book review: "nightingale" by susan may warren

It’s World War II and Esther Lange is a nurse at Roosevelt Mercy Hospital. Her fiancé is a soldier and she anxiously awaits his return so they can finally be married. Esther is slightly reluctant though because she doesn’t love Linus. He proposed after finding out she was pregnant, telling her to go to his parents when hers kicked her out after hearing her news. So while Esther wants him safely home, she’s also torn at entering into a loveless marriage. Right before the war is officially declared as being over, Esther receives a letter from a man named Peter Hess. He met Linus while on the battlefield and Linus asked him to mail a letter to Esther for him. The letter begins: “If you are reading this, then I have not kept my promise and your hopes for my safe return are not to be.” He apologizes for her “wasted her wedding night” on him while he loved someone else. He says he feels no attachment for their daughter and essentially frees her from any obligations she felt towards his family, giving her the opportunity to move on. She begins corresponding with Peter, finding a sense of comfort in someone not knowing of her mistakes. It’s when she toys with the idea of visiting him that she begins to question herself. She’s yet to tell Linus’ family that he’s dead and she’s forming a friendship with another man. Things are further complicated when Linus returns from the war…

I liked this book. I’ve read other books by Susan and while this was completely different than those – both in style and it being historical. I read it in my typical two days (the norm if a book is able to pull me in and I have to constantly keep reading to see what happens next). Warren threw in several unexpected twists yet it all came together in the final pages. There were times when I felt lost in the storyline, not really sure what was happening but it didn’t take away from my overall enjoyment of the book.

I received this book free from Litfuse Publicity Group and was not required to write a positive review. You can read more reviews on the book here.

The Letters From Home Giveaway!

Enter the Contest: Nightingale is about letters, the power of written correspondence to convey thoughts and emotions to those far away. And sometimes near. Letters are forever, they are something we savor and pull out to read again and again. They are often cherished and kept in a special place.

To celebrate the release of Nightingale, Susan would like you to write a letter. One grand prize winner will receive a Flip HD Camcorder.5 runner's up winners will win a signed copy of Nightingale. There are two ways to enter the contest by writing letters. 1. Write a letter to a soldier. At the end of the contest we’ll print out and mail your letter for you. 2. Write a letter to a friend, loved one, family member, enemy. Tell them something you wished you’d told them before. Tell them you love them, or maybe how they touched your life. Perhaps an apology is in order or a thank you. Or perhaps you'd like to relate a funny tale or just share life. Whatever it is, submit it here along with your email address and we’ll send it for you. Enter here or at the SHARE page on the Brothers in Arms website.