The Foxhole Victory Tour by Amy Lynn Green: Book Review

 *Book received for consideration. All thoughts are my own.

Based on true World War II stories of life in the USO variety shows, worlds collide when performers from around the United States come together to tour North Africa.

Vibrant and scrappy Maggie McCleod tried not to get fired from her wartime orchestra, but her sharp tongue landed her in trouble, so an overseas adventure with the USO's camp show promises a chance at a fresh start. Wealthy and elegant Catherine Duquette signs with the USO to leave behind her restrictive life of privilege and to uncover the truth behind the disappearance of the handsome pilot whose letters mysteriously stopped arriving.

The two women are joined by an eclectic group of performers--a scheming blues singer, a veteran tap dancer, and a brooding magician--but the harmony among their troupe is short-lived when their tour manager announces he will soon recommend one of them for a coveted job in the Hollywood spotlight. Each of the five members has a reason to want the contract, and they'll do whatever is necessary to claim it. As their troupe travels closer to the dangerous battlefront in Tunisia, personal crises and wartime dangers only intensify, putting not only their careers but also their lives on the line.

Amy Lynn Green (amygreenbooks.com) has always loved history and reading, and she enjoys speaking with book clubs, writing groups, and libraries all around the country. Her debut novel, Things We Didn't Say, was nominated for a 2021 Minnesota Book Award and won two Carol Awards. Things We Didn't Say and The Blackout Book Club received starred reviews from both Booklist and Library Journal. Amy and her family make their home in Minneapolis, Minnesota. 

When it comes to historical fiction, those stories set during or around WWII tend to be some of my absolute favorites and as such, I've read many of them. Still, I believe this is the first I've read that centered around the USO tours. And I absolutely adored it. 

There are several characters introduced in this story as part of the troupe, so I'll admit it took me a little bit to keep the characters and their various personalities and talents straight. Once I figured it all out, I found myself really enjoying all of them. While we might think of celebrities when we think about USO tours, this troupe is made up of everyday entertainers simply doing their part to keep up spirits among the servicemembers they perform for. It's certainly not the glamourous story that many might expect. With beautifully written characters, the hardships of war and a little competition thrown in, this story kept me absolutely intrigued from start to finish. This definitely had a bit of a found family feel to it, and I absolutely loved it. 

If you enjoy historical fiction, this is definitely a beautiful read you'll want to check out. 

Get your copy: https://amzn.to/3tQaDxl