I received an electronic ARC from Little Brown & Company via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Opinions expressed in this review are my own.
This is the story of Dorothy and Irene, two women who joined the American Red Cross during World War II, as what soldiers referred to as Donut Dollies. Neither woman expected to experience combat. Their experiences changed them forever.
I did find the first part of this novel very slow. However, it all makes sense as to why it was that slow as you read the rest. It is a beautiful story that will stay with me.

"For all evils there are two remedies: time and silence." (Alexandre Dumas)

Luis Alberto Urrea presents a remarkable novel that spans through the tragic years of World War II. He touches so precisely on those hell bent on bringing their demented forms of evil in order to rain down their might on those caught in its midst. Urrea also brings honor to those who answered the call to protect and to defend.

It's October of 1943 in New York City. Women refused to be set on the sidelines. Some worked in the factories taking over jobs of welders and equipment building. Some answered the call of the Red Cross offering their services in the field in heavy war zones overseas.

Irene Woodward and Dorothy Dunford were complete opposites. Irene was escaping from a loveless engagement. She came from a well-to-do family who would be shattered if they knew what she just did. Dorothy, an unusually tall woman, hails from Indiana where she helped run the family farm. After the recent death of her parents and her soldier brother, Dorothy sells the farm.

And they both find themselves reporting to the War Department as volunteers in the Red Cross. The training is brutal and many of the women don't qualify. But both Irene and Dorothy have tenacity flowing through their veins. At first, the women are assigned to the Clubmobilers Corps in which they make coffee, fry donuts, and provide support to the soldiers. Dorothy drives the truck easily from her farm days driving a tractor. She even knows how to change a tire.

But eventually the stuff gets real. Really real. Both women find themselves under seige in a small French town where they almost become casualties themselves. They are caught up in the enormity of the loss of those who didn't return......those who are part of that silence......voices snuffed out by evil.

Luis Alberto Urrea should receive a standing ovation for Good Night, Irene. His character development is top-notch while introducing individuals that you won't soon forget. His dialogue is snarky and filled with good old-fashioned humor of the time. "It was jail or the army. I shoulda chose jail."

Although a work of fiction, Good Night, Irene allows us to sit with these individuals and to form faces and personalities that emulated flesh and blood soldiers, sailors, and air corps pilots who sacrificed all for a cause that seems so foreign and long ago to us now. And, sadly, it still remains with us as power mongers lean heavily on the innocent. Of this, we know only too well today.

I received a copy of this book through NetGalley for an honest review. My thanks to Little, Brown and Company and to the talented Luis Alberto Urrea for the opportunity.

I received this from Little, Brown and Company for a review. I love Irene and Dorothy. Such strong women. I haven't read a historical fiction based on the Red Cross. This was new and exciting for. It shows the dangers and strength they had to go through. Highly recommend!

Irene Woodward, a daughter of privilege, leaves her abusive fiance to join the Red Cross during World War II. During training, she meets Dorothy Dunford, known as Dot, and they become close and loving friends.

During training they are taught how to make donuts and coffee and, more importantly, ways to cheer up the soldiers. They operate a 'clubmobile' on the harrowing fronts of the war, putting themselves at risk as they follow the troops. Incessantly making donuts and coffee for the men, they themselves are in imminent danger.

They are brave, determined women. They endure bombing, explosives, shooting, and all the acts of war that can be imagined. Their experiences are horrific and they both are lucky to escape some incidents that could have ended their lives.

Both Dot and Irene have fallen for soldiers. Irene's soldier is a pilot bomber who sings songs to her before they make love. As planes fly over, Irene imagines her pilot in the sky above her and worries about his safety.

Most people don't know about the role of women during the war. As in many avenues of life, now and then, the work of women is silent and in the background. Urrea modeled this novel on his mother's Red Cross service.

Without spoilers, I want to say that this novel brought me to tears, both of joy and pain. The writing, especially in the last half, is powerful and intimate. I want to thank the publisher and NetGalley for giving me access to an advanced review copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

One of my favorite things about reading—historical fiction, in particular—is learning more about a specific event or time period. And when the story delivers a powerful punch in the emotional department, it soars to the top of my list. Good Night, Irene is one of those special books.

The soul of this book is friendship, the kind of friendship that irrevocably binds two people together as surely as genetics. Those forever heart-friendships are rare and precious and when you have one, you know you’re connected beyond the constraints of this lifetime. In the deft authorial hand of Luis Alberto Urrea, the characters of Irene Woodward and Dorothy Dunford become real. He paints a beautiful, honest, insightful portrait of two women who find this rare gift of heart-friendship in an ARC Rapid City Clubmobile, making donuts and coffee for soldiers they may only see once.

My favorite aspect of the book is how Urrea brings the two protagonists to life with tender and sometimes raw honesty. The women and their friendship are imperfect. They get on each other’s nerves at times. They argue. They misunderstand each other. All parts of real friendships.

In addition to friendship, themes of sacrifice, courage, integrity, love, and, of course, the horrors of war develop over the book’s 416 pages. While always well-written, the sheer number of details slowed the plot down for me.

This book is a monumental tribute to a group of women I never particularly considered to be crucial to the war effort in the 1940s. The Red Cross Donut Dollies—“Don’t call me Dolly!”—were critical morale boosters for soldiers. I loved learning that the author’s own mother served in the Red Cross, which inspired this book. And reading this deeply personal story made me wonder how many other groups of people have sacrificed without recognition. Just when I thought I’d read every type of story there is about World War Two, I found Good Night, Irene. I’m so glad I did.

Thank you to NetGalley and Little, Brown and Company for the e-ARC.

The best read of 2023, so far. Uttea’s writing is deep and his skillful slow development of characters is forefront of this story of WWII. I have never read about the Red Cross coffee and donut trucks that followed the troops in Europe, what a great history lesson. Unspeakable violence, unspeakable fear, met with endless courage and humanity. I laughed, was sad, and had to stop reading at times. Two women volunteer for the Red Cross Clubmobiles, to do their part in the war but also to escape their lives. They meet and begin an odyssey they would never have dreamed of.

With cinematic verisimilitude and deep emotional understanding, Urrea (The House of Broken Angels, 2018) opens readers’ eyes to the female Red Cross volunteers who served overseas during WWII, delivering donuts, coffee, and homestyle friendliness to U.S. troops. The author’s mother, herself a minor character, was one of these women, who were nicknamed Donut Dollies. Fleeing a violent relationship, gregarious Irene Woodward gets partnered with tall Indiana farmer Dorothy Dunford, cementing a tight bond of sisterhood. Their personalities and the writing itself crackle with energy as Dorothy drives their truck across England and the continent, following orders to go where they’re needed most. The servicemen greatly appreciate their work on the front lines, and the novel’s sense of realism grabs hold as the women become trapped in a French town crawling with Nazis. War engulfs everyone in its path, as does the mental strain of constant danger, though Irene’s romance with a fighter pilot boosts her inner strength. WWII fiction fans, who have an abundance of options, should embrace Urrea’s vivid, hard-hitting novel about the valiant achievements of these unsung wartime heroines. (published in Booklist, April 1, 2023)

I have enjoyed all of Luis Alberto Urrea's books and this is such a departure from the previous ones I read. That being said, I did enjoy it. The characters were enjoyable to get to know and follow and the premise of the story was good. At times I felt that some of the themes and story lines were repetitive of things I have read elsewhere so there was familiarity. This was an easy read that I felt I could pick up at anytime and immerse myself back into the story.

After learning about his mother’s heroic work in the Red Cross, award-winning author Urrea pens 'Goodnight, Irene', a moving story about a life-altering friendship forged in war. During World War II, Irene flees from her unhappy life in New York to become a Donut Dollie, a cohort of women who provide solace and a taste of home to American troops on the front lines. Irene meets Dorothy in training and the two form an unbreakable bond, giving them the courage to endure the war and life beyond.

Thank you to NetGalley,Little Brown and company, and especially the author Luis Alberto Urrea. Can any of us ever imagine what those women and men went through during WW2 .Young girls wanting to do something different and get away from home. Never would they expect to see the savages of war making donuts, serving coffee in a Clubmobile for the soldiers, young boys. Good Night Irene is so warmly written through the years of two women , Dotty and Irene. They Made a difference in so many lives they shall ever hold a spot in my heart! Loved the book!

Good Night, Irene highlights another little known aspect of World War II. The Red Cross started Clubmobiles where a group of women volunteered to bring donuts and coffee to the troops fighting in Europe. The group none as Donut Dollies brought so much more to the men. While risking their lives they lifted the troops with their love and compassion and lifting their spirits during this horrible war. Good character development between Irene and Dorothy as their friendship expands. Thanks to the author I will be researching these brave women. #GoodNightIrene #LuisAlbertoUrrea #NetGalley

I loved House of Broken Angels and had high hopes for Luis Alberto Urrea’s new novel Good Night Irene. Once I picked it up, I could not set it down.

I fell in love with these characters from the start for their wit and spunk, the deep friendships they create, their bravery and sacrifice. I suffered with them, I cried for them, and I rejoiced with them. This novel shares all the characteristics of my favorite books. Good story telling, wonderfully drawn characters filled with wit and charm, an unflinching observation of tragedy and suffering, and an ending that gave me joy.

Well-off New York socialite Irene escapes an abusive fiancé by enlisting in the Red Cross to become a Donut Dollie, serving coffee and donuts on the front lines in Europe during WWII. She is paired with Dorothy, a Mid-Western farm girl who is a blond Amazon, and although an unlikely pair, they forge a deep bond. Just as the men in combat will do anything for the men beside them, these women’s bond is forged in war.

From pastoral England and London to trench warfare in France and Belgium, and finally deep into Germany, the girls run the clubmobile, keeping the boys’ spirits up, offering a reminder of home and country. Thousands of men pass through their lives, and they smile and flirt until their cheeks hurt, pouring cup after cup of coffee until their arms ache. The appreciative men send them letters of thanks. Dorothy is fond of Smitty, half her height. Irene falls for a Western fighter pilot, ‘Hans.

In England, the girls lived in posh hotels or quaint thatched-roofed cottages. After D-Day, they follow the men to the continent. At the front, their lives are in danger. War’s realities are all around them. The deprivation. The death. The civilian losses. The fear. The death camps. The carrying on, doing their duty. What she experiences enrages Dorothy, who ensnares Irene in a scheme that changes their lives.

Women who volunteer to go to war have always experienced the same trauma as the combatant soldiers. We don’t often read about their experience and sacrifice. Urrea was inspired by his mother who had served in the Red Cross during WWII. What a wonderful tribute he has offered to these women.

I received a free egalley from the publisher through NetGalley. My review is fair and unbiased.

Another beautifully written novel by Luis Alberto Urrea..A story of the friendship the close bond Irene and Dot form serving with the Red Cross during the war.I was drawn in from first page to last an emotionally move story I will be recommending.#netgalley #littlebrown

This book starts out slow but ends up being an excellent historical read about women serving with the Red Cross during WWII. I had never heard about the Clubmobile Corps during WWII until reading this book. I spent some time researching the Clubmobile Corps online. Thanks to author Luis Alberto Urrea, Little, Brown and Company, and NetGalley for sharing a complimentary copy of this ebook. The opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own.

"Anything [was] possible...in a world of chaos, where chaos was the norm and normalcy was the aberration."

A unique group of college educated American women, 25 years or older, nicknamed the "Donut Dollies", were volunteers with the American Red Cross during WWII. Only one in six applicants made the cut and was sent to D.C. for rigorous training. Those successful were commissioned by the Clubmobile Corps. "...You are hereby ordered to be big sister, girl next door, mom or sweetheart...These wonderful guys will be your best friends for five minutes. Make those five minutes count...[serve donuts and a cup of joe, and with a smile]. You'll think you're strong. You'll think you're tough. You'll think you can take it. You cannot take it. You will be in mortal danger beside our boys. That's what war does to you...but...never let [the boys] see you cry."

New Yorker, Irene Woodward, sported an engagement ring. According to her family, it was all about the social register. Irene signed up with the Red Cross, threw her engagement ring down a storm drain, and left without looking back.

Dorothy Dunford, Indiana born, was from pioneering stock, from a line of farmers. Now orphaned, six foot two inch, mechanically inclined Dot, sought a chance at combat.

"The realization of the work about to befall them stunned Irene...It was time to put on the charm jacket, all sparkles...more than two hundred American soldiers...came off ships...the human wave rolled in and foamed around the Clubmobile...every soldier's face became every other soldier's face." "Wherever they went, they were stars. Every GI wanted a Donut Doll treatment...Just a flirt...some jokes...a dance...They all knew the Clubmobile ladies might be the last women they ever saw...they paused for long chats..."

Dot's words: "I'm going to get sick of acting like wacky broads all day everyday."
Irene's words: "We serve fresh hope with a cup of joy."

Irene Woodward, Dorothy Dunford and the ever-changing "Third Girl on the Bus" were assigned the ARC Rapid City Clubmobile. They helped bolster soldier morale at the front lines, traveling with the troops, making donuts and coffee. "The difficult job began in the afternoons, when everyone watched for returning missions. The base...tense, silent...waiting to see who didn't come home."

World War II, as experienced and viewed through the eyes of Irene and Dot, was a powerful, heartwrenching, difficult read. Don't let the term "Donut Dollies" conjure up an image of fluff! All the ravages of war were painfully experienced and witnessed by these courageous women.

"Good Night, Irene" by Luis Alberto Urrea was inspired by wartime service, with the Red Cross during WWII, as experienced by the author's mother. What started as a slow burn escalated into a full blown, realistic novel of two women who bonded during horrific wartime circumstances. This reader envisioned herself occupying the position of "Third Girl on the Bus". Kudos to Urrea for an eye opening, informative read of historical fiction.

Thank you Little, Brown and Company and Net Galley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

In 1943 the Red Cross was setting up mobile coffee and donut trucks to provide a taste of home to soldiers on the front lines of the war. The trucks were crewed by college educated female volunteers. Their mission was to provided cheer and comfort to homesick. war weary GIs. This is the story of two of these women, their experiences and the friendship that evolved from their shared and sometimes perilous mission. It is an interesting tale about a little known contribution by brave women to the war effort.
Thanks to NetGalley for providing an ARC of this title.

Good Night, Irene is another great work of renounced author, Luis Alberto Urrea. The Donut Dollies are a group of women that went from unit to unit during World War Two to serve soldiers donuts and coffee. Women, that most might have never heard about. Urrea wrote such a wonderful tribute to these unsung heroes of the war as well as to his own mother who was one of the Donut Dollies. These women were more than a warm cup of coffee and a sugary treat, they were the ones who gave men fighting the warmth that they needed during a difficult time in Europe. Urrea did an amazing job of taking the reader to the middle of WWII and showed us every part of what the Dollies went through.

’Some think we’re so brave, but we really don’t know enough to be scared. Some people think we’re brats…some of us are. Some think we’d be better off at home, where a woman’s place used to be…about 200 years ago. Some stare, shake their heads in disbelief. Some cheer, some scream and wave—everybody greets us. Some wolf, some worship, some think you’re human and some don’t…You’re a Red Cross girl. You’re on the snow-and-charm circuit. You’re a griping, kidding GI. You’re personality on legs. - Anonymous World War II letter

Several years ago I read Urrea’s ’The House of Broken Angels’ and was impressed by his writing, his imagery and the way that it made it all seem so real to me. I would have to say that he’s outdone himself in his latest, ’Good Night, Irene’, a story which was inspired by his mother’s service as part of the Red Cross crew which traveled to the places in ’Good Night, Irene’ during World War II.

This story begins as America is beginning to become more involved in World War II, October 1943, and Irene was twenty-five. She’d just received her letter of acceptance and was still feeling a little giddy. She hadn’t told anyone, especially her parents, about applying and now, here she was, on her way to reporting for duty. She’d already left her engagement ring behind - in the storm drain on East Twenty-Eighth Street. In Washington, she will need to get her physical exam, and inoculations at the Pentagon. Her papers were at the bottom of her shoulder bag, and she’s ready to leave home. She knows she’s signed on for the duration of the war and an additional six months, with exceptions, but first she has to go through two weeks of training. She knows she will miss New York, but she feels like she is ready for this, as though it is an adventure.

All that I’ve shared takes place in the first chapter or so, and there is much more to this story, but I will only say that this is one you won’t want to miss. This is a World War II story, but it is also so much more, a story of friendship, love, family, war, loss as well as a lifelong journey.

Pub Date: 30 May 2023

Many thanks for the ARC provided by Little, Brown and Company

Thanks to NetGalley I was able to read this ARC. It tells the poignant story of Dorothy and Irene, who met when they joined the Red Cross during WW2. They were assigned to a bus that had been retrofitted as a traveling donut/coffee dispenser. They drove into the thick of the fighting and became close to several of the GI’s. Their eventual separation led to the dramatic climax.

This novel brings the Red Cross Clubmobiles to life. Staffed by female volunteers, they followed the men into combat to provide them with a literal taste of home, donuts, coffee, popular music, and conversation. Before D Day, the women set up on air force bases and staffed Red Cross hospitality centers in London, but they followed the troops across the English Channel and often set up their service near the front lines, determined to cheer up the front line troops despite the danger.

The novel follows New Yorker Irene, running from an abusive fiance, and Midwesterner Dot who is determined to make the Nazis pay for her brother's death. Despite all they endure, they provide service with a smile and comfort to the soldiers facing mortal danger as they move from London, to a British air base, seems across France, Belgium, and Germany.

I enjoyed Irene and Dot, but their experiences read like a history of the Clubmobiles in the war and it was hard to believe that these two women experienced the torpedoing of a nearby ship during the Atlantic crossing, the Blitz, Omaha beach, combat when the French village they were in was retaken by the Germans, the Battle of the Bulge, and Buchenwald. There was plenty of action in the novel but it seems more likely that those experiences were spread among hundreds of women not the same two. I learned a lot but the book would have been more realistic if less had happened to the same two people.