I didn’t want to read On My Honor last night. Not that I haven’t been looking forward to reading it for a couple of months, but I was in the middle of a hair-raising mystery and frankly wanted to finish THAT. Okay, so I’m selfish and a bit stupid. Because this book has some mystery of its own… and … well… I finished my mystery, too. You could call last night a GREAT reading night. Read on to see why… or partly why, anyway!
Note: links may be affiliate links that provide me with a small commission at no extra expense to you. Also, while I received a complimentary copy from the publisher, I also ordered my own.
World War II Had Really Scary Events Right Here at Home
An unexpected delight, On My Honor takes us to the Eastern Seaboard where German U-boats are destroying the US naval fleet on a pretty regular basis, and wow. How cool is it to finally read about the attacks on the US mainland! Slowly but surely, the WWII subgenre of historical fiction has been exploring things like the Japanese balloon bombs that hit the west coast and across as far as Michigan and now the torpedoes that attacked our ships off the Outer Banks.
Don’t get me wrong, I know there are other authors who have tackled these things, but most WWII fiction takes place in Western Europe/England or in Hawaii. Sometimes we get a bit in Asia, but by comparison, almost all US homefront stories are focused on factories, keeping home fires burning, and writing to soldiers and nurses far away.
One excellent aspect was the focus on mental health and the effects of war on a person. I can’t say more without potential spoilers, but suffice it to say, I appreciated the inclusion.
Another excellent part of this book is that one of the point-of-view characters is a thirteen-year-old girl, Belle. As such, and because of how the story is written, this book could almost be enjoyed as a middle-grade read. Definitely on the younger YA side for sure. With so few available in Christian Fiction, I thought it worthy to note.
My only quibble was that the romance seemed a bit forced and… quick. Otherwise, highly recommended.
On My Honor by Patty Smith Hall is on tour by Celebrate Lit
Book: On My Honor
Author: Patty Smith Hall
Genre: Christian / Historical Fiction / Romance / Intrigue
Release date: January 2023
Ginny Mathis was finished with nursing school and had no intention of staying rooted in the Outer Banks—then war broke out. With her father away, she feels duty-bound to stay and help her mother and younger sister. While working as a clerk for the Oregon Inlet ferry, naval officers ask Ginny and others to be watchful for German U-boats reportedly spotted in the area. So to help occupy her teenage sister, Ginny enlists the Girl Scout troop she leads to help watch for suspicious activity along the coast.
Timothy Elliott is no stranger to death. As a British reporter working with the M-6, he’s numb to the losses of war after two years of fighting the Germans. Maybe that’s why he volunteered for this mission—to connect with an ex-German naval officer who stole the Furor’s battle plan for the Atlantic war. When the boat giving him passage to New York is bombed near the Cape Hatteras Lighthouse, Tim is thrown from the boat and wakes up in the care of a group of young girls.
Ginny follows her sneaky sister on a clandestine mission and discovers the shipwreck victim. Ginny knows she must take charge, but is this man the enemy, or does he hold secrets that could turn the tide of the Battle of the Atlantic in the allies’ favor?
About the Author
Multi-published author Patty Smith Hall lives near the North Georgia Mountains with her husband, Danny. When she’s not writing on her back porch, she’s spending time with her family or working in her vegetable garden.
More from Patty
Did you know that the Girl Scouts (or Girl Guides) serviced as spies on HIs Majesty’s Secret Service during World War One? I didn’t either until I picked up a book on female spies at my local Barnes and Noble. There were only two paragraphs about how the girls worked with the MI5 for the duration of the war. It was enough to get my heart pumping!
Being a former Girl Scout myself, I was amazed at what these young girls did to help our country during the war. What activities did the Girl Scouts/Girl Guides do in World War II? Anything asked of them. They organized drives for anything from fat (to make bullets) to paper, stepped into positions left vacant by men serving on the front and worked Victory gardens to provide food for their community. They did so many things, I can’t begin to name them all here. By March 1944, the Girl Scouts had provided over 15 million volunteer hours toward the war effort.
Isn’t that amazing? No wonder I had to write a book about them!
Blog Stops
Book Reviews From an Avid Reader, January 5
The Write Escape, January 5
lakesidelivingsite, January 6
Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, January 7
Texas Book-aholic, January 8
Christina’s Corner, January 8
Inklings and notions, January 9
Cover Lover Book Review, January 10
Lily’s Book Reviews, January 10
Betti Mace, January 11
Where Faith and Books Meet, January 11
deb’s Book Review, January 12
Happily Managing a Household of Boys, January 12
Locks, Hooks and Books, January 13
For Him and My Family, January 13
Ashley’s Clean Book Reviews, January 14
Mary Hake, January 14
Connie’s History Classroom, January 15
Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, January 16
Blossoms and Blessings, January 16
Splashes of Joy, January 17
Pause for Tales, January 17
Labor Not in Vain, January 18
A Good Book and Cup of Tea, January 18
Giveaway
To celebrate her tour, Patty is giving away the grand prize package of a $25 Amazon e-gift card and a print copy of the book!!
Be sure to comment on the blog stops for nine extra entries into the giveaway!
https://promosimple.com/ps/23640/on-my-honor-celebration-tour-giveaway
This sounds like a really god read.
Yes, I was shocked to read about that, a LONG time ago, when I was at my family’s favorite hotel in Ocean Grove, NJ. It was a book about ship wrecks off the Jersey shore and my skin crawled to know that German U-boats had gotten so close to us.
Reading about attacks on our home front during WWII will give me a new perspective on the war. I also look forward to reading from a young girl’s POV.
Sounds like an interesting read~
Hi Chautona. I caught this in the Goodreads authors update today I want to share a link for you and the rest who read these comments.
http://www.safehavenmuseum.com/
There were only a handful of Jewish people allowed to come into the US through Canada during the war. They arrived at Ft. Oswego wearing “baggage claim tags” and we’re housed at the Fort for the rest of the war. It was literally a camp up 60 miles from here.
And they made friends with the towns people who cared about their well-being. When they were allowed to leave their “Safe Haven* many of them scattered to New York City and some of them simply stated in Oswego. This group of people gave back as they could to a country that literally took the words on Lady Liberty to heart
It may have been a hardship coming here, but look at what blossomed.
Sounds like a fascinating and exhilarating read with likeable characters 🙂 , thanks for sharing about it! I agree with your excitement about a more exciting yet fact based story for the home front.
Ok, this is one I want to read. Have you read The Heart Mender? It is also about U-boats off the United States.
I haven’t! Off to check it out!