Due to a sudden, unexpected passing in the family a few years ago and another more recently and my subsequent (mental) health issues stemming from that, I was unable to download this book in time to review it before it was archived as I did not visit this site for several years after the bereavements. This meant I didn't read or venture onto netgalley for years as not only did it remind me of that person as they shared my passion for reading, but I also struggled to maintain interest in anything due to overwhelming depression. I was therefore unable to download this title in time and so I couldn't give a review as it wasn't successfully acquired before it was archived. The second issue that has happened with some of my other books is that I had them downloaded to one particular device and said device is now defunct, so I have no access to those books anymore, sadly.

This means I can't leave an accurate reflection of my feelings towards the book as I am unable to read it now and so I am leaving a message of explanation instead. I am now back to reading and reviewing full time as once considerable time had passed I have found that books have been helping me significantly in terms of my mindset and mental health - this was after having no interest in anything for quite a number of years after the passings. Anything requested and approved will be read and a review written and posted to Amazon (where I am a Hall of Famer & Top Reviewer), Goodreads (where I have several thousand friends and the same amount who follow my reviews) and Waterstones (or Barnes & Noble if the publisher is American based). Thank you for the opportunity and apologies for the inconvenience.

As a lover of historical novels, and a lover of wartime fiction, I was drawn to this story, but I actually found this book had a unique take on the events of World War II because the focus was on the homing pigeons that were used for communications, having been airdropped into France. This was a new concept for me because I had not heard of Source Columba before, and I found it fascinating. As a nature lover I found the reality of the exercise very sad because many of the pigeons perished, either in the parachute drop, or at the hands of the enemies.

The characters in this story were believable, and I really enjoyed the connection that Susan and Ollie had with one another. A special mention should also go to Bertie who was such an adorable old man. I also felt so concerned with the welfare of the pigeons but especially Duchess, who was the connecting character to the whole story.

The romance between Susan and Ollie was very sweet and nurturing, and although I wanted their story arc to go in a particular, perhaps most commonly expected direction, the fact that it went in an unusual direction actually turned out to be the perfect resolution.

This was an unusual and interesting wartime novel, and an excellent debut novel.

The Long Flight Home was an E-ARC and I have to be perfectly honest I don’t think it’s for me. I struggled to connect with the characters and the storyline. It all felt a little outlandish and didn’t quite hit home for me. I wish there had been more for me to enjoy and learn from the characters. I did enjoy learning about the pigeons and seeing Susan and her grandfather but I felt as though everything else was surface level. I didn’t connect enough to feel sad when the awful things were happening. I usually love historical fiction, especially WWII but this one missed the mark for me.

We follow Susan and her Grandad as they look after their pigeons and get them ready to be sent into war. I thought the emotion that was portrayed all the way through this process really brought to life. I wish that the other relationships had been given the same amount of love and attention because I felt as though the others were a little lacking and I struggled to connect and care for them!

The best bit of The Long Flight Home would have to be learning about the pigeons and how that was integrated into the war effort. I think I went into this story expecting more about that and really latched on to these parts of the story. I loved watching Susan looking after the different pigeons and the emotion she feels as they head off into the war-torn countries. It made me start to feel love for these birds and gave me a sense of what they were going through and how it might have felt to say goodbye to those animals. Plus the relationship between Susan and her Grandfather it was really lovely to watch them deal with how scary the war was.


The worst bits for me would definitely have to be the fact that everything seems to happen SO fast, it felt as though we were running at full speed. There didn’t seem to be a lot of time for us to get to know the characters and understand the motivations. I thought the way the characters acted and “fell in love” was superficial, I wasn’t sure how they were supposed to in love when they only knew the base level about each other. I really did struggle to connect with them and back them when it came to the hard points in the story. I also wished there had been more of a focus on the pigeons and their part in the story all the way through this book there wasn’t any closure. It ended with some sense of predictability and I feel as though half the characters were forgotten about!

I don’t know that I would recommend The Long Flight Home, I enjoyed the story and finding out more about the pigeons that were sacrificed throughout WWII but I’m not sure the pay off was there. Everything kind of felt as though it was all surface-level without much depth

An interesting story of love found midst the rigours of war. In a time when we are flooded with tales set in wartime this was refreshing it also gives insight into the role played by carrier pigeons

Oliver leaves his home farm in Maine when his parents are killed in a car crash.  All he wants to do is fly, and in particular, support his heritage - his grandparents were British, and the US is staunchly neutral. Inevitably he meets our heroine, and crosses the path of her childhood school bully, Boar, and recrosses it, and then is thrown together with him and his venom.

At one stage I felt that I wouldn't be reading this book if I had realised it was really a soppy romance, with what seemed like a cliched storyline. To some extent that summary is valid, but it is much more than that. The role of the pigeons in the service of our country not well-known, although pigeon medals sometimes end up in antiques shows on tv. It's probably total news to anyone outside the UK (and possibly France).  Mr Hlad has handled that story well, with the occasional straying into unlikely territory over the initial meeting.

These days I usually steer clear of stories set in places I know well. In this case, I am a little hazy about Epping's specific layout in 1940, since I wasn't there then, but I do know what roads have been built since 1950, and I suspect some of the author's journeys, especially the one to Ely, are a stretch too far. Well, actually too short.  Be that as it may, the atmosphere, and the sense of terror which deadened into numbness during the course of the Blitz, were well constructed and presented.

All in all, it's a gripping piece of wartime drama, with a cute ending - but probably that was the trigger that sent Mr Hlad on his journey of discovery in the first place. Highly recommended, if you can put up with the clunky romance element.

Its September 1940. War has been going on for a year. Susan raises pigeons. Ollie is a pilot. Susie lives with her Grandfather Bertie on a pigeon farm. They supply the war effort with pigeons, hoping they will bring home messages from occupied France. Ollie lived in Maine. He is a pilot. He decides to go to England hopping to join the war effort. His path crosses with Susan and Bertie. Love blossoms between the young couple.

The story has been well researched and it's beautifully written. I knew a little about the use of homing pigeons before reading this book. This story was inspired by the true ut little known events that took place in World War II. Hundreds of pigeons were dropped over France hoping that French citizens would send them home with vital codes information strapped to their legs. I loved all the characters in this story. It held my attention throughout. A romantic war story that I found hard to put down.

I would like to thank NetGalley, Hodder & Stoughton and the author A.L. Hiad for my ARC in exchange for an honest review

This was such an outstanding, true to life story that it drew me in right from the start.
Tear jerkers are not normally for me but this has me gripped .

This book tells of the beautiful love story between fictional characters Ollie and Susan but was made to feel real. I love how the author was able to bring his readers into Susan’s beloved pigeons daily-life. I was invested 100% and in-tears praying for them to return home safe, especially Duchess!

Some parts of the book are recreated with information from the author researching real events. 200,000 carrier pigeons were used by the Royal Air Force between 1939-1945 to carry encrypted messages into German-occupied France and Holland, and then back to Britain. Through Susan’s eyes the author describes the Blitz with the German bombers heading Over London dropping bombs, putting you in the scene as a scared onlooker. This is a very informative read which I strongly recommend and I am glad I had the opportunity to read and review via Netgalley, all opinions expressed are my own.

I set off reading this book struggling to get into the first few chapters but after that it was amazing. Following the National Pigeon Service and Susan with her Grandfather training the Pigeons. As in all good books a curve ball is thrown in and relationships become interesting with a RAF pilot and an American pilot. If you like WW2 genre books then this is the book for you but taking a different angle. Thanks to the author and NetGallery

I am sorry but this didn't really resonate with me. I didn't find it to be particularly well written, so I didn't actually finish it.

This was an enjoyable read with the added benefit of teaching me singeing about World War 3 that I hadn’t been aware of despite it being my favourite setting for fiction reads, that is, the use of carrier pigeons. A satisfying mixture of romance and danger with likeable characters. My thanks to Netgalley and Hodder & Stoughton for the digital copy in exchange for my honest review.

This is one most the most beautiful and enthralling books that I have ever read.
I loved it from the beginning to the end
Amazing talent from the author.
A must read

A fascinating alternative view on WW2 and a story I didn’t know about the importance of homing pigeons in the war effort. The characters the book is set around are engaging, believable and resilient for the times, people you really want to root for!

Thanks for letting me review this book

Thanks to NetGalley for an early copy in return for an honest review
A very good read and one I can highly recommend to others.
I could not put this down.
Thoroughly enjoyable with an amazing cast of characters that you cannot help but engage with.

A great historical read and fascinating to hear about the role that pigeons played in the war effort. An easy writing style that really draws you in and keeps you reading.

I have long been fascinated by the role which pigeons played during the WWs since visiting the small exhibition at Bletchley Park. This story gives a narrative to an small but important part of our British history. I really enjoyed hearing about the training and use of the birds and around this was wound a sweet but hard hitting love story. Thank you for giving me the opportunity to discover this story. I really enjoyed it and would recommend this read for those who enjoy historical romance and 20th C history in particular.

michelle De Alwis's review Jun 26, 2019 · edit
it was amazing

I have read quite a few novels set in 1940 during the war but, The Long fight home by Alan Hlad is different to other books that I have read.
It’s September 1940 and it’s a year into the war. Sam Shepherd lives with her Grandfather Bertie in Epping Forest. She was studying Zoology until the war came and halted her studies and she came involved in helping her Grandfather raise homing pigeons, due to her Grandfather suffering with Arthritis. They are part of the National Pigeon service. When Bertie is called to the war office regarding a mission called Colombia were pigeons are used to carry information back and forth between enemy lines. Because of Bertie’s arthritic knees Sam goes instead on his behalf.
Ollie from Maine is a crop duster on his parent’s farm. When a tragic accident kills his parents and the farm is taken over by the bank because of debt. He has British linage in his family. So, he decides that he want to flight for the RAF in the present war. Without no money he manages to get on a ship and finds his way to Britain. But an incident happens, and he gets on the wrong side of Flight Lieutenant Boar, he gets arrested. Instead of flying he manages to meet Sam and Bertie and it is arranged that he helps with the pigeons. There is also a connection between Sam and Ollie.
Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for a copy of this book. I really enjoyed this book. Not only it taught me more about WW11 as is based on true events. I never hear about the Nation Pigeon service and how heroic not only pigeons but their handlers getting the messages across enemy lines. I liked the authors writing style it was an easy read but informative. Only concern I had was I thought the ending was a bit rushed. 4.5 stars from me.

An absolutely amazing story. I never knew that the war had used pigeons to help carry messages. The story had me guessing right from the beginning of how it would turn out. It was written so well and was so easy to follow. Not one part of it felt boring or lost its way. A few things happened in it that was a bit unexpected but definitely a good read all round. It truly opened my eyes to how things went within the war

This was a good historical read. I had not heard of the National Pigeon Service before so I thought this story was very interesting.

Thank you to Netgalley for my copy.

A beautiful historical fiction and romance novel with the most fascinating context: Britain's secret pigeon mission in World War II. I have learned so much about pigeons and have a whole new perspective on these astonishing birds and what they can do. Lovely for anyone who enjoyed The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society.

I love it when I learn something new from a story. I did not know the National Pigeon service existed or that the British used pigeons to carry messages during the war.

The Long Flight home is about Susan, who trains pigeons and Ollie, an American who wants to join the RAF as a pilot. Through a series of convenient coincidences, Ollie and Susan are brought together on a mission to provide homing pigeons to carry messages from France to England.

It took me a while to warm to this book. I thought that in the first half of the book, the characters were one-dimensional and the dialogue was very simplistic. The characters did not seem to feel anything until the second part of the book. What kept me interested was the second half of the book, where I felt the characters took shape and the pace of the story picked up. However, the ending seemed a bit rushed and I would have been happy with a few more pages to put a polish on the character’s stories.

The book is well researched; I found the Author’s Note at the end very interesting and would have liked to know more about the Pigeon corps.

This was a fast read for me. Recommended for people who want to learn about a fascinating aspect of WWII history and for historical fiction fans. 3.5/5 stars

Thanks to NetGalley, Hodder& Stoughton; Hodder Paperbacks, and the author for the opportunity to read and review this novel. Release date: June 25, 2019

Review will be posted on Instagram @lowkey.bookish