While I'm not a big HiFi fan, I really appreciated what the author did here with her story. I loved how it talks about a woman making a difference when during that time, women were supposed to do household tasks.

Charlotte Palmer is engaged to Eugene, both of their families are rich and own factories in Detroit. As her wedding day draws closer, Lottie feels trapped and guilty. Her parents are spending a fortune on an extravagant wedding, when American is fighting in world war and Lottie wants to serve her country.

Lottie runs away, she joins the Navy WAVES program, they discover in basic training that Lottie can drive and she can also fix a car. Lottie’s sent to San Diego, California to be trained as airplane mechanic and in charge of the crew is Captain Luke Woodward. Lottie faces decimation, the male recruits think she isn't strong enough or have the mental capabilities to fix an airplane. Lottie proves them all wrong, by working hard and she doesn’t mind getting her hands greasy.

Lottie's stationed at Pearl Harbor, she’s a machinist mate and her job is to get planes ready to be loaded onto a airplane carrier. The war is suddenly very real, the planes Lottie and the crew are fixing, have bullet holes, cracked windscreens and damage all along the underbelly. Lottie admires Captain Woodward, he’s a good looking man and leads by example.

I received a copy of For Love and County from NetGalley and Howard Books in exchange for an honest review. Candace Waters has written an enlightening story about one woman wanting to break free of the stereotypical expectations at the time, she wanted to serve her country and when it needed her the most. I really admired Lottie’s character, how she broke down the walls around her prickly roommate Maggie Duckworth and being a ingenious mechanic. Five stars from me, I highly recommend this book for fans of WW II historical fiction with a focus on strong and courageous women.

Intriguing cover art. Historical. Wartime drama. Original. Authentic. Emotional. A captivating read. Five stars.

For Love and Country by Candace Waters is a novel set during WWII. Pearl Harbor had already been attacked. Socialite Lottie Palmer is all set to marry her longtime boyfriend, Eugene. Days before her wedding, she goes to a film and sees an advertisement for the WAVES program. Knowing she needs to do more for the war effort, she leaves the morning of her wedding. I really admired Lottie for abandoning her comfortable life and getting involved. Because she spent so much time with her father’s head mechanic, she knew how to fix cars. She learned how to fix airplanes in a time where that was unacceptable for women. She was brave and stuck to her beliefs. While there is mention of romance, that is not the main focus of the story. I can’t wait to read more by this author. Thank you to Netgalley and Howard Books for the copy. All opinions expressed are my own.

For Love and Country was not a book I would usually request but I find myself being drawn to the historical fiction work. I liked this book a lot. I have a 22 year old daughter who is really interested in history and the roles women played throughout WWII , yes she is studying to become a teacher. We read this book together and really enjoyed it. Historical fiction is becoming a genre that appeals to me. I recommend this book.

For Love and Country was a great read. I would love to read more by this author in the near future. Five stars.

As I've said many times in my reviews, I love a new take on WWII historical fiction and For Love and Country has one.

Lottie Palmer runs away on the eve of her wedding to join the Navy WAVES program leaving her fiancé and privileged lifestyle behind. Determined to become the best airplane mechanic she can be, she impresses her charming instructor, Captain Luke Woodward, but must put her growing feelings for him aside when she's stationed at Pearl Harbor.

Lottie is a compelling heroine and the setting for the book is unique. This is a story of love and loss and of triumph and tragedy . She has to go through hell as the only woman mechanic in a very trying time, and her journey to finding out who she is and how her choices in life can determine that was one I really enjoyed.

3.5 stars

Thank you the NetGalley and Atria books for a digital copy of this book to review.

Writing wasn't bad but the story didn't hold my focus.
Thanks to NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review.

Belle Ames states in wonder at the arch of flowers she and Lottie are standing under. The party is for Lottie and her upcoming wedding to Eugene. I loved how Lottie made a commitment to changing her life and serving her country. I felt bad for Eugene. I loved Lotties journey in her career and whether to seek out love

The author clearly wanted to showcase the role of women mechanics in the WAVES during WWII, however I found it odd that wherever her heroine went she was the only female mechanic. I voluntarily reviewed an advance copy of this book from NetGalley. However, due to the flood of WWII books out now, I'm really getting bored with them no matter how well they've been written. I doubt I will be looking to read any more of them.

This part historical fiction part love story follows Dottie as she leaves behind a fiance on the eve of her wedding to join the Navy and become one of the only airplane pilots and mechanics during that time and place. Dottie starts to fall in love with her superior and in the midst of all this, she is called to fly to Pearl Harbor for WWII. It's an incredible story of one woman working towards her dreams and finding herself and love all wrapped up into one delicious book. I'm giving it 4 stars for its predictability.

This book was gifted to me by Netgalley in exchange for an honest opinion. All opinions are mine and mine alone.

For Love and Country isn’t a typical novel. It’s more historical fiction with romantic elements rather than a pure romance. It’s from a Christian fiction publisher, but it’s more Christian-lite. There’s very little that’s overtly Christian, but also no on-page violence or sexual content.

The story moves in fits and starts. The first three chapters move relatively slowly as they introduce Lottie, her fiance, and her background. But the story then skips ahead, sometimes days or weeks at a time and that felt a little off, as though something was missing. The writing is solid but not spectacular, but it’s a compelling story and I found it hard to put down (which is saying something, given my current attention span. Thanks, lockdown and quarantine).

Lottie is one of the most original characters I’ve come across. She’s a child of wealth and privilege, in that her father owns a Detroit motor company. On that basis, it’s not altogether surprising that Lottie is interested in cars and engines. What is perhaps surprising is that she’s prepared to give up her lifestyle and her fiance to serve in the WAVES—Women Accepted for Voluntary Emergency Service.

I’ve read various novels about women serving in World War I and II, but I think this is the first I’ve read about the WAVES. I enjoyed the historical aspects, especially watching Lottie’s challenges in working in a male-dominated field. But I also enjoyed Lottie’s personal journey, her realisation that we do get to make choices in life and how those choices can change us.

Overall, For Love and Country is a must-read for fans of World War II fiction from authors such as Sarah Sundin and J’nell Ciesielski.

Thanks to Howard Books and NetGalley for providing a free ebook for review.

For Love and Country by Candace Waters is a strong female character driven historical novel centered around the WAVES program and Pearl Harbor. While overall I found the plot fascinating, I also found several issues in this book that I wasn’t expecting to have encountered. This book is very Christian based. There’s praying every few chapters, an always when Charlotte Palmer, our heroine, prays she seems to be able to get what she wants, even if it takes a bit in doing so. She’s a ‘proper rich girl’ and though I admired her for leaving her home, she seemed woefully ignorant about a lot of things around the world, not just the war. Maggie was far more interesting to me, as a whole, and I identified with her a fair bit.

Men treated women harshly back then, I understand, and it hasn’t gotten much better if my mother being a car mechanic and carpenter is anything to go by. So this is accurate, but a lot of the men’s comments, and the fact that she got punished for the most minor of infractions is infuriating. I get that was what the author was aiming for, and applaud her dedication to the accuracy of her research in terms of writing this book. Even so, I despised a fair few male characters in this book.

I did like Charlotte, but she seemed to eager to please in terms of those that surrounded her. I wanted more from the story, and the way she handled Eugene could have been handled better, in my opinion. Overall the story was captivating, despite several issues that I had as a person. Others might not have the same issues. 4 solid stars for a new to me author, and I’ll definitely be keeping an interest in any of her future works.

Achingly beautiful and well told. Be transported to a time and place you have never experienced. Well told love story with plenty of angst . Emotional. Definitely worth picking up. Happy reading

Lottie is a runaway bride when this tale of WWII begins. She runs away to join the WAVES and her expertise working on cars translates rapidly into airplane mechanics. She struggles with the men both on the line and in her life. The romantic part of this tends a bit toward the implausible (lots of coincidences) but if you're looking for an HEA you'll find it here. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. For fans of the WWII novel.

I wanted so badly to like this book as it sounded like it would be right up my alley, but alas it fell flat for me.

I didn't like how the book started, and as we met more characters they felt 2 dimensional and stereotypical. I didn't like how Lottie took things personally, and seemed to think the worst of people. Lottie is determined, and wants to see if there is more to life than the privileged upbringing she's known, which is great, but her timing was terrible.

The plotting of the book seemed unrealistic, and didn't pack a punch the way I wished. I did like how it showcased the WAVES and their part in the war. In the end this just wasn't for me personally.

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions are my own.

I just finished reading “For Love and Country” by Candace Waters. I read this book in one day because I just could not put it down. I am such a lover of historical romances set during W.W.II and was privileged to have been chosen to read and review an advanced reader’s copy of this book.

Not only is the story told in a manner that will tug at your heart strings for more reasons than one, but the main characters and the minor characters in this book bring a real feel for the time of the setting of the novel. I am unaware of any other books by this author, but I would be very interested in reading more novels by Ms. Waters.

I received a digital copy of this book from NetGalley.com in return for my review.

I loved this book! A girl from High Society in Detroit find herself pulled in a different direction of what is expected of her, walking away the day of her wedding and joining the Navy to support the war effort. Lottie's personality, passion and sense of duty have her enduring hardships, defying expectations and being an all-around noticed achiever by her Captain Luke. Luke recovering from previous service sees more than just the stubborn capable mechanic that Lottie is and their relationship develops. Set over several cities in American, this WWII historical fiction and romance, this book is well worth a read. I had it sitting on my TBR pile for over a month and what a waste of a month.
Thank you for y ARC, I thoroughly enjoyed it.

Thank you to NetGalley for a copy in return for an honest review.

Candace Waters writes a story of an incredibly strong young woman, leaving behind the wealth and status of her family's Detroit auto industry on the eve of her wedding, to follow her dream.
Determined to contribute to the war effort by becoming an airplane mechanic, she impresses her instructor with her grit and hard work ethic. But, she finds herself falling for him, so when she is assigned to Pearl Harbour, she has to hide her growing feelings and put all her strength into becoming one of the only female mechanics to hold this position. She learns what it is to become a hero in your own lifetime.
This is a powerful account of one woman's struggle in a man's world, which is beautifully written and inspiring.

For Love and Country was a book that grabbed me in the first pages and never let go. It is the story of Lottie, a girl born and raised in a very wealthy Detroit automotive family. Her life has revolved around meeting the expectations of the wealthy: fashion, parties, gaiety. and worrying about nothing more than making the perfect match. It is a life and a world that slows down for nothing, including WW II. It is a world that Lottie has never felt comfortable in and with the war going on, one that she finds to be more frivolous by the day. On the eve of her wedding to Eugene, the son of another wealthy Detroit family and her lifelong friend, Lottie decides to leave home and join the Navy WAVES. Breaking into the WAVES as a rarity: a girl who who is comfortable with and skilled at repairing engines, Lottie braves what has been up to now, a male only setting. As the story unfolds, Lottie more about herself, and the war than I believe she had ever expected. And like so many who enlisted and worked during the war, she does not walk away unscathed. I found For Love and Country to be an engrossing read and was sorry when the story ended.