This the second book I’ve read by Anna Stuart. Earlier this year I also read & reviewed The Berlin Zookeeper, another must read for fans of historical fiction!

In my opinion this book has everything you need from a strong historical fiction story

- stories told from past & present
- Wonderfully vivid descriptions of key events
- A little bit of romance ❤️

Things I loved about this book:
- I loved the layout. It was told in present day (2019) & we read flashbacks from 1941 onwards with some letters.
- Whilst the book had numerous themes - romance, grief, duty & honour. I felt like the strongest theme was family & learning to pick yourself back up again. I loved this!! It just touched my heart & will certainly stay there for a while.
- The characters. I loved wild girl Ginny, gentle Lili & the brash Ashleigh. Whilst the story was told from just Ginny & Robyn’s perspective it didn’t leave you feeling like you needed more from the other characters
- The retelling of events that took place at Pearl Harbor. Stuart wrote this so well & even though I knew what would happen my heart was beating like mad wishing things would turn out differently.

I can’t say I struggled with much of this book. It was such a heartwarming & emotional read. I honestly shed a few tears whilst reading which isn’t like me at all!!

Yet again I have the pleasure of saying that if you are a fan of historical fiction/family stories then you really need to read Anna Stuart’s books.

A Letter From Pearl Harbor is a dual-timeline, historical fiction story. Both timelines are set in Hawaii, one in 1941, the other in 2019. In 2019, Robyn Harris and her sister Ashleigh are reeling from the death of their strong, determined grandmother who raised them. When Ginny McAllister was dying, she put together a treasure hunt in on the island of Oahu. She wants her granddaughters to solve the hunt, thus revealing a secret to them. Ginny lives in Hawaii and works as an aeronautical engineer, while Ashleigh still lives in England and is in a wheelchair after a cycling accident which she's still bitter about it. The young women fly to Oahu to begin the hunt. The story Ginny tells begins before the bombing of Pearl Harbor. Ginny is working as a flying instructor on Oahu and her brother is a navy pilot. The story she shares is about her time trying to help the armed forces with her skills, her time in London, her return to Hawaii and the tragedy that occurs there.

This is a very different story from others I have read about Pearl Harbor. The bombing is part of the story, but it is a story about female pilots and friendships set during this time. This book incorporates many historical facts and moments, but for me it was a story of family, friendship, perseverance, not giving up, following your dreams and forgiveness. Robyn and Ashleigh have a complicated relationship. The trauma of Ashleigh's accident has left her wounded and their relationship difficult. It is the grief, loss and treasure hunt that moves them forward as individuals, thus helping to repair their relationship and forgiving themselves and each other.

This book is full of strong female characters. Ginny, Lili, and the other female pilots were smart, strong, fearless and willing to take risks for their opportunity to fly and help their country. I knew that women were still treated as fragile, but it was frustrating to read about the obstacles that were placed in their way or the false assumptions of the males that made the decisions. Those that did make it as WAAFs and ATA in the UK, and the WASPs in the US, under appreciated and under utilized. Make sure you read the author's notes at the end containing historical notes and context, along with the timeline and further background on some of the fascinating people referred to in this novel.

The story itself flows smoothly between the two timelines as well as the story being told by Ginny in the letters she left in the treasure boxes and the story of Robyn and Ashleigh. I will say I was surprised by the secret Ginny had kept all those years, but I also know why she chose to share it at that time. I recommend this one to those who enjoy historical fiction, family stories, and those dealing with forgiveness, moving forward in life and even a bit of romance. Overall an enjoyable story.

I loved this book!

It's a very emotional and heartwarming book about a grandmother and her two granddaughters.

It has dual timelines which are done very well.

One timeline is in 1941 when Pearl Harbour was happening and the other one in 2019 with a dying grandmother and her two granddaughters at her bedside listening to her final wish.

This is my favourite historical novel that I've read of hers so far and I highly recommend this book.

Anna Stuart is carving herself out something of a niche with these stories set against a vividly drawn wartime background – and, for as long as she does so, I’ll be extremely happy to read them. She tells a wonderful story, basing the imagined lives of her characters against the well-researched facts about the real events, balancing them with a strong and involving present day story – I raced through this one, and must say I enjoyed every moment.

In the present day, Robyn returns from Hawaii to her childhood home in England just before the death of her much loved grandmother Ginny, who still has a story to tell. When she was bringing up Robyn and her sister Ashleigh, she often set up treasure hunts as a distraction from their many squabbles – and she’s left a trail of clues for them to follow after her death to uncover the story of her life and the deep secrets she was unable to tell. It takes them both back to Hawaii, discovering her history through a series of letters hidden in boxes deposited in various locations significant in her wartime experiences – and while their journey allows them to discover some of the difficult truths about her life, it also offers an opportunity to mend their own relationship and to move beyond some of the significant issues that have held them back.

We first come across Ginny in Honolulu at the approach of Christmas in 1941 – dancing and drinking Mai Tais overlooking the beach at Waikiki, the war seems a long way away, and it seems the parties will never end. She’s a talented pilot, part of the civilian pilot training programme, having followed her aviator brother Jack to the islands for the opportunity to use her skills in a way she was unable to at home in Tennessee. The Pearl Harbor attack is something everyone knows about as the event that brought America into the Second World War, but (like Robyn and Ashleigh) I knew shamefully little about the detail – Ginny finds herself right in the middle of it, the whole series of events very vividly described, along with the sheer scale of the tremendous losses, and their deep personal impact.

This was a book where I kept saying “I never knew…” – later, Ginny finds herself in England, flying for the Air Transport Auxiliary, the US having been considerably more reluctant to use the skills of their female pilots. But there are some deeply personal stories too – there’s a gentle love story, but also her friendship and flying partnership with native Hawaiian friend Lili, and the moment of sheer madness that changed both their lives.

The present day story has a strong focus on the issues surrounding disability – its perceived limitations, the associated frustrations, the possibilities that still exist with the courage to grasp them – and that theme is nicely mirrored in both story lines, and particularly sensitively handled. I think I should mention too that there’s a sporting theme to the present day story, which isn’t often a personal favourite – Robyn is an accomplished hurdler, and Ashleigh was an equally driven cyclist before her life saw dramatic changes – but it works very well in the context of the women’s personal stories.

The characters in this book are particularly strong – I really enjoyed Ginny’s voice in the letters she left behind and the memories of her granddaughters, and her strong personality certainly drives the unfolding of the wartime story with a particularly strong emotional touch. The relationship between Robyn and Ashleigh is extremely well-drawn too – at first edgy and uncomfortable, but strengthening as the story progresses. The writing really is quite excellent, and the story-telling particularly compelling – I was entirely transported to the locations and dramatic events of the wartime story, but felt no wrench at all when returning to the lives of the sisters as their quest continued. And, as always, I really enjoyed the notes at the book’s end where the author sets out the detail of her research – quite fascinating, and lots more “I never knew…” moments, particularly the detailed history of female pilots and about the failures of intelligence to predict the approach of the attack.

I really loved this one – the strong women I took to my heart, the treasure hunt itself with its intriguing twists and turns, the locations, the whole historical setting, and a story that I found quite enthralling and so well told. Highly recommended by me.

4.5 Stars

Based on a true story, Anna Stuart’s A Letter from Pearl Harbor is a heart-breaking and emotional tale that seamlessly blends fact and fiction in an unforgettable story readers will struggle to put down.

It was a typical December morning in 1941 when Ginny was flying her little yellow plane above the sea. However, little did she realise that by nightfall her entire life was going to be turned on its head. When she spotted an unknown aircraft closing in on her, a shocked Ginny saw the unmistakable symbol of the Japanese fighter planes. Terrified about her fate, Ginny somehow manages to land unscathed, but is forced to make a devastating choice that will have tragic repercussions that will haunt her for the rest of her life. Decades later, Ginny finds herself consumed by one desperate wish: for her granddaughter to complete a treasure hunt with clues about her past as one of the first female pilots at Pearl Harbor – and a powerful secret.

In 2019, a heartbroken Robyn is still reeling from the loss of her beloved grandmother. Ginny was a force of nature Robyn misses with every fibre of her being. Ginny’s last wish had been for Robyn to come to Hawaii on a treasure hunt with clues scattered all over the beautiful island. As Robyn begins to piece together the pieces of this puzzle set by her grandmother, she discovers a side to Ginny she never even knew that will lead her to making a shocking discovery which has the power to change the course of her whole life…

Will Robyn find the answers she so desperately seeks? And when she finds herself at a crossroads, will she make the right decision? Or will this letter from Pearl Harbor end up setting Robyn on the wrong path?

A beautifully written tale that draws readers in from the very beginning, A Letter from Pearl Harbor is a poignant, dramatic and compelling read about impossible choices, dangerous secrets and the power of love in all its forms that will bring a tear to the eye of even the most jaded of writers. Anna Stuart has a terrific gift for drawing characters beautifully and bringing them to life in a beautifully evoked setting and in A Letter from Pearl Harbor, she writes with great confidence, assurance and sensitivity about the ties that bind people together and the lengths they go to for the ones they love.

A fascinating and absorbing novel that is impossible to forget, Anna Stuart’s A Letter from Pearl Harbor is a gem of a novel readers of historical fiction will thoroughly enjoy.

So good! I love WWII novels that take place in Hawaii and loved Ginny’s story (WWII era) as well as Robyn and Ashleigh’s story (modern day.) Both stories weave together seamlessly to create a novel that you won’t want to put down. This was my first novel by Anna Stuart and it’s not going to be my last.

★★★ 3.5 stars

I am excited to be taking part in the #BooksOnTour #BlogTour for Anna Stuart's dual timeline tale A LETTER FROM PEARL HARBOR.

After having totally loved Anna Stuart's previous dual timeline story "The Secret Diary" I jumped at the chance to read this one. A LETTER FROM PEARL HARBOR tells the tale of 98 year old Virginia "Ginny" Harris and her last wish - for her two granddaughters, Robyn and Ashleigh, to complete a treasure hunt containing clues to her past. I thought this a novel concept for a story and it certainly made it interesting, despite the constant bickering between the two sisters, as each clue revealed a little more about their grandmother's past. Set between England and Hawaii, A LETTER FROM PEARL HARBOR is mix of historical and contemporary fiction that is both an emotional and heartwarming story.

England 2019: Robyn Harris stands at the bottom of the driveway of her grandmother's sprawling Oxfordshire house - the house in which she and her sister had spent much of their childhood in while their humanitarian parents were off saving the rest of the world. Her sister Ashleigh beckons her to hurry up in her usual spiky way, an attitude that has become synonomous with her sister since her tragic accident some years previous which left her left paralysed and in a wheelchair for life. Something Ashleigh has had some difficulty in accepting. Despite their bickering, the sisters now sit at their beloved grandmother's bedside as they reminisce about the treasure hunts she used to send them on.

Which brings Ginny to one final request.

As they sit at her bedside she gives them her last wish - one final treasure hunt that she has created for them in which the two of them must return to Hawaii together and solve the clues that she has set out for them which will then in turn tell the story of her life and reveal the secrets that she has kept for eight decades.

Intrigued by what their grandmother's story might reveal, the sisters set out together to solve the mystery. But the journey doesn't come without its perils. Ashleigh, confined to a wheelchair, isn't excited by the prospect of such a long haul and then having to squeeze into Robyn's tiny one bedroom apartment for the duration of her stay. Fraught with misunderstandings, the sisters constantly squabble over just about every little thing but as they follow the clues Ginny set out for them, not only do they learn more about their grandmother but also about themselves and each other.

Pearl Harbor 1941: Young and vibrant Ginny Martin is pilot and flying instructor on the beautiful Hawaiian island of Oahu. Her brother Jack, also a pilot, is with the armed forces and recently engaged to nurse Penny. Despite the presence of the Navy and the Army on the island, no one is expecting there to be an attack there as Hawaii is too far from the enemy. Life on the island and is good and Ginny couldn't be happier. She has even made a friend out of the airfield where she works in Lili who she is determined to teach to fly in exchange for the spare room in the house she shares with her father. And as Lili takes to the skies it becomes clear that she is a competant pilot who was born to fly.

Then in the early morning dawn of 7th December as Lili takes to the skies solo, Ginny is instructing one of her brother's colleagues in preparation for his upcoming test...when she spots an unknown plane in her periphery. The horror she feels as she recognises the red symbol of Japan's rising sun adorning the aircraft realising that the attack no one was expecting was about to take place. Taking over the controls from her student, she manages to land unscathed despite the bullets fired at her plane and the sky is darkened as the Japanese swarm the skies above reigning bullets and, to her her horror, releasing bombs over the Naval ships currently in port in the Harbor. The sheer deluge of the Japanese reign of terror was both unexpected and catastrophic. And while only a relatively small number of locals were killed, most of the lives claimed were military on the battleships nesting in the Harbor - some two thousand or more.

But what about Jack? He was a fighter pilot and surely he would be up there fighting off the Japanese and sending them scurrying back the way they came. Ginny couldn't bare to entertain the thought of losing him. Life would not be worth living if she did. And what about Lili? She last saw her in the skies above the island just moments before the attack. Had she gotten back to land safely? Or had she become another victim of this brazen attack?

Life has come full circle as Ginny breathed her last in her Oxfordshire home in England with her last wish for her granddaughters to follow the clues she had painstakingly put together to slowly reveal the story of her life and a secret she has kept for so long. Now Robyn, now an aeronautical engineer, and Ashleigh must unravel the clues to uncover their grandmother's past.

A LETTER FROM PEARL HARBOR is a wonderful story about family, friendships, love and forgiveness set upon the beautiful islands of Hawaii. It is at times heart-wrenching but also unforgettable as the two timelines are seamlessly woven together to create a beautiful tapestry of a life well loved and well lived. I did feel as if it dragged a little in the middle but aside from that it was wholly enjoyable.

The story of the bombing of Pearl Harbor is a well known and well documented event but one I find that pales in significance to what the British endured for over two years prior to this. The Americans refused to have any part of the war up until this point but as soon as they were attacked in one fell swoop they jumped in guns blazing. And while they thought the attack on Pearl Harbor was horrific, they had not spared a thought for Britain who endured daily and nightly bombings in the Blitz for eight months...and they never complained. Even when Ginny arrived in England to ferry planes with the ATA (Air Transport Auxilliary), she was shocked at the devastation in each of the cities and the rationing that the country was living with. Even after they entered the war, America was still never under the threat of invasion or attack that Britain was for its duration of six long years.

The characters in this story are all well developed even if a little unlikeable in part. Ginny was delightful, Robyn was reserved and Ashleigh was complicated and spiky. The supporting characters in Lili, Jack, Maile and Zak were each of them remarkable in their respective ways. I enjoyed getting to know each of them and a few others along the way.

Overall, A LETTER FROM PEARL HARBOR is a wonderful read that brings an almost forgotten time to life through the detailed description and dialogue written by Anna Stuart's competent hand. There is so much more to be said for this book but to do so would be to spoil it.

Recommended for fans of historical fiction, wartime fiction and dual timelines.

Note...as someone who has been taught UK English, I found myself having to constantly correct my spelling of "harbor" to the American form for this review. In UK English, it is spelt "harbour" and somehow it just didn't seem right spelling it otherwise...lol

And who writes these book descriptions? Ginny's name wasn't McAllister, but Martin before she married when she became Harris. Where does McAllister come from?

I would like to thank #AnnaStuart, #NetGalley and ,b>#Bookouture for an ARC of #ALetterFromPearlHarbor in exchange for an honest review.

After stumbling across Anna Stuart a couple of years ago, I am always excited to hear she is releasing a new book and this one appealed instantly as I have always had a fascination with all things in relation to World War ll.

We meet sisters Ashleigh & Robyn shortly before the death of their beloved Grandmother Ginny, who has left them a treasure hunt in order to learn more about her life during World War II when she was at Pearl Harbor in 1941. Robyn and Ashleigh both return to Honolulu after the funeral to complete the trail that has been left by Ginny.

I really enjoyed the dual timeline in this book and found it fascinating to find a story written from the perspective of an American who was at Pearl Harbor in December 1941 when they entered into the war as majority of the books I have read about World War II are set in wartime London. This story was fascinating with Ginny being both a pilot and an instructor which was unusual during this time and I loved how refreshing the attitude was to women working alongside men in these roles.

The lead characters are a total contrast to each other and this was apparent from the first few chapters, with Ginny being a vibrant character compared to her bristly Granddaughter Ashleigh who had suffered a major trauma 8 years previously and never moved past it.

Another superb story by Anna Stuart that was a book that kept me intrigued and keen to keep reading as we got to know both the sisters better and their beloved Grandmother.

For a while I was in two minds about this book but I decided to persevere and I'm glad that I did.
The book is written in two time frames, one up to date with two sisters searching for the story their grandmother has left for them to discover. If this had been the whole novel, then it would not have held my interest. I can't say that I really warmed to Robyn or Ashley but I realise they were as much there to help us learn about Ginny's life as anything else and this is the part I found fascinating. Set in the early 1940s in the US it is about a young woman pilot.....
I am shamed to admit that I knew little about what had happened at Pearl Harbour or the run up to the horrific events in December 1941. Finding out that the author had drawn her writing from historical events and people, made this novel all the more special. A good book all in all and well worth reading to help understand a little known element of history.

This lovely story told in two timelines, one at the dawn of America's was fostered upon us by the attack on Pearl Harbor, and the other a story of two women, Robyn and Ashley Harris sisters, Who were greatly influenced by their grandmother, Ginny McAllister.

Ginny was a definite free spirit and became a pilot in a time when women certainly did not fit into that role. She was living in Hawaii with her beloved brother, Jack, enjoying the life of this tropical paradise, when all hell breaks loose on December, 7, 1941. In the ensuing battle that rages, she witnesses colossal destruction and the loss of one so very dear to her. She and her fellow women pilots are determined to do what they can to allay the war effort and follow through with courage and determination.

We are given the backstory of Ginny in dribs and drabs due to a treasure hunt she sets up for her granddaughters prior to her death. The granddaughters are devastated at the loss of their grandmother, but have a few surprises to learn about a grandmother they thought they knew. Both women learn about courage, about determination, about facing up to responsibility. For Ashley, confined to a wheelchair due to a cycling accident, she finds it within herself to once again enter the competitive world she once loved. For Robyn, she finds that although loving someone hurts, it is well worth the risk involved to be enamored with someone.

Through the use of mostly alternate chapters, we delve into the grit of the ladies both now and then. We find ourselves rooting for the granddaughters, adapting to change and loss. This well-done story is one to add if you are fond of strong women, who never let others stand in their way. Resiliency in the face of tragedy is an ongoing theme, and the voice of carrying on is prevalent in the story.

Thank you to Anna Stuart, Bookouture, and NetGalley for providing an advanced copy of this based on true events story.

This is a Historical Fiction that as two timelines. The two timelines both takes places in Pearl Harbor (1941 and 2019). I have to say I really loved the 2019 timeline, and I love how the historical timeline is introduce in the book. I enjoyed the historical timeline, and I loved all the characters in this book. I also loved that this book has wheelchair sports in it because I think it is something that is not in books. I loved this book because it is not the normal historical fiction book. I think if you do not normally read historical fiction you may still love this book. I was kindly provided an e-copy of this book by the publisher (Bookouture) or author (Anna Stuart) via NetGalley, so I can give an honest review about how I feel about this book. I want to send a big Thank you to them for that.

A Letter from Pearl Harbor is the third book I have read this year from Anna Stuart and it was once again another very enjoyable and eye-opening read. As suggested by the title the events of that December in 1941 that brought the Americans into World War Two form the basis for this book and it was such a complete change and so refreshing to have a book set in America during the war years. The bombing of Pearl Harbor was such a significant event yet in books in this genre it tends to be merely mentioned in a line or two as the event that caused the Americans to really get involved and in turn the tide of the war slowly began to change. There are never any specific details mentioned as to what happened, the lead up to it and what occurred in detail that fateful morning. But Anna Stuart has changed all that and given her readers a fascinating insight in to how that dreadful event shaped the life of our main character Ginny.

I loved how this was a different setting to what I have become accustomed to as I have read so many war books set in Europe. I felt transported to the other side of the world both in the past and the present as the story is told in the format of a dual timeline. It was a very good read overall with lots of ebbs and flows and a deep hidden secret at its heart that needs to be brought into the light. In the modern day, Robyn Harris has lived in Honolulu for the last two years working as an aeronautical engineer but she has returned home to England as her beloved Granny Ginny is dying. Ginny was the one who more or less brought herself and her sister Ashleigh up as her parents were always away working as humanitarian engineers. So to lose Ginny even though she has reached the grand old age of 98 is traumatic for both of the sisters. But Ginny has left a legacy, one last treasure hunt for the pair for which she is infamous as these hunts created many a happy childhood memory.

Ginny had always been so vibrant and full of adventure which comes across so well in the chapters set in the past but there is one thing about her time spent in Hawaii which she should have confessed about long before now. Clearly this has always eaten away at her and you wonder why she didn’t just come out and say it to the sisters on her deathbed but if she had I guess there would have been no story to tell nor book to read. The girls both travel back to Hawaii and so begins a treasure hunt where they must solve the clues at various locations and receive a treasure chest containing a letter detailing Ginny’s story. I thought this brought a real fun element to the story despite the seriousness of the themes and issues being explored. It helped bring the setting of the Pacific island to life and I loved learning all about the various locations the girls visited. Ginny was wise beyond her years as she knew her granddaughters were like chalk and cheese and she wanted this quest to being them closer together rather than having her death draw them even further apart.

Ashleigh was such a complicated character and one very hard to like but you couldn’t blame her given the accident which left her dreams shattered and the remainder of her life irrevocably altered. She was bristly and full of anger and resentment and both herself and Robyn really rubbed each other up the wrong way. I enjoyed seeing the journey they went on together and how elements of Ginny’s story in the past were mirroring the two girls in the present. There were so many similarities and all three females shared many characteristics which came to light the more the story developed. I really loved how disability was explored throughout the book. Let’s be honest it’s rarely, if ever, mentioned in books so it was great to see a main character dealing with her disability and how she was battling to come to terms with it. I thought this strand of the story was extremely well executed and the later chapters focusing on Robyn and Ashleigh really brought things full circle and tied in well with Ginny’s story too.

As for the chapters set in the past, well they really brought Ginny to life and the reader is given a fascinating insight into women at the time. Yes, I’ve read about women during the war who lived in Britain or France etc. but never America and it was interesting to see how the powers that be in the American army treated women who wanted to get out and do their bit for their country. Ginny was an ambitious woman who thanks to her parents had the money to learn to fly. She really was made for the skies. She has fire in her blood, is impetuous, daring, competitive, courageous but at times reckless. Will this later quality be her downfall? She arrives in Hawaii with her brother Jack who is in the army and flies planes. Ginny herself soon gets a job training other pilots and she feels her life is made on this paradise island. She soon makes friends with a local Lili and a firm friendship is forged. The descriptions of those carefree nights at dances with officers and drinking Mai Tai’s seemed like another world so far away from the battles raging on European soil. But soon their happiness would be shattered when the Japanese arrive.

The actual bombing of Pearl Harbor was superbly written, I could visualise it all so clearly in my head, how so many people were caught unawares and it showed the trauma, the terror, the horror and the sheer disbelief that this could have happened. The events then shape and mould Ginny and I found her character went on a very different path thereafter and we learn much more about this as Robyn and Ashleigh navigate their way through the clues. At times you lose respect for Ginny and when the pivotal secret is revealed to be honest I just thought oh how could you have done that and yes really you were right to feel the way you did. I don’t know would I have been as forgiving as several other characters were. But through revealing her story Ginny was trying to help and teach her granddaughters. There was lots of details about Ginny’s life during the war and where she travelled to and what drove her on and made her so reckless and I found it all to be really interesting but to say much more would give too much away.

Overall, I found A Letter from Pearl Harbor to be a great read bringing as I have said an event mentioned in a brief sentence to life in a much bigger way and having a mystery at the centre of the book really drove the story on. The detailed historical notes at the end by the author were very welcome and really helped me to learn even more about events leading up to that memorable day in Pearl Harbor and also which characters were real that featured and how they were important and needed to be included. I loved the blend of historical fact with fiction and how the story highlighted bravery, sacrifices and love but also how here was a woman different from the norm willing to put herself out there but then having to deal with the consequences. Anna Stuart has been a really good discovery for me this year and I look forward to reading much more from her in the future.

An amazing book,loved the story line you really feel you were at pearl Harbor on 7 December during the attack
All characters are very good be it Robyn, Ash or Granny Ginny
Recommend the book

Thanks to #NetGalley for the advanced copy of #Aletterfrompearlharbour

This is the 2nd book by Anna Stuart that I have read and enjoyed. Told in 2 time perspectives, current and past the author knows how to weave just the right amount of current day story and historical information.

Ashley and Robyn take on their late Grandmothers last treasure hunt in Hawaii to find treasure chests that reveal knowledge of her past as a pilot during the time of Pearl harbour and WW2. Along the way Ashley and Robyn have their disagreements and face personal trials but their grandmother helps bind them together with the insights into her life.

A really enjoyable story that I would recommend.

Publish date 5 November

Ginny McAllister is ninety eight years old and she has one last wish for her granddaughter, and that is for her to finish a treasure hunt that reveals things about her past. Ginny was one of the first female pilots at Pearl Harbor. It’s morning on December 7th in 1941 and Ginny is flying in her plane above the Pacific Ocean when she notices an aircraft approaching her. She recognizes the red symbol and realizes plane is a Japanese fighter plane. She is able to land her plane untouched. In 2019, Pearl Harbor Robyn Harris is heartbroken from the death of her grandmother that raised her. Soon Robyn finds comfort in a letter her grandmother Ginny left for her. In the letter are clues to a treasure hunt, and the clues are scattered all around the Hawaiian Island. Robyn finds herself swept away by the trail of letters she discovers, revealing the truth about Ginny’s time in the service during World War II. This story was so inspiring and because it was based on true events, it made is heartwarming and beautiful. This book definitely hits all the emotions, I didn’t want it to end. It is a rapid page turner that must be moved to the top of your to be read pile. I devoured this book in one sitting. This is an amazing and fantastic read, I absolutely loved it. The characters were so relatable and inspiring and the ending will take your breath away. The detailed description of Pearl Harbor portrayed by the author, was precisely accurate and transported me back to Hawaii. Wow, truly an amazing story.

Thank you Anna Stuart for such a wonderful, heartwarming and engrossing story. I truly enjoyed every bit of this book. A phenomenal and absolute must read. I loved everything about this story! I highly recommend this book.

A Letter From Pearl Harbor by Anna Stuart was a well researched novel about the air strike over Pearl Harbor by the Japanese that pulled the United States into WWII. I enjoyed this book and the great research the author shares with us at the end of the book. 

The book takes place during two time periods. One during WWII and the other taking place in 2019. Two sisters Robin and Ashleigh are involved in a Treasure Hunt containing hints about their Granny Ginny’s early life as one of the first female pilots at Pearl Harbor and the secret she kept for years. The treasure hunt takes place after Ginny’s death. I loved her spunk and she was my favorite character. 

I liked both sides of the story but, for some reason I found it hard to switch back and forth. I think I got so involved and then the story flipped to the other time period and it took me a minute to get involved in the story again. 

If you’re like me and love Historical Fiction,  especially if it revolves around WWII, you will most likely love this book. 

I received a complimentary copy of this book from #Bookouture and #Netgalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

https://pjp-reviews.com/2021/11/02/a-letter-from-pearl-harbor-by-anna-stuart-4%e2%ad%90/

There are times in life when things just simply do not go as planned. For me it was a simple stomach flu that messed up my whole reading schedule, for the characters of A Letter from Pearl Harbor it was an unexpected attack...

On her deathbed, Ginny reveals a secret to her two granddaughters, Robyn and Ashleigh. When the girls were young, their grandmother would organise the greatest treasure hunts. It's one of the fondest memories they have of their grandmother. From her bed, Ginny has organised one big last treasure hunt all the way in Hawaii, where Ginny was stationed during World War 2.
Together the sisters fly to Hawaii after their grandmother's funeral. They're arguing constantly, just like they have been doing since the tragic accident that landed Ashleigh in a wheelchair. Determined to find out what Ginny wanted to share with her granddaughters, they set out on this last treasure hunt. What will they find out about their lovely Granny Ginny?

A Letter from Pearl Harbor contains two storylines. Robyn's and Ashleigh's storyline is set in 2019 during the treasure hunt. The treasure hunt is made up out of treasure chests containing a clue and a letter, like a diary. Through the treasure hunt the reader learns of Ginny's life in 1941.
I always love these kind of two periods in time getting mixed up. It's a lovely way to learn about the past as well as a great way to bring about a real development in a character.

For me personally, living in Europe, the attack on Pearl Harbor isn't something I know much about. Of course I know quite a lot about what happened during World War 2, but my knowledge is mainly focussed on the region that I live in. So reading a book about Pearl Harbor definitely is something new and exciting for me. Also, I keep thinking about the movie Pearl Harbor and Josh Hartnett. Oh dear, how young I was and how big my crush!

All in all I have enjoyed reading A Letter from Pearl Harbor a lot. I won't go into detail too much, as everyone should experience this exciting treasure hunt for themselves!

Robyn Harris had just arrived in England to see her beloved grandmother one last time before she died. At ninety-eight, Granny Ginny had been a rock for Robyn and her sister Ashleigh, especially when Ashleigh had had her dreadful accident which stopped her cycling dream in its tracks. When Granny Ginny told Robyn and Ashleigh of one last treasure hunt she’d set up for them, revealing secrets to her past, they were intrigued. But their grief as they flew to Hawaii, Robyn to home, Ashleigh to visit, seemed insurmountable.

Ginny and her brother Jack – both pilots – arrived in Oahu, Hawaii in 1941, both preparing to join the war efforts, even though the US hadn’t joined the war yet. But those in the know, knew Japan was the problem, not the Nazis, and on December 7th, when Ginny was in the air in her little plane, she spotted an aircraft which wasn’t one of theirs, flying toward her. To her horror she realized it was a Japanese fighter and there were hundreds more. Her frantic landing and race across the tarmac showed her terrible visions she would never forget. Naval vessels were sinking in the harbour, planes were on fire and bodies were everywhere. Over two thousand people died that day…

As Ashleigh and Robyn worked their way through Granny Ginny’s distinctive letters and treasure chests – eight letters until the end – they learned more about their grandmother, which in turn opened themselves to each other. Clues and chests spread across Hawaii, with the gradual reveal of Granny Ginny’s role during World War II, and the secret which had burdened her most of her life.

A Letter from Pearl Harbor is another exceptional historical novel from Anna Stuart – I’m so glad I discovered this author! Well crafted characters, from a young Ginny to her at the end of her life; with sisters Robyn and Ashleigh, and the side characters, especially Lilinoe, Ginny’s best friend. A Letter from Pearl Harbor is one I recommend highly.

With thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for my digital ARC to read in exchange for an honest review.

When reading a historical fiction novel, there are times when I have a sense of dread even before I get to the plot of the story. I know what the general era will be, so I know what to expect. Sometimes it is in the name, but that doesn’t always convey what is coming next.
This is the case with this book.
Putting a disclaimer in, I spent a lot of time in Hawaii when I was a kid, so many of the places in this book were familiar to me – I am sure that gave it a special poignancy. But I don’t think it is a prerequisite to getting emotional over the events.
The historical era is obvious in the title, but the author wisely sets the prologue on the eve before. I wasn’t two paragraphs in when I thought, “Oh no, these poor people had no clue.”
I think that is a strength in a good historical fiction story – if I can put myself into their shoes and wish that I could warn them. Or just simply imagine what it would have been like prior to the historical event.
Anyway, this author does a great job with stories like this. (Check out her other historical fiction novels: The Berlin Zookeeper and The Secret Diary). I’m a big fan of her style, her research, and her commitment to her characters.
Told in alternating eras, we get the story of Robyn (contemporary) and Ginny (historical). I don’t want to give away the connections, but I absolutely loved how the author weaves the stories of these two women together.
It is one of the most unique contemporary storylines I have read in recent memory, and it is an effective way to relate Ginny’s side of the story. By the time I was about 1/3 of the way through, it was Dec 6…and my dread just grew stronger.
I’ll be honest…I read a good section of the middle of the book through tears. It was so raw and so realistic, which made it even more emotional.
I’ll leave that part alone. Anyone with a knowledge of history and half a heart won’t be able to get through the center of the book without some strong emotions.
But even after you get through that, you’re still not finished – because you still have to go through the rest of Robyn and Ashleigh’s story (as well as Ginny’s).
Historical fiction novels are funny in that even if you know the history, there can still be important plot points. That is the case in this book. Robyn and Ashleigh experience a lot of growth, as does Ginny. And that personal growth is almost as emotional as the history itself.
There is a lot I want to mention: Ginny’s secrets, Ashleigh and Robyn’s relationship, the sports involved, the history of women’s pilots…all of this combined make for a lush and detailed story.
I don’t want to give anything away, though. So, as with this author’s past historical fiction novels, I highly recommend reading it with tissues close at hand. You’ll need them to the very last pages.

Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for an early review copy.

I love reading Historical Fiction that hastwo timelines.

The two timelines in this book, take places in Pearl Harbor - 1941 and 2019.

I really loved the 2019 timeline, and the way the historical timeline was introduced in the book. Both of the historical timeline I enjoyed reading about. As well as all characters in this book. What was also lovely to read was that this book has wheelchair sports in it.

This book is not a normal historical fiction book, and I think if you do not normally read historical fiction, you will still love this book.

Recommend this book.