As with Sara Ackerman's Red Sky over Hawaii, the history of Radar Girls is 1941. Hawaii. Pearl Harbor. WWII. The specific history is of the Women's Air Raid Defense (WARD). Within this history is the story of twenty-three year old Daisy Wilder in Waialua, O'ahu. For Daisy, this journey is also about finding friendship and acceptance and a sisterhood. Ultimately, the book does what I love about historical fiction. It teaches me something new and sends me off on a search to learn more about the actual history.

Read my complete review at http://www.memoriesfrombooks.com/2021/08/radar-girls.html

Reviewed for NetGalley and the HTP Historical Fiction Summer 2021 blog tour.

Disclaimer:. I received this e-arc from the publisher. Thanks! All opinions are my own.

Book: Radar Girls

Author: Sara Ackerman

Book Series: Standalone

Rating: 4/5

Recommended For...: historical fiction, WW2 novels, feminist

Genre: Historical Fiction

Publication Date: July 27, 2021

Publisher: MIRA

Pages: 400

Recommended Age: 15+ (sexism, racism, slight language)

Explanation of CWs: Some sexist and racist remarks, especially since this is set in the 1940s.

Synopsis: Daisy Wilder prefers the company of horses to people, bare feet and salt water to high heels and society parties. Then, in the dizzying aftermath of the attack on Pearl Harbor, Daisy enlists in a top secret program, replacing male soldiers in a war zone for the first time. 
Under fear of imminent invasion, the WARDs guide pilots into blacked-out airstrips and track unidentified planes across Pacific skies.  

But not everyone thinks the women are up to the job, and the new recruits must rise above their differences and work side by side despite the resistance and heartache they meet along the way. 
With America’s future on the line, Daisy is determined to prove herself worthy. And with the man she’s falling for out on the front lines, she cannot fail.

From radar towers on remote mountaintops to flooded bomb shelters, she’ll need her new team when the stakes are highest. Because the most important battles are fought—and won—together.

This inspiring and uplifting tale of pioneering, unsung heroines vividly transports the reader to wartime Hawaii, where one woman’s call to duty leads her to find courage, strength and sisterhood. 

Review: For the most part this was a good read. The book did well to showcase the WARDs and how women had an important part during the war effort. The world building was great, the character development was solid, and overall if you love historical fiction reads then you'll love this book.

However, the book is a bit slow paced for my liking and it also doesn't really have anything that struck my interest. I loved the women empowerment and everything, but I just didn't find anything special with the story.

Verdict: It's good! Highly recommend.

Read if you like: women's involvement in WW2.
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This book is about Daisy, who grew up in Hawaii on a ranch, but when Pear; Harbor is attacked, Daisy gets recruited to work with radar with a bunch of other women.
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I loved Daisy. Her experiences opens up her life showing her that she is smart and deserved to be happy. She meets lifelong female friends, and even has a whirlwind romance that made me want to keep reading to find out if they would end up together!
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Even though there are a lot of WW2 novels, this one was great and I really enjoyed it!
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CW: sexism, violence, war, sexual harassment and assault.

Great historical fiction book! Pearl Harbor is bombed. The Women’s Air Raid Defense program was a result of the men being called into war and the need for women to staff radar duties. All Daisy wanted to do was train and be around horses. After getting fired for losing Moon, Lieutenant Walker’s horse, she needed a job, and the WARD program was her best bet. Living in a shack near the ocean, Daisy did not have any friends and never had a boyfriend. No one measured up to Walker and he was out of her league. Training for the responsibilities of guiding our military earned her respect and some close friends who become like family. This book is about true friendship, dedication to country and duty, hard work, and trusting yourself. Lots of tender moments, edge of your seat maneuvers, and wonderful characters.

Radar Girls by Sara Ackerman takes on the real life story of heroic women in Hawaii immediately following the attack on Pearl Harbor. This book was so well researched on a subject I knew nothing about. Daisy Wilder is recruited along with a lot of other women of all backgrounds in a top secret project called WARD - Women's Air Raid Defense. They help pilots navigate in total blackout conditions and help to track unidentified aircraft all using radar. This was a "man's" job so they had to put up with a lot of resentment and prejudice along the way but the women end up doing way more than was expected of them. I loved the female friendships in this novel! Hawaii itself is a character. Just loved this book and highly recommend it!
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This book recently came across my email from a publisher for their summer reads request. I was so excited to read it since while I have read lots of other books about WW 2, I haven’t really read many about Pearl Habor and the American woman’s participation in the war. I was looking forward to reading it and expand my knowledge of this subject.

Daisy is a tom-boy. She prefers pants to dresses and wears very little make-up. She is the glue that is attempting to hold her mother together after her father tragically passed away. She is on the beach when the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor. She is discovered by a General who thinks that she would be a perfect person to be a Radar Girl. She would be an officer in the military and would help track all of the planes in the area. Along the way she starts to fall a local boy that she has known forever. Becoming a Radar Girl changes her life in ways that she never could have possibly imagined. The book was absolutely amazing. I devoured it. I found the American side of WW2 fascinating. Most of the books I have read deal with the Holocaust or are from a British perspective but I think this is one of the few books I have read that deal with America and how it propelled us into WW2.

I loved the character of Daisy. She was self-reliant on herself and it was hard for her to let other people in. To watch her character unfold as she opened up herself to her new friends was so nice. I did think that the relationship that she had with her mother was odd. She called her mother Louise and not Mom. I know that their relationship was strained after her father died but still. I really liked how Daisy compared working with horses with being with people. She used what she knew about them and applied it in a different situation and in most cases, she was always right. Reading this book has made me want to take a trip to Hawaii. While I have always wanted to go, my hubby hates sun and sand, I definitely want to make it a bucket list trip. I want to experience Pearl Harbor for myself and lose myself on the beaches and find out the histories of the islands. I loved this author so much that I will make it a point to read some of the other books by her. I think they all are based in Hawaii.

It is December 1941, and Hawaii has been attacked by the Japanese. The US has declared war on Japan and Germany has declared war on the US. The men are leaving the army to go to war and many have been killed. Women are being recruited to join the Women’s Air Raid Defense (WARD), a top secret program to guide pilots into blacked-out airstrips and track unidentified planes over the Pacific Ocean. Daisy is one of these recruits, and she along with others will deal with sexism, not being taken seriously, sexual harassment and more issues when a group of women break into a male dominated field.

This book is inspired by real events that took place during WWII. I really enjoyed getting to know the women in this story. They came from all walks of life, Daisy being a horse trainer. Some were married to service men and every one of them knew someone, a friend or relative that was fighting. These women were smart and picked up the job and the lingo quickly. They were tenacious and wouldn't give up, loyal to their country and their new friends, and courageous. We read about the blitzes in Europe, specifically the UK, but they were living under the same fear in Hawaii. This was both a character and plot driven story. There was some romance, but was balanced nicely with all the other storylines. The writing was wonderful. It was descriptive to allow the reader to see and feel what was happening. I liked that this was historical fiction, not dual timeline to interrupt the flow of this story. Daisy did have a few flashbacks or reminiscences for her particular story, but they were woven into the story nicely. This story was well researched, well plotted, and well written. One that I recommend if you like themes of friendship, women breaking into new roles, WWII, perseverance and courage.

I've never read Ackerman before but I am always interested in aspects of history involving women that may not be often at the forefront. I enjoyed the lush descriptions of the Hawaiian setting and the taut action scenes. The authors writing, through no fault of their own, is not really my cup of tea. I had a very hard time getting lost in the story due to what, to me, is very stilted showing and not telling writing. I very much enjoyed the glimpse in the world of the Women's Air Raid Defense and the brave women who participated. I will definitely look for more reading on the subject! The romance was there but not overwhelming. All in all this was an okay read for me. Solid 3 stars.

Radar Girls: a novel of WWII was a good read & I learned some new things about women during WWII.

At times the story seemed to ramble a bit but overall I really enjoyed reading Radar Girls: a novel of WWII.

I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy of this book.

Radar Girls by Sara Ackerman is a great World War II story of how woman helped in the war after the attack on Pearl Harbor. Great read.

I read a lot of WW2 historical fiction and there is a lot of books about what the women within the different countries affected by the war did when they stepped up to handle things while the men were away doing their things. this book focuses on what the women did in Pearl Harbor after the attack. Daisy and some others are recruited to participate within the Women's air raid defense system. There is friendships, romance, suspense, and a little bit of intrigue within the setting. Plus it was very well researched. I am very glad that her work and regular life took more of a center stance within this story as opposed to the romance. all in all I really enjoyed this book and I look forward to reading more by this author.

Radar Girls was a great story of a little-known WWII group of women in Hawaii. Daisy Wilder is a young women working at a horse farm when the horse she took riding is spooked by the events of Pearl Harbor. The horse runs off and Daisy loses her job. She ends up getting hired to work in the Women's Air Raid Defense using radar to plot planes coming and going in the area. Daisy finds friends and confidence in herself for the first time. Her group of friends become a tight-knit group that she comes to rely on. A love story between Daisy and the son of the farm's owner is also part of the story. I liked learning about this part of WWII history and loved the characters.

I absolutely LOVED Radar Girls! I love reading about important and inspiring duties that some brave women did years ago during WWII, and NOT just clerical work, answering phones, and making coffee. It’s amazing to me that women have had to face sexism and chauvinism despite the courageous and notable things they have accomplished with throughout the years. So many demonstrated immense courage and strength and deserve utmost respect and admiration.

Daisy was such a remarkable character and I was captivated by her and her actions. I loved reading about the work that she did with the other women in her group and could easily see the influence they had.

I was never a big fan of history in school, nor historical fiction novels as I got older, until I read The Beantown Girls by Jane Healey. I was riveted when reading that, and am thankful to have read it, because it introduced me to a genre that I never thought I would enjoy. I now realize that I am drawn to historical fiction with strong women characters. I am more interested in reading and learning about our history and WWII when there are inspiring women characters to help tell the story.

I flew through this book and thoroughly enjoyed reading it. I highly recommend it to everyone and can’t wait to see this climb the bestsellers list!

I love WWII historical fiction but as I've read so much of it I try to find books that tell a different story - either they focus on a region or a person/group that I haven't read about. Sara Ackerman's Radar Girls ticks both boxes. While we all know about the attack on Pearl Harbor, I haven't read any books that focused on what happened on the islands during the war. I know American women did a lot of jobs during the war, but unlike their British counterparts, they all seem to be working in ammunition or other plants. I know a few found their way into intelligence-type jobs, but I didn't know about the Women Air Raid Defense. I was really looking forward to reading about this different perspective of WWII.

I would describe this novel as a "slice of life". The story really was about ordinary life in a lot of ways. The women of Hawaii were "enlisted" yet they are still on the homefront. While they were vulnerable to more Japanese attacks, like much of the rest of America, they weren't in imminent danger (unlike the constant bombing occurring in England or the occupation of France). So life pretty much went on as normal. Except now many of the women worked in a classified job for the military.

We get a look at the war, the role of women in the war effort, and how life goes on. There is heartbreak and love. Some of the women are wives of the sailors and pilots serving on the Hawaii navy base others are residents of the islands.

Radar Girls is such a sweet story. There is a bit of romance but it is very innocent. Of course, there is the tension of impending invasion and "their boys" being at sea during war. But it is all pretty sedate as far as WWII novels go. There wasn't the nail-biting tension that would typically have me staying up too late and rushing to get back to the novel each evening. Yet, there was still that draw to the novel. The characters are instantly likable and you want to be with them. The commandery between the woman and their interactions with their male colleagues made you want to be part of the group.

If war stories aren't typically your thing, you should really give this book a try as the war was more in the background than typical war stories. And if you are a WWII fiction fan like me, then you should pick up this book to get a look at a different aspect of the war. No matter what, I believe you will love the women and the look into their lives.

My review will be published at Girl Who Reads on Thursday, July 29 - https://www.girl-who-reads.com/2021/07/3-summer-books-and-yummy-summer-dessert.html

Loved it! I was a little weary of WWII historical novels that take place in Europe but this one, set in Hawaii, was a breath of fresh air! It tells a story of the Radar Girls who were recruited to help protect Hawaii from a second attack. I was drawn in immediately and didn't surface unless I had to. (The family wanted to eat, the kids needed to be driven to places, etc....) Even with all the interruptions, I finished this in a little over a day. I loved the characters, the relationships, the story, and the background stories.

After the trauma of the Pearl Harbor attack, Daisy joins the Women’s Air Raid Defense. Accustomed to spending her time training horses or free diving for her family's dinner, she finds the rigid structure of army life to be an adjustment. But with the safety of the sailors depending on her skills, she has to put her personal grievances aside. And when the man she's slowly falling in love with gets into trouble, Daisy may be the only one who can save him.

Daisy is a fascinating character, and this book is interesting from a historical perspective. The setting is immersive, and the emotion understated. There's no compelling main plot pulling the reader from start to finish, but rather a series of interconnected minor plots. It's an enjoyable book that will be appreciated by historical fiction fans.

Thanks, NetGalley, for the ARC I received. This is my honest and voluntary review.

If you like to read about WWll you will love this story. I loved that it all took place in Hawaii and told a little bit of what happened around Pearl Harbor. Then I love that it told about the women that were brought in to man the radar stations since most of the men were sent to fight. I think this was the first book I have read that took place in Hawaii during WWll. I loved the characters and how the women were first treated and then how everyone learned that the women were good at math and science. I laughed and cried while reading this story. I received a copy of this book from Harlequin for a fair and honest opinion that I gave of my own free will.

Radar Girls by Sara Ackerman is a story inspired by the real women of the Women’s Air Raid Defense (WARDs). Daisy Wilder is a woman who prefers horses to people, bare feet and the ocean to high heels and parties. As an outsider, she was always told she wasn’t smart enough, wasn’t important enough. Then, in the aftermath of the Pearl Harbor attack, she enlists in a top secret program. Under the constant fear of another invasion, the WARDs guide pilots into the blacked out airstrips and track unidentified planes across the Pacific skies. Not everyone is convinced the women are not smart enough to handle the job. They must rise above their differences to band together and work side by side, to show that a woman can do the task at hand. With the lives of the pilots, and America’s future on the line, Daisy is determined to prove herself worthy. She cannot fail, especially when the man she loves is among the pilots depending on her.
Just when you think there are no more stories to be found from World War II, there comes the radar girls. When researching the women of WARD, the author came across a quote from one WARD, who said, “When the fly boys got lost, we brought them home.” A great statement to the important place these women had in the war effort and a place in our history. Radar Girls is a beautiful story of determination, friendship and love in wartime. Set in the beautiful islands of Hawaii, the readers take a journey from radar towers on remote mountaintops to underground bomb shelters where these women answer the call of duty and help win the war. It is a story of self-discovery, to rise above the opinions of others that one is not good enough, to find strength and courage to prove them, and yourself, wrong. I loved all the characters who, by the end of the book, felt like family and dear friends, I was sad to see them go. I loved Radar Girls and highly recommend it.

Radar Girls is available in paperback, eBook, and audiobook.

Happy Publication Day Radar Girls!
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When we entered into WWII, women were needed in many roles including a special ‘secret’ program known as the Women’s Air Raid Defense (WARD). Sara Ackerman does an amazing job with the historical aspects of the program and the evolution of Radar. It is so important to learn these stories before these veterans are no longer with us.
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The story also explores friendship, sexism (the military is still very much a boys club), and a touch of romance. The female characters were each so different and complex. One thing I loved was the details of the island and the use of native Hawaiian words and their spellings.
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This is more historical fiction than historical romance for you romance readers. I love both genres and enjoyed this one as a female who served in the military.
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Thanks to #netgalley and #mirabooks for the kindle ARC.

Welcome to my stop on Harlequin Trade Publishing’s 2021 Summer Blog Tours for Historical Fiction.

Thanks #NetGalley @HarlequinBooks for a complimentary eARC of #RadarGirls upon my request. All opinions are my own.

Inspired by real women of the Women’s Air Raid Defense (WARD) during WW11, Radar Girls is the story of new recruits and unsung heroes. After the attack on Pearl Harbor, Daisy, a gifted horse trainer, enlists in a top secret program that recruits women to replace men who have joined the war. Their high stakes assignment is to guide pilots into blacked-out airstrips and track unidentified planes over the Pacific Ocean. The young women face many challenges including forming a team, working in a male-dominated field, facing unequal treatment of women, and surviving a war.

Usually in a review, I discuss several factors (setting, writing, characters, themes, etc.). Because Radar Girls checks all the boxes of a 5 star read, I’m highlighting enjoyability.

Enjoyability Factor: I’ve mention before about the importance of the enjoyability factor when rating books. This story checks all the boxes of a perfect read for me. First, I trust this author to bring me a great story (filled with excellent research, vivid descriptive details, characters to root for, and engaging from page one), so that helps me relax into the read. I love balanced plot-driven and character-driven stories. I adore learning something new and women breaking into the field of radar during wartime captivated me in this way. Radar Girls isn’t overly long (easily read in 2 days for me). The story is told in chronological order (with a few flashbacks) from one perspective which makes for smooth and quick reading. I love inspirational, admirable, and gutsy characters; bright, pioneering women; and thoughtful themes (friendship, unequal treatment of women, women supporting women, believing in yourself, grit, determination, wartime tragedies, and perseverance, etc.). Radar Girls has a side of romance which always adds an enjoyment factor (but doesn’t dominate the story) and a mystery to solve. The Hawaiian setting is lovely and it’s evident how much the author loves her home state. Radar Girls is unputdownable and highly entertaining. All of the factors mentioned contribute to one enjoyable read!

Honestly, the enjoyment factor is the highlight of this review. Radar Girls is simply a well told, multilayered story. Probably my favorite of Sara Ackerman’s work (Island of Sweet Pies and Soldiers, The Lieutenant’s Nurse, and Red Sky Over Hawaii). Radar Girls would make a great selection for book club!

If you’re looking for a compulsively readable summer read, please consider Radar Girls! It’s engaging from the first page. Highly recommended.