An Ocean Apart

As the daughter of a Caribbean immigrant, who came to the UK to train as a nurse and answer the call to work, the characters and stories in this book really resonated with me. This book is written with such compassion and humanity, it's real and heartfelt and it's full of the stories our mothers longed to tell but we didn't always understand.

I needed a bit of a palate cleanser after a lot of dark thriller type books and this was perfect. I love period fiction and thought this was very well written. I’ve read quite a bit of fiction set around the Windrush era recently and I’m glad more stories are being told about the people we invited, and very much needed, and their experiences which weren’t always in line with their expectations. This book handled very heavy subjects but in an easy to read way, it was quite a hopeful and sweet story overall and very much a love letter to the NHS. I’d love to follow Billie’s story and find out what she went on to do, I hope the author might be considering this?! This will appeal to anyone who enjoys this era and programmes like Call the Midwife. I could imagine this as a three-part tv series, I’d definitely watch it.

What a great book showing the people who came to help. It’s great to be educated as well in the ways of the foreign community who came to help set up the nhs.
Great read throughly enjoyed this book

This is such a heartfelt read that is well written has a compelling story and well developed characters. I can never understand how it felt for Carribean immigrants but I think this book did a great job at compassionately showing what life was like for them.

An Ocean Apart by Sarah Lee is a marvellous historical novel that I just could not put down.
The novel is set in 1954 as we follow three young women from the Caribbean to England to train as nurses in the fairly new NHS. We witness the bravery needed to cross the ocean.
Nursing is a profession requiring high standards. We follow the new recruits through exams and ward rotations. Everyone has different gifts – some are good with children or in maternity or on the psych ward. Whichever their area of expertise, we witness the dedication, hard work and care needed.
Britain at the time was emerging into a new world. The Windrush generation were here. They were greeted with warmth and love on the whole but there were pockets of ugly racism and ignorance. The girls all have varying personalities and support each other. The reader witnesses, with horror, the lengths some will go to with their prejudice.
World War II was not that far removed. Some returning soldiers still suffered with shell shock. Treatment was beginning to emerge.
All the characters were well drawn, likable and realistic. The reader admires the bravery and guts needed to start a new life in Britain.
The future awaits for the three women. We see the opportunities beginning to open up.
We read with horror the stigmatism that is attached to unmarried mothers – attitudes are harsh, and the modern reader finds this hard to understand. All new life should be celebrated and all new mums should be helped.
I really enjoyed An Ocean Apart. I think it would make a fabulous Netflix series. I really want to know what happened next so I am hoping there will be more books following the characters.
I received a free copy from Net Galley. A favourable review was not required. All opinions are my own.

3.5 stars rounded up

This was a very cute read. It's impossible not to like our three main characters from the Caribbean, Ruby, Connie and Billie. It was great to see them grow and achieve their dreams throughout this book. Overall, however, I expected a bit more drama and hardship. While there certainly are several instances when the girls face great challenges, these were often resolved quickly or the characters simply didn't dwell upon them much. Overall, this made it a very mellow, easy read - the perfect book with which to curl up on the sofa. I definitely enjoyed it.

A brilliant historical novel set in 1954 when three young nurses from the Caribbean were tempted by the offer of on the job nursing training in England. Their passage was paid for by the newly formed NHS and they arrived after a long journey eager and apprehensive. They soon realised that not all was as they had hoped as one of their fellow trainees was a racist and a bully, Fortunately not everyone had this unacceptable attitude. I really enjoyed the book and following their journey of integration and the different aspects of their training.

The story follows and is told from the point of view of three women. Connie and her sister Ruby left Barbados in search of a better life. A family secret leaves Connie wanted to prove herself. Billie is from Jamaica.

The three girls were part of the Windrush Generation. The new NHS had a shortage of workers so were offered a job and accommodation if they came to England to work. Full of high expectations the reality was much different. The much colder weather, ignorance and the racism soon show its ugly side. That said there are lots of funny, lighter moments.

This book looks into the early nursing side of the NHS and the training and what life was like around that time. I really enjoyed this book and found the 1950's such an interesting era to read about.