I loved this book!!
I really don't have the adequate words to say how much I adored An Angel Work, as soon as I saw the cover I had to read it, it was right up my street and I just needed to get my hands on this book (yes I am shallow and will only pick up books with pretty covers) and my gawd, this is good!!
Heartbreaking, emotional, heartwrenching, I was a sobbing mess by the end, but I would become a watering can again for this book!
This is the first book I've read by Kate Eastham ( where have I been all this time???) I really need to stock up on more of this author's books, I love her writing, it's full of rich detail, passion, love, heartbreak, history, and gorgeously relatable and believable characters I am completely won over!
I don't think I can do this book justice with my waffle, just read it and see for yourself how great it is!!

Well done WWII fiction about two women- Jo and Mac - who serve as nurses. This is emotional and tugs at the heart with themes of friendship, devotion, and commitment. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. A good read.

This novel was my first introduction to this author. I highly enjoyed reading about nurses in WW2. It is something I have always been interested in and fascinated by. Reading this, I was swept away to the timeline, and just felt a part of the story. The authors writing is excellent. I highly recommend this for any historical fiction lover.

This is a WWII Historical Fiction. I did enjoy this book. The characters where developed, and I loved being with the characters. My biggest problem with this book is parts of this book did not flow very well with the other parts. Some of the characters felt like a small book themselve, and they did not flow with the other character even though they had the same characters in them. I was kindly provided an e-copy of this book by the publisher (Bookouture) or author (Kate Eastham) via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review about how I feel about this book, and I want to send a big Thank you to them for that.

Josephine and Moira are nurses working in Liverpool during WWII. Feeling they could offer more, they volunteer to work in Europe, after D-Day. Both endure horrific and uplifting experiences, told well in this fine example of historical fiction.

Jo & Mac are great friends. They started their nursing training together & share a room in the nursing home at their Liverpool hospital. Jo is a homebody- happy to snuggle down & read whilt Mac prefers to be out on the town busy breaking hearts as she goes! The bombing raids in Liverpool are relentless & on a night out with Don mac has to rush back when the hospital is hit. After nearly losing her life she goes back to Jo's home to recuperate. Whilst there she decides to leave hospital nursing & to go into the Army, whilst Jo goes to an RAF hospital. Flash forward a few years & they are both serving in Europe in their different ways. Will there be a happy ending for them?

I hadn't realised this was the same author as the 'Nightingale' series of books which I've read & enjoyed. This was a well researched read with good characters that held the interest. Thanks to Netgalley & the publisher for letting me read & review this book.

This was one book that definitely put me through an emotional wringer. Any from this genre and time frame certainly will. But the view from a nurse amongst the bombings, trying to keep herself and her best friend safe, not to mention all the children and mothers. Jo’s story is beyond anything I have read before.

I voluntarily reviewed a copy of this book provided by NetGalley.

An Angel's Work is a standalone novel by Kate Eastham.

Set during the war and following the lives of two best friends and nurses this book is a highly emotional one that if you are anything like me will have you in tears. I think, for me, books set during the war will always make me emotional purely because despite being fictional characters, real people did have similar stories. Real families lost loved ones.

Josephine Brooks and Moira MacDonald work in a hospital in Liverpool. Whenever there is an air raid they drop what they are doing and rush to their places in the hospital ready to look after the incoming wounded and to help the patients already there head for cover. Mac (Moira) spends a lot of her shifts on the Maternity ward, and Jo is either in Casualty or in the theatres. At one point sadly the hospital is hit by bombs and that totally changes the lives of the two best friends. Neither of them is content with just being a civilian nurse anymore. Mac signs up to be an army nurse, working close to the front, and Jo signs up to be an air ambulance nurse who transports patients from abroad back home to England.

Apart from the harrowing scenes taking place in the story, there were also some romantic moments which were lovely to read, and also some lighthearted moments that will bring a smile to your face. What I really liked about the book is that it portrayed the spirit of the people during the war, the good old British stiff upper lip. The keep calm and carry on attitude of the people.

This book is very well written and the author is knowledgeable about the nursing aspect of it to make those scenes believable and so very emotional. All in all, this is a wonderful book which I am more than happy to recommend.

A very enjoyable book!
I think this would be a great winters read, take your mind off the winter season and enjoy this lockdown fest of reading.

The characters were fascinating enough to make you want to read on, which is refreshing because lately a lot of dull stuff is being published

I have been a fan of this author since reading her first book about nurses during the Crimean war and this didn't disappoint. I'm also a huge fan of books that show women working and serving in wartime so this is a double win for me.
It is the story of 2 nurses Jo and Mac who are nurses and friends in Liverpool and then join the services to support the war effort Along the way there is heartache and romance and I could have read so much more about Mac's time nursing just behind the front line
The descriptions of the bomb raids on Liverpool were so wonderfully descriptive that I felt I was there and the authors research is superb. We then move to France and Belgium and the research describing g wounds to tank crews etc. is again superb
The scenes and descriptions of the D day beaches etc. were particularly poignant for me as my grandfather landed on D Day plus 1 so would have seen similar distressing sights.
A wonderful,emotive book

Once again, I was interested to find a historical fiction novel with a different point of view than others. This time, I learned about what it was like to be a nurse during WWII. Right off the bat, it was apparent that the author knew the subject matter.
The details of the main characters’ scenes in hospital and the various wards were plentiful. In some ways, they were the most interesting parts to me. The rest of the story was good, but I really felt the author’s voice coming through most clearly in the nursing scenes.
I liked the two main characters. I thought Mac and Jo were individuals and their personalities were distinct. Where they ended up working fit them well.
While I understand that the author had to have a twist for the plot, I’m not exactly sure how I feel about Mac’s injury and subsequent memory loss. It felt a little too contrived to me. But I liked how the women cared for and supported each other.
I did feel like there were also times where the author wasn’t sure where to go or what to have the characters doing. The story didn’t always feel linear, it sometimes wandered. That’s not a bad thing, but don’t expect a straight A to B plot.
Again, the scenes that were war- and/or nurse-centered were the strongest, and they’re ultimately what made me really enjoy this book. I like it when an author can imbue characters with realistic knowledge that makes them more human.

I loved this book. I've read loads of books similar to this, but in this one you felt everything they were going through, all the pain, all the emotions. You could literally feel how scared they must've been. I shall look out for other books by this author.

An Angel’s Work is a wonderful story set during World War Two and it is based on two nurses and their work during this horrendous time. This book was really well written and from the very beginning I was engrossed in this book. There were times I actually felt I was there with them and I could visualise the scenes in my mind as it was so descriptive. Highly recommend.

What a memorable story this is! The stories of world war II and the bravery that was displayed by so many is remarkable to me. The heroics of not only the soldiers but also all of the medical staff thay supported the military is so often overlooked.

I thoroughly enjoyed taking flight with Mac and Jo and the soldiers that they tended along the way.

Thanks so much to netgalley and the publisher for the copy of the book. The opinions expressed are my own.

Donna Douglas and Nadine Dorries fans will be completely enthralled by Kate Eastham’s enjoyable new World War Two saga, An Angel’s Work.

It’s 1941 and the Germans’ attack on Britain is relentless. After three nights of constant bombing from German aircraft, trained nurse Jo Brooks is instructed to report to the basement theatre of Mill Road Hospital. Jo is reluctant to leave and sets off with a very heavy heart as she does not want to abandon her friend Moira who has stayed behind soothing worried mothers on the maternity ward. Jo hopes against hope that the bombing has ceased once and for all as her poor patients certainly do not need to be confronted with even more bombing and terror. But no sooner has she set foot in the underground theatre that another bomb hits.

Jo is besides herself with worry. Her first priority is her patients, but when she cannot find Moira, she is absolutely frantic. When she does finally find her, Moira is clinging on to life with a gossamer thread. Seeing her friend fighting for breath lights a fire deep within Jo who makes a solemn vow to do whatever it takes to defeat the enemy and to ensure that no more lives are lost needlessly during this horrible and unnecessary war. With nurses needed more than ever, Jo finds herself plunged deep into danger and jeopardy when she decides to help the war effort by going behind enemy lines and bringing to safety evacuated wounded allies. The work will be tough, dangerous and terrifying, but Jo refuses to be cowed or to let the enemy claim more lives. So much has been lost already and Jo simply cannot fathom the thought of more destruction being wreaked by this ruthless adversary who has upended and devastated all of their lives.

As Jo risks life and limb for her country, her daily efforts bring the country one step closer to victory and freedom. But the road is long, hard and challenging and with no end in sight, will Jo end up paying the harshest prize for her sacrifice? Or will she end up finding everything that she has been searching for for so long?

Kate Eastham has penned a vividly rendered a beautifully drawn saga of courage, sacrifice, friendship and love that cannot fail to bring a tear to the eye. An Angel’s Work is an atmospheric, emotional and heart-stopping tale that tells the story of a brave, intelligent, flawed and selfless heroine readers will take to their hearts and root for.

Kate Eastham’s An Angel’s Work is a compelling World War Two saga sure to satisfy devotees of the genre.

A fab read of nursing life during WW2. This story does not pull any punches with truly gritty descriptions of nursing life on the Home Front during the blitz, as well as experiences of following the troops through France after the Normandy landings. The author has researched the period well and this is evident throughout the book. This is the story of two young nurses and their wartime experiences, their lives and loves. A well written and highly engaging story.

Book Description:

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.

BLOG TOUR REVIEW

Review for 'An Angel's Work' by Kate Eastham.

Read and reviewed via NetGalley for Bookouture publishers and Bookouture anonymous

Publication date 21st October 2020

This is the first book that I have read by this author.

I was originally drawn to this book by its beautiful and colourful cover and intriguing sounding blurb. I also wanted to read something other than my usual genre of crime fiction and this book fitted the bill perfectly. I must admit I was also biased due to the publisher being Bookouture. I have yet to read a book published by Bookouture that I haven't enjoyed. Hopefully this won't be the first... Watch this space! (Written before I started reading the book).

This novel consists of a prologue and 25 chapters. The chapters are medium in length so possible to read 'just one more chapter' before bed...OK, I know yeah right, but still just in case!

This book is set in England 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 UK 🇬🇧. I always seem to get on with books that are set in the UK better as I am from Wales and have sometimes visited places mentioned in the book.

This book is written in third person perspective and the main protagonists are Jo, Mac, Don, amongst a few others. The positives of books written in third person perspective is that you get to see more of what is going on and what other characters are doing and feeling, building a bigger picture overall.

This book is beautifully written from start to finish with descriptions and events that really impact the reader. The settings were perfect for the storyline and I felt as if I was going through everything with the characters. It also shows that the author has obviously done her research so a big congratulations on that as it is really irritating when I read historical novels to find the author has done no research and there's so many obvious errors throughout.

The storyline itself is very powerful and will stay with me for a long time. I also believe it will make a beautiful film. I love the fact that although it is set in darker time that's there's many moments of light hearted humour which lifts the atmosphere on occasions while keeping in mind the seriousness of the situation. I love that this book highlights the importance of women's roles during the war as these can be easily forgotten. This book was a true eye opener to some of the horrific things that would have happened during the war. I held my breathe on several occasions with the many close encounters of several kinds and red herrings which u kept falling for time and again all the way up to the end so well done on that trickery Kate Eastham!!

All the characters were portrayed perfectly. I love that there are many strong female role models, mainly that of Mac and Jo who have a fantastic relationship which I loved watching grow and bond deeper. Macs character made me laugh on several occasions with her great and huge personality along with her no nonsense attitude. Along with Jo I really enjoyed that they both were very strong, independent and dedicated role models.

Overall a powerful, emotional and heart wrenching beautiful novel about friendship, dedication and love during the war.

Genres covered in this novel include Historical Fiction among others.

I would recommend this book to the fans of the above as well as World War II historical Fiction lovers or anyone looking for an aspiring book to read.

279 pages.

This book is 99p to purchase on kindle via Amazon or free on kindle unlimited which I think is an absolute bargain for this book!!!

Rated 5/5 (I LOVED it ) on Goodreads, Instagram, Amazon UK and Amazon US and on over 30 Facebook pages plus my blog on Facebook.

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Author Bio:

A change in circumstance meant Kate Eastham made the shift from a career in nursing to being a carer for her partner. Determined to make the most of this new role ‘working from home’ and inspired by an in-depth study of the origins of nursing, she wrote her first novel at the kitchen table. Miss Nightingale’s Nurses was published by Penguin in 2018, closely followed by three more in the series. With her passion for history, Kate aims to make visible the lives of ordinary yet extraordinary women from the past. Her current historical fiction is set during the World Wars and will be published by Bookouture.

https://twitter.com/eastham_kate

Buy Links:
https://bit.ly/2FtbZFc

‘Unputdownable’, they said.

Check!

‘Heartbreaking’, they said.

Check!

*smiles wryly*

You know where I’m going with this, don’t you?

*nods*

I was a flipping wreck reading this book! So much so, when I went to give my mum aka The Mommy (I’ll share the origin story of this nickname one day) a full story debrief at the end she told me to come back when she could understand me. The cheek! *harrumphs*

Okay, so maybe I was a tad emotional with weepy puffy eyes and an abundance of snot (too much?!) but I’m sure I was making complete sense... *whistles*

Rather than subject you to more of my word vomit (I’m firing on all cylinders today *winks*), if you love stories about WWII filled with love, family, friendship, bravery and sacrifice then I have two words for you – READ. IT!!

Jo and Mac are polar opposites personality wise but these two are more than besties. They have experienced sights and sounds we can’t even begin to imagine and have cemented a bond which can never be broken! *wails* I’m going to start crying again. (Get a grip, Laura!)

I’ve never read Kate Eastham before, and W-O-W, does she bring this era vividly alive to her readers with her words. I literally felt like I could hear the bombs dropping, the gunfire, *wrinkles nose* smell things I’d rather not and was there shoulder to shoulder with the girls as they faced the best and worst that humanity has to offer.

I kept thinking about my grandparents whilst reading this book. Especially my Papa Cook who was only 19 at the outbreak of the war. I just can’t wrap my head around setting off to fight at such a young age, but yet he did. And where would we have been if these men and women hadn’t made a stand?!

Also, I saw a little of my papa in Don. He always had a bit of twinkle in his eye, lol.

Right, I have bored you all long enough. I’ll just say this as it bears repeating – READ. IT!

An Angel’s Work by Kate Eastham gives us a look at the life of nurses during World War II. The point-of-view switches between Josephine “Jo” Brooks and Moira “Mac” MacDonald as well as Don (a love interest for Mac) and sometimes Don’s American friend, Zach. The story contains good writing, and the story moves along at a gentle pace. In the beginning, I felt like I was missing pertinent details regarding our main character. I went online to see if there was a prior book or a prequel that I had missed (there is not). As the story progresses, we get more details on our main characters. I wish the author had taken the time to fully flesh out our ladies as well as give a better introduction to Jo and Mac. The author shows us what nurses endured during the war. It is very realistic and gritty. The descriptions are detailed (make sure you can handle the blood). Some of the scenes are just heartbreaking especially when Jo is in the bombed out hospital. I did feel that the story was a little choppy. Some sections flowed into others and sometimes it did not. I did enjoy the nurses’ interactions with the patients. We can see how dedicated they are to them and their jobs. The nurses had to be strong so they could endure what they saw and handled on a daily basis. These women put their lives on the line to help others. There is some foul language in the book as well as intimate situations. An Angel’s Work will appeal to those who enjoy historical fiction especially stories set during World War II. An Angel’s Work sweeps a reader back in time where bombs are falling, food is rationed, the work is hard, yet they hold out hope the end will come soon.

An Angels Work by Kate Eastham is a historical fiction novel set in World War Two. It follows two nurses who begin working in a hospital in 1941. Jo and Mac are both working the same hospital when the hospital takes a direct hit in the bombing. Both women are involved in the incident and Mac (Moira MacDonald) is injured. They decide to go to recuperate at Jo's parents farm.
After D-Day they both make the decision to sign up and Jo is a flying nightingale (air ambulance nurse). Mac works as an army nurse in a field hospital, she discovers this is brutal and hard work. They are constantly on the move and they see the most horrific injuries. She is also in danger everyday, being right on the front line.
For me this story really highlights the work done by the women in the war effort, be it frontline nursing, land girls, every woman played a part to help their country in one eay or another, this story makes me proud of our women.Kate Eastham has created a story that touched me. I was emotionally with these two women out there, either in the air ambulance with Jo or in the hospital with Mac almost had me almost in tears.
Both characters are really well developed and I definitely felt a connection with them, they were so well fleshed out. We see their ups and downs throughout this story, along with the romance and sadness.
A fabulous story that engaged me so much I was as relieved as them when the cry of "The War is over!" was announced.It is a very real story and is told in a fantastic way to entertain and maybe even educate. A book that I won't forget in a hurry, most definitely.
Thanks to Bookouture and NetGalley for the book to write this review.