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A Nurse's Tale by Ola Awonubi: A Book Review

A Nurse’s Tale

Author: Ola Awonubi

Genre: Historical Fiction, Contemporary, Romance 

Publisher: One More Chapter 

Publication Date: 2023

Pages: 385

Source: Netgalley/Publisher in exchange for an honest review 

Synopsis: Born Nigerian royalty, Princess Adenrele Ademola trained as a nurse at Guy’s Hospital in London and stepped up to serve the people of Britain when war broke out – facing both the devastation of the Blitz and the prejudice of some of the people she was trying to help.


   80 years later, Ade’s great-niece Yemi arrives in London clutching the Princess’s precious diaries and longs to uncover the mysteries they hold…


    A richly-detailed, compelling historical novel shining a light on a hidden voice of WW2 and one woman’s courageous contribution to Britain.


      My Review: Princess Adenrele Ademola was a Princess of Egbaland and a nurse during WWII. A Nurse’s Tale chronicles Princess Adenrele’s life during WWII. Princess Adenrele was trained as a nurse in Guy’s Hospital. Eighty years later, her great-niece, Yemi learns some of the secrets about Princess Adenrele during her time there.


      I had never heard of Princess Adenrele before. Therefore, I was very curious to learn her story. She was the daughter of King Ladapo Ademola. She was given an excellent education. Her father wanted Princess Adenrele to become a nurse and sent her to be trained in England.


      I found Princess Adenrele to be a very fascinating character. Princess Adenrele was very kind and yearned to help those around her. I also liked how she is very mature and intelligent. She also had a lot of patience, especially when dealing with racism. Princess Adenrele was very humble and never used her status as a princess to assert her influence over others. Instead, she just wanted to have friends and do her duty as a nurse. Therefore, Princess Adenrele was a very likable protagonist.


      Overall, this book is about war, prejudice, and friendship. I did not care for Yemi’s story. I thought that it was unnecessary because it was a love story, and it tended to detract from Princess Adenrele’s story. Therefore, I wished A Nurse’s Tale would solely focus on Princess Adenrele’s story. Princess Adenrele’s story was more emotional and compelling. I did like how Mrs. Awonubi portrayed war-torn England! It was also a light and breezy read that moved at a steady pace! A Nurse’s Tale is an enjoyable book for those who love reading about royalty! I also recommend it for fans of Queen of Exiles, The Other Princess, and The Queen’s Secret!


Rating: 3 out of 5 stars


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