In November of 1941, Eva, a nurse newly enlisted in the Army Corp, travels by ship to Hawaii.

This was compelling -- I listened to the whole audiobook in just a few days -- and also sometimes frustrating. There’s more of a love triangle than I wanted, more of a love triangle than I thought necessary, especially given that Eva has a secret which gives her a good reason to be hesitant about a new romance (An unfair dismissal from her previous job has led her to apply for this one under a different name). I also wasn’t a fan of the accent the narrator gave a couple of minor Australian characters.

But, I also really wanted to know what happened. So there’s that. Ackerman describes things vividly (if not as poetically as some) and I’ll read more of her fiction. ( )

I'm a sucker for stories set during World War II, but this book is just terrible in just about every way possible to be bad. ( )

I really liked this book. The writing was very well done and the characters all had a bit of depth. The book would have been four stars. However. . .

I was a bit disturbed with how much the author seems to embrace the conspiracy theory that Pearl Harbor was set up or arranged so the US could join the war. As she says in the Author's Note: "Pearl Harbor might have seemed like a surprise attack, but was it? There are numerous opinions on the matter, none of which are definitive." I feel that does a great disservice to scholars and historians who tell the story accurately. This is a conspiracy theory. This kind of theory is espoused by the same people who say things like the Moon Landings were fake. To use such pro-conspiracy plot points really irked me. People will read this and think there is something to this theory, and probably never do any actual research into what is claimed. I hope that anyone who thinks like there may be something to the conspiracy is compelled to do some research and dig deeper.

As just one example, the first piece of evidence provided regarding the conspiracy is the infamous "Deadly Double" magazine ad. No, this was not a hint of the upcoming attack to Japanese operatives in the US. It was an actual ad for a dice game that the inventor was trying to promote. This was known back in the 40's. Moral of the story: take everything you read in here with a grain. . . no, a spoonful of salt. ( )

Take a trip to historical Hawaii with Sara Ackerman’s captivating novel, The Lieutenant’s Nurse. Rich in detail, romance, intrigue, and courage, it’s a trip worth taking.

Army Corps nurse Eva Cassidy heads to Hawaii to escape her life in Michigan. Naturally, the potential for shipboard romance and plenty of secrets complicate her journey—along with the imminent Pearl Harbor attack, of course. There’s mystery, danger, and drama as the story unfolds, along with great moments of friendship, strength, and dedication.

The Lieutenant’s Nurse is a book I enjoyed. The perspective on the time surrounding the Pearl Harbor attack fascinated me, and I couldn’t stop reading. Fans of historical fiction, this is a great book to add to the TBR.

I received a complimentary copy of this book and the opportunity to provide an honest review. I was not required to write a positive review, and all the opinions I have expressed are my own.

This novel takes place in 1941 when the Japanese bombed Pearl Harbor and started their war with the United States. Along with the story, there are copies of messages that were sent from Japan to their navy and the pilots before the attack started which made the story more realistic. Over 2400 people were killed when the Japanese bombed Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941. This number includes the US military, the Japanese pilots, the nurses and the civilians. There were less than 100 nurses working the hospital at Pearl Harbor when the attack happened and they were totally overwhelmed with the number of causalities that were brought to the hospital. Hawaii had been considered one of the easiest and most beautiful places to work as a nurse but after the attack, it was no longer viewed that way.

Eva had never even seen the ocean when her ship left California to head to Hawaii where she was assigned as an Army nurse. She was running away from her home in Michigan and there were more reasons than just to avoid another bad Michigan winter. A friend of her father's who was in the military was waiting for her in Hawaii and even though she thought she loved him, she became very close to Clark, a Navy intelligence officer that she meets on the ship. When Eva arrives at the hospital, she immediately bonds with the other nurses. It is this bond of sisterhood that holds them all together in the days following the attack when they are get so many wounded people to care for. And the danger that finds her threatens everything she holds dear. Amid the chaos and heartbreak, Eva will have to decide who to trust and how far she will go to protect those she loves.

I found it refreshing to read a war book with the nurses being such an important part of the story. They have been ignored in the history books for way too long. Along with the historical part of the story there is a beautiful love story between Eva and Clark that helped show there is hope for the future even in the midst of war.

Thanks to the publisher for a copy of this book to read and review. All opinions are my own. ( )