Have you ever wondered what vintage paperback nurse romances are like?
I'll tell you because I just read Flight Nurse written by Adelaide Humphries, set against the glamour of a Tokyo Air Force hospital in 1955.
Valerie Lane is newly arrived in the Far East, rooming with three other nurses. After medical degrees they trained alongside Air Force pilots in boot camp scenarios, and now fly behind enemy lines to evacuate wounded, delivering emergency care at high altitudes. Valerie keeps to herself until she meets dashing Major Jerry Maguire. Even outside of wartime, they feel romance is no go and stay friends. Rescuing men from a burning plane in the Pacific, Valerie is surprised her distant cousin is among the living. Scott takes a long time to recover and feels that no woman would ever look at his scarred face again. Valerie visits to cheer him up, not knowing he has fixated on her, and she's surprised when he proposes - she doesn't love him, but... it might make him feel better to say yes...so she does. Cue the drama when she realizes who she really does love, but is it too late?
There is the reality of dealing with men who were frostbitten in Korea, broken bones and contagious diseases...and ample local colour sprinkled throughout as she goes to gardens, festivals and shops the Ginza - near the end having a full on traditional Japanese dinner. Many comparisons to American vs Japanese customs refreshingly have Japanese best. It's not badly written, but not very engaging, with lots of talk without anything really happening. It's hard to get behind a heroine who is ready to marry (and quit her job) because it would make him feel better. And didn't we always suspect why Jerry was hanging around? Maybe there is a happy ending.
If you want more, Adelaide kept the nurse romance industry going with titles like Senior Nurse, Staff Nurse, Substitute Nurse, Office Nurse, Home Front Nurse, Nurse Langdon, Nurses Are People, Nurse Knows Best, Nurse Lady, Nurse In Love, Navy Nurse, Nurse With Wings, Orchids For The Nurse, New England Nurse, Nurse Laurie's Cruise, Park Avenue Nurse, The Nurse Had Red Hair, Clinic Nurse, Mission Nurse, The Nurse Had A Secret, Nurse In Love, The Nurse Made Headlines, Nurse Barbara, Luxury Nurse, Surgery Nurse, Nurse In Flight, Masquerade Nurse, Nurse in Jeopardy, Nurse Barbara, The Nurse Was Kidnapped, Miracle for Nurse Louisa and Danger for Nurse Vivian
- graduating to Lady Doctor
- and not forgetting the intriguing titles Nurse On Horseback and Swamp Nurse.
1955 / Paperback / 144 pages
Comments