Beautiful writing, vivid storytelling. It was mesmerizing to hear the author read it aloud, without looking down even once. Like history conjured (and I'm intrigued that it comes from a family story). Brilliant.

Important topic, imperfect execution.

„Good Night, Irene“ is a historical novel taking place during WWII and highlighting the heroic, near-forgotten service of the women who joined the American Red Cross to serve in the Clubmobile Corps (also referred to as „Donut Dollies“), joining the soldiers at the front lines in command military buses and handing out donuts and coffee to boost morale among the troops.

„It had not taken them long …to understand that their service was not truly about the donuts and coffee. They had seen enough boys fail to return from a morning flight. The real service was that their faces, their voices, their send-off might be the final blessing from home for some of these young pilots. The enormity of this trivial-seeming job became clearer ever day.“

The book‘s main protagonist, young socialite Irene, flees New York and her abusive fiancé in 1943 to sign up for the Clubmobile Corps. Befriending Midwesterner Dorothy in training, the two women are soon sent to Europe’s battlefields.

The author actually has personal insights into this story since his mother was one of the women serving during the war. His dedication even mentions that the crew of the ARC Clubmobile „Cheyenne“, to which his mother belonged, traveled the roads and locations visited in this novel (in the novel, Irene and Dorothy‘s journey deep into war-torn Europe takes place the ARC Clubmobile „Rapid City“, but they often cross paths with the women of the crew of the Cheynne).

Given this context and the importance of highlighting the quiet heroism of these women, plus the fact that Luis Alberto Urrera is an extremely talented and established author, I was expecting to love this book. Sadly, I really didn‘t.

I cannot quite figure out where it all went wrong. It started with small things, like leaving out any actual dates, even though there were obvious references to historical events - it made the story feel less rooted in its own history. Or not using proper German when quoting Germans („Ihr machen Kaffee?“ should be „Ihr macht Kaffee?“).

But my two main issues were with the characters and with the storytelling.

First, the characters. Granted, a man writing a book with mostly female (main) protagonists has his work cut out for him, and sadly, in this instance, I don‘t think the author succeeded. The women came across as very flat, naive characters that actually squeal when they all get their periods simultaneously (I wish I was kidding). It also didn‘t feel like there were any real relationships built besides trauma bonding - for example, while we are there at the beginning of Irene and Dorothy‘s friendship, the women did not even seem to like each other much a lot of times.

Second, the storytelling. More than the protagonists, the writing made it really hard for me to get through the book. At first I thought it was just the editing of my copy (huge spacing after every single paragraph) that made the story feel jumpy, but even accounting for that, the scenes were often short, superficial, and/or changed abruptly. While I don‘t mind long books, the pacing in the first half of it actually felt too drawn-out at times, while the second part struck me as too erratic. It seemed as though the author - inspired by his mother‘s notes and the actual routes she traveled during her service for the ARC - decided to cram all of those notes and experiences into the novel, favoring amount over depth. As a result, the book feels all over the place and the pacing seems completely off, which becomes even more erratic as Irene and Dorothy travel through war-torn Europe in their Clubmobile, with hardly any of their experiences actually fleshed out in detail.

I am tempted to armchair-diagnose that the very distanced, often superficial way in which scenes and characters were described and the often abrupt, curt way in which the scenes changed might stem from the author‘s need to distance himself from his own mother‘s experiences in order to create a fictional account - which might be why the entire novel feels more like short descriptions and research summaries than an actual story - but I am no psychologist, so I really have no leg to stand on with this interpretation. For what it’s worth, judging by the warm note in the acknowledgments, this might have worked better as a nonfiction account of the author researching his mother‘s military service in an effort to better understand her better.

Finally, the ending did not feel satisfying or sweet so much as downright cruel on account of the time lost, if not wasted. At least it finally gave the author the chance to shine in his writing: „The war had been an exploding darkness, an inexplicable chaos. But here, now, was grace. Here, now, was forgiveness. … Here, now, was joy.“

„[She] had once asked her … what the point was, the donut-and-coffee thing? Like, driving into the war? Nazis trying to kill you? And you were feeding snacks to soldiers? And the … woman had replied, „Women are called upon to piece the broken world back together. The boys blow everything up. Including themselves. And then the rest of us. And we bind it all back together - the boys, the world, ourselves.““

It would be remiss of me not to mention that I also recently read „The Women“ by Kristin Hannah (pub. 2024), which has a similar objective - highlighting the often untold military service of women in the war (there, the Vietnam War). While I found that book‘s second part to be too drawn-out, Hannah‘s character development as well as her description of the war and the women‘s
service in it (focusing on fewer, but well-developed scenes) serves as a stark contrast to what I was missing in this book.

Tl;dr: a very important, compelling topic but an imperfect, distanced execution.

Thank you to NetGalley and Little, Brown and Company for the copy in exchange for my honest review.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for this eARC.

In the shadowed corridors of history, where the echoes of war reverberate, Luis Alberto Urrea weaves a poignant tapestry of courage, camaraderie, and resilience in his novel "Good Night, Irene." Set against the tumultuous backdrop of World War II, this book invites readers to step into the lives of extraordinary women who defy convention and embrace their destinies on the frontline.

Irene Woodward, our intrepid heroine, abandons an abusive fiancé in New York to enlist with the Red Cross. Her journey takes her across the Atlantic, where she forms an unbreakable bond with Dorothy Dunford, a towering Midwesterner with a ferocious wit. Together, they become part of an elite group of women known as the Donut Dollies, commanding military buses called Clubmobiles at the heart of the conflict. These rolling sanctuaries offer soldiers a taste of home, a fleeting respite before they plunge back into battle.

Urrea's prose dances between the mundane and the extraordinary. He captures the grit of exhaustion, the elation of survival, and the gut-churning existential fear that permeates wartime existence. As Irene and Dorothy traverse the European theater, from the "Battle of the Bulge" to the liberation of Buchenwald, their friendship blossoms amidst chaos. Their shared laughter, whispered secrets, and unwavering support become lifelines in a world teetering on the edge of oblivion.

But this novel is not merely about war; it's about the quiet heroism of everyday moments. It's about the warmth of a doughnut shared in a foxhole, the handwritten letters that bridge continents, and the love affair with a gallant American fighter pilot named Hans. Through these connections, Irene learns to trust again, to hope for survival even as the world crumbles around her.

Urrea's inspiration lies close to home—his mother's own Red Cross service. He paints a vivid canvas of women's heroism, often overlooked in the grand narratives of war. The prose is both affecting and uplifting, a testament to the resilience of the human spirit. As NPR aptly stated, Urrea's "gifts as a storyteller are prodigious."

"Good Night, Irene" is a symphony of courage, a hymn to friendship, and a reminder that even in the darkest hours, bonds forged on the front lines can define a life forever. Step into the Clubmobile, taste the doughnut's sweetness, and let Irene and Dorothy's story linger—a beacon of light amid the chaos of war.

4.5*
Irene Woodward flees her abusive fiancé in 1943 and volunteers with the Red Cross. She will go to Europe to serve coffee and donuts to soldiers near the front. While some may know the story of the Donut Dollies, it came as a surprise to me. These women were not military, nor were they nurses. They were single girls whose job was to serve the donuts and perk up the men’s spirits. They carried no weapons nor did they tend to the physical wounds. Instead, they nursed the men’s psyches that were traumatized by the death and destruction around them.

Irene finds good friends among the other Red Cross Dollies and surprisingly, these brave young women were present for the Battle of the Bulge and even the liberation of prisoners at Buchenwald. They could be found near the front and had to shelter from the bombs and tanks as they tried to serve their refreshments and listen to the men. It’s hard to fathom women put so close to danger with so little protections. The men came to appreciate seeing these women from home; sympathetic listeners who also brought comfort.

Urrea wrote this as a tribute to his own mother who was a Donut Dollie. Little is documented about the extraordinary efforts of these civilian women serving in a war zone as if it they worked in a local coffee shop. The characters are rich and the women demonstrate courage and compassion. This is definitely a welcome addition to the many WWII books, showcasing a little-known war effort by women to support the American GI’s.

I love the books about WWII about the women who served with the Red Cross. This one definitely didn’t disappoint. Irene and Dorothy arrive in Europe to be Donut Dollies. Coffee and donuts, a truly simple thing that made such a difference in the soldiers’ lives. They witness things no one should ever have to witness but they stick it out even while their third in the Clubmobile continues to be a revolving door.
Luis does a great job portraying the two women. He really made it feel like I was right there in the Clubmobile with them.
The author’s note made my rating higher for this book. I love getting the background that Luis shares and getting to understand why he wrote this story.

Thank you NetGalley and Little, Brown Company for my ARC of this book.

It was an interesting topic about a little known aspect of the Red Cross and a different perspective for a book about WW2. The book had highs and lows for me. Some parts of the books tendered a lot of emotions while some just left me cold. In the end I wish I had connected more overall to the characters as the ending was a bit far fetched for my taste.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for giving me a free advanced copy of this book to read and review.

A story that tells a tale of the long forgotten Donut Dollies that served with the Red Cross during WWII, bringing donuts and coffee to those along the front lines.

This was my first novel by Urrea, but I don’t think it will be my last. I enjoyed the writing style, and how the reader is able to get into the mindset of nearly all the characters within the story. I enjoy novels about women forgotten by history, and in reading so many historical novels about the war, couldn’t believe that I had never heard of the Donut Dollies.

Irene is a wonderful character, though whiny at times, but she really shows what life was like for women during the war. Dorothy is exactly the kind of character I like to read about, and I enjoyed the ending of the story, as it really wrapped up her storyline in a way that made sense, and provided closure.

I think that this is a fascinating read, although it won’t appeal to all. It does delve into the deep side of the war, and is not one for romance readers. I do think that it will find its crowd, and I am certainly one of them. Readers of Elizabeth Wein would enjoy.

Thank you to NetGalley, Little, Brown and Company and the author for allowing me to read an advanced copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

Read if you like: WW2 history
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The book follows Irene as she volunteers with the Red Cross to run a donut and coffee truck to boost morale of the soldiers.
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Overall, the story was fine and I became invested at the end. But the journey dragged a but to get there and I found myself skimming some passages. If you have read a lot of WW2 books, this might be one to skip.

I adored this one. From the setting of the frontline women during WW2 in the Red Cross to the writing itself.
Do not miss the afterward and Luis Alberto Urrea's personal connection to this story.

This was an interesting WWII historical fiction story. I loved that it was roughly based on the life of the author’s mother as she served with the Red Cross during the war. Having read another book about the clubmobiles that served donuts and coffee to the troops in Europe, I was interested in discovering a different point of view. The relationships these individuals developed and their willingness to put themselves in danger to provide a bit of fun and pleasure to the soldiers. Though the book is a little slow to get into, by about 25% into it, you will be sucked in and ready to experience life with Dorothy and Irene as they serve as “Donut Dollies.”

Thank you to NetGalley and Little, Brown and Company for my advanced review copy. All opinions and thoughts are my own.

For more reviews, please visit my blog at: https://www.msladybugsbookreviews.com/. Over 1000 reviews posted!

Luis Urrea has paid tribute to his mother by writing a semi-autographical novel about her time and beyond during World War II as a "donut dolly". These young women serve through the Red Cross by making coffee and donuts and serving them with smiles and cheer to the active duty soldiers. Their role was an important one; many young men lost their lives and witnessed the deaths of their friends in war.. The warmth handed out by the women (along with the donuts and coffee) bolstered the spirits of the men. Irene forges a close friendship with a tall mid-westerner, Dorothy and falls in love. The book spans the time from the US entrance into the war and in the years following. The simplicity of the writing makes the book move quickly along and would make it an appropriate read for Young Adults as well. This is historical fiction at its best.

I suppose this might have been more interesting if I was new to reading WWII, new to women serving in various capacities during the war and even new to British culture. But for me, I found this WWII historical fiction less than average.
There are a lot of nice descriptive words, but I just could not care about the characters or storyline.
If this had not been a copy provided by Little,Brown and Company via NetGalley, I would have stopped reading much sooner.
I gave it a fair opportunity to hook me, but even after listening to 75%, I ended up skimming the last 25%.
I even purchased the audio book, which did not make the storytelling any better.
I am sorry I could not connect and enjoy as the mass majority of other reviewers did.

This story, inspired by Urrea's grandmother gives a glimpse into WWII and the Red Cross Volunteers that went blindly into the war. I enjoyed this one!

What this story is a coming of age story - but really having to pull up your bootstraps and get to work when all you have is your small town lens as the two main characters become "Donut Dollies"

I'd read House of Broken Angeles by Urrea and enjoyed it, the ribald familial life and all its energy and was interested in Good Night, Irene because I'd never known there were Red Cross volunteers during WW II. And while it was interesting to learn about these women, as characters they were flat, never quite came to life, and I feel badly for that since the main character is based on the author's mother. While the descriptions were plentiful, I sort of felt, as I read, that I was watching a B movie. Alas, I tried.

Urrea is a phenomenal storyteller. Great build up as well as character and plot development. I’ve read many historical fiction books and yet never knew about the Clubmobile Corps. A great on-site to an overlooked segment of women who contributed to this he Allies success in WW2.

I love Luis ALberto Urrea’s other novels, but I could not get into this one. It is historical fiction about a corps of women who were tasked with serving coffee and donuts to the troops during WWII

The title of this book is what hooked me. I loved the title. It was really clever. I also really appreciated every detail I learned that was new about WWII.

I am just not sure how to rate and review this book. There were multiple times I decided to stop reading and then I would pick up the book one more time. So I did not want to keep reading or stop reading. Not sure what that means. But I did finish the book.

There is not a lot of action in the first half of the story. The characters just seem to trudge thru life as women who serve coffee and donuts to our soldiers in WWII. We learn early in the story why they both decided to serve, then we learn more about their personalties as the book progresses.

Please don''t think that this book is all fluff during the horrible war - it is not. Some parts are very descriptive and horribly sad. The last half of the book, they are closer to the front and the women experience war that is raw and will cause a lifetime of nightmares. The women experience war that is boring and predictable, then they experience war that is unpredictable, gruesome, unforgivable, painful physically and emotionally. The boring part for them was also the boring part for me. But the part of war that was hard on them was also hard on me reading it.

I wanted this book to at least have a happy ending. But with war, it is hard to have a happy ending for anyone involved win or lose. It seems like even the side that wins the war still loses so much in the end. I did like the twists and turns the story took close to the end. So it did end well.

So I guess I would rate the first half of the book a 3 - it was slow and lasted too long for me. I would have liked more background information on the women and their families. I always expected the author to share more details about the women and why they chose to leave home and join up. The second half of the book I would rate a 4, even though parts were hard to read. There was too much detail in the harshest parts of war and not enough details about what the main characters were feeling and thinking, why they were acting the way they did.

Determined to make a change in her life, Irene ups and leaves her fiancée in New York to enlist in the Red Cross. Assigned as one of the Donut Dollies, she is sent to Europe during WWII to boost morale of the front line troops. Pared with Dorothy, the pair travel through some of the hardest hit areas, and into the front lines of France. Along the way they find romance, heartbreak, and unendurable horror.

I was amazed at some of the situations that Irene and Dorothy went through. From being bombed and buried alive, to working a shift in a front line hospital, the two friends went through hell! The book was well paced and engaging. The characters showed real growth and movement throughout the book. Overall, 5 out of 5 stars.

WOW. Of all the WWII books I’ve read, this was an amazing new perspective on an incredible tale of bravery that has been long forgotten. This is based on the author’s mother’s own experience and is beyond moving. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the advance copy.