"Any readers who enjoyed the mix of romance, intrigue, and medical accuracy of
Call the Midwife
will love
The War Nurse
."—
New York Journal of Books
Based on a true story,
is a sweeping historical novel by
USA Today
bestselling author Tracey Enerson Wood that takes readers on an unforgettable journey through WWI France.
She asked dozens of young women to lay their lives on the line during the Great War. Can she protect them?
Superintendent of Nurses Julia Stimson must recruit sixty-four nurses to relieve the battle-worn British, months before American troops are ready to be deployed. She knows that the young nurses serving near the front lines of will face a challenging situation, but nothing could have prepared her for the chaos that awaits when they arrive at British Base Hospital 12 in Rouen, France. The primitive conditions, a convoluted, ineffective system, and horrific battle wounds are enough to discourage the most hardened nurses, and Julia can do nothing but lead by example—even as the military doctors undermine her authority and make her question her very place in the hospital tent.
When trainloads of soldiers stricken by a mysterious respiratory illness arrive one after the other, overwhelming the hospital's limited resources, and threatening the health of her staff, Julia faces an unthinkable choice—to step outside the bounds of her profession and risk the career she has fought so hard for, or to watch the people she cares for most die in her arms.
Fans of Martha Hall Kelly's
Lost Roses
and Marie Benedict's
Lady Clementine
will devour this mesmerizing celebration of some of the most overlooked heroes in history: the fierce, determined, and brave nurses who treated soldiers in World War I.
Praise for
:
"[An] impeccably researched, well-drawn, based-on-a-true-story tale, written by a former RN...
shines an important light on a woman whose story was, until now, lost to time."
—
Kristin Harmel,
New York Times
bestselling author of
The Book of Lost Names
"Through careful research, this book shows the incredible bravery and compassion of women who find themselves in extraordinary situations."
Julia Kelly, international bestselling author of
The Last Garden in England
and
The Light Over London
"A rich, gripping history of one woman's lifelong battle against systemic prejudice."
Stewart O'Nan, award-winning author of
The Good Wife
"Once again, Tracey Enerson Wood, with her impeccable research and evocative prose, kept me glued to the page. Wood has a talent for bringing strong, yet lesser-known women from history, to life."
Linda Rosen, author of
The Disharmony of Silence
"A riveting and surprisingly timely story of courage, sacrifice, and friendship forged at the front lines."
Kelly Mustian, author of
The Girls in the Stilt House
"If you, like me, are a voyeur of historical drama that unfolds as if the kitchen window flew open and the characters were caught in action, then
is for you."
Diane Dewey, author of
Fixing the Fates
"Fans of Patricia Harman will love Wood's treatment of medical expertise in a historical setting."
Booklist