Joy Calloway’s The Star of Camp Greene is a captivating blend of history, heart, and heroism set against the backdrop of a wartime America filled with hope and hardship. Meet Calla Connolly, a Broadway starlet turned wartime songbird, whose glamorous life takes a nosedive when tragedy strikes and her fiancé dies in World War I. Instead of mournful silence, Calla chooses to channel her grief into performing for soldiers, determined to lift their spirits—and her own. But life has other plans. After contracting the Spanish flu at Camp Greene, she overhears a secret that could threaten national security—and her very presence at the camp. Suddenly, she's caught in a web of espionage, rivalries, and unexpected romance, all while secretly singing to the brave men fighting overseas. What makes this story so engaging? Well, it’s the perfect cocktail of historical detail and heartfelt emotion, seasoned with a dash of suspense and a sprinkle of romance. Calla’s resilience shines through as she grapples with her dreams, duty, and a budding romance with a soldier whose secret mission could turn everything upside down. It’s a journey of self-discovery that keeps you rooting for her until the very last note. Joy Calloway masterfully captures the spirit of an era where courage was tested both on and off the battlefield. Whether you're a fan of historical fiction, compelling characters, or stories about finding hope in unexpected places, this book hits all the right notes. Just be prepared—you might find yourself humming a tune long after the final page!

This story is a beautiful tale of those that stayed behind during WW1. This different point of view helps to complete the historical fiction library for this time period for a well rounded view.

I received an Advanced Reader Copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I wish I had listened to the author's note before I read the book. The book is apparently loosely inspired on Elsie Janis and chronicles a fictionalized group of army trainees who lived and trained in the real life Camp Greene, and knowing this ahead of time might have made the book a bit more palatable for me. As it was, I found Calla incredibly narcissistic and self-centered. The number of times she laments about something preventing her from going to the front started to grate on me from the very beginning, to the point that I nearly did not finish the book. While ostensibly a war story, it felt so far removed from the war that I found it dull and unbelievable. I am sure there are a number of people who would enjoy this book immensely. Sadly, I am not one of them.

In this book a musical starlet visiting a military base in North Carolina during WWI overhears a critical secret. This means that she has to stay at the camp under the supervision of of the handsome officer she overheard. This book follows her story and their romance and deals with serious military, desertion and racism issues and also incorporates whimsical moments at the camp and in the town. It's a fast and uncomplicated read. I really enjoyed it and would recommend it to any fans of historical fiction.

Thank you to Harper Muse Audiobooks for an advance listening copy for an unbiased review.

I gravitated towards this story due to being set in Charlotte, WWI and having a female lead. Callaway has done a remarkable job with the historic details. I struggled with the beginning, staying with the loss a bit too long for my personal taste. The ending gave me chills and had a good character arc.

I absolutely loved this book. I was drawn in right away and fell in love with Calla and her story. I love her heart for others and her heart for entertaining the soldiers and bringing some joy to them. While she was at Camp Green after surviving the Spanish Flu, she is exposed to military secrets and is ordered to stay at Camp Green. She is required to travel and be with the head Jessie. As time goes on, he grows on her. She begins putting together shows for the camp and using soldiers from camp and allowing them to showcase their talents. She has such love for them and wants to get them noticed. For their talents. Then there is a huge issue which results in her being arrested on base. Read the book to see what happens.

I loved this book!!!

I loved those reading the audiobook!

I was excited to receive this as an ALC! North Carolina, especially Charlotte, has a special place in my heart. It was so cool to learn about this part of Charlotte's history I had no idea about.

Brief summary: a performer is going around performing for soldiers. At Camp Greene, she becomes ill with the Spanish flu and infects the camp. While recovering, she hears classified information, forcing her to remain at the camp indefinitely.

The narrator was absolutely fantastic and added so much to this emotional story.

Y'all. Enemies to lovers. I will always love this trope!!

We also explore themes of racial equality and old fashioned views of divorce as shameful in society.

This book is a triumph! So emotional. The romance and tragedy of war is shown with such care, beauty, and heartbreak.

This review will be posted on my booksta, toomanyfivestarreads.

When a Broadway star touring American training camps performing for soldiers to provide them entertainment overhears classified information in a hospital while at Camp Greene in North Carolina when she contracts the Spanish flu, she is restricted from leaving and continuing her tour; Calla Connelly is an incredible heroine- I absolutely loved this beautiful story that Joy Callaway has created. Well researched and not only entertaining with a heartwarming second chance romance storyline there are twists and turns in the story that you won’t see coming. My new favorite read from Joy Callaway!

The audiobook was produced to perfection; such great entertainment. I could listen to Brittany Pressley read the phonebook she always does a fabulous narration.

Thank you @harpermuse for my early copy of @joywcal upcoming new release, THE STAR OF CAMP GREENE, publishing May 6, 2025.

I have enjoyed so many of Joy Callaway’s historical fiction novels and I squealed when this arrived! I loved What the Mountains Remember, and I am also looking forward to her next novel, Sing Me Home to Carolina.

Growing up in Tennessee, North Carolina has a special place in my heart as well, so I always find comfort when a story is set in this beautiful state.

THE STAR OF CAMP GREENE is set in Charlotte, NC in 1918 at, you guessed it: Camp Greene. I was unfamiliar with Camp Greene, so I enjoyed learning more about this war camp and the WWI time period, rather than the typical WWII.

Calla Connolly is a singer, dancer, stage star that wants to cheer up troops with her performances after losing the love of her life. In the midst of her tour, she contracts the Spanish Flu (a fascinating glimpse into life during this pandemic), and is thus trapped at Camp Greene for a while.

The novel includes wild adventures in a theme park (I love a good old school carousel and wooden roller coaster ride!), learning to bloom where you are planted, and a second chance at redemptive love.

If you enjoy historical fiction, the arts, war-front settings, and hometown heroes, you will enjoy this novel!

"Sometimes heroism is found in dreams deferred."

Calla Connolly is a Broadway star during WWI. She is on a tour of American army camps to entertain and inspire the soldiers. When her fiancée is tragically killed in the war, she hopes for General Pershing to approve a tour to the men in France to honor her fiance's memory. Unfortunately, it is 1918 North Carolina, and she contracts the Spanish flu. This leads to more disappointment for not only does another entertainer swoop in to steal her tour, she overhears a military secret while in the hospital and is confined by a colonel to remain at Camp Greene. How will she make her dreams come true?

This is a meticulously researched story of inspiration and second chances. It is also historical fiction surrounding the Spanish flu, WWI, military camps, and entertainer tours. These are subjects that I have read little about in 1918 America. I am more familiar with the European history of these topics. The contrast between grief, war, and a pandemic against Calla falling in love again and forging a new path for herself at Camp Greene makes it a more uplifting read than most covering WWI and the Spanish flu. The audiobook performance by Brittany Pressley is outstanding.

Many thanks to NetGalley, Harper Muse Audiobooks, and Joy Callaway for an advance listening copy in exchange for my honest review. 🎧

#TheStarOfCampGreene #JoyCallaway #NetGalley #HarperMuseAudiobooks #Historicalfiction #Romance #WWI #SpanishFlu #USOtours #ARCreview #read #bestbooks2025 #Bookstagram #2025TBR #anticipatedbooks #bookreview #booksofinstagram #bookrecommendations #readersofinstagram #booklover #bookworm #bookclub

"I shut my eyes and envisioned myself in front of these men, their faces brightening--if only for a moment--with my music. My voice couldn't end a war or spare their lives, but it might give them the strength to continue on to tomorrow."

Broadway star, Calla Connolly, wants nothing more than to be "over there" in France with the troops to brighten their spirits. She feels compelled to entertain the troops, carrying out the dream she shared with her fiance who died in the war. As Calla awaits permission from General Pershing to tour France, she falls ill with the Spanish flu while performing at Camp Greene. Her hopes of touring abroad are dashed when its discovered she accidentally overheard war plans. To protect that secret, the Army restricts her to Camp Greene for the duration of the war, and this puts her at odds with Colonel Jesse Erickson, the man who inadvertently exposed her to the secret and caused her detention. As frustrated as Calla is, she is determined to make lemonade out of lemons and boost the spirits of the men of Camp Greene by entertaining them, until the secrets she keeps threaten all her dreams and friends.

I really enjoyed Calla, Jesse, and the other characters' devotion & support of each other at a time when there was a "war to end all wars", a pandemic, and lean times. Calla keeps a positive outlook and is not only humble but self-sacrificing in many ways. The enemies to friends' (closed door) romance with Jesse is tender and healing as both of them have previously had their hearts broken. In some ways, I would describe this as a character driven novel, as the author builds relationships through the day-to-day activity of the camp. You get a real sense of the morale of the soldiers and their fear of being sent to fight the Huns.      

This was such an interesting look at WWI history on the home front. The author is based in North Carolina, a state that I love to visit, and I appreciate how Joy finds nuggets of NC history for her novels. I had no idea that during WWI the city of Charlotte with a population of about 46,000 supported Camp Greene which housed 40,000 men mostly in a city of tents. After the war, Camp Greene was dismantled. I've followed Joy's books from her debut, and she never fails to leave me feeling uplifted with her books. This is another great one!

I loved the e-ARC so much that I requested the audio version and swooned all over again!

As a reader with a musical background and family ties to the military, I could not have been more excited to read The Star of Camp Greene by Joy Callaway. My goodness, I loved this book!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

This is not your typical wartime novel. In her creative way, Joy gifted us with a new spin on the historical fiction carousel and I cannot recommend this book enough for those who appreciate the genre blended with romance and southern fiction.

Readers follow Calla Connolly (a Taylor Swift-esque musician with a soft spot for bringing joy to soldiers serving their country during WWI) and her adventures, setbacks, heart breaks, scandals, and successes! Even though she is forced to remain at Camp Greene after she overhead a secret, Calla is such a light and determines to shine as she scoffs at race "rules," calms and engages the masses, and wins the hearts of everyone caught in her rays.

With the majority of the action taking place in Charlotte, NC, Joy skillfully wove in bits of the city's history throughout the novel (detailed further in the brilliant author's note.)

Joy hooks you, keeps you, breaks you, and rebuilds you in this MUST-read tale of finding/being the silver lining even in the most challenging times.

The narrator perfectly elicits every emotion Joy wove throughout the scenes of this beautiful book. Brava to all for a splendid production!

In The Star of Camp Greene, Calla Connolly is a famous broadway singer that finds herself stuck at Camp Greene in Charlotte during the First World War. After losing her fiancé during the early years of the war, she is doing her best to honor him by continuing her performances to bolster the spirits of the American soldiers. When she falls ill at Camp Greene and mistakenly hears some sensitive wartime information, her dreams of touring on the front in France are put on hold indefinitely.

I’ve read very few World War I historical fiction novels, so I was excited to give this one a try! It had such a unique perspective, too. I loved the scenes of life at Camp Greene and in Charlotte. The mix of emotions as the soldiers prepared to ship out overseas added such depth to the characters and story. I fell in love with Calla and the other residents of Camp Greene over and over again! And I thought the romance plot was perfect without completely overshadowing the wartime, historical fiction aspects of the story. Overall, I really enjoyed this one! The audio narration was great as well.

Now, this is my first book by this author. And even though I found it a bit too sweet in places. I did enjoy it.

While convalescing, Calla inadvertently overhears a sensitive Army secret and is ordered to remain at Camp Greene for the duration of the war while her former mentor and rival steals her tour out from under her. Having no choice but to stay at the camp, she becomes the resident performer and forms attachments to several musician and soldiers, one being the head of the whole camp, Jessie

I loved the setting of Camp Greene during WWI. There are not too many books that I have read lately during this time period. So this was definitely a unique setting for me.

Then there is Calla and Jessie. While I enjoyed Calla and her personality, I was not a fan of some of her dramatics. She was a bit over zealous about some things and that was a bit annoying 😂. Then there is Jessie. He is top notch! I loved his principles. He is a stand up guy and I fell for him!

The narrator, Brittany Pressley, did a great job. There was one voice I was not a big fan of. But it was a minor character. There are a lot of characters in here and she did a great job keeping them all straight and different.

This story has a little bit of everything…romance, secrets, drama and of course music!

Need a tale set in a great time period…THIS IS IT! Grab your copy today.

I received this novel from the publisher for a honest review.

Thanks to Harper Muse Audiobooks and Netgalley for ALC.

Ever since I was traumatized by Kristen Hannah’s The Nightingale I try to avoid stories that are set during WWI and WWII, but this was a unique setting; in 1918 a vaudeville/broadway star entertaining the troops in a training camp in North Carolina, Camp Greene. Calla Connolly wants to gain permission to entertain the troops on the front in Europe, driven by a promise she made to her late fiancé. Due to the unfortunate event of contracting the Spanish flu and a misunderstanding with one of Camp Greene’s senior officers, she is unable to achieve her goal and is stuck on the camp. There she examines her life and relationships and finds love and friendship in the most unexpected places.

This was beautiful! The narrator Brittany Pressley really brought the story to life and I found myself looking into all the historical references, political, social and fashion related too.

The Star of Camp Greene
by Joy Callaway
Narrated by Brittany Pressley

Unfortunately, I wasn't able to finish this audiobook, as I found that it didn't resonate with me personally. I made it to about 30%, but I struggled to connect with the characters and the plot. While the writing and narration were well done, I believe this particular story simply wasn't the right fit for my tastes. Others may enjoy it, but it didn't hold my interest.

Calla Callaway is a broadway star mourning her dead fiance who contracts the Spanish flu, overhears classified information and is forced to remain at the Camp Greene training camp in North Carolina. Calla forms bonds with some fellow musicians while staying at the camp and ends up falling for the commander responsible for her confinement. This was a great look at a different side of WWI entertainers and excellent on audio narrated by my very fav, Brittany Pressley. Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an early audio and #gifted finished copy in exchange for my honest review!

Thank you to NetGalley and Harper Muse Audiobooks for and advanced copy to listen to and review.

This story begins in the terrible summer of 1918, not long after the United States was persuaded to round up its men for active duty on the western front. The nation is filled with dread, thanks to rising casualties, pressure to enlist, conscription, and the Spanish flu. All of these figure strongly in Joy Calloway’s story, as they do in all Great War fiction. What sets hers apart is that it is actually a story about the American home front—the protagonist, performer Calla Connolly spends the better part of the novel longing and plotting to go to France, arriving only in the epilogue, when the war is over.

Calloway has done an enormous amount of research on the largest American military base on native soil, Camp Greene in North Carolina. She is especially good at conjuring up everyday life for men training to take up arms, for the women who also work at the base, such as nurse Grace, tending to the flu-stricken with limited supplies and at great risk to themselves. I also found her attention to racism and segregation and the impacts of Jim Crow laws on both Black and White enlisted men and women very compelling. Plus the glimpses of popular culture, with Broadway still the jewel of popular culture and the growing interest in jazz, are fascinating. There is also romantic intrigue in various corners, in and outside of the camp, to keep things interesting.
There is lots going on.

There are many positives, including the author’s writing. But there are also many ways in which the plot and various ways in which there is ‘lots going on’ leads to a certain change for readers to keep things straight. I was especially befuddled about the leading men, whether army officers of varying ranks, including her eventual love interest Jesse, musicians, ordinary soldiers, those on their way overseas, those already there, those like her fiancé, with the British army and already a casualty through all this. The same is true for the women in the story. They flit in and out of the main action. The musical scenes are fun but too long. And Calla really does play the star—she is truly in the spotlight everywhere, all the time.

What’s worse is that I really don’t like Calla. For a women who is very much a supporter of equality, described by all who know her as strong and unafraid, she spends a lot of time snuffling, tearing up, holding back tears, wailing, whining and sobbing. I kept thinking I should have kept count of the many times those descriptors were used. It makes for much eye rolling to accompany the listening. I felt sorry for veteran narrator Brittany Pressley, who had to use a high pitched whinging tone to convey the protagonist’s emotions. A little more backbone and a lot less tangential detail would have made this novel much more satisfying.

This has NOT YET BEEN RELEASED!! Please look 👀 for it on 5/6/25!!

I. Am. Torn. Apart!
I….loved, loved, llllooooovvvved this book!
Honestly, with the title…I thought this was going to be about Hitler…and Auschwitz. And so, I had put it off a little bit, in order to be in the right frame of mind for that type of book. Well, I was happily surprised.

This instead takes place in the USA….in North Carolina… in the mid 1910’s, and revolves around a young woman who is a well known singer, who lost her fiancé in the war. However, she had PROMISED him that she would continue singing FOR THE SOLDIERS… in order to boost their morale, as they prepared for and entered war zones.

As we begin our story in Camp Greene, Calla is performing for the troops… gets lightheaded with a dry, scratchy throat… and proceeds to pass out. She wakes up much later, in the hospital, with a fragile diagnosis… one that she’s not sure she will make it through… but, with much time, care, and new friendships… she does.
Unfortunately, during this time she hears something that she was NOT privy to, and is now basically under house arrest.
SHE. IS. NOT. HAPPY!!
She wants to get out of there to continue performing, but her hands are tied. She is now STUCK there for the foreseeable future. 😫

As time goes on, with her beautiful, caring, sweet personality she meets and makes many friends, and also finds many soldiers who are musically gifted!! She is intent on getting them in the spotlight… somehow.

Although she continues to plead her case to leave so that she can entertain the troops overseas, her pleas seem to land on deaf ears…

As time goes on, her friendships become stronger and soon she is bonding to so many of the people at the camp… soldiers and townspeople alike. Until soon enough, she feels like she is one of them!

I’m going to 🛑🛑 stop it right here! 🛑🛑 There is so much more to this story, but I don’t want to give anymore away, so, if this sounds like something you’d enjoy, please look 👀 for it in a few days!
**** RELEASE DATE IS MAY 6, 2025… so a few days from now! ****

#TheStarOfCampGreene by #JoyCalloway. Narrated phenomenally by #BrittanyPressley!

ALL THE STARS FOR ME…. AND THEN SOME!! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫💫💫💫💫✨✨✨✨✨🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟

This one had it all! Made me laugh. Made me cry. Made me think…

Thanks so much to #NetGalley and #HarperMuseAudio for an ARC of the audiobook, in exchange for an honest review.

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Another great book from author Joy Callaway! She obviously puts her heart and soul in researching and writing her books and this one is no exception! I would recommend this book to anyone that loves historical fiction and characters that are easy to fall in love with! Thank you to Netgalley, the author and the publisher for a chance to read and review this book in exchange for an honest review.