Book Review: Saving Mrs. Roosevelt

I know we're not supposed to judge a book by its cover, but between the cover and the title, I was hooked. I picked up this book during the American Christian Fiction Writer's Conference in St. Louis at the end of August.

My Review: 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟

Pros: I love to read and write Christian fiction, but I've found much of it can be trite. Candice Sue Patterson does a great job bringing her characters to life while holding true to the worldview we expect from Christian fiction. The writing is great as well as the character building and setting.

Cons: I don't have a lot of cons for this book. I was a bit disappointed that the main character did not actually come in contact with Mrs. Roosevelt until the very end. I would have preferred a bit more action and intrigue although the book does have plenty of both to go around.

My Thoughts: Shirley Davenport grew up the only sister among four brothers. When they are sent to war and she's stuck at home, she spends a lot of time trying to find a way to aid the war effort. When the Coast Guard opens a new branch just for women, Shirley and her best friend Joan both enlist. At the end of Shirley's training, she's given an assignment to return home and root out spies in her own community. To do so, she must go under the guise of a dishonorable discharge which shames her family and causes the community to shun her. She quickly realizes she can trust no one.

In addition to rooting out spies, Shirley finds herself attracted to her commanding officer, Captain Webber. Luckily he's as infatuated with her as she is with him. But that relationship only serves to make her task more complicated.

I don't read a lot of historical fiction, but I do enjoy WWII era fiction. This book was an easy read with only two point-of-view characters which made it easy to follow. I rooted out the spies well before Shirley did. As a reader of thrillers, I'm more accustomed to twists at the end than what straight romantic suspense usually provides. Even still, I kept turning the pages to see how Shirley would get herself out of each predicament she found herself in.

It's a great reminder not to judge people on who society tells us they are.