A Child is Born

Nightingales #3.5

by Donna Douglas

A Christmas short story, available only in ebook, from the author of The Nightingale Girls, The Nightingale Sisters and The Nightingale Nurses




Christmas Eve, 1936




On a foggy December night, a pregnant woman walks out in front of a trolley bus and is knocked unconscious.




She is rushed to the Nightingale hospital, and a healthy baby is delivered. But the mother claims to have lost her memory, and cannot believe that the child is hers.




It seems that the Nightingale nurses may need to perform a Christmas miracle.

Genres: Historical Fiction, Christmas, Fiction, Audiobook, Family

65 pages, Kindle Edition

First published November 14, 2013

About the author

Welcome to my Goodreads page.

I'm the author of the Nightingale novels, a series of stories set in an East End hospital in the 1930s, published by Arrow.
The first in the series, The Nightingale Girls, follows the lives of three girls from very different backgrounds as they join the Nightingale Hospital as students. The second, The Nightingale Sisters, will be published next spring.
I'm originally from London, but I now live in the beautiful city of York.

Reviews

[Pol · Rating 4 out of 5]

A nice read, even thou you know what's going to happen, I still wanted to see how it ended.

[Leigh · Rating 5 out of 5]

A heartfelt touching read about the Nightingale nurses. It begins with a accident on a foggy evening, and goes into a touching story about a marriage, a new baby and learning to forgive. However I've only read two books in the series so I kind of spoiled future books by reading this one now. But oh well, I guess now I'll know what to expect, knowing me I'll have forgotten about it by the time I read book three. Still I am very happy that I read this story.

[Leigh Mitchell · Rating 3 out of 5]

I don't really read short stories, nor books set in older times but I quite enjoyed this quick Christmas read. I wish it had been just a little bit longer but it was a good enough story. Maybe some day I will have a read of the other Nightingales books as they might be a nice change from what I normally read.

[Ria · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this little novella, such a sweet story.
It starts one Christmas when a lady walks in front of a trolley bus and is knocked out.
She comes to to find out she has given birth, when she is asked can they contact her husband she swears she has no husband and denies being pregnant and any knowledge of the subsequent child.
Meanwhile a man admitted to the hospital who was also injured in the same accident is looking for a missing wife.
This was such a sweet, festive story with a lot of drama and heartbreak along the way packed into it.
Really well done and a great ending too, very Christmassy.

[Tricia Toney · Rating 3 out of 5]

A short story set around Christmas time. A woman is knocked unconscious by a trolley bus. While unconscious, she gives birth to a baby. When she awakens, she is suffering from amnesia. Can her memory be restored in time before she leaves the hospital?

[Mareike · Rating 4 out of 5]

Eine schöne kleine Geschichte.

Als kleine Lesepause für zwischendurch genau das Richtige. Es hat etwas plötzlich geendet, daher einen Stern weniger. Die Kurgeschichte liest sich ab trotzdem wirklich schön und passt auch nach Weihnachten noch wunderbar.

[Mary Tiefenbacher · Rating 4 out of 5]

Short but sweet

Although this was a very short book and a little predictable, it was very enjoyable to read another story about the Nightingales.

[Joyce tuffs · Rating 5 out of 5]

Story of real meaning of love.

Love Donna Douglas books. Not a long story but still very enjoyable was able to read this book in a few hours.

[Danielle · Rating 4 out of 5]

Short

I didn't realise it was a short story. Nicely written as normal and a lovely little storyline. Through me a little going back when we had already gone through these times.

[Daisy Mawdsley-hall · Rating 5 out of 5]

Good read but left wanting more

[mr b j hamilton · Rating 5 out of 5]

Couldn’t put it down

This was a great read, unexpected ending to a really heartwarming story.
Hard to put down but a very rewarding story.

[Cyndy Hall Portman · Rating 5 out of 5]

A sweet little story that perfectly matched my need for light reading. Of course, there was a happy ending. It would be a great addition to the Hallmark channel if made into a movie.

[margaret · Rating 5 out of 5]

Enjoyable book

[Elisha (lishie) · Rating 3 out of 5]

Cute- I particularly loved that the baby was named Gabriel.

[Agi · Rating 4 out of 5]

There are many short stories being published recently, some of them better, some of them not so good, and this one becomes 3.5 stars from me.

My biggest problem with short stories is that they are, well, short, and they end too fast. It is also not possible for the author to write about many details and the stories are often too trivial for my liking.

There were so many characters in this short book that I have actually some problems to recognise them and to tell who is who. So many nurses, so many patients. But nevertheless, it was a sweet story and my only problem was with the language: in my opinion it didn't suit the language that they used in 1936; it was too modern if you ask me.
But I really enjoyed this quick read and I wish it could be longer. I guess I will give a go to other Nightingales books.

I received a copy of this book from publisher via NetGalley in exchange for a review.

[Holly (2 Kids and Tired) · Rating 4 out of 5]

When a pregnant woman is hit by a bus and rushed to the hospital, she gives birth to little boy. When she awakens, she seems to have amnesia and the nurses name her child Gabriel. As they fall in love with the baby, they work to help the mother discover who she is. In the meantime, a man is admitted to the hospital because was injured the the same bus accident. Wondering where his wife is, the nurses work to help him discover her whereabouts. As their two stories come together, it appears a Christmas miracle may be needed.

Set between the Nightingale books 3 and 4. This little novella can stand alone, but it was lovely to see Helen, Millie and Dora again. A lovely little story about love, Christmas and forgiveness.

[Janice · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this on the kindle

This is a short story in the Nightingale series

This is Christmas 1936 so if you want to read the series then read books 1-3 first

A nice story you can guess what happens as you read it but that can be said for so many books that you guess the plot but it doesn't take away from the story

[Kristina Anderson · Rating 4 out of 5]

A cute short story. This book should actually be read before the final book in the series. This takes place about 10 months before the girls graduate. It tells the story of a couple and a child born at Christmas. Lovely story but very short.

[marion · Rating 5 out of 5]

Highly recommended as are all of her nursing books you just keep reading another wee bit and another wee bit super xx

[Kim · Rating 4 out of 5]

A Child is Born was a lovely novella- would have loved a full length catch up with the Nightingale nurses. Donna Douglas is one of my favourite finds this year and I can't wait to read her next one.

[Veronica · Rating 4 out of 5]

Enjoyed this short story xx

[Jen · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed it another good read from Donna Douglas.

[Julie · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a difference 70 years makes. I am not sure I could have survived this nursing school myself but I sure enjoyed reading about these girls.

[sandra whitehouse · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beautiful read

I really enjoyed reading a child is born another brilliant read . I look forward to reading more from Donna

[Jade Scarff · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fantastic

What a lovely short story. Had me gripped right through till the end just like all the other books in the series

[Raquel]

liked

[ray and joyce · Rating 3 out of 5]

Short and sweet

Far to short. Really why bother even writing something so short. Not happy at all having to buy a story and then reading it in 5 minutes.

[Trudie · Rating 4 out of 5]

a lovely short story, really enjoyable for a quick read.

[Candy Barron · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have enjoyed this whole series of books.

[Chelly · Rating 4 out of 5]

Nice short novella to intro some new characters