The book is about four American battlefield nurses - Red, Kit, Roxy and Gail serving at the Lorraine near the French-German border during 1944. When they are tricked into a top-secret mission that takes them into enemy territory, they face the challenge head-on without batting an eyelid. They put their lives at risk to steal something that would make the difference between winning and losing the war. In the other timeline, a wartime nurse suffers from PTSD, still trying to come to terms with all the brutality she encountered during the war.
It is an incredible tale of exemplary fortitude, tenacity and endurance. Being a battlefield nurse was not a job for the faint-hearted. But Kit, Gail, Red and Roxy not only excel at that but go a step further. The bond between Kit, Red, Roxy and Gail is the epitome of friendship. The camaraderie between them was a treat to read. It made me cry and laughed with them. It is an action-packed fast-paced story that does not slacken its pace at any point. Though it is another dual timeline book, the author has handled the timelines so well that nowhere the flow of the story breaks. If you love historical fiction then it is a book you must not miss.

This is an unusual entry in the WWII genre because it hits on a seldom explored aspect of the war effort- the nurses who landed with the troops. The four young women whose stories are told here are heroes for so many reasons, Their mission behind enemy lines however was unexpected and no spoilers as to where they went and for what reasons. I liked the dual time line aspect because Newton used it to illustrate the lingering effects of the war. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. Great read.

“The Girls from the Beach” is an incredible story of friendship and bravery. Set in the battlefields of World War II, this is a story of four combat nurses who are sent behind enemy lines into Nazi Germany on a secret mission that has the chance to change the trajectory of the entire war. Kit, Red, Roxy, and Gail are as different as can be but are friends til the end, bound by love, loyalty, and patriotism.

Although the book was a bit slow to start, what emerged is a compelling work of historical fiction. Andie Newton did a masterful job creating this engrossing novel. Ms. Newton’s ability to create characters that readers will connect with and her talent for characterization shines through in each nurse’s distinct voice. The author’s meticulous research was evident in each detail and geographic location. The settings are so vividly painted that it was easy to envision the settings and the atrocities the nurses endure. My heart was in my throat as the nurses endured harrowing conditions and survive the horrors of war to achieve their mission. My eyes teared up at their tragedies and their triumphs.

This story may be a bit more fiction than some historical fiction readers would prefer, but it’s extremely well done. Told in alternating storylines between 1944 and 1989, the WWII story is by far the stronger of the two, but Ms. Newton does credible service to the PTSD Kit suffers. The resolution of this story was beautiful and touching as well.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Aria & Aries for providing me an advance copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

After the initial pages, I found myself not connecting with the story or characters, so I decided to pass on this book. Did not finish

The Girls from the Beach
Andie Newton
Oh, I absolutely adored this one. I’m a sucker for anything WW2 and Newton certainly led me along a path to a situation of which I had no previous knowledge. Of course, I’ve always been aware of the allied landings, but I suppose never really taken into consideration the nurses who were taken and left on the beach to first of all survive and then to do their utmost to help the wounded soldiers fighting the battles. From the very start I was hooked, following not only the everyday hard work that the nurses endured, but also the intrigue surrounding Kit, Kit, Roxy, Red and Gail and their involvement in a secret – and obviously dangerous – mission. Beautifully and very cleverly written, with what must have been careful and intense research, we are taken into a past that probably none of us had thought much about before, as well as reading of the heart-stopping adventure on which the four nurses embark. And onto Kit’s present life where she wants to keeps her secrets just that.
This is certainly one to read for 2021. 5 stars – couldn’t give it any less!

Really, really liked this one. It is based on a mystery from WWII that was never solved...why did those women disappear for 4 days and what were they doing? This book tries to answer that question, and does it beautifully. Obviously we will never know the truth, but I think I prefer this version. This is a great novel of courage, sacrifice, and sisterhood and I highly recommend it.

We follow 4 American nurses in 1944, the bound they have, their individual reasons for joining, their courage, … and the 5 days they disappear and never told or could tell anyone until now. We follow “Kit” her story, her friends, all the way to a reunion many many years later.
Thank you to NetGalley and Aria & Aries for the letting me read this early in exchange for my honest opinion.

I enjoyed this story.. it was well written and interesting. I will definitely be on the lookout for more by this author. Thanks to publisher and NetGalley for the ARC.

Courageous Battlefield Nurses

A story of courage, determination and camaraderie among the young battlefield nurses during WWII. Three nurses stormed the beaches along with the soldiers and became close friends. The fourth came later and all four were inseparable on the battlefield tending their patients and in a special assignment given to them.

They sometimes were frightened, but they did their duties at times putting their own lives on the line. They stayed together and never left anyone behind. Duties were performed under enemy fire and what they saw in injuries and fatalities would haunt them. The one assignment that haunted them forever was one special assignment that lasted five days. They had to make horrible choices to survive and they promised never to talk about it.

This is a good book of the realities of the battlefield nurses. It was not clean halls and white uniforms. It was fatigues and helmets and nurses often doing the job of a physician. There were times that rules were broken; nurses were asked to take on assignments which were against the rules. There was fear, heartache, tragedy, and memories of those soldiers injured and lost as a result of this horrible war.

This book draws a light on those courageous nurses and their service. It is a dual timeline so it also talks about the time after the war and how some suffered from PTSD and were not taken seriously or even laughed at because of it. Nurses were seen as in a clean hospital setting away from battle. Often these brave ladies were left to deal with their trauma from the war on their own.

I learned a lot from reading this book about battlefield nurses and I would recommend the book to others.

Thanks to Andie Newton, Aria and Aries publishing and NetGalley for allowing me to read a copy of the book for an honest review.

What a unique story line for a WWII Historical Fiction book! Four nurses who landed on the beach and are now working the front lines to save the lives of the wounded soldiers. Kit, Roxy and Red work long hours patching up soldiers to be evacuated when newcomer, Gail Barry, shows up to join them. The four nurses are sent on a mission to patch up some wounded soldiers that landed behind enemy lines.

The story is told in a now, 06/1989, and then, 09/1944, format when one of the nurses, Kit, answers a knock on her door to find a reporter who wants to do a story about her being a field nurse during the war for a reunion scheduled with other Army nurses. Kit wants nothing to do with him or the reunion as she has obviously suffered from severe PTSD all of these years. This is a fantastic read that will keep you on the edge of your seat with all the twists and surprises.

Thank you NetGalley and Aria Publishers for the ARC of this very interesting book that I could not put down in exchange for an honest review.

This book was such a poignant, heartwarming read that would make a great movie. Its my first Andie Newton book but certainly won't be my last.
Kit, Red, Roxy and Gail are 4 American nurses working on the front line in battle hospitals during WW2. They are sent, with their Doctor, behind enemy lines to carry out a secret mission. Interspersed within the chapters are a few chapters in present time dedicated to Evelyn who is suffering from PTSD from what she witnessed and experienced. When a book makes me smile and cry I know I've read something that will stay with me
Many thanks to Andie for writing this masterpiece, Netgalley and publishers for the advanced copy in exchange for my honest review

Fans of historical fiction, you can’t miss this action-packed page turner!

I’ve thoroughly enjoyed Andie Newton’s first two books, The Girl I Left Behind and The Girl From Vichy and was really excited to get an early copy of The Girls From The Beach. I can tell you it lived up to my expectations and more and I’ve devoured in a weekend the emotional and dramatic story of Gail, Roxy, Red and Kit, four WWII American nurses. The characters leap off the page, the writing is immersive, and the action is nonstop in this gripping story of friendship, resilience, and determination. Highly recommend for anyone who enjoys historical fiction.

Oh this book! From the moment I picked it up and read the first page I was hooked and it had my full attention until the very last word. I wanted to read it quickly but I also forced myself to put it down so I could really savour each step just a little bit longer.

We follow 4 loveable characters, Red, Kit, Roxy and Gloria, as they do their bit for the war effort as field nurses on the front lines. The story was a real eye opener to the sights, sounds, smells and every day life for these women. Seeing many unimaginable things that most of us will never endure in our lifetime and then having to move along to the next patient and carry on like nothing has happened.
This story was another amazing read from Andi Newton. Jammed packed with action, adventure and of course a real look at the repercussions (PTSD) the war had on these women. Something very real that they had to face every day for the rest of their lives.

An absolute 5 star read that I can’t recommend enough.
Thank you to Net Galley and Aria for the advanced copy.

A very good novel. The characters are well developed and the story is interesting. Good action scenes and guaranteed to keep your attention. I highly recommend reading this book.

Thank you to #NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Four young women from disparate backgrounds enlist as nurses during WWII. Right away, they’re forced to discard dreams of tapping down hospital halls like angels in white dresses and shoes with blue capes as wings, for the grisly reality of battlefield nurses in blood- and mud-soaked fatigues.

And more changes await. First, head nurse Red and feisty Kit are sent on a secret assignment. They obtain information that leads to an even bigger mission—one behind enemy lines. Red and Kit, along with tent-mates Roxy and Gail, think they are going to help an injured surveillance convoy, but it’s much more than that. Inspired by a historically accurate five-day pause in the fighting the German army took to refuel, author Andie Newton has imagined how U.S. forces could have taken advantage of this break to attempt a dangerous operation could turn the tide in the war...and save American POWs, including Kit’s brother.

This is Newton’s first story about American women in WWII, and it struck me as very American. The characters are sassy and sometimes over-confident, characteristics that are what make the completion of their mission possible. Each character is so well-developed that you feel like you know her. The fast-paced, harrowing plot includes suspense, terror, duty, and even love. The frame story puts the women’s accomplishment into context and illustrates how life-long trauma can be the price one pays for superhuman courageous acts.

Equally riveting is the tale of the evolving relationships between the women, especially Kit and Red, who are thrown together during a harrowing landing in France, slogging onto Utah Beach under gunfire. Their respect for one another grows as they survive ever-increasing stakes. What do you call someone who saves your life—more than once—taking risks that are nothing short of heroic? It’s a bond stronger than friendship or family. I was in tears when Red prepared to make the ultimate sacrifice to save Kit. And again at the book’s surprising and emotional ending.

The next time you see an elderly woman holding up the line at the supermarket, consider that she might have spent her speedier years standing in the mud, stitching up soldiers faster than you can imagine, just like The Girls from the Beach.

‘We’d heard stories about the nurses in tent seven. A secret mission, stolen money, and spies…’

“In 1944, four American nurses disappeared for five days. No one knew what happened to them. Until now.”

Such a wonderfully unique read; mystery, adventure and romance against a WW2 backdrop. I read a lot of this genre, so it’s nice to have a refreshing look at this time in history. I read don’t recall ever reading a book about the Army Nurse Corp during the Normandy landings arriving on Utah Beach and working in a field hospital. Sound boring? It’s any thing but boring when Andie Newton pens the tale! One day 4 American nurses are asked to go on a secret mission to patch up a few men behind enemy lines. The experience has such a profound effect on them that they never forget it.

You’ll love the non-stop action; hotwiring a car while Nazis are nipping at their heels, taking cover with bodies to foil the enemy, walking into a Nazi military parade whilst in possession of stolen Nazi property, and tiptoeing through a minefield! These are just some of the adventures the girls face. Newton has stuffed the story with adrenaline rushing action. I was on the edge of my seat, biting my nails. The girls looked evil in the eye, felt its wrath and managed to dodge it so many times. I was completely immersed in the story from the first page. What a ride!

You’ll also love the masterful characterization. Kit, Red, Roxy and Gail will instantly make their way into your heart and you will genuinely care about what happens to them. Out of necessity the girls have formed a tight friendship and are fiercely loyal to each other and you’ll feel it as you read. I laughed with them. I cried with them. I didn’t want the book to end. The antagonists are fabulous, too. I loved to hate The Butcher and Crazy Gilda. Andie Newton has made sure we won’t forget her book any time soon!

I don’t think I’ll ever listen to Clair de Lune again without thinking of this spectacular read. This is a wonderful homage to the real nurses who served and reminds readers of their bravery and heroism. Newton sheds light on those who returned and suffered PTSD and the lack of support given to those who gave so much.

Congratulations to Andie Newton for your impressive research, amazing plotting and spectacular writing style; this one’s a winner!

This book will be right up there with my favourite reads of 2021!

Publishes July 8, 2021.

I was gifted this superb advance copy by Andie Newton, Aria & Aries, and NetGalley and was under no obligation to provide a review.

I love historical fiction and this is a good one! I am also a retired nurse so this drew me in quickly. Four young nurses in WWII undergo a dangerous journey into Germany to retrieve a package that could affect the outcome of the war. Braverly, friendship and what it means to do your duty when called on are all covered in this book. Bravo to the author!

Some books propel me into the thick of things immediately. I sure felt it here! It grabbed my heart and didn't let go the entire time. Dual timelines are fabulous if done well and are done superbly here. The first is 1944 France in the middle of WWII when four American nurses with completely different personalities are working with all they have on the front line and must often improvise and make tough decisions on the spot. Rules are broken often under war circumstances. But in war it is all about survival.

We catch more than just glimpses into the war zone as Kit, Red, Roxy and Gail swallow back mental and physical bile and perform amazing feats on their patients. The girls are fiercely loyal to each other and really show their mettle under duress, time and time again. The characters are believably flawed and the story itself seemed very realistic to me. What they went through!

The second timeline is forty years later as unbearable memories are brought to the surface by a journalist. For some talking about it understandably brings incredible fear. PTSD is depicted extremely well here. It is impossible to imagine the anguish and horror people suffered. But learning about it very important.

I always pay close attention to the author's inspiration for stories if applicable and was happy to read Andie Newton's take on inspirations including the Nazi war chest aspect. Unique storylines like this are breathtaking and well worth reading. I like that the horrors of war aren't glossed over and it is obvious the author's soul is in this book. So, I recommend it to ALL General Fiction, Historical Fiction and Women's Fiction readers.

My sincere thank you to Aries & Area and NetGalley for the privilege of reading this wonderful, wonderful book! I enjoyed it thoroughly.

I love historical fiction books. I i really liked the Main female characters in this book. They were rough feisty and caring and of course tough. You could easily connect with them. The story was fast paced, nothing was in my opinion too drawn out. There were some misses for Me. But i would highly recommend this book. Thank you to netgalley for letting me read this e arc in exchange for an honest opinion

Wow! This is the first book I've read by this author but it definitely is not my last. What an amazing read. I would like to thank Net Galley, the author and publisher for the Arc of this incredible story.
Post WWII novel which is a beautiful tribute to the nurses and the large part they played in the nation's history. The characters are genuine and likable with a depth to their friendship drawn in part from necessity. The writing is
vivid, action packed and believable. The research impeccable. I really appreciate the passion that went into the telling of this story.

5*