Douglas delivers another delightful installment!

I wouldn't recommend these novels to those with an interest in hard historicals, but Douglas' Nightingale stories aren't bad. The drama of the nurses' experience satisfies and offers a nice alternative to the more intense tales that have come to dominate the historical fiction genre.

THE NIGHTINGALE NURSES - Donna Douglas

#3 in the Nightingales series

CONTINUING CHARACTERS - 4 stars

Plot - 4 stars - A continuation of the appealing chick-lit sort of story following several nursing students.

Writing - 4 stars - Even though I read the previous two books a while ago, I was immediately involved in the story again and caught up in these characters' lives. Douglas writes in a warm and friendly manner, creating a world that is so different from today's standards, but it still draws you in and makes you a part of it.

Characters - 4 stars - There is a fairly large group of characters, and although they are loosely tied within the nursing school, they are distinct and have their own stories. But each book spends a lot of time on one or two characters, focusing on their particular story. Dora Doyle is struggling, from the East End, but she's tough. Her love for Nick Riley is devastated when their mutual friend Ruby ends up pregnant with Nick's baby, and they marry. Nick is more the focus this time as he begins his life with Ruby. Millie Benedict is from the upper class, but she wants to work and is putting off her marriage since that will force her to quit. She's on the periphery this time. Helen Tremayne is a colorless but hard-working girl who is overshadowed by her Board of Trustees overbearing mother, and Helen is rebelling by dating Charlie, an injured man she met at the hospital. It was great to see Helen stand up for herself and do something she cares about.

Title - 3.5 stars - It says it all, but nothing special.

Cover - 3.5 stars - What I like is that it's very recognizable as part of this series. The covers are fairly innocuous, but the color scheme continues from one book to the next, and the faces are familiar.

Overview - 4 stars - This is like turning on a soap opera after having missed a few weeks of shows. The people are still living their lives, their personalities are familiar, and the storyline is continuing. This is a good thing if you like the show (and I very much enjoy this series). Although the lives of these women are so foreign to an everyday American reader of 2019, I immediately can relate to their problems as they face work issues, relationship difficulties, and family problems. Although the specific circumstances are unfamiliar, the underlying relationships, both personal and work-related, are universal and speak to every reader. I'm looking forward to continuing with this series and have already ordered the next book.