Dr Frances Brakespeare was unusual for her times. Lady Doctors were few and hard to find and those that did practice were relegated to a second hand position, denied even their marks and spoken to in a very derogatory manner by their male companions. Frances had been adopted at birth and had a very loved existence until her adopted mother passed away.
Her confrontation with a fellow doctor along with the death of Izzie forced her to look elsewhere for a job and she was lucky to find a niche in a rural cottage hospital, where the people supported her but her male colleague along with many of his counterparts tried to undermine her.
Frances had served in the Great War and lost her love, so she was greatly surprised to find his name carved in the village memorial. That was a mystery she had to unravel.
The story had many strands including the hardship that working women faced, not just from males but also from their own. It seemed right for them to take on all jobs when the men were at war, but were expected to hand over when they returned. No one thought that many of the women were widows, or had men returning with mental or physical disabilities, many which prevented them working and in the case of mental handicaps not even recognized widely or treated.
Frances was one of the brave ones and this story is testament to that.
Sent by Boldwood Books for an unbiased review, courtesy of Netgalley.
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