Susan May Warren's Nightingale

I just finished reading Nightingale, by Susan May Warren, another of my favorite authors.  This book was a little change of pace for me as it is more Historical Romance than I normally like.  But overall it was still a good book.

This book takes place during World War II. Locations in this book include both America and Germany.  Esther Lange commits a one time mistake that results in her daughter, Sadie, with a soldier who has swept her off her feet, Linus Hahn.  They become engaged, even though they don't love each other they know it's the right thing to do.  (To make things more complicated Linus loves another.)  So Esther moves in with Linus's parents and then the pressure starts to build.  They see her only as someone who has seduced Linus and gotten in his way.  Of course that isn't how it is at all but they refuse to see her as anything other than guilty. 

Esther is a nurse and is very good at her job.  While Linus is away in battle news comes in the form of a letter from a medic, Peter Hess, who tells Esther that Linus has died and that he did all he could to make his end better. Which includes sending her the letter that Linus gave him for her.  Esther writes Peter back asking for more details about Linus's last moments and if he spoke of her at all.   Peter writes back again and they engage in a correspondence that soon turns to something more than just wanting information about Esther's fiance`.  Throughout this whole time Peter has returned to the States and is not too far away from Esther traveling as a medic with the German POW's that are working in the fields.  Or is he?  Esther has this big desire to see him and meet him finally  in person so she travels there to see him and after one look at him she runs away!  I won't tell you what happens because that would ruin the whole story for you!

After that meeting their trust slowly rebuilds and in the meantime Linus shows up back in the States, not dead.  But he is a different man than the one who left, as a lot of soldiers who had been in battle were when they returned home. 

There are a lot of twists and turns in this book that keep it interesting  and the letters between Peter and Esther do keep things interesting as they are sprinkled throughout the book.  If you enjoy World War II history and don't want a book that is all shooting and enemy strategy then this is a book you'd enjoy.  It focuses mostly on the medical field of the war and not the war itself.  It was worth the time to read it. And plus like I mentioned, I like the author so I knew I'd  like it : )