Donna Douglas – författare

Three very different girls sign up as student nurses in 1936, while England is still mourning the death of George V. Dora is a tough East Ender, driven by ambition, but also desperate to escape her squalid, overcrowded home and her abusive stepfather. Helen is the quiet one, a mystery to her fellow nurses, avoiding fun, gossip and the limelight. In fact she is in the formidable shadow of her overbearing mother, who dominates every aspect of her life. Can a nursing career free Helen at last? The third of our heroines is naughty, rebellious Millie an aristocrat on the run from her conventional upper class life. She is doomed to clash over and over again with terrifying Sister Hyde and to get into scrape after scrape especially where men are concerned. This utterly delightful novel brings a London pre-war hospital vividly to life.

To the student nurses at The Nightingale hospital, the ward sisters are heartless and frightening, with impossibly high standards. But the sisters have troubles of their own... VioletThe new night sister is not all that she seems. Who is she and what dark secret is she hiding? As the mystery deepens, Sister Wren is determined to find out the truth. DoraThe student nurse is struggling with her own secret, and with her heartbreak over Nick, the man who got away. A new arrival on the ward brings the chance to put a smile back on her face. But can she really get over Nick so easily?MillieDora’s fellow student is also torn between the two men in her life. But then an unexpected friendship with an elderly patient makes her question where her heart – and her future – really lies.As the nation mourns the death of King George V, it seems as if nothing is ever going to be the same again, especially for the women at the Nightingale.

‘Pay attention please, nurses. The next six months will be the most important of your lives’It’s the final year of training for three young nurses at The Nightingale Hospital… Helen is at a crossroads in her life as she battles with her domineering mother over both her love life and her future career.Dora can't stop loving Nick, who is married to her best friend, Ruby. But Ruby is hiding a dark secret with the potential to destroy Ruby's marriage. Millie is anxious about her fiance, sent to Spain to cover the Civil War, and things only get worse when she encounters a fortune teller who gives her a sinister warning. With war looming in Europe, and the East End of London squaring up to the threat of Oswald Mosley's blackshirts, the women of the Nightingale have to face their own challenges, at work and in love.From the author of The Nightingale Girls and The Nightingale Sisters, this is the perfect read for fans of Call the Midwife.

From the author of The Nightingale Girls, The Nightingale Sisters and The Nightingale Nurses – perfect for fans of Call the Midwife1937 sees new challenges for the trainee nursesDora and her old enemy Lucy are paired up on the children’s ward for the final three months of their training. The two nurses couldn’t seem more different, but they may have more in common than they think, as each hides a secret heartache. … and new faces at the NightingaleJess is the feisty eldest daughter of a notorious East End family and determined to prove herself as a ward maid. And new trainee nurse Effie can’t wait to escape her small Irish village, and make her way as a nurse in London. But Effie’s sister Katie soon begins to worry that Effie’s behaviour is out of control.Nightingales on call and in crisis: have they got what it takes?

As Christmas 1938 approaches, the staff at the Nightingale Hospital have their own wishes for the festive season. Ward sister Frannie Wallace is hoping she won’t have to live through another war like the one that claimed her beloved fiance. But with bomb defences going up all around London, it seems as if her hopes are in vain. Staff Nurse Helen Dawson wants to find happiness again after the death of her husband Charlie. A handsome stranger seems to offer the chance she wants. But is she looking for love in the wrong place? Matron Kathleen Fox struggles to keep up morale amongst her nurses as the hospital faces the threat of evacuation. But while everyone else worries about the future of the Nightingale, it’s for her own future that Kathleen truly fears.As the country prepares itself for war, one thing is for sure – by the time next Christmas comes, nothing at the Nightingale Hospital will be the same again…

As the war takes its toll, the Nightingale nurses must do their bit for king and country…Dora is the devoted mother of twin babies but, determined to help the war effort, she goes back to work at the Nightingale Hospital.More used to nights out in the West End, Jennifer and Cissy volunteer in the hope of tending to handsome soldiers. They soon find out that nursing isn’t quite what they were expecting.For shy and troubled Eve, the hospital provides an escape from the pressures of home, but the life of a nurse is never easy, especially at wartime.Can the nurses rally together while war rages all around them? And will the Nightingale Hospital survive the Blitz?

Christmas 1941 and the nurses at the Nightingale are facing their toughest winter yet.With shortages everywhere, and every news bulletin announcing more defeats and losses, the British people are weary and demoralised and The Nightingale Hospital is suffering too. Millie is recently widowed and dealing with the demands of her family’s estate. It’s not long before her old world of The Nightingale begins to beckon, along with a long-lost love…Jess is struggling with her move from East London to the quiet of the countryside.Effie finds herself exiled to a quiet village, but the quiet doesn’t last for long as she soon finds excitement in the shape of a smooth-talking GI. As Christmas approaches, even the shelter of the countryside can’t protect the girls from heartache.

FROM THE SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLING AUTHOR A dramatic new saga series, set during World War II, from the author of THE NIGHTINGALE GIRLSYorkshire, 1940. Edie Copeland has just arrived on Jubilee Row, carrying a suitcase and a secret.She left York and her job at the Rowntrees Factory after tragedy struck to make a fresh start, but she's a stranger to this street, and her fellow tenant doesn't hesitate to remind her of this, widow or no.Luckily, the neighbours are a little more welcoming and Edie is soon made to feel at home by the Maguires and the Scuttles. As air raids sound, and the war feels closer than ever, the community has to stick together to survive bombings and bereavement.But Edie is hiding something, and she doesn't know how much longer she can keep it up. Is the past going to catch up with her? And will Edie still be able to call Jubilee Row home when the truth comes out?For fans of Dilly Court, Rosie Goodwin and Katie Flynn, this is the launch of a new series based around the true stories of the Blitz.****'An excellent writer Donna, has again, written a book which cannot be put down! Great storyline and really excited this is book 1. Can't wait for number 2!' - Amazon reviewer, 5 stars'A Mother's Journey brings a group of women together. Through laughter and tears. I can't wait for the next book. Thank you Donna, I have been waiting for this type of book for a long time.' - Amazon reviewer, 5 stars

*FROM SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLING AUTHOR OF THE NIGHTINGALE GIRLS, DONNA DOUGLAS*'A fascinating portrait of everyday life on the home front in wartime, with its hopes and hardships, and will leave readers counting down to the next visit to Jubilee Row.' Lancashire PostSpring, 1941. The families of Jubilee Row are still reeling from the loss of one of their own, and as the Blitz on Hull intensifies, it seems as if there will be more tragedies to come. As the street braces itself, Iris Fletcher returns home from the hospital, where she has been recovering after the death of her best friend and youngest child. But Iris has no time to mourn - devastated by the loss of their little sister, Archie and Kitty desperately need their mother.Meanwhile, Edie Copeland is besotted with her infant son. Being a single mother is hard, but Edie finds support in the form of Jack Maguire who, like Edie, is raising his boys alone. As the pair grow closer, Edie begins to wonder whether they could ever be anything more than friends. Capable mum, Ruby Maguire takes charge as usual, bolstering spirits and lending a hand, as well as trying to keep her flighty sister Pearl on the straight and narrow. But the unexpected appearance of a face from her past threatens Ruby's future far more than Hitler's bombs.For fans of Dilly Court, Rosie Goodwin and Katie Flynn this is the second book in the Yorkshire Blitz Trilogy from the bestselling author of The Nightingale Girls.

*FROM SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLING AUTHOR DONNA DOUGLAS*Autumn, 1942. The Blitz has come to an end, but for many families, it's not over yet. As the residents of Jubilee Row begin to rebuild their lives, twins Sybil and Maudie Maguire decide to go off and do their bit by joining the WAAFs. But what starts off as a great adventure soon forces the girls to grow up as they are confronted with the harsh realities of war. Will they stick together, or will their experiences drive them apart? Back in Hull, their older sister Florence is a typing pool supervisor who has resigned herself to a life without love. But when dashing American Colonel Forrest takes an interest, she wonders if he might be the one to mend her broken heart...For fans of Dilly Court, Rosie Goodwin and Katie Flynn, this is the third book in the Yorkshire Blitz Trilogy from the bestselling author of The Nightingale Girls.

All that Dora Riley wants is her husband home safe for Christmas… The Nightingale Hospital, London, 1944: With her husband Nick away fighting, Dora struggles to keep the home fires burning and is put in charge of a ward full of German prisoners of war. Can she find it in her heart to care for her enemies? Fellow nurse Kitty thinks she might be falling for a German soldier, whilst Dora’s old friend Helen returns from Europe with a dark secret. Can the women overcome their prejudices and the troubles of their past to do their duty for their country?

THE BRAND NEW NIGHTINGALES NOVELBY SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLING AUTHOR DONNA DOUGLAS***It's Christmas, 1945. The war is over, but its scars remain. Matron Kathleen Fox has the job of putting the Nightingale Hospital back together. But memories and ghosts of those lost fill the bomb-damaged buildings, and she wonders if she is up to the task.In the name of festive cheer Kathleen decides to put on a Christmas Show for the patients. The idea is greeted with mixed feelings by the nurses, who are struggling with their own post-war problems. And the newly-formed rivalry between newcomer Assistant Matron Charlotte Davis and ward sister Violet Tanner isn't helping matters.As rehearsals begin however, it seems the show isn't just a tonic for the patients - could the Nightingale Christmas Show be just what the doctor ordered for the nurses too?

For the first time, a Nightingale nurses novel set during the First World War. Follow the senior staff as they overcome the trials of their training years. From Sunday Times top ten bestselling author, Donna Douglas.East London, 1914: Britain is preparing for war. As young men queue up across the country to enlist, the Nightingale Hospital has its own set of new recruits…Anna has had a happy upbringing in her parent’s bakery in Bethnal Green. But as war descends her family’s German roots will wrench them apart in ways Anna never could have imagined. Kate dreams of following in her father’s footsteps and becoming a doctor. With female doctors virtually unheard of, it will take courage to face off the prejudice around her. Sadie joins the Nightingale Hospital for a new life away from her mother’s interference. But the legacy of her family may not be so easy to escape…As the shadow of war descends, will the promise of Christmas help to bring the students together?

*****West Yorkshire, 1926. After completing her training in Steeple Street, Agnes Sheridan is looking forward to making her mark as Bowden's first district nurse, confident she can make a difference in the locals’ lives.But when Agnes arrives, she’s treated with suspicion, labelled just another servant of the wealthy mine owners. The locals would much rather place their trust in the resident healer – Hannah Arkwright.And when the General Strike throws the village into turmoil, the miners and their families face hunger and hardship, and Agnes finds her loyalties tested.Now it’s time to prove whose side she is really on and to fight for her place in the village . . .'Full of well drawn characters and intriguing relationships. Donna Douglas skilfully charts her heroine's attempts to be accepted . . . uncovering secrets, heartbreak and lost loves along the way!'Mary Gibson, author of Custard Tarts and Broken Hearts

A HEARTWARMING WARTIME TALE FEATURING THE NURSES OF THE NIGHTINGALE HOSPITALBY SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLING AUTHOR DONNA DOUGLAS________________________________________FOR THE NIGHTINGALE NURSES, THE WEDDING BELLS ARE RINGING...East London, 1917. Anna is over the moon when her sweetheart Edward returns from the front line. As he recovers from injuries sustained in war, they make plans to be married. But the horrors of the trenches cast a long shadow.Caring for shell-shocked soldiers brings untold challenges for Grace, and her parents have very different dreams for her future. Will she have the strength to forge her own path?Meanwhile Dulcie has her sights firmly set on her own happy ending. Yet sometimes we find love where we least expect to. Each nurse has her own battle to fight but they must pull together to find true happiness.

The beloved Sunday Times bestselling author is back with a new, long-awaited Nightingale novel._________________________It's 1957, and three young women are beginning their nursing training at the Florence Nightingale Hospital in London's East End...Winnie desperately wants to win her mother's approval - but will following in her footsteps and becoming a nurse help?Tearaway Viv has never been one to follow the rules, though the Nightingale may help her mend her ways.Beth is following her late sister's dream by training as a nurse. Will it be the right path for her?There's a steep learning curve ahead. But with friendship on their side, the Nightingale Daughters are ready to rise to the challenge.

The second instalment of The Nightingale Daughters series from Sunday Times bestselling author Donna Douglas. Perfect for fans of Call the Midwife!_______________London's East End, 1957In the Nightingale Hospital, Matron Helen finds herself playing surrogate mother to her newly discovered French niece Catrine, while having to keep their family relationship a secret from the rest of the staff.However, independent Catrine is determined to do things her way, and break the rules. But underneath it all, she is lost, still mourning the loss of her mother and struggling to get along with her new family.Helen's own heart is aching since the breakdown of her marriage with David, which isn’t helped when he returns to work at the hospital. Can she work side by side with the man she still loves?Helen’s isn’t the only marriage that hangs in the balance, as Nurse Dora faces a shock that could mean the end of her own marriage…Can love conquer all at the Nightingale Hospital?