Please Note:  I received an advance copy of this novel as part of a blog tour to promote this book.  If I did not enjoy the book, I had the option to withdraw my participation.

Synopsis:

Daisy Wilder prefers the company of horses to people, bare feet and salt water to high heels and society parties. Then, in the dizzying aftermath of the attack on Pearl Harbor, Daisy enlists in a top secret program, replacing male soldiers in a war zone for the first time. Under fear of imminent invasion, the WARDs guide pilots into blacked-out airstrips and track unidentified planes across Pacific skies.  

But not everyone thinks the women are up to the job, and the new recruits must rise above their differences and work side by side despite the resistance and heartache they meet along the way. With America’s future on the line, Daisy is determined to prove herself worthy. And with the man she’s falling for out on the front lines, she cannot fail. From radar towers on remote mountaintops to flooded bomb shelters, she’ll need her new team when the stakes are highest. Because the most important battles are fought—and won—together.

This inspiring and uplifting tale of pioneering, unsung heroines vividly transports the reader to wartime Hawaii, where one woman’s call to duty leads her to find courage, strength and sisterhood.

Review:

As a lover of historical fiction, I was thrilled to be asked to take part in the blog tour to promote Radar Girls, by Sara Ackerman.  This novel tells the little-known story of the women who became radar technicians in Hawaii during WWII.  I loved the historical details, strong female friendships, and a swoon-worthy romance.  This novel was both entertaining, and enlightening.

What I Liked:

Historical Details:

Once again, I learned something new with this novel.  We've all heard about "Rosie The Riveter", but I had no idea that women worked directly with radar technology.  These women quickly learned all about radar, and aerial navigation so they could identify and guide planes among the Hawaiian Islands.  This was to free up the men for fighting.  But this was an opportunity for women to shine.  Women still faced men who doubted they were intelligent enough to master the skills necessary for this type of work.  And they faced sexual harassment, as well. 

Main Character:

Daisy is not a likely main character.  She is a loner, who doesn't think very highly of herself.  Although she has a talent for training horses, she rarely receives any praise,  This all changes when the war breaks out and Daisy, like so many women of her time, is called upon to get out of her comfort zone, learn some new skills, and make a contribution to the war effort.  

I love how Daisy rises to the challenge, despite her trepidations, to find that she is rather good at technical things!  As her confidence grows, she starts to develop friendships with some of the other women, and even with Walker, the son of the rich landowner who's ranch she has worked at for years.  But can Daisy overcome her self-doubt?  

Female Friendships:

Daisy, usually a loner, starts to form friendships with the other women in the WARD unit.  Yes, there are the usual petty squabbles that happen when you put many different young women together.  At times, jealousies over men made for a high school-like atmosphere.  But, more often than not, the women were supportive, and helped each other.  Where Daisy was quick to understand the complex computations needed to guide planes, she wasn't great at communicating.  Other women were talented speakers but found the math parts challenging.  The women shared what they knew and helped out others who needed tutoring.  

The reason for this was simple. This was wartime.  Anyone who lived in Hawaii witnessed, first-hand, the attacks on Pearl Harbor.  The residents wanted to do anything they could to prevent that from happening again.  But the women were also sensitive to when someone lost a husband, brother, or boyfriend fighting in the war.  There was plenty of misery, as the American losses mounted.  And each woman knew they could be the next person to feel such a loss.  So, I really appreciated how kind the group was to each other.

Romance:

It wouldn't be a book about war without a desperate romance.  Daisy has grown up in working with horses on the ranch of a rich and powerful family.  She was always considered one of the workers, and the family always made sure that Daisy knew her place.  When the dashing son of the ranch owner, Walker, starts to pay attention to her, Daisy feels confused.  He couldn't actually be interested in her, right?  But, slowly it becomes apparent that Walker has always found Daisy fascinating.  I liked that their relationship progressed slowly and was based on mutual interests, as well as attraction. 

Story:

The story centers around how the women become an integral part of the war effort as radar technicians.  It shows us a technical side to the war effort that was really complex and interesting.  There is always the threat of another invasion to Hawaii, and that propels all the residents of the Island into action.  I liked how the author was able to build tension in the story from this threat, and the everyday threat of airplane pilots getting lost and not making it back to the landing strip.  The women's work was literally savings lives each day.

There was also a side story involving Daisy's family and Walker's family that provided added obstacles for the couple.  Although this was a minor part of the book, it was something that was threaded throughout the novel, and was part of a satisfying resolution at the end of the story. 

What Was Missing:

Although I thoroughly enjoyed this book, I wish there would have been more than a passing acknowledgement of the Japanese-American's who were placed in internment camps during the war.  I know this wasn't the focus of the story, and the author perhaps felt this wasn't her story to tell.  But I wish Daisy and her friends would have known a Japanese-American family and showed concern for what was happening to them.  I think it would have added to the story, and given an even deeper insight to life on the Island during the war.

Trigger Warning for sexual assault

Rating:  ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Release Date:  July 27th, 2021

Author:  Sara Ackerman

Publisher: MIRA Books

Genre:  Historical Fiction

Page Length:  368 Pages

Source: Publisher's blog tour

Format:  E-Book

Recommendation:  If you love historical fiction, this book is your ticket to adventure.  I highly recommend this book!