From the Series

Heroines of WWII

Description

Shirley Davenport is as much a patriot as her four brothers. She, too, wants to aid her country in the war efforts, but opportunities for women are limited. When her best friend Joan informs her that the Coast Guard has opened a new branch for single women, they both enlist in the SPARs, ready to help protect the home front.

Training is rigorous, and Shirley is disappointed that she and Joan are sent to separate training camps. At the end of basic training, Captain Webber commends her efforts and commissions her home to Maine under the ruse of a dishonorable discharge to help uncover a plot against the First Lady.

Shirley soon discovers nothing is as it seems. Who can she trust? Why do the people she loves want to harm the First Lady? With the help of Captain Webber, it’s a race against time to save Mrs. Roosevelt and remain alive.

​Don’t miss these other stories about Heroines of WWII:
The Cryptographer’s Dilemma by Johnnie Alexander
Picture of Hope by Liz Tolsma

Details

  • Rating: ☆☆☆☆
  • Genre: Historical Fiction
  • Length: 256 pages
  • Publisher:  Barbour
  • Release Date: December 1, 2021

My Thoughts

I’ve discovered a real love for WWII books, and Saving Mrs. Roosevelt didn’t disappoint me. I’ve never considered myself that knowledgeable regarding history, but these types of books both educate and entertain. My type of learning.

When Joan and her friend joined the Coast Guard my eyes were opened as to what that meant, more directly the *SPARs training. I naively imagined lady-like training and a job behind a typewriter. Okay, I may or may not have been quite that naïve. But this story certainly piqued my interest. So much so, that I found myself occasionally looking up supplemental information as I read.

Patterson took me on a journey of learning as she unfolded an entertaining story. I had no trouble keeping interested in the storyline and the characters were believable, especially Alma. And I loved the suspense involved in the unwinding of the story.

My Concerns

While the relationship didn’t quite feel developed between Shirley and Leo, it worked well enough for me.

I had to suspend disbelief during some of the book but, again, it didn’t spoil this fast read.

Final Thoughts

I thoroughly enjoyed learning little-known facts regarding SPARs, at least to me, as the story unfolded. And it’s always interesting to see what parts of the story were facts or fiction, in the Author’s Note at the back of the book.

I highly recommend this for its originality and entertaining story. The writing is very good and there’s just the right amount of mystery, suspense, and romance.

My thanks to Barbour Publishing for a copy of this book to review and the ability to post my opinion.

*On Nov. 23, 1942, legislation was approved creating yet another arm of the U.S. Coast Guard, one that would pave the way for Coast Guard women of today – The U.S. Coast Guard Women’s Reserve, also known as the SPARs.

Rating: 4 STARS

About the Author

Candice Sue Patterson studied at the Institute of Children’s Literature and is an active member of American Christian Fiction Writers. She lives in Indiana with her husband and three sons in a restored farmhouse overtaken by books. When she’s not tending to her chickens, watching her kids play sports, or helping children discover a love for reading as an elementary librarian, she’s working on a new story. 

from her website bio

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