For Love and Country isn’t a typical novel.
It’s more historical fiction with romantic elements rather than a pure romance. It’s from a Christian fiction publisher, but it’s more Christian-lite. There’s very little that’s overtly Christian, but also no on-page violence or sexual content.
The story moves in fits and starts. The first three chapters move relatively slowly as they introduce Lottie, her fiance, and her background. But the story then skips ahead, sometimes days or weeks at a time and that felt a little off, as though something was missing. The writing is solid but not spectacular, but it’s a compelling story and I found it hard to put down (which is saying something, given my current attention span. Thanks, lockdown and quarantine).
Lottie is one of the most original characters I’ve come across.
She’s a child of wealth and privilege, in that her father owns a Detroit motor company. On that basis, it’s not altogether surprising that Lottie is interested in cars and engines. What is perhaps surprising is that she’s prepared to give up her lifestyle and her fiance to serve in the WAVES—Women Accepted for Voluntary Emergency Service.
For Love and Country by Candace Waters is a must-read for fans of World War II fiction from authors such as Sarah Sundin and J'nell Ciesielski. #BookReview #ChristianFiction Share on XI’ve read various novels about women serving in World War I and II, but I think this is the first I’ve read about the WAVES. I enjoyed the historical aspects, especially watching Lottie’s challenges in working in a male-dominated field. But I also enjoyed Lottie’s personal journey, her realisation that we do get to make choices in life and how those choices can change us.
Overall, For Love and Country is a must-read for fans of World War II fiction from authors such as Sarah Sundin and J’nell Ciesielski.
Thanks to Howard Books and NetGalley for providing a free ebook for review.
About For Love and Country
When Lottie Palmer runs away the day before her wedding to join the Navy WAVES program, she not only leaves behind a fiancé, but also the privileged lifestyle that she has known as the daughter of one of the most important manufacturers in Detroit’s auto industry. Spurred by a desire to contribute meaningfully to the war effort, Lottie pours all of her focus and determination into becoming the best airplane mechanic in the division, working harder than she’s ever worked before.
Her grit impresses her handsome instructor, Captain Luke Woodward. But when the war ramps up and she is assigned to Pearl Harbor she must fight her growing feelings for Luke and navigate her role as one of the only female mechanics among a group of men, all while finding out what it means to be your own hero.
Illuminating the story of a woman who sets out to make a difference in the world by following her heart, Candace Waters draws on her extensive research, transporting us from Detroit to New York, and San Diego to Pearl Harbor during the tumultuous time of World War II.
Find For Love and Country online at:
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Becky is the Carol and Christy award winning author of heartwarming, humorous, and swoon-worthy contemporary inspirational romances.
As a preteen Cara Putman watched lawyers change legislative opinions at an important legislative hearing in Nebraska. At that time, she wondered if she became an attorney if people would give her words the same weight. An honors graduate of the University of Nebraska Lincoln, George Mason University School of Law and Krannert School of Management at Purdue University, Cara has turned her passion for words into award-winning stories that capture readers. Her legal experience makes its way into her stories where strong women confront real challenges.
Darlene L. Turner is an award-winning author and lives with her husband, Jeff in Ontario, Canada. Her love of suspense began when she read her first Nancy Drew book. She’s turned that passion into her writing and believes readers will be captured by her plots, inspired by her strong characters, and moved by her inspirational message.
It’s their duty to stop the culprits … at any cost.
Lindsay Harrel is a lifelong book nerd with a B.A. in journalism and M.A. in English. She lives in Arizona with her young family and two golden retrievers in serious need of training. Lindsay has held a variety of jobs, including curriculum editor for two universities, medical and business writer, and copywriter for a digital marketing agency. Now she juggles stay-at-home mommyhood with working freelance jobs, teaching college English courses online, and—of course—writing novels.
Nancy Mehl lives in Missouri, with her husband Norman, and her very active puggle, Watson. She’s authored thirty books and is currently at work on a new FBI suspense series for Bethany House Publishing.
A California girl with a Southern charm, Sarah N. Ham began writing stories from an early age with her first novel finished when she was 13. Ham has gone on to write 20 novels.
Sarah Sundin is the author of The Sea Before Us and The Sky Above Us, as well as the Waves of Freedom, Wings of the Nightingale, and Wings of Glory series. Her novels have received starred reviews from Booklist, Library Journal, and Publishers Weekly. Her popular Through Waters Deep was a Carol Award finalist, and both Through Waters Deep and When Tides Turn were named on Booklist‘s “101 Best Romance Novels of the Last 10 Years.” Sarah lives in Northern California.