The story itself was intriguing but for my taste there were too many technical terms about flying military planes. It doesn’t make the story harder to follow or harder to understand - it just a lot of those terms that interrupt the flow a little bit.
It good how it points out the problems of the military and how women have a hard time be accepted and can only advance to certain point. Both main chatracters fight that peroblem and follow their dreams. It also showes the underlying homophobia in the military and how the characters deal with it.
It is an interesting book but too military for me.

Good debut novel by Julie Tizard that describes the training process of a woman Air Force pilot in the 1990s with a slow-burn romance in the background. The author is a pilot so the book often gets very technical on flying issues and sometimes feels more like a chronicle than a novel, so consider yourself warned. However, you don't need to be an expert to enjoy it but I think at least a minor interest in flying and aircrafts is still essential. In that case, the book is quite informative, entertaining and some scenes keep you turning pages.

Those readers looking for a romance might be disappointed because it is very much in the background. Having said that, the chemistry between the main characters works fine and the cast of supporting characters gives realism to the plot.

It'd be interesting to read in the future another work by Ms. Tizard that wouldn't be so closely related to her personal experience to see if she's got the ability to write outside of her comfort zone.

Overall an informative and sometimes entertaining read on Air Force pilots' training and the situation of women (and lesbians) within the force in the 1990s with a slow-burn romance at the side. 3.5 stars rounded up to 4.

ARC provided by the publisher and Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

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I thought this book was an enjoyable enough read. There was a lot of information on the day to day lives of student Air Force pilots. The amount of work they put into the program deserves so much respect. Casey and Kathryn were focused, intelligent, and motivated women who spent years trying to break the gender barriers but I didn't ever feel a real connection between them. I so wanted to just feel one spark, but...nothing. Their conversations were very formulaic and shallow. The author does tell a good story, with a lot of descriptive detail on Air Force pilot training. But the romance took a back seat.

The Road to Wings was certainly an interesting book if you're into stories about the military and the pilots who fly fighter jets. This book is filled with the day to day grind of a pilot in training and the additional stress of being female and gay in the military during the Don't Ask Don't Tell era. A romance is woven in that happens between instructor and student contributing a tantalizing edge to the story. While the focus of the book seemed to edge more on the technical jargon and rigor of pilot training and subsequent dangers that they were constantly exposed, it seemed there were times as if the novel didn't seem to know if it wanted to be a Lesfic romance or a biography rather than a natural blending of the two genres that this book was probably striving for. The author's bio lists an impressive resume of military service and was one of the pioneering women in fighter pilots in the Air Force so you be assured the authenticity is as good as it can get.

After finishing this book I have a bittersweet aftertaste. It has a story about fighting male rules in a difficult environment, that accept women only till a certain point. It has also the undercurrent homophobia in the military. Both main characters do their best to acomplish their dreams to be air force pilots. But there is always a high price to pay. The book is full of technical language about flying militar planes, although is not very difficult to follow and keeps you in your toes in some parts. But is a fun and entertaining read.

An admirably deployed technical examination of the facets of training/daily activity, commitment and fortitude required for a female pilot in the Navy, specifically during the late 1980s/early 1990s. However, the romantic dynamics proved to be only a marginal focus of the work, rather to my disappointment. While Ms. Tizard is clearly intimately aware of the subject matter, I would hesitate to label this as a "military love story" and would classify it more broadly as general fiction, which I likely would not have considered for leisure reading.

3 1/2 Stars. An enjoyable debut book. This book really worked for me personally, but I don't think it will be everyone's cup of tea. If you are interested in flying, the Air Force, and what it takes to survive flight school, get this book. If none of those things sound appealing at all, this book is probably not for you.

Lieutenant Casey Thompson, wants to become an Air Force pilot. She is entering one of the hardest flight training in the world. And in 1992, not many women get this chance. Her flight instructor is the beautiful and talented Captain Kathryn Hardesty. Casey soon finds herself attracted to the Captain. In a time where being a lesbian could mean losing everything, can Casey make it through flight school and have a relationship?

When I said this book will not be for everyone, it is because it is very technical. Julie Tizard, is the first woman military pilot, that writes lesfic. You can absolutely tell she knows exactly what she is talking about. I almost feel like I could go fly a supersonic jet right now. At times I was a little lost in the terminology. I actually wish there was a glossary that explained a little better what certain terms meant/did. But the more I read, the more it became clearer. I felt like I learned a lot, and really enjoyed the time in the jets. I would say 70% of the book is flying and flight school, the other 30% a slow moving romance.

The romance is a slow burn one. In 1992-93, it was so difficult for gays and lesbians in the military. I thought the romance fit in realistically for the times. The chemistry doesn't scream off the pages, but it is there, and I liked the two characters together very much. Hopefully in Tizard's next book, she can balance the romance in a little more 50-50.

I have always wanted to take flying lessons. More helicopter, than these massive jets, but still this book appealed to me. I enjoyed this read and thought it was well done for a debut. If you are interested in flying or the Air Force, you should enjoy this too. I will be keeping my eye out for future books by Tizard.

An ARC was given to me by BSB, for a honest review.

I liked the premise of this book. I think the editing might need some work but overall, I enjoyed the story. The characters are likable and I wanted to keep reading to see what happens next. I would recommend this for readers.

This is a read about going after your dream in a hostile yet to some extent, encouraging environment. I now know more about what it takes to be a pilot in the Air Force and specifically, a female pilot. This read reminds us to appreciate the positive changes that have taken place in the military in relation to women. Kathryn Hardesty has put her heart and soul into flying Air Force jets and to some extent sacrificed a personal life because she is a lesbian. Casey Tompkins wants to be where Kathryn is. For both women, it can be a high price to pay but if you have the drive, the passion and know that this is your destiny, then you have deemed it worthy of your effort, time and possibly, your life. How strong you must be to hold it together under the pressure. There is much detail about the day-to-day life of Casey learning to be an Air Force pilot which may drag on for some but this reader viewed it as interesting and educational. Pitch attitude, trim button, and various acrobatic maneuvers. "Fly the jet, just fly the jet, Casey"

In 1992, Casey Tompkins begins training to be an elite Air Force pilot. As she endures the mental and physical challenges, she also gets close to one of her instructors. These two women, trying to succeed in an Air Force dominated by men, know that a relationship could destroy their careers, but their connection is too strong to ignore.

Author Julie Tizard writes from experience as an elite Air Force pilot, and it shows in the detail she includes about Casey's training. It lends an authority and realness to the portrayal of Casey's intense year. However, the minutia of equipment specs and flight safety protocols overwhelms the emotional story. It dampens the portrayal of Casey's determination to finish the program, her passion for flying, and the connection between Casey and Kathryn. The twin forces on Casey's life - professional and romantic - make for incredible challenges and emotional highs and lows, but it's sometimes hard to feel them.