Rehabilitation Center. Her husband, Bryan, who is in charge of the physical therapy department at the center, knows something isn't right with her behavior. Lauren is desperate to get help, but Bryan is skeptical of the controversial form of psychotherapy suggested by their good friend and local parish priest, Father Sean Cody.
Treatment of Choice, the first novel in The McFadden Series, introduces Dr. Lauren McFadden, and her husband, Bryan. As the story begins, Dr. McFadden has survived the December explosion that nearly took her life at the New Choice Women's Center, but not all of her injuries healed without complications. She returns to work and resumes her position as Chief of Orthopedics at Saint Michael's Rehabilitation Center. Her husband, Bryan, who is in charge of the physical therapy department at the center, knows something isn't right with her behavior. Lauren is desperate to get help, but Bryan is skeptical of the controversial form of psychotherapy suggested by their good friend and local parish priest, Father Sean Cody.
At work, Dr. McFadden has plenty to deal with in addition to treating patients with spinal cord injuries, amputations, and other orthopedic conditions. She has a soft spot for children, especially teenagers, and it’s tough to let go sometimes when a patient is discharged. As summer gets underway, the doctor and her husband take a much needed vacation at beautiful Coral Lake, and for a while, at least, their lives seem to be back on track. Unfortunately, the same old problems at work never seem to go away, especially when Lauren is forced to contend with the rehab center’s insolent and uncaring administrator, Jack Allen. His ongoing determination to cut back employees and services may just slam the doors on everything she’s built over the past seven years. Their frequent arguments go on for months and finally come to a blistering climax just two days before Christmas, when Dr. McFadden and Bryan turn in their resignations.
The couple doesn’t leave without a backup plan. For the past several months, Bryan and Lauren have been building a new house in Lenox. Their new dream home is enormous and is designed to accommodate young people with special medical needs. It's a place where severely injured teens and homeless young adults can find refuge and get whatever rehabilitation is required at no cost.
Adam arrives as a runaway from a youth detention center. His seizure disorder is difficult enough for the fifteen year-old to endure, but now he harbors a terrible secret that could cost him his chance for a new life with a decent family. Devon is the victim of a near-fatal bicycle accident. It’s going to take more than months of physical and occupational therapy to repair fragile emotions shattered by an overwhelming personal loss. Philip’s devastating injury is the result of domestic violence. Bryan McFadden is especially sensitive to Philip's situation. It'll take everything he has to convince Philip that neither he nor the doctor will give up on him.
The McFaddens soon discover that administering physical rehabilitation is a walk in the park compared to rebuilding three troubled young lives. They knew it wasn’t going to be easy, but they never anticipated the law getting involved, and that’s just for starters. Can they really turn these boys around and repair damages that go much deeper than broken bones? And will the boys be able to extend the same understanding shown to them when a gay college student becomes the newest patient in their home? Find out what happens when tough love and compassion meld with teenage chaos to make an unbreakable and unforgettable family bond.
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My Thoughts:
Dr.
Lauren McFadden and Bryan McFadden are a married couple that work at Saint
Michaels Rehabilitation Center. Lauren McFadden is in charge of her department
and in a constant battle with Mr. Allen, one of the administrators who wants to
reduce staff and implement other cutbacks. Lauren is against these as the
patient beds are almost full and cutting staff would mean reducing the amount
of treatment each patient would get. As they were operating at near
full-capacity and patient admissions levels were constant, she wanted to expand
staff.
Finally
so frustrated with all the fighting about funding and treating patients, Lauren
and Bryan open their own rehabilitation centre in their own home. They take in
emotionally and physically challenged teenaged boys who require their full-time
attention.
I
liked the family theme and unconditional love aspect of this book. None of the
teens had a place to go if they did not go to the McFaddens and would have
ended up in a group home. The boys were welcomed into the home and were not
required to leave even after their course of treatment was completed.
There
was a very explicit love-making scenes in the book that really didn't add
anything to the plot of the story, so I'm not sure why the author chose to put
it into the book. I felt the sex in the scenes themselves were unnecessary even
if the information one of the scenes was trying to convey was important.
The
adult characters seemed quite natural and realistic, and the teen characters
seemed quite likeable, but I think in reality it would have taken much more for
them to get over their trust and anger issues.
The
author seemed to be quite knowledgeable in the area of some of the medical
terminology and procedures that the youths with paraplegia had to undergo in
her descriptions. The descriptions of the estate were also very vivid and easy
to visualize.
The
pace of the book was good. There were several twists in the plot which added a
lot of interest and more material for the themes in the book.
If
you enjoy books with a medical theme, you will enjoy this book of literary
fiction. I gave Treatment of Choice 4 stars out of 5.
Thank
you to the author for providing a copy of this book in exchange for a fair and
honest review. A positive opinion was not required. All thoughts are my own.
About
the Author:
Mary King is an American novelist,
independent freelance writer and advocate for persons with disabilities. She
grew up in the southern state of Florida, completing her education with a B.S.
in psychology from Jacksonville University in 1979. She has worked consistently
in physical rehabilitation and has been a caregiver throughout most of her
adult life. A broad spectrum of life experiences has given her valuable insight
for her written work. Ms. King currently lives in northwest Florida, where she
continues to write articles and work on her saga story, The McFadden Series.
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