Just for the Summer - Melody Carlson

 

This story had vibes of The Holiday though it was set in the summer. Who knew switching jobs with someone else could be so revealing,

Jacqueline and Ginny both have a lot to learn in this delightful tale. This one is set in Seattle and in Idaho which are worlds apart. Having grown up in Idaho and near Idaho Falls, I was delighted to have my state featured, but always get a little distracted when details aren't quite like what I know. That being said, this story was a fun and light summer read, but did have some strong emotional vibes

Jacqueline and Giinny could not be more different from each other. One relishes the glitz and the glamour and the other is a really hard worker that doesn't focus on the fashion.

What would a job switch be with romance in the new areas. The male protagonists were well written and had character all their own. I have read this author before and love the touristy destinations she writes about. I love the small town vibe.

There is conflict in the stories without it being overwhelming and unmanageable. I think this story worthy of other women's fiction summer reads that have come before it. This is a nice clean read with just the right touch of Christian influence

I received an early copy from the publisher on NetGalley and this is my honest review

Night Falls on Predicament Avenue - Jaime Jo Wright

 

BOOK DESCRIPTION

 As the walls of the house at Predicament Avenue reveal their hidden truths, two women--generations apart--discover that fear and foreboding are no respecters of time.

In 1910, Effie James is committed to doing anything to save her younger sister, who witnessed a shocking murder, leaving her mute and in danger of the killer's retribution. Effie must prove what her sister saw, but when a British gentleman arrives, he disrupts Effie's quest with his attempts to locate his wife, Isabelle Addington, who was last seen at the supposed crime scene in the abandoned house at 322 Predicament Avenue. Just as Effie discovers what she seeks, she finds that the blood staining the walls will forever link her to a scandal she couldn't imagine, and to a woman whose secrets promise to curse any who would expose them.

A century later, Norah Richman grapples with social anxiety and grief as she runs her late great-aunt's bed-and-breakfast on Predicament Avenue. But Norah has little affection for the house and is committed only to carrying out her murdered sister's dreams until crime historian and podcaster Sebastian Blaine arrives to investigate the ghostly legacy of the house's claim to fame--the murder of Isabelle Addington. When a guest is found dead, the incident is linked to Isabelle's murder, and Norah and Sebastian must work together to uncover the century-old curse that has wrapped 322 Predicament Avenue in its clutches and threatens far more than death.

 

BOOK REVIEW 

Night Falls on Predicament Avenue is a dual timeline book with an enthralling mystery or two. Jaime Jo Wright is masterful at spinning dual timeline stories and tying them together. This story is definitely a winner.

 The two stories are a delicate dance between the past and the future with one informing the other to the reader but hiding its mysteries from the main characters. Entwined in this delicious mystery is a story of healing and of moving forward with faith instead of fear. There is a tangled web of relationships that becomes unclear of who to trust and who to fear. The two mysteries have false trails and clues that make the reader second guess themselves, but lead to an ending that is satisfying to the reader, but perhaps a little open for the characters.

 Effie and Norah both find themselves pulled into a mystery that is beyond their ability to escape. Sebastian and Anderson willingly pull themselves into the mystery for their own reasons.

 The mysteries themselves unravel little by little in a way that is organic and keeps an air of suspense throughout the story.,

 I highly recommend this story to anyone who loves a good mystery, a clean read, and a story of faith and healing.

 I received an early copy from the publisher through NetGalley and this is my honest review.

 

AUTHOR BIO

 

Jaime Jo Wright (JaimeWrightBooks.com) is the author of ten novels, including Christy Award and Daphne du Maurier Award-winner The House on Foster Hill and Carol Award winner The Reckoning at Gossamer Pond. She's also a two-time Christy Award finalist, as well as the ECPA bestselling author of The Vanishing at Castle Moreau and two Publishers Weekly bestselling novellas. Jaime lives in Wisconsin with her family and felines.

 

The Ark and the Dove

 This was an interesting look at the possibilities experienced by Noah's wife and their family. It was written from several of their perspectives as they experience the building of the ark,  the flood, and the aftermath of that.

It shows  the perspectives of Noah's sons' wives and the difficulties they had leaving their families behind and eventually losing them to the flood because they would not believe.

It was interesting perspective. I enjoyed the story though some of the perspective did not entirely line up with my perspective of Christianity. That being said, it was a well written story and I enjoyed reading it. The experiences were relatable with a world that feels much like the world that they experienced prior to the flood. The book felt relevant and was enjoyable.

I was sent an ARC by the publisher and this is my honest review. 

These Tangled Threads by Sarah Loudin Thomas

BOOK DESCRIPTION

 Seven years ago, a hidden betrayal scattered three young friends living in the shadow of Biltmore Estate. Now, when Biltmore Industries master weaver Lorna Blankenship is commissioned to create an original design for Cornelia Vanderbilt's 1924 wedding, she panics knowing she doesn't have the creativity needed. But there's an elusive artisan in the Blue Ridge Mountains who could save her--if only she can find her.

 To track the mysterious weaver down, Lorna sees no other way but to seek out the relationships she abandoned in shame. As she pulls at each tangled thread from her old life, Lorna is forced to confront the wounds and regrets of long ago. She'll have to risk the job that shapes her identity as well as the hope of friendship--and love--restored.

 In this seamlessly woven historical tale, award-winning Appalachian author Sarah Loudin Thomas delivers a poignant novel of friendship, artistry, restoration, and second chances.

 MY REVIEW

 Set in North Carolina around the Biltmore estate, this is three separate stories entangled together by circumstances outside of control. 

We learn of Arthur, Gentry and Lorna who all worked on the Biltmore Estate as a part of training operation that also included weaving and woodworking. Arthur stayed around but expanded on his own business. 

While the stories were their own, they were very much intertwined. These characters learned from each other. Some of the lessons were difficult and others were unexpected. 

This book is written from all three points of view and it goes between what is their past and their present. Each has difficult circumstances brought about by the times and others in their world. The glimpses of the Biltmore estate are beautiful and the lives of the characters are rich and interesting. 

Ultimately their threads are entangled and eventually come together again in an unexpected and beautiful way, much like the cloth that is woven throughout the book. I enjoyed this story very much and the look into the lives of hardworking people that sometimes struggled with what it meant to survive. The messages of forgiveness and love are woven throughout, much like the characters. This was a beautifully written story and I would recommend it to others. 

I received an early copy from the publisher and NetGalley and this is my honest review.

AUTHOR BIO

 

Sarah Loudin Thomas (sarahloudinthomas.com) is the author of numerous acclaimed novels, including The Finder of Forgotten Things, The Right Kind of Fool, winner of the 2021 Selah Book of the Year, and Miracle in a Dry Season, winner of the 2015 INSPY Award. She worked in public relations for Biltmore Estate for six years and is now the director of Jan Karon's Mitford Museum. A native of West Virginia, she and her husband now live in western North Carolina. 

 

Never Fall Again by Lynn H Blackburn

 

Landry Hutton has spent three years rebuilding her life behind the secure gates of The Haven, an exclusive resort on the outskirts of Gossamer Falls, North Carolina. After serving as the artist-in-residence, Landry is finally ready to settle in permanently to give her daughter, Eliza, a safe home in which to grow up.

Former Marine Callum Shaw always knew he would someday join his family's construction business in Gossamer Falls. He longs for a family of his own but has almost given up on that ever happening. The beautiful artist who has hired him to build her new house is funny, gifted, and everything Cal could ever want in a partner, but he vows to keep his distance. He's loved--and lost--someone like her before.

When Landry's pottery is destroyed in a suspicious fire, it becomes clear that Landry and Eliza are in grave danger--but from whom? Cal will have to risk his heart again if he has any hope of protecting them.

I really enjoyed this story. The suspense was light, but just enough to keep the mind going throughout the book trying to figure it out. There were plenty of clues towards what was going on, but also lots of distraction. 

What was not light was the arc involving the romantic lead. Their chemistry was wonderful despite their insistence on wanting to be alone. It was clear from the beginning that they belonged together. This fact did not detract from the story, it enhanced it., I love the setting and the families in this story. A little bit of an age old feud just made things even more interesting. 

I felt for Landry and her daughter and I fell for Callum, who wouldn't. With just the right touch of growth, love and forgiveness as well as setting up the stories for several characters, I found this story to be absolutely wonderful and I would love to visit this town again. There is nothing better than a good romantic suspense when you need a good escape and this one offered the perfect opportunity,

As far as the suspense piece goes, I really did not see that coming. The romance was expected but felt organic. The story had the perfect touch. 

I received an early copy from the publisher via netgalley and this is my honest review.

Hidden Yellow Stars - Rebecca Connollly

BOOK DESCRIPTION

Based on the true story of two World War II heroines who risked everything to save Jewish children from the Gestapo by hiding them throughout Belgium.

Belgium, 1942

Young schoolteacher Andrée Geulen secretly defies the Nazis in Belgium, who are forcing Jews to wear a yellow Star of David. Andrée is not Jewish, but she feels a maternal connection to her students, who are living in constant fear, and decides to take action. No child should have to suffer under such persecution. But what can one woman do against an entire army?

Ida Sterno is a Jewish woman who works with the Committee for the Defense of Jews in Belgium, a clandestine resistance group tasked with hiding children from the Gestapo. She wants to recruit Andrée because her Aryan appearance can provide crucial security measures for their efforts. Andrée agrees to join and begins work immediately by adopting a code name: Claude Fournier.

Together, Andrée and Ida, and their undercover operatives, work around the clock to move Jewish children from their families and smuggle them to safety through the secret channels established by the resistance. As each child is hidden, Andrée commits to memory their true name and history. Someday, she vows, she will help reunite as many of these families as she can.

But with the Gestapo closing in and the traitorous Fat Jacques who has turned from ally to enemy and is threatening to identify and expose any Jew he meets, Andrée and Ida must work even harder against increasingly impossible odds to save as many children as possible and keep them safely hidden—even if it might cost them their own lives.

BOOK REVIEW

There are stories that are fun to read and are a lovely escape, this isn't one of those. This is a story that needed to be told and MUST be read. This is the story of two women, one an atheist and one a non practicing Jew who find themselves wanting to do more in Belgium during the occupation of Germany during WWII. This is a story that could have been easily overlooked.

This is a well-researched, emotionally charged historical fiction based on true people and true events. This is heart pounding in the near misses with keeping little ones safe.

The perception of these two women shows the gamut of what people believed and how a change in an idea could be all it took to save these children. It highlighted the brave people that did the hiding on behalf of those being hunted. Sometimes, it allowed the parents a chance to hide, knowing their children were being saved. Sometimes it meant only a small part of families being saved.

If you don't read any other WWII novel, you should read this one. In remembrance of these two very real ladies and the sacrifice that they made in order to save children. It also very much highlights the organization that they worked with to accomplish this.

Rebecca Connolly was masterful in her research and depictions. I was able to feel the suspense, the fear, the hope, and the relief when there was success. I also felt the despair of these parents who had to let their children go to let them live in a time where their world was turned upside down.

AUTHOR BIO

Rebecca Connolly is the author of more than two dozen novels. She calls herself a Midwest girl, having lived in Ohio and Indiana. She's always been a bookworm, and her grandma would send her books almost every month so she would never run out. Book Fairs were her carnival, and libraries are her happy place. She received a master's degree from West Virginia University.

While doing research for this book, she discovered information about her own family history, including the fates of several unknown family members who perished in the concentration camps of World War II.

A Lady's Guide to Marvels and Misadventure

 

BOOK DESCRIPTION

Miss Clara Marie Stanton's family may be eccentric, but they certainly aren't insane.

 London, England, 1860

When Clara's ex-fiancé begins to spread rumors that her family suffers from hereditary insanity, it's all she can do to protect them from his desperate schemes, society's prejudice, and a lifetime in an asylum. Then Clara's Grandfather Drosselmeyer brings on an apprentice with a mechanical leg, and all pretense of normalcy takes wing.

 Theodore Kingsley, a shame-chased vagabond haunted by the war, wants a fresh start far from Kingsley Court and the disappointed father who declared him dead. Upon returning to England, Theodore meets clockmaker Drosselmeyer, who hires him as an apprentice, much to Clara's dismay. When Drosselmeyer spontaneously disappears in his secret flying owl machine, he leaves behind a note for Clara, beseeching her to make her dreams of adventure a reality by joining him on a merry scavenger hunt across Europe. Together, Clara and Theodore set off to follow Drosselmeyer's trail of clues, but they will have to stay one step ahead of a villain who wants the flying machine for himself--at any cost.

MY REVIEW

This Victorian book was wonderful. It was full of fun and adventure. It had a little romance and a little mystery. It was a little steampunk with automatons.

Clara is a part of a wealthy family and she is trying to hold that family together after the death of her grandmother. Her grandfather hires an apprentice who goes by Mr. Arthur as he has his own secrets and is trying to reinvent himself.

Grandfather fancies himself a matchmaker and sends the two, along with Clara's mother on the trip of a lifetime, It is a mystery to figure out, but also there to figure out is Clara learning to live again, Mr. Arthur learning to trust again, and both of them discovering truths about God and themselves. 

This is a Christian fiction with a strong message about trusting in God even in the darkest moments. With all the wonder of the story, the lessons about God are well done and a perfect fit within the story. It is a magical tale with a few twists and turns along the way.

I hated to put this one down for the real world around me. It was a beautifully written escape to a world of wonder and possibility within Clara's life. 

This is definitely on a list to read again. I received an early copy from the publisher through NetGalley and this is my honest review.,

An Unlikely Proposition by Rosalyn Eves

BOOK DESCRIPTION

A standalone companion to An Improbable Season, this Regency romance ⁠— perfect for fans of Bridgerton — is about following your heart, pursuing your dreams, and falling head over heels in love.

Eleanor did not come to London to be proper and boring. After the death of her husband and a year of mourning, the seventeen year old wants nothing more than her independence and to have a little fun. She’s hardly looking to remarry, despite pressures from her late husband’s nephew, who is keen on obtaining her inheritance. Eleanor quickly devises a plan that includes a fake engagement. What’s not a part of the plan? Falling for a dashing, quiet man outside of her social circle – a man who is not her betrothed. Can she survive the Season with her heart and her fortune intact?

Thalia is determined to begin afresh after a disastrous first Season in London. No romantic distractions, but only her work as a poet and newfound companion to Eleanor. Determined to get her poems published, she struggles to be taken seriously as a female writer. As the spring progresses, Thalia does not expect to take interest in a man from her past (a man who is engaged to her employer, no less!), but some feelings demand to be felt even if the timing isn’t quite right.

Rosalyn Eves's An Unlikely Proposition is a transportive Regency drama that captures the sparkle of London, thrill of friendship, and swoon of new love.

MY REVIEW

Eleanor, a 17-year-old widow, fresh out of mourning, has the world at her feet. Her husband left her a fortune, but seemingly made it so she could never remarry, something that she is consistently reminded of by his nephew. What is a girl to do except swear off marriage and set up a fake engagement. Add to that an equally inexperienced companion who had a failed elopement and you have a duo trying to navigate the ton who are less than strictly proper. Thalia wants to be a writer of poetry and comes to London in order to meet the writers of the day. 

This was a well written romp in Regency England, if not strictly proper. Some of the language felt a bit more modern, but the story was well written and I didn't mind. I am used to Regency novels being strict in their propriety so it is fun to have one that just hits a bit differently from time to time. 

I liked these characters and the growth that each experienced, both in their personal journeys and in their romantic ones as well. They each found something in each other and their chosen gentlemen that was unexpected and something that felt undeserved., This story could definitely attract a younger audience, though it was a good story all around. I love when authors include a bit of mystery to be solved or a problem to be fixed. 

I think Eleanor's growth was the most poignant as she had to decide what meant most to her. I love a good Happily ever after, but I also love it when the lead comes into her own and comes out stronger. This story had both.

I received an early copy from the publisher through NetGalley and this is my honest review. 

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Rosalyn Eves grew up in the Rocky Mountains, dividing her time between reading books and bossing her siblings into performing her dramatic scripts. As an adult, the telling and reading of stories are still some of her favorite things to do. When she's not reading or writing, she enjoys spending time with her chemistry professor husband and three children, watching British period pieces, or hiking through the splendid landscape of southern Utah, where she lives. She dislikes housework on principle.

She has a PhD in English from Penn State and teaches English at Southern Utah University. 

While the City Sleeps - Elizabeth Camden

 

Title: While the City Sleeps

Series: The Women of Midtown (Book 1)

Author: Elizabeth Camden

Genre: Historical Mystery, Historical Romance, Gilded Age Fiction

Publisher: Bethany House Publishers (February 13, 2024)

Length: (352) pages

Format: Hardcover, Trade Paperback, eBook, & Audiobook 

ISBN: ‎978-0764241710

Tour Dates: February 12 – 26, 2024

BOOK DESCRIPTION

Amid the hushed city, two hearts must navigate danger and deception, bound by a love that outshines the stars.

Katherine Schneider's life as a dentist in 1913 New York is upended when a patient reveals details of a deadly plot while under the influence of laughing gas. As she is plunged into danger, she seeks help from the dashing Lieutenant Jonathan Birch, a police officer she has long admired from afar.

Jonathan has harbored powerful feelings toward Katherine for years but never acted on them, knowing his dark history is something she could never abide. Now, with her safety on the line, he works alongside her through the nights as they unravel the criminal conspiracy that threatens her . . . even as he keeps his deepest secrets hidden at all costs.

Join award-winning author Elizabeth Camden for a sweeping and romantic adventure of dangerous secrets and wounded hearts, fighting to overcome the darkness while the rest of the city sleeps.

 

BOOK REVIEW

In 1913 New York, Katherine Schneider is a lady dentist working the night shift. During her late hours, she overhears something that seems like nonsense until something rings a bell in a local bombing, then she shares the rest of it with Jonathan Birch, the police Lieutenant that has been walking her to the subway from her office every night.

After this, they find themselves caught in a deadly game to save the city. Along the way, their fantastic chemistry develops, and they find themselves being forced to face hard truths.

This story was fabulous, and I was transported. The time period, the mob ties, the truth, and their relationship were all a part of the story. It showed the depth of differing backgrounds and each character had opportunities for growth. Sometimes to face the truth about yourself is the hardest thing of all.

Elizabeth Camden is masterful with these characters and the story. I could feel the atmosphere of the city and even the sounds and smells as she described them. I picked this up and couldn’t put it down. The suspense was well-written and a pleasure to read. I was taken on a fulfilling and emotional journey as they worked to solve the mystery and save Katherine’s very life in the city.

I received an early copy of the book from the publisher through NetGalley and this is my honest review.

 

 

PRAISE FOR WHILE THE CITY SLEEPS

"History, mystery, and romance set against the backdrop of New York City at night--a must-read!"— Gabrielle Meyer, bestselling author of When the Day Comes, and In This Moment

"Elizabeth Camden brings the bustling metropolis to living color like no one else. . . A novel that will keep readers up late into the night."— Jocelyn Green, Christy Award-winning author of The Metropolitan Affair

“I loved the historical details that make the story feel authentic.”— Kim Prudhoe, All the Lovely Pages

PURCHASE LINKS

AMAZON | BARNES & NOBLE | PUBLISHER | BOOKSHOP | BOOKBUB |    GOODREADS

AUTHOR BIO

Elizabeth Camden is best known for her historical novels set in gilded age America featuring clever heroines and richly layered storylines. Before she was a writer, she was an academic librarian at some of the largest and smallest libraries in America, but her favorite is the continually growing library in her own home. Her novels have won the RITA and Christy Award, and she lives in Florida with her husband who graciously tolerates her intimidating stockpile of books.

 

WEBSITE | FACEBOOK | INSTAGRAM | BOOKBUB | GOODREADS

 

Chasing the Horizon - By Mary Connealy

 

QUICK FACTS

Title: Chasing the Horizon

Series: A Western Light (Book 1)

Author: Mary Connealy

Genre: Historical Fiction, Historical Romance, Western & Frontier Romance

Publisher: Bethany House Publishers (February 13, 2024)

Length: (304) pages

Format: Hardcover, Trade Paperback, eBook, & Audiobook 

ISBN: ‎ 978-0764242656

Tour Dates: February 12 – 26, 2024

BOOK DESCRIPTION

Her only chance at freedom waits across the horizon

Upon uncovering her tyrannical father's malevolent plot to commit her to an asylum, Beth Rutledge fabricates a plan of her own. She will rescue her mother, who had already been sent to the asylum, and escape together on a wagon train heading west. Posing as sisters, Beth and her mother travel with the pioneers in hopes of making it to Idaho before the others start asking too many questions.

Wagon-train scout Jake Holt senses that the mysterious women in his caravan are running from something. When rumors begin to spread of Pinkerton agents searching relentlessly for wanted criminals who match the description of those on his wagon train, including Beth, she begins to open up to him, and he learns something more sinister is at hand. Can they risk trusting each other with their lives--and their hearts--when danger threatens their every step?

BOOK REVIEW

This story was a ride. While set in a slow moving wagon train, the sense of danger and suspense was palpable. I was thoroughly engrossed. The viewpoint changed from Ginnie and Beth to Jake and also to our antagonist. This gave us the perspective of multiple characters and served to increase the suspense factor.

I also enjoyed the imagery created in the descriptions. I was able to picture the people and the places and be on the trail with them without the physical challenges. Mary Connealy has a masterful way of telling this story and evoking many emotions, including fear, love, determination, exhaustion, and even grief. I felt along with each of our characters and found myself pulling for the happily ever after.

This book was an intriguing beginning to a series, with a few characters that have questions surrounding them that could certainly have and deserve their own stories.

Jake and Beth's love story didn't seem like it at first, it was a quiet and welcome addition to this story. This is really a story of determination and what the meaning of freedom is to different people.

I received an early copy of this story from the publisher via netgalley and this is my honest review.

PRAISE FOR CHASING THE HORIZON

"Mary Connealy’s Inspirational Western Romances have long been on my radar to try, but the new Western Lights series opener, Chasing the Horizon, was my first opportunity. Imagine my chagrin when I started reading and didn’t want to stop. Oh yes, dear friends, I’d waited too long to discover a gem of a writer."— Sophia Rose, The Reading Frenzy

5 STARS "What an incredible book! It kept me on the edge of my seat the entire time I read it.” — Camille Dayton, Fostering Literacy

5 STARS “Loved this story! I was intrigued right from the beginning.”— Melissa Goss, Christian Books and Coffee

PURCHASE LINKS

AMAZON | BARNES & NOBLE | PUBLISHER | BOOKSHOP | BOOKBUB |    GOODREADS

AUTHOR BIO

Mary Connealy writes romantic comedies with cowboys. She is independently publishing a contemporary romantic suspense series called Garrison’s Law, book one is Loving the Texas Lawman. Her new historical series, High Sierra Sweethearts begins with The Accidental Guardian. She is also the author of these series: Kincaid Brides, Trouble in Texas, Wild at Heart, Cimarron Legacy, Lassoed in Texas, Montana Marriages, and Sophie's daughters, and has many other books.

 

She is a two-time Carol Award winner and has been a finalist for the Rita and Christy Awards. She’s a lifelong Nebraskan and lives with her very own romantic cowboy hero. She’s got four grown daughters and four spectacular grandchildren.

 

WEBSITE | FACEBOOK | X | INSTAGRAM | BOOKBUB | GOODREADS

The Foxhole Victory Tour - By Amy Lynn Green

 

QUICK FACTS

Title: The Foxhole Victory Tour: A Novel

Author: Amy Lynn Green

Genre: Historical Fiction, WWII Fiction, Inspirational Fiction

Publisher: Bethany House Publishers (January 23, 2024)

Length: (400) pages

Format: Trade Paperback, eBook, & Audiobook 

ISBN: ‎978-0764239571

Tour Dates: January 22 – February 5, 2024

 

BOOK DESCRIPTION

Based on true World War II stories of life in the USO variety shows, worlds collide when performers from around the United States come together to tour North Africa.

Vibrant and scrappy Maggie McCleod tried not to get fired from her wartime orchestra, but her sharp tongue landed her in trouble, so an overseas adventure with the USO's camp show promises a chance at a fresh start. Wealthy and elegant Catherine Duquette signs with the USO to leave behind her restrictive life of privilege and to uncover the truth behind the disappearance of the handsome pilot whose letters mysteriously stopped arriving.

The two women are joined by an eclectic group of performers--a scheming blues singer, a veteran tap dancer, and a brooding magician--but the harmony among their troupe is short-lived when their tour manager announces he will soon recommend one of them for a coveted job in the Hollywood spotlight. Each of the five members has a reason to want the contract, and they'll do whatever is necessary to claim it. As their troupe travels closer to the dangerous battlefront in Tunisia, personal crises and wartime dangers only intensify, putting not only their careers but also their lives on the line.

 

BOOK REVIEW

 What a marvelous story....

Set in Africa during WWII, it brought together a rag tag group of people in need of a second chance, maybe even their first chance. Written from the perspective of two different women, both needing something and both as different as can be. Maggie wants a chance to get away from her family and find her calling in life and Catherine is out to escape her smothering socialite parents. They get pulled into a USO tour sent to North Africa and learn what they truly want and what they are made of.

This story is historical fiction at it's finest and there is a little something for everyone. A little romance, a little heartbreak, a little adventure, and a lot of busting out of the mold. With faith and Christianity weaved beautifully into the tale, there is so much to ponder and feel.

This book transported me to a part of WWII that I knew little about. It took me to places I never dreamed of going. It had humor and heart. The relationships were organic and beautifully developed. The side characters were just as interesting. The voices for Maggie and Catherine were so different, I truly felt I was reading from their own perspectives.

This is the kind of story that sticks with you as it lets you be a fly on the wall to history. I was absolutely delighted that I had the opportunity to read this story.

I received an early copy from the publisher through NetGalley and this is my honest review.

 

PRAISE FOR THE FOXHOLE VICTORY TOUR

"Green deserves a standing ovation for her rousing story of unlikely friendships, courage over comfort, and the impactful work of USO performers during WWII. The Foxhole Victory Tour transports readers from the concert halls of Minnesota to the coasts of Casablanca to the active war zone of Tunisia. It is plot-driven without sacrificing relational drama, and its ragtag supporting cast of lovable misfits thoughtfully portrays the art and heart of live performance."— Booklist

5-STARS “I was impressed with how much Green was able to pack into the story and still keep it cohesive and natural. I ended up loving all the characters and their story arc, and I'm looking forward to reading more of Green's work.”— Debra, Goodreads

“The Foxhole Victory Tour is a wonderful story of historical fiction with great characters, vivid descriptions, and some tough truths that will make readers reflect on their choices and their priorities.”— Jordon Lynch, The Literary Library

“This story was full of emotion and captivating on every page. The setting of World War II is so real, you feel like you are with them. This is must-read. A story you won't put down and will be sad to say goodbye to after it's over.”— Elizabeth Eckmeyer, Interviews & Reviews

 

PURCHASE LINKS

AMAZON | BARNES & NOBLE | PUBLISHER | BOOKSHOP | BOOKBUB |    GOODREADS

AUTHOR BIO

Amy Lynn Green is a lifelong lover of books, history, and library cards. She worked in publishing for six years before writing her first historical fiction novel. She and her husband live in Minnesota, where she teaches virtual classes on marketing at writer’s conferences, engages with book clubs, and regularly encourages established and aspiring authors in their publication journeys.

 

WEBSITE | FACEBOOK | INSTAGRAM | BOOKBUB | GOODREADS