A beautiful heartwarming story of women coming together for a larger cause. The characters were fun and well rounded. The story was impeccably written. I never wanted to put the story down; I wanted to know what happened next!

The novel follows three young women who are employed as telephone operators in 1918. When they learn that the Army Signal Corps is recruiting experienced phone operators who speak French, they are eager to assist with the war effort. We meet each individually: Grace, who studied French in college, is from New Jersey; Marie is from a French family residing in Cincinnati; and Valerie’s family migrated from Belgium to California. We follow them through their training, their voyage to France, through bombardments and air raids, and even some romance. I had never heard of this group, the “Hello Girls” as they were often called. I enjoyed this wonderful novel which encompassed everything I look for in the best historical fiction: well-developed characters I cared about, a compelling and exciting plot, and obviously thorough historical research. I’m grateful that the publisher and Netgalley provided me with an advance copy to review.

I loved this book. And who knew that American telephone girls served with the army in World War I. The descriptions of their journey and of the circumstances in which they lived represented the horror of all of the soldiers during World War I. We tend to brush off memories of that war since we have had so many since, but their war must also be remembered. The roll of the YWCA during the war is also something that was described in the book, and that also is something about which we should all be aware. It was easy to identify with the women who were the main characters, and there was a touch of romance that made the story a bit lighter. I highly recommend this book. I received a pre publication and was in no way expected to write a promising review..

I love learning about history through fiction books. Jennifer Chiaverini is such a great writer. This topic was so very interesting. I loved reading about these outstanding women and how their work helped our military. So inspirational. I loved this book and will recommend it to many patrons.

Jennifer Chiaverini writes historic fiction beautifully, and Switchboard Soldiers is no exception bringing an interesting slice of history to life. .

Jennifer Chiaverini never disappoints me in her historical novels. The details are thoroughly researched while the reader is reimbursed in history. The women of the U. S. Army Signal broke down gender barriers in the military. The girls who were the main women in the stories so valued family ,and dedication to the best they could be in the service. Marie was a beautiful singer , went to serve and met Giovanni. Following their love story was precious. The three other women were truly remarkable too. Proud of all they accomplished. They received no benefits which was quite unfair. Some did in their later life. Thanks NetGalley

I had never heard of the Switchboard Soldiers, women who, in the first world War who became the first women to serve in the United States Armed Forces. Required to speak both French and English fluently and to be able to run a variety of switchboards far more efficiently than men in the same position, these women went to war, sometimes even on the front lines, to serve General Pershing and the American troops, expediting troop movements, supply lines and more with both American troops and their French counterparts. Jennifer Chiaverini never disappoint in her ability to bring women's history to light, and this time has outdone herself, showing not only how the devotion to duty and their concious recognition on how their conduct would affect the future of all women in the military that these young women showed, but also the appreciation they were shown during the war, and the utter disregard for their contributions once the war was over. Excellent read, highly recommended.

Following 4 women who joined the army in WWI to provide switchboard operates in France, this is a fantastic piece of historical fiction. These women served, sometimes on the front lines, to provide reliable telephone service for the Army. They truly were the first women in the American military.