The one thing that has consistently distinguished BSB releases over others in this genre is their bold, attention-grabbing covers. And this one is no exception. Happily, the rest of the book doesn't disappoint either. :)

Hazaar is every man (and woman's) dream. She is beautiful, smart, talented, vivacious, and full of life. She is also gay. Her parents are devout Pakistani traditionalists, so the prospect of a marriage to a good, Muslim husband hangs over her future like damocles' sword. Higher education has so far been a successful excuse to delay the inevitable, and one day perhaps...fame and a doctorate degree might just allow her to fly free. But a cruel twist of Fate and some well-meaning but horrible decisions throw this poor nightingale into a brutal cage.

Hazaar's love Charlie refuses to give up, following her into hell in the hopes of someday reuniting them, however remote that possibility is. What are the odds that Fate would one day dangle that chance in front of her, yet be cruel enough to snatch it all away...again.

This is the author's third, and best book to date.

The timeline switches back and forth from the present to the past in alternate chapters, making for a fast-paced page-turner from start to finish. This style works well for the most part especially the first half of the book, when the good old times contrasted sharply with present. But the constant switching continues throughout the book, and I think it would have even been more tense and suspenseful had it gone linear at some point. There are a couple of times when the tension and build-up got diffused or completely fizzled out by switching back to the other timeline. This is just a minor issue though.

More importantly, I love how the author balances all the elements that make for a thoroughly enjoyable read. Characters you can fall in love with, a plot that grips you from the first chapter and doesn't let you go till the last, supporting characters that aren't caricatures, realistic plotting and believable character development (e.g. Charlie). The horrors that Hazaar experiences mirror those that we read about in the news. But it is interesting that the author doesn't vilify the culture or the religion. Instead she shows how people actually bend and abuse these traditions to further their own interests and agendas. Her portrayal of the British embassy team that deals with these problems also show a deep understanding of the complex familial and legal issues involved.

I wished the book were a bit longer though--an additional 50-100 pages maybe. I would have loved to read more about Hazaar's POV. There were some important periods in her life that were skipped. Also the aftermath could have been mined for a bit more drama. These aren't issues--just a personal wishlist.

I'm still giving 5 stars!

Well written and amazingly narrated.

This isn't the usual run of the mill lesbian romance book. It is suspenseful and heart breaking, but slightly hopeful. I loved the chemistry and banter between the two characters and really enjoyed that we got to see it through flashbacks.

The story was much more violent than I'm used to, so be warned, there is violence and control against women. It was at times hard to take, especially since the narration was so well done.

Great listen, this should definitely be made into a movie.

I read this book some time ago and gave it a solid 4 stars because it was great. Now I'm listening to the audio and amping that rating up to all the stars because it's just that good. For content warnings regarding the content see all the other reviews, but if you just want to know if it's good or not, trust me, it's damn good.

RATING: 5 Stars
Reviewed for celestial books

When this book was recommended to me by a friend of mine, she said that the novel had stayed with her for days upon finishing it. I can understand why.

This novel is ambitious in its thematic scope. It explores oft misrepresented elements of Islam, the interconnected and complex nature of religious zealotry and cultural tradition, as well as the oxymoron that is a family that somehow manages to both love and oppress. The author does an excellent job of handling all of these issues. I was particularly impressed by the respectful and well-researched management of Islam. As someone who teaches Studies of Religion to senior school students (though I myself am not religious - so I can't claim to be an expert), I found the discussions between characters that delved into the issue to be extremely well managed. This is the sort of writing I'd like to see more of. The kind that challenges us to think, to feel, to be.

It's also refreshing to read a novel that has a strong element of cultural diversity - without suggesting that everyone within a religious or cultural setting expresses their beliefs in the same ways. People in Pakistan are a mix of outright altruistic and beautiful (Amira!) and shockingly brutal. And as Charlie points out to Kenzi, it's the same everywhere, though the name given to violence in one place may be different to the name it is given in another.

The dual timeline in the novel did its job. Switching between 'The North of England - Then' and 'Pakistan - Now', built a great deal of suspense. It drove me crazy sometimes, because I'd want to know what happens next in the other time line. That said, ideas and experiences are unveiled as they should be for the sake of masterful storytelling.

I only found a couple of aspects that I didn't enjoy overall, and these didn't reduce my ***** rating of the novel. Personally (and really - this is about reader preference), I didn't find the graphic sex scenes to be in keeping with the tone of the book. Charlie and Hazaar's relationship needed to be firmly explored before the action of the second half of the novel unfolds, yet the almost reverent atmosphere of the entire story made those scenes feel out-of-place to me.

I'd like to point out the following to readers just in case these factors may make you uncomfortable. The novel includes scenes of torture that are confronting, as torture always would be. The scenes do an amazing job of enhancing the characterisation though, and don't seem to be there just for the sake of "shock value," which helped me deal with them as best as I could. The novel definitely elicited a powerful emotional response from me - that's for sure. As a parent, I really struggled with the last few chapters. I won't mention anything that'll spoil the story too much, but just be aware that if you have raised kids, you may be like me and feel a bit sick during a couple of the chapters.

Nightingale is a fantastic, intense, and poignant novel that is well worth reading.

5 stars. This is the type of book that makes me regret the fact that I stopped smoking almost a decade ago. Dramatic? Sure, but it’s true this book had my nerves all messed up and it dragged my emotions to hell and back. It hurt so bad. And I loved every single painful moment.

The writing is absolutely beautiful and the plot is heavy and heartbreaking but the romance is the beacon of light. I loved the romance between Charlie and Hazaar and how this is in a way a second chance romance. They are both wonderful and strong characters as individuals but them together? Impeccable. Their chemistry and the unbreakable bond and love between them was absolutely beautiful.

This alternates between the past when they were together and the present with Charlie trying to rescue Hazaar. I thought it was well balanced between the two time periods. I adored the way this ended. It was hard journey to get to that HEA but it was a beautiful payoff.

This was such a painful and brutal read but again the romance was top tier. So good and I’m excited to explore this author’s backlist.

5 Stars - audiobook - omg, the drama and angst - exquisitely painful in all the best ways

The narration of this book was so good, I have to see if I can hunt down her info on twitter or somewhere and let her know. She was 100% acting not just reading and her accents were spot on.

The subject matter of this book is a good reminder for all of us privileged enough to live somewhere where our lives and our decisions are our own to be very grateful indeed. Some of the stuff that happens to Hazaar is really hard to read. Have tissues handy.

I know I complained about flashbacks in my last review, but this book is a perfect example of them used the right way. Tell the past (how they meet and fall in love) with the current timeline, just ramps up the drama and the angst because you know where it all is leading. The climax at the end had me on the edge of my seat.

I would put this in the top 5 five best books I have read this year. Highly recommend.

Wow. Nightingale in audio shows how the right voice can make a great book into something remarkable. Kudos to Ms Bramhall for this heartfelt story of love overcoming all. Educational and enlightening, the author shows us how cultural differences can be overcome with understanding and compassion.

Ms Naqvi should have won an award for her work on Nightingale. I was transported into the lives of each and every character in this novel. Her narration was spot on. Wonderful when a voice actor elevates the strength and power of a story.

I rarely reread or re-listen to books. Nightingale might become an annual read for me now.