The Flight Girls stands out within a popular sub genre of stories about women during war time. This is a good historical fiction novel that centers on the Women’s Air Force Service Pilots Program. The protagonist is Audrey Coltrane. She always wanted to be a pilot and the war gives her this opportunity.

Pearl Harbor was a catastrophic event for the country and a frightening time for Audrey. Readers will be alongside her as she moves forward.

Audrey is very determined. Will this include her saying that she will be immune from romance? Will those she loves remain safe? And, how will the other women she meets help to sustain her? What exactly is the work that these women do? Turn the pages of this very readable novel to find out.

This book opens in Hawaii, also the setting for Sara Ackerman’s, The Code Breaker’s Secret. I recommend both.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Harlequin for this title. All opinions are my own.

The Fight Girls is inspiring historical fiction that deals more in the relationships of the main characters than in the historical elements. The main character ,Audrey Coltrane, flies planes and signs up to train military pilots in Hawaii during World War 2. She is part of the Women's Airforce Service Pilots or WASPS. A very good read!
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Audrey wants nothing except to fly. She is the daughter of a wealthy oil baron but eschews her society life for a life in the sky. Her job brings her to Hawaii as a trainer of military pilots. But her longterm goal is to buy and manage the small airfield in Texas where she herself learned to fly. When the Japanese bomb Pearl Harbor, Audrey’s life is caught up in the chaos. After she heads home, she is invited to become a member of the women’s flying force, tasked with shuttling military aircraft out to service.

A Lieutenant who was also at Pearl Harbor with her, has pledged to stay a close friend. James understands that her dream of running an airfield takes precedence, and romantic entanglements do not factor into her future. As James heads off to Europe to fight in the war, Audrey and her female compatriots go through rigorous training. But the realities of war make both their situations precarious.

What makes this book work is the female camaraderie that the women trainers and pilots experience as they form strong bonds and demonstrate their personal courage. This is a time when women were not considered the equal of men. Despite all they did to serve, the women were not allowed to be officially enlisted as full members of the armed forces. Even when women died serving their country, their families had to assume the physical and financial responsibility of moving the body.

The story of all the young women who stepped up as America fought in a brutal war, is an important one. These pilots are among the unsung heroes who deserve our attention and gratitude. Though romantic entanglements play a central role, the young ladies and their contributions during WWII will inspire readers looking for more books that show women at their very best.
3.75*

Audrey is headed to sunset beach. The beach is packed. She is hanging out with Ruby,Catherine and Jean. Audrey sees lieutenant Hart on the beach and feels unsettled. Ruby has bad taste in men. Audrey has a passion for planes and flying which I loved. I loved that the fly girls were in Hawaii during pearl harbor but saddened by the deaths real and fake. Sometimes I got tired of Audrey wanting her friend James but he seemed a good match for her

The Flight Girls tells the story of the WASPS, Women's Army Service Pilots, who freed up male pilots to go overseas during the second World War by ferrying planes, testing planes, and helping to train other pilots. Told from the viewpoint of Audrey Coltrane, a Texas girl who always loved flying, the story starts with Pearl Harbor when Audrey is caught in the air as the Japanese attack.

While fictional, this book sheds light on an underexposed piece of American history, particularly women's history. Telling representative stories of some of the women who served, Salazar tells of pride and heartbreak the women endure, learning to fly all the different types of military aircraft and sometimes dying at the controls. The female pilots were not considered part of the military and given no military status or benefits. Indeed, they were not recognized until 1976 when the Air Force Academy allowed women to become students.

This book is a fascinating read, both because of the characters Salazar created and the historical aspects.

Noelle Salazer's The Flight Girls didn't work for me. I found the novel overly romantic and difficult to appreciate contextually, so much so that I couldn't finish the novel.

The Flight Girls is a wonderful historical fiction novel about women pilots during WWII. While this is mainly a romance novel told through the eyes of one of those Flight Girls, it shows the hardships these women faced during and after WWII and the fight for recognition.

I have a soft spot for Historical Fiction, but an especially soft spot for WWII Historical Fiction. This novel was everything I didn’t realize I was missing from that genre. Instead of being directly on the front lines, and in the action overseas, we saw how women were contributing to the war efforts on U.S. soil.

I loved this novel from page one. I loved our main character, Audrey. I loved her passion for her work, even though she was in a male dominated career. I loved that she was unafraid to be herself, and boldly stand by her constitution of not wanting a husband or babies, but she never shamed other women for wanting those things! Yes, Audrey!

This novel starts off just before the attack on Pearl Harbor. It was absolutely gut wrenching knowing what was about to happen next to Audrey and her friends on that island. Audrey and her roommates were training young soldiers how to fly military aircrafts when the island is attacked. This is our first introduction to the many casualties of WWII from Audrey’s perspective.

This novel had so many elements that make it an instant favorite in my book: romance, strong independent women, high stakes, and female friendship. Audrey has a goal, and a dream. While she moves from place to place, that dream never changes. She faces a few major deaths, and a new relationship that shakes her foundations and leaves her questioning if she’s on the right path, but she always finds her way back to her original plan. I truly admire Audrey for her determination in herself, and for following her gut time and time again.

This novel made me tear up more than a few times, and had me openly weeping at the loss Audrey faces. I thoroughly enjoyed every second of this book, and will be recommending it to all of my friends who like historical fiction (looking at you, Robin). I think I just became a Noelle Salazar fan for life.

This novel is a compelling historical fiction of powerful, brave women, which served as American pilots during WWII. Enlightening, and full of loss and love during a turbulent time in history. Thank you NetGalley, the author and publisher for the e-reader for my review. All opinions are my own.

Although somewhat slanted towards the female reader (relationship-wise), as a male I completely enjoyed learning a lot about the contributions of front line female fighters. Much of elementary school history saw most women working factories, nursing, communications, and intelligence roles. It was great to read of the contributions of these dedicated, brave, and skilled women

From the days before Pearl Harbor to the ending days of WWII, The Flight Girls provides a lot of history of the role women played in the U.S. when men went off to war. Audrey, the main character, works as a flight instructor at Pearl Harbor, then becomes a WASP, ferrying planes across the country. Salazar doesn’t shy away from the ugliness of battle, the human cost, or the discrimination that female pilots routinely faced. I wasn't expecting the romantic story, but found that it complimented thmy est of the narrative, rather than detracting from it.

Historical fiction at its best- highlighting pieces of history that have gone unnoticed with warmth and heart that bring the reader into the timeline and hearts of the characters.

While I did request this book, looking for something more along the lines of historical fiction rather than a romance, but despite the strong romance angle here, I enjoyed this book.

Audrey Coltrane learned to fly from her father back in Texas and her one goal in life is to buy the airfield where she learned to fly - the airfield owned by her father.

It is because she knows how to fly that she signed up to train military pilots how to fly as the world went to war in the early 1940's and that she found herself in Hawaii when the Japanese bombed Pearl Harbor and Audrey was witness to horrible deaths and destruction. It was also in Hawaii that Audrey met James Hart, a man she called 'friend' but whom she would never stop thinking about.

Audrey joined the WASP (Women Airforce Service Pilots) program, connecting with other patriotic women who would become close friends. Here she would meet the dashing Officer Wilson, a man willing to risk his commission for the opportunity to take Audrey out on a date. But flattered as she is by this handsome man with a strong career ahead of him, Audrey can't stop thinking of James. She and James reconnect and admit their love and commitment for one another shortly before James goes into action, is shot down, and classified as missing even after the war is declared over. Audrey, though, doesn't give up, knowing that James would do everything he could to stay alive and return to her.

I really liked the character of Audrey. She definitely came across as someone strong and capable - the sort of woman we expect to find as a WASP. Her friends in the WASP program are a mix of qualified pilots and giggly girls thinking about men - which we need because, of course, Audrey is committed to her job and her future plans and doesn't have any experience with men and she needs the nudges from the other girls. But her pattern of committing to something stays true when she commits to James and doesn't let up even when all others would move on.

The historical aspects to this book were very well researched and brought to the story. So much so that I am definitely interested in learning more about the WASP program and the women who flew in it.

The story is pretty straight-forward romance with a plot that can likely be found in almost any romance ... shy, inexperienced girl meets guy, doesn't want to feel anything for him but can't help herself, throws herself into commitment despite the odds against them.

If you like this kind of romance then you should definitely enjoy this book because author Noelle Salazar writes it well. But even if you don't normally enjoy a romance (or think that you don't) then you still might want to give this a read because the historical aspect should hold your interest.

Looking for a good book? <em>The Flight Girls</em> by Noelle Salazar is a gentle romance with a strong female protagonist in a remarkable historical setting.

I received a digital copy of this book from the publisher, through Netgalley, in exchange for an honest review.

In 1941, Audrey Coltrane loves nothing more than flying airplanes and dreams of someday owning her own airfield. After witnessing the attack on Pearl Harbor, Audrey is determined to do her part for the war effort and joins the Women Airforce Service Pilots. At the beginning, Audrey is rather young and naive. She is aware of the war going on around her but has not been touched by it directly. Through Pearl Harbor, dealing with the disdain and discrimination from many male servicemen, and falling in love, we can watch her grow as a person and discover her inner strength. While there are several historical inaccuracies in the book, it's strength is as a historical romance that will have you anxiously turning pages hoping for a happily ever after.

With all the books out now with WWII as the subject the competition is fierce. Yes, I finished the story as I felt I owed at least to both NetGalley and the publisher. It is not very often that I read books published by Harlequin and I don't think I'll be requesting them again. The editing was obviously missing with errors such as using "Ms." which they didn't in 1941; there was no TV, the list goes on. Actually the author should have known this as well....so much for research and sticking to authenticity.

The description for this book is a little misleading. It really isn't a story about the WASPs but a story surrounding a fictional woman who served in the WASP. Despite that, it truly was a beautifully written story. The book leads us through Audrey's (the main character) life as she holds onto her passion for flying despite the challenges brought on by her gender. Her harrowing experiences at Pearl Harbor and the struggles she has afterward reflect a strong willed person capable of rising to any occasion. The personal turmoil Audrey faces between what is acceptable, what is expected, what she wants, and what opportunities present themselves to her make her relatable to any woman in any era. The developing relationship between Audrey and James is nothing less then endearing. Salazar presents a strong debut story.

This book was absolutely phenomenal. After only 30 pages I knew I was going to order it for my library. The main characters voice and description made me feel that I was right next to her through the entire novel. I was laughing, crying and giddy the entire time I was reading the novel. When I absolutely had to put the book down, I was longing to pick it back up. I absolutely recommend it for anyone who enjoys WWII Historical Fiction with a strong, thoughtful heroine.

I found this story really engaging and heartfelt. I think it will appeal to historical fiction readers, especially those interested in World War II and women pilots (made me think of Rose Under Fire). The romance in it was sweet without overwhelming the history and it was engaging to learn about a part of history that I hadn't heard much about previously. I will recommend this widely.

Lovely cover that drew me to the book. The book was lovely. A feel good read perfect for this time of year lazing on holiday or in the garden. It was easy to read and well written. Great read

Even though I have read loads of books set during World War II, I have to say I really enjoyed reading ones that feature strong female leads. This book focused on the Women Airforce Service Pilots, a group I really knew very little about and I must say their story as well as the book fascinated me. The risks that those women, the real and the fictional ones, took in serving their country was amazing. Especially considering that the women who took the risks still had to battle with the male pilots who often looked down on their abilities simply because they were women. While this book is a work of historical fiction, I enjoyed it immensely and want to know more about the women who served. Overall, a very enjoyable read.