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Book Review: The Beantown Girls by Jane Healey



Thank you Netgalley and Lake Union Publishing for the digital ebook for review. 


Historical fiction is one of my favorite genres - and throughout the years I've spent a fair amount of time reading books set during or in World War II. Jane Healey's novel, The Beantown Girls, is a new favorite for me. I absolutely loved this book and its incredible cast of brave women and their experience in the European Theatre during the war and it's one that I know I'll read again.

In all my reading, I had never come across the Red Cross Clubmobile trucks or the women who ran them. Often the Red Cross conjures images of nurses or other civilians assisting with the war effort - for some reason I always think in terms of the medical field - so I was absolutely enthralled by these women whose job it was to drive outfitted trucks to military camps bringing little comforts in the way of hot doughnuts, coffee, cigarettes and candy to the men stationed there.

Jane Healey's fictional account of three women who join the Red Cross to serve in the Clubmobile in Europe is a wonderfully written account of friendship, love and bravery. I loved following Fiona, Dottie and Viv as they travelled throughout Europe boosting morale of the soldiers fighting there, finding love and experiencing loss. Together they experience the tragedies and triumphs of the war - I so loved their friendship, the hopefulness they exuded and their hard work in a very bleak time and place. This book was well researched and expertly paced, I couldn't put it down.
It's a beautiful portrayal of the brave ladies who wanted to make a difference in war that brought so much loss and heartache. I loved it.

To all you kindle/kindle app users out there this one is free with Kindle Unlimited or Prime Reading! 
Get it on Amazon

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