Captivating Books About Nurses to Discover Now

What if you fell asleep in 2019 and woke up in 2021? That's the reality for Jack Jr., who emerges from a two-year coma to find his life unrecognizable. His job is gone, his apartment is lost, and his partner has moved on.

But in his return to his childhood home and his family's struggling restaurant, he begins to rebuild—rekindling relationships, rediscovering love with the male nurse who cared for him, and redefining what home truly means.

Jinwoo Chong shares the beautiful inspiration behind this poignant and tender slice-of-life novel on the Book Gang Podcast, which seamlessly blends a swoon-worthy love story in with a cozy family drama. We discuss how I Leave It Up to You evolved from a short story, the impact of the pandemic on its themes, and the role of food as both a comfort and a metaphor for resilience.

Related- Jinwoo Chong Interview

Julia Whelan delivers an impeccable performance on Hannah's new historical fiction novel, offering an earnest portrayal of the lives of nurses who served in the Vietnam War but seemingly were forgotten.

This novel celebrates nurses and their service during the Vietnam War, a detail that few Americans think about, showcasing the sacrifices made and the disbelief in their journey when returning home. It delivers on the book's goals while encompassing a signature soapier spin perfect for fans of her earlier work on Firefly Lane.

There were many elements of surprise that made me glad that I read this. I had yet to learn that nurses could not take advantage of the VA benefits when returning home from their service. I appreciated the accurate portrayal of PTSD on returning and the haunting nature of caring for patients in this environment. I found it enlightening how women were demoted to the roles of candy stripers upon their return home despite their expertise in serving on the frontlines.

It has been an enormous hit with frontline workers, including my sister, so I included it in today's list. Fans of the novel will be excited to hear that Warner Bros. acquired the rights to The Women movie ahead of its bestselling release.

Related- The Julia Whelan Interview You Need to Hear (Podcast)

Mary Kubica is back with her ninth thriller, and I'm so happy to report that her new book delivers. The story builds slow-burn suspense, but Kubica plots a line of dominoes that will all come tumbling down with her signature twists.

Meghan is navigating single parenting of her teen daughter and a demanding job as an ICU nurse. Put in charge of a patient with a traumatic brain injury, she learns that the patient has jumped from a bridge, triggering difficult memories of the loss of her sister.

But as you might have guessed, there is more to her story and some surprising overlap to Meghan's that will leave you guessing until the final pages.

The novel's cinematic Chicago setting, smart red herrings, and a believable mother-daughter relationship with her teenager enhance the storyline. I appreciated the researched medical details, from the demanding patient challenges to safety concerns to even oversights that can happen on an ICU floor.

As the story unspooled, the novel kept me up until midnight to finish as I closed in on the second half.

Related- Best Mary Kubica Books

Jimenez's satisfyingly clever concept for her new romance novel is bringing together two people who feel cursed in love for a potential fling to break their curse and meet their soulmates.

If that sounds enchanted, I will ground it a bit and tell you that they meet on a subreddit titled r/AmItheAsshole. Seeing this as a rather unique experience, they are stunned to discover they aren't alone in this haunting dating issue. Each person they break up with finds their soulmate after ending things with them. Could they potentially rig the system?

What starts as witty banter between Justin and Emma evolves into serious contemplation on taking a traveling nurse assignment near Justin for a summer fling. Her assigned job locations are three-month stints—a perfect amount of time to make this a short but successful run of a failed relationship.

Told in dual perspectives, Justin approaches the dating negotiations with adorkable charm, from sending Emma evites to conducting exit surveys on each of their planned dates.

Readers will discover some Easter eggs from past novels, but this novel can be read as a standalone.

Related- 2024 Summer Reading Guide

Katherine Arden may have been in your book stacks before with her popular magical realism series, The Bear and the Nightingale.

The Warm Hands of Ghosts is a haunting, lyrical historical novel set during World War I. The story follows Laura, a battlefield nurse who searches for her missing brother while confronting supernatural forces lurking in the trenches. The reader should be prepared to navigate the bloody trenches and the horrors of the war in vivid detail.

Arden shared on GoodReads that while this novel is not her longest, it was her most difficult to write.

She states, "Ghosts is a book about love and loss, how the world ends, and how it goes on. It's about the nature of evil and the shape of hell, and about war. I started it in 2019, and here it is coming out in 2024, when young men are fighting in trenches in Europe once again. Perhaps enjoy is the wrong word for the book I spent a long time calling the Fiend. But I hope it haunts you, as it has haunted me."

Related- The Best Magical Realism Books to Read Now

From the Dagger Award-winning author of Norwegian by Night comes a vivid, thrilling, and moving World War II art-heist-adventure tale in which enemies become heroes, allies become villains, and a child learns what it means to become an adult. This highly-rated novel is recommended for fans of All the Light We Cannot See.

This genre-blending novel features a nurse caught in a dangerous adventure involving a legendary magician's secret. With elements of mystery, historical intrigue, and a touch of the supernatural, this book offers readers a fresh and thrilling take on the nurse-as-hero trope.

Related- Best Anthony Doerr Books

In Nazi Germany, Allina Strauss is forced into service as a nurse at Hochland Home, a state-run "baby factory" where women are used to perpetuate the Aryan race.

As she navigates the horrors of the Lebensborn program, Allina must hide her Jewish identity while caring for the neglected children in her charge. When she uncovers the atrocities within the home, she risks everything—not only to save herself but also the innocent lives she's vowed to protect.

A book pairing with Necessary Lies following social workers navigating a secret eugenics project in the South would be a magnificent medical drama book pairing.  

This haunting novel was a MomAdvice Book Club selection that I highly recommend for a thought-provoking conversation.

This historical fiction selection is inspired by the real-life story of two girls, Mary Alice and Minnie Lee Relf. In 1973, at ages 12 and 14, they were surgically sterilized without their consent in Montgomery, Alabama.

This book adds dimension by using narration through the eyes of a Black nurse in her first job, unknowingly participating in this sterilization project, and what steps she takes once she finds out.

As she fights for justice, she's forced to confront the limits of her own power. Thought-provoking and heartbreaking, this novel explores race, healthcare, and the haunting ethics of medical intervention.

Related- 2023 Book Club Books

Set in a Dublin maternity ward during the 1918 flu pandemic, this tense and beautifully written novel follows three women—a nurse, a doctor, and a volunteer—who work tirelessly to care for expectant mothers battling the deadly virus. Donoghue's immersive storytelling brings to life the claustrophobic urgency of a hospital under siege.

This 5-star novel had a surprising detail in the author's note that shared that Donoghue had submitted her draft well before COVID, as I had poured over eerie similarities to this tragic chapter in our lived history.

This novel follows an ambitious young woman determined to break barriers as a nurse and war correspondent from the Spanish-American War to the early days of World War I.

Our heroine has sworn off war nursing but receives word that an estranged friend is headed to Cuba to work for the Red Cross. Determined to stop her, she joins in her place, following Teddy Roosevelet's Rough Riders straight to the heart of the fighting.

Willig might not have a medical background, but the author has a PhD in history from Harvard, so readers know that the historical details in her novels will be top-notch.

Related- 53 Historical Fiction Book Recommendations

Set in the gritty underbelly of 1880s New York, this historical mystery follows a cunning con artist who escapes the law by posing as a nurse at Bellevue Hospital.

But when a series of murders shakes the city, she finds herself at the center of a deadly game. The Nurse's Secret is a fascinating look at the early days of modern nursing, wrapped in a twisty, page-turning plot.

Skenandore gives us a unique lens into this world because she isn't just an author; she's also a registered nurse and certified infection preventionist.

Related- The Best Prime Reading Guide (Get 10 Free Books)

Related- Captivating Con Artist Books

Rachel Kalama is a spirited little girl who captures your heart immediately. She is living the typical life of a little Hawaiian girl, but when a rose-colored mark appears on her leg, her mother knows immediately that she has leprosy.

To protect her daughter, she covers the mark and hides other marks that appear on Rachel's body. It is the family's dark secret since all people afflicted by leprosy are quarantined and taken from their families.

But, when Rachel's sister gets in a fight with Rachel, and calls her a, "leper," the authorities are immediately notified. She is taken from her family and moved to the island of Kalaupapa, a quarantined leprosy settlement on the island of Moloka'i.

Her life should be over, but it is just beginning. Over the years, as Rachel grows up in Kalaupapa, she encounters dedicated healthcare professionals, including nuns and nurses, who provide care and compassion to the residents despite the stigma surrounding the disease.

While much of the story focuses on Rachel's resilience and personal journey, the role of nurses and other caregivers highlights the evolving understanding of public health, the ethics of patient care, and the humanity within the medical field during a time of fear and misunderstanding.

If you love the story, don't miss the sequel, Daughter of Moloka'i!

Fleeing a troubled past in Michigan, Eva joins the Army Nurse Corps, hoping for a fresh start in Hawaii.

Her journey begins aboard a military transport ship, where she finds herself drawn to the dashing Lieutenant Clark while navigating the tense atmosphere of intercepted Japanese signals and looming uncertainty.

As the attack on Pearl Harbor unfolds, Eva is hurled into the chaos, tending to the wounded in a hospital overwhelmed by the devastation.

With rich historical detail, this novel explores the intrigue surrounding the attack and the resilience of those who fought to save lives in its wake.

Inspired by true events, this novel tells the story of a nurse in 1926 who secretly places a premature baby in Dr. Couney's controversial Coney Island incubator exhibit in a desperate bid to save its life.

Decades later, a young teacher discovers her mother's hidden past, unraveling a family mystery that challenges everything she thought she knew. Armstrong crafts a deeply moving dual-timeline tale about medical ethics, motherhood, and courage.

This historic event made a cameo in The Last Carolina Girl and would be a perfect pairing with this novel.

Related- Circus Books

Related- Best Book Club Books to Spark Conversation

Related- Meagan Church Interview

Based on the true story of Julia Stimson, this novel follows a pioneering nurse who leads a team of American women to the Western Front during World War I.

As superintendent of the Army Nurse Corps during World War I, Stimson became the first woman to attain the rank of Major in the United States Army.

This powerful and inspiring tribute to the women who served is penned by Tracey Enerson Wood, a registered nurse and military wife!

When people ask for books like The Women- this is ALWAYS my first recommendation.

Inspired by Fader's mother's career in nursing, this novel delves into the layers of tender and enduring bonds of friendship set against the backdrop of the Vietnam War, with rich dual timelines that offer glimpses into magnificent Hollywood settings.

The story begins with the funeral of BettyKay Beecher, a beloved nurse, and mother. Her daughters, Clara and Abby, are reunited for the somber occasion, but tensions arise as the two sisters cannot be more different in their lives and approach wrapping up their mother's estate.

However, things take an unexpected turn when Kitty Deveraux, a famous Hollywood actress, appears at the funeral and places an unusual pink button in the coffin.

Intrigued, Clara and Abby, invite Kitty to their mother's home, where she reveals that she knew BettyKay and their "Aunt Jenny" from their time as nursing students. The two odd-couple roommates had formed a fast comradery with Jenny, one of the few Black women in their nursing school program, a friendship that endured for many years.

Her daughters have never known of their friendship with Kitty or her secret past life, and Jenny does not seem pleased by her sudden appearance. So, as Kitty regales them with stories from their three friends' pasts, the girls learn surprising secrets about their mother they never knew.

While Molly Fader may be a new writer to me, she is well-known as the award-winning author of more than 40 romance novels under the pennames Molly O'Keefe and M. O'Keefe!

Related- Molly Fader Interview (Podcast Discussing Her Mother's Nursing Career)

Related- Best Books About Old Hollywood

The story is about a trio of nurses and was written by a trio of bestselling historical fiction writers!

Inspired by true events, this novel tells the harrowing story of three military nurses stationed in the Philippines during World War II, who become prisoners of war after the Japanese invasion. Their friendship and resilience become their greatest weapons as they fight for survival under brutal conditions.

Readers should be aware that as prisoners of war, they endure harrowing conditions yet continue to inspire by providing medical care to their fellow internees with minimal resources.

The partnership for this writing project came through the publisher Harper Muse, whose assignment coincided with the pandemic. These three friends selected characters based on their own backgrounds, which aligned with many details in this nurse story.

"Men tell stories. Women get on with it. For us it was a shadow war. There were no parades for us when it was over, no medals or mentions in history books. We did what we had to during the war, and when it was over, we picked up the pieces and started our lives over."

This novel is one of my favorite Kristin Hannah books because it highlights the courage and sacrifices of women during World War II, particularly those inspired by real-life nurses and resistance fighters who were the unsung heroes of this era.

Hannah tells a beautiful story of two sisters who fought the war in their own ways when the Nazis invaded France. It is a moving rendering of the survival skills needed during this time, focusing on the missions of one sister, who joins the French Resistance and brings soldiers to safety.

While her story may seem more significant, the everyday struggles of her own sister, who must house a Nazi soldier, are just as harrowing.

The writing is brutally honest and unflinching at what women must do to survive, and Hannah perfectly captures their journey.

Picoult's gripping courtroom drama centers on a Black labor and delivery nurse who is wrongfully accused of murder after a racist couple refuses her care.

When a baby goes into cardiac arrest while Ruth is on duty, she finds herself in the middle of a grueling murder trial and without a job to support her.

Kennedy, a lawyer assigned to this tough case, and the reader get to go along on this journey with Ruth as she agonizes over a split-second decision that may have cost her the job she has loved for so many years.

In a predictable Picoult fashion, there is a twist at the end that you may or may not see coming. Powerful and deeply relevant, this is one of Picoult's most thought-provoking and timely novels.

Myra Lipinsky, a dedicated visiting nurse, has built a quiet life centered around caring for others. At fifty-one, she has accepted her solitude, finding purpose in patient care rather than personal relationships.

When she is assigned to care for Chip Reardon, a former high school crush now terminally ill, her professional and personal worlds collide.

As she tends to his physical and emotional needs, Myra grapples with the boundaries of nursing practice, the complexities of human connection, and the profound impact of compassionate care.

Lib Wright, a nurse trained by Florence Nightingale, is tasked with a strange assignment in 19th-century Ireland: to watch over an eleven-year-old girl, Anna, who claims to have survived for months without food, living only on "manna from heaven."

As Lib and a nun monitor Anna's condition around the clock, Lib's skepticism gives way to a growing sense of doubt. As Anna's health deteriorates, she must confront her training and beliefs, questioning whether she's witnessing a miracle or a dangerous deception.

The Wonder movie can be streamed on Netflix, starring France Pugh, after you finish the book.

In Jacqueline Winspear's Maisie Dobbs series, nursing plays a crucial role in shaping the protagonist's journey. Before becoming a psychologist and private investigator, Maisie served as a nurse during World War I, an experience that deeply influenced her approach to both life and detective work.

These experiences fuel her compassion and sharpen her observational skills making her uniquely suited to uncover hidden truths.

As she investigates a mysterious case tied to the war, Maisie's background in nursing—and her understanding of both physical and emotional wounds—prove invaluable. Winspear masterfully weaves historical fiction, mystery, and a deep respect for the nursing profession into this compelling debut.

We have to have a nurse behaving badly story!

The infamous Nurse Ratched is certainly not a nurse to emulate, but she is one of the most well-known figures in literature.

While the novel critiques the oppressive nature of psychiatric institutions, it also highlights the critical role nurses play in shaping patient experiences—for better or worse. Nurse Ratched's character serves as a haunting exploration of power, compliance, and the ethical responsibilities of healthcare professionals.

Related- These Social Horror Books Will Make You Think

School nurse Kate Cypher returns to her rural Vermont hometown to care for her mother, who is battling Alzheimer's. On the night of her arrival, a young girl is brutally murdered—an unsettling echo of a similar crime that haunted Kate's childhood.

The victim back then was Del, a lonely outcast cruelly nicknamed the "Potato Girl," whose tragic fate still lingers in the town's memory.

As the novel weaves between past and present, Kate becomes entangled in the mystery of these two eerily similar murders. As she uncovers long-buried secrets, the boundaries between memory, guilt, and the supernatural become unclear.

A chilling ghost story, a gripping mystery, and a poignant coming-of-age tale, this novel delivers a dark and twisted narrative with a satisfying final twist like Jennifer McMahon's other works.

Related- 19 Thrillers To Keep You Up All Night

When a glamorous Hollywood socialite is diagnosed with leprosy in the 1920s, she is sent to a Louisiana quarantine hospital, where she unexpectedly finds purpose as a volunteer nurse.

Mirielle, spoiled and wealthy, struggles to fit in, but as time goes by, she finds purpose at this clinic and discovers her new found family. How she connects with one young patient, in particular, speaks to Mirielle's character growth.

Skenandore's medical background helps bring to life this disease, its social stigma, and the experimental medical treatments used by this leprosy colony, making this an informative reading experience.

Related- Best Found Family Trope Books

Set during World War II, this sweeping historical novel follows Red Cross volunteer Irene Woodward as she embarks on a dangerous mission to bring comfort and coffee to soldiers on the front lines through her volunteerism with the Red Cross.

Inspired by the true story of the Clubmobile women, Urrea's poignant tale celebrates the resilience and camaraderie of women in wartime.

With rich historical detail and unforgettable characters, this novel is a must-read for fans of The Nightingale and The Alice Network.

Related- 17 Stunning Friendship Stories to Read Now

After surviving a tragic plane crash, Margaret Jacobsen faces a long and painful rehabilitation guided by an uncompromising but deeply compassionate physical therapist.

As she rebuilds her life, she learns that sometimes, the things we fear losing most aren't the things we truly need.

Center's signature blend of heart, humor, and hope makes this a compelling story of resilience and unexpected love.

Get your tissues out for this novel, which I'm strongly considering for next year's book club.

Set against the backdrop of war-torn Syria, this powerful novel follows Salama, a young pharmacy student turned volunteer nurse, as she struggles with an impossible choice—to stay and help her people or flee for safety.

A stunning mix of historical fiction and magical realism, Katouh's novel explores love, loss, and the heartbreaking realities of war through breathtaking prose.

Related- Best Coming-of-Age Books Any Adult Will Love