Radar Girls

I was really excited to read Radar Girls by Sara Ackerman as I love historical fiction, especially with female main characters. Ackerman starts readers out on a beautiful Hawaiian beach where Daisy Wilder is digging her toes in the sand moments before the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor in 1941. What follows is a beautifully written story of friendship, family, and love, as Daisy joins the Women’s Air Raid Defense (W.A.R.D.) team guiding the US flyboys to safety.

Ackerman’s loveable characters lure you into new friendships and the bonds created during that difficult time. The romance involves not only the main characters but also those looking for love and those trying to maintain their love during time of war. It’s all told with a splash of nail-biting excitement as the women work to protect the Hawaiian Islands.

Although I really liked this book, I did feel that the title is a little misleading. I felt like the W.A.R.D was nothing more than the backdrop for a story about love and friendship. I would have liked to see a greater tribute to these amazing women. One thing I did find difficult was the use of Hawaiian words that I was not familiar with. I wish there was a little more context provided to help us mainlanders.