Member Reviews
Thanks to the Publisher and Netgalley for an early review copy.
I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book.
Geraldine ‘Fitz’ Fitz-Herbert wasn’t about to let herself be treated differently just because she was a girl. Taking lessons in flying where she lived, she enlisted in the Women’s Land Army.
She loved nothing more than flying and doing her hit for the war. This didn’t go unnoticed by those above her and they gave her the opportunity to join the Air Transport Auxiliary as a ferry pilot. She then becomes a valuable person for the war effort.
Whatever circumstances she found herself in, she was determined to do the job well.
I highly recommend this book.
The girl in the sky
The girl in the sky is an inspiring story full of suspense. Geraldine, also known as 'Fitz', is an independent, fearless, young pilot whose love for flying sets her up to work for the ATA when WWII breaks out. Whilst ferrying planes day to day, Fitz meets the charming American flight officer Sam Carter, whom she finds herself falling in love with quicker than she expected. Alongside her exceptional flying skills, Fitz' knowledge of the French language is noted by the SOE and is recruited to complete a very dangerous, secret mission in France.
Wow, what an amazing read! This is my first from Suzanne Fortin and definitely not my last.
The beginning was an enjoyable read, focusing on Fitz's love for flying, her friends, getting to know Sam and also delving into her complicated relationship with her step-mother. At first I was worried the plot was a bit slow for me, until she was recruited to the SOE and then that's when it got intense. I felt very anxious a few times in this story, it was so unpredictable, but I couldn't stop reading. I loved the introduction of Yvette, watching her and Fitz's relationship grow through the book was so heartwarming. I fell in love with both girls from the moment they met.
The writing was great, I loved the pace of the storyline and the plot was extremely well thought out. I'm looking forward to reading more of Suzanne Fortin's books!
**Huge thanks to NetGalley and Embla Books for an advance copy in return for an honest review.
England, 1939. Geraldine Fitz-Herbert is thrust into a world of war and funds herself in a romance and then is sent on a top secret mission. But all doesn't go to plan and Geraldine has to be strong and courageous. This is such an exciting and intense book to read adn I loved every minute of it.
This is a book that is certainly all encompassing and dramatic. There is a story of romance and a story of war. It is a book that really draws you in and when you get entranced by it you won't be able to put it down. This is a beautifully written book and one I would highly recommend.
Thank you NetGalley and Embla Books for giving me the opportunity to read and review this book.
I finished The Girl in the Sky a few days ago. I am having a hard time putting into words what the story means to me. I usually start a new book as soon as I finish my current read. I haven't been able to do it. As I read something new, I keep thinking about Fitz and Sam. They went through a lot before they got there happily ever after. Their strength is an inspiration.
Fitz (Geraldine Fitz-Herbert) joins the ATA (Air Transport Auxiliary) to do her part for the war effort. As an already trained pilot she is the perfect candidate. Her job is ferrying planes for the Royal Air Force to different air fields.
It was in her travels that she met Sam (Flying Officer Sam Carter). Their interactions allow the reader insight into the challenges of romance during the war. The story helped me to understand the different interactions between people of different classes. What was really interesting was how some of the men treated women. I had to keep reminding myself not to put today's values on the past.
The book becomes really interesting, word devouring, when Fitz is recruited by the SOE for a mission to France. The dangers were extreme. The devastation she encountered was heartbreaking. I felt her fear, her frustration, her determination. I also felt her hope as she traveled through France hoping to find Sam, who was listed MIA, as she attempted to complete her mission.
Succeeding won't be easy. There are so many obstacles to overcome. She didn't know who to trust. The suspense was extreme. I just didn't know what she would come up against next. All of my emotions, all of my thoughts regarding Fitz, wouldn't let go. I can only hope that other readers enjoy the story.
Historical fiction at its best a wonderful heroine a tense story a romantic story. An author who writes beautifully whose books draw me in. #netgalley#bonnier
The Girl In The Sky was a great read and I enjoyed reading about the roles women played in World War II. A story of love, bravery, and the relentless pursuit of freedom was through the eyes of Fitz. I was captivated by this story and couldn’t put it down, the tension and drama throughout the book had me rooting for her as she went through the perils of war..
A good WW2 read of a strong female character. I'm in awe of those who risked their lives as SOE operatives. A good summer read.
The Girl in the Sky is another impressive WW2 novel from Suzanne Fortin with a strong female lead. Fitz is determined, daring and fearless in the air. She is a talented pilot who loves to fly and enjoys the freedom, adrenaline rush and control it gives her. When the war breaks out Fitz gets noticed for her abilities and signs up with the ATA (Air Transport Auxiliary) to ferry planes. During her time of training, she loses a friend in an accident and learns quickly how fleeting life can be during the war. Also, during this time she meets American Flight Officer Sam Carter and love awakens in her heart. This frightens her for many reasons: first, it is not the time to have a relationship with a fellow officer. Putting her heart out there means getting hurt for what if he goes off on a mission and never returns? She also does not want to become distracted and fail her missions. So, she turns her back on love and this man who adores her and focuses on doing something that contributes to winning the war.
In a short space of time, she gets promoted to work as a SOE (Specialist Ops Exec) partly due to the fact Fitz has excellent foreign language skills. When she is asked to take part in a secret mission in France, she steps up to the task. Here she must plunge head on into the battlefield, must constantly think on her feet and be vigilant of danger at all times. From the moment the drop off plane lands, they are in trouble for the Germans are waiting for them. Fitz manages to escape. She encounters some wicked challenges while working with the Resistance and it is a scary time. During her travels she rescues a dog she calls Scout and a child named Yvette who has survived a terrible attack. Taking them with her on her mission alters her plans immensely. But she soldiers on when she encounters the obstacles. This next part of the story captured my full attention as I could not pull away. The rest of the plot is fast paced and riveting and there are some very intense scenes with the Germans. But there are joyous encounters, too, with some good-hearted French citizens willing to help her.
Fitz is a very likeable character with a kind heart. She has grown up in a house of love and privilege. But she lost her mother when she was young, her father remarried within the year and she found it hard to cope with all these changes including her stepmother. I liked the fact that over the course of the novel her relationship with Camilla grows and she comes to understand this woman and her intentions and actions. And as secrets are revealed, it gives Fitz a whole new perspective.
I read The Girl in the Sky in a day and enjoyed it very much. Fitz and Sam are a well suited couple fighting the war with courage and dedication. This novel provides a heart breaking picture of the suffering experienced when resistant persons were caught. The dangers they faced and the courage they exhibited. It was lovely getting to know Fitz’s family, other female pilots, brave citizens who hid and helped the resistance, the dog and Yvette plus those who took care of the safe houses. This novel has a wonderful cast of characters that kept me on the edge of my seat and cheering for them. 4 Stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Thanks to Embla Books and Netgalley for my review copy.
A very interesting story about women flying airplanes around the country during WW2. It gave me such an Insight into what these brave women did and how they helped for the war effort. My thanks to netgalley and the publishers for giving me the opportunity to read this book in return for an honest review.
I found this novel a bit tame and dull, with its slow start to the build up of Fitz’s later role in the war, after originally enlisting in the ATA She was naive, vain and a bit pretentious. The love story was very predictable. Sadly this novel wasn’t for me.
My thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for this APC.
Another brilliant read from this author. Fast pace and interesting plot. I really enjoyed this latest book. Recommended.
The Girl in the Sky is a wonderful and exciting historical romance about a female pilot who embarks on a top-secret mission during WWII.
A fast paced story that has everything I like from romance to adventure and danger with the SOE in France.
This book ended far too soon, but I hope there’s going to be a sequel.
A cozy historical fiction about a brave woman, Fitz, who volunteers in Britain for the war effort and ends up a pilot and spy during WWII. The story drew me in, and while it felt a bit far-fetched at times (particularly the part taking place in France), it was a really enjoyable read!
**Thanks to NetGalley for an advance copy in exchange for an honest review!
A book set in WWII with a female lead who you won’t be able to stop rooting for. The book is a suspense along with a romance. It is an example of the way women helped during the war. Thank you to net galley for an advanced readers copy.
Historical fiction with a strong female lead is something I cannot get enough of, and this book did not disappoint. The girl in the sky is a sweet romance that shows just how important women were in WW2, Fitz is a true trailblazer and will have you loving her and rooting for her right from the beginning. One of the best books I've read so far this year.
I didn't get into this book straight away but I was hooked pretty quickly! I couldn't put it down! I was captivated by Fitz and her story, I felt her pain, I laughed with her, cried with her, and I was joyous when she found and accepted the love she deserves. It is an absolutely incredible book which also shows how important, resourceful and resilient women were during WW2.
Geraldine Fitz-Herbert lives in Badcombe House, Cambridgeshire with her father, step-mother and younger brother. Fitz is rather headstrong, she’s been having flying lessons at the local airfield in a Tiger Moth and here she feels free. When the war breaks-out Fitz works at a nearby farm, but she decides to join the Air Transport Auxiliary, and she ferries planes from one base to another. She meets American Flight Officer Sam Carter at RAF Tangmere, they fall head over heels in love, something Fitz has never experienced before, she gets scared and the reality of war hits very close to home.
Fitz speaks fluent French and German thanks to all of the governesses she had as a child, she's recruited to be a SOE or a Special Operations Executive, her first mission is in Brittany, when the plane lands it goes badly, the Germans are waiting and Fitz escapes. She has no choice but to continue on, Fitz has no idea if the final location and mission has been compromised. Along the way Fitz comes across a dog she nicknames Scout and a little girl called Yvette and she takes both of them with her and while she tries to stay one step ahead of the Germans.
I received a copy of The Girl in the Sky by Suzanne Fortin from Embla Books and NetGalley in exchange for an unbiased review. Using real facts about an American Pilot who joined the British Air Force and was an gold Olympic medalist, the Air Transport Auxiliary, the RAF base at Tangmere and Westhampnett, and Bignor Manor House where agents stayed prior to being flown to France as inspiration.
Ms. Fortin has written an interesting story about the Second World War, the high mortality rate of pilots, and how dangerous it was to be an SOE. Told from the main female characters point of view and you get an idea of what it was like for women at the time, was it a good idea to fall in love during a war, and Fitz defiantly has issues with dealing with her emotions, all types personal relationships and she later understands why.
I found some parts of Fitz being an SOE a little far-fetched and unbelievable, the rest of the narrative I enjoyed and especially how Fitz grew up, matured as a person, looked at life differently and her relationship with her step-mother Camilla improved. Four stars from me and I have read and would recommend the authors previous novel, The Dancer Teacher of Paris.
This is the first book I've read by Suzanne Fortin so I didn't know what to expect. The first third of the book let me get to know the main character, Fitz, an extremely independent, unconventional young woman with a passion for flying. I was enjoying her time as an ATA girl, her friends, and her love interest with an American pilot. Then...boom! The SOE recruits her, drops into France, and all hell breaks loose. The plot quickly became so intense and completely unpredictable that I had to remind myself to breathe.
This story has two threads. One thread is Fitz's experiences during World War II but the second one is equally compelling. It's the emotional turmoil that has molded Fitz since her mother died when she was 8 years old. The author impressively weaves this psychological profile into the plot for the reader while Fitz slowly comes to terms with overcoming the trauma so she can finally heal. I loved how Fitz and her stepmother were able to finally reach out to one another, each accepting the mistakes they had made. If you enjoy books with a strong female character in challenging situations, you'll love this one. I look forward to reading more of Suzanne Fortin's World War II novels.
Many thanks to NetGalley and Embla Books for the digital ARC. All opinions and the review are entirely my own.
An interesting story that flowed well with really good characters. Informative and believable, a really good read.