Thank you to NetGalley, Forever Grand Central Publishing and the author for gifting me a copy of this e-book.

If you're a fan of historical fiction novels, then I highly recommend this one. This book does an incredible job of bringing to life the fascinating world of the French Foreign Legion. What's even more impressive is that Violet, the main character, is based on the real-life story of Susan Travers, the only woman to become a member of the French Foreign Legion.

The story is enriched with an engaging plot that includes a German spy who infiltrates and passes sensitive information to Germany to undermine the French and Americans. The way the different characters intersect is truly impressive and will have you turning the pages in anticipation.

Violet is an incredibly fierce, brave, and strong character that defies her wealthy and self-centered parents to join the war effort. Her bravery and determination give the men hope during the war, and her character shines as "La Fleur". Additionally, the love story that emerges is thoughtful and adds depth to the story.

The author's historical notes at the end of the book add an extra layer of depth to the story. If you're looking for an engaging and insightful historical fiction novel, then I highly recommend this book.

Tomorrow is for the Brave

I adored Kelly Bowen’s previous books and jumped at the chance to read an early copy of her newest novel. It did not disappoint!

I appreciate it when I find a WWII story that provides a different perspective on the war. In this case, Tomorrow is for the Brave takes the reader from Nice, France to Finland, and finally to North Africa and the siege of Bir Hakeim. The character of Violet St. Croix is based on real-life heroine Susan Travers, the only female member of the French Foreign Legion. Her story is very inspiring.

Violet is a socialite with a passion for cars who, on the brink of WWII, volunteers for the French Red Cross. We follow her from Finland, where she serves as a nurse, to North Africa where she becomes a driver for officers. When Violet’s commanding officer is murdered and her unit suffers one catastrophe after another, Violet begins to suspect that there is a spy among them. But who is it and who can she trust?

The two-week-long siege of Bir Hakeim, and the nighttime escape of the French, round out the novel. Surrounded by minefields, it was Violet’s (Susan’s) job to drive her unit to safety under the dark of night. I was truly on the edge of my seat as the story concluded.

A few things I appreciate:

1. The story took place from 1939-1945 and did not include a dual timeline, something I think is rare in other WWII stories.
2. The potential romance was a very minor storyline with the focus truly on the bravery of this remarkable woman.
3. Several chapters were told from the spy’s perspective - I had it narrowed down to one of two characters towards the end.
4. The author brought the setting to life so I felt fully immersed in time and place.

4.5
I really appreciate the expressive and vivid writing that allowed me to feel like I could see each place, and smell the scents as if I were there alongside the characters. There was one chapter where I’m fairly sure I held my breath the whole time. So intense was the situation and the writing done so well it felt as if I was living that moment. I also appreciated getting a look at different areas of fighting during the war showcasing places like Finland, Syria, and Libya.

The female perspective was incredible and I would have happily read an entire story of just her life. Then reading the authors note and learning her story was inspired by the real experiences of Susan Travers made it even more amazing.

The spy perspective grew on me but I kinda wish the author had given him a code name rather than referring to him as “the spy” in his chapters.

This was a really good HF and one that would be great for anyone wanting a different perspective from WWII with a remarkable woman as the focus.

I read TOMORROW IS FOR THE BRAVE in less than a day. Well, okay, I should clarify except for that pesky thing called sleep, but if I hadn’t needed to sleep, it would have been much faster. At the Forever First Look, Caroline gave an awesome review of the book, including, “Violet is a really bad nurse.” That caught my attention. It turns out that Violet St. Croix really is a bad nurse and entirely unhelpful for the war effort in that capacity. But what can she do? She can drive.

I liked that this was a new perspective on a World War II book. Yes, Violet had to start out as a nurse, but she ended up an ambulance driver and personnel driver for French Foreign Legion officers carrying valuables in dangerous territories. It was neat to see how people treated her from the beginning to the end and who took what she said seriously.

Kelly Bowen had an excellent author note at the book’s end about her research. While Violet St. Clair was a fictional character, she has many similarities to Susan Travers, who sounds like an incredible woman who served in the French Red Cross in WWII. I’m such a fan of author notes in books and knowing the story behind the story!

Bowen crafted a special story with memorable characters and a different look at WWII. Plus, I love the unexpected mystery she weaves into the book. It’s a definite recommendation for historical fiction fans!

Thanks, Forever, for the arc!

I have loved each book this author has written and will continue as long as she is writing! Tomorrow is for the brave is indescribable in my opinion. It had absolutely everything I look for in a historical fiction book or any type of book for that matter. It was so well written, characters were Amazing. I cannot tell you enough to pick up this book!!

I voluntarily reviewed a copy of this book provided by NetGalley.

An interesting and delightful read. The book has wonderful characters and amazing settings. A must read for any historical fiction fans!

WWII historical fiction that feels a little lighter than some, featuring a solid heroine based on a real woman who was the only female to join the French Foreign Legion. Socialite Violet St. Croix's growth and bravery throughout the novel is inspiring, and I enjoyed the Northern African setting that much of the book took place in. I'm not sure I've read a WWII novel before that focused on that area. There's intrigue, murder, spying, and a completely predictable yet still sweet romance (which is not center stage). Unlike previous HF by Bowen, this book doesn't have a dual timeline, which I appreciated. The characters are a little bit one-dimensional, but that didn't interfere with my enjoyment of the novel. Thank you to NetGalley and Forever (Grand Central Publishing) for a digital review copy.

I am not one to immediately grab a historical fiction type book, but received this as an ARC. The story was so intriguing and I found myself immediately drawn in. The charact development is excellent and I found the WWII aspect to be really well done.

I have read a great deal of World War II historical fiction and a lot of it is starting to blur together but Tomorrow Is For the Brave by Kelly Bowen stands out from the rest for its originality as it tells a fascinating story set primarily in the Middle East and North Africa.

Young socialite Violet St. Croix lives a seemingly charmed life in the south of France where she is engaged to be married to a man chosen for her by her wealthy parents. Violet tries to meet the expectations of her parents and fiancé but she doesn't fit in well with the other young women in her social circles because she loves cars and driving and feels restrained by the limitations placed on her. When war breaks out and France falls to Germany, Violet defies her parents and trains as a nurse but it soon becomes apparent that her skills at driving under pressure far exceed her nursing abilities. Violet is recruited to drive officers of the French Foreign Legion through dangerous territory in Syria and North Africa where she becomes convinced after a number of setbacks and a brazen murder that there is a dangerous spy operating in their midst to sabotage operations.

Tommorow Is For the Brave is historical fiction inspired by the life of Susan Travers who was the only woman to have officially served in the French Foreign Legion. The novel is well-written and well-researched and I loved Violet - a strong female protagonist who is willing to stand up for what she believes is the right thing to do and comes into her own through her work during the war.

This is also a tale of espionage with occasional chapters from the perspective of "the spy" who is sabotaging the efforts of the Allies in North Africa. It's not clear who the spy is until the book nears its conclusion and it kept me up well into the night as I had to finish and find out. There's a romance thread woven throughout the storyline as well but it takes a backseat to the overall plot. A fast-paced, gripping pageturner about a courageous young woman who defied her family to serve her country - highly recommend!

Thank you to NetGalley and Forever (Grand Central Publishing) for sending a digital ARC of this book for review consideration. All opinions are my own.

Can I give this a 5+ stars? I believe this is the best WWII historical fiction that I have read in quite some time. Taking place on the African front and with the French Legionnaires gave a different perspective on the war. Having a strong female character in the midst of battle was highly unusual. One quote from 'Lafleur' (Adjutant Violet St. Croix) was very moving: "But the problem, sir, is that no one truly knows for certain what tomorrow will bring, no matter where or who you are. But what I know without a doubt is what I will bring to tomorrow. Tomorrow is for the brave, who had the chance to surrender their convictions and beliefs a long time ago but did not. None of us got here by accident, sir. We chose this. We did not choose surrender but chose tomorrow, whatever that may look like."
Releases May 14th. I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

I was lucky enough to receive an advanced reader copy of this book via NetGalley.

Historical fiction is one of my favorite genres and this one hit the mark for me.

Violet St. Croix is a socialite that doesn’t follow the rules laid out for her by high society. She balks against constraints laid out for her and instead forges her own brave path and finds herself along the way.

Tomorrow Is for the Brave
by Kelly Bowen
Review Score: 5 Stars

Boogie’s Bulletpoints
•Violet is an incredibly strong character to walk away from everything she is being given.

•I love Violet and George’s friendship/

•The time spent in North Africa was so interesting!

•There is a little bit of everything in this book; history, intrigue, romance, and mystery.

———

Welcome to Five Star Friday!

Tomorrow Is for the Brave was kindly provided as an ARC by Netgalley and Forever (Grand Central Publishing). Thank you for allowing me to enjoy this wonderful book!

Release Date: 5/14/24

Wow. This book is one of my favorite recent Historical Fiction Reads!

We meet Violet, a young women who is about to marry a “suitable man” as she follows the life plan set out by her parents. As World War 2 breaks out, she realizes she does not want that life. She volunteers, and ends up as a driver in North Africa.

Her job is harrowing, and yet she never wavers, showing her skill no matter what is thrown at her.

I don’t think I have ever read a WW2 book about the fight in North Africa, so I loved learning more about it in this book!

I also loved the spy element to the story. I know that the Nazis were keen on learning about Allied movements as much as possible. The mystery of who the spy was in this book was so intriguing. I kept asking myself who the spy was!

Add in amazing characters like Violet, George, and Henry, and you have such an incredible story.

If you couldn’t tell, I absolutely loved this book, and highly recommend it!

#bookstagram #books #readingnow #boogiereadsbooks #fivekeyfeels #audiobooks #audiobook #historicalfiction #arcreview #netgalley #boogiesbulletpoints #fivestarfriday #tomorrowisforthebrave #kellybowen #grandcentralpublishing

This book was fantastic! I immediately liked Violet and could wait to read her story. Knowing that she was based on a real person was so inspiring. I loved her friendships with George and Henri.
The war story was thrilling and real, without being too dark for too long or too depressing. Reading from the spy’s perspective every once in a while kept me on the edge of my seat. Twice, I thought I knew who the spy was and I was wrong both times. Ha!
Reading this left me feeling inspired to be brave, thankful that I’m not living in a time/place of war, and saddened for those who are. I loved that the author included the story of the real woman that Violet was based on at the end. I will be looking up all of the author’s other works.

Oh hey it’s meeeeeee I’m reading this for work! Aaaaaaand there's a character limit on reviews here are some more words

This was an interesting. I did not find it to be as strong as the author's debut historical fiction novel, but it was still entertaining. Parts of the book felt a bit slow and some of the plot felt a bit predictable. I did enjoy the plot twist regarding the identity of the spy, but I felt the resolution was fairly obvious as the book went on. I do think this is a worthwhile book for those who enjoyed World War II historical fiction. The setting in the Middle East in Africa is less typical of these books which are often focused on Europe itself.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own. If you like story set in WWII read this book.

What a great story based on the first female driver in WWII. Violet is a socialite that walks away from her privileged life to volunteer for the war. She is forced to be a nurse but finds her way to becoming a driver. I loved seeing her growth in the story and all that she endured. I enjoyed the added element of the spy and trying to figure out who he was. George and Henri added so much to the story.

Thank you @readforeverpub for this gem.

I loved this book! It drew me in quickly, is fast paced, interesting, & has some unexpected surprises. It’s been obviously well researched (& includes interesting research information at the end). The mystery and intrigue kept me guessing, the characters were relatable, and I really liked that this WWII story covered places that aren’t usually in WWII books. It did what I think all historical fiction books should do: taught me history I didn’t know that now I am researching and learning more about.

This is a well-written book: 5 stars for me!

I absolutely love this book! I was immediately drawn into the story, and I read it as fast as I could to find out what happened next. It's such an interesting and original story. There's intrigue, suspense, murder, espionage, spies, friendship, comradery, and true love!

Violet is AMAZING! Her growth throughout the book is commendable! She's strong, competent, and loyal. Henri is awesome! He's a leader, intelligent, and a protector.

I was totally surprised by who the spy was. The author did such a great job leading towards one person and then going another way.

This is the first book that I've read by this author, but it definitely won't be the last!

I was provided a copy of the book from Forever Hachette Book Group via Netgalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

This is the story of a young socialite coming of age in France as countries are about to chose their course going into the second World War.
Violet St. Croix is the daughter of a British Ambassador and a French Socialite. She has been brought up with a social calendar that leave little room to explore things other than what is expected of her. We watch as Violet's "rebellious streak" grows from going to car races, to driving and working on her own cars, which leads to enrolling as a nurse in the French Foreign Legion against her family's wishes. Violet quickly proves herself an asset and becomes the driver for some very high ranking military officials.

I was excited this author chose to set Violet's story in the lesser talked about desserts of Africa. This book had everything I wanted: a tenacious woman creating her own path, a spy, a little romance that didn't detract from the story or have me rolling my eyes, and most importantly, a strong female friendship.

I will be reading more of Kelly Bowen's books, that's for sure.

Thank you to Forever (Grand Central Publishing) and NetGalley for the ARC copy in return for an honest review.