I really enjoyed this story. I've been reading a lot of historical fiction stories set in WWII, but none with this same setting. A definite read for any historical fiction lover!

This was a different "woman in WWII" story than what you normally find because she is primarily an ambulance driver. I liked the main character. She was very relatable. I also liked the intrigue of the spy throughout, and finding out who he was. Overall, I enjoyed this novel, it was just a little.slow for me. I don't think it needed to be as long as it was. It was enjoyable, but I can't quite put my finger on what it was missing for me.

Violet is a socialite on the cusp of WWII. She soon realizes that she knows nothing about the world. She breaks off her engagement, signs up to be a nurse, and gets disowned by her parents all in one swoop!

It does not take Violet long to realize nursing is not for her. Luckily a bomb raid saved her from this situation when she drove an ambulance. No one expected a woman to know how to drive. This changed her roll in the French Foreign Legion.

First off, I do not think I have ever read a book about the FFL during WWII. Where have I been??? This story is well researched and the characters are amazing. When Violet comes out of her shell, she takes no prisoners. Talk about strong and brave!

I read this book in a day and a half. I cannot tell y’all how good this book is. You MUST read it for yourself!

Need a book which will have you gasping for air…THIS IS IT! Grab your copy today.

I received this novel from the publisher for a honest review.

Kelly Bowen tactfully embeds Violet St. Croix, a protected socialite, a terrible nurse, but fantastic mechanic and driver in the desert sands of North Africa, in World War II. Bowen’s character portrayal is true to the time with the expectations of young women in the 1930’s. Violet’s basic desire is to choose her own dreams and make her own choices, not easily accomplished with her controlling father and condescending fiancé.
Violet is inspired by the life experiences of Susan Travers, the only woman to officially become a member of the French Foreign Legion. Violet’s service leads her from Nice, France, 1932 through Syria, Libya, Egypt, Italy and back to France in 1945. Motivated initially by anger, disappointment, and resentment, Violet evolves before readers eyes. Taunting voices of doubt, “You won’t last a day!” urge her on as she volunteers as a nurse against her father’s wishes and is eventually pressed into service as an ambulance driver. The transformation of Violet is exciting to follow as she escapes her domineering father, using her keen observation skills and intellect to become a trusted, confident driver requested by generals. Lovingly known as La Fleur or “flower of the desert” due to her devotion and inspiration to her patients, the bravery and courage of Violet blossoms as generals, soldiers, and medical staff in the French Foreign Legion become dependent on her skills.
Kelly Bowen’s Tomorrow is for the Brave, set against the exhilarating, expansive backdrop of the North African campaign of World War II, is filled with espionage, intrigue, finding friendship, and freedom. Super suspenseful

Tomorrow is for the Brave was a WWII story that will capture your heart. With danger at so many turns, a little bit of romance in the pages, and friendship that will warm your heart, I adored this book! This is my first by Kelly Bowen, and I definitely will be reading more books by this author!

While it took me till chapter 5 to click with this story, once I did, I didn’t want to put this book down till that final page! I didn’t like Violet’s fiancé, Tino. Or her family either. Tino was controlling, grumpy, boring, and he invoked a lot of anger towards him. With the brink of war on their doorsteps, Violet wanted to help and volunteer with the Red Cross. Yet Tino and her father forbade it. But sometimes you have to go with your gut, and I love that Violet did just that!

Violet was tenacious, brave, and someone that many will remember for their lifetime and beyond! I loved the historical note at the end of this story, that spoke of how Violet St. Croix was inspired by real life Susan Travers and what her experience was! From the moment that Violet signed up with the Red Cross, her entire future changed. I loved how she created independence for herself. I love that how led to her driving an ambulance. Violet was a woman who took charge of a situation, and I was just there gripping the pages having to know what happened next. While fear and horror leaped from the pages.

On top of Violet, I loved her best friend, George. She was true, kindhearted, and the friendship she forged with Violet was beautiful. And besides George, I couldn’t help but love Henri. The animosity between Violet and Henry was done so fabulously! Their banter was smile inducing and fun! So, the moments where Henri listing 5 things about Violet, the book, dancing, and so much more…oh I was a goner. I loved Henri! Yet Henri and Violet were in such dangerous situations. There were no guarantees, and I was so nervous that they could just survive to that next day.

This book made me scream out loud. I was terrified for Violet in a certain scene! Yet hold tightly onto all your hope, because there is an epilogue that is set in the future. And I closed this book with a smile on my face. Also, there was a mystery. We got a few chapters sprinkled here and there with a spy’s POV. It ended up being my secondary guess, and that’s all I’m saying! So good luck trying to figure it out! And I can’t recommend this book enough for those that love historical fiction with a sprinkling of romance!

Title: Tomorrow is for the Brave
Author: Kelly Bowen
Length: 376 pages
Format: ebook arc
Pub Date: May 14, 2024
Genre: Historical Fiction
Rating Out of 5: ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️
Spice Level: closed door
Summary:
In "Tomorrow Is for the Brave," inspired by true events, socialite Violet St. Croix defies her upbringing to join the WWII effort. Sent to North Africa, she uses her driving skills to aid the French Foreign Legion. Amidst suspicions of a spy, Violet must navigate danger and betrayal to save lives.

Thoughts:
Am I in my historical fiction era? I think I am! These kinds of books are so special to me because never-would-I-have-EVER learned who Susan Travers (who this book is based on) was if not for reading this book. And I just think it’s such a nice way to hear the stories of people. I will go on the record and say that I went into this almost completely blind. I knew it was a WWII historical fiction novel and nothing else. The first chapter/prologue I was like “what is going on here?”. But then I had my “aha” moment and realized we were just setting up Violet’s love of driving. I’m a sucker for a girl who defies social norms and status quos so Violet was my girl. And so was George. I loved their friendship! Then, we have a whole other POV of a spy! The whole time I was trying to figure out who the spy was, and I think I probably figured it out literally right before it was revealed. I had suspected 3 people but hadn’t narrowed it down until the very end haha. What made this book a 5 star read for me was the happy ending. I know WWII was awful, and I should never except an HEA with a WWII Historical Fiction novel, but it’s so wonderful when there is one <3

Special thanks to the @readforeverpub and @netgalley for the arc in exchange for my honest review!

I love Kelly Bowen's novels! She creates outstanding female characters and Violet St. Croix is her newest amazing heroine. When we meet Violet she is the pampered daughter of wealthy parents and she is living in Nice, France. She becomes engaged to a controlling man at about the same time she falls in love with cars and driving. It is 1934 and as the threat of war looms, Violet decides she will volunteer as a nurse with the Red Cross. She wants to be a driver, but only men are allowed to drive. Forbidden to volunteer by her father and fiancee, Violet walks out on her previous life and follows her heart to join the French Foreign Legion. She joins her new friend George as a nurse, but soon proves herself irreplaceable as a driver. The two women support each other and Violet also forges a friendship with George's brother, Henri. Bowen deftly inserts a spy into the plot ans this leads to heightened suspense. Tomorrow is for the Brave tells the story of an astonishing woman whose bravery propels her through horrible situations. This is a fascinating and entertaining novel.

Amazing read!

Violet St. Croix is born into a wealthy English family. Her mother and Violet spend their time at the family villa in Nice. Her father, Commodore Robert St. Croix joins them from London as time and his important work permits. Violet is being groomed towards a successful marriage within the circle of a their acquaintances. In fact her fiancée has already been decided on.
Driving becomes her eccentric hobby that will be put away when she marries. Only it isn’t and it doesn’t.
It’s 1939. War is coming and Violet volunteers with the French nursing corps. Her family disown her.
How Violet ends up as a driver for generals and colonels is part of her extraordinary story that begins with Violet being just another idle rich girl who loves driving. That morphs over time into the story of a brave, formidable woman. Violet spends the war as firstly a nurse and then a driver in Finland, then Africa with the French Foreign Legion, going onto Tunisia, Libya then in Italy and beyond. Inspired by the achievements of Susan Travers the only woman to become a serving member of the French Foreign Legion. Bowen’s research and afterwards is formidable.
Violet is given the name of La Fleur by the men in this is a sensational novel, brilliantly depicting one woman’s war.
There’s intrigue, treason, love and betrayal. A startling novel. I totally succumbed!

A Forever (Grand Central Pub.) ARC via NetGalley.
Many thanks to the author and publisher.
(Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.)

It's official. Kelly Bowen is now an auto-read author for me. I absolutely loved this WWII story! It took about 20% for me to fully get into the book, but once I was, I was swept away into this story. I loved the characters. I loved the writing. And I just loved this unique WWII story. It was so powerful and showed how one person was a person of hope for so many people. It showed how determined someone could be, even though they knew they could face death so easily. This book was just so powerful and amazing and everyone who loves WWII historical fiction should read it. Tomorrow Is for the Brave is a must read!

Wow! “Tomorrow is for the Brave” is a page turning historical fiction story. Though the book is fiction, the main character, Violet St. Croix, it is loosely based on true life heroine, Susan Travers. Set in World War Two, Violet gives up her posh lifestyle to volunteer for the French Freedom effort. Violet had experience at driving and became in demand for her services. We are taken on a journey through her travels in Northern Africa and Middle East. I highly recommend this book. I would like to thank Net Galley and Forever Paperback for this advance read.

A fast-paced WWII historical fiction book about a brave young socialite, Violet St. Croix who is determined to help in the war efforts with her driving abilities even when her family and fiance scoff at her ambitions and think she's crazy.

When Violet is told she can't train as an ambulance driver she enlists to train as a nurse instead but quickly her talents as a driver are spotted and Violet gets caught up in trying to solve a murder and catch a double agent.

Really good on audio and perfect for fans of authors like Kate Quinn or Kristin Harmel with a main character who is memorable and easy to root for. Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an early digital copy in exchange for my honest review!

Historical fiction that draws me in and teaches me something new is my favorite kind. Tomorrow Is for the Brave did both. This is a WWII novel that is based on a woman who challenged conventions and shattered boundaries.

Focused on the activities of the French Foreign Legion, it transports the reader from France to Northern Africa and highlights battles and campaigns that are often ignored in popular fiction. Kelly Bowen’s masterful writing paints vivid and often horrific pictures of the devastation of war.

Violet St. Croix is a privileged French socialite who walks away from her family and comfortable life to volunteer to support the war effort. Her unusual skills quickly find her assigned to a role that puts her in harm’s way where her bravery is on full display.

The author combines drama, intrigue, and romance to produce a compelling page turner. Anyone looking for a WWII era novel that is not focused on the Holocaust will find this to be an excellent choice.

Thank you to NetGalley and Forever for the opportunity to read an advance copy of this novel in exchange for my unbiased review.

Tomorrow is for the Brave is a beautifully written, mesmerizing story of a young woman coming of age against the backdrop of WWII.

The blurb for this book provides information about events up to and including the forty-percent mark. Those wishing to avoid spoilers for such a large portion should probably not read this review or that blurb.

In 1934, Violet St. Croix attends her first car race. Though she doesn't yet know it, it will change her life in two crucial ways. The first is that she immediately falls in love with all things automotive. The second is that she meets a young woman named George, who kindly explains all about the racers and their vehicles. The two women part after their friendly encounter, but neither forgets the other.

Fast forward to June 1939. In the early dawn hours, Violet races her Alfa Romeo Spider down a shadowy street, dashing tears away from her eyes as she flees another intolerable celebration of an engagement she is beginning to regret. Her once charming fiancé has turned autocratic, and between him and her overbearing father, Violet can feel her life being slowly crushed. If she allows them to have their way, all that will be left is a shell of the woman she is and tatters of the dreams she has for her future. Her early morning drive is serendipitous. Violet almost runs over a man who turns out to be Henri, George’s brother. That encounter leads to Violet spending her free time helping his family keep their small shipping business afloat. Under the influence of her new friends, she finds the courage to ditch her fiancé, defy her parents’ wishes, and join the war effort with George via the Red Cross. She makes an abysmal nurse - the only position originally available to women - but a fortunate moment of crisis brings her driving skills to the notice of an important officer. He takes her to North Africa, where she chauffers French Foreign Legion personnel carrying valuable intelligence through the battle-heavy territory.

It’s a dangerous job, but Violet loves doing her part on the front lines. She also adores Commandant Lavigne, whom she regularly drives for. Her position as a Free French army adjunct comes with the benefit of regularly seeing George, a nurse working in the area, and Henri, a soldier, in the same arena.

When she is asked to liaise with an English officer on a confidential matter, Violet receives some disquieting information. Radio signals in the desert indicate there is a spy in their midst. Violet reads through the data, unsure what, if anything, to do about it. But when Commandant Lavigne is murdered shortly after they learn of the informer, she realizes the situation is more urgent than she had thought. Determined to ferret out the traitor, she tries to discuss it with her superiors to no avail. It will be up to Violet to find the Nazi agent working in their midst. But as suspicion seems to fall repeatedly on someone she cares about, will she trust her instincts that they are innocent or the evidence that points to their guilt?

This is an absolutely lovely story about hope, courage, and finding your niche in the world. Violet had never really belonged among the wealth and privilege her family enjoyed and feels far more at ease with George, Henri, and the rest of their family. Among them, she finds a practical use for her mechanical skills and a sense of camaraderie she never had at home. Once she joins up, working for/with the military intensifies the sense of accomplishment and satisfaction she feels from knowing she is contributing in a meaningful way. I loved how she gains strength from her friends and is able to become a source of hope and strength for many others as the story progresses.

Henri is our primary secondary character. Initially, he struggles with Violet. She, to him, is a representation of a class of people who take far more than they give and who exploit and endanger the people around them with little thought for those lives they consider ‘lesser’. Violet and his superior officers in the war show him how it is character rather than class that matters. It did bother me a bit that Violet has to prove herself to him at first, but I appreciated the beautiful friendship that builds between them as the narrative unfolds.

This is a wartime story, and Violet is caught up in one of the most dangerous spheres of combat, so we hear of hardship, death, and fighting quite a bit. The descriptions are well done, with the author striking a nice balance between giving us a taste of the horrors happening without overwhelming us with gore.

There is a romance here, but it develops towards the end of the book. Suffice it to say it is no surprise when it appears and in spite of its brevity of page space, I found it charming.

If I have a quibble, it is with the segments dealing with the spy. I didn’t like that we receive PoV pages from this character, and I found the storyline surrounding them a wee bit melodramatic. That didn’t in any way affect how much I enjoyed the story, but it did take a smidge of the shine off.

That said, Tomorrow is for the Brave is easily one of my favorite books of 2024 thus far. I recommend it to fans of WWII novels, fans of the author, fans of women’s fiction, and pretty much anyone who enjoys a good book.

I love a good historical fiction, especially one that shines light on women helping in the war effort of WWII. Tomorrow is For The Brave does that without a doubt.

Violet is the daughter of a wealthy Englishman who has an interesting hobby, she loves tinkering with mechanics, mostly cars, which is extremely unladylike. When war is on in horizon, she volunteers with the hope that she will be able to make a difference with her love for cars and as it would happen, she rises to the challenge becoming La Fleur, the brave and daring women who’s the personal driver of some of the wars top officials. With the threat of a German spy amongst the ranks and death looming around every corner can she survive this battle and find herself and where she belongs at the same time?

I will say that the book is extremely well written and leaves out no detail, however there are some time jumps in between which had me going back to compare dates on previous chapters. Violet’s character is a strong woman at some points throughout the book but sometimes our heroine seems a bit meek. Throughout the book, there are chapters told from the perspective of “the spy” who seems to be around wherever Violet is which I thought were some of the most entertaining parts of the book which left me wanting more and guessing which one of Violet’s friends would it be.

All in all, it was a beautifully written book with some twists towards the end and a happy ending. I just wish at some points there was a bit more action or confidence in Violet. However, learning about a new role women played in the war effort in a different country was extremely interesting!

I will definitely be looking out for more books by Ms. Bowen.

This book was the second WWII book I have read in the past few weeks. But this one captured my attention more.

The main character is hard to empathize with at first. But it was a pleasant surprise to see her stick up for herself and pursue volunteering for the war effort. Her determination throughout the book to push back and keep going is inspiring.

Every once in a while, the reader gets to hear the story from the spy’s point of view. These chapters add to the mystery and intrigue as the war progresses.

Pick this book up if you are looking for historical mystery with a strong female main character and a little romance.

Thanks to @netgalley and @readforeverpub for providing the ARC.

I adored Kelly Bowen's "The Paris Apartment" and was so excited to read "Tomorrow is for the Brave" - and whoa, what a wild ride this book is!

Set in pre-war France, Socialite Violet has had perfect life presented to her, by her father - only it's not the life she desires. She's more interested in racing and cars than she is the closet full of designer clothing and the rich lifestyle. She meets George, a local girl, at a race and made fast friends, but they didn't meet again for a while - when Violet goes to volunteer. She wants to be an ambulance driver, but being female is relagated to volunteering as a nurse. Something she can't handle. Circumstances have her saving the day when she saves the day and an important general. She then becomes "La Fleur" the daredevil driver for the French Foreign Legion.

The story is amazing, Kelly's writing is so beautiful and the storyline is crafted so cleverly. I enjoyed the characters, and learning a part of history I wasn't aware of that much. One of my favorite reads this year!!

Thank you to NetGalley, the author and publisher for a temporary, digital ARC in return for my review.

This was a fascinating book about WWII. I have read very few books during this era that take place in North Africa and the Middle East and I truly enjoy the historical aspect of this book. The writing was done incredibly - I could clearly picture each scene and smell each smell. I loved the strong main female character - and loved her even more when I learned it was based off of a real person. The only aspect of the book that I felt lukewarm about was the Spy. Not that the spy existed, but that there was never a code name for him. I also did not love his perspective and at times felt that it detracted from the main character, Violet's perspective as a nurse turned ambulance driving on the front line.

Thank you Netgalley for my advanced reader copy.

I love a good WWII historical fiction book and Tomorrow is for the Brave is just that

Violet St. Croix, a socialite in Nice, France in 1939, is engaged to be married. Violet feels stifled by the life that her parents and fiancé wish her to lead her into. She’s different than young ladies of her time - finding joy in driving, and cars (in interested that come from a random encounter as a child). When France is occupied by Germany, she volunteers with the Red Cross to be a nurse, only because the Red Cross would not allow her to be an ambulance driver. She finds herself recruited to be a driver for the French Foreign Legion, and is carried into danger and intrigue as there is possibly a spy amongst the troops that she is stationed with during the African Campaign.

This dramatic and griping story carries you from lavish parties on the south of France to the Middle East and onto Africa during the beginning of World War II. Although a novel, the character of Violet is loosely based on Susan Travers, a real woman who served with the French Red Cross and the story feels so very real

Another beautiful novel by Kelly Bowen

I loved the historical romance novels I read by Kelly Bowen, so I was desperate to read this book. I have been really interested in World Wars I and II fiction, so I was thrilled to get the chance to dive into this one. And once I dove in, I barely came up for air! This book was WONDERFUL! Ms. Bowen really made me feel I was in the car with our main character, dodging mines, bombs and guns. There was history, romance and suspense, and you won't want to put it down.

In 1939 Nice, France, Violet St. Croix fell in love...with cars. As she got older she seemingly had it all. She had a sports car, fancy clothes and a handsome fiance, yet something was definitely missing in her life. So when France fell to Germany, Violet decides to join the Red Cross, defying her (horrible) parents and ditching the (equally horrible) fiance. She's not much of a nurse, but when she proves her skill at driving under extreme pressure, she is sent to North Africa to drive a French Foreign Legion officer who carries important intelligence through perilous territory. Her commanding officer is murdered, and the Allies are suffering from various mishaps. Violet becomes convinced there is a spy among them. Will she be able to find anyone who believes her, or whom she trusts, in order to reveal the spy?

The character of Violet was based upon a woman named Susan Travers, the only woman to officially become a member of the French Foreign Legion. I had never heard of her before, and I am fascinated by her story. I must look up more information about Ms. Travers. Violet was a member of a family with money, and she had anything that money could buy. Yet there was something more that she needed. When she met Georgette "George" Chastain at a driving race she snuck in to watch, she fell in love with cars, and also made a friend for life. As she got older, she became engaged, but it didn't seem like a comfortable relationship. Tino told her what to wear and who her friends should be. Her parents expected her to obey them in all things. Violet spent as much time as she could with George, who was from a fishing family, and she also met Henri, George's brother. Violet and Henri were like chalk and cheese, so you just knew there would be some romance! When France fell to Germany, George decided to join the Red Cross as a nurse, and Violet also signed up; she wanted to drive, but was told women had to be nurses. Henri immediately signed up to fight for France. When Violet's family and fiance found out about her plans, her parents disowned her, and Tino was history. Violet was sent from Kuhmo, Finland to Damascus, Syria to Bir Hakeim, Libya. She was a horrible nurse - she had to scrub blood off the floors - but she was able to prove she was an incredibly skilled drive in Finland when she had to take control of an ambulance and bring the injured soldiers to the hospital. From that point on, she was a driver for the Free French Foreign Legion and became Adjutant St. Croix. Rumors of her spread, and she soon became referred to as "La Fleur" and was an inspiration to the soldiers. She began to believe there was a traitor, but couldn't convince anyone else. I absolutely loved Violet! She wasn't fearless, but she fought the fear to do her duty for the Allies. George was also a wonderful character. Unlike Violet, George was an excellent nurse. And Violet couldn't have asked for a better friend; she had total faith in Violet. I also adored Henri. Violet met him while she was still at home and almost killed him when she was driving while upset. Yet from that point on I knew romance would bloom. I loved that they shared books with each other, and I swooned when he gifted her a book. (Yes, I love books that much; it would make me swoon, too!) It was a lovely, slow-burning romance There was also a shadowy character who was only referred to as "the spy". The man caused such death and destruction. I totally knew who the spy really was...I was wrong. It was a shock when his identity was finally revealed! The battle scenes were incredibly realistic; apparently Ms. Bowen did her research. I was sitting on the edge of my seat every time Violet drove through battle. I learned much history from this book, too. I knew there was some action in North Africa in World War II, but I didn't know the extent and I was shocked. I was also unaware of fighting in Finland as the Allies fought off Russia. And I was clueless as to battles in Syria. I love a book where I can actually learn something, and the history was fascinating here. I cannot wait until Kelly Bowen writes another book of historical fiction. I'll be first in line to get it!

I received and ARC of this book courtesy of the publisher and NetGalley. I received no compensation for my review, and all thoughts and opinions expressed are entirely my own.

Tomorrow Is for the Brave by Kelly Bowen is a remarkable story.
I really enjoyed reading this book, it was a beautifully done World War II novel with a great premise. I enjoyed the way Natasha Lester used the setting to add to the story and the characters within this story. The plot was what I was hoping for when I saw the description and it works great as a historical novel. I can't wait to read more from Ms. Lester.
A gripping World War II page‑turner about a courageous woman who risks it all for what is right.

Thank You NetGalley and Publisher for your generosity and gifting me a copy of this amazing eARC!