I have never been particularly interested in this period of history, but Ms Gregson has brought it alive for me. The writing is fluent, the dirt and grime almost palpable, and the characters believable and sympathetic.


Amazing   January 7, 2005
 5 out of 5 found this review helpful

What a compelling read - it was a thrill to all my senses, you could imagine yourself being there. It has been cleverly written drawing you into the characters, getting a sense of who they are and their experiences. You get absorbed - seeing the conditions in the hospital, the smell the horses and the streets of London and feel the swaying of the boat.

Amazing, if there's one book to read for this year it's this one. Enjoy.


A compelling story of love and hope in wartime   December 14, 2004
 5 out of 5 found this review helpful

Although a love story set in the time of the Crimean War, this is much more than an historical romance. It doesn't shy away from the grim realities of life in the nineteenth century, both at war and back at home, yet is full of hope and beauty. I found myself utterly gripped by the journey of Catherine, the protagonist - a wonderful, feisty character - and fascinated by the account of what really went on in the hospitals in Scutari and Balaclava. A fantastic read.