"He'd joined the Red Cross, following wars and disasters, foolishly believing each patient he cured would ease the pain in his heart, the guilt for the one he couldn't save."
synopsis
At the formation of the Blue Orchid Society, Hazel Thornton set the goal of finishing nursing school. A devastating childhood trauma has left her battling fits of panic that have made it nearly impossible for her to complete certain parts of her training. When a trip to Spain takes a perilous turn Hazel finds herself in the midst of a brutal war. She soon finds herself working at a Spanish hospital alongside Dr. Jim Jackson. An American doctor who suffers from demons of his own.
thoughts & feelings
By now you are all familiar with my new obsession in the book world...The Blue Orchid Society. If it is even possible I love the third novel, Healing Hazel, even more than the first two. My love for this series and group of friends grows with each novel. There are still two books to go, plus I need to read Emmeline, so I'm basically going to be obsessed for at least two more years.
You may be wondering why Healing Hazel is my favorite and I'm not quite sure how to explain it. I just feel drawn to Hazel and her story. Once again Jennifer Moore has done an amazing job writing her leading lady in a realistic and relatable way. I love that with each book we get a completely new feeling, voice, and perspective. All of the ladies have different backgrounds and life experiences and Jennifer Moore has done an amazing job making all of them feel authentic, while still having it be believable that all five of these ladies could be close friends.
I love that we get to know Hazel as you would get to know any new friend. Piece by piece. Her tragic backstory isn't presented all at once and we are left wondering and hoping for more information quite a few times. Don't worry, the information always comes and by the end of the story we fully understand Hazel and how her past has shaped her and her relationship with her father. Like all of us, Hazel's past has brought both good and bad. She learned from her mother how to care for those around her and because of this she hopes to become a nurse. However, her past has also brought about intense panic attacks. Jennifer Moore did an amazing job helping me fully understand Hazel's panic attacks and I actually had the feeling of "walls closing in" during a few of them. I love that Hazel was allowed and given room to be vulnerable and raw in her story.
I also loved the two main doctors, Dr. Jackson and Dr. Laurent. Since most of the story occurs in the Red Cross Hospital we get a really good look at how the doctors, nurses, and orderlies all work together. Although three languages are spoken they have all learned to communicate and work efficiently together. This might sound strange, but I loved seeing Hazel put to practice what she has learned and increase her nursing knowledge. Jennifer Moore did an excellent job describing the wounds, illnesses, and treatments without getting too descriptive. I promise that you wont get grossed out or feel squeamish. She has truly mastered the art of having you know exactly what is ailing different patients without describing it in great detail.
I have absolutely LOVED reading this series and am eager to read Elizabeth and Dahlia's stories. I'm hoping that Elizabeth's story is next, although I am slightly more curious about Dahlia. But I feel that we can't leave Elizabeth, the man hater, all alone. And it makes a little more sense, in my opinion, to have Dahlia's story at the end.
book tags
Steam Level: clean
Language: clean
Content Warnings: vague descriptions of battle injuries and treatments
Trigger Warnings: most of the story occurs in a war torn country, mentions the sounds of gunfire and cannon fire, descriptions of panic attacks
book information
Title: Healing Hazel
Series: The Blue Orchid Society
Author: Jennifer Moore
Rating: 5/5
The Blue Orchid Society Series
Solving Sophronia
Inventing Vivian
Healing Hazel