Y’all know I love a novel that is set during World War II. You also know I particularly love it if it highlights a part of the war that I didn’t know well. I also love the glamour and glitz of black and white Hollywood and the USO tours of Bob Hope and other stars capture that. That’s why I was so excited about Amy Lynn Green’s brand new book, The Foxhole Victory Tour.
This novel is a beautiful juxtaposition of many things. It’s an ensemble cast with two primary characters: a trumpet player who grew up in the home of a Salvation Army captain and the classically trained violinist of wealthy, feuding parents. Both heroines want to find their own way in the world and jump on the chance to join a USO tour that sends them to North Africa. They join three other entertainers and a manager on a three-month journey that is filled with adventure and challenge. Maggie and Catherine are strong heroines, but don’t necessarily understand their own strength at the beginning. And there is a sweetness to the relationships they share with the others on their tour — though there’s nothing easy in them. Watching them all grow through the process was compelling and kept me coming back to the pages of this novel again and again.
This novel is immersive and has me ready to buy a plane ticket to Morocco and points east of there. I already feel like I’ve visited, but now I want to see them. I also loved seeing Amy’s passion for the book and her research as we chatted for her Book Talk episode that releases on Friday. I loved this book and think you will too, especially if you love World War II novels like the ones Sarah Sundin, Tricia Goyer, and I write.
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.
PRAISE FOR THE FOXHOLE VICTORY TOUR
- “Green deserves a standing ovation for her rousing story of unlikely friendships, courage over comfort, and the impactful work of USO performers during WWII. The Foxhole Victory Tour transports readers from the concert halls of Minnesota to the coasts of Casablanca to the active war zone of Tunisia. It is plot-driven without sacrificing relational drama, and its ragtag supporting cast of lovable misfits thoughtfully portrays the art and heart of live performance.”— Booklist
- 5-STARS “I was impressed with how much Green was able to pack into the story and still keep it cohesive and natural. I ended up loving all the characters and their story arc, and I’m looking forward to reading more of Green’s work.”— Debra, Goodreads
- “The Foxhole Victory Tour is a wonderful story of historical fiction with great characters, vivid descriptions, and some tough truths that will make readers reflect on their choices and their priorities.”— Jordon Lynch, The Literary Library
- “This story was full of emotion and captivating on every page. The setting of World War II is so real, you feel like you are with them. This is must-read. A story you won’t put down and will be sad to say goodbye to after it’s over.”— Elizabeth Eckmeyer, Interviews & Reviews
AMAZON | BARNES & NOBLE | PUBLISHER | BOOKSHOP | BOOKBUB | GOODREAD
Amy Lynn Green is a lifelong lover of books, history, and library cards. She worked in publishing for six years before writing her first historical fiction novel. She and her husband live in Minnesota, where she teaches virtual classes on marketing at writer’s conferences, engages with book clubs, and regularly encourages established and aspiring authors in their publication journeys.