An Amazon Charts and Washington Post bestseller.
A novel of love, courage, and danger unfolds as World War II’s brightest heroines—the best of friends—take on the front lines.
1944: Fiona Denning has her entire future planned out. She’ll work in city hall, marry her fiancé when he returns from the war, and settle down in the Boston suburbs. But when her fiancé is reported missing after being … fiancé is reported missing after being shot down in Germany, Fiona’s long-held plans are shattered.
Determined to learn her fiancé’s fate, Fiona leaves Boston to volunteer overseas as a Red Cross Clubmobile girl, recruiting her two best friends to come along. There’s the outspoken Viviana, who is more than happy to quit her secretarial job for a taste of adventure. Then there’s Dottie, a shy music teacher whose melodious talents are sure to bring heart and hope to the boys on the front lines.
Chosen for their inner strength and outer charm, the trio isn’t prepared for the daunting challenges of war. But through it all come new friendships and romances, unforeseen dangers, and unexpected dreams. As the three friends begin to understand the real reasons they all came to the front, their courage and camaraderie will see them through some of the best and worst times of their lives.
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I enjoy reading historical fiction and picked up this book when it went on sale. My only concern was that the first couple of chapters make me think this might be just a bit of fluff but the action soon picks up speed. I laughed, I gulped back tears and read it all to the very satisfying ending.
Highly recommended
Brilliant! Not your ordinary World War II novel. I absolutely fell in love with Fiona, Viv, and Dottie, three enchanting young women serving as Red Cross Clubmobile Girls who find friendship and love as they offer support and companionship to American soldiers. I was sad when the book ended. 5+ stars from me.
Wow! This novel had me up late for three nights in a row, and I finished in a pile of happy tears. Three young women volunteer with the Red Cross during WWII, and go through a lot in Europe during the war. Its filled with clever characters, historical drama, and THREE great romances. I loved it and enthusiastically recommend it! (It’s mainstream, so there is some language and closed door scenes, but nothing too offensive.)
From the beginning of this inspiring novel, the reader is swept into a riveting story that combines the realities of WW II with the bond of true friendship and dedication to the highest cause. Told from the little-known perspective of Red Cross Clubmobile Girls, Jane Healey’s extensive research and fine story-telling skills offer a page-turner that goes straight to the heart. Historical fiction at its best! I loved it.
Such a page turner–and so incredibly well researched. Healey creates three wonderful young women who take us into the heart of World War Two–the brave and endearing women who staffed the clubmobiles in the face of battle and fear and honor and duty –to bring a bit of home to the troops. Such a page turner–and incredibly touching. If you love The Nightingale, read this next! It’s fiction based on fact–and it will change your life.
So much love for this feel-good story about courageous women in the worst of circumstances. This novel made me smile and cry, and I was cheering for Fiona and her friends from page one. (I listened to the audiobook, and the narrator was incredible. She moved effortlessly between American women and English guys.) I highly recommend THE BEANTOWN GIRLS to anyone who loves WW2 fiction and strong female characters, and wants to escape into a story of hope in darkness.
This book takes a look at what some women did during World War II and how they helped those brave men who were fighting. Made me stop and wonder if I would or could do what they did.
I throughly enjoyed this book. It had very likable characters and the storyline was great. I learned quite a few things from this book. One being the Clubmobile. I had never heard of that before and found it interesting. It was a very good things these ladies did. The friendships in this book were great. It always refreshing to read a book where friends are a lifetime thing and not just in passing through school. I had a lot of feelings reading this book. Lots of laughter and lots of tears.
Great plot, great characters and wonderful era.
Thank you to NetGalley and Lake Union for a copy of this for my unbiased opinion.
I give it a 5 star rating all the way and highly recommend it.
I have this author’s other book and really look forward to reading it now.
The Beantown Girls was wonderful! I enjoyed the way that the novel was written. I liked the way the women were portrayed, their relationships and what they experienced during the war. Fiona and her friends, Viviana and Dottie, decide to volunteer to be Red Cross Clubmobile girls. They will travel to different countries where the officers are during World War II. They, along with the other Clubmobile volunteers, will provide coffee, doughnuts, and cheer to the officers. Fiona’s fiancé has been declared missing and she hopes to find out what happened to him while they are overseas. The story is full of beautiful writing that describes the emotions of the girls’ experiences so vividly. I felt swept into the girls’ days – the joyful days, the difficult days, the new friendships, the losses, and the romances.
There are lots of fiction books about WWII and sometimes it seems like they tell the same story with different characters. The Beantown Girls looked at the war from the perspective of women who were part of the Red Cross Clubmobile Girls. I have never read a book about this group of brave women who went to Europe during the war to help the morale of the soldiers by providing doughnuts, coffee, cigarettes and mostly a pretty American girl to talk to. This is a story about bravery during war time, friendship and love.
Fiona, Dotty and Viviana were best friends in Boston. They decided to join the Red Cross group for different reasons but they joined together and were able to stay together. Fiona’s fiance was missing in action and she wanted to try to find him, Viviana wanted more out of her life and Dotty went to be with her friends. They were chosen for their strength and their beauty but were soon faced with unexpected challenges from how to drive the truck to the process of making doughnuts. They encountered lots of problems but were able to help so many soldiers and make so many new friends that they all felt they had made the right decision. As the three friends begin to understand the real reasons they all came to the front, their courage and friendship will see them through some of the best and worst times of their lives.
This was a wonderful well written and well-researched books based on a real women who joined the Red Cross and went to Europe during WWII. The book made me laugh and it made me cry and had three main characters who I won’t soon forget.
Thanks to the publisher for a copy of this book to read and review. All opinions are my own.
Lovely and Poignant
In this beautifully written novel, Jane Healey puts us in the shoes of three unsung heroes of World War II. Each has her own reasons for becoming a Red Cross Clubmobile girl, and each girl will touch you, but it is Fiona’s story that broke my heart and put it together again.
As the story progressed I learned a lot about the incredible women who risked so much to serve with the Red Cross, and as they get closer to war, the author doesn’t shy away from showing some of the realities of World War II. But although there is of course some loss in the story, the novel ends on high notes that will satisfy your heart.
A life-affirming treat, the novel is well-researched and artfully written. The setting details are impressive and make you feel as if you are there. Moving story with a message–highly recommended.
I love reading historical fiction, especially when I learn something new. I am very interested in women’s roles in history and this was one I never heard of. Of course I am well aware of the Red Cross, but had not ever heard about the Clubmobiles – hospitality vans – that women drove from base to base in Europe during WWII. I love how author, Jane Healy, enlightens us to this special contribution of women during the war. She also gives us a view into the stark truth of what it was like for family members to send their men to war.
I really enjoyed this delightful story of three girls who serve as part of the Red Cross Clubmobile crew during WWII. The cover caught my attention and then the book pulled me in. I learned so much. The characters are so well developed. You really feel like you know each girl and you feel their joy, fear, sorrow, and anxiety as you travel with them through the pages. While the girls have fun, their experiences are amazing. They endure bombs being dropped around them, seeing the trauma the war has on the soldiers, the lack of food, having to live in tents, etc. But they are so strong and resilient and you love their ability to grin and offer positive comments to the men with whom they interact. I am so glad I was given the opportunity to read this wonderful book. What an inspirational story that will have you laughing and crying … cheering and booing … sitting on the edge of your seat to find out how the story will end. It’s worth the journey and I hope you put this at the top of your to-be-read list.
Thank you to NetGalley and Lake Union Publishing for my advanced review copy. All opinions and thoughts are my own.
This covers a part of history that I was not familiar with…….Red Cross Clubmobile Girls that volunteered to serve coffee and donuts along with cheer to the men fighting in WWII.
What a wonderful book. Well written, engaging, beautiful characters and action packed. The story draws you in from the beginning. A slice of life from the perspective of the women volunteers of WWII. The narration is great and really brings the characters to life. This is a book I recommend and will read again.
Still WWII but not as heavy as most.
Was a Doughtnut Dolly after graduation from college. Served in Korea.They had to work much harder than we did. I would
Not have traded the experience for anything. This book was so filled with tasks that we did also, many years later and it was interesting to see that so many of the things the original group did that we continued to do but with many changes. Loved the book
5 Stars. A rewarding sentimental journey! This book brought to mind all my favorite classic movies from & about this time period—Pearl Harbor, So Proudly We Hail, Since You Went Away—and the way they celebrate ordinary people doing extraordinary things. Loved the camaraderie among the girls, the vignettes of the soldiers (who knew a man saying farewell to a beloved dog could bo so touching), the sweet, quirky supporting characters, the descriptions of clothes & places & music, and especially the romance. Such a sweet, satisfying ending!
Very Very enjoyable full characters and inspirational young ladies. Must read.
This is wonderful historical fiction. A story of World War II told from a different and utterly fascinating perspective.