I went into this book knowing nothing about SPARS, the women's Coast Guard reserve and I had a delightful education on the topic. Shirley Davenport wants to do something she deems important and useful as the very first line in the story details to us the desperation that Shirley feels. Her father, who fought in the previous war and already has his sons involved in this war wants his daughter to be content and happy at home. Unfortunately, that is not going to happen. Even if she were to marry and have children, there really weren't any young men around to marry. All of them were off fighting in the war. So, she and her best friend decide to enlist.

Shirley did not realize the part she would play in as the title shares, saving Mrs. Roosevelt. She risks life and limb and everything else as she participates in this great goal. Along the way she finds romance and a very special friendship.

I liked that this story delved into the roles women had during the War, all of them important. Especially in supporting their fathers, brothers, and sons while they fought on the front lines. History shows us that those back home were working and sacrificing as well as keeping things together.

I was provided a copy of this novel from the publisher. I was not required to post a positive review and all views and opinions are my own.

Spies, WWII, and the United States of America. Suspense, intrigue, and romance, with a nod to First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt and her amazing contributions to our county. All of this can be found in Saving Mrs. Roosevelt, and it's a great addition to the Heroines of WWII series! In 1942, Shirley Davenport feels stifled in Lubec, Maine, and she jumps at the chance to join in the war effort by enlisting in the SPARs. Little does she know that she will find love and friendship, and she never dreamed that she would become a spy!

Author Candice Sue Patterson has created an exciting adventure for Shirley, Leo, Alma, and Micah, and she also offers these two couples a chance to experience friendship and love. I loved their exciting adventures, and I also marveled at the many emotions that are conveyed during this time of war and sacrifice. Patterson includes many fascinating facts about SPARS, and she has woven them into a fascinating tale that is both fact and fiction!
This is the first book that I've read by this author, but it certainly won't be my last. I highly recommend it to all who enjoy clean romance and historical fiction.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from NetGalley and Celebrate Lit. There was no obligation to write a positive review. These are my own thoughts.

Boy howdy, this is a good one. Saving Mrs. Roosevelt is a unique WWII story. I think one of the things I liked most about it was that I hadn’t read one quite like it before. Candice Patterson’s heroine was a different type (a Maine fisherwoman—not too assuming, not too graceful), and the author plopped her in a unique setting with high stakes and a really cool premise. She provided a compelling bit of history about the first women’s coast guard, and the suspenseful plotting kept me riveted. I had my inklings about the primary culprit in the story, but I was only partly right. It’s a page-turner! To top it off, there’s a charming romance, and the couple’s first kiss...va-va-voom and holy sizzle, batgirl! That scene was worth a re-read and goes down as my favorite book kiss of 2021. I don’t normally have a favorite book kiss, by-the-way, but this one definitely satisfied. If you’re reading the entire Heroines of WWII series or only picking and choosing the ones that grab your attention, don’t miss Saving Mrs. Roosevelt. It’s sure to be a favorite.

I enjoy historical fiction, and I thought this intriguing story was based on an actual incident. Even if it’s not, the author does a fine job presenting a World War II tale that reads like it really did happen, or it certainly could have. Secrets, spying, and women in service combine in a compelling drama that makes you feel like you are right in the midst of the action and the characters appear authentic and sincere. In the book, we learn about the beginning of the SPARS, a female division of the US Coast Guard. The main character, Shirley Davenport, risks her reputation and nearly her life trying to help keep the United States safe and free. The exciting novel also addresses relationships between people of different backgrounds and races. It makes readers think about how and why such issues occur. Although the title refers to the president’s wife, she does not actually appear in main part of the story. I received a copy from Celebrate Lit. All opinions are my own. #SavingMrsRoosevelt #NetGalley

I just finished this book and am glad to write a review, as I enjoyed it immensely!

Historical fiction is my favorite fiction genre; I love the way you can learn history seamlessly while enjoying a good story! I don’t recall hearing of the Coast Guard SPARS before, women who were commissioned to work with the United States Coast Guard on the home front during the perilous days of WWII. While this was fiction, the SPARS certainly existed between the years 1942 and 1946. They were known as the women’s reserve of the Coast Guard, and their name came from the CG motto: Semper Paratus, or always ready.

The story takes place largely in Maine, where the two main female characters are deployed after training. The Roosevelts had a retreat at Campobello Island, just to the northeast of Lubec, the city where most of the story takes place. There’s a plot (fictional) against First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt and the deployed SPARS are charged with making sure the plot fails. There’s also a sweet love story going on throughout this page-turner!

I received this book from the publisher via net galley in exchange for an honest review.

Saving Mrs. Roosevelt is a great book to get yourself lost in. The story carries you along easily, so easily don’t notice it’s 1 in the morning and you should have been asleep hours ago. It had me biting my nails until the very end.

The characters are intriguing, captivating and people I, for one, would be honored to get to know.

Patterson does a great job of dropping breadcrumbs of information related to the mystery of the book, keeping readers guessing throughout as to who might be involved in a plot to harm Mrs. Roosevelt. Just when you think you’ve figured it out, she sends you down another path full of questions that you know you need the answers to

There is romantic tension in the book, but it isn’t overdone or makes you want to roll your eyes and gag at all. It is subtle and sweet.

If you like historical fiction, light and sweet romance, and intrigue, then this is the book for you.

I received a copy of this book from the publisher through Celebrate Lit. I was not required to write a positive review. All thoughts and opinions expressed are my own.

I had such a good time with this book. The characters draw you in right away and the imagery of the setting made me want to take a trip to Maine. I loved how the author combined the characters in such a way that they depended on each other for the mystery but were still individuals who had their own thoughts and fears. Saving Mrs. Roosevelt is a fresh and unique story that had me reading late into the night because I didn't want to leave the characters in peril. I had to know what would happen next. I love that Shirley faced the disappointment of her family for what she believed to be right. And though they did not understand, I felt like they were proud of her for not giving into the expectations set upon her and for going her own way to do what she thought must be done. All in all, a fantastic historical novel. I received a copy of this book from the publisher through Celebrate Lit. I was not required to write a positive review. All thoughts and opinions expressed are my own.

I don’t think I will be able to do justice to this book but here goes. The author takes readers back to WWII when most able bodied men were serving their country. Women were kept behind to keep the household going and finding ways to help the men who were fighting to keep them safe. What I really liked was how the author was able to make me feel like I was in the story. The story is paced well and I came to really like several of the characters.

Shirley wants to do her part serving her country. Her determination is fierce and she is determined that she will be part of SPARS. The group is not easy to get accepted in to but Shirley and her friend Joan make it. This is where the story really gets interesting. They were hoping to be stationed together but are separated and going to different places. The women go through vigorous training with little sleep. I admired how dedicated they were and were willing to sacrifice their lives. I’m glad the author highlighted how women served and were vital to their country.

The author covers some sensitive subjects about race that was handled well. I’m glad that the author covered this because it is an important part of history. When no one else would room with Alma because of the color of her skin, Shirley volunteers. This will become a very important relationship throughout the book. How sad it made me feel to know that people were judged by the color of their skin and treated so unfairly.

I don’t want to give too many details about the story because the author delivers a powerful account of what it was like when someone goes undercover for their country. Shirley was an amazing character who was willing to have her reputation tarnished in order to carry out her mission. She is constantly in danger and I worried that she would get caught.

There is a little romance in the story that I was not surprised at. It was done tastefully and made for a nice addition to lighten the tone of the book a little. It was clever how the author put Eleanor Roosevelt in the story. She was a woman who wanted to help those who were being mistreated because of their nationality. Some people didn’t like that and wanted to get rid of her. The twists and turns in the book are good and I was shocked by one particular outcome of the story. Oh no I’m not saying what it is, but it is very unexpected. I liked the ending and was a little sad that I had to say goodbye to such wonderful characters that entertained me and kept me glued to the pages.

I received a copy of this book from Celebrate Lit. The review is my own opinion.

Saving Mrs. Roosevelt by Candice Sue Patterson. I have never read this author before. Historical fiction is written describing things and happenings that you cannot hardly believe unless you had them happen to you. Eleanor Roosevelt helped to insire the Spars for women to serve. In the military. Without them Mrs. Roosevelt could have died.

Saving Mrs. Roosevelt, by Candice Sue Patterson, is a stand alone story in the Heroines of WWII series. This story takes place mainly in Maine in the 1940’s. Shirley enlists in the SPARS (Coast Guard for women) and is assigned to be a spy in her home town to try to catch those making threats towards the president’s wife.

This is an interesting book to read. It is filled with action, mystery and suspense and has touches of romance. I was guessing through out the last half of the story as to who were making the threats. It was fun to see the little things that Shirley picked out for clues. I also enjoyed the care Captain Webber gave through out the story and the way he did what he could for Shirley and his country. I was touched by the friendship that developed between Shirley and her roommate.

I voluntarily received a complimentary copy of this story, this is my honest review.

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 as the story unfolded, at least to me, regarding SPARS. And it’s always interesting to see in the Author’s Note after the story, what was based on facts and what was fictionalized.

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.

"What you're about to do is probably going to be one of the hardest things you'll ever do in your lifetime. You will face heartache. You will betray the ones you love, and you will be betrayed. But you will be accomplishing something very few women in history are given the opportunity to try."

The SPARS was a branch of the Coast Guard that came about during World War 2 that provided women with the opportunity to serve in the military on the homefront. SPARS stands for Semper Paratus, Always Ready, which is the motto of the Coast Guard. Captain Dorothy Stratton was the director, and she plays a role in this fictional title. I really appreciated all of the research that the author did to help this book as factual as possible even if some of the characters and situations were made up.

Shirley wants to make a difference. But being asked to be a spy was not what she expected. Having to act disgraced was harder than she thought as well. I admired her persistence and her willingness to sacrifice.

Shirley's roommate was an African American named Alma. I did not realize how groundbreaking this was. A historical website notes that this branch allowed the women to become officers as well. Alma had a tough storyline, and I really liked how she helped Shirley to understand life was not always simple. This tackled the tough topic of racial relations in a well-done way. There was definitely prejudice and that was condemned in the book.

There was definitely an element of suspense to this one. As a reader, I did figure out certain elements of the plot. But there were definitely some surprises. I appreciated the everyday clues that proved to be substantial.

Romance was also a part of this storyline. I did not feel like the relationship was over the top. And I liked how it emphasized that the military positions actually complicated things.

The places in this book also made it interesting. Iowa and Maine. I liked how a lighthouse played a part in the mission.

Part of the middle that did drag on a bit for me - a bit too much angst about what Shirley should do. That could have maybe been tightened up a bit. Otherwise overall I really enjoyed this book. I definitely recommend it. Final rating 4.7 stars.

I did read this book as a part of a tour. I was provided a copy, but I had requested to review it. All opinions are my own.

Shirley Davenport wants to aid her country. She has four brothers who are fighting in the war. Her father is adamantly against it and is pushing for her to marry. Shirley’s best friend Joan tells her that the Coast Guard has opened a new branch for women. They both enlist in the SPARs, ready to help protect the home front..
Shirley and Joan are sent to separate training camps. Shirley keeps running into Captain Webber. At the end of training Captain Webber comes to her about a plot against Mrs. Roosevelt. Shirley is sent home saying that she has a dishonorable discharge. She is not even allowed to tell her parents.
Shirley begins to uncover things in her hometown. When people she has known most of her life seem to be involved in the plot, Shirley is forced to decide who she can trust.
Prior to reading “Saving Mrs. Roosevelt, I knew nothing of the WAVES or the SPARS. Candice Sue Patterson weaves a story that is not only informative but is able to hold a reader’s attention from the beginning to the end. At one point, I thought I was going to have to reread part of the story to see if I had missed the clues. Thank you, Candice Sue Patterson, Barbour Publishing and NetGalley for the arc in exchange for my honest review.

This was a great book. I don’t think I have read anything by Candice before. Leo and Shirley are both interesting characters with their own insecurities and questions about the future.

The whole cast of characters are well developed and interesting. Alma, Joan and the questionable Uncle Ernest will keep you engaged.

Then there is the circumstances that Shirley has to go home under. I wondered how that would all play out and how her family would react.

So many good things in this book to keep you reading.

A copy of this book was given to me through Celebrate Lit. All opinions are my own.

This is a book that makes me like to read about WWll again. I really like that it takes place hear in the United States. It showed that there were spies that infiltrated the US to try to hinder our involvement in the war. This is a great romance and we get to have some suspense. I had never heard of the SPARS program before and that some of them were trained in Iowa where I am from was really neat. The characters are wonderful. I received a copy of this book from Celebratelit for a fair and honest opinion that I gave of my own free will.

I really enjoyed learning about the SPARs (the WWII women’s Coast Guard Reserve) in Saving Mrs. Roosevelt by Candice Sue Patterson.

World War II-era historical fiction is some of my favorite, but I don’t read a whole lot set in the US. With some spy work, a plot against the president’s wife, and the family connections Shirley has to juggle. Oh, and there’s also Captain Webber and that relationship.

You all know I’m a fan of the romance in books, but Shirley’s friendship with Alma, another member of the SPARs was the best part of this book to me. The fact that Shirley takes the second greatest commandment and lives it out resonates with the reader.

While this was not based on actual events, it drew me in and kept me guessing. This was the first book I’ve read by Patterson, but it won’t be the last.

Disclosure statement: I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book and was not required to write a positive review. All opinions are my own.

Saving Mrs. Roosevelt by Candice Sue Patterson is a great book that shows what it means to sacrifice for your country and our freedom. Shirley Davenport is excited to join the SPARS, a group of women in the Coast Guard who are filling positions to free up the men. The last thing she expects, though, is to be asked to become a spy in her own hometown and find out who is out to hurt the First Lady. As she tries to navigate waters she isn't sure how to sail in, she finds that even the people she has known her entire life may be involved. Add in a certain Captain Weber and their forbidden relationship in the midst of trauma and you have an exciting story. I especially loved meeting Shirley's roommate, Alma, a young black woman who was loosely based on the first black woman to enlist in the military. The story was very well written and thought out. I enjoyed it very much and will look for more by this author. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher. All opinions are my own.

The Heroines of WWII series from Barbour has been incredible. Each book highlights a different way women influenced the outcome of the war, and how their lives were changed doing it. In this page-turner by new-to-me author Candice Sue Patterson we meet young Shirley Davenport, dying of boredom and longing to help with the war effort. But how can her skills as a lobster fisherman contribute to an Allied victory? Inspired by Eleanor Roosevelt, she signs up for SPARS (a female adjunct to the Coast Guard). At the end of basic training she hears of a threat to the First Lady, and agrees to work undercover as a spy in her coastal hometown near the Roosevelts’ summer retreat. She knows upfront that her reputation will suffer, but soon realizes her very life may be at stake, too. Beautiful side stories keep this tale of espionage tender - her romance with commanding officer Leo, her relationship with her grieving parents, and her deep friendship with fellow-SPAR Alma. This story really moved me both as historical fiction and a touching romance. I kept asking myself if I could make the sacrifices Shirley and Alma did, putting the good of our country ahead of themselves. Thanks to NetGalley for an early peek at this thrilling keeper!

An exhilarating high stakes adventure, mixed with romance in this inspiring WWII novel about the men and women who fought from the home front.

Shirley Davenport wants more than what her small town can offer. She joins the SPARs a division of the Coast Guard with her friend Joan, but when a mission sends her home undercover and in disgrace she must find the courage to stand tall and fight for her country, and find out who her friends are.

I was intrigued from the very beginning, as this was the first time I'd ever read about book about a woman serving in in the SPARs. A well researched read that blends fact with fiction in a suspensefully engrossing read. Shirley is an excellent heroine, brave for not just the physical risks that took, but also for the scorn and shame she had to bear coming back to her hometown. Even though Leo and Shirley didn't get to spend a ton of time together due to their duties, I thought that their relationship felt authentic and realistic. One of my favorite things was Shirley's friendship with Alma and how they work together to fulfill their mission.

Overall, an exciting WWII novel that highlights the brave men and women who fought for their country from the home front. Suspenseful, with courageous heroines, faith, and friendship, I enjoyed this book so much, easily a book that I would heartily recommend!

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

I liked this novel that was both entertaining and informative. It featured a different way women were able to be a part of the American war effort during WW II. The SPARS were women in the Coast Guard. Our heroine is Shirley, daughter of a fisherman in Lubec, Maine. She had been helping her father but when the opportunity was presented to get involved in the SPARS war effort, she did.

I appreciate that the plot of this novel involved danger toward Mrs. Roosevelt. She was a woman helping immigrants, promoting care for Jews and others suffering from prejudice. Some thought harming her would be disruptive for America in general. When the government discovered the traitorous plans, Shirley is sent home to Maine. The Roosevelts had a summer home on an island near Lubec and Shirley was to find what she could as an undercover agent.

The novel deals with several issues including prejudice against Jews, Blacks and women in general. It was interesting to read about the German American Bund, a group of Germans in America up to no good. While Patterson included some good information in her Author's Note, I do wish there had been something about this group.

Patterson's writing style is generally good. The novel kept my interest to the end, providing a good plot with a clear show of romance and a good dose of suspense at the end. There is a pet peeve that Patterson does, however, in ending a chapter with a deadly event then starting the next chapter with everything fine. It is not until pages later we find out what happened.

This is a good novel revealing another way women helped the American war effort during WW II.

I received a complimentary egalley of this book from the publisher. My comments are an independent and honest review.