“The opinions of others had always been a living, fire-breathing dragon in her life, ready to snuff out her very existence at the merest hint of misjudgement.”

This was a spectacular novel!

Kelly Bowen held my attention from cover to cover and had my highlighter working overtime!

I immediately knew I had characters I could root for and understand. Georgette ‘George’ Chastain and Violet St. Croix were so masterfully crafted that I won’t forget these tenacious women any time soon.

Set in 1934 Nice, France and centered around the theme of new beginnings and pulling together threads of freedom, friendship and adventure, Bowen celebrates those who stepped outside of society’s norms and found happiness.

As much as I loved George, Henri and Violet, I equally detested Mr. St. Croix. His indignation and preoccupation on what others think made my skin crawl. I shook my head and was tempted to throw my Kindle across the room on many occasions. He continually fought with his daughter and disregarded her opinions or wishes. He couldn’t accept that she’d toss aside “the future [he] worked so hard to secure for [her].” I wanted to yell at him to remind him that if his daughter was old enough to get married, she was old enough to know what SHE wanted. Don’t get me started on her fiancé! Violet wants to volunteer with the Red Cross and become useful and her father forbids it. What happens next is on him! I pity people who make everyone around them feel small in an attempt to make themselves big.

I loved the emphasis on women doing and saying things that stretched the edges of society’s bounds at the time. I felt Violet’s desperation and was glad when she met George and Henri. I appreciated George teaching Violet that perspective is defined by a person’s happiness and capability. Having dealt with the same fire-breathing dragon that Violet dealt with, I felt her exasperation and championed her on to greatness on her own terms.

The historical fiction lover within was absorbed in the wonderful story centered around the flower of the desert, ‘La Fleur’, who served with the Free French Foreign Legion as a driver for a Commandant, the Legion’s medical officer. My heart fluttered (is that a thing?) reading about a man who knew the love language of the woman in his life…he brought her books. Books! In the middle of a war. Written in English. In a country where English wasn’t the main language. Oh my heart. Swoon.

A few of the spectacular lines I want to remember:

“Everyone always tells you that adversity and struggle builds character, but they’re wrong. It doesn’t build anything. It only reveals what was already there.”

“Don’t become an accessory. Not to anyone.”

“We can’t control how others choose to think. Best to just keep on living without trying to please everyone but yourself.”

“Everyone’s place is not defined by the opinions of others but where they are happiest.”

I’ll be the one standing on a soapbox with a loudspeaker telling everyone to read this book.


2024-reads historical-fiction netgalley19 s2 comments Literary Redhead2,071 555

An intriguing story based on true events finds socialite Violet St. Croix serving as an ambulance driver for the French Foreign Legion in North Africa during WWII. After her commanding officer is murdered, she suspects a spy among them and risks her life to track the traitor. A fast-paced must read!5 s Jess3,155 5

I d this! I've read a fair amount of WW2 women's fiction in the last year and I hadn't seen anyone handle the Middle Eastern/African part of the war, and I found that fascinating. The romance in this is very slight, but a lovely thread throughout the whole novel. Glad to have read this.

ARC provided by Forever and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.2024-all 2024-new arc-netgalley ...more4 s Ashlyn1,198 49

It's official. Kelly Bowen is now an auto-read author for me. I absolutely loved this WWII story! It took about 20% for me to fully get into the book, but once I was, I was swept away into this story. I loved the characters. I loved the writing. And I just loved this unique WWII story. It was so powerful and showed how one person was a person of hope for so many people. It showed how determined someone could be, even though they knew they could face death so easily. This book was just so powerful and amazing and everyone who loves WWII historical fiction should read it. Tomorrow Is for the Brave is a must read!

I received the eARC of this book through NetGalley.4 s eyes.2c2,785 80

Amazing read!

Violet St. Croix is born into a wealthy English family. Her mother and Violet spend their time at the family villa in Nice. Her father, Commodore Robert St. Croix joins them from London as time and his important work permits. Violet is being groomed towards a successful marriage within the circle of a their acquaintances. In fact her fiancée has already been decided on.
Driving becomes her eccentric hobby that will be put away when she marries. Only it isn’t and it doesn’t.
It’s 1939. War is coming and Violet volunteers with the French nursing corps. Her family disown her.
How Violet ends up as a driver for generals and colonels is part of her extraordinary story that begins with Violet being just another idle rich girl who loves driving. That morphs over time into the story of a brave, formidable woman. Violet spends the war as firstly a nurse and then a driver in Finland, then Africa with the French Foreign Legion, going onto Tunisia, Libya then in Italy and beyond. Inspired by the achievements of Susan Travers the only woman to become a serving member of the French Foreign Legion. Bowen’s research and afterwards is formidable.
Violet is given the name of La Fleur by the men in this is a sensational novel, brilliantly depicting one woman’s war.
There’s intrigue, treason, love and betrayal. A startling novel. I totally succumbed!

A Forever (Grand Central Pub.) ARC via NetGalley.
Many thanks to the author and publisher.historical-fiction italy-fiction netgalley ...more3 s Jessi - TheRoughCutEdge474 28

I was really impressed by the expressive and vivid writing that allowed me to feel I could see each place, and smell the scents as if I were there alongside the characters. There was one chapter where I’m fairly sure I held my breath the whole time. So intense was the situation and the writing done so well it felt as if I was living that moment. I also appreciated getting a look at different areas of fighting during the war showcasing places Finland, Syria, and Libya.

The female perspective was incredible and I would have happily read an entire story of just her life. Then reading the authors note and learning her story was inspired by the real experiences of Susan Travers made it even more amazing.

The spy perspective grew on me but I kinda wish the author had given him a code name rather than referring to him as “the spy” in his chapters.

This was a really good HF and one that would be great for anyone wanting a different perspective from WWII with a remarkable woman as the focus.

Thank you @Readfor for the #gifted copy!

This one hits shelves
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