Call Nurse Millie by Jean Fullerton

Paperback:  558 pages
Genre: Romantic Historical Fiction
Publisher:  Orion Publishing Group 2013
Source: From the Author in return for an honest and unbiased review.
First Paragraph: Millie Sullivan pushed an escaped curl of auburn hair from her eyes with the back of her hand. She wished she'd put on her cotton petticoat under her navy blue uniform instead of the rayon one. Although the milk float was only just rolling along the street, it was already sweltering hot.
Review Quote: ...the characters are well rounded, the period and political details evoke nostalgia, and the patient's stories are convincingly and vividly told... The writing shines off the page and begs for a sequel (Historical Novel Society)
My Opinion: Vivid description of life in the East End of London, during a time of great strife. 

The author very kindly gave me the opportunity to read a pre-publication copy of this entertaining account of a Nurse's life in London immediately after the end of World War II.  I hope the author will forgive me for having taken so long to read and review her novel but unfortunately life rather got in the way and I was unable to read it as soon as I had hoped. The follow up All Change for Nurse Millie is due for publication next February and I plan to read it as soon as it is released if I can. It is worth mentioning that the author of this book has a great deal of experience in healthcare, as well as being passionate about her native city both of which I believe shows in the attention to detail found in the novel. Being so well researched Call Nurse Millie is a vivid description of life in the East End of London, during a time of great strife. 

Millie is the feisty protagonist of the story, it is through her eyes and the way she deals with everything life throws at her that you will learn more of the community spirit that existed during that period. Health Care was only available to those that paid for it, rationing was an every day occurrence. Life was harsh yet there was still time for happiness and romance. The characters and storylines develop well throughout the novel, by the end I really cared about them and wanted to know more about their lives. This is why it is good news that the sequel as mentioned above is coming soon. In conclusion I found this read like a true story it certainly feels authentic enough to be one.

I would not normally compare a novel to a television programme but this one reminded me of one I have enjoyed recently, the series from a true story, was 'Call The Midwife'.  Fans of this series will definitely enjoy this novel as will those that are interested in the immediate post war social history of the UK.

I have also read and reviewed one of Jean Fullerton's previous novels on this blog.
Perhaps Tomorrow

Author Profile

Jean Fullerton  was born into a large, East End family early one August she grew up in the overcrowded streets clustered around the Tower of London. She still lives in East London, just five miles from where she was born. After working for the London Metropolitan Police, she retrained as a nurse and worked as a district nurse in the East End for sixteen years. She now teaches healthcare and nursing. Jean  feels that it is her background that gives her stories their distinctive authenticity. Passionate about historical accuracy, she enjoys researching the details almost as much as writing the novels.

The biographical information and photo used in this post are with thanks to the following websites, where you can also find more information about the author and her writing. 

Jean Fullerton - Books   Official Author Website  Facebook - Jean Fullerton Author  Goodreads Author Profile