A Stream to Follow: A Novel

I've not read many novels about life right after WWII for the soldiers who had to come back home and try to reintegrate back into a normal life. This novel follows a soldier who was a doctor/surgeon on the front-line during WWII and has to now assimilate back into the normal routine of life while dealing with PTSD and various things he saw and had to do while in the midst of battle around him. This was a very good read in that I don't think many of us think about this part of the war- it's over the heroes are home and let’s move on, but many are fighting demons from that time.

Bruce makes it back home to Pennsylvania where he plans to open a general practice and ease back into life. But life like usual has other plans and soon he has show more to perform a lifesaving surgery that makes him start questioning the factory in town and what those workers conditions are like. He is not ready to fight another battle but he knows these people need help. Meanwhile, word of a lady doctor coming to set up shop is spreading around town and his brother who was also in the war is fighting his war demons with the bottom of a bottle.

People are not happy that Bruce is stirring things up with workers at the local factory, meanwhile he sees that his brother is not coping well and is trying to do his best to get him help, while working through his own issues. Never thinking he'd have to fear his life back at home Bruce is back in the midst of battle but a battle where he is the only target.

Thank you to Books Forward and Sparkpress for the free novel. I really enjoyed reading this perspective of the war and the author did a great job with the flashbacks, it made me understand a little better how easy that is for someone to have and have to deal with. show less