Jo forced herself to look into the cot, but at first all she could see was grey dust from the explosion. Then, a tiny hand poked out through a layer of grit
. In seconds she had the child scooped up and she could feel its little body warm against her own. She felt an almost painful surge of emotion welling up from the pit of her stomach.
With tears pouring down her cheeks, she stood rocking and soothing the baby, knowing there was very little chance the child's mother had survived.
England, 1941
. After three nights of relentless bombing from German aircraft, trained nurse Jo Brooks is told to report to the basement theatre of Mill Road Hospital. She goes with a heavy heart, not wanting to leave behind her best friend Moira, who is desperately soothing new mothers on the maternity ward. As Jo arrives safely underground,
the ward takes a direct hit
. Pulling herself from the rubble, Jo's first priority must be her patients... but she can't stop herself frantically searching for Moira. When Jo eventually finds her, buried beneath a foot of bricks and stone, Moira is barely clinging to life. Jo makes a solemn vow:
she will do whatever it takes to help the allies win the war, even if it means sacrificing her own safety
. The opportunity to make good on her promise comes sooner than she expects - nurses are badly needed to evacuate wounded allies across enemy lines. It will be dangerous, heartbreaking work and her life will be at risk every moment,
but Jo knows that the moment has come to prove herself at last
...
A powerfully emotional wartime novel about friendship and love in the most terrible of circumstances.
Perfect for fans of Diney Costeloe, Jean Grainger and Soraya M. Lane.
What readers are saying about Kate Eastham:
'
If I could give it 10 stars I would
, as in my honest opinion this is one of the best historical fiction books I have read in a long time...
a book I know I will not forget
.' Goodreads reviewer,
5 stars
'Every now and again you just need a darn good heart-warming and dramatic romantic saga to lose yourself in and
this ticks ALL the boxes
. It is a lovely and very engaging read for women of all ages.' Goodreads reviewer,
'This is another historical novel that
I loved from the very first pages!
I loved it, and there's really not much more to add. I read it eagerly and easily... definitely more
uplifting
than the usual 'happily-ever-after' that might have been expected.' Goodreads reviewer,
'A beautifully written story with very strong characters... I won't spoil the book for others
well worth 5 stars
'This was a lovely read, from start to finish... It was, as expected,
full of emotion from the beginning
... a powerful, moving tale.' Goodreads reviewer,