Mercy Road, by Ann Howard Creel, is the story of one young woman rebuilding her life and coming of age after enormous loss. It is also the story of the brave women who served as ambulance drivers in France for the American Women’s Hospital during WWI. Charged with maintaining, repairing, and driving the ambulances, these women risked their lives to transport the wounded from the front, assist villagers, and rescue the homeless and orphaned.

Creel is an accomplished writer who is able to describe the horrific impact of this war with enough detail to make the reader cringe. Arlene, the protagonist, is a nuanced character who matures as the story progresses. As expected, she finds romance, but it is a very bumpy road to travel. Also, Creel deftly weaves in the social and cultural attitudes of the time in ways that are sometimes endearing but more often disturbing.

I found this novel very interesting, and I absolutely recommend it. Thanks to NetGalley and Lake Union Publishing for the opportunity to read a digital ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Arlene Favier lives in Paris, Kentucky with her parents and brother. After a fire destroys their home and their father dies in the fire, the family finds that they have no money. Arlene realizes that she has to get a job and after looking all over town with no luck, she decides to try a larger town. When she answers a help wanted ad for a French speaking female, she finds out that the job is for an ambulance driver in France. World War I is going on and the job is very dangerous but with the hopes of helping out her family, she decides to accept it. Arlene becomes part of the American Women’s Hospital in war-torn France during World War I. Serving as doctors, nurses, aides, and ambulance drivers, the women struggle to be respected in a traditionally male environment. After extensive training, the women ambulance drivers are put to work and find that their training couldn't prepare them to face all of the destruction, all of the dead bodies and all of the injured people - both military and civilians. It's very difficult but Arlene is an extremely tough woman and is able to survive. When Arlene runs into an old friend from home, she finds some peace as her feelings for Jimmy grow but even though they are both ambulance drivers, they are in different parts of France so they rarely see each other. When a scandal occurs. Arlene has to decide whether she will remain quiet and keep her secrets buried or take the blame and possibly lose her job.

This was a well written book. I really enjoyed the main character of Arlene and was impressed with her strength and dedication to her job and her friends. The parts of the novel about the battlefields in France are horrific but despite all of the carnage, there is a romance for Arlene and fantastic female friendships. It's apparent that the author did a lot of research into the war but her strong female characters is what makes this book so special.

Thanks to the publisher for a copy of this book to read and review. All opinions are my own.

This book was a huge disappointment. I kept reading it hoping that it would improve but unfortunately I had to give up reading it.
This book just wasn’t for me

3.5 Stars

Mercy Road by Ann Howard Creel is a book that has a really interesting concept. The involvement of women in the First World War is not something that I have read much about before. It is so interesting and awe inspiring to learn about the American Women’s Hospital. While I enjoyed the story and the main character, the side characters are not very complex.

Arlene is a really interesting character, and considering the setting of the novel, she is well ahead of her times. She is a headstrong woman who isn’t afraid to follow her own path. This becomes clear when she leaves her family and heads off to France to help support them. I really enjoyed reading about Arlene, as she is a character who is easy to relate to.

❀ VIVID DESCRIPTIONS

Learning about the conditions of the French people and the risky situations the female ambulance drivers put themselves in is quite gripping. The descriptions that the author uses to describe the devastation and the struggles the war caused are vivid. It is very inspiring to read about these women who were on the front lines collecting injured and sick civilians.

While it is enjoyable to read Arlene’s story and her life as an ambulance driver, there are aspects of the story that are not as well-developed. There are many other women in the novel, but their stories aren’t revealed much, with the exception of Cass. That being said, Cass’s story is one that I would have liked to read more of. The women aren’t close friends, yet they share a room and a common connection as ambulance drivers. I would have liked to see this friendship evolve more than it did.

❀ INTERESTING CONCEPT

The idea that there were women on the front lines of World War I is incredible to discover. Mercy Road is an historical novel that shares some interesting aspects of the stories behind the American Women’s hospital. The concept of the novel is fascinating, but there are parts of the story that are lacking.

The premise of an all female medical team, equipped with female ambulance drivers during WW1 in France was an intriguing storyline that I wanted to learn more about. This started off at about 4 stars and held my attention until it basically turned more into a romance novel and less about the medical contributions of the women who served during WW1.

It turned into a 2 star book at approximately 82% of the way in when an unexpected romance twist evolved. Although, not an unrealistic storyline, it just felt like a modern day agenda was inserted into a WW1 historical romance novel. I didn’t feel it added anything to the plot. And, then the ending was entirely too predictable.

Overall, too much romance and not enough historical fiction for my taste.

Thank you Netgalley and Lake Union publishing first an advanced copy in exchange for my honest review.

When I saw the cover for Mercy Road on NetGalley, from the same publishing house that published one of my favourite books of this year, The Beantown Girls, I knew I had to read it. Instead of being about women helping during World War II, this one was about women ambulance drivers, doctors and nurses near the end of World War I in France. I was hoping for a story that stuck with me as much as Fiona’s, and I was excited to dig right in.

I’m not sure if it’s because I had high expectations, but this story didn’t connect with me at all. I found I couldn’t relate to Arlene, I didn’t get a sense of the danger and the destruction surrounding her and her team, and I was a little disappointed in the ending—even though it was a happy one.

Let me start with the good: I definitely learned a lot about how women did what they could to join the war efforts during World War I, which is something I knew nothing about. Their bravery and dedication really did help many people survive, and they did it all while fighting the usual women-can’t-do-anything-properly vibe of the era. And as a women, I felt empowered.

Unfortunately, it kind of ends there. The side drama with Brohammer’s shadiness was interesting, but didn’t really go anywhere, and I could guess Cass’s “secret” right from the get-go. And then there was Arlene’s relationship with Jimmy. It just seemed too easy. Sure, there was something that happened that tore them apart, but it wasn’t that exciting, and they ended up together in the end anyway. He really didn’t want that, so I was disappointed that there was no compromise in their relationship in that way.

And my biggest sticking point was that there wasn’t really any damage to anyone on Arlene’s direct team of Red Cross women (unless I missed it, which is possible because I was skimming at times). All the major players survived, despite them spending time on the front line. I just didn’t find that believable.

I really, really wanted to love this. I did. But maybe I just wasn’t in the right place to dig in properly.

2 STARS

Thank you to NetGalley and Lake Union Publishing for the advanced copy, in exchange for an honest review.

Mercy Road was an interesting book about the little known American Women's Hospital in France during WWI. After a devastating fire at her family's home and horse farm in Paris, Kentucky, Arlene goes to Cincinnati in search of a job to support her family. She can drive and needs money, and she ends up signing up as an ambulance driver for a group of women doctors and nurses going to France to help during the war. She expects to be working mostly with civilians but ends up seeing more of the results of war.
The book was a bit slow for me. I should have referenced a map of France to better understand the areas in the book. The character of Brohammer was unnecessarily evil, in my opinion, and there could have been a great story without him or with him being a bit less horrible. I loved the idea of AWH, but the book was more about Arlene and all the unpleasant things she went through.
I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

What would you do if the life you knew was changed forever? For Arlene Favier, her mother, and her brother, Luc, it is a January night in Paris, Kentucky as they watch their family home burn and the head of their family dies. It soon becomes clear that Arlene's father left them with mountains of debt and so she and her brother need to find work. But societal norms cannot accept change and as the days pass, Arlene feels more distraught over finding a job. A kind soul recommends work in another city and while there, Arlene applies(accidentally) to be an ambulance driver for the American Women's Hospital in France. An experience that will require her to learn courage under pressure.

In her latest novel, Ann Howard Creel explores the horror of the war in France, the comradrie of the women's hospital team and the shaping of a new world. For those familiar with Creel's books, readers can expect a little bit of romance and the transition of Arlene from wide eyed innocent to one forever changed by her experiences. If I had one criticism, I will admit their is a tendency especially in the last chapter for a bit too much melodrama. Other than that, I read the novel in one sitting.

Goodreads review published 08/11/19
Publication Date 19/11/19

Arlene’s father dies leaving her family destitute. Mercy Road starts off sweetly but quickly moves to desperate. The year is 1918 and Arlene is in search of a job that no one in her small, insular town will give her.

She becomes desperate for a way to help out her family and ends up in France driving an ambulance. It’s WWI and if she makes it through, she’ll earn enough to get her family back on track.

The prose is a bit clunky but not too bad.

“The truth is, Arlene, you startle me every time I see you.”

In France, she runs into an old love on the front lines. He’s reassigned and she can’t seem to shake a sinister, grating Captain who rubs her the wrong way.

Most of the book takes place in France amidst horrifying conditions. There are horses in Kentucky and some mess hall scenes, but mostly this book is about how awful war is on those who manage to make it out alive.

I appreciate NetGalley and Lake Union Publishing for giving me the chance to read the book Mercy Road. I seem to have read quite a few books set during World War I recently, but this one was different. Arlene was devastated when she loses her beloved father and childhood home in a fire. With no money, she leaves her family in rural Kentucky and moves to the city. She lucks into a job with the American Women's Hospital - a group of female doctors who go to Europe to provide medical aid to soldiers and civilians in war-torn areas. Throughout the book, Arlene sees and experiences many things she never expects and learns more about herself than she thought possible. I really enjoyed the book and couldn't wait to keep reading and see what happened to Arlene and the other ambulance drivers in her group.

Thank you to Lake Union Publishing and Net Galley for the chance to read and review this book. I really liked this book-I like to read stories about courageous women! When Arlene Favier's looses both her father and the family farm to fire, she must find a way to support her mother and brother. She becomes a female ambulance driver for the American Women's Hospital during WWI. The author does a good job of describing the horrors of war and the dangers these doctors, nurses and ambulance drivers faced. There is also some romance involved when Arlene meets a friend from home, Jimmy. When I found out this was a true story, I liked it even more!

I absolutely love the writing in this book! Mercy Road take a is to France and does not shy away from the horrors of war. The nurses, doctors and ambulance drivers saw so much and their lives in constant danger as they worked hard to help those who needed compassion and help in suffering whether a soldier, child or farmer. The descriptive writing took me right there in the mud and chaos! A must read indeed!

So I finished this, and needed a moment to process the ending.

I loved the background, and I loved the story....right up until the very end. In a way, I liked the end because it was realistic; but at the same time, I really wanted Arlene and Jimmy to end up together in a happily ever after. And I hated the fact that Arlene nearly lost everything after all she had went through just to protect a friend, but she ended up alright in the end.

I can recommend Mercy Road for a fireside read, but nothing deeper than that. It is nicely written, researched and Creel spins Arlene's tale of discovery and growth in a realistic and brilliant way.

While recounting the courageous story of the American Women’s Hospital during WWI, Mercy Road by Ann Howard Creel centers primarily around the ambulance drivers and their heroic efforts to bring injured soldiers and civilians to make shift hospitals to receive care from a team of American women doctors and nurses determined to assist in the war effort. Mercy Road revolves around one such ambulance driver Arlene Favier.

Arlene Favier leads the ideal life in Paris, Kentucky. Raised on a beautiful horse farm, Arlene is being groomed to follow in her father’s footsteps to raise, breed, and sell champion race horses. In her early twenties, Arlene is said to have her father’s gift of spotting stallions most likely to breed Derby winners. Arlene like her father and younger brother, lives, loves and breathes horses. But all that changes in an instant when the Favier family home burns to the ground taking her father with it. Now with no money and no home, Arlene is determined to continue her father’s dream. Not willing to sell the stables or land and driven to rebuild the family home, Arlene now leaves her mother and brother to look for work. While applying for factory work, Arlene finds an ad for ambulance drivers for the AWH. Short on time and cash Arlene applies and is accepted. Her training and subsequent job for the war effort will take her to France, but the pay alone will be enough to rebuild her family home and continue her father’s dream.

Despite all the rigorous training the ambulance drivers have received, Arlene is not prepared for the carnage of war and its repercussions. Loading injured civilians and soldiers into her ambulance day and night and getting them to medical care is non stop. When a chance encounter with a former young man named Jimmy Tucker, a former employee of Arlene’s father, everything changes. Arlene is drawn to Jimmy as strongly as she was on the farm and as the two spend time together, their feelings deepen and their attraction can no longer be denied. But a dark force is determined to stop at nothing to keep them apart and as a result, Arlene and Jimmy’s relationship may be doomed before it even starts.

I really liked this book. First, I am a huge fan of historical fiction, but I have never read a book surrounding WWI so this was a new adventure for me. I loved the way Ann Howard Creel wrote her characters, especially the female characters. Arlene was a woman before her time. Her strength and determination to hold the family and the farm together, despite the odds against her, was nothing short of courageous. I especially liked the fact she showed strength in the face of adversity and met every new challenge head on. I liked that she was bold and willing to put herself out there no matter the danger, but was still able to open herself up to love, not knowing if it would last or where it might lead.

As beautifully as the author wrote her female protagonist Arlene, her male antagonist Brohammer was ominous from the start. He was so well written that when he appeared on the scene I found myself feeling tense as I was reading (and with good reason). His constant unnatural and unwanted attention toward Arlene made me uncomfortable and I just wanted him to go away. The additional characters of Mercy Road added great significance to the story-line and overall made it a very heartfelt and compelling read. So, if you like historical fiction with well developed characters and strong female leads, you will enjoy reading Mercy Road.

I want to thank the publisher Lake Union Publishing and NetGalley for a complimentary copy of this book Mercy Road by Ann Howard Creel. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Mercy Road is a well written historical romance. I just couldn’t seem to get into the plot. I am not a big fan of historical fiction especially war books. I am sure that others will enjoy this book.

I've never read a book by Ann Howard Creel and I feel that she is a quality author, but I found Mercy Road kind of slow reading, or the events were rather slow in happening.

Arlene Favier lives at home with her parents and the horses. She's decided she loves no one as much as she loves her horses, so she's decided to never get married (at least not yet).

When the family home burns down and her father dies, she leaves for Cincinnati to make money to rebuild their home and horse-breeding farm. In Cincinnati, Arlene finds a job as an ambulance driver in France because of her fluency in the language and her mechanical aptitude to keep the trucks in running order.

There was an officer who tried to make time with Arlene, but she really didn't feel anything for him. She later finds out he's not what he purports to be. This is about where I bogged down in the book, and flipped to the end to see how it all turned out. The ending wasn't surprising, and it would be a satisfying ending for most readers. I just couldn't slog through the book any more. Three stars from me. This is my opinion and it could come from my own taste, or how I'm feeling when I'm reading, or any of a number of factors. This book just didn't scratch my reading itch.

I want to thank Lake Union Publishing and NetGalley.com for allowing me to read and review this book.

Mercy Road is a story that is well written but has so much going on with the characters that left me trying for days to sort out my feelings about the book. There are some pieces in the story that are unnecessary to the overall plot, and I feel like the build-up they created for the bigger story just left disappointment. And there were a lot of weighty subjects written into this story: war, grief, family, feminism, manipulative/abusive relationships, forbidden love, and so many more. This many weighty issues detracted from whatever the primary focus of the author was when she created the characters. There were so many issues being worked through by other charcters that all seemed to fall on the narrative character of Arlene, that I feel Arlene's development was not given all of the attention that it could have been given.

Ann Howard Creel writes an interesting novel based on the American Women's Hospital opened to help in France in WWI. Arlene awakens to a fire destroying hew family home in Paris, Kentucky and watches as her father loses his life in the fire. Arlene is left to take care of her mother and younger brother and save the horses her father bred. Finding no work in Kentucky, Arlene ends up in France as an ambulance driver for the American Women's Hospital assisting in the war torn villages near the front lines. Facing her fears, meeting a man from home and an American Officer who would do anything to try to make her pay him any attention, Arlene's days are busy and never easy. Her stories of the war and the people she helped is interesting as is her personal life, the memories of home, realizing she had found love and how she makes life work when she returns to Kentucky is interesting and a wonderful read. I had never heard a lot about the American women who traveled to France to help the people in the villages as well as the soldiers but I will be looking for more about these brave women.

Thanks to NetGalley and Lake Union Publishing for the chance to read this book for a fair and honest review.

Mercy Road is a heart wrenching tale of a young woman losing her father and get life as she knew it. She found work which took her away from hey mother and brother to Europe during the war. It kept me enthralled from start to end

This was an okay read. I requested it from NetGalley because I love the era and I’ve always been a fan of stories with a strong heroine. Arlene Favier was certainly that; at times, she seemed absolutely fearless! But overall, I didn’t feel very connected to her. There were times when she was endearing, like when the author described the close relationship Arlene had with her father, or her love for horses. Yet overall, she felt a little too distant to really be a heroine I would root for.

Aside from this, there were some scenes I felt the book could have done without. This I think was the main reason I didn’t really immerse myself in the story.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from NetGalley. All opinions in this review are my own.