Arlene does what she has to in order to support her family during WWI so she becomes an ambulance driver on the front lines in France. This book was very good and had me captivated from the first page. It is a book of strength and fortitude with a little romance mixed in.
Many thanks to Lake Union Publishing and to NetGalley for providing me with a galley in exchange for my honest opinion.

I simply adored this book. The main character grabs you right away and you completely know why she's doing what she's doing. I couldn't put this down and read it within two days. So glad I came across this book.

With this novel, you will uncover an almost lost chapter in US and French history, that of the American Women's Hospital, a medical team of volunteers who went to the aid of France during the Great War. Our heroine is an ambulance driver, who is deeply rendered, sympathetic, and likable. The details are interesting, and the love story evolves sweetly and naturally. A great book.

A well-researched novel that gave an interesting perspective to WWI. It was a nice easy read and followed the pattern of a sweeping war drama. I don't feel like the characters had enough depth to keep me hooked and some of their lines felt a little staged or stilted. I would have liked a little more but I think it would make a satisfying holiday read.

I’ve mentioned before learning a lot about women’s roles during WWI and WWII. This book was written about the American Women’s Hospital. It was formed due to the fact that female doctors were not allowed to serve in the Army medical corps. Through private donations and Red Cross funding, female doctors formed a group including nurses and ambulance drivers that went to France to help local villagers as well as assist the Army when they were overwhelmed, which was much of the time. While there is a great bit of detail included about the courageous women who created the AWH, this is the story of Arlene Favier who has lost her family home and her father in a fire and must find work in order to rebuild her family horse farm and help her mother and brother. Arlene finds a job as an ambulance driver with the American Women’s Hospital and heads to France. During her time she reconnects with Jimmy Tucker who used to work on her family farm. They have a special bond that began when they were teenagers. She also draws the unwanted attentions of an American Army Captain, who is not only persistent, but dangerous as well. Without giving too much away this is a well written story about how a young pampered woman discovers a strength that she did not know that she possessed, friendships which people unlike any she has met before and the power of love that perseveres to create a life when she thought hers was all but over. I found this to be an engaging book, and the suspenseful story line with the American Captain kept me on my toes. Good plot and excellent character development. This was an advanced copy that had not yet been proofed, but the writing was exceptional, and frankly I found fewer errors in this book than those that have already been published. Thank you Net Galley for the advanced copy of this book.

What I love about Ann Howard Creel's books are the way they stay with you, long after you've finished them, and I am sure that this is going to happen again for me with her upcoming release, Mercy Road.

I have just finished Mercy Road, thanks to NetGalley and to Lake Union Publishing for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Somehow, Ann Howard Creel's characters get under my skin and Arlene is a woman for whom I felt empathy from the very first page, when a terrible tragedy causes her to lose everything she has ever known. I felt that I was there with her as she made tough decisions against the backdrop of the First World War, ultimately taking up the opportunity to go to France to serve as an Ambulance driver, just as a group of US women did during that terrible time.

It was at times, a delight to follow Arlene's journey when she had the chance to live a little and when the chance for love broke through. At other times, Arlene's story and the stories from the battlefields in France is moving, heartbreaking. Ann Howard Creel's description of the chaos and personal tragedy for the French people and for the soldiers of World War One has clearly been impeccably researched.

Other things I loved about this book were Ann's almost dreamy descriptions of France. I thought these were extremely well done. The way she was able to find beauty in such brutal times added so much to this memorable book. Ultimately, the characters take their own journeys, and they learn along the way.

I recommend that anyone who is interested in history and who enjoys a good story will be moved by this remarkable book.

Desperate for money after the family home burns down, Arlene joins the American Women’s Hospital ambulance driving team and heads to France.
I wanted to like this a lot more than I did.
I thought the parts about driving an ambulance through air strikes and the toll being at war has on a person were far more interesting than the romance introduced here.
The descriptive copy suggests that there’s a love triangle, but that’s misleading, as one of the potential lovers is immediately dismissed by the heroine. He’s still important to the story, though his contributions seem very author-driven and his ending is barely mentioned in passing, which is not proportionate to his supposed importance to the plot.
I like books about women at war, but this was not a satisfying read for me.

Beautifully written historical novel. The writing style and character development of this book flowed from page to page. Loved reading about the resilience and determination to survive amidst heartache and turmoil. Highly recommend.
Thank you to NetGalley for this arc in exchange of an honest review.

Arlene and her family are left destitute, by a fire, and the death of her father. While her heart lies with horses, and her families stud breading business, Arlene must finds ways to finance a new house and a new stallion. After joining the American Women's Hospital she is sent to France during WWI to drive ambulances.

This book had a bit of a slow start. Once Arlene was sent to France, the book picked up dramatically. I loved reading about women in WWI and the unique American Women's Hospital group. Overall 4 out of 5 stars.

In 1917, Arlene Favier leaves Kentucky after a fire burns down her childhood home. Suddenly in desperate need of money, Arlene finds herself as an ambulance driver in war-torn France with the female-led American Women’s Hospital. She and her fellow female ambulance drivers, nurses, doctors, and surgeons face danger and unparalleled tragedy as they care for civilians and soldiers at the Front.

While working, Arlene catches the attention of a suave but treacherous Captain Felix Brohammer and reunites with childhood friend Jimmy Tucker, leading to a precarious love triangle that threatens both Jimmy and Arlene’s futures.

I really enjoyed the history and the story in Mercy Road. I did not know about the American Women’s Hospital before reading, so it was a lot of fun to learn about such a strong and brave group of ladies. The supporting cast of characters is colorful and entertaining, and the descriptions of the French countryside and the work done by the AWH were obviously well-researched.

I am a sucker for a wartime romance, so Arlene and Jimmy’s relationship would have been enjoyable enough for me. But the added drama and plot twists with Captain Brohammer were just so exciting and made the book that much better.

However, I struggled a bit with the writing style of the author. There were enough awkwardly constructed sentences for it to be distracting to me. And I found the ending disappointing and short. I would have loved a few more chapters.

But overall, the story is 100% worthwhile and I will definitely read other books by this author.

(Thanks to NetGalley and Lake Union Publishing for the ARC.)

*ARC provided by the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review*
Rating (on a scale of 1 to 5, 5 being excellent)
Quality of writing: 4
Pace: 3
Plot development: 4
Characters: 4
Enjoyability: 4
Ease of Reading: 5

Overall rating: 4 out of 5

I truly enjoyed this book! It was a stirring and thought provoking story during a time of time in history that was truly dark! I felt a part of the story and moved through the scenes as if there! It almost made me wish I could have been a part of the AWH! As a nurse myself, I appreciated so much the efforts of these women! History come alive for me is truly something I can get into! Thank you for such a great story

Ms. Creel's novel about women ambulance drivers during WWI couldn't be better. The book, filled with details, gave the reader love, courage and strength that these women endured during the most horrific times. Her research was impeccable.

Thanks to NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

In an instant, Arlene's life changes. She realizes she has to leave her family's horse farm in Paris, Kentucky to find work. World War I is raging on in Europe. With her ability to speak French, Arlene accepts a position with the American Women's Hospital, as an ambulance driver.

They were a unique medical unit comprised of women with the mission to provide medical care to both civilians and the military. In this novel, the reader follows Arlene as she becomes part of this group of women and faces the horrors war. Arlene
grows and matures through her experiences. She learns the areas of France while dealing with war.
The characters were well developed and interesting.

Arlene even finds romance making for an even more dramatic story. This was a wonderful read a blend of history and fiction.

I voluntary to read and review this advanced copy of Mercy Road by author Ann Howard Creel. I really enjoyed this book and was glad to see the author true facts about WWI and the women's American hospital. The plot line flowed very well and very realistic. You can help but appreciate Arlene, Cass and the other women's determination and dedication to what job they had. I feel this speaks to how women helped pick up the slack and did what they had to do and how brave and strong they were. I am sure alot of what they saw and heard was true and real. This is a great book for any type of reader and if you are a history, mystery, or romance reader this book is for you. Read it you won't be disappointed!!

Mercy Road is the story of Arlene Favier, a young girl from Kentucky horse country who goes to France during 1918 with an organization called the American Woman’s Hospital. This historical fiction novel pays tribute to the American women who funded, planned, organized, and equipped all female medical teams to go to France and care for wounded civilians and eventually military. Arlene is an ambulance driver, who sees the terrible ravages of war... to not only the French people, but their many villages as well, as the Germans destroyed everything in their path. They went not for money or glory and put themselves at tremendous risk to help out! It is a story that is really little known. You feel like you are right on the battle lines. Written with depth and caring, you follow the life of Arlene through it all. A beautiful story, especially for anyone interested in World War 1 history.

I enjoyed reading this book so much! What an interesting story of love, loss, and rebuilding.

The main character, Arlene, is so strongly written, I found myself believing in her just as Cass and Jimmy did. I loved reading about this aspect of history and found it very compelling to read.

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.

A wonderful historical novel a book inspired by real events.Characters that come alive warm emotional moving a lovely read #netgalley #lakeunionpublishing

Mercy Road is a wonderful historical novel that is descriptive, engrossing,and moving. The characters are well developed and the book is well written.

Ann Howard Creel's books are inspired by history and her female characters face life-changing challenges.

Her newest novel Mercy Road was inspired by a photograph of a female ambulance driver in France during WWI. Female doctors and nurses were banned from serving in the U. S. Army so they formed the American Women's Hospital and raised funds to send a volunteer team to France.

Creel's novel begins with a tragedy that leaves Arlene Favier aware of how life can change in an instant. A fire takes her home and father and the family's source of income. Desperate to find a job to support her mother and brother, and with dreams of rebuilding her father's stud farm, Arlene stumbles into an opportunity that will use her few employable skills--as a chauffeuses driving an ambulance for doctors volunteering in France.

With most French doctors serving at the front, there was a lack of medical services for civilians and refugees. With her command of French and experience with machines, Arlene is the perfect volunteer. With the lure of a cash bonus at the end of the war which would allow her to rebuild the family home, Arlene joins the American Women's Hospital service, formed to aid citizens and refugees.

To go to France in May 1918 required great courage and fortitude. The war had destroyed the land and the infrastructure. By September 1918, there were 1.85 million refugees. Food shortages and the lack of housing and clean water contributed to illness including typhus, tuberculosis, dysentery, and influenza. The Hospital Service also assisted men wounded at the front. The women were exposed to the horrors of battlefield wounds, the dead, and the dying.

Now I not only knew death; I knew the shade and scent of human blood and the charred appearance and stench of burnt human bodies. I knew the look of what lay beneath our skin. from Mercy Road by Ann Howard Creel

Arlene was excited to arrive in Paris, her father's birthplace. With restrictions against seeing soldiers, she rebuffs the attention of the handsome but oversure Captain Brohammer. He takes it as a challenge, pursuing her throughout the war even though Arlene makes clear she is not interested. But when she meets up with a childhood friend once employed by her father, her hesitancy to become romanticly involved is challenged.

The plot involves intrigue, accusations with devastating implications, and personal growth that challenges old ideas and the embracing of possibilities.

I received a free ebook from the author in exchange for a fair and unbiased review.