A surprisingly gentle WWI romance that unfortunately failed to live up to expectations. Characters were sadly two dimensional and there was very little spark in the romance. None-the-less, I can see many romance fans enjoying this one.

This new-to-me author filled this World War 1 novel with historical detail, a touch of romance, and a smidgen of mystery. The focus of the story was the unsung heroes of the American Women's Hospital and their service during World War 1. These remarkable women funded, planned, organized, trained, and equipped all-female medical teams to serve in France during the war. The particular stars of this story were the women ambulance drivers who saw much more of the grittiness and horrors of war than those back in the hospital although they saw the after effects.

Arlene lost everything with the fire that destroyed her family's stud farm house and the death of her father in that fire. The final blow was learning that their father had left them nothing. Her only option to take care of her mother and brother was to join the American Women's Hospital group as an ambulance driver. With determination and strength, Arlene left the US and headed to France with the first group from AWH. The story follows her throughout her service and Cree's historical detail brought World War 1 to life through all the highs and lows that both these women, the civilians, and the military personnel faced.

Well written with fascinating historical detail, this was a compelling read from start to finish.

**I received a complimentary copy of this book from Gilead Publishing through NetGalley. Opinions are mine alone. I was not compensated for this review.

Having lost her father, her home, and her family's business in a tragic fire, Arlene Favier leaves Paris, Kentucky for Cincinatti and then to France after being recruited to drive an ambulance during World War I.

I enjoyed learning about the American Women's Hospital and the aid they provided to soldiers and civilizians during World War I. I wished there had been more details about the service they provided and what it meant to the women of that time to be a part of that group. But unfortunately, I felt a little distant from these characters; they all seemed rather flat and hard to connect with. Soon the plot centered in on a romance and a villain, with Arlene getting wrapped up in a dangerously foolish scheme to thwart the narcissistic officer who is pursuing her.

I probably wouldn't recommend this book to friends, though I appreciate the free advance copy I received from the publisher and Netgalley.

When Arlene Favier’s family loses everything her father dies in the fire that destroys their house. When they realize that they have lost almost everything, Arlene knows it’s up to her to support her mother and younger brother and help her family rebuild some semblance of the life they knew. When her job search leads her to a job as a bilingual ambulance driver for the American Women’s Hospital in France, she ends up helping not only the people of France, but on the front lines during World War I.
Thrust into situations she has never faced before, she finds more strength and compassion than she realized had; and an unexpected love with a boy from her past, far from home. Every step of the way, Arlene showed courage and strength of character. A fictional work based on historical events, this was an engrossing read that had me emotional and teary-eyed reading about many of Arlene’s experiences. If you enjoy reading about strong women and World War I, I recommend this one. It was interesting to read and learn about another group, instrumental in a war, that I had not heard of to date.
Thank you to NetGalley for my advanced review copy. All opinions and thoughts are my own.
#MercyRoad #WWI #AmericanWomensHospital #AnnHowardCreel

Mercy Road is a historical drama set in World War Two France. The author has written a captivating account of ambulance women drivers and doctors braving war torn France. Well researched.

Having read The Whiskey Sea by Ann Howard Creel, I had high hopes for this one. I expected a book with a fierce, female protagonist going against the grains of society to help out with a good cause. Unfortunately around the 20% mark this book started to fall flat for me.

I was drawn in my the initial plot action of Arlene's house burning down, and then the aftermath of the family having to rebuild, but as soon as she was sent to France it seemed like the majority of action ceased. Which I thought was odd, considering this book was supposed to focus on the female ambulance drivers.

I thought the other characters were pretty two dimensional. You get a sense for who the villains are straight away, and they are pretty obviously villainous with no redemptive qualities. I cringed reading through her scenes with Brohammer (and seriously that name says it all as to the type of person he is).

If you're someone who just likes light hearted historical fiction and doesn't mind being told what is happening versus seeing it through action then this one would be for you. Unfortunately it just wasn't a fit for me.

I would give it 3.5 stars. I really enjoyed it and find it fascinating what woman did during the war. I didn't know about the American Women's Hospital. I can't imagine driving an ambulance during a war and trying to navigate on roads that don't have signs or may have the occasion crater from a bomb. I liked the characters, story and writing style. Arlene was hard not to like, she was sweet, hardworking and would do anything for her family. I'm not sure Arlene would have really had that reaction when she finally learned Cass's secret. This is 1918, not 2019. I know they were friends, but it wasn't something people just accepted and were fine with. Captain Brohammer was just so over the top. Are you a virgin?? Is that really something a man would have asked on a date in 1918?? Arlene should have reported him to the doctors right away. She was uncomfortable with him and he was always harassing her. I enjoyed the book more when it focused on Arlene and the ambulance drivers, rather than Jimmy and Brohammer.

Definitely recommend the book, especially if you enjoy historical fiction. There's a bit of romance. Look forward to reading more books by the author. Love the cover of the book.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from Lake Union Publishing through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

The fire that burned down Arlene Favier’s home, and killed her father, changed everything for her. Now she and her family have to rebuild their lives, but all they have left is the land where their horse farm sat near Paris, Kentucky, the few horses they have, and the stables to house them. All Arlene knows how to do is breed horses, and her only other talents are her ability to speak French fluently, and drive a car. When trying to find a job to support them all, she gets recruited to become an ambulance driver in France, at the height of “Great War” in Europe. The only thing standing between them and abject poverty is if Arlene can survive the war to its end, and return home with enough pay to start up the family business again, and that’s exactly what Arlene intends to do, not knowing what she’s about to face.

Before reading this book, I did know a tiny bit about the American Women’s Hospital work in France during the first World War, but not much to be honest. This is exactly what Creel has decided to reveal to readers through this novel, and I was very pleased to see how nicely Creel combined the facts and history with a very believable fictional character and the hellish conditions of that war. As we historical fiction lovers know, sometimes the history becomes too prominent, and sometimes it gets lost in these stories, but I think Creel hit the balance perfectly here. This is no surprise since, although this is the first of Creel’s novels I’ve read, she’s apparently quite the dab hand at historical fiction, with four other adult novels (and some YA and Middle Grade books) already under her belt.

Mind you, there were a couple things that didn’t sit completely right with me. First of all, the romance. My regular readers will know that I’m not really into romance novels. That said, while I really don’t think this book qualifies to be included in that genre, I have to say that the romantic element here was actually a touch underwhelming in this instance. Yes, really – strange, right? What I’m saying is that the romantic element here came out of the blue, with just the tiniest bit of a hint of it in the first chapters of the book. The thing is, that early hint was so subtle that when this familiar guy shows up so much later in the book, I had completely forgotten about him. Now, if Creel had brought him back earlier, or played him up a tiny bit more when he appears earlier on, I might not have been so blindsided by that arc of the story. That said, I liked that relationship a whole lot, and it made sense. As for the other thing that I was unhappy with, that would be how the conflict with the book’s antagonist ended, which I found unsatisfying. I’d say more but then I’d be delving into the spoiler zone, and you know I’d never do that!

What I really liked here was how Creel drew Arlene as a character. Here’s a young woman who is basically a victim of circumstance, and who lived a mostly sheltered life, when suddenly reality hits her square in the face and leaves her adrift in the world to make her way, totally unprepared. The fact that she seems to be so resilient, so able to adapt, and so able to cope with the horrors around her seem very believable. What’s more, Arlene doesn’t really know how much inner strength she actually has until she needs to call upon it when things get tough. Creel did a beautiful job of making Arlene into a quiet hero, the type of woman who cares so much, she doesn’t know her own bravery. I especially liked how Arlene saw through the bravado and charm of Creel’s antagonist right away. This also means that Creel did an excellent job of portraying him as the smarmy bastard he was, and infusing him with the types of aspects that make him scary as well.

Finally, Creel’s writing style is also another plus for this book. While there are passages here where the descriptions of France are highly lyrical, most of the text is very straightforward, with some of the more graphic parts of working near the front lines getting a darker feel to them. While this might sound like it was inconsistent, I can assure you that the transitions allowed and I felt it gave a good balance between the horrors of war and the types of positive things people did to relieve what suffering they could for both the soldiers and civilians caught up in the fighting. In fact, I think there was an overall hopeful tone to this book, which I liked very much. For this, I think Creel’s book deserves to be recommended for lovers of historical fiction and the WWI era, with a healthy four out of five stars.

A well written, very interesting look at the women of the female ambulance crops of WWI. I was not aware the service these women offered and enjoyed learning more about their service.

The author did a brilliant job of capturing the time period in this novel. The characters and plot were also well written. This was a great piece of historical fiction!

Title: Mercy Road
Author: Ann Howard Creel
Genre: Historical fiction
Rating: 4 out of 5

In 1917, Arlene Favier’s home burns to the ground one night. Her father dies in the fire, leaving Arlene to care for her mother and brother and try to rebuild the family’s horse-breeding business. Arlene is determined, but jobs are scarce, especially for women. Until she gets the opportunity to join the American Women’s Hospital as an ambulance driver.

Soon Arlene is part of a trailblazing all-women team of doctors, nurses, and drivers headed to war-torn France. Arlene must work day and night dodging bombs and shells to help civilians and soldiers escape the horrors of war. Somehow, she has caught the attention of Felix Brohammer, a captain who charms everyone he meets—except Arlene, who sees darkness in the man’s eyes.

Arlene also finds Jimmy, a childhood friend who makes her feel things she never imagined. But she’ll have to risk everything—and everyone she loves—to find out the truth about Felix.

I thoroughly enjoyed this historical tale. The courage and bravery of this team of women stuns me. I cannot imagine how much strength it would take to not only work on the front lines of war, but to do so while fighting centuries of tradition and rules preventing women from doing so. Arlene’ strength and determination shine through on every page, and her love for those around her motivates everything she does. Definitely worth reading.

Ann Howard Creel is an award-winning author. Mercy Road is her newest novel.

(Galley courtesy of Lake Union Publishing via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.)

Wartime Intrigue. This is yet another Lake Union book dealing with the Great War this year, and this one presents a few wrinkles other similar efforts have not - which is always welcome by this wide ranging reader. Very solid work, from the setup in rural Kentucky through the bulk of the tale in France and through the conclusion of the tale. Presents its various topics in a very period-appropriate setting while also using them to discuss larger issues. Great story, my first from this author - and won't be my last. Very much recommended.

Favier Farms has a reputation for race-winning Thoroughbreds and the French-born master of the manor a special knack for finding the best. Unfortunately, a fire levels the house he and his wife lovingly built and where Arlene Favier and her brother Luc were raised. It is after the devastating fire that also kills her father they discover the truth of the finances.

Desperate for employment to keep family and farm together, Arlene discovers an unusual opportunity for a woman in 1918. Owing to her father teaching her French and how to drive, Arlene will ship over to the last vestiges of the great war in France to drive an ambulance for the American Women's Hospital Services.

What follows is a narrative into the war-torn country now covered with destruction and desolation, ashes and shell-pocked country roads. The group Arlene arrives with gradually begin the acclimation but it takes a huge toll on the women.

Arlene is fairly well developed, although not all support characters are. She is quickly pursued by US officer Brohammer and rejects his advances according to rules, but he is having none of it. In the meantime, she discovers a childhood friend likewise driving an ambulance. A reigniting proceeds between herself and Jimmy and the ensuing romance pops back and forth into the storyline.

Written in first person through Arlene, the story is well-plotted and the pace even albeit slowed somewhat by the irrational interest of the narcissistic officer and the romance with Jimmy. I enjoyed the informational bits of the ambulance, the countryside, the people of France, the description of the missions and the reacquainting of the flu epidemic. The climax came with a sinking heart. Still, the author weaves a plausible concluding scenario with most loose threads neatly tied.

I received this ARC from the publisher through NetGalley and greatly appreciated the opportunity to read and review. And BTW, I absolutely love that cover! Recommended for any who enjoy historical fiction (based on the true story), WWI narratives, and positive achievements by women.

3.5 stars rounded up

The story begins in 1917 after Arlene's family home burns to the ground, taking her father with it. In an effort to step up and support her family, she joins the ambulance drivers for the American Women's Hospital to work with a team of doctors and nurses in World War I France.

Arlene navigates her role in the war and in entering her own adulthood. She is forced to face the harsh realities of the workforce and in war, and is determined to do everything in her power to make a difference for the better. She meets Felix Brohammer, a conceded army captain who has set his eyes on Arlene, and will stop at nothing to pursue her affections. When Arlene continues to snub him, Brohammer's determination to win her over becomes a sinister obsession Arlene stumbles upon an unsettling secret of Brohammer's and treads carefully in an effort to expose him.

Mercy Road was a well written and heartwarming story. I wished for more history and her involvement in the war than in the drama of creepy Brohammer (even though he made for a notable villain). But what was lacking in the elements of wartime, made up for in a nice little romance when Arlene is reunited with a friend from back home.

Mercy Road by Ann Creel is an amazing story about the women ambulance drivers during WWI. I was impressed with the amount of research that the author did as she shared a list of books she used for research in the back of her book. I had a great uncle who shared some of his stories with me of his experiences in WWI. When he was one hundred years old, he shared That his job was to drive a truck loaded with lumber to the front line in France. The lumber was used to shore up the trenches. In his face, I could see the emotion of his experiences. I kept seeing his face as I read about Arlene, Cass, the wounded soldiers, in Mercy Road.

The story starts out with Arlene’s home being engulfed in fire. Besides the loss of her father, her family is left penniless due to poor business decisions of her father, She travels to Cincinnati to find work to hell support her family. The job she finds is an ambulance driver in France. She speaks French and this helped her get a job.

This book demonstrates the horrors of war, deep friendships formed during very difficult times, and also a romance. Thank you NetGalley and Lake Union Publishing for an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

A great read that had you gripped from the very first page.
It has a social commentary about women’s place in society at the beginning of the 20th century and especially those brave women who went out to France as ambulance drivers during the First World War.
I could not put it down. In some places the story was a little predictable but it did not spoil the enjoyment.

Great novel, highly recommend for those who enjoy the genre. Will be recommending for immediate purchase.

Mercy Road is a lovely fiction novel that brings to light the history of the brave women who refused to sit at home during WW1.

While the US government denied their right to serve, the members of the American Women's Hospital were quietly working in combat zones to save the lives of enlisted men and citizens of the towns impacted by battle. Whatever their motivation for going, these physicians, nurses, and ambulance drivers took great risks to care for the victims.

Arlene Favier grew up in Paris, Kentucky. Together with her French father, American mother, and younger brother Luc, they live on a horse farm where her father is a respected horse breeder. The story opens with the double catastrophe her father's life lost in a terrible fire, along with their entire home. She grew up riding and caring for horses, and believes she and her brother can continue the business. While the house is destroyed, the stable and horses remain.

The devastating revelation that they are broke, along with the loss of their social status, leaves Arlene desperate to find a solution for the family. In 1917, it's practically impossible for a young woman to find the type of work that would enable her to support her family. After numerous dead ends, a chance encounter with a former classmate sends her to Cincinnati in search of work. She applies for a job as an ambulance driver and after being interviewed discovers the position is in France. The money is too good to turn down, and the blessing is that her father had taught her how to drive a car.

This is a story that will have you applauding the resilience of a young woman, faced with tragedy and willing to do what it takes, in order to keep her family together. There is the horror and agony of war, and the sweet glimpses into a budding first love. You'll see the miserable deeds of a vile and vicious man who is used to getting what ever he wants, and who plays evil when he doesn't get it.

At times, Arlene seemed very naive to me about the world, about love, and about people. But when you consider the time the story took place, it makes sense that she would be that way. The love story was a little sappy at the end, but still an excellent read.


Thank you @netgalley and @annhowardcreel and @lakeunionauthors for my #kindleedition #arc #MercyRoad #NetGalley

Arlene got a lot more than she bargained for when she took a job as an ambulance driver in France during WWI in order to help her family after their home burned down. The beginning of this novel of women taking the lead is awkward, at best, but once the action moves to France it improves. Arlene meets Captain Felix Brohammer on her first day in country, a meeting that proves eventful and calamitous. Amidst the chaos, she also reunites with Jimmy, a childhood friend who proves to be a better romantic match. While there's a lot of romance here, Creel also gives a good sense of what the ambulance drivers did, albeit in a much cleaned up way. This is also notable for acknowledging the difficult psychological effects of war. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. For fans of historical fiction.

Arlene lost her father and their house in a fire. They had far less money than they thought, so Arlene must get a job to support her mother, brother and herself. She isn't qualified to do any of the typical jobs for women at that time, such as secretarial work or factory work. She finds out about the ambulance driver position and applies for that. I knew absolutely nothing about the female ambulance drivers in WW1 before reading Mercy Road. Wow! These women were paid volunteers to set up an American hospital. The women doctors weren't even allowed to operate because the men didn't think they were qualified. I liked Arlene. She is a survivor. Her family was in a really rough situation following the fire and she took it upon herself to do what must be done. The author did a great job of creating a very believable story and at the same time, educating us on a historical event. Thank you to Netgalley and Lake Union Publishing for the ARC. All opinions expressed are my own.