Mercy Road was a good historical fiction novel highlighting the American Women's Hospital and the women who worked to care for the wounded in France in World War I. Arlene's story starts with the tragic loss of her home and father in a fire and her need to support her family. She takes a job as an ambulance driver in the war to earn some money and see the homeland of her French father. While there she must fend of a creepy Army officer and also runs into an enlisted man who is also a friend from home.

I enjoyed this story about women working in the war effort in World War I as a change of pace from all of the World War II books out on the market now. I thought the author's voice was good, the story had a good pace and the characters were people we cared about hearing their story (except for the creepy officer). I thought the story had a little bit of everything: some suspense, history, family drama, dealing with hard issues, and a little bit of romance.

I got this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

It's 1917, and young Arlene Favier’s home burns to the ground, taking her father with it. She must find a way to support her mother and younger brother. Job opportunities for women are especially few, but a daring possibility arises: the American Women’s Hospital needs ambulance drivers to join a trailblazing, all-female team of doctors and nurses bound for war-torn France. On the front lines, Arlene and her fellow drivers work long hours to aid injured soldiers and civilians. In between dangerous ambulance runs, Arlene reunites with a childhood friend, Jimmy Tucker, now a soldier, who opens her heart like no one before. But she has also caught the attention of Felix Brohammer, a charismatic army captain who may not be what he seems.

This was a very well-written book. It captured me from the very first chapter and help my attention through the very end. I did feel like the ending was a little unsatisfying, in that you wanted more justice. I also felt that parts were a bit unrealistic, in that none of the drivers were ever injured or killed, and in this situation, I believe many would have been.
The writer does a good job of describing how the characters are feeling, and what they are seeing, and how it makes them feel.
It would have been nice to include a map of France and all the locations the crew and AWH travel to as this would the reader to understand where they are.
Where is Meaux, the Marne, Chateau-Thierry, etc?
Thanks to NetGalley for a free copy of this book in return for an honest review, my opinions are my own.

What an interesting storyline. I don’t remember ever reading about the female ambulance drivers of WWI. They were definitely the “unsung heroes of the American Woman’s Hospital”. Mya problem was that I really didn’t read a lot of passion in the story until the last third of the book. Arlene is the main heroine of the story. Again, I just didn’t feel the passion in her~or even felt like I knew her~ until the last of this book. Arlene had some pretty bad family issues in the first part of the story that led her to France driving an ambulance. It was an interesting book and I would read another by this author. Thank you to NetGalley and Lake Union for allowing me to read an advance copy for my honest review.

A book about a girl from a horse farm in Kentucky that learns to drive an ambulance in war torn France.
This book kinda grabbed my attention from the first page! It was a quick book, I liked the characters and enjoyed the story! Thanks to Netgalley and Lake Union publishers for the early copy

2 stars.

*

Mercy Road is a pretty lukewarm read. It has a steady pace, but nothing about it stands out. Arlene's perspective comes off a bit stilted at times and the dialogue reads are pretty forced and doesn't flow smoothly. The characters themselves could be a little more well developed, although there are some interesting figures in the side characters that contribute to intriguing subplots.

What gets me is that the setting should be interesting? Yet the plot focuses more on romance and a military scheme than the actual War. I find that an odd direction to take, especially when neither of those elements are well developed and fleshed out. The main conflict actually gets resolved (or what passes as resolved) off-page. I'm sure other people will have a good time with this, but the book didn't really work for me.

Thank you net galley for the advance reader copy of this novel. I tried three times to get into this novel and just found myself not drawn to the characters or plot line enough to finish. The start of Arlene's journey to France to work as an ambulance driver was filled with too many details that I couldn't feel vested in. Not for me this time and didn't finish.

Really enjoyable read based in wartime, A mix of sadness in the war torn areas alongside love, friendship and obviously the odd bad person thrown in the mix.

This book typifies why I love the Historical Fiction genre. The author, in this case, Ann Howard Creel, has immersed herself in thoroughly researching the subject matter, and as a result, the read for me is as realistic as it could be. History is laced with female role models who are brave and generally have a can do attitude, waiting for their stories to be told. True girl power - just in a different generation.

Based on the true story of a group of female ambulance drivers during WW1, our key character is Arlene Favier. She is a Kentucky horsewoman who has lost everything....her father and her home ....in a fire. In order to support her mother and brother, along with rebuild their horse stud business, Arlene joins an all-female team of doctors and nurses as an ambulance driver on the chaotic and often terrifying front lines during WW I in France, .

Hair raising missions to collect the injured soldiers in the war-torn French countryside and horrific injuries suffered by both citizens and soldiers, builds close bonds with her fellow female team members.
Male suitors, of both the wanted and unwanted kind, cross her path as she moves bases several times. Felix Brohammer, a charismatic army captain DEMANDS her attention, but harbours a dark, treacherous secret and may be the undoing of Arlene's happy ever after.

Not only have I enjoyed a new author with an enjoyable story, but I have learnt about a little known slice of WW1 history. Thanks to NetGalley, Lake Union Publishing and Ann Howard Creel for giving me to the chance to read Mercy Road. I note that Ann Howard Creet lives in the town of Paris, Kentucky where this book initially gets us underway - a truly intimate piece.

I received this ebook courtesy of Lake Union Publishing through NetGalley.

I really enjoyed this book. The story begins as Arlene Favier wakes to her home on fire and suffers the loss of both her home and father. In desperate need to find work and support her family, she joins the American Women's Hospital as an ambulance driver in France. There, she meets Captain Felix Brohammer and reacquaints herself with her childhood friend, Jimmy Tucker. Arlene soon discovers a terrible secret Captain Brohammer is hiding and must decide whether to keep silent or reveal the truth.

This story is inspired by the American Women's Hospital. It was established in France during 1918, to care for civilians while male doctors were away at the front during World War I. This is a very feminist book, and it was a fascinating look at the differences in social and economic positions women held at the time. I grew to care about about Arlene, Jimmy, and fellow ambulance driver Cass, and flew through the book faster than I anticipated. This would be a good choice for a book club!

An interesting story that relates well to historical facts. I found the book both fascinating and enjoyable at the same time. Definitely recommended to those readers who enjoy reading this genre.

I received an advanced reader's copy from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Mercy Road is the story of Arlene Favier, a young woman from Kentucky who, following a fire at her family's treasured horse farm, ends up getting a job as an ambulance driver with the American Women's Hospital (AWH) in order to make ends meet. Along with an all-female team of doctors, nurses, and drivers, Arlene heads off to France in 1918 to help with the war effort.

(*Spoiler) Once there, Arlene is continually, and creepily, pursued by an American Army officer by the name of Felix Brohammer, whose actions come across as red flags from the moment he is introduced. (His actions throughout the book scream warnings at Arlene, yet she doesn't report them to her supervisors. Literally, this man is seriously emotionally abusive.) She is also reunited with Jimmy Tucker, a friend from back home in Kentucky. Their connection and ensuing romantic relationship kept the book from really dragging briefly, but failed to improve Arlene as a character in the long term. Though Jimmy did not have much page-time, he seemed like a decent character. (End spoiler*)

I was interested in the book because it is about a woman who lived through World War I. But much of it felt terribly mundane to me. The story was not unique, but instead largely predictable, and the characters were the same. While there were several instances of beautiful prose about war's destructive capabilities, it just did not feel like this book had anything new to say.

Arlene Favier is devastated when her family home in Paris Kentucky burns to the ground and why did her father decide to run back inside the burning house? The family had no idea that her father’s horse breeding farm is struggling, and she’s left to look after the family. Arlene needs to look for work to support her family.

This is an amazing book! I give it 5 stars it had my interest from page one and was hard to put down. I will be looking for more books by this author.

Readable and enjoyable with plenty of period detail to add colour to the story.

Many thanks to NetGalley and to the publisher for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

After her father dies when their home burns down, Arlene Favier must support her mother and brother on their horse ranch in Paris, Kentucky. She searches for a job in Cleveland and hears about a job requiring French. She applies, not realizing she is being recruited to drive an ambulance in France during the Great War.
There, she meets the conceited Capt. Felix Brohammer, who expects all women to fall for him and finds Arlene a challenge. There’s something sinister about him. With her childhood friend, Jimmy Tucker, she tries to determine why someone said he makes money off his men. They discover the cause, but can’t prove it, and that spells trouble for them.
Mercy Road started slowly for me, with the shock and despair of losing home and father. Her experiences in France were much more interesting. The ending is a bit of a disappointment. If Brohammer was always flitting about and in a clean uniform, why didn’t his superiors realize something was amiss? He pretty much got away with his nefarious deeds, although Jimmy was satisfied with his comeuppance.
Mercy Road was inspired by the American Women’s Hospital, which is little known and worthy of this attention.

Thanks to NetGalley for an advanced copy in exchange for my honest review.

I liked the WWI and American Women's Hospital aspect of this book, but didn't care for the beginning tragedy and need to find a job part and some of the random side plots.

I wanted more out of this book, it just seemed to be lacking. Maybe I just didn't really like the characters?

I chose this book because I had never heard of the American Women's Hospital but I didn't find out that much about it. I also found the characters a bit superficial. Don't think I would bother with any other books by Ann Howard Creel.

I knew nothing at all about the American ambulance women during the war. What a brave bunch of women they were, whatever reason they went to France for, they risked their lives to drive the ambulances to transport injured men to the front and also to help set up the hospitals with the American women doctors.

Arlene is very brave and wants to do what's right with her friends and colleagues even tHough it may have repercussions for herself.

I was really absorbed with this book and didn't want it to end

I can thoroughly recommend this book to fans of war history and also women's achievements.

I shall look for more by this author.

Thank you Net galley for the opportunity to read this

WW1, war-is-hell, historical-novel, historical-places-events, historical-research

It begins with a personal tragedy in Paris, Kentucky and progresses to the national tragedy of France. A twist of fate sends Arlene to Cincinnati, Ohio to seek employment to support her family, and what she finds is ambulance repair and driving in France 1918 prior to the end of the war. Employed by an NGO supported by donations and the Red Cross, she makes friends even before the crossing and transport to Paris to have their ambulances modified for rural use. Courtesy of the author's excellent research skills, we are given disturbingly clear insights into the realities of the war in France and the hardships of the people and those who came to serve as civilian medical care. It is very well written and moving. It grabbed my attention and held it firmly until the end.
I requested and received a free ebook copy from Lake Union Publishing via NetGalley. Thank you!

I read Ms. Creel’s The Magic of Ordinary Days about hardship and love during WWII in 2011 and gave it a solid four stars. When I was approved by Net Galley for an arc of Mercy Road, I was excited. Unfortunately it took me well over two months to finish. I would have tagged it ‘dnf’ but I felt obligated to read the narrative.

Though the plot showed promise, the characters were two-dimensional. It was one of those stories where the author told but did not show. There was too much going on. Thoughts and details were spelled out but I never cared for any of the characters.

It began with a tragedy on a horse farm. Arlene Favier needed money to save her family’s dream. She became an ambulance driver during WWI and I was introduced to a feminist tone. She worked with an all-womens’ medical team sponsored by the Red Cross. While serving in France, she was blatantly stalked by a creepy military officer. Instead of cutting him off immediately (she knew something was seriously wrong with the guy) she continued to converse (and meet with him) numerous times. She never went to her superiors to tell them what was going on. Eventually she became aware of a plot to illegally sell Army goods. Knowing it to be dangerous, she gets involved. In the meantime, her closest acquaintance suffers from depression and has a secret. It was completely obvious to me but it took the bulk of the story for Arlene to figure it out. Lastly, there was the romance with Jimmy Tucker that felt out of place. Never once did I understand why the author introduced him. There was no chemistry. Zip, nada, zilch. Their relationship stuck out like a sore thumb. And the epilogue? Possibly dreaming? Huh?

*Thank you to NetGalley and Lake Union Publishing for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.*

Thanks to NetGalley, Lake Union Publishing and Ann Howard Creel for giving me to the chance to read her new book: Mercy Road, I was so excited to get my advanced copy, as I have enjoyed reading two of her previous books.

Arlene Favier is devastated when her family home in Paris Kentucky burns to the ground and why did her father decide to run back inside the burning house? She has no idea that her father's horse breeding farm is struggling, she's left to look after her Maman and her young brother Luc. Arlene needs to look for work to support her family, she travels to Cincinnati and she's not prepared for life on her own. She applies for the only job that she has any qualifications for, she finds a notice advertising for French speaking drivers and she's recruited to drive an ambulance for the new American Woman's Hospital in France. Her Papa was French he taught her to speak his native language and to drive a car or a small truck.

Nothing could prepare Arlene and her fellow ambulance drivers for the terrible conditions they face in France during WW I. France is a total disaster, damaged buildings, displaced civilians, food shortages and the retreating German army is destroying everything in their path. Worst of all is the terrible war injuries to both soldiers, civilians and children. The team of women American doctors have joined forces to help the war effort, they raised funds, purchased medical equipment, supplies and employed female ambulance drivers.
They want to help and they do!

Arlene forms as strong friendship with one of her fellow drivers Cass, she's older than Arlene and seems to be the obvious one to be able to cope with the terrible conditions in France during WW I. But it's not the case, Arlene is soon very concerned about her friend mental state and she's also having issues with an American officer called Felix Brohammer. He's arrogant, despite Arlene making it very clear she's not interested in him he continues to believe they're in a relationship and Arlene is just playing hard to get?

Arlene is very focused on her job, she's working very long hours driving the ambulance, they have to be constantly on guard at all times, the roads are full of pot holes, driving conditions change due to the weather and the Germans shooting at them.

Amongst the chaos Arlene is very happy to see a familiar face from home, Jimmy Tucker, he worked for her father doing odd jobs around the farm and her snobby mother didn't like them being friends.
Soon she and Jimmy are fighting their obvious attraction to each other, the issues Arlene is having with Felix Brohammer escalates and it all gets way out of hand.

Arlene makes a choice to protect her friend, has she lost all she's been working hard for by not speaking up about the nasty Felix Brohammer and has this effected her romantic relationship with Jimmy?
Mercy Road is a story about how during WW I women's roles changed, their courage, their bravery, their dedication to each other and their country.

I loved the book, I gave it 4 stars and Ann Howard Creel is one of my favorite author's.
I highly recommend reading Mercy Road, The Magic Of Ordinary Days and While You Were Mine.