After becoming a member of the All-American Girls Professional Softball League, Kat Miller struggles with its challenges, including the jealousy of older teammates and Jack Raymond, an irritating reporter who has become cynical and distanced from God as the result of being physically disqualified from joining the American forces during World War II.
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5 stars
Ever since I first saw A League of Their Own and adored the character of Evelyn (portrayed by Bitty Schram), I have admired the story of the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League. What I didn't know until I read A Promise Forged was that it began as the All-American Girls Professional Softball League. I love it when an author prompts me to look further into a topic, thus teaching me stuff I didn't before know. We definitely learn something new each day. In addition to that, I liked that Kat's spunky personality reminded me of the movie's Evelyn. That was a fun comparison!
Another thing I liked was how the backdrop of WWII drifted into the background as the baseball took the foreground for this story. It was a delightful reprieve from the war-heavy novels I'm used to reading in this genre. (Don't misunderstand me: I am a WWII fiction fan and love seeing all different aspects of the genre.)
The only things that bugged me were the two uses of a replacement profanity. It's a word that most people don't realize is a replacement for using the Lord's name in vain, but when you look up the etymology of the word, it's plain as daylight. However, I did not dock any stars for this, because it was also considered teenage slang at the time of this book, and perhaps it wasn't with the intention the etymology infers.
One thing that made me chuckle was that a redhead was stated to have a tan. Um, this isn't believable from this redhead's perspective. I can freckle and I can burn, but I have never had the ability to tan. Hearing from many other redheads in my life, this seems to be a consensus. Perhaps there are a few true redheads in the world with that capability, but I haven't met them yet. Research shows that redheads are generally more sensitive to the sun and not only burn easily but also gain sun-induced headaches and fatigue. Anyway, this line made me laugh.
Overall, I adored this story of a girls' softball/baseball team and the journalist shadowing them. It was a treat well appreciated in the midst of a busy weekend. Be sure to read the first two books in the series, though, as the Buckeye Promises build atmosphere as they go.
