The Nightingale Sisters...Review

About the book:
To the student nurses at The Nightingale hospital, the ward sisters are heartless and frightening, with impossibly high standards. But the sisters have troubles of their own...

Violet: the new night sister is not all that she seems. Who is she and what dark secret is she hiding? As the mystery deepens, Sister Wren is determined to find out the truth.

Dora: the student nurse is struggling with her own secret, and with her heartbreak over Nick, the man who got away. A new arrival on the ward brings the chance to put a smile back on her face. But can she really get over Nick so easily?

Millie: Dora's fellow student is also torn between the two men in her life. But then an unexpected friendship with an elderly patient makes her question where her heart - and her future - really lies.

As the nation mourns the death of King George V, it seems as if nothing is ever going to be the same again, especially for the women at the Nightingale.

The Nightingale Sisters picks up where The Nightingale Girls left off.  The girls are starting their second year of nursing school and the ward sisters are just as difficult as ever.  I loved the addition of Violet as the night nurse.  Her story was fantastic and her friendship with the matron brought out the matron's more human side. The progression of relationships and personalities was compelling as the sisters rallied around Violet and her difficulties.

Dora and Millie and Helen work through their family issues as they cement their friendship.  We see more of their home lives, but also their resilience and dedication.  The story is compelling as it also addresses some serious issues of the Blackshirt rising and racism, backstreet abortionists and spousal abuse.  I love these characters and I couldn't put the book down.  I read it in an evening, much like I did the first, and anticipate doing with the third!

I swear that Britain has the best soap operas.  They're not dramas, they're soaps and they're freaking addicting.  The Nightingale series has all the makings of a great soap opera and if Call the Midwife wasn't already out there, these books would make a great television show.

Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for the opportunity to review this book.  You can learn more about Donna Douglas here.  You can purchase your own copy here.

Read 7/14

* * * *
4/5 Stars

Comments

  1. I agree about Britain and soap operas. And "sagas" in general!

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  2. Everyone keeps telling me about Call the Midwives. I need to check it out. Thanks for the review.

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  3. I really enjoy British soap operas and have even watched a couple of episodes of Call the Midwife. I'd probably like that and The Nightingale series in print!

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  4. This sounds very engaging, Holly! :)

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  5. Glad you seem to enjoy this one as much as I did. I loved this series and can't wait for the next one to be released.

    Kimberlee
    girllostinabook@hotmail.com
    www.girllostinabook.com

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