I was invited by netgalley.com and Barbour Publishing to read the book Saving Mrs. Roosevelt by Candice Sue Patterson. This novel is part of their WWII Heroine series. What drew me to the book at first was the title and cover illustration. Also, if Mrs. Elenor Roosevelt needed protection, then I wanted to read about what happened!

Also, let me just say that this book was so exciting that by the middle of the book, I was reading it while cooking dinner, folding laundry and in between caring for my children. I had to keep reading to see what would happen next!

The book opens with Shirely Davenport seeking her true purpose in life and her desire to help out in the war (World War II). Her best friend, Jane, encourages her to join the SPARS, the first women in the Coast Guard. These women were under military guidance and freed up men to fight in the war. The SPARS were led by Dorothy Stratton, another important character in the story.

Shirley joins the SPARS and along the way meets Captain Leo Webber, also serving in the Coast Guard. He is haunted by the deaths of his brothers in the war. As the action starts to heat up, we meet Alma, a courageous SPAR with deep hurts in her own past. Together, both Alma and Shirely go undercover to protect the First Lady, Mrs. Roosevelt, from a death threat. The twists and turns will keep you at the edge of your seat. Who is the true enemy in the story? You will have to read the book to find out!

This story was well written, exciting, intense and provided a “bravo”ending! I highly recommend Saving Mrs. Roosevelt for an excellent Christian historical fiction book!

I am absolutely loving the "Heroines of WWII" series! All standalone novels and different authors, yet similar themes, the series brilliantly sheds light on unsung heroines from that era--and _Saving Mrs. Roosevelt_ is no exception.

Candice Sue Patterson is a new-to-me author, and I thought this release was wonderful. I'm definitely planning to read more of her work; if it's anything like _Saving Mrs. Roosevelt_, it'll be great! Excellent character development here, along with plot pacing, action and adventure, and a unique plot ... impressive given all the WWII books that are out there (and the number of them I've read over the last year, LOL).

I particularly enjoyed the inclusion of a strong Black female character. Alma's storyline was so well done (and so sad; yet I know her experience was by no means an exception to the rule). I do hope to see more characters like her both in this series and within the genre itself.

A welcome addition and author to the "Heroines of WWII" series. I'm about ready to visit Maine now and see some of its scenery for myself! :)

I received an eARC of the book from the publisher via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

I enjoyed this historical romantic drama. It covered an aspect of WW2 that I knew nothing about, the women who served as SPARs. I also appreciated the historic role the president’s wife, Mrs. Roosevelt, had in the story. Romantic stories are not my cup of tea unless lots of history included. But the story line was interesting enough to enjoy the romance while waiting to see how much of this story was historical facts. I was interested in the fact that the woman of color in the story was based upon Olivia Hooker, who was the first black woman to enlist in the Spars. I loved reading in the author’s notes about this actual woman. These women who aided the war effort by joining the Coast Guard made the story a 4 star read for me. They truly advanced the role of women. I also enjoyed that the story was set in Maine. I would read this author again. Thanks to Net Galley for providing an E copy of the book.

SAVING MRS. ROOSEVELT, part of Barbour Publishing's Heroines of WWII series, deftly weaves romance into suspense as it reveals how Shirley Davenport, a member of the Coast Guard women's reserve corps, helps to save the First Lady from harm. Loved how the rollicking histfic story brings the pivotal era to life.

Thanks to the author, Barbour Publishing, Inc., Barbour Fiction, and NetGalley for the ARC; opinions are mine.

#SavingMrsRoosevelt #NetGalley

Following in the steps of her brothers, Shirley Davenport is anxious to leave her hometown and serve her country. She and her best friend, Joan, enlist in the SPARs -- becoming two of the first women to join the Coast Guard.

Shirley is eventually sent back to her hometown as a spy, working to uncover a plot against Mrs. Roosevelt. While two of the major storylines are clear from the get-go and not at all surprising by the end, there are a few twists and turns along the way. A story of bravery, love, and loss -- 4 stars.

This book is a part of the serie Heroines of WWII. It’s about Shirley Davenport from Maine who decide to enlist in the SPARS (Semper Paratus, Always Ready) to help in the War effort with her neighbor and friend Joan and become a Coast Guard.

The two friends are separated and given different missions. Shirley must go back to her hometown as a spy in order to uncover a plot against the First Lady, Mrs Eleanor Roosevelt with the help of Leo Weber supervising the operations and Alma, a new friend she met at the training camp Shirley is able to thwart the scheme.

I like seeing her friendship with Alma bloom despite their differences and their skin color. Leo and Shirley relationship grew quickly, but it was love at first sight for both of them and Leo really care about her.

A good story and it becomes very captivating towards the end when they are about to unmask the group of people plotting against the First Lady. It was interesting to learn more about Mrs Roosevelt she held a newspaper and was involved in various causes, especially civil rights.

This is an incredible historical romance!

I love both of the main characters. Shirley and Leo are both very well developed. The pain that they have both suffered since America entered the war are huge. I really enjoyed seeing how Shirley’s love of the country was displayed by her courage in taking on an enormous task.

I was absolutely fascinated to learn about the SPARS. I didn’t even know that the Coast Guard had a women’s reserve unit. This is one of the things that I really enjoy about reading historical fiction. I learn about many things from history is a way that my interest is captured and I can retain the information because of it.

The plot of the story was fantastic. It had a lot of intrigue and danger built into it. I was sucked into it and desperate to see how the good guys would triumph.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher, through NetGalley. I was not required to write a positive review. All of the opinions expressed are my own.

Shirley Davenport is frustrated watching those close to her in Maine contribute to the war effort while she is sidelined - stuck helping her father on his lobster fishing boat. When her neighbour, Joan Fischer, announces that the Coast Guard is recruiting, Shirley instantly knows that it’s her calling and makes the decision to join, despite her father’s lack of support. Both girls are accepted for the Women’s Reserve division, SPARS. When Shirley is chosen for a special mission, she has a difficult decision to make; does she put her reputation at risk and agree to undercover work to serve her country, or does she sit back and help from afar?

I loved the character development in this book! Shirley was the star for me because I read about a girl with a dream who risked everything to do what was right and serve her country. She had to learn to stick up for herself and face the rumours, and she capably did so with stoicism and grace. I loved the faith message about struggle and triumph. Alma was another beautiful soul; a black woman in SPARS who faced prejudice.
In addition to the superb character development, the author’s meticulous research and attention to detail have also elevated this story, making it worthy of 4 stars. I felt like I was hull cleaning beside Shirley, breathing the salty air and hearing the seagulls’ call. I felt the disappointment when she and Joan were separated, felt the tension when she agreed to espionage and felt the pain when she returned home and was unfairly judged. Patterson’s sense of place is exceptional and her forbidden romance is sensitively written.

Romance readers, adventure seekers and history enthusiasts will love this story which honours the contribution of female unsung heroines of WW2. It’s part of a series, Heroines of WW2, but with different authors and different settings, it’s certainly enjoyable as a stand-alone
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I was gifted this copy by Candice Sue Patterson, Barbour Publishing, Inc., and NetGalley and was under no obligation to provide a review.

Ms Patterson's storytelling skills really shone in the first half of the book. For whatever reason, the second half was not as compelling. There were also occasions when the dialogue did not sound good to my reading ears.

However, I enjoyed learning about the existence of the SPARS. I enjoy fiction where history is incorporated because we learn some facts as well. The Christian elements in this book is very light though not a big issue for me as I do not read fiction for inspiration.

This WWII Heroine Series has been a good one so far and this book by a new to me author was no exception. In this story we encounter a bit of romance and true friendship. Sylvia and Captain Webber have tremendous chemistry and I love the pacing of their relationship. It seemed realistic and relatable. The friendship between Alma and Shirley is beauftiful. They really live up to the saying of loving your neighbor as yourself.

The story is filled with intrigue and drama and you will absolutely love this if you enjoy military historical fiction.

I received a copy of this book from the publisher. I was not required to post a positive review. All views expressed are only my honest opinion.

Easy read with enjoyable characters. I always enjoy learning about war times. Thanks for NetGalley and the publisher for an advance copy.

This is a romance set during the war. A young girl trying to help her country and ends up becoming a spy in her own neighbourhood. Very gentle read, a bit slow in parts but heartwarming

This was a very easy read. Not overly deep or profound. Just a solid, easy to follow plot. Decent characters.

Shirley and her friend Joan decide to join the SPARs, the wartime female branch of the Cost Guard. In order to uncover a plot against the First Lady, it is arranged for her to receive a fake dishonorable discharge for allegedly having a relationship with handsome Captain Webber. Together, Shirley, Webber , and a third SPAR return to her hometown to set up a covert operation.

I'm not entirely sure I enjoyed this book. Instead of reading about a strong woman, I was reading about a love sick woman who was mostly interested in her fledgling romance. I think this did a huge disservice to Shirley and the other SPAR's. Overall, 2 out of 5 stars.

I love when a cover draws me into a book! I knew from the first time I saw this cover that I wanted to read this one. And the first line is fabulous! I haven’t read many WWII books that are set on the home front but really enjoyed this one. I had no idea the SPARs were a group of female Coast Guard members and so learned a bit of our own history as a result. I was drawn in by the characters. I particularly loved the friendship between Shirley and Alma. I feel like we could all use some of the lessons presented in this historical novel today. Definitely recommend this one!

If you liked The Cryptographer’s Dilemma, you will love this book! Once again, we learn about little known parts of American history. Shirley Davenport lives in a fishing town in Maine and wants to help the war effort. However, choices are slim in her small town. She and her friend decide to join the SPARs, a female-only group of the Coast Guard.
Shirley meets the handsome Captain Webber during basic training. She learns there is a threat in Eleanor Roosevelt’s life. Shirley gets sent back to her hometown to try to find the source of these threats.
Along the way Shirley befriends Alma Evan’s, a Black woman who faced major prejudice in the SPARs. I love how the author portrayed their friendship.
Will Shirley save Mrs. Roosevelt and find love? Sometimes the people closest to you can be your
biggest threat.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from the author and Barbour Publishing through NetGalley. The opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own.

I read a lot about World War II but I am not sure I have ever heard about the SPARs (the female Coast Guard). And to my delight that they trained at the Iowa Teacher's College in Cedar Falls, Iowa - now University of Northern Iowa. I spent many weekends there visiting friends and attending speech contests in high school.

This story was about Shirley Davenport and Leo Webber, she a recruit into the SPARs and he a commander. When it comes there is a decoded message mentioning harm to Mrs. Roosevelt and it has come from Shirley's hometown, Leo knew exactly who needed to work the case and be trained as a spy. But it is the way her family and friends reacted to her coming back home, and how things are much closer to home than she anticipated. I also enjoyed the love story of Shirley and Leo.

Even though this was not a final edit on the book, I did really enjoy the story and learned something new on the front involving women while the men were off fighting.

Thank you Netgalley and Barbour Publishing, Inc., for this advanced reader copy. I would recommend to other readers, especially those interested in World War II fiction.

This is a fabulous Christian historical novel, one of the best I’ve read this year, set during WWII here on the American home front! It highlights dedicated women who worked for a new group in the Coast Guard, the SPARs, who received special training to fill jobs for the duration of the war so the men would be freed to fight. The main characters are very likable, and the various settings are described so well that I often felt as if I were there. Some characters are based on real people. Characters are realistic, showing very human people of faith. There are several pulse-pounding scenes that kept me reading until the wee hours.

Shirley and Joan have been best friends for much of their lives. Joan is obsessed with Hollywood glamour and characters, while Shirley admires First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt and wants to do something of value to serve the country she loves. Both young women are looking forward to leaving Lubec, Maine. Shirley’s father does not want her to leave. He believes that she is under his protection until he gives her hand to a husband, taking that duty seriously. When Shirley and Joan go to Machiasport to sign up for the first class of SPARs, he is very upset but drove them to sign up. Joan is an expert in math and science, while Shirley’s skills are fishing, lobstering, and repairing boats used for both.

Captain Leo Webber, at the recruitment meeting, is the most handsome man Shirley has ever seen. He is in the Navy, looking forward to getting back to sea, but for now he is sent to assist with signing up, testing, and training these women. Because of the differences in their abilities, Joan is sent to Florida for training, and Shirley goes to Iowa. She meets new friends, including women who had been in the WAVES and transferred over with the new SPARs director. She observes one woman who appears to be snooping in offices during class, even hiding a coded note in the library. She also sees in practice the prejudice she has only read about in small-town Maine.
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When completion of her training is imminent, Shirley receives an incredible assignment. There are traitors in Maine, most likely in her tiny hometown. As she knows the area better than most, she is sent home under cover of a ruse of a dishonorable discharge. The deception is necessary, as the First Lady’s life depends on it. I cannot imagine coming to terms with there being a traitor in one’s hometown, especially if it is someone she’s known all her life.

This was a very compelling read. I appreciated seeing the very real struggles and challenges faced by Leo and Shirley, from their conversations and actions to their thoughts and prayers. The author gives us a glimpse of sacrifices made by our military members to protect our country. It shows a side of WWII and the Coast Guard I was previously unaware of. There is a mystery in which time is of the life and death essence. I had an idea who was involved, at least until a red herring looked like a stronger suspect. Through Shirley, Alma, and Leo, we have examples of walking out one’s faith in the Lord, God-confidence instead of self-confidence, and true friendship. I highly recommend this novel to women of all ages who like well-written Christian novels of WWII, including faith, friendship, mystery, and a possibility of romance.

From a thankful heart: I received an ARC of this novel from the publisher and Celebrate Lit, and this is my honest review.

I am truly loving this heroines of WWII series. This was another great addition to the series. Our heroine joins the coast guard women’s reserve but is sent on a mission that will have you holding on to the seat of your pants. This author was able to pull the reader into the story quickly and leave you begging for more.

Oh i am so torn about this book. I loved parts Of it, some parts were too predictable. Like Come on, it is right under your nose. The premise og the book was good. I Just felt it had been told before. Thank you to netgalley for letting me read this e arc in exchange for an honest opinion