This book was achingly heartbreaking. But in a way that makes one realize what it means to sacrifice everything back during the war. The characters in this book were so easy to keep the readers interest and the plot was not one I have seen in previous war romances.
I look forward to whatever this author has next for readers.

I voluntarily reviewed a copy of this book provided by NetGalley.

In the middle of the road, the child stood wearing a blue flannel nightie, her feet bare and dirt-splattered. Her blonde flyaway hair was golden, aglow from the fires that lit her up from behind. Stumbling over, Lizzie reached her side. The little girl's eyes were closed, her palms facing upwards. If she’d been in church, you would have thought she was praying.
September 1940, London
The description sets the scene of the blitz during WW2. However, the rest of the description focuses on Lizzie only while the story is really about three women. I felt that Under a Sky on Fire tells the fictional story of three women from different backgrounds who are thrown together during unprecedented times. The story gives a very graphic and detailed account of how Londoners survived the bombings. It is a story about love and relationships and kept my attention right to the end. The characters of Lizzie and Julie were well written, but I thought that Diana’s character wasn’t developed as well as the other two. It was an interesting story, well told.
Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture for sending me an advance copy in exchange for an honest review.

Title: UNDER A SKY ON FIRE
Publication Day: Oct 13th 2020
Author: Suzanne Kelman

Description:

The child stood in the road wearing a blue flannel nightie, her feet bare and dirt-splattered. Her blonde flyaway hair was golden, aglow from the fires that lit her up from behind. Stumbling over, Lizzie reached her side. The little girl’s eyes were closed, her palms facing upwards. If she’d been in church, you would have thought she was praying.

September 1940, London

As the German Luftwaffe begin a terrifying bombing campaign that will come to be known as the Blitz, thousands are evacuated to safety. But Lizzie Mackenzie finds herself heading towards London.

She knows she must help in the war effort. But she has another reason for leaving the security of her Scottish village: the illegitimate child she gave up for adoption nearly five years before is somewhere in the city. And – as the bombs rain down – she will stop at nothing to find her and make sure her little girl is safe.

Then she finds herself trapped in a dark theatre during a bombing raid, where she meets Pilot Officer Jack Henson. Against all her instincts, she falls in love. But what chance is there for that love to flourish? Because if he discovers the secret shame of her past, he may never forgive her. And with Jack facing the enemy every day in the sky, and Lizzie’s job guiding pilots into battle – life and love has never felt so fragile.

Until a chance encounter with a little orphaned girl changes everything, forcing Lizzie to ask herself what truly matters. Because, in the darkest days of war, every life counts. And – when tragedy strikes – saving one child’s life might just give Lizzie a reason to survive…

An unforgettable story about sacrifice, love and heartbreak set in World War Two London during the Blitz. If you liked All the Light We Cannot See, My Name is Eva and A Fire Sparkling, you will love Under a Sky on Fire.


BLOG TOUR REVIEW

Review for 'Under A Sky On Fire' by Suzanne Kelman.

Read and reviewed via NetGalley for Bookouture publishers and Bookouture anonymous

Publication date 13th October 2020

This is the first book that I have read by this author.

I was originally drawn to this book by its intriguing colourful cover and interesting sounding blurb. I was also looking for a different type of genre to my usual crime and this seemed to fit the bill perfectly. I must admit I was also biased due to the publisher being Bookouture. I have yet to read a book published by Bookouture that I haven't enjoyed. Hopefully this won't be the first... Watch this space! (Written before I started reading the book).

This novel consists of a prologue, 48 chapters and an epilogue. The chapters are medium in length so possible to read 'just one more chapter' before bed...OK, I know yeah right, but still just in case!

This book is written in third person perspective with the main protagonists being Lizzie, Julia and Diana. I enjoy books written in third person with several protagonists as it let's you see the bigger picture of what's going on and you get to know more characters.

This book is based in London 🇬🇧. I always enjoy when books are set in the UK as I'm from Wales and have sometimes visited areas mentioned in the book. This makes it easier to picture where the scenes are set at times. The fact that we get to see through the eyes of 3 of the characters is a bonus as it feels like we are not missing anything.

This book was very well written written with excellent descriptions. There are lots of fiction books written about the war but this one really stood out to me and it really helped me to understand what life must have been like during the war. I believe Suzanne has definitely done her research and quite a lot at that with lots of factual information included in the storyline.

The storyline itself is very emotional and filled with ups and downs, love, loss, war, deceit, suspense and tension. I love that it highlights the importance and vitality of women's roles during the war and how much work they did while the men were away fighting. I was shocked by the little twist thrown in at about 70% and was quite shocked.

I absolutely loved that the 3 main characters were all strong women and were all very realistic with their own personalities, they really stood out for me. Having string female roles in books is always a bonus for me, being female myself!! I really enjoyed watching the friendship, bonds and relationships develop between all the different characters and really felt the emotions that poor Lizzie went through. It was lovely to read what happened to them after the war as well as not many books include that and its always nice to read more about that characters that you have bonded with whilst reading. I think this book will stay with me for a long time and it would be lovely to see it turned into a movie.

Overall a beautiful and emotional page turner about the war, love, friendship and loss.

Genres covered include Romance Novel, Historical Fiction, Historical Romance and War Story.

I would recommend this book to the fans of the above as well as anyone looking for a beautiful and emotional read.

361 pages.

This book is £1.99 to purchase on kindle via Amazon or free on kindle unlimited which I think is an absolute bargain for this book!!!

Rated 5/5 (I loved it ) on Goodreads, Instagram, Amazon UK and Amazon US and on over 30 Facebook pages plus my blog on Facebook.

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Author Bio:

Suzanne Kelman is an Amazon International Bestselling author in America, United Kingdom, Canada, and Australia. Her WW2 historical fiction books "A View Across the Rooftops" and "When We Were Brave," together have sold over 150,000 copies and are published by Bookouture - an imprint for Hachette U.K. Her third WW2 Book, Under A Sky on Fire, publishes October 13th, 2020. Kelman's books have also been translated into five languages.

She is also the author of the bestselling book, "The Rejected Writers' Book Club", published by Lake Union, which is the first book in the Southlea Bay series. Other books in the series include, "Rejected Writers Take the Stage" and "The Rejected Writers' Christmas Wedding".

Kelman is an award-winning writer/screenwriter whose accolades include the Best Comedy Feature Screenplay Award from the L.A. International Film Festival, the Gold Award from the California Film Awards, and the Van Gogh Award from the Amsterdam Film Festival.

In 2015 her script, Held, was recognized by the Academy of Motion Pictures and was shortlisted to the top ten in the Academy Of Motion Pictures Nichols Fellowship competition.

As well as a screenwriter and a published author, Suzanne is also a playwright, and her award-winning comedy play, "Over My Dead Body", had its World Premiere at Outcast Theatre in Washington, Fall 2019.

Born in the United Kingdom, Suzanne now resides in Washington State.

Please sign up for her newsletter to stay in touch - https://www.suzannekelmanauthor.com

Author Social Media Links:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/suzkelman

Twitter: https://twitter.com/suzkelman

Website: https://www.suzannekelmanauthor.com

It is September 1940 in London and Lizzie McKenzie has two chances in front of her. She can play a very big role in the war effort. Mote importantly, however, she has the opportunity to look for a daughter she was forced to give up for adoption when she was a young teen. When she became pregnant at fourteen, her parents sent her away and she only saw her young daughter once, and very briefly at that. Due to her parents' shame, Lizzie lived with her aunt and uncle ever since, and was especially close to them.

Now a young woman performing secretarial duties she gets the opportunity to perform special duties for the prime minister, Winston Churchill. While bombing has become rampant in London due to the war and thousands are rushing away from London, Lizzie is headed into the fray so to speak. While intent on doing a good job in helping soldiers, Lizzie already plans to use her time in London to look for her daughter.

One day, however, after a bomb goes off, Lizzie spots a young girl all alone. She grabs the girl and takes her to safety. When she tries to take the child to the authorities, things are such a mess with so many lives lost and so much confusion, that she ends up keeping the little girl longer than she planned. All the while she continues to search for her daughter.

Something else special happens to Lizzie. She meets a pilot named Jack Henson and falls in love. Her special job - that of guiding pilots into battle - becomes ever more important because she knows of the grave danger Jack faces in his job. So Lizzie balances her job, her new relationship with Jack, and the care of the little girl, all while never once giving up hope of finding her daughter.

This tender story was equally captivating and heartbreaking. It proved that intense love could indeed flourish during those tenuous times. But it also showed the danger that swallowed so many lives during that terrible time in history. Suzanne Kelman did a fine job of writing this touching story with a fine balance between the two.

Many thanks to Bookouture and to NetGalley for this ARC for review/. This is my honest opinion.

Under A Sky On Fire by Suzanne Kelman a historical fiction story set during the Blitz in World War II. The book revolves around three very different women, who meet and become firm friends. They are all doing their bit for the war, Julia, her husband is a soldier fighting in the war. They have two children who are being sent to the Cotswolds for their safety. Diana works on the Barrage balloons, who comes from Birmingham. Finally Lizzie, a young woman who has moved away from her Aunt and Uncle in Scotland and who is keeping her own secret while working in the work effort spotting planes during missions.It is while on these missions she meets a pilot called Jack and she falls in love.She is certain that she will lose him if he ever discovers the secret that drew her to London in the first place.
Suzanne Kelman has created a very real story of the brave women who played their part in the Second World War and the hardships they faced at this time.We are witness to the fighting spirit of everyone on the Home Front. Their spirit may diminish but it will never be extinguished is the message I get from this book.
I loved getting to know these three brave women but Lizzie was the one that pulled at the heartstrings, her reason for being in London initially leads to her never stopping in her search and makes this a really emotional story. I was proud of this woman who never gives up, she is the British spirit personified.
A book about love, loss and the tenacity of the women in these times. I was on the edge of tears in parts of this book it affected me that much. A touching story that will stay with me, especially when I think of my own grandmother who lived through this time also.
Thank you to Bookouture and NetGalley for the copy of the book for me to write my review today.

Under A Sky On Fire by Suzanne Kelman. The title is perfect as this is a book that takes place during the Blitz. hree women who have taken it upon themselves to help out during World War 2 in London. One is a secretary ( she is really more than that) who works with Churchill, another helps fly the barrage balloons that helped keep London's skies safe during German Air Attacks and the last is a plotter, her job is to keep track of the number and types of planes that the Germans are flying in their attack on London. Each woman has an inner strength that carries them through some expected and unexpected times. What I loved the most was how much they supported each other, not just during the war but after. Also let me add, please read the authors notes after the book...for me it added an extra special touch. 4⭐
⭐
Thank you to Netgalley, Bookoutoure and Suzanne Kelman for the eARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.

A story of three women who meet in London during World War II and become the closest of friends. All three work in the war effort in different ways and experience the bombing of London that became known as The Blitz.

Suzanne Kelman writes a lovely story about sacrifice, about how the women of Britain “kept calm and carried on” during the harshest of times. However, I’m not sure exactly why, but the story didn’t quite grab me the way I thought it would. Perhaps I’ve just read too many books about World War II?

Many thanks to NetGalley and Bookouture for the opportunity to read an advance readers copy of this book. All opinions are my own.

I read Suzanne Kelman’s ‘A View Across the Rooftops’ last year and liked it for its strong story & the strength of its characters. That is true of this book as well, which is set during the period of the Second World War (but in UK).

Lizzie has had a troubled life in her teens after having a child at the age of 14, giving her child up for adoption and then moving to live with her uncle & aunt on a farm. She works to get her life back in their considerate care, and as war breaks out decides that she must contribute to the effort. She meets Diana who has also volunteered to join the armed forces, and they become good friends. The war also brings anxiety and stress for Julia (a London resident since many years) whose husband John is called on to fight in the war. As she is assigned to work on critical documentation for the Prime Minister’s office, she has to send her children away to stay with their aunt. The relationship between Lizzie, Diana & Julia grows to be strong, and they are pillars of support for each other. The war inevitably brings tragedy & grief, and yet there is hope as the three of them stick together.

The characters are strong, and the writing gives you a view of their souls. A beautiful book which I certainly recommend, if historical fiction interests you.

My rating: 4.5 / 5.

Under A Sky On Fire by Suzanne Kelman is a powerful historical novel set in London in 1940-1941 at the height of the blitz.
The novel follows the fortunes of three women – two WAAF’s and one who works in Churchill’s cabinet war rooms. They are all brave young women fighting on the home front for a better tomorrow.
The reader witnesses their bravery and their bulldog spirit as lives continue living and loving in spite of the bombs falling. There is camaraderie where souls help each other get through the darkest of times.
There is a hope, a hope that life will get better and families will be reunited. Evacuation of children was hard but necessary. Both parents and children found it difficult to do.
No one wins in war. Women on both sides mourn their losses as Suzanne Kelman points out in a poignant scene in church.
Suzanne Kelman is a masterful author. She captures the spirit of war-torn London. We see the agonies of doing the right thing whilst being emotionally vulnerable. The folk on the home front are brave with a fighting spirit. They will never give in.
Under A Sky On Fire is a story of love, loss, family and tenacity. It is a powerful read that will tug at your heart.
I received this book for free. A favourable review was not required and all views expressed are my own.

Many thanks to #NetGalley and publisher Bookouture for allowing me to read an advance copy of the novel Under A Sky On Fire – what follows are my unbiased opinions.

While the title of this book might make a reader think the book is about the Wildfires that are so prevalent on the West Coast of North America these days, the beautiful artwork for the cover helps to set it clearly in London during World War Two. I am consistently drawn to books written about this time period and thus was very pleased to have a chance to read it. I had already read one other book by Suzanne Kelman set in this time period, which I really enjoyed. The author dedicated this book to all the women who “fought and worked but also kept homes, families and the indominable British spirit alive”. She also dedicated it to her own grandmother who was one of those women. I think that her characters represented those to whom this was dedicated very well.

The story begins with a prologue called – 15 August 1940 – The First Bomb. The bomb being referred to here is the first bomb to fall in London and begin what was known as the London Blitz. This chapter had me going off to do a little online research and I am not sure of the accuracy of the date. I found one article which said that the first bomb fell on August 24th 1940 and that it was indeed by mistake. I found the chapter quite riveting but as it ended I wanted to know more about the pilot who dropped the bomb and whether he survived. Unfortunately I was left wondering as the whole incident sort of fell off the map at that point and the author went back 12 weeks in time to set up the stories of her different characters Lizzie, Diana & Julia. Of the three, Lizzie gets the most airtime (so to speak). She hails from Scotland and had basically been sent off by her family in shame as they blamed her 14 year old self for an unplanned pregnancy that really came across to me as a forced sexual encounter. She was sent to relatives on the mainland who loved her and became more of a family to her than her birth parents. Still, the shame of her past experiences makes her yearn to set out to London where she can do her part to help fight in the war without being hindered by her past. En route to London by train, she encounters Diana and they befriend each other after discovering they are headed off to the same place.

Next we meet Julia Sullivan as she is seeing her husband off at the train station as he leaves to go who knows where. It was a poignant moment and the author had me feeling her despair. Kelman really has a way with words when doing her description – she had me thinking about the smells, the physical feelings as well as the emotions that Julia and her husband were facing. Julia worked as a secretary and was involved in documenting artillery needed for ground support. She was skilled and seedy enough to catch the attention of her supervisors and garner a job offer to work in Mr. Churchill’s War Rooms. This really caught my attention as I visited there on my last trip to the UK and was fascinated with the whole place. It made it much easier for me to visualize what happened in subsequent chapters. Unfortunately, the new job meant that Julia would have to send her children away from London for their own safety as she would need to be available for long hours.

Meantime Lizzie and Diana are training as WAAFs and are put through their paces enough to really test their mettle. Lizzie is ultimately sent to work charting where airplanes are and moving them around on large tables. The job consisted of moving both Allied and enemy planes onto the table and meant she would hear the pilots over her headphones and truly feel the tension and fear of the bombing raids. I could picture this too because we visited places on our trip to the UK where this was happening.

Diana was chosen to work with barrage balloons because of her strength. While I had certainly heard of barrage balloons before I don’t think I had ever read a description of how they were launched or maintained aloft. Kelman did an epic job on her descriptions likely because her grandmother had been one of the women who helped to do this job. It took incredible strength and teamwork to keep them in the air while bombs were falling all around and just dealing with the wires and weight of the balloons made it a very dangerous job.

Through a chance encounter, Lizzie and Diana met up with Julia and came to rely on her for accommodation after their own residence was destroyed in the bombing. The story throughout is very much about relationships – between the girls, their co-workers and those they encountered around them. While the cover description focused on Lizzie’s desire to see the child she had been forced to give up for adoption I found this was just a small part of the overall story. Her encounter with an orphan after a particularly heavy night of bombing seems fortuitous and healing for her. There are also romantic relationships that develop for the girls with all the highs and lows that accompany such things. Life is not easy and in wartime not all survive.

If you enjoy reading books set in this era, you will probably enjoy this novel inspired by true life. It is geared more to a female than male reader and I will certainly read more by this author. In fact, while reading this one I bought a copy of her novel “When We Were Brave” which I am also looking forward to reading.

Lizzie Mackenzie departs Scotland to join the Women’s Auxiliary Air Force in England, she’s sad to leave her uncle’s Hamish’s croft but she's excited to start her training and she has no idea she’s about to meet two other brave women and the three women will become best friends.
London 1940, after Lizzie finished her WAAF’s training she becomes a plotter at a sector station operation rooms, they kept track of the type, number and direction of incoming German planes. Her friend Diana Downes is part of an all women’s team operating a barrage balloon called Bertha and they used balloons to defend the London sky from German bombers. Julia Sullivan works for the government at The War Office building at Whitehall as a typist, it’s a top secret job and she can’t tell anyone what she does.

During WW II English people had to keep going, life was lived one day at a time, they still went to work despite not getting a lot of sleep, many were shift workers, they put up with food shortages and were constantly worried about their loved ones. I really enjoyed how the story followed the three friends from when they first met, their wartime jobs and romantic relationships they had during the war.
Julia was married to John, he’s fighting in Africa and she sent her two young children Tom and Maggie to stay with an Aunt in the country. During a bombing raid Lizzie is trapped in the basement of a theatre, Jack Henson trips over her in the dark, they spend the night talking and start dating. Diana meets the corporal Len Shelley; and she’s not sure if they ever be more than good friends?

By reading Under a Sky on Fire, you understand what life was like in England during WW II and the sacrifices everyone made including adults and children. The incredible determination, faith and enduring spirit of English people during the nightly bombing raids of London.
Thanks to NetGalley, Bookouture and Suzanne Kelman for my copy of Under a Sky on Fire, I highly recommend the book and five stars from me.

I am excited to be taking part in the #BooksOnTour #BlogTour for Suzanne Kelman's new heartbreaking historical WW2 tale UNDER A SKY ON FIRE.

As an avid fan of Suzanne Kelman's historical fiction, I jumped at the chance to take part in the blog tour. I have loved her two previous books so I knew I wouldn't be disappointed with this one either. And I wasn't.

UNDER A SKY ON FIRE is an amazing tale set during one of the darkest times Britons faced during WW2. The Blitz. OMG! I felt the fear and the terror within the pages as if I was there living it. I think why it stands out to me so much is because my dad was a very young child during the Blitz and even just the sound of an air raid siren now brings it all back to him...and I can see the distress it causes him to relive it through just a sound. It would have been a frightening time for anyone but for a 2 to 3 year old child (he was 2 when the Blitz began and 3 when it stopped), it would have been terrifying. So whenever I read stories that bring to life the Blitz, I see my dad there as a terrified young boy. And that brings me to tears.

A story of endurance, tenacity, love and friendship, UNDER A SKY ON FIRE is a story of three women playing their part in the war effort. They meet by pure chance and begin a friendship that lasts a lifetime. Together they share their hardships, their good times, their laughter and their tears. It is about those at home helping to keep their lads' spirits up and those who are left to pick up the pieces the war spits out. It is heartbreaking but it is also heartwarming. I laughed and I cried and by the end I felt I had lived those lives alongside those women.

From the highlands of Scotland, Lizzie Mackenzie embarks on a new journey as she travels to London to join the Women's Auxiliary Air Force, carrying with her a secret shame as she set out to start a new life. When the train pulls into Birmingham, she is joined by Diana Downes who, against her father's wishes, leaves her life behind for one in the WAAF. Both women are nervous as they begin their journey but are thankful to have found each other before arriving in London. They bunk together for their six weeks of training before they are issued with their new positions, which were individually chosen based on their levels of fitness, academia and strengths. Lizzie was thrilled to find herself assigned as a plotter to Kenley airfield while Diana's task was with the barrage balloons.

Despite working and living in different parts of the city, the two women would spend their leave together visiting London's sights or cafes. One evening after a day of brutal training, Diana wanted nothing more than to collapse into bed and sleep for 12 hours. But Lizzie was filled with the excitement of being in the city and coaxed Diana into heading into London and maybe go to the pictures. It was when a woman had come in late, sat next to Lizzie and then at the end inadvertently left with her scarf, that Lizzie caught up with her outside and the women introduced themselves. Julia was ever so apologetic and offered to take the two women to a nearby cafe by way of apology. Upon leaving to catch their respective buses, they discovered that they'd missed the last bus that would take them back to barracks. So Julia offered them a room at her place for the night...and even the luxury of a bath!

From that moment on the three women became close friends. Whilst Lizzie and Diana were in the WAAF, Julia worked as a typist in Churchill's war rooms...even transcribing letters and speeches from the big man himself. She was married but her husband John was away fighting and her two children, Maggie and Tom, she had sent to the Cotswolds to stay with her Aunt Rosalyn for their own safety. London was becoming a hotspot for Hitler's bombs and it was no place for a child. But that didn't stop Julia from feeling guilty about sending them away...especially when Tom was so sensitive and was missing her terribly.

Throughout the course of their work with the WAAF, Lizzie and Diana managed to find love in the midst of war. Lizzie found herself trapped in a theatre one night during a performance and met the handsome RAF Squadron Leader, Jack Henson. After spending the night in darkness in the theatre basement, along with other patrons, Jack invited Lizzie to a dance the following week to which she accepted. When Diana was hauled out of bed one night to fill in as sentry, she didn't bother getting dressed but rather pulled a pair of oilskin trousers on, a mac over her nightie and a scarf over her curlers before setting off for her post. She didn't expect to meet Corporal Len Shelley, whom she thought looked like Cary Grant, at four o'clock in the morning in the rain whilst manning the sentry box. She didn't expect to fall in love with him either. But love can be found in the strangest of circumstances in wartime. And for both women, those snatched moments and hours of happiness bring a contentment that can only be appreciated in wartime.

But Lizzie's secret could potentially derail her new-found happiness. What will Jack do when she reveals she has a daughter? Will he be like her parents and the folk of the Isle of Barra in the Outer Hebrides, from which she came, and reject her as "soiled goods"? Or will he understand her predicament and help her search for "Annie"?

But when Lizzie comes across a lost little girl in the debris of rubble after a raid, she doesn't hesitate to rescue her. She asks the girl's name, where her parents are, where she is from...but the little girl doesn't speak. Instead she throws her arms around Lizzie and stays nestled in the safety of her arms. Lizzie takes her home to Julia's, where she now lives after a raid destroyed her barracks, and the women try to coax the little girl to speak. They take her to the Red Cross and register her as found in the hope of finding her family, but there are so many children that Lizzie decides to take her home, leaving her address should the girl's family found.

One day, Lizzie plays a little game with her to coax her into telling them her name...by drawing the letters of her name in Lizzie's hand. When the little girl draws an "A" Lizzie's heart leaps. Could this be her "Annie", the name she secretly gave her baby? She asks is her name Annie and the little girl shakes her head and continues...with a "b". Lizzie asks "Abigail" and the little girl nods. Now they have a name for the child but she still refuses to speak. After months living with them, sleeping alongside Lizzie in her bed, too afraid she'd lose her, and Abigail was a fixture in the house. Julia and Lizzie loved having her there and Lizzie knew she was growing attached to the little girl.

So when the WVS (Women's Voluntary Service) knocked to say that all orphaned/abandoned children were to be sent to an orphanage in Wales, Lizzie was devastated. She knew Abigail wouldn't cope there...but she was not her child and she had no legal say in her future. When the day came when she had to bid her farewell on the train platform, Abigail wouldn't let her go but the WVS woman was unsympathetic and prized her free. Lizzie was devastated...but even moreso when as she left, the siren sounded for a raid and when it was over she left the shelter to find the train station decimated and Abigail's train still on the platform. Lizzie screamed in horror. Where was Abigail?

There is so much to this story that just fills you with an overwhelming abundance of emotions. From love to loss, from triumph to tragedy, from happiness to heartbreak...that as the reader, you cannot come through UNDER A SKY ON FIRE unscathed. It will encapsulate you that you will feel that you have lived it too. Whether you identify with Lizzie, Diana or Julia, you will finish this book having walked in their shoes alongside them.

I loved each woman's story but it was Lizzie's that I found the most heartbreaking as she searches for a lost child and finds a bittersweet love. I cried buckets for her and her tragedies. And I loved how she featured at the end in the epilogue, which gave every piece of closure to each story that a reader needs. It was beautiful and it was perfect.

I must admit to googling every so often for some of the aspects of the story...for example the barrage balloons. Although Suzanne Kelman described them thoroughly I still had trouble picturing them because to me balloons are round. So I googled them to see what they looked like and how they actually worked. I loved that Kelman was incredibly descriptive in the workings of the balloons but I was amazed at the video footage I came across of them in action. Kelman was thorough in her descriptions of the workings of plotting, barrage balloons and even Julia's work in Churchill's war office. Imagine transcribing a speech with Churchill sitting up in bed in his jammies! That image made me chuckle. And always with his trademark cigar.

By the end of the story I was so moved and in tears, even my dog scarpered (as he doesn't do tears - they frighten him...lol) But I do recommend that you read Suzanne Kelman's "afterword" that sheds a little more light to the story and how it came about. Of course, I shed even more tears again.

One thing that has always been clear, whether it be through fiction or historical fact, the British people were stoic and remarkable in their strength and their perseverance through all they endured. I cannot imagine living through being bombed day after day and night after night for eight long months, the first of which was 57 days straight out of 58. The staying power of those people to pick themselves up and keep going throughout it all is remarkable. Just the mere thought of it brings me to tears as I think of my own dad as a terrified 2 year old throughout the Blitz. The mere thought is terrifying.

A heartbreaking yet heartwarming story, UNDER A SKY ON FIRE will have you reaching for the tissues as you share in the tenacity of these three young women living "under a sky on fire".

As with all Suzanne Kelman's books, I highly recommend UNDER A SKY ON FIRE. It's a story that will remain with you for a long time to come. I cannot wait for her next book.

I would like to thank #SuzanneKelman, #NetGalley and #Bookouture for an ARC of #UnderASKyOnFire in exchange for an honest review.

Under a Sky on Fire intrigued me with the description and unfortunately that's where it stops. I was so looking forward to this story but the description is different than the actual story. I liked that there was multiple POVs but there wasn't enough. The overall story was good but it felt robotic at times and didn't flow very well. I also liked that I learned a few new things about The Blitz.

*ARC provided by Netgalley in exchange for an honest review*

This was a stunning read. Wonderful characters who I liked and cared about, a fast pace, and excellent detail which showed heavy research.
The 3 women had a range of skills and they showed the life of women in WW2 perfectly. This was enlightening and portrayed the strength of character needed to survive the war. Highly recommended.

September 1940, London: Lizzie MacKenzie finds herself heading towards London. She knows she must help in the war effort. But she has another reason for leaving the security of her Scottich Village: the illegitimate child she gave up,for adoption nearly five years ago is living somewhere in the city. She just wants to know her little girl is safe from the bombs. Then she finds herself trapped in a dark theatre during a bomb raid where she meets Pilot Officer Jack Henson. The pair quickly fall in love. But if he discovers her secret past, he may never forgive her.

Lizzie becomes a filter plotter who keeps track of planes during air raids. She also becomes close friends with Diane and Julia. I neither liked or disliked the characters who came across as a bit bland. There was not enough written about Lizzie's search for her daughter either. The three women share their good and bad times together. It must have been hard living through the Blitz and the author covers this well. You must read the authors notes. This is a well written book that seems true to the era.

I would like to thank #NetGalley, #Bookouture and the author #SuzanneKelman for my ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Under a Sky on Fire by Suzanne Kelman
Publication Date: October 13, 2020
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Description from NetGalley...
“September 1940, London
As the German Luftwaffe begin a terrifying bombing campaign that will come to be known as the Blitz, thousands are evacuated to safety. But Lizzie Mackenzie finds herself heading towards London.

She knows she must help in the war effort. But she has another reason for leaving the security of her Scottish village: the illegitimate child she gave up for adoption nearly five years before is somewhere in the city. And – as the bombs rain down – she will stop at nothing to find her and make sure her little girl is safe.

Then she finds herself trapped in a dark theatre during a bombing raid, where she meets Pilot Officer Jack Henson. Against all her instincts, she falls in love. But what chance is there for that love to flourish? Because if he discovers the secret shame of her past, he may never forgive her. And with Jack facing the enemy every day in the sky, and Lizzie’s job guiding pilots into battle – life and love has never felt so fragile.

Until a chance encounter with a little orphaned girl changes everything, forcing Lizzie to ask herself what truly matters. Because, in the darkest days of war, every life counts. And – when tragedy strikes – saving one child’s life might just give Lizzie a reason to survive…”
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Thank you to @NetGalley @bookouture for the digital ARC in return for my honest review.
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My thoughts...
What I look for in a true historical fiction (as opposed to fantasy and the likes) are: strong woman/women protagonist(s), details of their war-work, a relatable or at least believable background story/life story, a believable and touching romance (not too prolonged or too gushy), true to the actual history it was based on and well-written that hooked you from the first page, filled with action (where you cannot wait to turn the page and not necessarily “fighting”), inspirational and heartwarming. Impossible, you think? It’s not. What Suzanne Kilman wrote here has all of the above. But, that’s my opinion. I absolutely loved this book. And yes, I shed a couple of tears. And now, I have a book hangover.

Three words.

Have. Tissues. Ready.

I knew from this author’s previous books, A View Across the Rooftops and When We Were Brave, that I was in for an emotional and heartfelt story, and I was not disappointed. Ms. Kelman has a particular talent for creating characters and situations that are so real, a reader can imagine being a part of the story. She is probably my favorite historical fiction author.

I really liked the way she set up the main characters, all young women with very different backgrounds. It took a while to figure out what the connection would be and how they would all relate to each other.

First was Lizzie, from the Highlands, with a deep, personal secret she was determined to atone for. Then we met Diana, from Birmingham, whose father is still suffering from Shell Shock from WWI. Last was Julia in London, whose husband is called up, leaving her alone with two young children.

Lizzie and Diana are joining up in the Women’s Auxiliary Air Force, while Julia finds herself promoted to being a steno in Churchill’s War Rooms. Each woman takes her own path to help the cause, and the ways they all get there are both engaging and informative.

I especially liked Julia’s job. Her proximity to Churchill and interactions in the War Rooms were very realistic. I got chills reading some passages, knowing how accurate they were (we visited the museum of his War Rooms when we were in England a few years ago). Well done to the author for that.

And then the Blitz occurs.

Again, this is where the author’s talent for creating authentic scenes shines. The terror and uncertainty of the residents of London is palpable, and I truly felt like I could smell the smoke and see the rubble of the bombed-out buildings. Very few authors can evoke such vivid scenes.

Of course, with it being wartime, you know that there is going to be heartache and loss. The author does a fantastic job of building the tension, tracking each of the three ladies as they learn their jobs, meet new people, and form relationships that may or may not be fruitful.

You just know that one (or more) of them is going to suffer a tragedy of some sort. I kept waiting for the shoe to drop. And even though I expected it, I wasn’t prepared for it when it actually happened (and no, I’m not going to tell you what happens or who it happens to).

But this is where you will definitely need those tissues I mentioned at the beginning. The emotion that pours from the pages is absolutely heart-wrenching.

I did like how the author highlighted the strength of women and the important parts that they played in the war effort. There were a few times it verged on preachy, but then it became more restrained and palpable. To be sure, there were a lot of unsung heroines over the course of the war (the details on the barrage balloons were especially educational).

There was a small subplot about Julia’s mother-in-law that popped up late in the story and for the most part, didn’t go anywhere. I would have liked to have seen that fleshed out, especially in light of Julia’s job.

Ultimately, this is a story about how friendships forged in fire are quick but resilient, and family doesn’t have to mean blood relations. I loved every minute of this book, even though it left me a sniffling mess by the end. I highly recommend picking this one up.

As I go back and read all the notes I took on this book, I have to laugh at myself, because they do not flow at all and are so disconnected to each other.
I feel like that is a good way to describe how I felt about this book. The writing tended to be a bit robotic and I was really disappointed in the level of seriousness I felt in regards to the subject matter.
I was so excited to read this book. As the blurb describes, this was supposed to be a love story sandwiched in with some family drama, all taking place during the very significant bombing event in London during WW2 known as the Blitz. This sounded right up my alley. Exactly the type of book I’m known to fall in love with.
Unfortunately, I felt really let down.
First of all, the prologue and the first couple chapters really pulled me in. The writing wasn’t lyrical or poetic by any means, but if this had been the pace setter for the book then it would have been great. There were also some really interesting tidbits of information throughout the book. I really enjoyed learning about the barrage balloons and the filter plotters. I even found myself doing a little more research after, because I had never heard of them before.
After the strong beginning, the story began to lose its flow. The perspective changed between 3 different women and I felt like the bouncing around added to how slow the story line was and took away from each woman’s narrative a little bit. We pretty much got a day-to-day life of each woman for the first 40% of this book. I was aggravated that nothing exciting had happened. Then, when something did happen, I found myself angry with the reactions of the characters and I couldn’t emotionally connect to the story. There was no fear or sense of urgency.
Bombs were dropping and the “sinking feeling” Lizzie got was because her mail was destroyed? There was no feeling of devastation due to civilian lives lost or destruction to a city or a way of life?
Hundreds of bomber planes were flying in and Diana checks her watch and proceeds walking to the tea shop to meet her friend? Having a quick cup of tea before a bombing sounded crucial?
The German retaliation “appears to be aiming at all areas in the city”, but Lizzie’s theatre ticket was expensive so she just couldn’t miss the show? She didn’t think she should go into work and help wherever she could?
I was a little thrown.
Maybe my expectations were too high. Maybe I’ve read and watched too many WW2 stories. Maybe people were actually this naïve then, I can’t say, but I felt like there was no depth. I expected someone working in some part of the war effort should understand how grave and pressing what was happening actually was. This was so aloof. I felt like the importance of the event that was being written about was missed and unrealistic.
I also expected more of a love story and more about Lizzie’s daughter as it leans towards in the description, but I found it fell short and wasn't an accurate representation of what this book was about.
In the end, the writing was just not for me. If you enjoy a lighter focused WW2 story then this book is perfect for you and I would recommend it to those types of readers.
2.5 stars
Thank you Netgalley and Bookouture for a chance to read this novel. All thoughts are my own.

Indomitable strength through war and personal suffering🛩🌥

By the end of this story I was so moved and then I read Kelman's afterward and it took me that bit further to tears. For an American, especially one of a younger generation, the terror and loss the British people endured under the onslaught of Hitler's intense bombing campaigns is hard to imagine, though it's sadly rivaled presently by the wanton destruction in Syria and Yemen. This story provides a window into those dark days through the lives of three young women working for the British war effort in London. Each has her own, individual duty and fear to confront.

I found Scottish Lizzie's story the most heartrending as she searches for a lost child and finds bittersweet love. Young mother Julia suffers separation from her husband as he goes to war and within days faces the difficult choice of how best to keep her young children safe and content even if it means further separation. Diana grapples with a strenuous duty keeping London's anti-aircraft balloons afloat and a difficult distancing from her father who still bears the physical and psychological scars from his service in the trenches in WWI.

Romance does bloom and is a key part of their story. But their friendship and support of each other through dark times are the glue that pulls their separate stories together into a bigger, moving tableau of the sacrifices British women endured as their world tumbled around them. Literally.

I started this book comparing it to Kelman's 2019 release A View Across the Rooftops, which I loved. Initially I found Lizzie, Julia and Diana's story less of a draw, especially while Kelman details their adjustment into their new wartime duties and routine. But as Lizzie meets flyer Jack and the German bombs rain down thick and repeatedly, I was totally immersed in their struggle. And those moments, snatched hours of happiness, particularly for Lizzie and Jack, the calms in the midst of the storm and destruction of war .... just sublime😌.

Strong female protagonists, action, love, betrayal and grievous loss -- Kelman has created a truly moving tale filled with the indomitable spirit of three women committed to saving their world from chaos even at great self sacrifice. In its own way, I believe it's just as compelling and unforgettable as A View Across the Rooftops.

Thanks to publishers Bookouture and NetGalley for sharing an advance copy of the book; this is my voluntary and honest opinion.

I absolutely LOVED the author's previous two books (When We Were Brave and A View Across the Rooftops), so I was excited to read this one. I enjoyed it, but it wasn't my favorite. The story was good, but it felt like things were missing at times. Not sure how I feel about the way Agnes was handled. Plus that storyline seemed strange. Would she really do that? It seemed so extreme. I liked Lizzie, Julia and Diana but I didn't love them. Barrage balloons were new to me, so I found that interesting. I thought Lizzie's search for her daughter would have been a bigger story in the book.

Recommend the book, especially if you enjoy historical fiction with some romance. The book is full of love, friendship, forgiveness and so much more. Look forward to reading more books by the author.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from Bookouture through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.