Another great visit to the Orchard Cottage Hospital. Dr Frances Brakespeare is keen to find out the identity of the woman dumped outside the hospital and of the person who caused her death. She is also nursing her dying mother when she gets an unexpected offer from a leading London hospital, she must decide where her heart lays.
Lucy Daniels and her fiancée Devlin are getting ready for their society wedding but things are not going to plan.
Looking forward to another visit soon to catch up with everyone.

Part of a series historical drama with some excellent characters. Who left the woman on the hospital steps? Lots of intrigue and mystery.

This is the third book of the series and a great addition. The series is getting better and better with each book. There is again, a whole lot going on in the story.
Frances has a big decision to make. It could change her life completely. She's well accepted at the Orchard Cottage Hospital and gets on well with Sister Harrison now and admires her commitment to the hospital and it's patients.
Women's problems and lives are top of the agenda again. There's a bad element in the town that needs to be weeded out but it's not an easy task.
The hospital are now in a position to take on another doctor and the applicant will be an interesting addition to the story I feel and is likely to cause some upset. Once again woman versus man comes into the equation.
There's a wedding, deaths and a lot of sorrow. This book is packed with emotion.
My favourite character is Ma Skittings. She's doing a lot to help Frances and I love her no nonsense ways.
I dropped a star because the end felt rushed. A few things were wound up rapidly and there's a surprise that came out of the blue and then it all ended abruptly. However, it's a great read and while you could read it as a standalone, I would recommend starting at the beginning for better enjoyment of the series.

Many thanks to Boldwood Books and NetGalley for an early copy.

I absolutely love this book. I've read a couple of Lizzy Lane's books before, and Bleak Times at Orchard Cottage Hospital did not disappoint me. The characters are relatable and charming, and the drama and love interest kept me turning pages.
I can't wait to read more from Lizzie Lane.

Absolutely loved this book. Was so good to see what happened to Nurse Lucy and her marriage to Devlin Compton-Dixon, and seeing how Dr Brakespeare makes her mind up about her future. Loved to tead the story about the lady that was dumped at the hospital as well. Absolutely loved this book and read it in 2 days. Can not wait to see if there will be another one to decide Dr. Brakespeare's future as well with the Reverend.

Book three at the Orchard Cottage Hospital.
What an amazing story this is.
Winter cast a long shadow, but hopefully springs eternal.
1932 Somerset.
Doctor Frances Brakespeare and the mystery of a young woman abandoned.
With a job offer sitting waiting in London Frances is torn by those who love her the most.
In the bleak of December in the market town of Norton Dean, this story takes you on a journey filled with heartache and love.
It was beautiful.

I received a free copy of, Bleak Times at Orchard Cottage Hospital, by Lizzie Lane, from the publisher and Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. Its winter in 1932 at Orchard Cottage Hospital, in the UK, and so much is going on, a mystery to solve, a new job offer, and much more. This was a nice read, the 1930's was a hard time for most people in the world.

Times in this installment aren’t so bleak, only difficult. It’s a great look at life in the early 1930s for a variety of people, all looking for happiness.

This was like visiting friends, familiar characters ( easy to pick up again).
When a woman is left at the door of the cottage hospital it sets off a whole sequence of events, not least the person who act left her. It soon becomes clear that someone is interfering with women’s health, which is keen to solve.
Dr Frances is undecided when she receives the offer of a job in the city, can she leave her ailing mother, or Gregory?
Meanwhile nurse Lucy has a dilemma, assistance comes from a most unlikely source!


I enjoyed the familiarity of the book, favourite character was Lucy. Least favourite was Gerald.
I look forward to more in this series, especially continuing Lucy’s story.

Book 3 of 3 - A heartwarming tale. I suggest reading all 3 books. Great story and well written characters.

I received this ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

this is another installment in the Cottage Hospital series, but can be read as a standalone. very good series.

Yet another great historical book. Very heartwarming. Is such a easy read. I love this era of writing and can easily get into the story
5*****

I'm so happy to have found such a wonderful author and even happier knowing she has a whole lot of other books waiting for me to read. Loved it!

A beautifully written continuation of the Orchard Cottage Hospital series—rich in heart, history, and humanity.

Bleak Times at Orchard Cottage Hospital captures that perfect blend of cozy holiday charm and emotional depth that fans of historical fiction crave. Set in 1932 Somerset, this third installment weaves mystery, romance, and personal sacrifice into a story that lingers well after the final page.

From the chilling opening—an abandoned woman in the dead of night—to the soft unfolding of secrets and hard choices, this book had me completely immersed. Doctor Frances Brakespeare continues to shine as a compassionate, conflicted lead, balancing professional ambition with a deep connection to her community.

With themes of found family, unexpected love, and the strength of small-town bonds, this installment beautifully bridges the seasons—from the starkness of winter to the hopefulness of spring.

If you’re a fan of Call the Midwife, quiet resilience, or heartwarming historical fiction, don’t miss this series. I’ll be thinking about Frances, Lucy, and the entire Orchard Cottage crew for a long time to come.

A very enjoyable book to read. This is the first book l have read in the series but found it easy to read. It tells of life in a cottage hospital and the surrounding area. There is a good storyline. The characters are very interesting, from murderers to kind caring doctors . I am thankful that l was given the chance to read it and look forward to reading more .

Another entirely readable installment in the Frances Brakespeare saga. This one has a twist of mystery - with a murder! More dithering with Frances trying to map out a life, with Gregory? Without Gregory? How long will Vicar Greg wait and continue to be a solid presence? I enjoyed reconnecting with the characters and stepping back into their evolving lives. There's a bit of preaching, for lack of a better word, on women's health and choice issues but it is not extremely heavy-handed; noticeable but not to the point of detracting from the plot. The loss of her mother provided far too many opportunities for the author to point out that Frances hadn't known her mother very long - it was mentioned again and again. And again. We get it. The last few pages provided material for subsequent books, which I will read but hope to not be hammered over the head with lamentations on how Frances did not get to spend much time with her mother.

Although I hadn’t read the first two books in this series, this still works as a standalone book. Set in 1932, the themes revolve around backyard abortion, gender discrimination, impact of war, class, family and grief. I loved the main characters of Frances, Lucy, Gwen and Mrs. Skitting and Gregory, and the depiction of life at the time. If you like historical fiction, this will suit you well. There were also some despicable characters, some of whom met their just desserts. I hope there is more to come in this series, meanwhile, I will go back and savour the previous two books. Thanks to NetGalley and Boldwood books for introducing me to this author.

Another fantastic book in the Orchard Cottage Hospital series. A young woman is found on the steps of the hospital having had a miscarriage. Can Dr. Frances Braithwaite and her nurses discover what really happened. Lucy is looking forward to her wedding to Devlin and Frances has a big decision to make about her future at the hospital.

Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for this arc. Another amazing read from Lizzie Lane! The way she’s able to make you feel so much for her characters and pull you into the story is brilliant! I loved this one.

This is another one of the classic books that I had no idea that this was apart of the series. However I read it anyway and in the future I will most likely be reading the other books as well! I will say I was very impressed with this historical novel. It takes place in the 1930's and it goes above and beyond to prove that woman are just as capable of working in Healthcare wether it be midwife, nurse, or even Doctor.
The main plot is that one night a mysterious woman is dropped in front of the hospital bleeding. It is later discovered that she had a botched abortion and she passes away due to her injuries. They have no idea who she is and they are concerned because they know that someone is responsible for performing an illegal abortion. It will take a lot of effort to get this case solve.
Overall I was quite impressed with this novel. It was historical mystery which was pretty nice and it gave off the vibes of call the midwife.
I received an arc copy from Netgalley and all opinions are of my own.