Often when I am in an airport, I spend some time before my flight browsing the books available at Hudson News or a similar store looking for titles to add to my "Want to Read" list on Goodreads. A few months ago I was in Chicago Midway Airport and stumbled upon a novel titled The Flight Girls.
I read the description on the back and was intrigued. It was a novel about a female pilot, Audrey Coltrane, in Hawaii in 1941 when the war in Europe began. Her job was training military pilots. She had dreams of owning an airfield one day and didn't have time for any derailing romances, even from the charming Lieutenant James Hart, who quickly became a friend. After that fateful day in Pearl Harbor, Audrey returned home to Texas before deciding to enlist in the Women Airforce Service Pilots (“WASP”). Forming a story of powerful females, and the role they played in World War II.
Admittedly, when I read the description, I had never heard of WASP. I have always enjoyed historical fiction novels set during World War II, and this was an area of the war unfamiliar to me. I had this book on my Wishlist, and when I saw it on sale on Amazon, I grabbed it and started reading it in early December. Due to the busy holiday season and the fact that I have a habit of reading multiple books at the same time, I recently finished it and decided it was worthy of a blog review.
It begins in Hawaii some time before the Attack on Pearl Harbor. Knowing what was coming, I found myself nervously and anxiously awaiting that historical moment, how it was going to affect our heroine. This was definitely a book that grabbed me right from the beginning.
As Audrey’s journey takes her to WASP, her friendship with Lieutenant Hart deepens, and new bonds are formed with her fellow female pilots, I found myself fully engrossed in her journey. Audrey and her fellow pilots are put through Army training. After training, their job was to test planes, ferry them throughout the states, and train pilots. The work of these females freed up the men for combat. Although not in active war, these courageous females were not free from danger, and as tragedy struck, my heart broke right along with Audrey’s.
It is a story of bravery and history intermixed with romance. I am a fun of romantic storires with a strong female character who does not allow a love interest to slow down her pursuit of her dreams and goals. The whole novel was filled with laughs, love, and heartache. I could not put it down, would read it well past my bedtime, and looked forward to reading every moment I could.
It was a well-written story that provided some insight into what life was like for those female heroes during World War II. It was also a tale about staying true to dreams and not giving up no matter the obstacles. I would highly recommend The Flight Girls to anyone looking for a strong female character, a little history, and a dash of romance.
If you've read this novel, I'd love to hear your thoughts and review as well in the comments. Also, I love reading, and I am always looking for new books to add to my list. If you have any recommendations, please share.
As always, have a magical day!
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