The Wartime Nurse by Imogen Matthews is a moving tale of love in the midst of war. It is one thing to imagine this as a powerful fictional story, but to know that this is based on true events of Freddie and Will, makes it even more poignant. Freddie’s bravery and willingness to serve is a testimony to her character and convictions. She did not back down in the face of danger and willingly took on difficult assignments. Will is a charmer and sweeps Freddie off her feet during his time of convalescence. Their love was not tamped down by the chaos and unpredictability of the war. If anything, their love grew stronger and deeper due to being tested. I enjoyed reading about their day-to-day experiences as if experiencing the events alongside them. Their time of separation and silence was emotional and did a great job conveying what so many experienced during these events. Your emotions will go for a ride in this story, but you will learn a lot and be encouraged by the courage and bravery of so many.
I received a complimentary copy from the publisher via NetGalley and all opinions expressed are solely my own, freely given.

This series is so good. WWII was a horrible but I am glad to have authors like Imogene Matthews to explain it.

Though I have read many books set during World War II this is the first one I’ve read that focused on the Dutch and their contribution to the resistance.

The story drew me in immediately and I became interested in the outcome for both Freddie, the nurse and Will, the pilot.

This is based on a true story of a teenager who wanted to fight again German occupation. Inspiring that she would put her life in danger to do what she thought was right. I’m grateful to this author for making me aware of a story I knew nothing about and I enjoyed doing additional research to learn more about the main character.

Overall, if you are a fan of historical fiction this is a good one to check out.

Imogen has delivered another good story. With rich characters who Are trying get on with their lives during the occupation while also working deep covet resistance operations to hide vulnerable soldiers from the Nazis.
When Freddie’s boyfriend Will goes missing she puts her own life in more danger as she continues to search for him.
Hankies are required as you read this story of bravery and heartache and love.
Thank you for the advance copy Bookouture and NetGalley. I am writing this review freely and the opinions are my own.

This book is for an avid wartime readers who love intrigue and a bit of romance. Freddie is a trained nurse who is helping to nurse those mainly injured from war wounds. Along with others they help to hide soldiers from the Germans and try to get them out of the hospital to safety.
I enjoyed this book and will look out for others in this series.

Having read the others in The Dutch Girls series I was excited to continue on with this series.
I love reading historical fiction and to realize this story is based on a true story made this read even more fascinating. As I read, I could picture the situations happening, both the good and the bad.
We see a carryover of characters from the past books in the series and I did enjoy seeing how their characters continue to develop.
This is about a resistance fighter, a woman in Nazi-occupied Holland. They have no idea who she is or what she stands for. She is also a nurse. Sent to an underground hospital, her passion comes alive as she tends to her patients, this is she wants to do, and it gives her satisfaction. As the bombs rain down, the man she has come to secretly love, an injured airman goes missing. Just as they are ready to start planning a life together after this terrible war. Full of grief, she bravely continues on, but will he be found again?
A very brave woman shows she has what it takes to defy the odds, keeping her mission a secret as she gives her all to her country. I was very impressed with the characters and their fortitude. A most enjoyable story.

I was given a complimentary copy of this book.
All opinions expressed are my own.

I love historical novels and this was an interesting read. I liked learning more about the WW2 Dutch resistance from the perspective of Freddy. I thought the book was well written and well researched. . As I started the book, I was drawn into Will's story and found many moments the book pulls on your heartstrings. But I found myself pretty frustrated with Freddy and her instant love with Will. I'm sure instant love happens, but it didn't feel as real and so distracted from the rest of the book for me. As a result, this was an ok book for.

I appreciate the early copy and opportunity to read this.

The war continues on across Europe and life seems like it will never be the same. Freddie is not only a nurse but she is also part of the resistance. She risks her life day in and day out helping those around her and those refugees that are in hiding. Freddie is sent to an underground hospital. She is sent there to take care of wounded allies. When she meets Will, an English pilot she, takes a special interest in him. As they dream about a future together after the war, they are interrupted by the sound of bombs. The underground hospital is a chaotic scene and Freddie and Will are soon separated. They lose track of each other and soon Will is captured while Freddie continues to frantically find him. She knows the hospital he is now being held at, and her mission is to save him.

The Wartime Nurse, written by author Imogen Matthews is a wonderful story of risking your life for those around you. The bravery of the people during the war, being in the resistance always fascinates and inspires me. This heartbreaking story made my tears flow down my face a few times. I loved the characters in this story, Freddie and Will’s relationship really touched my heart. I found myself racing through the book unable to put it down. This suspenseful read is one that I definitely recommend.

It was 1944 when Nurse Freddie was transferred from her home town in Holland, to the hospital in Arnhem, where she and her friend Inge worked with the other hospital staff, taking in wounded Allied airmen, never far from the Nazis. The RAF had taken a hammering from the Germans and many were arriving, some badly injured, some not so bad. Freddie's latest patient was unconscious but when he woke, she learned his name was Will Cooper of England and the pilot of his plane. There had been three other crew members on board but none of them were in the hospital, so no one knew if they had survived.

Freddie and her sister Trudi were both members of the resistance, and now, at the hospital, she needed to work out how to get Will and others to safety, before the Nazis knew they were there. When the hospital was bombed, then taken over by the Germans, the clandestine activities of Freddie and others had to go deeply undercover. Would they manage to extricate the men to safety before it was too late?

The Wartime Nurse is the 3rd in The Dutch Girls series by Imogen Matthews and I enjoyed it very much. Based on a true story, Freddie's courage and tenacity was inspiring, and the emotion and heartbreak, gut wrenching. Another heartwarming historical novel by Imogen Matthews which I recommend.

With thanks to NetGalley & Bookouture for my digital ARC to read and review.

The Wartime Nurse is third book in the Dutch Girls series by Imogen Mathews. Each book can be read as a standalone story, but old characters do make an appearance in each book and it’s enjoyable to make connections between everyone. This time around the focus is on Freddie (formerly Frida) who is the sister of Trudi who has previously featured. Both young women work for the Resistance in Holland during the occupation by the Germans.

This is a story of incredible bravery, commitment and strength at a time when Hitler was doing his best to take over the world with his crazy ideologies. I haven’t read may books set in Holland during the war years and with this series Imogen Matthews has brought to light the tireless work of so many in that country at the most dangerous of times. They may have been a small cog in a much bigger machine yet their work and heroism should not go unnoticed or under appreciated. I myself gained a deeper understanding of the time period and my admiration and respect for the women featured grew the further I delved into the story.

The book opens with a brief prologue set in 1944 as Will and his team are making paratrooper drops into Holland as a big push is planned by the British to remove the Germans from Dutch soil. But things go horribly wrong and Will’s plan is shot down. The plane goes up in flames and he loses several of his crew members. Fortunately, he is rescued by two men and taken to the local hospital which is where he encounters Freddie. The storyline is easy to follow and moves effortlessly back and forth between Will and Freddie with more of a focus on Freddie which is only natural given the series focuses on Dutch women. But the balance between the two viewpoints was perfect.

Will is damaged both mentally and physically by his experience and needs time to recover, take stock and then try and eventually attempt to get back to his base in England. There is a necessary sense of urgency throughout the book. That time is against them and that the Germans are on high alert so shifting Will and groups of other downed airmen will not be an easy task but nonetheless the many members of the Dutch resistance are steadfast and hardworking and do everything in their power to see the airmen returned to their home soil. Will as a humble man who was loyal to his country and crew mates and I think he found challenging to rely on others for help when he would have rather been at the forefront of the action.

I found it absolutely fascinating that ordinary men and women put their own lives on the line to help so many others. It was brilliant to see so many people from all walks of life working together with one overall aim. To get the Nazi’s out of their home country. But whilst working to achieve this they also helped so many others. The resistance members actions were selfless and admirable, and they also allowed women to step out from their traditional roles in the home and they too fight for what they believed was right and just. The work Freddie and Trudi and many other women did was incredible.
Freddie couriered information and packages and this really pushed her out of her comfort zone.

Throughout the book I could she her go from strength to strength placing herself in situations she never would have thought possible pre-war. Being a nurse and placing herself right on the front line was no easy task but she did this willingly. That’s not to say that she didn’t encounter any struggles or find things all plain sailing. Of course she did and that’s what made this an exciting and for quite a good portion of the story thrilling too. There were numerous tense and dangerous moments and time and time again when you felt progress was being made, there were knock backs which only heightened the drama throughout.

The deteriorating situation across Holland was vividly described throughout. The sanctions imposed upon the people and the depths they had to plunge too for basic survival really had the reader sitting up and thinking. One wonders would or could we be so resilient nowadays? Throughout it all I found Freddie to be level headed and I think when she met Will as she tended to him in the hospital this only served to inspire her further and fuel the fire within her. Yes, I did think they only literally laid eyes on each other in a hospital room and snap they were deeply in love but that’s me being a cynic and this did happen lots throughout the war. For this aspect I just went with the flow and pushed my reservations about the pace they fell in love to the back of my mind. I enjoyed how Freddie had to play the stronger role between the pair given how incapacitated Will was due to this injuries and also the fact that he was in a different country far from home and he had to place his faith and trust in those who were around him.

Freddie was ardent in her quest to get Will to safety and I loved how this all played out. Again, this didn’t happen quickly and easily and nor should it have given the overall situation with the Germans breathing down their backs at every corner. The bigger picture regarding the finer workings of the Dutch resistance was explored here and again I was truly humbled and amazed at how so many played such a vital role in a massive operation and to know that this too was going on in various countries was remarkable. All the clever little things they thought of to try and get the airmen to safety were ingenious and I felt Freddie truly came into her own. She had her love and passion for Will spurring her on and this is what enabled her to keep going even when she had to place herself literally in the lion’s den. Out of the three women that this series focused on I think Freddie is perhaps my favourite although each story is very much worthy of a read.

The writing throughout the book was strong and to the point. I never felt that there were filler in chapters or scenes and the past as steady throughout which all helped to make for a great read with a heroine you will be rooting for from beginning to end. Does Will get to safety? Are himself and Freddie ever be able to have a firm and long-lasting relationship or will the Germans mar all the work of the Resistance and their long term plans? Pick up a copy of The Wartime Nurse to discover the answers and much more.

This is the 3rd book in the Dutch Girls series and I’ve loved all of them. It can be read as a standalone, but I recommend reading all of them to learn more about these 3 brave real-life women who served in the Dutch Resistance.

Freddie Oversteegen is a 19-year-old nurse working at an underground hospital when she meets 21-year-old Will, an RAF pilot. They are instantly taken with each other and she tries to help him escape as they learn that the Germans are planning to take over the hospital. She’d been working with the Dutch resistance.


This was another great read by the author Imogen Matthews. Freddie was in the other stories and it was great to read this book dedicated to her. I also enjoyed reading about the Dutch resistance, which I hadn’t learned much about before reading these stories. I too went down a rabbit hole, reading more about the courageous real-life young women, as well as WWII in Holland.


Thanks to @bookouture, @netgalley, and the author of this ARC

Although this is a fictional story, the characters are based on real people and after reading this book, you will want to go and do a search but be warned, you will find yourself down a rabbit hole and quickly engrossed.

I cannot begin to imagine what it was like for the people of Holland having to live in their country with a brutal occupier who didn't even think twice about making lives even more difficult than they already were and that's for the Dutch; what it must have been like to be a Jew ... I cannot comprehend.

In this book we focus on Freddie, a young nurse who just happens to be in the resistance. I'm not going to go into all the ins and outs of the story but what I will say, is that it's heartbreaking, uplifting, full of tension and totally riveting and one I would definitely recommend to those of you who enjoy reading books covering this period that has a touch of everything.

Many thanks to the author, Bookouture and NetGalley for enabling me to read and share my thoughts of this riveting book.

Another great WWII historical fiction. I’ve enjoyed this series and this was another quick, easy read. I love reading about women helping the war effort, whether it’s within the resistance, or helping the soldiers on the front lines, or any other way that they made a difference in any of the wars. Nurse Freddie was a very likable character. Not only was she part of the resistance, she was also an actively working nurse. Watching her fall for Will was such a sweet thing. They spent so much time worrying about each other, and still Freddie saved him, many times over.

Thank you NetGalley and Bookouture for my ARC of this book.

3.5 stars
Excellent WW2 historical fiction!
This is the third in a series about female Dutch resistance workers, and the brave things they did to save hundreds of people from the Nazis. The main character is Freddie, sister to Trudi (from the first novel). Freddie is a nurse in a hospital, as well as a front for the Resistance. Although the work is sometimes horribly distressing, she feels that she is truly helping. Then Freddie meets Will, a wounded RAF pilot, and suddenly her life will never be the same ever again…
*I received a digital copy from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are strictly my own.*

I have really enjoyed this series of books.
Readers will feel the gamut of emotions: from the exhilaration of finding true love at first glance, to dejection of being alone, and then a glorious ending.
Love during any era is difficult but during WWII it was intense and quick. Will and Freddie know they have found their forever but will the war allow them to have that?
The writing is crisp and the descriptions are spot on especially with the travesties of The Hunger Winter and the joy of VE Day!
Check out Matthews if you haven’t already.

The Wartime Nurse shows the courage and perseverance the Dutch people had to have to survive.
The story is well written and flows well. The information shared by the author was interesting and very information. I learned things I had no knowledge about.
So much courage, bravery and heartbreaking moments. But, there is also so much love and hope felt throughout the story.
I encourage you to read this series.
Thank you NetGalley, Bookouture and the author for the opportunity to read this book for my honest review. All opinions expressed are my own.

This book was incredible! It pulled me in from the very first chapter and had me madly flipping the pages! There was never a dull moment and the writing was superb. It's a love story set during one of the darkest periods in man's history, but more than that it's one of human resilience. I highly recommend this book for lovers of World War 2 fiction.

Thank you to Bookouture and NetGalley for an advanced reading copy.

The Wartime Nurse transported me to World War Two Holland, an area I am not that familiar with. The author did an awesome job describing how it might have been. I was able to imagine the suffering, the challenges experienced by the citizens of Holland. It all felt so real. The emotions were definitely real.

Many in Holland wore more than one hat during the war. They had no choice. Freddie is a nurse taking care of those injured by the Nazis. She also helps out the resistance, mainly delivering packages. She soon finds herself helping the allies in her care. They aren't safe with the Germans swarming the hospital. She had a personal interest after falling for one of the British pilots.

The story took me on journeys, following escaping prisoners. The story created excitement, the same I am sure those in Holland experienced, as paratroopers dropped from the sky. They story reminded me that the best plans always have issues. The story allowed me to imagine how horrible it was to live in Holland after the Nazis blocked food supplies and cutting power leaving the citizens struggling to keep warm as ice formed inside their homes.

Open the book and experience some of the horrors experienced by those in WW2 Holland. Take the words of the author and learn and remember.

One of my favourite things about reading WW2 historical novels is the love stories. That even in the darkest and most horrific time it can be found. Inspired by true events this WW2 novel will have you hooked from the first page. The insta love story will have your heart melting. The Wartime Nurse is book 3 of the Dutch Girls series is filled with hope. love, loss, courage and bravery as they fight to return home and find those they love. Imogen Matthews has written a brilliant book that I highly recommend. 5 stars

I would like to thank the author, Bookouture and NetGalley for my copy of this novel, in exchange for my honest review.
#TheWartimeNurse #NetGalley.

The Wartime Nurse by Imogen Matthews


Mostly novels of this genre are set in Germany , France or England so it was great to read about the p,ight of Dutch people during the war.
Freddie a Nurse is doing her bit for the resistance , she is sent to help some men and meets Will . Love blossoms , but the story would be short if they can easily be together and everything went well , so we follow their plight and fight once they are torn apart.
Very readable.