Really enjoyed this book. Great plot and engaging, believe characters. I was drawn right into the story. Would definitely recommend.

Book Spotlight Posted on September 9, 2023: https://travelingwitht.com/2023/09/09/book-spotlight-womens-fiction/

For those who may not know, Beantown is a nickname for Boston, Massachusetts. The three protagonists of this novel, leave the area during WWII and head to Europe where they will work as, what were known as , Red Cross Clubmobile Girls.

Fiona is motivated by the upending of her life when her fiance is reported missing. She takes two friends along. Viviana looks forward to adventure while Dottie is less outgoing but has a talent for music. All three will be challenged by their experiences and will grow over the course of the novel. Follow them as they do in this long historical novel.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Lake Union for this title. All opinions are my own.

Loved this fantastic read of friendship during WWII. Loved the characters. Great description and character development and so interesting to learn about Red Cross Clubmobile program.

I really enjoyed this delightful story of three girls who serve as part of the Red Cross Clubmobile crew during WWII. The cover caught my attention and then the book pulled me in. I learned so much. The characters are so well developed. You really feel like you know each girl and you feel their joy, fear, sorrow, and anxiety as you travel with them through the pages. While the girls have fun, their experiences are amazing. They endure bombs being dropped around them, seeing the trauma the war has on the soldiers, the lack of food, having to live in tents, etc. But they are so strong and resilient and you love their ability to grin and offer positive comments to the men with whom they interact. I am so glad I was given the opportunity to read this wonderful book. What an inspirational story that will have you laughing and crying … cheering and booing … sitting on the edge of your seat to find out how the story will end. It’s worth the journey and I hope you put this at the top of your to-be-read list.

Thank you to NetGalley and Lake Union Publishing for my advanced review copy. All opinions and thoughts are my own.

I really enjoyed this book and thought that it was well-thought-out and well-written. My interest was kept throughout the entire novel and I am thankful for the opportunity to read and review The Beantown Girls. I look forward to reading more books by Jane Healey.

I loved this inspiring novel and the beautiful story of friendship. Fiona, Dottie and Vivana stole my heart with their bravery, friendship and perseverance. Jane Healy's writing is beautiful and so descriptive that I felt I really knew the girls and many side characters. Healy also did an incredible job of submerging me in the setting and felt as if I was really watching what was happening. Loved this beautiful story and will highly recommend this to historical fiction readers..

The Beantown Girls was interesting but not riveting, perhaps because there have been several similar books recently. This is certainly no fault of the author. I think many readers will picture themselves helping the war effort in any way possible. Especially if helping out involves an adventure complete with danger, intrigue, and romance. Wouldn’t we all search for our lost love no matter the hardship. I like the author’s notes at the end of the book.

"You must do the thing you think you cannot do" - Eleanor Roosevelt

Fiona's life is turned upside down when her fiance, Danny, goes missing at war. Wracked with anxiety and grief, Fiona decides she cant just sit around and do nothing, she must go to Europe and try to find him. So, Fiona and her 2 closest gal pals, Viv and Dottie, do just that. They volunteer to work for the Red Cross as Clubmobile girls and head right off to London for training. Fiona knows, however, that the only way she is going to find information about Danny, is by going to the continent and putting herself in the direct path of war. Motivated but naive, she decides she will make it there no matter what it takes. Once again, she does just that. Little did she know just how much her life was going to change.

"The Beantown Girls" is really well written. I was engrossed and finished it in a couple days. I fell in love with the characters and Fiona's strength. I admit, I had never heard of the Clubmobile girls before reading this novel, but now I am interested in learning about the women that volunteered to go off to war. They put their emotions and fears aside to make life more bearable for the troops. To make sure the soldiers could forget about the war for a little while they were there. They were hero's

If anyone is interested in further reading on the subject, Check out the link below.

https://www.archives.gov/publications/prologue/2007/fall/lipstick.html

I really enjoyed this book! The characters were spunky and real. Their stories brought the book to life and made it a hard to put down story.

I think this was a case of the right book at the right time, but I really loved The Beantown Girls. I really loved Fiona, Dottie, and Viviana. I never knew about the Clubmobile Girls, so it was interesting to learn about that part of history. It was both emotional and beautiful. If you like World War II historical fiction, I would highly recommend it!

Great novel, highly recommend for those who enjoy the genre. Will be recommending for immediate purchase.

Really enjoyed this book and narrative of this time in history. Wonderful writing and plot. I highly recommend- love Jane Healey and her books!

I felt like I was stepping back in time. Beantown girls has a vibe reminiscent of Call the Midwife, hard scrabble times during the Second World War. 3 best friends join the Red Cross. I didn't know much about how the Red Cross developed, so it was interesting for me all around.

Beantown Girls is an interesting historical fiction, about three friends from Boston volunteering to help with the war efforts. While making doughnuts, coffee, and helping the troops in the Red Cross Club-mobile program, these women demonstrate much courage and self discovery. Filled with romance and friendship this book is told in a gentle, thoughtful voice. Thank you NetGalley for the review copy. All opinions are my own.

There are so many WWII historical fiction books out there and I've read quite a few, but I had never read one about the American Red Cross Clubmobile Service and the work the women they employed did entertaining the soldiers. This was a fascinating story filled with love, loss and friendship. At times, it fell a little flat, but overall I really enjoyed this book and learned something, too!

This is another great story about the female, forgotten heroes of WWII. In this book we learn about the Red Cross Clubmobile Girls who were supposed to remain behind the lines and serve coffee and donuts to the soldiers in the camps. Fiona finds out her fiancé has been shot down in Germany and she doesn’t want to sit back and wait. She convinces her two best friends, Dottie and Viviana to sign up with the Red Cross to head over to Europe. When the ladies pass the tests and are accepted, off they go. It is not what they had expected. They needed to learn how to drive the clubmobiles, maintain them all while serving coffee and donuts with a smile in a war zone. There role is to raise the morale of the troops, but they end up doing so much more. With all this going on, the toughest thing for Fiona, is to put aside her feelings and the real reason she is there which is to find her fiancé, so she won’t get left behind in England. Along with another team of ladies they end up in France facing enemy lines, dealing with explosions, shell-shocked soldiers, and K-Rations as well as finding love.

This is a beautifully written story. The author’s descriptive writing had me feeling like I was there, hearing the explosions as well as the music. I enjoyed learning about these women and all they did. I liked the personalities of the clubmobile girls as they dealt with the horrors around them. These are real women who just wanted to do something. They were brave and courageous, but they were also caring, loyal and all had their own talents. There is also a host of secondary characters that add much to the story. They are friends, co-workers, performers, soldiers, supervisors and romantic interests. This is a story about war, but it is also a story of friendship. Watching these women support each other through thick and thin and encourage one another was beautiful. This was an inspiring story about the role these brave women played in the war, as well as how friendship and loyalty can make such a difference when in dangerous situations. Yes, there is some romance, but that is secondary to the action and adventure the Clubmobile Girls deal with. Make sure you read the afterword from the author. She gives some facts from her research to show how this story came about. I definitely recommend this book to those who enjoy historical fiction and stories from WWII.

Wow!

I want to be a Beantown Girl! This tale of friendship and love in the midst of war is a real page turner and heart melter!

The camaraderie and bonds that these girls experience hits you right in the heart. I couldn’t turn the pages fast enough. Heartbreak, healing, friendship, tragedy, and love. This book has it all.

An amazing historical fiction novel that I will definitely recommend to my friends.

Historical fiction at its best. The amount of research the author did is amazing...i enjoyed this novel from start to finish

Overall, this book was historical fiction with a little too much blah to be outstanding considering the range of WW2 books out right now. This is a highly saturated market in my opinion, so if you are going to do it, you better bring your A-game. You need to knock it out of the park to justify your book over all the others in the genre at the moment. This one was only okay for me.

#TheBeantownGirls #NetGalley