The War Nurse follows the story of Julia Catherine Stimson -- an American nurse who served as the chief nurse at a base hospital in France in WWI. The book highlights the bravery of these women and the ingenuity and advances that their work brought to the medical and nursing profession. Told from Julia's perspective, the writing was straightforward and occasionally had elements where it felt as if facts were being told rather than seen. Because of this, it took me a little bit to get into the book. BUT once I did, I was soon captivated by the character of Julia! The book was really focused on the time in the hospital rather than battles or war scenes themselves, and I really appreciated the in-depth research and look at a hospital near the front. The author's notes at the end were also especially helpful for distinguishing between fact and fiction. This was an informative read about a fascinating woman! Thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for this advance read!

Julia is surrounded by war. The front is very near her hospital in France during WWII. Wounded soldiers appear daily, needing attention. She's the "head nurse", the Matron, the responsible person.

But she's engaged in an internal war also. Dr. Fred Murphy has become her confidante, her soul mate. And against all rules and regulations, her love.

This is a wonderful look into the diary and the heart of a most amazing woman.

THE WAR NURSE is a fascinating, intimate look at the true story of Julia Catherine Stimson and the incredible work she and her nurses did to save lives during World War I. Through careful research, this book shows the incredible bravery and compassion of women who find themselves in extraordinary situations.

Tracey Enerson Wood’s second historical novel, The War Nurse, drops you into WWI France, where little known Julia Stimson insists upon previously unheard of measures of providing sterile environments for both the casualties of war that are under her care and her nursing staff that depend on her for both emotional stability and physical safety.

If you’ve read The Engineers Wife, Wood’s 2020 debut, you are already aware of her talent for merging fact and fiction into a story that will make your heart hurt and hold you captive until the very last page.

I can't put my finger on it, but I enjoyed this book much more than Tracey Enerson Wood's last book, which was also well written but seemed to drag on for me. Perhaps I just enjoy the theme of this one more. In any case, this is the wonderful story of nurse Julia Stimson who worked with the Red Cross during WWI. Based on real life events, Julia is sent to France to assist the war efforts at a time when medical knowledge is scarce and so are supplies. It's no surprise then when an unknown illness (the Spanish flu) hits and she and the other nurses face the greatest challenge of their lives. A story of heartbreak and courage that will resonate with everyone, I highly recommend this well researched and wonderfully written book.

Thank you Netgallery or the chance to review this book. All opinions are my own. And I must say that I loved this book. While it was a bit hard for me to get into at first due to the fact that it was written like it was from that time period, it was very easy to fall into. There were times when I laughed, times when I cried, and times when I wanted to throw my phone across the room (I'm looking at you Dr. Valentine). It was an all around great book and I loved seeing Julia dealing with being a women in a medical career in this time period.