The Beantown Girls by Jane Healey, which will be available in stores on February 5, 2019, tells the journey of three women from Boston in 1944 who joined the Red Cross Clubmobile girls in order to try to track down one of their fiancés, who has been lost at war for months.

Synopsis
Even though there's a war going on, Fiona Denning thinks she has her life all figured out: A good job at the mayor's office, great friends, and a fiancé with whom she can't wait to settle down and start a family with as soon as he comes back from the front. But when she receives information that her fiancé is MIA and cannot be found, Fiona doesn't want to have to wait for news from the continent: She's going to take matters into her own hands.

Fiona decides she's going to volunteer with the Red Cross and become a Clubmobile girl—and she convinces her best friends Viviana and Dottie to join her. The women will soon realize that there's so much more to the job than serving coffee and doughnuts to exhausted soldiers...

My musings:
I like that the story drops us right at the beginning of the girls' Red Cross journey, on a boat on their way to London. This whole book takes place in the span of a year, but the way Healey has written it makes it feel like both an eternity (which I'm sure is how it felt to anyone having anything to do with the war efforts) and like it's just a snapshot in the rich, full lives of these brave women. We get filled in on the Beantown girls' backstories with snippets of conversations they have with their new friends, and the author chooses to move the action quickly by filling in any gaps with Fiona's letters to home, which is a brilliant plot device in this case.

Much like many accounts from soldiers in the war, this novel demonstrates how confusing emotions can be when you're thrown into a war. There are love stories at every page turn, and they're not necessarily all romantic. It reveals how people you meet for five minutes can change you for the better—and how fast (and hard) you can fall in love...even when you weren't looking for it.

In some ways, this book reminded me of a novelized version of <em>Band of Brothers</em>. It gave me yet another point of view of the war (this time from an American perspective), and yet it felt fresh and informative. If you're going to read only one piece of fiction surrounding WWII this year, this would be my pick.

4.5 stars

Thank you to NetGalley and Lake Union Publishing for the advanced copy.

This review will be posted on my blog on January 21 at 9 am.

I am always fascinated by stories surrounding WWII. This story sucked me in immediately. Before reading this book, I had never heard of the Red Cross Club Mobile. While the story is fiction it was thoughtfully and thoroughly researched to make the the details more historically accurate. The characters grab your attention immediately and you find yourself feeling each and every one of their emotions. I read the entire book in less than a day. I just couldn’t put it down.

BEAN TOWN GIRLS BY JANE HEALEY 5 STARS
JANUARY 18, 2019 | AMY MAYS | EDIT
91lxhcum91lDottie,Viv and Fiona stand together on the deck of the queen Elizabeth with other red cross workers and hundreds of soldiers.they said goodbye to their families in Boston six weeks ago. Fiona had plans to work in city hall and marry her fiance until he is shot down in germany and reported missing.Fiona joins the red cross to volunteer overseas and learn the fate of her fiance. Viv and Dottie quit their jobs to join her.Fiona thinks she spots her fiance second lieutenant Danny Baker on the ship . Danny is in airforce and has been missing more than eight months ago.Fiona wonders if it’s a mistake to take off just as ship is about to leave.Fiona remembers the time before Danny left and how she tryed to push off the feeling of nervousness about him leaving .The girls encounter a bombing not long after going to London for training.The girls enjoy going to red cross clubs both on ship over there and in london.The girls have to sit on roof tops and look out for bombs “buzz bombs”. The training for the red cross is tough.The training includes gas chamber training,driving trucks and doughnut making.There are some mishaps like stalled trucks and exploding doughnut dough.The girls move to country side and still enjoy occasional dance before they start to travel more. I enjoyed all the budding romances. I likes the bean town girls friends Frankie,Martha and Blanche and felt for them when bad news hits the group. I was glad when word of Danny was recieved.Never a dull moment with the bean town girls!

Wow. I don't even know where to start with this review because this book was so amazing. First of all, I had no idea that the Red Cross sent out girls to the war, just to help boost morale. It's something you don't learn about in school and something I've never even heard talked about, yet they seemed to have played such an important role. I don't understand why we always hear about women taking over the jobs during times of war but not about the brave women who actually left their families and went straight into the path of war, just to help the soldiers stay fed and ease their peace of mind, if only for a moment.
It's reasons like this that I love historical fiction because it teaches you the little known details that you would have known about a period of time. But, it also brings that time to life and puts you right there in the character's mind. Healy did such an amazing job with Fiona, Viv, and Dottie. I felt for each of them and cheered on their relationships throughout the story. They were so well rounded that they honestly felt like my own best friends.
I actually took 2 weeks to read this book because I wanted to live in the Cheyenne with them just a little bit longer each day. This book consumed my mind and I found myself thinking about all day, every day. It's even got me looking into my great grandfather's past as WWII soldier!
Thank you so much for letting me read this wonderful book. It's one that I'm sure will stick with me forever and one that I will be telling everyone about!

Before there was "Dunkin Donuts" there were coffee and doughnuts food trucks in WWII. They were run by volunteers who went overseas and were part of a group called the Red Cross Clubmobile Girls. This story focuses on 3 of those girls...Fiona, Viviana and Dottie, 3 friends from Boston. They were not only serving coffee and doughnuts, but bringing comfort to those soldiers who were fighting the battle. While each one of them had a reason for volunteering, they served with both strength and with heart.

The story was told with emotion, pathos and at times, a bit of humor. I have long been a fan of historical fiction, this is one of the best WWII novels I've read in a long time. Reading this book made me feel as if I personally knew these women, as if I too was there. I had to step back every now and then, just to settle my feelings. There are some novels, some authors that know instinctively how to reach out and grab at your heart strings, this is one of those times, one of those authors. Yet I do have one question, I do wonder though, if any of the real Clubmobile Girls could ever eat a doughnut after WWII?

My thanks to NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Loved this wonderful story! 3 best friends who became Red Cross Clubmobile GIrls during WWII. A very unique prospective that seemed to be very well researched. Brave women who were trained (sometimes very humorously) to be able to go to Europe during the war to help the morale of the soldiers by providing donuts, coffee, cigarettes and American women to talk to. Romance, friendship, new relationships-all very captiving, Settings in England, France and Germany that were so well written that I could picture them as I read. I couldn't put the book down! Thank you to the author, Jane Healey, the publisher, Lake Union, and Net Galley for the wonderful opportunity to read an advance copy. I highly recommend!

It amazes me that each time I read a book with the setting of the world wars, it always shows me another aspect of the wars which was unknown to me.

Most times poignant and emotional, it also shows human beings at their best (and worst). The Beantown Girls depicts a group of young women - fresh out of college, no experience of life or the world thrust into the grim reality of war on a scale that would be unimaginable to them from the homes they came from and the country they came from.

The stories of Fiona, Viv and Dottie who volunteered for the Red Cross, joined the Clubmobile group all with the idea of bringing cheer and support to the American troops on the ground are inspiring. Never faced with hardships, never having made to go without they led comfortable lives and now find themselves in an atmosphere of hard work, uncomfortable living conditions and still expected to be bright and cheery.

I loved how the stories panned out, each finding love (it had to be with the shortage of girls on the ground in comparison to the men!) but it also brought out the way each of them met their obligations of their jobs, not shirking from what was expected of them.

The characterizations were spot on, the settings were descriptive and the story was a good one.

If one can rate a book on story alone I would give The Beantown Girls 5 stars without hesitation. The plot is compelling; it is pretty straightforward and the story moves along at a fast pace. Basing her novel on fascinating historical facts about the Red Cross volunteers in WWII who drove so-called Clubmobiles to offer donuts, coffe, candy, good cheer, and a piece of home to the many brave men serving in the US military, Healey rewards her readers with a fascinating story. But alas, novels should be more than their stories. They should help the reader understand their characters and their motivations and their settings should serve as additional character, if you will. And it’s here that The Beantown Girls falls short. The story is narrated by Fiona, but everything she describes, including her own feelings, seems two dimensional. I doubt that there’s another main character in literature who more often expresses her feelings as being queasy or wanting to throw up. Her descriptions of joy, tension, sorrow, grief, even illness seem to come not from her inner self but as if she’s describing someone else. And because we never really penetrate the skins of any other character we’re left with empty shells. Their stories are fascinating but they seem much too removed from normal reaction. Similarly, although the setting changes from the ship taking them to Europe and to various locations in England and the Continent, the descriptions seem to be at arm’s length. Fi, for example, often is cold or In need of a shower, but the cold and dirt don’t penetrate into her being. She’s just cold or dirty and needs to warm up or take a shower, even when covered with someone else’s blood. Her range of emotions is so limited as to be created from cardboard. The Beantown Girls is a wonderful book for readers looking for a good story. Regretfully, it misses an opportunity to offer us so much more.

We are not even one month in for 2019 and I already have found what would be one of my top favorites of the year! It already is the best I've read so far in the year. I LOVE IT!

There's so much to love in this book. Where do I even start?! The friendship of the girls with their unique arcs, the details of the wars, the stories of the soldiers, the love stories. And the emotions! I won't lie. I shed tears quite a few times. 

My favorite thing about the book is the group of girls, even beyond the main trio who are so inherently different than each other and yet their friendship and bond was so strong! I don't know who I love more. Dottie, the shy and quiet one who comes on her own by the end of the book. Viviana, the vivacious and uninhibited one. Fiona, the intrepid and determined one. Then there's Blanche, Martha, Frankie and Liz. I loved all of them but my heart went all out to Fiona. I felt her emotions, her conflicts, her determination like it was me. But what stood out to me was the bond between the three that compelled Dottie and Viviana to leave everything and accompany Fiona on her journey.

The love stories of the three characters were as different as them. And yet, they never overshadowed the main story itself. And the story was about the journey of all these characters. I'm proud to say that each of these journeys were so fulfilling to read about. There are so many characters that I could name that would stay with me. 

There were a couple of parts in the book where I thought "Now, that could never happen during the war" but the note at the end of the book proved me wrong! These things actually happened! She took stories from real life and put her own twist on it. The research the author put towards this story is mind-blowing! I'm in awe of her. 

I can't express how perfectly the author illustrated that era in the book. That time, the places, the situations - they all felt spot-on. She nailed the tension, camaraderie, fearlessness and the uncertainty of the soldiers and the war itself. And yet, in digging deep into the details, she never let the story lose its heart. Even with the backdrop of the war, it still was a heart-warming and a somewhat feel-good story. 

This was a story about love, loss, friendship, loyalty, war and above all bravery. This was a story about love, loss, friendship, loyalty, war and above all bravery. I could beg you to give this book a chance! Wholeheartedly recommended!

I love reading about little known parts of history and The Beantown Girls delivers on that. The story centers on Red Cross Clubmobile girls in WWII. Three friends from Boston join up and get sent off to Europe to boost morale of the troops while delivering coffee and donuts. Fiona has an ulterior motive for joining, she hopes to find out what happened to her fiance who is listed as MIA. The characters were all so well written and realistic. I loved their distinctive personalities. Dottie, a talented musician who overcomes her shyness to entertain the servicemen while working hard as a Clubmobile girl. Viviana. a plucky former secretary whose personality and looks have all the guys falling all over themselves to catch her eye, but will she fall for the Brit who's a Cary Grant look alike? You'll have to read to find out the girls adventures. I loved how the tension built as the girls end up close to the the action on the front. There's just a touch of romance to round things out. Thank you to the author for the ARC, all opinions are my own.

This book was wonderful. The author really captured the essence of these women, as well as the servicemen, who served their country during WWII. The story was heartfelt and poignant, leaving me in tears at times, but also making my heart happy in other moments. It was wonderful to watch these women as the evolved, losing their naivety along the way, but gaining strength and courage. The Beantown Girls is compelling and well-paced, a book which will keep readers involved emotionally from the first page until the very end.

Loved loved this book sat down to read a few pages sank into the story and hours later finished and was sad to see it end. tithe Red Cross Mobile Girls their lives loves friendships joy happiness sadness..I will be reading more by this author and recommending to everyone.#netgalley #beantowngirls #lakeunionpublishing,

I need more stars!! Jane Healey does a truly amazing job telling the history of the Red Cross Clubmobiles during World War II. Never knew about these amazing women and the crazy support that they gave to the soldiers everywhere including the frontlines. Wow just wow. Healey's writing takes you through the challenges facing the women in the Germans and Allies who didn't believe that the women belonged there. I really felt the like I was riding along with the women. Tears were shed. This book will haunt me for a long time.......joy and tears.

I read a lot of WW2 books and this was one of the best I have read. I had never heard of the Red Cross Clubmobile girl volunteers. Fiona and her two very best friends join the Red Cross Clubmobile and go to Europe. They encounter many obstacles but also they realize how very brace they are. I loved the characters in this book. From Fiona trying to find out what happened to her fiancee, Viviana who wants adventure, and Dotty who goes to be with her friends. All three girls find themselves while being a Red Cross Clubmobile girl. I thoroughly enjoyed this book and its wonderful characters. I received an advanced readers copy from NetGalley and Lake Union Publishing. All opinions are my own.

how many ways can i say i loved this book. look i've read a LOT of historical fiction and i generally like it - i mean my degree is in history and i like to read so. . .but this book - i really loved it. I'd never heard of the red cross doughnut girls -- how, HOW HAD I NEVER HEARD OF THEM!?!?
I loved the story line, I loved their bravery, I loved their sweet, shy, or sassy character.

I generally reserve 5 stars for books I will read again and I feel very strongly that I will read this book again.

I received an Advance Review Copy of this book (thank goodness or i may have never heard about them!!). All opinions are my own.



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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.

Well, I am totally in love with this story. I smiled and shed a few tears, as I got to know Fiona, Viv and Dottie. Then Blanche, Frankie and Martha join the group and it’s off to London and training for the “donut dollies” of the Red Cross
Clubmobiles, during WWII.
Jane Healey, developed beautiful, likable women, that volunteered and served the American troops in Europe, millions of donuts, coffee, cigarettes, gum and lifesavers, while also helping them write letters home, dance with them at service clubs and bring some enjoyment into their lives, during war time.
I never knew they existed, until I read their stories, in this very well researched novel. This one will stay with me for awhile. I also enjoyed the references to the big bands and music of those years, music that brought thoughts of home to these young GI’s in far away countries.
I want to thank the author, Lake Union Publishing and Net Galley, for my ARC.
I hope my review does justice to this wonderful novel.

Fantastic story! I've read a lot of books that took place during WWII, but never one that focused on the Red Cross Clubmobile girls. I admire the fact that these women voluntarily left the safety and comfort of their homes to travel to a war zone to bring some comfort and joy to the soldiers. I thought the author did a wonderful job with the characters - especially the 3 main characters, Fiona, Viviana, and Dottie. Their friendship and dedication to each other and to the Red Cross was admirable. While there were many serious parts that addressed the stresses of war, there was also humor in the story - I especially enjoyed the driving lessons that the women had to pass so they could drive the clubmobile! I highly recommend this book - it was a wonderful read!

Thank you to Lake Union Publishing and NetGalley for providing a copy for review.

I loved this book!!!!!! What a wonderful story of the Red Cross girls helping soldiers out!! Heartbreaking at times but this is such a great story!!! The hardships these girls and guys faced in the time of war was so sad!! Loved how everything came together !

This story provides a glimpse into the role women played as volunteers of the Red Cross Clubmobile during WWII. I enjoyed this historical fiction because it dove into a part of our history during WWII that I wasn't aware of. It always makes me want to do further research to find out more. I thought these women were so brave to be so close to the front lines to help keep morale up for our soldiers. As one Captain said in the book, "you volunteered to come here, where I was sent here".