An intriguing look at a woman (not a girl) who loves to fly. Ellie learned early, following in the footsteps of her brothers, and now she's training men to be pilots. Her home life is becoming increasingly challenging, as is her love life, but she's determined to help the war effort. You will root for her. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC.

So this genre is not my genre, I love my Horror, but mainly read thrillers or romance, but I requested this on NetGalley and then forgot about it! What a foolish mistake.

In the summer of 2021, I would water the garden after a day of work, and read a book whilst doing it. So I started this book…as you can imagine it took me too long to read. I couldn’t keep up with my other reading and I put Ellie down, another foolish mistake!!

Then in 2022, I saw my library had a copy of this as an audiobook and I checked it out – this was not a foolish mistake! I then devoured it, I even asked mini-me if she minded me putting it on, on our drive home to her Nannie’s, and so I listened to the last hour with her. When it finished, she asked me, where’s the rest? I explained to her that the book had finished, and despite me driving on a motorway she demanded I pull over and get the 2nd book right now – I couldn’t but I loved the sentiment. I did check when I got to my mums if my library had the second book on audio – they don’t so I will use a credit on audible so that I can listen to it with my mini-me, she was 8 and she does still months on – so you know it’s a sign of a good book!!

Gosh, I loved headstrong Ellie and her tale! She was ahead of her time, and I loved that she was flying airplanes. I must admit at times I am quite naive about our history so this opened my eyes up completely. A strong woman, in charge of her own destiny with a mother who wanted to hold her back. A bit of family drama and airplane drama, all alongside the war and it was such an enticing tale! I ADORED it! I loved Jack and I loved Ellie and I can’t wait to see what happens next to them. Greg – bleurgh – didn’t warm to him at all!

I was enthralled by the writing by Fenella, and the narrator did a brilliant job of bringing everything to life. I felt like I was there ready to don a uniform and jump in a plane. I have always wanted to learn to fly, so sign me up!

I was just riveted by everything. I was completely caught up in Ellie’s life and everything that goes with it, and I am sure that Fenella has bought to life so many women of the time. I am not sure how accurate some of the things are, but this is a story so creative license is allowed and for me, in my mind, it was all true. I felt like I was seeing behind the scenes of someone’s life. I just want to get back to Ellie and I want to read more by Fenella. I would happily read more in this genre especially if the writing is anywhere near as good as it is here!

Just simply adored it….said that already 😉

Ellie Simpson lives in Essex at Glebe Farm, her mother would like her to act like a lady and Ellie’s a real tomboy. She started having flying lessons when she was twelve and she’s now a qualified flying instructor. With the threat of another war looming, her two older brothers Neil and George have both joined the RAF.

Jack Reynold’s takes over his uncles flying school, Ellie has a new boss and soon she’s training RAF cadets. Most are rather shocked when they discover their instructor is a woman, but Ellie is up for the challenge and they soon pay attention. Ellie’s personal life gets complicated when her mother Charlotte leaves the farm and she moves in with her fascist supporting father Sir Reginald Humphrey and her parent’s marriage ends.

Ellie meets her brother’s friends Gregory Dunlop, he’s very keen on Ellie and she’s not in a hurry to settle down. When the war starts she promises to write to both Greg and Jack Reynold’s and he’s been a good friend. Ellie joins the Women’s Auxiliary Air Force, she trains to use a radar equipment, and she and her new friends Mary Smith and Daisy Jenkins are posted to at a station at Rye. When tragedy strikes, Ellie feels she could be of more used to her country flying planes, Greg doesn’t agree, he want's them to get married and we will find out more in the next book in The Spitfire Girl Series.

I received a copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review, a quick read and I look forward to finding out what Ellie gets up to in the next book and my guess is she will be flying planes.

A great read. I enjoyed reading it and it has a great plot and characters. I also look forward to more books from the author.

I would like to thank netgalley and Aria for a free copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

I first read this book as an arc from the author when it was originally released under the title Ellen's war: Blue Skies and Tiger Moths. It has since been bought by a publisher and gone through structural edits, a new cover and a new title.

I can't sense any difference from the first version of the book, but am looking forward to the rest of the series.

The author did a brilliant job of capturing the time period in this novel. The characters and plot were also well written. This was a great piece of historical fiction!

This book was a bit of a disappointment. I was expecting it to be much better than it was.
It just didn’t capture me at all. However I did persevere and read it until the end

This was an interesting book but wish it did not have to be continued. I am not keen on stories which do not have a conclusion. I enjoyed it because of setting and characters. It was believable as l have read other war stories and facts were true. It was an easy to read book and will be looking out for new sequel.

Ellie has always been a tomboy much to the despair of her mother and when she learns to fly at the age of 14 flying takes over her life, before long she is also helping to teach others to fly. As WW2 approaches though she realises that she will no longest be able to fly and so joins the WAAF to do whatever she can to help the war effort

I loved this book Ellie is great character that you can't help but love and you are drawn into her story from the first pages. Great that there is a sequel coming out to complete her story

I have been having a bit of a binge on books based in and around World War II and this one grabbed my attention as it has a different slant on the war from the one I normally read about in this type of book.

I thought that Ellie was a great main character, she had a strong spirit and I think that was captured really well in the story. I wasn’t too much of a fan of Jack but he did grow on me and I loved her dad and his attitude, a real contract to her mum!

The plot was good, not sure how much of it was that believable but it was a thoroughly good read irrespective of that for me, I love a good historical fiction story and really enjoyed this one.

Four stars from me for this one, looking forward to the next book in the series!

I love novels set during the war and this caught my attention as it was a different take on the usual WW2 saga story.

Beautifully written with descriptive interesting characters and location, I was drawn in from the start of the book and found it difficult to put it down. I really loved the character of Ellie - a true gutsy woman who was extremely likeable. I can't wait for the sequel to see how her story develops and what happens to her.

Highly recommended.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.

The Spitfire Girl by Fenella J. Miller sweeps readers back in time to July of 1939. Ellie Simpson has been flying since she was fourteen years old and now works as an instructor at Glebe Farm Aero Club for Joe Cross. He taught Ellie as well as her two brothers, George and Neil to fly. Ellie meets Joe’s nephew, Jack when his plane becomes lost over the ocean one evening and she must help guide him back in. Jack Reynolds has been working as a stunt pilot in America, but he has returned to England to join the RAF. The pair get off to a rocky start, but they must find a way to work together when circumstances force Jack to run the school. With war imminent, the RAF needs men trained as pilots. Jack and Ellie must whip the recruits into shape as quickly as possible. When England declares war against Germany, Ellie decides to support the war by joining the Women’s Auxiliary Air Force. She is given a top secret assignment that will aid England is fighting the Germans. Swoop back to 1939 to join in the high flying adventures in The Spitfire Girl.

The Spitfire Girl gives us a tomboy for a main character with Ellie Simpson. Ellie has no desire to find a husband and settle down like other women. She is a spunky woman who loves to fly. Unfortunately, at the beginning of the war, there are no jobs available for female flyers. She joins the WAAF (Women’s Auxiliary Air Force) which, ironically, does not allow females to fly. Ellie has a caring father who in an unhappy marriage. Ellie’s mother married beneath her and her family cut her off. There is family drama, dashing soldiers, a mystery, romance and changing climate as war looms on the horizon (and then breaks out as Hitler’s soldiers march across Europe). I thought The Spitfire Girl was nicely written with steady pacing. Fenella J. Miller captures the feelings of the people towards the war. Everyone wants to “do their bit” to help defeat this horrible foe. There are historical references to the events that transpire during 1939 which set the stage along with the slang, books, cars, and clothing. The Spitfire Girl is a unique wartime saga that will engage your mind and capture your heart. The Spitfire Girl is just the first book in the series, and we must wait until 2019 to learn what happens next.

Set just before the outbreak of WWII, with a rural background a spirited Ellie is definitely not a run of the mill girl of the times. With hardly any education, an indifferent cold mother, a father cowed down by too many quarrels at home, Ellie is able to carve herself a niche in the world she loves.

Flying a plane, tutoring others how to fly is not an occupation commonly found even today but Ellie tries to balance it all with a mother who is always sniping at her, trying her best to make a lady out of Ellie. When the disgruntled woman leaves her home without a word to any of her children, Ellie is able to be free and be happy. So is her father. However, with the outbreak of the war they know that their flying school has only got a limited time before its activities are stopped.

At the same time, a chance encounter with Jack brings another dimension to all their lives and another is added when a break in reveals that they have been hiding a letter which is detrimental to many in the top echelons in their country, including Ellie's grandfather. Revealing that he is a fascist is not going to be good for any of them and Ellie worries for her brother's futures if the matter comes to light.

Taking us through the outbreak of WWII and Ellie joining the WAAF first as a radar officer and then going on to aviation, the field she loves is this story along with a simple love story which is very typical of Ellie herself.

Very pleasant reading. \

I read the synopsis of this book and I knew that it was one that I was going to have to read as soon as possible. I am a history nerd and I particularly love anything to do with the Second World War so you can see why the book caught my attention. I absolutely loved ‘The Spitfire Girl’ but more about that in a bit.
I found it easy to warm to Ellie Simpson from the start. She’s feisty, determined and stubborn and she is a proper tomboy. She doesn’t do anything in the least bit feminine apart from wearing the odd dress that her mother insists she wear. She’s not interested in fashion or make up and she doesn’t seem to be all that interested in boys. Her love is directed more towards flying. She loves flying and she loves the independence that it brings her. Her mother isn’t particularly keen on her flying aeroplanes but Ellie has the support of her father and her brothers. Her brothers joined the RAF after it became clear that war was definitely on the horizon. Ellie envies her brothers in a way because she would love to fly an aeroplane to help her country. Ellie has a strained relationship with her mother, who can’t understand her love of flying and would much rather she do something more feminine and find herself a rich husband to marry.
I absolutely loved reading ‘The Spitfire Girl’ and it didn’t take me long at all to get into the book. The author’s writing style is such that she draws you in from the first word on the first page and she keeps your attention until you get to the end of the story. As I explained before, I love anything to do with the Second World War. The author uses such vivid descriptions that I really did feel as though I had been transported back to the pre-war era and I got a real sense of the conditions and opinions that were around at the time. I found reading ‘The Spitfire Girl’ to be extremely addictive. I would pick up the book only intending to read a couple of chapters at a time but that intention soon flew out of the window and I would still be reading over 7 or 8 chapters later. I was enjoying the book so much that I just couldn’t stop reading. The book wasn’t exactly glued to my hand but it might as well have been because it came everywhere with me.
In short, I absolutely loved reading ‘The Spitfire Girl’ and getting to know Ellie. I can’t wait to read the sequel to this story and reunite with the characters of this book. I would definitely recommend this book to others but in particular to those people who enjoy reading historical fiction. The score on the Ginger Book Geek board just has to be 5* out of 5*.

This book is every bit as wonderful as I initially thought it would be. I was picked up and transported back to the 1940's to witness Ellie's gutsy attitude to life as she fought her gender stereotypes to live a daring life doing what really mattered for herself, king and country.



Ellie is a daring and brave female pilot, the polar opposite to what her mother deems fit a young lady should be, and this quality adds to her charm. She's an instantly likeable character filled with bold adventure and holds her own in a male dominated world both at home and on the airfield. I was drawn into this storyline from page one and found it extremely difficult to put the book down and I was overjoyed to find that this is just the beginning of Ellie's journey.



The Spitfire Girl is researched extremely well and establishes the world of aviation and war in the 1940's to perfection. I'm now on tender hooks in anticipation for the next installment in this series.

I so enjoyed the wonderful and interesting cast of characters, each brought an extra element to the story. I also warmed to the lead woman, such a great mix of conservative and unusual - and lots more to come for her as the war starts in earnest. The story is very rich and has lots of threads interweaving carefully through it without it feeling complex or heavy. The only reason I've not given it a 5 - is that it ends very abruptly, and I wasn't expecting that as I didn't realise it was part of a series. I really need to know what happens next!

July 1939. Ellie Simpson loves flying and started at a young age (14) and now is an instructor at Glebe Farm Aero Club for Joe Cross. Joe was Ellie's flying teacher as well as her brothers George and Neil. Disaster strikes when Jack, Joe's nephew is lost over the sea one evening (the action takes place on the coast of England). Jack was a stunt pilot in the USA and us now back in England in the RAF. Ellie and Jack need to urgently recruit pilots

I really felt the atmosphere and liked Ellie. Although a tomboy, she is passionate and always fights for what she wants. I would have liked more descriptions of the planes.

I had high hopes for this book and the charcters are very well fleshed out. There was a lot of talk of flying (or wanting to) and a brief mention of the names of different planes and some flying lessons. The pace is very good and I was swept up in the atmosphere. The language used (with some slang) helped that.

Ellie and Jack's POVs are very interesting. 3-3.5 stars. There are some tender moments and a real sense of having a dream and fighting for it. Much of the plot and story is through conversations but you do end up getting a good idea of rhe characters' personalities through them I felt I knew more about the preparations and precautions needed for flying a plane at the time the book was set.

Thanks to Fenella J Miller and Aria for my ARC in exchange for an honest and voluntary review as well as my slot on the blog tour. This is the first book I have reviewed by Fenella J Miller and am boping to come across more by her.

An impressive and engrossing saga set during the Second World War, The Spitfire Girl is a wonderful tale of love and courage from Fenella J Miller’s very talented pen.

Ellie Simpson has always been a tomboy. Unlike most girls, she never showed any interest in fashion or dolls and has spent most of her childhood playing rough and tumble with the boys rather than indulging in pursuits usually reserved for girls. As she grew older, Ellie discovered an interest in flying and planes. There is absolutely nothing that Ellie loves more than being up in the air, flying her beloved Tiger Moth. She has neither the time nor the desire to find herself a husband and just wants to spend the rest of her life indulging in her passion for aviation. However, Ellie’s life is set to change forever when war is declared, curtailing once and for all her passion and putting a stop to doing the one thing she loves the most – flying.

As all the men sign up to fight for their country, Ellie is determined to do her bit for the war effort. She might not be able to defeat the enemy on the battlefield, but she is adamant that she will do whatever it takes to win this war, so she jumps at the chance to join the Women’s Auxiliary Air Force. Keeping the boys in the RAF safe is of paramount importance to Ellie and her friends. With the war showing no sign of abating, Ellie will not be deterred or let herself be frightened, despite the plethora of dangers which are all around her. However, when tragedy strikes, Ellie will need to continue to summon up all of her strength.

With her heart and her country in grave danger, will Ellie ever manage to find the happiness which she is so desperately searching for? Or will war put a stop to all that once and for all?

Having read and enjoyed many of Fenella J Miller’s Regency romantic adventures, The Spitfire Girl was the first saga of hers I read and I couldn’t put it down. Meticulously researched, wonderfully written and exquisitely rendered, The Spitfire Girl is a fantastic wartime saga that touches the heart and will have readers reaching for the tissues.

Ellie is a fantastic heroine who is strong, courageous and resilient, even when there are so many obstacles standing in her way and the supporting cast of characters are incredibly believable and jump off the pages.

Saga fans are going to love The Spitfire Girl and I shall be awaiting with bated breath the next enthralling read by this fantastic storyteller!

Review: I read The Spitfire Girl in one sitting! It really is that good!

I would like to thank Aria for asking me to review and be apart of the blog tour for The Spitfire Girl. 

Ellie Simpson is a tomboy at heart and enjoys working at the airfield which is based on her father's farm. Despite her mother she takes her love of flying to new levels and joins the Women's Auxiliary Air Force to do her bit for the war.

The Spitfire Girl is a well written book which captures the very essence of a perfect historical fiction saga. The characters literally come to life and are very strong. As I read I could picture the farm and airfield vividly in my head. I adore Ellie she is a perfect lead character and I love how she handles life. I cannot wait to continue her story in the next book in the series. 

I am so glad that I agreed to review this book. I am looking forward to the next instalment coming out next year!

I do love a book about WWII .. and this one has a different slant to most!

Ellie Simpson is very much a tomboy; she knows she is capable of anything her brothers can do, and that has included both learning to fly and teaching others. Unlike other young women of her age whose sole interest is in finding a - preferably rich - husband, Ellie has no plans to change her current way of life. When her brothers head off to join the RAF, she is faced with the reality that the best she can hope for is to volunteer for the WAAFs - where women are not allowed to fly.

This is a truly endearing story about domestic life just before, and at the beginning of, the second world war. With an uncertain future, families do their best to 'do their bit' and 'keep the home fires burning'. Ellie is a courageous young woman, capable of much and eager to prove it. The tale is told in a very exciting way, with plenty to keep the reader focused and with several characters leading interesting lives, it easy to become engrossed and invested in the novel. With an uncertain future, there are infinite possibilities for where the story is heading and I'm delighted that there will be a sequel. Looking forward to it!