The Woman at the Front

by Lecia Cornwall

Overview

A daring young woman risks everything to pursue a career as a doctor on the front lines in France during World War I, and learns the true meaning of hope, love, and resilience in the darkest of times.

When Eleanor Atherton graduates from medical school near the top of her class in 1917, she dreams of going overseas to help the wounded, but her ambition is thwarted at every turn. Eleanor's parents insist she must give up medicine, marry a respectable man, and assume her proper place. While women might serve as ambulance drivers or nurses at the front, they cannot be physicians—that work is too dangerous and frightening.

Nevertheless, Eleanor is determined to make more of a contribution than sitting at home knitting for the troops. When an unexpected twist of fate sends Eleanor to the battlefields of France as the private doctor of a British peer, she seizes the opportunity for what it is—the chance to finally prove herself.

But there's a war on, and a casualty clearing station close to the front lines is an unforgiving place. Facing skeptical commanders who question her skills, scores of wounded men needing care, underhanded efforts by her family to bring her back home, and a blossoming romance, Eleanor must decide if she's brave enough to break the rules, face her darkest fears, and take the chance to win the career—and the love—she's always wanted.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780593197929
Publisher:	Penguin Publishing Group
Publication date:	09/28/2021
Pages:	448
Sales rank:	376,882
Product dimensions:	8.10(w) x 5.40(h) x 1.00(d)

About the Author

Lecia Cornwall, acclaimed author of numerous historical romance novels, lives and writes in the beautiful foothills of the Canadian Rockies with four cats and a wild and crazy ninety-pound chocolate Lab named Andy. She has two grown children and one very patient husband. When she is not writing, Lecia is a dedicated volunteer at the Museum of the Highwood in High River, Alberta. The Woman at the Front is her first novel of historical women's fiction.

Editorial Reviews

08/30/2021

Cornwall (Once Upon a Highland Summer) departs from the subgenre of historical romance with the stirring story of a female physician working on the battlefields of WWI France. After graduating from medical school at the University of Edinburgh in 1917, Eleanor Atherton is determined to practice medicine despite her family’s wish for her to find a husband. When the Countess of Kirkswell asks Eleanor to travel to France to bring her youngest son, Louis Chastaine, an injured soldier and the heir to the Earl of Kirkswell, home to Yorkshire, she accepts while recalling her girlhood crush on Louis. After Eleanor arrives at the casualty clearing station where Louis is recuperating, his superficial flirtatious manner quickly dispels her crush as she witnesses his aristocratic sense of privilege. Eleanor leaves his side to assist a patient in distress and care for wounded soldiers. Eleanor’s unflappable nature and bravery draw the attention of Sgt. Fraser MacLeod, a handsome stretcher-bearer. Though their romance is thwarted by the dangers inherent near the front line, Eleanor continues risking her life to give medical care to the injured and earns the respect of the stern supervising nurse. Cornwall’s realistic depiction of the battlefield horrors is enhanced by her magnetic, multidimensional characters. This emotionally charged novel delivers the goods. Agent: Kevan Lyon, Marsal Lyon Literary. (Oct.)

Publishers Weekly

"An adventurous woman ahead of her time…a fascinating historical novel.”—Natasha Lester, New York Times bestselling author
 
“A uniquely female perspective of World War I…a beautiful, touching, romantic women’s fiction novel that is sure to delight fans of Outlander and Downton Abbey.”—Lori Nelson Spielman, New York Times bestselling author
 
"Realistic and emotionally engaging, you’ll believe every word."—Toronto Star

"An absorbing and immersive portrait of a woman whose courage, determination, and resolve would be exceptional in any age—but forged in the crucible of the Great War, tested again and again by a society riven by change, Dr. Eleanor Atherton is a heroine I will not soon forget...."—Jennifer Robson, USA Today bestselling author

“A riveting tale of medicine, courage, and grace under fire during the Great War…Compulsively readable!"—Stephanie Marie Thornton, USA Today bestselling author

"Cornwall’s realistic depiction of the battlefield horrors is enhanced by her magnetic, multidimensional characters. This emotionally charged novel delivers the goods."—Publishers Weekly

"Meticulously researched and deeply emotional—Cornwall has a gift for bringing history to life."—Christine Wells, author of Sisters of the Resistance

"Cornwall’s book is a spellbinding read. The gritty descriptions of the makeshift hospitals in the midst of battle ring true, and the dialog is pitch-perfect.”—Historical Novels Review

From the Publisher