Una is a thief. She only cares about herself, and has to in order to survive. Absolutely loved watching Una grow as a character. Can’t say enough about the amazing writing and character development. Every part of this story felt so realistic.

I was on the edge of my seat from the second Una set foot in her interview to the very last page. There is so much going on in this story! Una trying to fake her way through nursing school to hide from the cops, the treatments patients were put through at that time (LEECHES 😳), new developments such as blood transfusions, romance, friendship, and of course MURDERS.

Perfect reading by narrator, Vanessa Johansson 👏

It’s been a hot minute since I’ve given out a five star review, but wow this one impressed me! I try to be stingy with those 5 ⭐️, but I just keep thinking about this one and left with just a bit of a hangover. Also, pre-ordered a copy of this to give as a gift for family member!

Una's story was quite enjoyable as you watch her try to blend in with her surroundings, while also trying to maintain her code of no friends, no love interests, just stay in the shadows and get by.

This story was really enlightening of what it must have been like in poverish 1880s versus a different class. Little things that we feel are trivial today, were a big deal back then. It created an appreciation for how far we have come and how much medicine and engineering has improved. I always find it fascinating trying to imagine what life would have been like back then.

This was a wonderful story, especially for those who are interesting in the background history of nursing, the experience of a school based on Florence Nightingale's nursing principles, and how it has advanced in the last 140 years. Whether the details are accurate, I am not certain but it gives a good perspective. Where the thought of even washing your hands was questionable!

I enjoyed the story! It was a bit slow moving for me. I liked the romance and the mystery to the story.

Thank you, Partner @bibliolifestyle @kensingtonbooks for my ARC and RB Media for my ALC of The Nurse's Secret! I love a good historical fiction read, and this one kept me guessing!

Pub date: 6/28/22 - out now!
In one sentence: As a young female grifter in 1880s New York evades the police by conning her way into Bellevue Hospital’s training school for nurses, the US' first nursing school.

I love when historical fiction tells stories of strong and unique women - Una fit that bill perfectly. She's a thief lacking other options, but when she's accused of murder, she decides that hiding out at nursing school is the perfect escape. While there, she stumbles on another crime and works to find the culprit, adding some nice mystery to the story. I also loved her friendship with fellow trainee Dru - Una helped Dru get over her fear of blood, while Dru helped Una learn anatomy. And of course there's a little romance too.

If you enjoyed Skenandore's previous book, The Second Life of Mirielle West, you're already familiar with her use of medical history as the source for a great story, and you'll love this book too. If not, but you like historical fiction, you should definitely give her work a read! Both text and audio are great ways to experience the book!

This is a thoroughly enjoyable tale Set on the turn of the 20th century in the less salubrious areas of New York City. The protagonist Oona Is a little morally ambiguous to say the least and all the more interesting for it! The story opens with Una living as a thief on the main streets of Hells kitchen. The title is perhaps a little misleading because there are no actual nurses until somewhat later! The cast of characters is engaging and generally well painted. Although I would have liked to have seen Edwin fleshed out a little more, he occasionally dips into romantic hero stereotypes. The female characters on the other hand are more complex and nuanced. This story is great fun! The descriptions of early 20th century medical practice a gruesome enough to satisfy the most Gothic of tastes But there is a streak of real humanity that runs deep within it. This would be a great summer read I can imagine it Would be ideal reading for a hammock or by the pool if you are lucky enough to get away for the summer and want something a little more Interesting than this year’s Doorstep bonkbuster!

The Nurse's Secret
By: Amanda Skenandore
Narrator: Vanessa Johansson
HighBridge Audio
Pub Date: June 28, 2022
General Fiction (Adult), Historical Fiction, Women's Fiction

Amanda Skenandore is an author and infection prevention nurse who writes riveting historical fiction. Her new book, The Nurse's Secret, is set in the 1880s and moves from New York slums to Bellevue Hospital's training school for nurses, America's first nursing school. Una Kelly, the unforgettable main character, takes us on a nail-biting journey from her life as a
pick-pocket to training and work at Bellevue nursing school.

If you love audiobooks like I do, and the genre of historical fiction, this book is for you. Narrator Vanessa Johansson adds so much depth to the experience of savoring this book through her emotional and spot-on vocal performance. Every word she speaks transports the listener deep in the atmosphere and events of the book.

This story is original, suspenseful, and enlightening of this time period and place through its well-paced plot. It's so well written and researched, just like the first book I read by Skenandore last year. I strongly suggest adding it to your audiobook list and seeking out other works, print or audiobooks, by this talented and smart writer. I'll also be listening to more by Johansson!

Thank you to Net Galley and HighBridge Audio for the advance audiobook copy. I am sharing my unbiased review.
#TheNursesSecret #NetGalley #HighbridgeAudio #AmandaSkenendore #VanessaJohansson
#audiobooks

This is a fun, easy read, perfect for summer at the beach, or winter in a cozy cabin. A little historical fiction, a little romance, a little mystery, and a little women’s empowerment mixed with girl-power friendships, combine for an enjoyable plot and a little bit of education makes for an enjoyable and interesting diversion.
I didn’t know much about the history of nursing in the US, nor much about Florence Nightingale and found all of it very interesting.
Would it be appropriate for my students? Maybe. I think some high school students would like it, but there are some graphic descriptions of injuries and surgeries that might turn them off. Also a bit of talk regarding the less pleasant sides of society but no real profanity and sexual content is more alluded to than explicitly discussed.
The voice narrator did a good job of keeping the tone appropriate and the story moving along. Her accents for some of the immigrants stayed just this side of stereotypes - but barely.
All-in-all, and enjoyable foray into a part of history that I haven’t really explored before with all the right ingredients to keep it lively and engaging.
Thank you to NetGalley and HighBridge Audio for the ALC in exchange for my honest opinions.

Thank you to the publishers, author and NetGalley for the free copy of this audio book.

This was a fun one to listen to. The main character was a little annoying at the beginning but redeemed herself, and I enjoyed the twists that came. The narrator was perfect for this.

thank you to net galley and high bridge audio for the early listen. I was luke warm while listening to this book in the beginning. Una at fires was getting on my nerves and really hoped she would redeem herself. She did in the end but the ending fell a little flat for me. felt like it needed just a little bit more. But all in all it was a decent listen so I give it ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ and a half. The narrator did a fabulous job narrating.

I love a good mystery and this book does not disappoint! The main character, Una, is quite colorful! She gets into a lot of scrapes, and at first I was not sure I was going to like her! But when she decides to hide from the police by lying her way into nursing school, she learns a few lessons; and I warmed up to her! Una turns out to be likable, intelligent, and resourceful. However, her past soon follows her!

The storyline is intriguing. It starts with a murder, and incorporates more murders, charity, mercy, love, friendship, danger, and uncertainty. And, I didn’t guess the conclusion! Really, this is just a great story!

My sincere thanks to @amandaskenandore and @suzyapprovedbooktours for my advanced copy of the book; my thoughts are my own!

Thank you to NetGalley and to HighBridge Audio for the audio version of this book. I enjoyed this book. It follows a woman who has fallen on hard times and steals to get by daily. She finds herself being framed for a murder she did not commit. She escapes from jail. So she needs to come up with a way to avoid going to prison for this crime she didtn commit. She did however see who did commit the murder- however it was dark so she only has a shadow and scent to go off of. She decides to lie to get into a new nursing school program. She gets in and things are going well for her until they are not. She seems to have small petty stuff follow her. then mysterious deaths start to happen at the hopsital she is assigned to. She has a feeling these are all connected to the same person whome she is being blamed for murdering. after some investigating she finally figures out who is responsible for the murders. All the while she is falling in love with a doctor.
This was a fantastic book!!

I enjoyed a lot of things about this story. The growth of the main protagonist as her life takes unexpected turns and the deep dive into the old practices in the medical field were particularly thoughtful.
The mystery was a nice touch, and even though I knew who it was quite early on, I still enjoyed the journey.

Thank you Netgalley and RB Media for the alc in exchange for an hones review.

This one was archived prior to the pub date. I was not able to listen. I attempted to listen june 22/22.

An awesome epic story, doesn't everyone deserve their happily ever after?!

Wasn't sure about this one for the first few minutes of listening and then BOOM!...I was gripped!
It's a full on story of dark 1880's life and one woman's trawl from the depth's of the slums to a good, happy life, with an incredible amount of historic reference and detail included.

Loved it hard, definitely going to listen to more books by this author.

I want to thank the author, NetGalley and HighBridge Audio
for providing me the opportunity to read this new book for my honest review.

I really enjoyed The Nurse's Secret! I think the author did a great job fleshing out the characters, showing their backgrounds and providing reasons for their actions. I enjoy reading about this era and I believe Skenandore wrote it well. I listened to the audio book and thought the narration was great. The narrator did the accents well and the pacing was good. I will definitely look for more by this author!

My thanks to Net Galley and Bellevue Audio for this arc to listen to.

Una is a pickpocket, their and a grifter that is in the wrong place at the wrong time and is accused of a murder she didn't commit and goes on the run from the law. What does she do? Apply to a nursing program and hides out there while trying to lure the killer out

Decent Cozy Historic Fiction with a mystery. Good Historic content but I wasn't wowed. Story dragged and everything ran together for me. Just an ok listen.

Argh. I was totally invested in this story, I will not spoil. The plot/twist amused me. I had the audiobook and stopped puzzling so I could focus like the action was happening in front of me. Again, I liked the plot.

Unfortunately, this happens in so many books, between half and three-quarters the book becomes tired. It rambles and sounds like blah blah blah. At three-quarters, I'm bored, tired, and disappointed; did two people write this? What am I missing? The ending was okay. I was surprised the author took the route she did. (No spoiling.).

I really had high hopes from the beginning. I will keep my eye out for other works by the author.

I liked the narrator.

Thank you NetGalley and HighBridge Audio for accepting my request to read and review The Nurse's Secret.

The Nurse’s Secret by Amanda Skenandore was an engrossing and captivating historical fiction novel that centered around America’s first training school for nurses. Bellevue Hospital was the home for the first nursing candidates of good intellect, cultivated discipline and good upbringing to be trained as upstanding and well trained nurses. The Nurse’s secret took place in New York City during the 1880’s. The characters and setting were vividly drawn and imagined. It was fast paced and held my attention throughout. The Nurse’s Secret was cleverly plotted as well.

Life for Una Kelly was difficult at best. Her mother had tragically died when Una was younger. She was left to live with her alcoholic father who later became addicted to opium. Una had to grow up fast and learn to fend for herself. She learned the art of becoming a pickpocket. This was how she survived. She lived in a rundown tenement that she shared with other girls similar to herself. One day, Una was meeting someone and she was just in the wrong place at the wrong time. She and another con woman friend stumbled upon a murdered victim in a back alley. It was the person Una was meant to meet. The police were all over it before Una could take off and run. The police charged Una with the murder and she was carted away to jail. Una knew that she had to find a way to escape. She could not be imprisoned. It was then that Una saw an article about Bellevue’s nursing school. Una got a reporter friend of hers to falsify documents and references for her so she could request an interview at the Nursing School. What a perfect hiding place! No one would suspect that she was hiding there. Una managed to escape from police custody and conned her way into the program. Little did Una realize at the time but this admission would change and shape the rest of her life.

While Una immersed herself into the nursing training program, her roommate Dru, a chatty and goodie goodie woman, was slowly becoming a very important person in Una’s life. There was also one particular young doctor who inched his way into Una’s life. One day, after Una had been training at Bellevue for a while, an old acquaintance was brought in by ambulance. When Una went to check on her, she discovered that this acquaintance had died. Una had a hard time accepting that information and requested to see her body. After seeing her acquaintance’s corpse, Una believed strongly that she had been murdered. Who could have gotten into the hospital to accomplish this feat? Una became obsessed with finding the killer. Could it be someone who was employed by the hospital? Una believed that this acquaintance was murdered in the same way as others in the city had been. She was determined to catch the killer.

This was Amanda Skenandore’s second novel but the first one that I had the privilege of reading. The characters were believable and the settings authentic. Having a daughter in the nursing profession, I found it fascinating to read about how nursing schools first developed. The Nurse’s Secret was about friendships, looking out for one’s self, choices, life, opportunities.and how circumstances can alter one’s life. I really enjoyed listening to the audiobook that was performed very well by Vanessa Johansson. I highly recommend this audiobook.

Thank you to Highbridge Audio for allowing me the opportunity to listen to the ARC of the audiobook of The Nurse’s Secret in exchange for an honest review. All opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. Publication is set for June 28, 2022.

Una Kelly lives in a New York tenement building in Mulberry Street and she shares a flat with three other women. Una is a grifter or a pickpocket and scammer, she works for Marm Blei and she provides her with some protection. Two murders have been committed, Una’s in the wrong place at the wrong time, when she stumbles across the third victim and now she’s on the run from the police. Una needs to go into hiding, she applies to be a nurse at Bellevue Training School for Nurses and be a member of it's first class. Based on Florence Nightingale’s nursing principles, they only accept single women, with good breeding and morale character, with some fast talking and false documents Una manages to secure a place. This was a gritty story. You'll read about vomit, unsanitary conditions and filth. It is hard to imagine comparing hospitals with today and what nurses had to contend with in the 19th century. The who-dun-it aspect wasn't as interesting to me as the rest of the story. The historical aspect of Bellevue and nursing practices is definitely cringe worthy but fascinating. It is interesting the nurse's perspective and how things have changed.

The Nurse’s Secret ARC thanks to NetGalley and HarperCollins UK, One More Chapter and Edelweiss and Kensington Publishing Group

This was mediocre. Some of the historical setting was interesting, but the plot was fairly predictable.


Review copy provided by publisher.