After barely surviving her first six months as a trauma intern at Charity Hospital in New Orleans, Dr. Elizabeth Roberts is exhausted from the long hours, senseless violence, and breakneck pace. Despite the tough experience, she has grown to love the city—its food, culture, music, and people. But now she must endure the hardest rotation in the hospital, and it's led by her nemesis, who doesn't think she belongs in the world of surgery.



She wants to do her duty but has bitten off more than she can chew. Due to the large number of murders in the drug wars, Mother Charity, as many have named the hospital, is the toughest task master of urban hospitals in 1983. It's great training for a surgeon, but the emotional toll on a previously sweet young southern lady may be too much to bear.



This sequel to The Big Free continues the gripping story of an intern in surgery and all the trials and tribulations that come with it, from devastating horror to ribald dark humor. Will the young doctor be able to overcome her challenges, and if so, at what cost? As she discovers what she has to give up, the question arises: will she continue to pursue her dream?