I rather liked this book. To me, its strongest asset was its originality: one of the two main characters is a nurse. I tend to read more Regency romances, where nursing didn't seem to even really exist. Here, in the Regency period, nursing does exist but it is frowned up by the middle and high classes, which see nurses as servants. I found it really interesting to see how Clementine navigated both worlds, how she was trying to find her identity. Although I wish there were more scientific elements in the story about medicine — especially about polio and the nursing advances that where made at the time thanks to F. Nightingale — I really appreciated the references to mental health which was — and still is — too often forgotten or put aside. So brownie points to the author for that! I also liked that many different topics were touched upon and that servants played a part in this story.

On the negative side, I wasn't too fond of the protagonists, they didn't really appeal to me and I don't find they really had a chemistry. But I still disliked that there were separated so I skipped that part to go directly to the end. So I admittedly missed a bit of the story.... but it was quite long as it is for my taste.

Overall, this was a nice read, and I appreciated the originality of this story.

This was a good book to read. There was a story that interested me as it was about a nurse who had returned from the Crimean war. She looks after wounded men and helps them after the war. She is sent to look after one man and we find out what happens to them. I enjoyed reading this book and recommend it.

As a nurse, and one who loves historical fiction, I knew I had to read this. I was not disappointed. So many changes came to the profession as a result of Nightingale’s work in the Crimean and many of these things are captured well. There are some strong themes discussed, but this is true for nursing in general, so I appreciated how they were handled. Having said that, the storyline that captured the homosexual relationship did not seem to fit naturally into this story. Clementine does a decent job depicting nurses need to be kind, merciful and tough in order to do the job well. Will has much to work through and together Will and Clem forge a sweet relationship.
I received a complimentary copy from the publisher via NetGalley. All opinions expressed are my own and freely given.

After her time working as a nurse under Florence Nightingale, Clementine Ashby has returned to London and is eager to continue her work in some way. She accepts the post of nurse to a newly titled gentleman, Sir William St. George, who had his leg wounded in the war. Sir William is a difficult patient but Clem is determined. A battle of wills ensues but soon they both find themselves drawn to the other.

Although I am fascinated by Florence Nightingale and stories about the remarkable women who nursed during the Crimea War, this fell flat for me. The majority of the story follows Clementine, who really rubbed me the wrong way. There is a fine line between being stubborn, independent, and headstrong and just being flat out rude. And, for me, that's what she was: rude.

William was a little better. He carries guilt from the war. Surviving where his brother did not. Still, I didn’t buy the romance between him and Clementine. I could understand how being constantly in each other's company would foster intimacy, but it didn’t feel like something that would last once they parted ways.

Though this is listed as the first book in the series, the first few chapters made me feel like it was more like the second or third. A character is introduced in a way that makes the reader feel as though her love story came before. It was disconcerting since I wasn't expecting it.

Overall, it wasn't an awful read. The author kept the story free of sex and has done her research into the nursing of the time. It just wasn't an instant favorite for me.

I loved the concept of this story. Clem is a nurse after the Crimea war, determined to help people. Will becomes her patient. Lots of twists and a big turn till they get a HEA. My only disappointment is that I wish Will had been a bit more ruthless with one of the characters. Read it and you'll know who I mean!

I clicked when I saw the name Lady of the Lamp which was the nicknamed given to Florence Nightingale, the pioneer in modern nursing care, by the soldiers in Crimea, and I found the basic idea original.

Clementine “Clem” is a strong heroine with a little sarcastic side I loved. As all good nurses (lol) she doesn’t let herself tricked by the hero’s moods and does her best to stay professional in spite of the attraction she feels. I liked the fact her mother regularly belittles her and doesn’t listen to her professional opinion less, but it fits the mentality of the period, where a woman was only valuable for the marriage she could make, and where nurses weren’t better considered than low servants (or worth).

Willian “Will” starts as a grumpy hero who couldn’t care less about healing his wound. He feels guilty for his elder brother’s death on the battle field and unconsciously thinks he shouldn’t have come back from war. He needs time to accept the benefit of Clem’s treatments, but he’s the first to understand his feelings and to think social class difference isn’t an obstacle between them. However don’t wait for steamy love scenes, the hero repeats several times he respects the heroine and doesn’t want to risk ruining her reputation.

The author approaches diverse themes in this novel, the advances in medicine and nursing (the doctor who decides a vegetarian diet without sugar or fat is a good idea for a teen affected by poliomyelitis made me shudder), homosexuality, the problem of rehabilitation for wounded and/or crippled soldiers, but most of all post-traumatic stress. If we can find strange that Will doesn’t really suffer from it, except cold sweat when he thinks of the war horses his family proudly bred and that he saw die, often in terrible ways, and of course guilt toward his brother, Clem as for her has nightmares where she sees the soldiers she couldn’t save. They’ll both need time and several discussions to release that.
But the author adds an unexpected character suffering from post-traumatic stress too: the elder brother’s horse, badly wounded too in the same battle, and who can’t cope with sudden movements or strong noises. I thought it was a good idea to show that war doesn’t only affect humans.

As if the social class difference wasn’t a sufficient obstacle for the couple, the author adds the dead brother’s fiancée who decides to get her hooks into the hero. It was a not necessarily required plot twist but it’s well done and doesn’t drag on for long.

All in all I had a very good reading moment with this novel and I intend to read the next when it will be published.

This is a new author to me and I'm so excited to find this new series. The Crimean War has caused devastation on its soldiers and nurses. Nurse Clementine is home but she is tortured by her memories of the war. Sir William is eaten up with guilt and is making bad decisions with his health. Clem has decided to make her mission supporting returning soldiers. Sir William meets his match with the iron maiden.

Back from the Crimea where she has been working as a nurse, her mother's contempt of her makes it impossible for Clem to live at home, so when a post almost immediately opens as nurse to a returned soldier with a leg wound, she takes it on the spot. But Will blames himself for his brother's death in battle and doesn't want to heal and return to life as it was. Can her stubbornness get through to him and make him realise that it was not his fault? And can the barriers between them - not least the difference in class - be overcome, or are they destined to remain no more to each other than nurse and patient?

This is the first book I've read by this author, and I enjoyed the story - with one exception that I mention below. The writing was good and the characters sufficiently complex to be interesting. The storyline worked well, though I didn't feel like the problem of her nightmares was really brought to any particular conclusion. The one thing I disliked was what I see as an attempt to normalise homosexuality by having supporting characters presented as practicing homosexuals. There's nothing specifically objectionable in itself, I just didn't feel like it was necessary or helpful and object on principle. I realise that many people won't care and will probably object to my objection, but for those who do, I wanted the warning to be there. I'd be interested in reading more by the author, but if a second book was the same, I'd probably stop reading her books.

Note that I received a complimentary copy of the book from NetGalley. I was not required to write a positive review and this is my considered opinion of the book.

This was a truly enjoyable book from start to finish. It had many details of daily life in the time period for which it was written. The heroine is a strong female who comes from a family that is wrapped up in her little brother's illness. The heroine just spent the last two years in the Crimean War and has many useful tips to give her brother so he can try to live a normal life. The heroine's mother has always treated the heroine in a demeaning and distant manner. The father does what the mother says. She comes home hoping to heal her heart and soul over what she experienced at the field hospital. After her mother refusing to allow her to try to help her brother, the heroine takes a job as a live-in nurse for an aristocratic gentleman who is recovering from injuries suffered in the Crimean War. This story is so well written. It has everything: a little danger. A little intrigue, a whole lot of evil female who antagonizes the couple. This story was a page turner for me once the evil woman showed up. The characters were likeable and grew during the story. The hero turned from a self-indulgent, self-victimized man into a decent person because of the heroine. This is really a story of 'God helps those who help themself'. The supporting characters were placed in the story to make it better and not just build it up. I recommend 5 stars for this story.

I just "discovered"sweet historical romance. So this is a new author for me. The book has the sweet slow burning romance that my little heart crave. It is also about healing old wounds. I am so looking forward to the Next book in the series. Thank you to netgalley for letting me read this e arc in exchange for an honest review

This was a lovely book from an author who was new to me. It had a sweet, clean romance and a nice take on both physical and emotional healing.

Clementine is a nurse back from the Crimean War, where William was wounded. They start off not really liking each other when she first starts as his nurse while he’s recovering at home. Their friendship of sorts followed by the beginnings of romance are realistically done. There is some ridiculous drama with Will’s late brother’s fiancée who you just hate from her first introduction. The reader is able to see her vindictiveness before Will and Clem do.

Overall I enjoyed reading this book and I’ll have to look for other books by Charlotte Jardine.

Will his battle maiden beak through his jaded heart ...

Mrs Jardine is a new author to me, so a new voice, I much liked to learn about a rather unknown historical period for as I very know little about the Crimean war.
The blurb reminded of a Barbara Cartland book I have read, well more than 3 decades ago with a wounded lord and his nurse, sure the similarities stop there but it is what prompted me to read it.
And the fact I am a nurse too.

I did not know what to expect from this book outside the trial period of the wounded hero’s recovery. As while the physical healing of William is rapidly on its way after a few dents on the road, it is more a tale of healing the soul.
And Clementine, outside her trade to cure wounds, also soothes, with her kindness or firm hands, depending of what is needed, the spirit of her patients.
This is how her relationship with William moves from employee and reluctant employer to friends before their feelings get deeper and morph to a much more powerful sentiment, love.

their journey after a few mishaps is rapidly a smooth one, as during its course they share their secrets and inner thoughts but also their hopes and dreams until envious and poisonous tongues decide to tear them apart. Will they be strong enough to stand against them when she is seen beneath him coming from trade.

Mrs Jardine narrates a lovely tale of healing and finding one’s place when the body and soul are left with deep burn and in need of mending.
5 stars

I was granted an advance copy by the author, here is my true and unbiased opinion.