Review: These Healing Hills

 

 

 

 

 

Synopsis:

Francine Howard has her life all mapped out until the soldier she planned to marry at WWII’s end writes to tell her he’s in love with a woman in England. Devastated, Francine seeks a fresh start in the Appalachian Mountains, training to be a nurse midwife for the Frontier Nursing Service.

Deeply affected by the horrors he witnessed at war, Ben Locke has never thought further ahead than making it home to Kentucky. His future shrouded in as much mist as his beloved mountains, he’s at a loss when it comes to envisioning what’s next for his life.

When Francine’s and Ben’s paths intersect, it’s immediately clear that they are from different worlds and value different things. But love has a way of healing old wounds . . . and revealing tantalizing new possibilities.

Rating: 5-stars

Review:

These Healing Hills by Ann H. Gabhart is a wonderful historical romance. This, book was a lot of fun to read. I enjoyed watching the main characters grow. Life hands them lemons, and they still move forward with hope. A woman loved a man but her affection wasn’t returned. From there her journey led her into the wilderness where she meets a troubled soldier. Their meeting wasn’t just coincidental. It was fate.  Fate brought them together. It still lies within the characters to decide their ultimate fate. Their future. Love plain and simple. Ann H. Gabhart hooked me into her new story. I had to know the outcome after meeting both Francine and Ben. Healing with sweet rewards. Overall, I enjoyed reading this this beautiful yet realistic tale. I recommend it to all.

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Short Story: Madness Part 2 (Written by Me)

“Carrie, we have three new doctors coming to aid us with the injured soldiers!” I nearly shouted with joy. As I made my way over, I noticed Carrie sitting on her bed. She looked awful.

“That’s good news.” She said.

“Carrie, what happened to you? Here let me clean you up?”

I moved for the medical kit I held under bed just incase. I began cleaning Carrie’s face up then did her hair for her. “Thank you, Kim.”

“Your welcome. That what us nurses are here for. We stick together.”

“Kim?”

“Hm?”

“Can you..”

Just then doctor Bernstine came into our tent. He looked at Carrie. And Carrie looked away. Very unusual. I will have to ask her what was going on. She seemed distant. Like she was pulling away from me as well.

“What are you doing in the nurses tent, Dr. Bernstine?” I asked him head on, forcing him to look at me instead of Carrie.

“I just wanted to let you all know that the three new Doctors arrived.” And then he left the tent just as abruptly as he came in.

“Carrie, you ready for the meeting of our new doctors?” Hoping that by changing the topic from what her and I were going to talk about would help relieve whatever demons she was silently facing. She won’t be facing them any longer once I get to the bottom of this. Carrie was our best head nurse. To see her like this was a red flag to me and anyone who really knew her.

Getting up, she look wiped her palms against her uniform looked at me, “Yes, I am ready. Besides we have tons of patients that need us. Come Kim.”

Smiling a tiny bit of relief took over me. Now, that was Carrie I knew. But little did I expect of what was going to happen next…

Part 3 Coming Soon!

Madness by Me

Madness

“Kim, hurry!” Carrie yelled for the tenth time.

Soldiers were coming in by the dozens. So many of them injured beyond help. Blood has become a common site around here. Not just by the surgeons doing everything they can in the operation room. Us nurses have seen our fair share of the wounds our strong men come back with. Nothing can take back the tears that pour down my face as yet another soldier is needing my dire attention. How do you possible help them all. Limited nurses here an only two surgeons it’s hard to give them all the most immediate care that they all deserve.

“Kim!”

There goes my call. I am needed in another room. Rushing through the tent’s flaps, I find my way over to Carrie. Seeing a man who now has no legs. Carrie is stripping him of his pants and taking fresh clean water cleaning his wounds before wrapping them tightly so as to stop the bleeding until the surgeons can take him in.

“There three beds to my right, a man is need of your immediate attention.” Carrie told me. I rush over three beds away, there the soldier is slowly dying. I can see it and I know he knows it too. I hold his hand and silently say prayers that God will watch over take good care of him. The soldier briefly squeezes my hand letting me know he’s happy I am there with him and that he’s not going to die alone. His eyes soon shut close and his hand goes limp within mine. It’s still warm but soon will grow cold. I have to help move him to make room for another injured soldier. A few men who help move soldiers come to the bed. Lifting away the man and taking him to his new grave. My eyes sting with tears for the loss of the man whose hand I held. Each man who dies causes my heart to weep. Wiing my tears away, I take a deep breath and began cleaning the bed to prepare it for another man.

More and more soldiers come. There is no end. Not until the war is fought and over. But still the scars and numbers of the dead will forever stay with those who have survived to live another day.