While a work of fiction, this book is based on the real story of Elisabeth Eidenbenz, a Swiss national who went to Spain during the Spanish Civil War to aid orphans, and when the Republic was defeated, moved into France and opened a maternity hospital, ostensibly to care for Spanish women who were now refugees and lived in horrendous conditions in refugee camps, and evolved into much more during WWII. The book opens with the granddaughter of Isabel cleaning out her grandmother’s room in a retirement home following her death. While Isabel never talked to those close to her about her experiences during the Civil War or WWII (which our family has experienced in the real world!), one of her fellow patients relates a fascinating story of love, sacrifice, horror, and so many other emotions. Isabel married Peter (an American) in Spain, Peter having gone to serve to save the Republic. When it becomes clear that Franco will win, Peter, Isabel and many others flee across the Pyrenees to France, where they encounter many more hardships. Peter and Isabel get separated during the flight and will only see each other on rare occasion during the ensuing war. Eventually, Isabel will meet up with Elisabeth, and they will become very close in their work to open the hospital and serve way too many women and children needing their help.

I requested the ARC of this novel because it dealt with a subject that I had limited knowledge of - the Spanish Civil War - as well as the author whose historical novels have generally been pretty good. This book accomplished the first but fell a little short on the second. Although told from the viewpoints of a few characters - Elisabeth, Isabel, and Peter - there were a lot of supporting characters to keep track of. The writing was choppy at times, and a word kept popping into my head as I read - melodramatic. While the horrors of both the Spanish Civil War and World War II are well documented and real, I frequently felt that Escobar was not relating history but relating stories of individuals in a somewhat disjointed way, although the last part of the book was definitely better, especially in dealing with the hardships of life in refugee camps and with the Vichy French government, and the occupation by Nazi Germany. While not the best of Escobar or historical fiction, it was worth my time and I thank Harper Collins and NetGalley for the ARC of this book.

I learn so much from reading Mario Escobar's books, especially about the history of Spain. The Swiss Nurse begins during a civil war in Spain in the late 1930s and continues into Germany's occupation of France and the United States entering World War II. Hundreds of thousands of Spanish refugees fled into southern France during the civil war creating a severe humanitarian crisis. Elisabeth Eidenbenz, a Swiss teacher, along with members of the Association to Aid Children in War worked diligently to aid as many orphaned children as possible. Elisabeth soon recognized that there was also a great need to assist pregnant women and newborn babies. Her persistence in seeking permission and funding led to Elisabeth's opening the Elne maternity hospital. The Swiss Nurse is the story of Elisabeth Eidenbenz and a couple who benefited from her care and compassion. While Elisabeth is a real character, the couple is fictional.

I really enjoyed reading The Swiss Nurse, but was keenly aware of my emotional response to the story based on the author's writing style employed in crafting this book. While I felt moved and empathetic to the characters' plight, I also felt somewhat removed. It was like the difference between speaking with someone who was involved in a situation vs only hearing about it on the nightly news. While this is not my typical response to war time historical fiction, it did not diminish my enjoyment in reading the story, nor does it make me the least bit hesitant in recommending it to other historical fiction fans. I am grateful to have received a complimentary copy of The Swiss Nurse from Harper Muse via NetGalley without obligation. All opinions expressed here are my own.

A few weeks ago, I went to Goodreads to leave a review on a book I had just read, and noticed, in a list of books that “readers also like,” The Swiss Nurse. Something about the cover caught my attention, so I did a little looking and soon decided that it was one I wanted to read—and found a copy available! I won’t say I enjoyed it, because so much of the story was awful, being a war story. However, I found it worthwhile and very well written.
It was 1939, and the Spanish Civil War was raging. Elisabeth Eidenbenz had come to Spain from her native Switzerland two years before and done all she could to relieve suffering in the war-torn country—but now, with Franco’s troops coming ever closer, she had to flee, taking everyone with her that she could. On arriving in France, she tried to continue her work with the refugees, soon realizing that what she most needed to do was to set up a home for the pregnant women and new mothers, so they would have a safe place to give birth and recover. How could she accomplish this—and for how long, especially after Germany invaded Poland and then turned to overrun France?
Isabel, whose story is told in first-person, was working in Barcelona when the war reached her and she had to flee. Her husband Peter, an American who had joined the fight against Franco, did his best to reach her in time, but had to flee for France, himself. Both eventually reached the same refugee camp on the beach, which had little or no shelter for the thousands of people crammed into it. Once they eventually found each other, they were quickly separated again by the authorities. Would they ever reach safety?
What a story! I had heard of the Spanish Civil War in the late 1930s/early 1940s, but never knew much about it. Who would have thought that people from so many different countries joined in the fight there? I sure didn’t! The Swiss Nurse makes the horrors of that war and its effect on the people who had to flee the fighting come alive. In the midst of all the horror, however, there was still hope, still goodness. Elisabeth and those who worked with her shared love and care with all they could, and did everything possible to save lives. Even though this is not an overtly Christian book, still God’s love shines through. Read this book if you like to read books about World War II, but be sure to read my warnings first.
I received a review copy of this book from NetGalley, and these are my honest thoughts about it.
WARNING: Chapter 1: a mother is killed in bombing while feeding her baby, and two men fight with a knife. Chapter 2: damned war three times, people killed and dumped into a mass grave. Chapter 3: Goddam men, bus blown to bits by a missile. Chapter 4: mother bleeds to death over her baby, damn well, Catalan bitch, men killed while trying to kill another man. Chapter 5: damned brute. Chapter 6: damned Fascists. Chapter 8: gun aimed at Peter. Chapter 9: damned ideologies, gun against Peter’s neck. Chapter 12: man has to let friends die. Chapter 13: good God. Chapter 14: damned war. Chapter 15: Oh God. Chapter 16: married couple is intimate (one sentence). Chapter 17: woman is raped. Chapter 18: damn it all, baby is stillborn. Chapter 21: Good Lord. Chapter 41: Damned Nazis. There are likely many more instances of language and violence along these lines; I tend to skip over them while I read and forget to highlight them. What I have here should give you an idea of whether you want to read the book.

I tried really hard to connect with this book as I'm very interested in this aspect of the war but unfortunately could not do so. I struggled to engage with the characters and the pace of the story felt a bit off for me.
I unfortunately did stop reading at about the 30% mark which is extremely rare for me.
Regardless, thank you for the opportunity to read the book ahead of publication.

I learned much history from this book, that I had not known previously. However, it's very sad. It also has quite a bit of cursing in it, which I realize is probably how it actually was, but I personally don't really love to read books with a lot of that in them.
The story is from the point of view of 3 different people, and though it's title is The Swiss Nurse, I felt like the focus was more on Isabel and Peter than on the nurse.
The book is overall well-written, but I just couldn't love it.
Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the advance e-copy. All opinions expressed are entirely my own.

In the past I have enjoyed Mario’s books but this one took me a while to get into but once I was hooked, I couldn’t put it down. The cast of characters were easy to relate to and I enjoyed Elisabeth and Isabel’s stories. I did have to focus on the story much more than I have with Mario’s previous stories due to the rich storytelling and fast-pace storyline but I throughly enjoyed this book.

You have to be ready to read escobar's books, both emotionally and psychically. They are (in my opinion) very graphic and down to.the point. I liked that the book was based on a true person, and that it showed resicillience and glimmer of hope in a.dark.era. For me the book jumper to much in time. And it felt like heavy on the politic. But that is Just my opinion..
Thank you to netgalley for letting me read this e arc in exchange for an honest opinion

The Spanish Civil War doesn’t rank high on historical fiction lists.
It’s the focus of The Swiss Nurse and the refugee hospital established in France that was a catch all place for victims fleeing the madness of European politics.
It’s a fast moving story and one that will cause for pause numerous times in the astonishment of what people endured and how they kept going.

i rarely, very rarely, dnf, but i could not get into this book. i am a lover of historical fiction which made me very excited for this book, but i could not get past 25%.

the writing felt choppy, and i could not follow the characters. there was limited description of each character and i couldn't figure out who was who. the story felt inconsistent and i could not figure out the timeline. unfortunately, this book wasn't for me.

thank you net galley and harper muse for an advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review.

This was my first book by Mario Escobar and most certainly won't be my last. I loved how he wove the stories into each other. Such a harrowing tale of what happened over several of the countries before, during, and after world war II. Highly recommend.

Thank you NetGalley and HarperMuse for a complimentary copy of this book! Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. This novel is told from three different viewpoints and takes place during the Spanish Civil War. There is Peter, Isabel’s husband who is a US citizen and came to help in the fight. There’s Isabel, a Spanish refugee, and Elisabeth, the Swiss nurse who provides aid to women and children. This novel is mostly about Elisabeth Eidenbenz. Each of these people’s lives will intersect with Elizabeth’s. Throughout most of the story we see Isabel and Peter trying to find each other. They end up at the refugee camps close to each other at one point, but they keep getting torn apart. At one point, they do meet, Isabel is left pregnant. At the refugee camps in France, conditions aren’t good. Isabel finally gets the opportunity to go to the maternity hospital that Elisabeth started. Isabel gives birth, and remains there afterwards to help out.
There was quite a bit of carnage and rape scenes in this novel, so beware of triggers. I couldn’t seem to get as into this novel as I did Escobar’s other book, Remember Me. I have a few of his I have yet to read, so I’m still looking forward to the others! I felt that the relationship between Isabel and Elisabeth could have had more interaction between them. Overall, I still recommend this novel! Release date is April 18.

"The Swiss Nurse is the story of the Elne Maternity hospital and some of the women who found in that peaceful haven enough hope and strength to keep going." The little-known story of Elisabeth Eidenbenz, who saved young refugees during the Spanish Civil War and WWII through her French maternity clinic has come to life in The Swiss Nurse by Mario Escobar.

From the first line "I had always been aware of the fleeting nature of life" to the last line, Author Mario Escobar keeps me turning pages in this compelling story of a little known (to me) time in history and made it come alive. What horrors come with war. And yet small lights can shine deeply into the darkness.

With shades of history repeating itself in our times, the more things change, the more they stay the same. What ideological differences lead to war and hate, and hatred ruins hope. "Yet they were in the grip of the same spirit of the twentieth century that had poisoned half of Europe: damned ideologies that promised prosperity and a better future but that dragged humanity into a bottomless abyss." "That's the problem. In our world, ideology has infected everything. You're either for something or against it, and nobody cares about the truth." "By getting rid of God, we thought we were freeing ourselves from divine tyranny, but all we did was turn men into gods and our ideologies into the new religion......We destroyed moral values and erected the most atrocious relativism in their place.....The only new beginning is to lay a foundation for hope for a world that is truly fraternal and is ruled by love for others and respect for human life and dignity."

"What poets and intellectuals did not realize was that, by distancing humankind from the divine, they were severing themselves from the sanctity of what it means to be human."

"Right then she understood the Bible's words about how all who are weary and burdened should come to him. Sometimes people had to be at the end of their strength to understand the source of life's true strength."

For lovers of historical fiction, this is an important slice of life to know about, and the author deftly weaves a tale we won't soon forget.

Thank you to the publisher and net galley for allowing me to read an early copy. All opinions are my own.

I have read all of Mario Escobar’s previous books and have given them all 4 stars. Unfortunately I was not at all able to connect with The Swiss Nurse, which is based on a true story. It is based on the life of Elisabeth Eidenbenz, a Swiss Nurse, whose mission is to provide a safe haven for expectant mothers and their children during the Spanish Civil War through WWll.

The story was told through three different characters, Elisabeth a Swiss nurse, Peter an American and Isabel a Spanish refugee. Each chapter felt like short blurbs that didn’t seem to really go in depth about anything. The way the story was told made it feel like the characters did not really have any connection to each other. While I appreciated the history and research that went into this book I found myself skimming it and anxious to reach the end.

Thank you NetGalley and Harper Muse for an ARC of The Swiss Nurse by Mario Escobar in exchange for an honest review. I would have to say that this was a very disappointing read for me. That being said I have read all five of Escobar’s previous books and would highly recommend them.

This historical fiction about the Elne maternity hospital is based on true events and real people. It is mainly the story of Elizabeth Eibedbenz, a Swiss teacher, who helped orphan during the Spanish Civil War and after the defeat of the Republic, crossed the Pyrenees Mountains. In 1939 she opened a maternal hospital to care for Spanish republican women who were pregnant and force to give birth in terrible conditions at the refugee camps. It is also the story of Isabel Duenas who sought asylum in France with her husband Peter.

The author paints a picture of this time in history with a solid stroke of the brush. It is said in three different points of views alternating their voices in a soft tone and easy going pace. Although it is well said, I did find the narration to wander quite a bit, this dilly dally and turning in circle got on my nerves , I love things to move faster. I cannot define why I had trouble being even staying invested in the characters. Maybe Isabel and Peter overshadowed Elizabeth’s story too much and their stories was much more exciting to follow. I disagree with those saying the atrocities were vivid and there is too much of it. War is war you expect hardship to be there with all its definitions and Mr. Escobar does this with aplomb.

The Spanish Civil War and what happened to the millions of refugee that escaped is a part of history I am grateful to learn a little more each time. It is evident that Mr. Escobar love to share this with us.

I may not have enjoyed this novel at its fullest, nevertheless I think "The Swiss Nurse" is a must read.

This book was not what I expected. In some ways, it was far better. But in other ways, I was somewhat disappointed. The novel is well-researched, and Mr. Escobar writes in such a way that the reader understands the historical context and atmosphere of war. The story is engaging with a nice balance of action, suspense, and character development. I see two strengths in this book. One is how Emma (the title character) handles difficult moral challenges like caring for Nazis in her hospital. These difficult challenges cost Emma much in the emotional toll of doing her job. She’s strong and independent, full of compassion and empathy. A second strength is the author’s attention to detail which makes the various settings feel real. However, there are some drawbacks, I thought. Sometimes the pacing seems slow. I am often interrupted when I read, and I found it difficult to pick back up in the story after an interruption. Also, a lot of the medical stuff was probably too technical for most folks, perhaps. I have a background in medicine to some extent, and I struggled at times to understand. Some of the secondary and tertiary characters felt very one-dimensional. In spite of these drawbacks, I still think the novel is well worth the time to read for its level of historical accuracy and unique perspectives on moral dilemmas in war.

I received this ebook for free from NetGalley and the publisher. But my opinions are my own.

A fan of Mario Escobar, I was delighted to have the opportunity to read The Swiss Nurse. Given the title and the backdrop of the Spanish Civil War, I expected to read about the raw human tale of a Swiss nurse trying to help orphans and pregnant women who were refugees. And while that is true, the author weaves in the plight of Spanish refugees, an American who believes in democracy, and those who would take advantage of the plight of the unfortunate, While the impetus for the plot is the Spanish Civil War, the dawning of World War II rears its ugly head as well. All is tied together by the deft writing of Mr. Escobar. Well done. You won't be able to put it down.

The Swiss Nurse
By Mario Escobar

The Swiss Nurse is inspired by the true stories of two strong women, Isabel, a Spanish patriot, and refugee, and the swiss nurse, Elizabeth, who eventually opens a maternity hospital to help women refugees during the war. The story is set in the late 1930s following the end of the Spanish Civil War and then continues during WWII. Elizabeth's courage is powerfully written throughout the story as she fulfills her humanitarian calling to minister to mothers and children. The author also does a masterful job telling Isabel's love story, based on real-life accounts from his grandmother. Isabel gets swept into a journey she never expected, only wishing to reunite with her daring soldier husband, Peter, and begin their lives together. Without the help of Elizabeth, Isabel's story may never have been told.

This thoroughly researched historical fiction pays tribute to the lesser-known stories of women refugees and heroines during WWII. The author included his own personal reasons for writing this story in the prologue. Heartfelt, well-researched, and filled with courage, this is a story worth the time to read. I would recommend this book to teen girls and adult women, as well as anyone who is interested in WWII history.

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own.

Set during the Spanish Civil War, The Swiss Nurse is told from three perspectives and based on a true story which makes it all the more harrowing, intense and heart rending. Author Mario Escobar's multi-sensory writing tugged and gnawed at my heart and mind, engaging me the entire time. I usually did not like what I visualized but am so grateful to have experienced this powerful story.

Elizabeth left Switzerland for France and encountered horrors all along. Her goal was to provide medical care for pregnant women who were in dire situations during a tremendously horrible time in history. With very limited materials and medication she organized a maternity hospital and saved the lives of many women and their babies. Isabel was one such woman who had fled Spain and became a refugee. Her husband Peter was imprisoned in one terrible camp after another, enduring hardship after hardship. He and Isabel always wondered whether the other spouse was alive. Details of the camps are described with such care and rawness that is shattering but crucial to know about.

I felt such sorrow and sadness reading this. Though there are occasional glimmers of hope, pain and grief are engraved into the characters who faced constant despair, anguish and death. Conversely, people such as Elizabeth did all they possibly could to make life better with celebrations and moments of comfort. She stood firm and sheltered her patients at all costs. The births of the babies were not easy, especially when the mothers were weak and severely undernourished. How refreshing it is to be reminded of those who did what they could to give hope where there was none.

My sincere thank you to Harper Muse and NetGalley for providing me with an early digital copy of this emotive and achingly beautiful book.

I am a fan of the author and was so excited to get my hands on his newest book. Unfortunately, this one fell flat for me. This was missing an emotional piece that allowed me to get invested in the characters. The characters felt so flat and the writing almost clinical. I just needed.... more. More heart. More hope. More attachment.

I really wanted to enjoy this book because it sounded so intriguing. Nursing? WW2? High stakes? That stunning cover?! Yes, please! Unfortunately, I felt rather disappointed & a bit overwhelmed.

This book was an insight into an event I knew little about—the Spanish Civil War (1936-39). As a history lover, I greatly appreciated how well-researched & informed the story was. Beforehand, I had no clue of the war’s effects on & proximity to WW2 & all the chaos it unleashed in Europe. Some unfamiliar eras you can read about and still understand… but with this one, there was so much information presented (often in large chunks of dialogue) that it was hard to take in at times. And the politics… I still don’t fully understand them.

Character wise, I was super excited for a story about a nurse, but I often found Elisabeth’s story (the nurse) was overshadowed by Peter & Isabel’s POVs. Personally, I LOVED Elisabeth. She’s strong, determined, sacrificial, empathetic—like I said, I loved her! I would have been happy to read an entire book with just her POV because I wanted more of her story/journey. Don’t get me wrong, Peter & Isabel were okay, and my heart broke for them & those they met on their journeys, but I guess I went into this story with different expectations.

The main thing I struggled with was how bleak this story was. The atrocities were vivid. There was so much heartache, so much loss, so much darkness. And not a lot of hope. I’m not against raising awareness of the horrors of history, far from it. If we aren’t remembering history, then we’re doomed to repeat it. But I believe we need to temper that bleakness with a silver lining of hope. By the end, I was emotionally drained & exhausted, and still had questions.

In terms of content, there was a lot of language/swearing. Way more than I was expecting, and I quickly lost count of all the usages. There are hints of a married couple having intimacy (not shown), a woman remembering her wedding night (not detailed), and prostitution & trafficking play a part in the story along with 2-3x non-graphic s*xual assaults. There are traumatic births, mentions of suicide, and all around, a lot of dying. It isn’t a read for the faint of heart.

That said, even though this wasn’t the book for me, I do appreciate the author bringing a relatively obscure part of history to life, and this quote resonated with me, as it feels especially relevant to our modern era:

“‘That’s the problem. In our world today, ideology has infected everything. You’re either for something or against it, and nobody cares about the truth.’”



*Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the complimentary copy of this book. I was not required to write a positive review. These are my honest thoughts and opinions.