The Beantown Girls, Jane Healey
The Beantown Girls, Jane Healey
5 Rating(s)
List: $42.99 | Sale: $30.10
Club: $21.49

The Beantown Girls

Author: Jane Healey

Narrator: Sarah Mollo-Christensen

Unabridged: 11 hr 22 min

Format: Digital Audiobook Download (DRM Protected)

Published: 02/05/2019


Synopsis

An Amazon Charts and Washington Post bestseller.A novel of love, courage, and danger unfolds as World War II’s brightest heroines—the Clubmobile girls—take on the front lines.1944: Fiona Denning has her entire future planned out. She’ll work in city hall, marry her fiancé when he returns from the war, and settle down in the Boston suburbs. But when her fiancé is reported missing after being shot down in Germany, Fiona’s long-held plans are shattered.Determined to learn her fiancé’s fate, Fiona leaves Boston to volunteer overseas as a Red Cross Clubmobile girl, recruiting her two best friends to come along. There’s the outspoken Viviana, who is more than happy to quit her secretarial job for a taste of adventure. Then there’s Dottie, a shy music teacher whose melodious talents are sure to bring heart and hope to the boys on the front lines.Chosen for their inner strength and outer charm, the trio isn’t prepared for the daunting challenges of war. But through it all come new friendships and romances, unforeseen dangers, and unexpected dreams. As the three friends begin to understand the real reasons they all came to the front, their courage and camaraderie will see them through some of the best and worst times of their lives.

About Jane Healey

Jane Healey is a bestselling author of historical fiction. Her novels include her debut The Saturday Evening Girls Club and The Beantown Girls, a Washington Post and Amazon Charts bestseller. Her third novel The Secret Stealers, a WWII spy thriller, was an Amazon First Reads Editor’s Pick and a Historical Novel Society’s Editors’ Choice pick. Her latest novel, Goodnight from Paris, inspired by the life of Hollywood actress Drue Leyton, released in March 2023.Jane is also the host of Historical Happy Hour, a monthly webinar and podcast featuring premiere historical fiction authors and their latest books.A graduate of the University of New Hampshire and Northeastern University, Jane shares a home north of Boston with her husband, two daughters, two cats, and one teacup golden doodle.Website: https://janehealey.comPodcast: https://www.historicalhappyhour.comFacebook: https://facebook.com/JaneHealeyBooksTwitter and Instagram: @healeyjaneYouTube: https://bit.ly/2O3c72b


Reviews

Goodreads review by Jennifer ~ TarHeelReader on March 03, 2019

Sometimes a book just hits you at the right time...and blows you away with its warmth. ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ The Beantown Girls is a doozy of a warm-hearted histfic read! Fiona Denning is a planner. She knows who she’ll marry, when, what she’ll do until then. But, in truth, her future is up in the air. It’s......more

Goodreads review by Shari on February 11, 2019

Barely historical fiction This is 10 percent historical fiction and 90 percent fluff. More romance, with girls overly concerned with their makeup, who all happen to fall in love at first sight. And then neatly tied up with a bow type ending. 2 stars just for introducing red cross donut mobiles, a sub......more

Goodreads review by DJ on February 05, 2019

Favorite Quotes: Ready or not, we’re on our way to England. We just went through six weeks of training for these jobs. I had to learn to play badminton, for the love of God. There’s no turning back now. I realized I was in a much better mood than when I arrived. I was supposed to be the one boosting t......more

Goodreads review by Elizabeth of Silver's Reviews on May 13, 2023

Leaving Boston and their jobs to become Red Cross Clubmobile Girls is where we meet Viv, Dottie, and Fiona. They all had different reasons for joining the Red Cross, but besides being a volunteer, Fiona's other reason was to find her missing fiance, Danny. When they arrive in London, a buzz bomb greet......more

Goodreads review by Sherri on February 25, 2019

This book kept me up awake at night into the wee hours. It was interesting to learn about the Red Cross Clubmobile girls and how much they helped during the WW2. I just loved Fiona the best and was rooting for her the whole way. Wow what a story!......more


Quotes

The Beantown Girls tells the little-known story of the women who volunteered to be Red Cross ‘Clubmobile Girls,’ serving on the front lines of World War Two as they provided soldiers with coffee, doughnuts, and the comfort of home. Fiona, Dottie, and Viv hardly know what to expect once their training begins, but they will be pushed to their limits as they discover courage they didn't know they had and the importance of friendship.” —POPSUGARThe Beantown Girls offers a glimpse of the ‘Greatest Generation’ and the sacrifices of war from a female perspective, and once again brings to light their breathtaking courage, compassion, and sacrifice during one of the most volatile times in our history.” Northshore Magazine“Healey relied on diaries, letters, and other records left by real-life Clubmobile Service girls to create this straightforward tale serving a slice of WWII history.” Booklist“While the characters are fictional, Healey meticulously researched these women and based much of the book on historical events and information gathered from primary sources, thus giving the reader the fullest sense of what these women accomplished.” —Historical Novel Society “This was a heartbreaking book that will grab you and won't let go until that last page is read.” Lone Tree Reviews“Equally heartbreaking and heartwarming, this meticulously researched book about the fascinating Red Cross Clubmobile program charmed me from page one. I fell in love with the characters and how Healey brought this important piece of WWII history to life. The Beantown Girls is must-read historical fiction about love, hope, friendship, and the resilience of the human spirit.” —Susie Orman Schnall, award-winning author of The Subway Girls“A fantastic story of friendship, love, and bravery. Historical fiction at its finest, inviting the reader into little-known parts of our past and bringing it to bloom with characters we love right away.” —Camille Di Maio, bestselling author of The Memory of Us“If you yearn for a sweeping, romantic, and altogether wonderful novel, look no further. If you like your novels filled with character, detail, and life, here is your next big read. If you want to see World War II from an entirely new perspective, settle in with The Beantown Girls, a brave group of young American[s]…who head for Europe in 1944. As they live and grow through one of the pivotal years in human history, you will grow to love them.” —William Martin, New York Times bestselling author of Cape Cod and Bound for Gold“Brilliantly written, The Beantown Girls captured me from the first page. The dangers of war mingle beautifully with the wide-eyed innocence of three young women who find themselves in extraordinary and sometimes harrowing circumstances. History is honored in this vital look at WWII told from a female perspective. This is an important book not to be missed!” —Heather Burch, Amazon bestselling author of In the Light of the Garden“In The Beantown Girls, Jane Healey delivers a novel that whisks us to the final harrowing months of World War II in Europe, and brings it painfully, beautifully, heartbreakingly alive. Through the eyes of Fiona Denning, a Red Cross Clubmobile worker, and her colleagues, we witness firsthand not only acts of jaw-dropping courage and sacrifice, but also the romantic bonds that grow even during the horrors of war. Healey’s superb research lets us see the decimated cities, smell the doughnuts and coffee handed out at great risk on the front lines, and hear the big band music—as well as the approach of the next bomb. I loved this novel!” —Joy Jordan-Lake, bestselling author of A Tangled Mercy“From the beginning of this inspiring novel, the reader is swept into a riveting story that combines the realities of WWII with the bond of true friendship and dedication to the highest cause, told from the little-known perspective of Red Cross Clubmobile Girls. Jane Healey’s extensive research and fine storytelling skills offer a page-turner that goes straight to the heart. Historical fiction at its best!” —Patricia Sands, author of the bestselling Love in Provence series“A fascinating novel about a little-known wartime sacrifice, The Beantown Girls is lovingly crafted, heartbreaking, and illuminated with hope. I couldn’t put it down!” —Ellen Marie Wiseman, author of The Life She Was Given“Jane Healey’s wonderful new work of historical fiction, The Beantown Girls, provides a fresh and heartwarming perspective on American participation in Europe during the closing years of World War II. The story follows a group of courageous young women who volunteer to serve coffee, donuts, and emotional support to Allied soldiers on the front lines. Jane masterfully captures the era with its style, music, fashion, and dialogue, and the reader is instantly whisked back to the 1940s. The engaging personalities of these girls in their Red Cross Clubmobiles are sure to captivate the reader. It’s like Band of Brothers in Red Cross uniforms.” —Ron Balson, internationally bestselling author of Once We Were BrothersThe Beantown Girls by Jane Healey tells the story of the brave women who served as Red Cross Clubmobile girls during World War II, offering comfort and a slice of home to our soldiers. A story of friendship and courage, The Beantown Girls will delight fans of historical fiction and women’s fiction alike.” —Brenda Janowitz, author of The Dinner Party