The Nightingale Girls By Donna Douglas

Genre: Historical Fiction, Women's Fiction
Series: Nightingale Nurses, Book 1
File Size: 675 KB
Print Length: 514 pages
Publisher: Preface Digital
Release Date: August 16, 2012
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0099569353

Description:
Three very different girls sign up as student nurses in January 1936, while England is still mourning the death of George V. Dora is a tough East Ender, driven by ambition, but also desperate to escape her squalid, overcrowded home and her abusive stepfather. Helen is the quiet one, a mystery to her fellow nurses, avoiding fun, gossip and the limelight. In fact she is in the formidable shadow of her overbearing mother, who dominates every aspect of her life. Can a nursing career free Helen at last? The third of our heroines is naughty, rebellious Millie -- aka Lady Camilla -- an aristocrat on the run from her conventional upper class life. She is doomed to clash over and over again with terrifying Sister Hyde and to get into scrape after scrape especially where men are concerned. This utterly delightful novel brings a London pre-war hospital vividly to life.

My Thoughts:
Fans of the PBS series, Call The Midwife, are sure to delight in this first book of Donna Douglas' Nightingale Nurses Series!  Set against the backdrop of 1930's England, three young women set out to begin their long journey towards becoming nurses at the renowned Nightingale School and Training Hospital in London.  Each of these young girls are struggling with their own inner secrets and will soon learn to overcome, conquer, and succeed.  Douglas has created  a story so rich and layered with extremely well-developed characters that I was quickly swept away to another time and place.  I was immediately captivated with these young women and their struggles as well as the lives and relationships between the senior nurses, hospital Trustees, and the newly appointed hospital Matron.  When the last page was turned, I felt as though I were saying goodbye to very close friends.  Fortunately, there's more be to be told and I'm looking forward to reading the other books in this series! Fascinating and easily deserving of FIVE stars!

At the time of this posting, The Nightingale Girls Kindle Edition is listed for only $1.99!
Books 1-3 in The Nightingale Nurses Series: