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The Woman at the Front
A daring young woman risks everything to pursue a career as a doctor on the front lines in France during World War I, and learns the true meaning of hope, love, and resilience in the darkest of times.
When Eleanor Atherton graduates from medical school near the top of her class in 1917, she dreams of going overseas to help the wounded, but her ambition is thwarted at every turn. Eleanor's parents insist she must give up medicine, marry a respectable man, and assume her proper place. While women might serve as ambulance drivers or nurses at the front, they cannot be physicians—that work is too dangerous and frightening.
Nevertheless, Eleanor is determined to make more of a contribution than sitting at home knitting for the troops. When an unexpected twist of fate sends Eleanor to the battlefields of France as the private doctor of a British peer, she seizes the opportunity for what it is—the chance to finally prove herself.
But there's a war on, and a casualty clearing station close to the front lines is an unforgiving place. Facing skeptical commanders who question her skills, scores of wounded men needing care, underhanded efforts by her family to bring her back home, and a blossoming romance, Eleanor must decide if she's brave enough to break the rules, face her darkest fears, and take the chance to win the career—and the love—she's always wanted.
When Eleanor Atherton graduates from medical school near the top of her class in 1917, she dreams of going overseas to help the wounded, but her ambition is thwarted at every turn. Eleanor's parents insist she must give up medicine, marry a respectable man, and assume her proper place. While women might serve as ambulance drivers or nurses at the front, they cannot be physicians—that work is too dangerous and frightening.
Nevertheless, Eleanor is determined to make more of a contribution than sitting at home knitting for the troops. When an unexpected twist of fate sends Eleanor to the battlefields of France as the private doctor of a British peer, she seizes the opportunity for what it is—the chance to finally prove herself.
But there's a war on, and a casualty clearing station close to the front lines is an unforgiving place. Facing skeptical commanders who question her skills, scores of wounded men needing care, underhanded efforts by her family to bring her back home, and a blossoming romance, Eleanor must decide if she's brave enough to break the rules, face her darkest fears, and take the chance to win the career—and the love—she's always wanted.
464 pages, ebook
First published September 28, 2021
About the author
Lecia Cornwall
22 books474 followersLecia Cornwall writes historical romance and historical fiction. She lives and writes in Alberta, Canada, amid the beautiful foothills of the Canadian Rockies, with five cats, two adult children, a crazy chocolate Lab, and one very patient husband. She is hard at work on her next book.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 208 reviews
September 28, 2021
The Woman at the Front by Lecia Cornwall
There is so much I like about The Woman at the Front. It never occurred to me the sacrifices and heroics of the stretcher bearers during WWI. These men had to be strong, courageous, and willing to risk their lives to go right into the heat of battle and carry back wounded, dying, or dead men, often times carrying their heavy loads for hours, through mud, muck, and gore. They needed to have at least some basic medical skills to help the wounded have a chance of getting to doctors. Then they had to go back out there again to try to save more soldiers. I really enjoyed seeing the war through the eyes of Fraser, a stretcher bearer.
It's 1917 and Eleanor Atherton has graduated from medical school, despite opposition from her family and everyone else she encounters. She wants to go to the front and help the wounded soldiers and gets her chance when a wounded British peer needs to be brought back home. Soon, Eleanor is in the thick of things, fighting the prejudices of everyone, once again. It's not just the men who don't want her "doctoring" but the woman look down on her too, for not sticking to the expected roles of the women of that day.
The story seems a bit too extreme in certain areas. Eleanor's family despises her to a degree that is hard to understand. It's as if they never liked her, from the time she was born. On the other extreme, certain characters seem to fall into insta-love with her, to the extent that they will never ever get over it. I think the story appealed me the most, when it was showing all the horrors of war, when Eleanor would just get down to the business at hand, without all the focus on her being a doctor. I enjoyed the perspectives of the other characters more than Eleanor's perspective, which felt too romance-y for the time and place.
Publication: September 28, 2021
Thank you to Berkley and NetGalley for this ARC.
There is so much I like about The Woman at the Front. It never occurred to me the sacrifices and heroics of the stretcher bearers during WWI. These men had to be strong, courageous, and willing to risk their lives to go right into the heat of battle and carry back wounded, dying, or dead men, often times carrying their heavy loads for hours, through mud, muck, and gore. They needed to have at least some basic medical skills to help the wounded have a chance of getting to doctors. Then they had to go back out there again to try to save more soldiers. I really enjoyed seeing the war through the eyes of Fraser, a stretcher bearer.
It's 1917 and Eleanor Atherton has graduated from medical school, despite opposition from her family and everyone else she encounters. She wants to go to the front and help the wounded soldiers and gets her chance when a wounded British peer needs to be brought back home. Soon, Eleanor is in the thick of things, fighting the prejudices of everyone, once again. It's not just the men who don't want her "doctoring" but the woman look down on her too, for not sticking to the expected roles of the women of that day.
The story seems a bit too extreme in certain areas. Eleanor's family despises her to a degree that is hard to understand. It's as if they never liked her, from the time she was born. On the other extreme, certain characters seem to fall into insta-love with her, to the extent that they will never ever get over it. I think the story appealed me the most, when it was showing all the horrors of war, when Eleanor would just get down to the business at hand, without all the focus on her being a doctor. I enjoyed the perspectives of the other characters more than Eleanor's perspective, which felt too romance-y for the time and place.
Publication: September 28, 2021
Thank you to Berkley and NetGalley for this ARC.
September 28, 2021
***HAPPY PUBLICATION DAY***
I have always enjoyed historical fiction. Because of this I have read lots of novels about WWII but not as much about WW1. The fact that this involved a heroic female doctor and that she was not really permitted to serve in the war peaked my interest!!
Eleanor and Edward Atherton are twins, living in London in 1918. Their father is a physician and it was always thought that Edward would also become a doctor and eventually take over his father’s practice.
Edward however always wanted to be part of high society and sought out friends in high places. He was more concerned about parties, women, drinking and having fun!!
In the end it is Eleanor who goes to medical school, is 7th in her graduating class and wants more than anything to practice medicine. Her parents only want her to marry well, settle down and have a family, not what she wants at all!!
In this fourth year of the war there is a desperate need for doctors, nevertheless since she is a woman she is turned away.
A Countess hears that Eleanor, a local woman, wants to become a practicing doctor. She offers to help her get started in medicine in London if only she will go to France and bring home her wounded son. He is next in line for the family title and she has already lost one son.
There is a lot of time spent on how men on the trains going to France and all of the men at the field hospital feel about her. I thought a little too much time was spent on this and it made the story drag for me.
There are several love interests and had I known that this author wrote mostly historical romance novels I would have been more prepared for it. I found the love interests to be distracting from the tragedies surrounding these troops.
When things go awry and Eleanor is the only one left to help, she finally gets her chance. She does her job bravely and with great skill. When a male doctor is finally returned to the front ranks Eleanor is expected to return to England.
I don’t want to give away the ending or any more of the story. I will leave that for the reader to discover.
I prefer my historical fiction to be a bit more gritty and with less romance. The book is well researched and some characters are derived from the author’s reading of other books about French doctors and nurses who set up their own aid posts during the war. “Several other scenes are also loosely based on actual accounts” per the author.
I received an ARC of this novel from the publisher through Edelweiss.
This novel is set to publish on September 28, 2021
I have always enjoyed historical fiction. Because of this I have read lots of novels about WWII but not as much about WW1. The fact that this involved a heroic female doctor and that she was not really permitted to serve in the war peaked my interest!!
Eleanor and Edward Atherton are twins, living in London in 1918. Their father is a physician and it was always thought that Edward would also become a doctor and eventually take over his father’s practice.
Edward however always wanted to be part of high society and sought out friends in high places. He was more concerned about parties, women, drinking and having fun!!
In the end it is Eleanor who goes to medical school, is 7th in her graduating class and wants more than anything to practice medicine. Her parents only want her to marry well, settle down and have a family, not what she wants at all!!
In this fourth year of the war there is a desperate need for doctors, nevertheless since she is a woman she is turned away.
A Countess hears that Eleanor, a local woman, wants to become a practicing doctor. She offers to help her get started in medicine in London if only she will go to France and bring home her wounded son. He is next in line for the family title and she has already lost one son.
There is a lot of time spent on how men on the trains going to France and all of the men at the field hospital feel about her. I thought a little too much time was spent on this and it made the story drag for me.
There are several love interests and had I known that this author wrote mostly historical romance novels I would have been more prepared for it. I found the love interests to be distracting from the tragedies surrounding these troops.
When things go awry and Eleanor is the only one left to help, she finally gets her chance. She does her job bravely and with great skill. When a male doctor is finally returned to the front ranks Eleanor is expected to return to England.
I don’t want to give away the ending or any more of the story. I will leave that for the reader to discover.
I prefer my historical fiction to be a bit more gritty and with less romance. The book is well researched and some characters are derived from the author’s reading of other books about French doctors and nurses who set up their own aid posts during the war. “Several other scenes are also loosely based on actual accounts” per the author.
I received an ARC of this novel from the publisher through Edelweiss.
This novel is set to publish on September 28, 2021
July 20, 2022
4.5 stars
An eye-opening and intriguing story of female doctors during WWI.
London, 1918. Eleanor has completed medical school and ranked at the top of her class. This was considered a rarity, as many women dropped out from facing harsh bullying from their male classmates. With Eleanor’s father being a doctor, she has always admired the profession and sought to follow in his footsteps. When the war strikes, Eleanor wants to put her medical skills to use and help heal. However, she is not wanted for this purpose. Female doctors were frowned upon, with society believing that they were unfit to serve and couldn’t handle the horrors they would see in the war.
Eleanor eventually finds a way to travel to the frontlines of France. She meets stretcher bearers, surgeons, and reverends, many of which also discount her capabilities simply for her gender. She steps up as a needed doctor when causalities strike, and to everyone’s astonishment she flourishes in the chaos. She proves herself incredibly useful and helps out in the midst of all the devastation.
When a surprising secret from her past is revealed, it threatens to destroy all that Eleanor has worked for. Can she stand up for herself and forge past the harsh realities of her gender? Will she find a man who values her for who she is and not who she is expected to be? Eleanor is tested to the limit, and what she experiences on the front will change her forever.
The Woman At The Front was a well-written and focused novel. It was fascinating to learn how women were expected to act and what they were limited to doing during this time. The book effectively highlighted the differences in society and the lack of women’s opportunities. The novel explained how men felt that they needed to protect women from the cruelties of the war. Some thought that having a female doctor onboard was an insult to their medical practice, and it would threaten their masculinity.
In the book, Eleanor has many demeaning and insulting experiences. Her father is condescending and isn’t proud of her for her accomplishments. She isn’t fully accepted on the frontlines for being a doctor despite her credentials, proven skills, and their necessity for help. It takes a long time for her to be trusted among her colleagues and peers, and even longer for her to be recognized for her hard work. Regardless of all of this, Eleanor rises to the occasion time and time again with a steadfast determination to serve.
Eleanor is a truly heroic and brave protagonist. There were also a variety of courageous sideline characters that added to the plot. The story flowed nicely, and it made me want to read on to find out what Eleanor would face next. It was interesting to learn that this is the author’s first novel. I had never read a historical fiction on this particular topic and felt I learned a lot. My one critique would be that I didn’t quite think that the ending was entirely believable. However, I am all for a sweet love story and a happy ending.
Overall, this was an inspiring and encouraging story of womanhood, believing in yourself, and letting nothing stand in your way. In the most tragic and uncertain of times, hope and unity can help us move forward. ✨
An eye-opening and intriguing story of female doctors during WWI.
London, 1918. Eleanor has completed medical school and ranked at the top of her class. This was considered a rarity, as many women dropped out from facing harsh bullying from their male classmates. With Eleanor’s father being a doctor, she has always admired the profession and sought to follow in his footsteps. When the war strikes, Eleanor wants to put her medical skills to use and help heal. However, she is not wanted for this purpose. Female doctors were frowned upon, with society believing that they were unfit to serve and couldn’t handle the horrors they would see in the war.
Eleanor eventually finds a way to travel to the frontlines of France. She meets stretcher bearers, surgeons, and reverends, many of which also discount her capabilities simply for her gender. She steps up as a needed doctor when causalities strike, and to everyone’s astonishment she flourishes in the chaos. She proves herself incredibly useful and helps out in the midst of all the devastation.
When a surprising secret from her past is revealed, it threatens to destroy all that Eleanor has worked for. Can she stand up for herself and forge past the harsh realities of her gender? Will she find a man who values her for who she is and not who she is expected to be? Eleanor is tested to the limit, and what she experiences on the front will change her forever.
The Woman At The Front was a well-written and focused novel. It was fascinating to learn how women were expected to act and what they were limited to doing during this time. The book effectively highlighted the differences in society and the lack of women’s opportunities. The novel explained how men felt that they needed to protect women from the cruelties of the war. Some thought that having a female doctor onboard was an insult to their medical practice, and it would threaten their masculinity.
In the book, Eleanor has many demeaning and insulting experiences. Her father is condescending and isn’t proud of her for her accomplishments. She isn’t fully accepted on the frontlines for being a doctor despite her credentials, proven skills, and their necessity for help. It takes a long time for her to be trusted among her colleagues and peers, and even longer for her to be recognized for her hard work. Regardless of all of this, Eleanor rises to the occasion time and time again with a steadfast determination to serve.
Eleanor is a truly heroic and brave protagonist. There were also a variety of courageous sideline characters that added to the plot. The story flowed nicely, and it made me want to read on to find out what Eleanor would face next. It was interesting to learn that this is the author’s first novel. I had never read a historical fiction on this particular topic and felt I learned a lot. My one critique would be that I didn’t quite think that the ending was entirely believable. However, I am all for a sweet love story and a happy ending.
Overall, this was an inspiring and encouraging story of womanhood, believing in yourself, and letting nothing stand in your way. In the most tragic and uncertain of times, hope and unity can help us move forward. ✨
May 19, 2022
This is an entertaining, well-written, WWI historical fiction novel. It has a brave, courageous, and inspiring female protagonist, family drama, the horrors of war, and a touch of romance. The author's notes at the end of the novel are truly appreciated.
December 20, 2021
A compelling story, exquisitely told. I was drawn in immediately by Eleanor's plight as a newly-minted doctor unable to practice medicine because of her sex. Her journey to the front lines in France and her experiences there (both as a doctor and as a young woman) kept me turning the pages long into the night. She was truly a heroine to cheer for. As an added bonus, there's a bit of romance in the story as several worthy (and not-so-worthy) suitors vie for Eleanor's hand. Highly recommended.
Currently reading
July 20, 2022There are so many angles that I can take to write this review of this amazing, beautiful,spell binding, captivating, emotionally moving book I have written this review over and over in my mind. So I will just let God guide me as I always do!
I won't write a summary of this book, because it's already been done brilliantly by others!! I'll write my thoughts and what I learned instead. I really enjoyed this book!! I love historical fiction and history. I love learning new things every day 💗
I could write a lot about this book, but I will attempt to keep it short as possible. While reading this amazing book,I tried to step into the shoes of Eleanor ( one of the main characters), Fraser,a stretcher bearer,Private Gibbons, Reverend Strong & Matron Connolly. I couldn't because I didn't live in 1918 and see,hear and live the horrors of WW1. They did! I do feel empathy for each one and admire their courage, strength and ability to keep going no matter what happened to them and around them!! I learned how women were looked down at by society by going to college, especially to be a doctor when doctors were badly needed in the war! Instead, they were expected to get married and have children only! I really appreciate what a stretcher bearer did!! Wow.. these men had to be strong and persevering. Bringing wounded soldiers from the front line,often under enemy fire & bombs exploding around them. Nurses and doctors,as well as VADs ( volunteer aid dispatchment) working on wounded soldiers & performing surgery in make shift hospitals to save lives!! The Reverend trying to pray for everyone else to live & burying those who didn't. The Spanish flu broke out!! The end of the WW1 November 11,1918. The author did her research!!!
I highly recommend this emotionally moving book to all who love historical fiction and history or just wanted to read a fantastic book!!! Well written...well worth reading!!! It's really a hard book to put down!! An easy 5 stars from me!! Enjoy!! 💗😃🍀
I won't write a summary of this book, because it's already been done brilliantly by others!! I'll write my thoughts and what I learned instead. I really enjoyed this book!! I love historical fiction and history. I love learning new things every day 💗
I could write a lot about this book, but I will attempt to keep it short as possible. While reading this amazing book,I tried to step into the shoes of Eleanor ( one of the main characters), Fraser,a stretcher bearer,Private Gibbons, Reverend Strong & Matron Connolly. I couldn't because I didn't live in 1918 and see,hear and live the horrors of WW1. They did! I do feel empathy for each one and admire their courage, strength and ability to keep going no matter what happened to them and around them!! I learned how women were looked down at by society by going to college, especially to be a doctor when doctors were badly needed in the war! Instead, they were expected to get married and have children only! I really appreciate what a stretcher bearer did!! Wow.. these men had to be strong and persevering. Bringing wounded soldiers from the front line,often under enemy fire & bombs exploding around them. Nurses and doctors,as well as VADs ( volunteer aid dispatchment) working on wounded soldiers & performing surgery in make shift hospitals to save lives!! The Reverend trying to pray for everyone else to live & burying those who didn't. The Spanish flu broke out!! The end of the WW1 November 11,1918. The author did her research!!!
I highly recommend this emotionally moving book to all who love historical fiction and history or just wanted to read a fantastic book!!! Well written...well worth reading!!! It's really a hard book to put down!! An easy 5 stars from me!! Enjoy!! 💗😃🍀
September 30, 2021
Fascinating solid read! ________4.5
Compelling story about a young woman’s fight to be recognized as a doctor during WW1 by her family, her community and the War Office. It’s 1918, the allies are being hammered on the Western Front. All Eleanor Atherton wants to do is follow her calling. She’s hampered by the times. Women doctors are given no respect. They “weren’t wanted by the military, the War Office, or even the Red Cross, no matter how competent or willing they might be.” They are seen by many as betraying feminine standards in general, and as the weaker sex. Rather than be exposed to the brutalities of the war and life in the trenches, they should have their sensibilities protected. They should undertake “more ladylike pursuits.” I loved it when Eleanor told an undersecretary in the War Office that she didn’t knit, she embroidered to ensure her suturing would be perfect.
Then a series of circumstances has Eleanor agreeing to journey to France for the local landowner, the Countess of Kirkwall, to the Casualty Clearing Station at Sainte-Croix. She’s been tasked to bring home her twin brother’s childhood friend, Louis Chastaine, Viscount Somerton, who’s recently inherited the family title. Louis was the younger son and this is not what he wants. Louis is a talented pilot who just wants to keep doing what he loves the most. Enroute to Arras, at Calais, Eleanor is befriended by a stretcher bearer, Sergeant Fraser MacLeod, a man whose ready acceptance of her as a doctor gives her strength.
A series of mishaps and the surge of injured at the Front has Eleanor tending to casualties, despite the rigidity of the commanding officer and the matron. The wounded and dying only cared that she was a doctor.
Talk about an innocent abroad! There were moments at Calais when she was in real trouble. The scenes at the front are horrific. Eleanor demonstrates she has the stomach and the determination to use her talents, and to answer her calling, legal or not. The truly harrowing experiences described really do expose the human cost of war.
Eleanor finally accepts her fractured familial relationships, which is an underlying sorrow. Her relationship with her twin I found troubling.
Cornwell’s author’s notes give more clarity about the roles and regulations of personnel at this time, and the fighting conditions on the Front for Allied forces. Places mentioned like Vimy Ridge resound for many.
The romantic aspects round Eleanor’s character out, although the coincidences did sort of annoy me, as did Eleanor’s behavior with her family.
Despite this I found myself absorbed in both Eleanor’s struggles with mores of the time and with the conditions on the Front.
A Berkley Group ARC via NetGalley
Please note: Quotes taken from an advanced reading copy maybe subject to change
Compelling story about a young woman’s fight to be recognized as a doctor during WW1 by her family, her community and the War Office. It’s 1918, the allies are being hammered on the Western Front. All Eleanor Atherton wants to do is follow her calling. She’s hampered by the times. Women doctors are given no respect. They “weren’t wanted by the military, the War Office, or even the Red Cross, no matter how competent or willing they might be.” They are seen by many as betraying feminine standards in general, and as the weaker sex. Rather than be exposed to the brutalities of the war and life in the trenches, they should have their sensibilities protected. They should undertake “more ladylike pursuits.” I loved it when Eleanor told an undersecretary in the War Office that she didn’t knit, she embroidered to ensure her suturing would be perfect.
Then a series of circumstances has Eleanor agreeing to journey to France for the local landowner, the Countess of Kirkwall, to the Casualty Clearing Station at Sainte-Croix. She’s been tasked to bring home her twin brother’s childhood friend, Louis Chastaine, Viscount Somerton, who’s recently inherited the family title. Louis was the younger son and this is not what he wants. Louis is a talented pilot who just wants to keep doing what he loves the most. Enroute to Arras, at Calais, Eleanor is befriended by a stretcher bearer, Sergeant Fraser MacLeod, a man whose ready acceptance of her as a doctor gives her strength.
A series of mishaps and the surge of injured at the Front has Eleanor tending to casualties, despite the rigidity of the commanding officer and the matron. The wounded and dying only cared that she was a doctor.
Talk about an innocent abroad! There were moments at Calais when she was in real trouble. The scenes at the front are horrific. Eleanor demonstrates she has the stomach and the determination to use her talents, and to answer her calling, legal or not. The truly harrowing experiences described really do expose the human cost of war.
Eleanor finally accepts her fractured familial relationships, which is an underlying sorrow. Her relationship with her twin I found troubling.
Cornwell’s author’s notes give more clarity about the roles and regulations of personnel at this time, and the fighting conditions on the Front for Allied forces. Places mentioned like Vimy Ridge resound for many.
The romantic aspects round Eleanor’s character out, although the coincidences did sort of annoy me, as did Eleanor’s behavior with her family.
Despite this I found myself absorbed in both Eleanor’s struggles with mores of the time and with the conditions on the Front.
A Berkley Group ARC via NetGalley
Please note: Quotes taken from an advanced reading copy maybe subject to change
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March 30, 2021I love an adventurous women ahead of her time and Dr Eleanor Atherton, who finds herself unexpectedly in France during WWI when female doctors are almost unheard of, is my kind of woman! I was utterly absorbed by her tenacity and fierce desire to do whatever she could to help the wounded, even if it meant breaking all the rules to do so. Meticulous research, as well as a gorgeous love story, make this a fascinating historical novel.
December 6, 2021
I've given this a B at AAR.
I associate Lecia Cornwall’s name with historical romances, although I confess I haven’t read any of her work in that genre. The blurb for her latest book, The Woman at the Front, caught my eye because of its First World War setting; I’ve spent a fair amount of time in Northern France (pre-Covid) researching family history so it’s a period I’m particularly interested in - and the premise of a young female doctor wanting to make a useful contribution to the war effort but being thwarted at every turn promised an interesting read.
Eleanor Atherton, the daughter of a Yorkshire doctor, has always longed to follow in her father’s footsteps. In 1917, she graduated from medical school in Edinburgh near the top of her class (and thus ahead of almost 130 of her male colleagues) and has been looking forward to using her hard-earned skills in a meaningful way – but she’s derided and looked down upon for her choices at every turn. Even her father doesn’t support her ambitions and has relegated her to menial tasks, such as doing paperwork or cleaning his surgery, while her mother constantly bemoans the fact that Eleanor will never be able to find a husband because no man wants a wife with an advanced education who refuses to stick to her ‘proper’ place in the order of things.
But Eleanor - who worked harder than anyone else so she’d be taken seriously, who put up with the constant bullying of the male students - refuses to be diverted from her chosen path. When we meet her, it’s January of 1918 and she’s in a meeting with Sir William Foxleigh at the War Office, asking to be allowed to offer her services to the army hospitals in France. Unfortunately, Sir William’s response is just the same as she’s received from just about every other man when informed she’s a doctor – distaste, disbelief and an instruction to “go home, sit down, and take up something more useful, such as knitting.” With the war raging into its fourth year, she knows doctors are desperately needed and tries to make her case, but Foxleigh dismisses her and suggests that she should instead find a position at one of the hospitals in England that care for women and children – or if she’s set on going to France, that she should become a nurse or a member of the VAD (Voluntary Aid Detachment) as those are “much more ladylike pursuits.” Furious and frustrated, Eleanor responds:
Back at home a couple of weeks later, however, an unexpected opportunity presents itself when the Countess of Kirkswell informs Eleanor that her son Louis – a pilot with the Royal Flying Corps and now the heir to the earldom following his older brother’s recent death – has been injured and is currently being treated at a Casualty Clearing Station near Arras – and then asks Eleanor to travel to France to act as Louis’ doctor and to bring him home.
Even though she knows her parents will disapprove, Eleanor jumps at the chance to do something useful, and is soon on her way to France. Even amidst the destruction and carnage all around, and the obvious need for people with her skills and medical training, she is still viewed with disdain and suspicion by most of the medical staff – even the nurses – and instructed that she is to attend no patients other than Louis on threat of being sent back to England. Eleanor tries to stick to this rule, but it’s hard for her to just stand by when there are people who need the help she can give – and with ever increasing numbers of wounded flooding into the CCS, it’s not long before she decides that some rules need to be broken and grabs the opportunity to finally prove herself, in spite of the inflexibility of the commanding officer and the matron. And she does it in spectacular fashion, working as quickly, skilfully and indefatigably as any of the other doctors.
The author does an absolutely incredible job with the setting in this book. The sights and smells, the mud, the despair, the exhaustion, the everyday heroics of ordinary people placed in extraordinary circumstances (the bravery of the stretcher-bearers who have to venture onto the battlefields in order to retrieve the wounded while still under fire, for instance), the knowledge that no matter how many men are treated, there will be more tomorrow and the next day and the next… it’s all superbly captured and conveyed on the page and I was thoroughly immersed in the time and place.
The book is less successful as a romance, however. Ms. Cornwall sets up a number of potential love interests for Eleanor – Louis Chastaine (the countess’ son), Scottish stretcher-bearer Fraser MacLeod and doctor, David Blair – but although it’s fairly obvious who she’s going to end up with, the romance is pretty insta-love-y. I get that the circumstances (“there’s a war on”) don’t allow for a lot of on-page togetherness (and it makes perfect sense that way), so while The Woman at the Front does include a romance and an HEA, those are very much secondary to Eleanor’s struggle to make her way in the hostile, male-dominated environment of medicine in a world being torn apart by war, so I’d class the book as historical fiction with romantic elements, rather than as an historical romance.
On the negative side, the pacing is uneven and the story drags in places, and I found it hard to believe in the intense dislike displayed towards Eleanor by her family. It turns out that her father only allowed her to go to medical school as a way of shaming her twin brother Edward, who had no interest in medicine. Atherton expected Eleanor to fail and that failure would teach her some humility – and when she didn’t, he thought her medical training would mean she’d make a suitable doctor’s wife. As for her brother, well he’s a self-centred prick, but I still didn’t see why he so disliked her.
And finally, a word of warning. The way Eleanor is treated by so many around her, the prejudice she encounters, the way she’s dismissed, belittled, talked-down-to – even by other women – is rage-inducing. I have no doubt the attitudes presented are realistic, but I had to actually put the book down a time or two in order to calm down!
Despite that, however – and if you’re okay with the romance taking a back seat on occasion – The Woman at the Front is a fascinating read and one I’m recommending to anyone looking for a story featuring an engaging protagonist and a well-researched, well-realised setting.
I associate Lecia Cornwall’s name with historical romances, although I confess I haven’t read any of her work in that genre. The blurb for her latest book, The Woman at the Front, caught my eye because of its First World War setting; I’ve spent a fair amount of time in Northern France (pre-Covid) researching family history so it’s a period I’m particularly interested in - and the premise of a young female doctor wanting to make a useful contribution to the war effort but being thwarted at every turn promised an interesting read.
Eleanor Atherton, the daughter of a Yorkshire doctor, has always longed to follow in her father’s footsteps. In 1917, she graduated from medical school in Edinburgh near the top of her class (and thus ahead of almost 130 of her male colleagues) and has been looking forward to using her hard-earned skills in a meaningful way – but she’s derided and looked down upon for her choices at every turn. Even her father doesn’t support her ambitions and has relegated her to menial tasks, such as doing paperwork or cleaning his surgery, while her mother constantly bemoans the fact that Eleanor will never be able to find a husband because no man wants a wife with an advanced education who refuses to stick to her ‘proper’ place in the order of things.
But Eleanor - who worked harder than anyone else so she’d be taken seriously, who put up with the constant bullying of the male students - refuses to be diverted from her chosen path. When we meet her, it’s January of 1918 and she’s in a meeting with Sir William Foxleigh at the War Office, asking to be allowed to offer her services to the army hospitals in France. Unfortunately, Sir William’s response is just the same as she’s received from just about every other man when informed she’s a doctor – distaste, disbelief and an instruction to “go home, sit down, and take up something more useful, such as knitting.” With the war raging into its fourth year, she knows doctors are desperately needed and tries to make her case, but Foxleigh dismisses her and suggests that she should instead find a position at one of the hospitals in England that care for women and children – or if she’s set on going to France, that she should become a nurse or a member of the VAD (Voluntary Aid Detachment) as those are “much more ladylike pursuits.” Furious and frustrated, Eleanor responds:
“I am not a nurse, Sir William, or a volunteer. I am a doctor.”
Back at home a couple of weeks later, however, an unexpected opportunity presents itself when the Countess of Kirkswell informs Eleanor that her son Louis – a pilot with the Royal Flying Corps and now the heir to the earldom following his older brother’s recent death – has been injured and is currently being treated at a Casualty Clearing Station near Arras – and then asks Eleanor to travel to France to act as Louis’ doctor and to bring him home.
Even though she knows her parents will disapprove, Eleanor jumps at the chance to do something useful, and is soon on her way to France. Even amidst the destruction and carnage all around, and the obvious need for people with her skills and medical training, she is still viewed with disdain and suspicion by most of the medical staff – even the nurses – and instructed that she is to attend no patients other than Louis on threat of being sent back to England. Eleanor tries to stick to this rule, but it’s hard for her to just stand by when there are people who need the help she can give – and with ever increasing numbers of wounded flooding into the CCS, it’s not long before she decides that some rules need to be broken and grabs the opportunity to finally prove herself, in spite of the inflexibility of the commanding officer and the matron. And she does it in spectacular fashion, working as quickly, skilfully and indefatigably as any of the other doctors.
The author does an absolutely incredible job with the setting in this book. The sights and smells, the mud, the despair, the exhaustion, the everyday heroics of ordinary people placed in extraordinary circumstances (the bravery of the stretcher-bearers who have to venture onto the battlefields in order to retrieve the wounded while still under fire, for instance), the knowledge that no matter how many men are treated, there will be more tomorrow and the next day and the next… it’s all superbly captured and conveyed on the page and I was thoroughly immersed in the time and place.
The book is less successful as a romance, however. Ms. Cornwall sets up a number of potential love interests for Eleanor – Louis Chastaine (the countess’ son), Scottish stretcher-bearer Fraser MacLeod and doctor, David Blair – but although it’s fairly obvious who she’s going to end up with, the romance is pretty insta-love-y. I get that the circumstances (“there’s a war on”) don’t allow for a lot of on-page togetherness (and it makes perfect sense that way), so while The Woman at the Front does include a romance and an HEA, those are very much secondary to Eleanor’s struggle to make her way in the hostile, male-dominated environment of medicine in a world being torn apart by war, so I’d class the book as historical fiction with romantic elements, rather than as an historical romance.
On the negative side, the pacing is uneven and the story drags in places, and I found it hard to believe in the intense dislike displayed towards Eleanor by her family. It turns out that her father only allowed her to go to medical school as a way of shaming her twin brother Edward, who had no interest in medicine. Atherton expected Eleanor to fail and that failure would teach her some humility – and when she didn’t, he thought her medical training would mean she’d make a suitable doctor’s wife. As for her brother, well he’s a self-centred prick, but I still didn’t see why he so disliked her.
And finally, a word of warning. The way Eleanor is treated by so many around her, the prejudice she encounters, the way she’s dismissed, belittled, talked-down-to – even by other women – is rage-inducing. I have no doubt the attitudes presented are realistic, but I had to actually put the book down a time or two in order to calm down!
Despite that, however – and if you’re okay with the romance taking a back seat on occasion – The Woman at the Front is a fascinating read and one I’m recommending to anyone looking for a story featuring an engaging protagonist and a well-researched, well-realised setting.
October 20, 2021
Despite no encouragement from her family especially her doctor father Eleanor Atherton is determined. She graduates medical school in 1917 at the top of her class. Her parents expect her to do what is expected of women of the day, marry a well to do man, make him happy and have children.
We see that Eleanor is not a conventional woman and she will do what she believes in.
She dreams of going overseas to help the wounded but is met with opposition from every side.
She is a well qualified doctor but despite this men don't want a woman doctor and some would rather die than have her as their doctor.
When she gets sent to the battlefields of France as a private doctor of a British peer she knows it is now time to prove herself in a male dominated field.
This book gets right into the thick of things during the war, the surgery, the front lines of the battle, the fear the soldiers have .
I didn't realize the importance stretcher bearers had during ww1. These men have to be young,strong and have medical knowledge. They must go onto the battle field after a man has been wounded, risking potential death to carry the men through mud,muck,rain and making sure they don't fall off the stretcher all while the men are moaning and screaming in pain to get them to the doctor for surgery.
Despite being the darkest of times Eleanor finds her heart opening to love.
Pub Date 28 Sep 2021
I was given a complimentary copy of this book. Thank you.
All opinions expressed are my own.
We see that Eleanor is not a conventional woman and she will do what she believes in.
She dreams of going overseas to help the wounded but is met with opposition from every side.
She is a well qualified doctor but despite this men don't want a woman doctor and some would rather die than have her as their doctor.
When she gets sent to the battlefields of France as a private doctor of a British peer she knows it is now time to prove herself in a male dominated field.
This book gets right into the thick of things during the war, the surgery, the front lines of the battle, the fear the soldiers have .
I didn't realize the importance stretcher bearers had during ww1. These men have to be young,strong and have medical knowledge. They must go onto the battle field after a man has been wounded, risking potential death to carry the men through mud,muck,rain and making sure they don't fall off the stretcher all while the men are moaning and screaming in pain to get them to the doctor for surgery.
Despite being the darkest of times Eleanor finds her heart opening to love.
Pub Date 28 Sep 2021
I was given a complimentary copy of this book. Thank you.
All opinions expressed are my own.
March 10, 2022
5 STARS
This one ticked all my boxes. Strong, yet vulnerable heroine, emotional and compelling historical, and a little romance. I love the way the author put this story together. I was fully engaged with these characters. Each one bringing something of value to the story. Each one a little flawed but redeemable. I want to thank the author for ending things the way she did. I know it could have ended differently... Anyway, thank you, and that's all I will say.
It did have a few implausible moments, but I didn't mind them. Great story, excellent writing. Will look for more books from this author.
I did listen to this on audio. The narrator, Hannah Curtis, did an amazing job of it.
This one ticked all my boxes. Strong, yet vulnerable heroine, emotional and compelling historical, and a little romance. I love the way the author put this story together. I was fully engaged with these characters. Each one bringing something of value to the story. Each one a little flawed but redeemable. I want to thank the author for ending things the way she did. I know it could have ended differently... Anyway, thank you, and that's all I will say.
It did have a few implausible moments, but I didn't mind them. Great story, excellent writing. Will look for more books from this author.
I did listen to this on audio. The narrator, Hannah Curtis, did an amazing job of it.
July 21, 2022
My review is posted on Goodreads!! Please find it under my currently reading shelf and it's also on my reading challenge for 2022... don't know what Goodreads did, but it's there & I loved it
It will stay with me for years and it is in my heart 💜
It will stay with me for years and it is in my heart 💜
November 9, 2021
Historical fiction is one of my absolute favorite genres to read - mainly I think because so often it is based on real events and people which make it so much more relatable for me.
I have been loving the recent WWI books this year that highlight just how pivotal a moment WWI was for women at the time. During the war years so many women were able to find freedoms they didn't typically enjoy, allowing them to pursue their dreams and find career and romantic satisfaction in wholly new ways.
Canadian author Lecia Cornwall's new book is no exception, based on her own family history, her book features Eleanor Atherton, a British woman who graduated from medical school but has no opportunity to actually practice medicine until a fortuitous event brings her to the front, where her skills are sorely in demand. While there Eleanor finds confidence in not just her medical skills but also in the love she develops for a Scottish stretcher bearer.
Full of romance, grit and female empowerment, this story was highly enjoyable and a perfect read so close to Remembrance day. Highly recommended and great on audio. This book will end up on my favorites shelf. Much thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for my advance review copy!
I have been loving the recent WWI books this year that highlight just how pivotal a moment WWI was for women at the time. During the war years so many women were able to find freedoms they didn't typically enjoy, allowing them to pursue their dreams and find career and romantic satisfaction in wholly new ways.
Canadian author Lecia Cornwall's new book is no exception, based on her own family history, her book features Eleanor Atherton, a British woman who graduated from medical school but has no opportunity to actually practice medicine until a fortuitous event brings her to the front, where her skills are sorely in demand. While there Eleanor finds confidence in not just her medical skills but also in the love she develops for a Scottish stretcher bearer.
Full of romance, grit and female empowerment, this story was highly enjoyable and a perfect read so close to Remembrance day. Highly recommended and great on audio. This book will end up on my favorites shelf. Much thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for my advance review copy!
October 2, 2021
In 1917, Eleanor Atherton is proud of graduating from medical school despite every obstacle (including her own family) that got in her way. Now she wants to go help the war effort. World War I is raging, and Eleanor wants to use her medical skills to help wounded soldiers, but women aren't allowed to be doctors at the front. A position as a private doctor to a wounded man gives Eleanor her chance. She's soon at the front in France, and learns what a horror war can be....
This is such a compelling story. Eleanor is a strong, courageous main character. I can only imagine how horrible it was to be at the front during WW I. This story brought some of the danger, violence and courage to life so that I could understand better what it would have been like to be there.
I got sucked into this story immediately and enjoyed it! I thought at times that the horrible behavior of her family was a bit melodramatic, but I think that might be due to the fact it made me mad! And at times the plot was a bit more romantic than I would have liked. But all in all....I enjoyed the story.
This is the first book by Lecia Cornwall that I've read. Her other books are mostly romance novels so I won't be reading those, but if she pens another story like this, I will definitely read it!
**I voluntarily read a review copy of this book from Berkley Publishing. All opinions expressed are entirely my own.**
This is such a compelling story. Eleanor is a strong, courageous main character. I can only imagine how horrible it was to be at the front during WW I. This story brought some of the danger, violence and courage to life so that I could understand better what it would have been like to be there.
I got sucked into this story immediately and enjoyed it! I thought at times that the horrible behavior of her family was a bit melodramatic, but I think that might be due to the fact it made me mad! And at times the plot was a bit more romantic than I would have liked. But all in all....I enjoyed the story.
This is the first book by Lecia Cornwall that I've read. Her other books are mostly romance novels so I won't be reading those, but if she pens another story like this, I will definitely read it!
**I voluntarily read a review copy of this book from Berkley Publishing. All opinions expressed are entirely my own.**
July 17, 2021
Wow, just wow. I have a history of DNF'ing historicals to a fault but this one was absolutely stunning. The research that had to have went into this book was gripping. The determination of Eleanor, the unfolding story of the war, the romance, just the entire book took hold of my heart and kept me turning page after page to the very end. I absolutely adored this book and truly recommend. Thank you to Lecia Cornwall, Netgalley, and the publisher for the ARC. ♥️
April 11, 2022
When Eleanor Atherton graduates from medical school at the University of Edinburgh near the top of her class in 1917, she dreams of going overseas to help the wounded, but her parents thwart her ambition at every turn. Women are supposed to find husbands and support the war effort by knitting for the troops, not sewing them back together.
When an unexpected twist of fate sends Eleanor to the battlefields of France as a private doctor, she seizes the opportunity. At the casualty clearing station near the front lines, the skeptical commander forbids her from treating the wounded, but when the station is overrun, she breaks protocol and helps the most grievously injured soldiers.
I always love a novel with a strong female protagonist who bucks tradition to do what she is called to do. Dr. Atherton is courageous and likeable, and enjoyed getting to know her and the situation female surgeons faced during World War I. As if the war weren’t bad enough, the Spanish flu ran rampant through the wards, too. The Woman at the Front is a dramatic, frightening, and truly moving historical novel with a touch of romance and some interesting twists. It has a little something for every reader. I deducted a bit for its predictable ending, but it earned a solid 4 stars.
When an unexpected twist of fate sends Eleanor to the battlefields of France as a private doctor, she seizes the opportunity. At the casualty clearing station near the front lines, the skeptical commander forbids her from treating the wounded, but when the station is overrun, she breaks protocol and helps the most grievously injured soldiers.
I always love a novel with a strong female protagonist who bucks tradition to do what she is called to do. Dr. Atherton is courageous and likeable, and enjoyed getting to know her and the situation female surgeons faced during World War I. As if the war weren’t bad enough, the Spanish flu ran rampant through the wards, too. The Woman at the Front is a dramatic, frightening, and truly moving historical novel with a touch of romance and some interesting twists. It has a little something for every reader. I deducted a bit for its predictable ending, but it earned a solid 4 stars.
May 16, 2022
I was completely captivated by this book about a truly courageous young woman. Eleanor Atherton is a doctor, graduating near the top of her class; but in 1918 England, there are few opportunities for female doctors. Although the army will not accept her, even at the height of WWI, Eleanor finds herself at a clearing station close to the front as a personal physician of a British peer. While there, subjected to the scorn and doubt of others, confronted by scores of wounded men, living daily with fear and exhaustion, Eleanor finds a way to prove herself. Eleanor is a magnificent character. She is smart, skilled, brave, determined, and heroic. She must fight so many forces, not just the countless soldiers who need her care, but also against those who think she’s not worthy. Everything is brought to life in such vivid detail by this skilled author; the sights, sounds, and smells of war that made me feel like I was in that hospital, or on the front lines of the horror of war. There is also a great deal of heart in this book, in Eleanor, and in the men and women she works alongside; the men whose wounds she heals, and those she can’t save; and a stretcher bearer who wins her heart, even in the most dire of circumstances.
September 28, 2021
A glorious look at an indomitable woman at the precarious balance of duty and ambition, The Woman at The Front spotlights Eleanor Atherton who is a victim of the structure of her time period: both as a woman of social expectation and a courageous female doctor. Luscious, harrowing and romantic, Cornwall's meticulous research is met with spirited, urgent prose. All my favourite catnip is here: romance, immersive history and a feminist exploration of a woman ahead of her time --- forging ahead in a man's world while the world's barriers and traditions fall around her.
October 6, 2021
The Woman at the Front
By: Lecia Cornwall
5⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Dr. Eleanor Atherton is in the middle of WWII in France when women doctors are rare. She is a fierce woman who is defying the odds.
🏥
Eleanor is struggling to fulfill her destiny, even as her family struggles with her dreams. One of her wealthy neighbors sends her on a personal mission which lands Eleanor in the middle of the war. She is seeing the wounded up front and making quick decisions in the battlefield.
🏥
Eleanor is dealing with backlash from many who do not believe in women doctors, even with her medical degree. As she struggles with backlash she has to face something in her past which could jeopardize her medical license.
#thewomanatthefront, #leciacornwall, #berkley, #bookreview, #bookstagram, #booksconnectus, #audiobook, #stamperlady50, #penguinaudio, #audible
By: Lecia Cornwall
5⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Dr. Eleanor Atherton is in the middle of WWII in France when women doctors are rare. She is a fierce woman who is defying the odds.
🏥
Eleanor is struggling to fulfill her destiny, even as her family struggles with her dreams. One of her wealthy neighbors sends her on a personal mission which lands Eleanor in the middle of the war. She is seeing the wounded up front and making quick decisions in the battlefield.
🏥
Eleanor is dealing with backlash from many who do not believe in women doctors, even with her medical degree. As she struggles with backlash she has to face something in her past which could jeopardize her medical license.
#thewomanatthefront, #leciacornwall, #berkley, #bookreview, #bookstagram, #booksconnectus, #audiobook, #stamperlady50, #penguinaudio, #audible
April 20, 2021
THE WOMAN AT THE FRONT is the powerful story of one young woman’s struggle to fulfil her destiny as a doctor, as she encounters not only the prejudice against women in her chosen profession but the horrors and deprivations of the front lines during the First World War. Meticulously researched and deeply emotional — Cornwall has a gift for bringing history to life!
March 27, 2022
When Doctor Eleanor Atherton gets the chance to go to the Battlefields of France in 1917 she strives to help there despite her gender and lack of experience. Amongst others she meets stretcher bearer and Scot, Fraser Mcleod. The author normally writes historical romance and this shows but it is well written and characterised. Some of the war scenes are gruesome as you would expect, but all in context, what an awful war it was! It is dedicated to the author's grandfather, and his brother who died in France in 1917. Let us never forget.
September 19, 2022
This was fabulous, I so enjoyed it. I haven't read much about WWI before, so learned a lot. Such a great main character too.
October 24, 2021
Q:
“Men are pitied when they come home maimed, scarred, missing limbs, their wits gone. For a woman, it would be better if you didn’t come home at all. (c)
Q:
“Men are pitied when they come home maimed, scarred, missing limbs, their wits gone. For a woman, it would be better if you didn’t come home at all. (c)
Q:
March 31, 2024
4.5 out of 5 stars!
WE. LOVE. A. BADDIE.
Eleanor Atherton is an incredible woman who was incredibly ahead of her time. I loved, loved, loved her character so much and I’m mildly inspired to become a doctor after reading this book.
Eleanor Atherton has achieved an almost impossible task as a woman in the early 20th-century. She is a doctor. Not a nurse, not a matron, not an aid, but a fully-licensed, professionally trained and qualified doctor. She’s sent to France on the orders to bring her brother’s childhood friend home from the frontlines of the western front after a downed plane results in a broken leg.
Because it’s 1918 and she is a woman, she arrives to hostility and bewilderment at the fact that a woman has been sent as a doctor, not a nurse, to aid in the treatment of Louis Chastaine.
Despite the insults hurled her way, the limitations placed on what she can and cannot do around the hundreds of wounded men she comes into contact with each day, she perseveres and at one point, even makes it to the frontlines as an undercover doctor.
Out of all of the things Eleanor expects to find in the desecrated landscape of war, love is not one of those things, yet she finds it anyway and that also makes the story that much better.
This book is a wonderful testament to the forgotten women of WW1 who, despite their social station, ditched the status quo and limits placed on women, for the greater good of saving lives.
WE. LOVE. A. BADDIE.
Eleanor Atherton is an incredible woman who was incredibly ahead of her time. I loved, loved, loved her character so much and I’m mildly inspired to become a doctor after reading this book.
Eleanor Atherton has achieved an almost impossible task as a woman in the early 20th-century. She is a doctor. Not a nurse, not a matron, not an aid, but a fully-licensed, professionally trained and qualified doctor. She’s sent to France on the orders to bring her brother’s childhood friend home from the frontlines of the western front after a downed plane results in a broken leg.
Because it’s 1918 and she is a woman, she arrives to hostility and bewilderment at the fact that a woman has been sent as a doctor, not a nurse, to aid in the treatment of Louis Chastaine.
Despite the insults hurled her way, the limitations placed on what she can and cannot do around the hundreds of wounded men she comes into contact with each day, she perseveres and at one point, even makes it to the frontlines as an undercover doctor.
Out of all of the things Eleanor expects to find in the desecrated landscape of war, love is not one of those things, yet she finds it anyway and that also makes the story that much better.
This book is a wonderful testament to the forgotten women of WW1 who, despite their social station, ditched the status quo and limits placed on women, for the greater good of saving lives.
October 12, 2022
A histfic masterpiece! I will devour EVERYTHING author Lecia Cornwall writes from now on.
April 24, 2021
Beautifully written, Woman at the Front was a fantastic story taking place during WW1, as Dr Eleanor Atherton tries to make a difference and put her medical degree and expertise to use in the midst of so many obstacles and so many ridiculous and demeaning rules during that time period that fiercely opposed women in any place but in the home.
The intense misogynistic environment females in general were treated with at the time was crazy and contradictory, but especially towards female doctors. It’s amazing how the military would allow nurses to enlist but not female doctors. The author does a great job showing Eleanors’ determination and drive despite so many, including her family, who were against her and didn’t think she could - or didn’t want her to - succeed. However, with her perseverance and selflessness, she ultimately won over so many with that same determination, including the love and admiration from 2 men who saw her and believed in her. It also showed how grim and destructive WW1 was. The book was hard to put down and I enjoyed it very much.
Thanks to Netgalley for the advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
The intense misogynistic environment females in general were treated with at the time was crazy and contradictory, but especially towards female doctors. It’s amazing how the military would allow nurses to enlist but not female doctors. The author does a great job showing Eleanors’ determination and drive despite so many, including her family, who were against her and didn’t think she could - or didn’t want her to - succeed. However, with her perseverance and selflessness, she ultimately won over so many with that same determination, including the love and admiration from 2 men who saw her and believed in her. It also showed how grim and destructive WW1 was. The book was hard to put down and I enjoyed it very much.
Thanks to Netgalley for the advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
March 8, 2021
Many thanks to Netgally and the Publisher for the complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
This was a really good book. The challenges she faces becoming a doctor are unheard of now. The book gives you an understanding of what woman went through doing something that only men thought they could do. I don't think this is a spoiler but you may want to stop reading because I don't know. The man who loved her but didn't get her was unnecessary to the story. Your dealing with WWI and that is sad enough, I don't need to think about some heartbroken soul living out his live without his love.
This was a really good book. The challenges she faces becoming a doctor are unheard of now. The book gives you an understanding of what woman went through doing something that only men thought they could do. I don't think this is a spoiler but you may want to stop reading because I don't know. The man who loved her but didn't get her was unnecessary to the story. Your dealing with WWI and that is sad enough, I don't need to think about some heartbroken soul living out his live without his love.
May 26, 2022
I enjoyed reading about the doctor and her role treating soldiers, however, I could do without all of the romance. I don't mind a little romance in historical fiction, but this novel had A LOT of romance and an ending that just wasn't realistic. There were some sentences that really made me cringe, for example "Her belly caved against her spine". After the ridiculous sex scene, the male character thinks, "He felt human again, fully male, and right in in own skin". Ugg.
I am torn between giving this a 3 or 4 star rating. I'll give the romantic stuff 2 stars, and the story about the war and doctor, 4 stars.
I am torn between giving this a 3 or 4 star rating. I'll give the romantic stuff 2 stars, and the story about the war and doctor, 4 stars.
March 20, 2021
110% what I needed to read right now.
Not only impeccably researched, but delivered in a narrative style that was invoked from familial ties.
This incredible World War I legacy epic is ideal for historical fiction readers, as well as those new to the genre.
After hearing the originated story in her author’s note, as well as her deliciously sounding backlist, I couldn’t support the story more! I cannot wait to bring this to Bookstore’s across the country this fall.
Galley borrowed from the publisher.
Not only impeccably researched, but delivered in a narrative style that was invoked from familial ties.
This incredible World War I legacy epic is ideal for historical fiction readers, as well as those new to the genre.
After hearing the originated story in her author’s note, as well as her deliciously sounding backlist, I couldn’t support the story more! I cannot wait to bring this to Bookstore’s across the country this fall.
Galley borrowed from the publisher.
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