The Star of Camp Greene
In the spring of 1918, Broadway star Calla Connolly is touring stateside camps of the American Expeditionary Forces in the hopes of convincing General Pershing to let her take her tour overseas to cheer the soldiers at the front. But, while at Camp Greene in North Carolina, an accidentally overheard conversation about classified troop movements derails her plan. Afraid that she might reveal the sensitive information, General Pershing orders her to remain at Camp Greene for the duration of the war with the prickly Colonel Jesse Erickson as her chaperone. Determined to make the best of her enforced stay at Camp Greene, Calla begins work on a new show, using talent that she plucks from the ranks of the camp itself. She still dreams of an overseas tour but, as her enforced stay continues, her dreams increasingly include the gruff and complicated Jesse.
The premise is undoubtedly flimsy. The classified troop movements that Calla overhears feel less like a state secret and more like a clumsy plot device to keep Calla and Jesse together long enough for sparks to fly. The phrase “perilous mission” appears with some frequency to describe troop assignments that sound quite ordinary. Where the book falls down in plotting, it makes up for in the gradual build-up of Calla and Jesse’s relationship and in the uncomplicated relationships of the other characters in their circle. The author’s note, detailing Callaway’s inspiration and the research she’s done, is also appreciated. A simple and undemanding love story.
